Into the Closet

We’ve seen many a street style shot that looks like sartorial perfection. We scan the best dressed lists, from Tatler to The Tab, and yet we can’t help but be curious at what goes on behind the scenes. What else lurks in the wardrobes of these budding fashionistas?

Perhaps this fascination is rooted in Carrie Bradshaw’s enormous closet (or Cher Horowitz’s virtual one), but collections of clothes have a magical, personal quality that might even be more interesting than the individual outfits. They don’t get as much press – but The Tab is here to fix that.

Meet Jess, an English student at Exeter, who rocks casual and quirky glamour.

Capturing the S/S ’13 oversized trend

Her clothing collection is tucked into a tiny wooden wardrobe in her subtly feminine room in Jericho, with outerwear displayed on a clothes rail and a fabulous collection of footwear piled beneath. Something about the set-up evoked Cowley Road’s Reign. I got to chat with Jess about the story of her clothes.

Student wardrobe or rail at Unicorn?

Where do you like to shop around Oxford and elsewhere?

The Thursday market on Gloucester Green is one of my favourite places to shop in Oxford because the clothes are always cheap and you can get away with some pretty good haggling. Second hand clothing is great; it gives the illusion that you are buying a unique item because it is the only one like it on the rack and you can escape the horrible high street obsession with customising zips, tassels, and logos. Having said that, I love high street shopping, especially in January.

In London where I live, my favourite charity shops are Trade and the new Mary Portas stores because you can often find designer off-cuts. For stuff that’s a bit more expensive and fancy, I go to Portobello or the vintage fair which runs once a month in Hammersmith Town Hall.

What inspires the way you dress?

I take my inspiration from how my mother used to dress and wear a lot of her hand-me-downs, (and a lots of my Dad’s too).

How would you describe your style?

I think my personal style changes all the time and often arranges itself around a particular item. Last year, I spent a lot of money on a pair of Doc Martins so dressed in quite a utilitarian way to match them but this year I have returned to more ‘50s and ‘60s silhouettes.

Too edgy to be photographed head on

 How does Oxford influence your style?

Lots of people in Oxford are very well dressed and there seems to be a more relaxed attitude to fashion than in London which is refreshing. It seems the fashion priority for most people is their glasses…