Definition: The Full Monty:
A British slang phrase. It is generally used to mean “everything which is necessary, appropriate, or possible; ‘the works’”
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Collaborator for designers and stores. Stylist. Contributor for Harpers Bazaar Russia.
I first bumped into Aziza at NYFW last winter. We started following each other eventually on Instagram. I loved her high/low boyish feminine style. When I saw her Instagram wearing a Trash and Vaudeville leather jacket I thought; ah her too! Fast forward to about one month ago and I bumped into her in China town (looking amazing as usual – I’ll show you her outfit soon). I seized the opportunity and met up with her last weekend for the first time to get the full monty on where she shops and where she finds her fave pieces.
Prada coat. A birthday gift.
“This was a very special gift to me from a very special someone. It’s what I dreamt of and I was really happy to get it. I feel like it’s an art piece. You can literally hang it on the wall and look at it everyday. It’s like a painting. It doesn’t make it any different but it’s even better because it’s wearable.”
“I love to dress it down and wear it with jeans and sneakers or I can wear it with biker boots or a leather skirt.”
Victorian blouse: Vintage shop in Miami
“I think it’s from the thirties. It was $200. Together when you wear it with the leather fringe skirt (see below) it looks like an Isabel Marant outfit. I love the quality of it. I am also particular about fabrics. I try to buy natural so not polyester etc. First I see something then I feel it. If it doesn’t feel right I leave it. I don’t want to wear something that doesn’t feel natural to my body.”
“When I started realizing what fashion really is was when I started going to places like the flea market or vintage shops. I love bohemian ones. Anywhere you go you can always find a dress for $3 or $5 and you can make it look like it’s the coolest thing in the world. It doesn’t matter if it’s Zara, H&M, Isabel Marant or Chanel, as long as it looks good. That’s where I find the gems. I try to build on things I want to wear throughout my whole life and not buy what’s necessarily trendy. I mean why? You don’t want to pollute this world so you have to make conscious decisions in fashion because I feel like there’s so much waste in manufacturing etc so why would you contribute to that? I would rather just wear one pair of jeans and a t-shirt in two or three different styles then have too much.”
Saint Laurent ankle boots
“I fell in love with these boots. I saw Emmanuelle Alt wearing them and I thought OMG she is my ultimate muse and I was looking for the leather ones because I’ve seen the patent, metallic and leopard ones. I thought the black leather was perfect for everything. They remind me of witch boots. I think they look so slick, comfortable and easy with a skinny jean.
Leather fringe skirt: Vintage shop in Miami (a recommendation from a friend)
“When I first saw it I thought wow crazy it’s everything I’d been looking for: fringe, leather etc. I know that Marant made a similar skirt for about $1500. I bought this one for $200 and I’ve been wearing it every day now since I got it and I’ve gotten so many compliments from guys to girls to ladies.”
Balenciaga jacket: Gift from a friend
“My friend gave me this jacket. She is the sweetest person ever. She basically always gives me her clothes and we always share clothes and she always appreciated how it looked on me. She’s the most generous person I know. We exchange things so I promised to give her the brown leather jacket” (see below).
Celine leather jacket: Gift from Dad in Paris
“This is my favorite jacket and I wear it all the time. I saw it in Paris and thought wow it’s gorgeous and this jacket has been a true staple of my wardrobe.”
I love the fit of this jacket.
“This is a forever piece. It’s one of those that I’ll look back and say that’s what I was wearing in my twenties.
I am obsessed with leather jackets so if I buy a black then I need an in-between which is a grey, then I need a red one from Trash & Vaudeville, then a long black denim one etc.”
Click to see the rest of her cool finds. Her destroyed denim jacket is just siiiiick:
“Ever since I got these I haven’t been able to take them off. I wear them every day. Even to the beach. I wasn’t wearing flip flops or sandals I was wearing these.
I bought them at James Perse in New York. No one knows where they are from. My friend has a pair of shoes that she’s been wearing since she was 14 and I was inspired by her shoes. They’re just Nikes but are super old. Then I saw this and I thought ugh they’re so expensive but I know that I’m going to wear them every day. Kind of homeless looking.”
White dress: Random boutique around Prince and Elizabeth streets
“This dress was $15! I have it in white and in black. I thought this is the most perfect dress for now.
You can wear it with jackets or as a beach dress. You can literally sleep in it or go to the park in it.”
“I bought this last summer and I thought it was really refreshing – I loved the colour. I love the cut because it’s a little shorter in the back and longer in the front and it’s super soft. I felt that the more I wear it the better it’s going to get.
For leather my fave brands are Trash and Vaudeville, I love ACNE, I love Balenciaga, I love Celine. I think that they are the best brands to go for leather but if it’s leather pants it’s different. Balenciaga has good leather pants but Current Elliot does a good one and JBrand does a good one.”
