1OO ELLE.COM/UK^ April 2020
T-shirt, £320,
BURBERRYJeans,
£70Elle RE ADS
like to look laidback and I always prefer to be
underdressed. You have to have a lot of confidence to
wear a minimal outfit, so I like that challenge. For me,
there’s nothing sexier than a simple T-shirt and jeans with an
incredible jacket. It’s something I learned from my parents, who
were casually cool ahead of their time. My dad’s smart look was
a pair of really expensive jeans with a T-shirt and oversized blazer.
People told him he was scruffy but 1O years later, everyone was
doing it. My mum would pair herMatrix-style floor-length leather
coat with baggy mom jeans and a vest – that effortlessness has
definitely rubbed off on me. My parents made me realise that if
they don’t mind dressing differently, why should I? I’m not scared
to wear something, even if other people don’t like it.
A few years ago, I became
obsessed with Chanel’s chunky
grandad sandals. At first, my sisters
mocked me for wearing them but
now they’re both walking around
in high-street versions. I spotted the
SS18 quilted sandals in an airport
and resisted the initial urge to spend
hundreds – but I couldn’t stop thinking
about them. When I finally went to
a store to buy them three months
later, they were gone. I pride myself
on being able to find any item (from
Bottega pouch bags to first release Saks Potts coats), but I spent
the next nine months searching online to no avail.
In the end, I resorted to contacting Bettina Looney, who owns
a concierge company that finds the unfindable items. Bettina
found them in Texas and got them shipped to a friend in L A. That
friend sent them to her boyfriend, who brought them to London.
I wear them all the time and often get comments from strangers on
my Instagram saying, ‘Eugh, I’m so bored of those shoes,’ and it’s
actually the best feeling. I worked hard to pay for them, they’ve been
on one hell of a journey and I’m going to wear them ‘til they die.
I started out as a personal shopper for Topshop
and now create online edits for companies and
fashion brands, as well as working as a stylist and
running my website. I encourage my 138,OOO
followers and blog readers to buy better and,
over the past few years, I’ve invested in more
timeless items, such as handbags from The Row.
I am still partial to a trend piece, but I know what
resells (Gucci bags and anything from The Row)
so after a few weeks, I’ll put it up on Vestiaire and get some of my
money back. I wanted the Gianvito Rossi kitten heels I’m wearing
today for a year before I bought them, so I’m rarely impulsive.
Even though I’m only 5ft 1in, I embrace my size. I don’t feel I need
heels to have more authority – I feel more confident in flats. Equally,
I would never put on a suit to feel powerful. If I need a boost, I’ll
wear an ankle-skimming dress from Albus Lumen or Mara Hoffman,
with flat sandals and my natural linen By Far Rachel handbag.The look
LEFT: MONIKH
WEARS
DRESS, ALBUS
LUMEN. SANDALS,
GIANVITO
ROSSI. BAG,
THE ROWI
Photography: Connor Langford at 2DM Management. Hair: Asahi Sano at Caren. Make - up: Gina Blondell using Marc Jacobs Beaut y. Fashion assistant: Lois Adeoshun. With thanks to Bourne & Hollingsworth. Shopping: Julia Har vey.£70,
LEVI’SSandals,
£945,
CHANELBag, £530,
BY FAREarrings,
£255, CHLOÉTh e
INFLUENCER...
MONIKH DALE, 31, IS A STYLE INFLUENCER
AND BRAND CONSULTANT