Clutch bag from The Strand for $5
“I wear this all the time, especially with my Prada coat.”
“I love what it says on the outside: This my contain ointment, aspirin, mascara, lipstick, hand sanitizer, matches etc.”
“I feel like in fashion it’s about the choices you make when you dress up because there are so many and I think it speaks more about the choices you made throughout the day: how it relates to your personality and your style.”
“So this is really how I dress right now. These dresses (black or white) and a jacket and these sneakers.
I got the jacket a long time ago. When I wear my clothes I want to be like the more you wear it the better it looks. I’m not like one of those people that’s like oh I want to keep my clothes looking new and they don’t touch it. Clothes are meant to be destroyed.”
“I love people watching so when you see something very interesting, you look for that special object to understand their artistic taste and find that common ground to find something to speak about whether fashion or art or poetry or history. It’s something to talk about just like anything else.”
“Sometimes when I style it I just wear it like this: buttoned up but uneven you know? Then you can wear it more off one shoulder or whatever. Makes it way more cool I think. I love denim. Denim and leather? I mean that’s it.”
“Especially now for leather and denim there’s endless: you can go vintage, thrifting, H&M, Gap, Saint Laurent, Balmain. There’s denim everywhere.”
H&M Conscious Collection jacket.
“Sometimes I get surprised by beauty. This looks like a Dries Van Noten jacket but it’s not but it’s also kind of oriental.
I wore it before with the leather fringe skirt and a cropped top but also with a t-shirt. I feel like you can wear it with jeans, imagine cigarette pants and a t-shirt and just throw it on.”
“It’s short here in the back and long here. It’s beautiful. The shape is gorgeous.”
“That’s my trick with shopping. I know that there’s always something in H&M.
I am also a very big GAP fan. Their sexy boyfriend jean?! I’m so proud of them. They really stepped up their game.
When moving out I realized how many things that you buy and you end up not wearing or it’s a one time only thing and you realize that the basics are what you really like and that’s what’s going to stay.”
Celine bag: Personal buy and Fendi baguette bag (gift).
“This is my first ever Celine bag that I purchased about five or six years ago and I really like it.
The denim bag was my Mum’s from the nineties. I wear this bag every day right now. With dresses, with shorts, with jeans. I wear it in my hand swinging. It’s so summery and beaded and bohemian. I love it.”
Miu Miu sunglasses: A gift. Celine brown sunglasses.
Photography: Karen Blanchard
“The Miu Mius were a Christmas gift from my Mum. Round glasses never work on me and these were the only ones that actually did so I said ok cool. I usually stay away from glasses like aviators they don’t suit me but they look great on everyone else. For me I find Celine works the best.
For me fashion is everywhere. You can go to a dollar store and make the coolest outfit.”
Find her blog here.
SHOP THE POST:
Dee Gray says:
I am so torn with her style. serious love/hate – it really makes her different = thanks for the post
Karen says:
ha ha! I think when anyone has a very strong or specific style it tends to divide people. I prefer that versus dressing ‘safe’ or in a way that everyone likes. Glad you liked it!
Hannah Mehdi says:
That outfit is amazing!! not to mention, she is beautiful.. 🙂
http://www.massage-rockhampton.com.au
Adriana Fleury says:
Her style is uniquely ecclectic. I love it… Btw what is “The Strand”?
The Little Black List says:
Its a bookstore in New York City
Karen says:
Thx Tess for the answer – yea The Strand of all places??? I LOVE it when people find things at the most random places
inhalingstyle.com says:
I concur on the Acne denim jacket, strongly concur….ah! now I want to find one or do a DIY!!!
Karen says:
I was so inspired and told Aziza ‘ok you do realize I have to DIY that??’ She said ‘sure go ahead!!!’
Let me know if you do too
Robyn Byn says:
OMV the Black leather Jacket! I want it so Bad!
http://www.robynbyn.de
Karen says:
Uh trust me you and I both! Have you seen the caramel brown one? Equally delish
Urbiana UK says:
Love it!
Kate
http://urbiana.co.uk/
Steph B-More says:
I love her style. So dope.
Saira says:
She has one of the HG Balenciaga Moto jackets! It is super rare and highly coveted. If she ever gets sick of it, I’ll take it off of her hands. 🙂
Tittyfer and Ampleforth says:
Karen , this is beyond Amazing thank you for doing this post. I have admired yours and Aziza’s style for many years. All the best xx
Jessi says:
This was a really fun post! Ok any idea how I could find that sweet white dress? It’s so simple but I’ve really been loving that cut this summer and I want three of them!
Anna says:
Does anybody know where her black buckle boots are from?? The ones that are second from the right in the shoe photo?
Toni says:
Loving Aziza denim jacket!!! This would be a awesome DIY project.
my blog 🙂 –> http://tonisclosetfinds.blogspot.com
Cara says:
Saint Laurent Ranger boots