“I’ve learned to wear what makes me happy in the moment.”
We know personal style is a journey (I’m looking at you, Tumblr years) and our series Hey, I Like Your Style! dives into the fashion psyche of our favourite creatives. We’re talking the good, the bad and the 2007.
These are the stories behind the wardrobes, exploring how we develop our own personal style. There’s a brilliance behind the way we choose to express ourselves and at FJ, we know every outfit has a story. This week, we’re diving into the wardrobe of Cassandra Yuan, a digital creator based in Sydney.
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For Cassandra, working in finance initially meant separating her office wardrobe and what she actually enjoyed wearing. Having worked in the corporate space for a decade, she’s finally been able to strike a balance. “Over the years, I’ve found little ways to bring myself into my work outfits, like adding a brooch, a colourful handmade scrunchie or a statement necklace,” she says.
Rather than treating fashion as binary, Cassandra sees her style as fluid. “I used to feel a lot of pressure to pick one aesthetic and stay there,” she explains. Some days, this might mean embracing 2000s silhouettes of Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada, other days it takes the form of colourful patterns and puffy sleeves.
Though she enjoys experimenting, Cassandra’s uncompromising when it comes to her values of slow, sustainable consumption. With a wardrobe full of local labels and secondhand pieces (we’re particularly jealous of that Prada column skirt she scored in Osaka), she’s committed to the rule of intentionality, questioning how much she needs something before buying it. “I’ll usually pin an item to a Pinterest board first, taking the time to visualise how it fits into my closet before committing to it.”
Fashion Journal: Hey Cassandra! Tell me a little bit about yourself and what you like to wear.
Cassandra: I’m a Sydney-based content creator exploring the intersection of slow fashion and intentional living. I’ve been working in finance for nearly a decade, and much of this has involved trying to find harmony between the rigour of my corporate career and my love for creativity. Instagram has become the perfect outlet for me to share how a creative identity can coexist with a career in finance.
Where my work life is very structured, my analog hobbies such as sewing, drawing and crafting help keep me grounded and are an ode to being present in this technological world. I love to share these moments to inspire whimsy and girlhood.
My wardrobe is a curation of small local and international designers, secondhand pieces, and items I’ve sewn myself. Currently, I’m drawn to early 2000s silhouettes and elevated basics that spark a sense of eclectic minimalism.
Personal style is a journey. Have you ever felt like you needed to fit into a particular fashion box?
I started my career at a consulting firm where I felt like I had to conform to a very specific look five days a week. At the same time, I was learning more about sustainable fashion through social media and realised I didn’t want a divided wardrobe anymore. The idea of having separate identities for my professional and personal life felt pretty wasteful. I wanted to blur those lines to maximise the wear of every piece I owned.
My goal became to purchase clothes that were versatile enough to wear to work on a Tuesday but also to wear on a Saturday at brunch. This was actually the catalyst for my Instagram – I wanted to show that you can dress appropriately for a corporate environment without sacrificing personality or compromising your sustainable values.
Over the years, I’ve found little ways to bring myself into my work outfits, like adding a brooch, a colourful handmade scrunchie or a statement necklace.
Take us back to your teenage years. Who or what was influencing your style at the time, and are there any looks you still think about now?
Oh, the golden age of YouTube! Creators like Jenn Im from ClothesEncounters were a huge influence on me. Seeing Asian representation leaning into experimental aesthetics felt empowering, like it was an invitation to step into a world of wearing whatever I liked.
I remember wearing a cargo green jacket with black pleather sleeves adorned with studs that I pressed onto the collar, white Doc Martens and the infamous American Apparel riding pants. It was a time of experimenting and really leaning into those early Tumblr trends.
How has your style evolved in the years since, and how would you describe it now?
Although I tend to gravitate towards elevated basics and neutral tones, I used to feel a lot of pressure to pick one aesthetic and stay there. I’d often ask myself: am I a minimalist or am I a maximalist? Do I like neutrals or loud patterns? Eventually, I realised I didn’t have to choose.
My style today is much more fluid. Some days I want to wear outfits that exude the sleek, minimal lines of a mid-2000s silhouette like Emily Blunt’s character in The Devil Wears Prada, and other days I want to wear puffy sleeves and colourful plaids. I’ve learned to wear what makes me happy in the moment.
What’s a fashion rule you follow religiously and one you break constantly?
I try to follow the slow fashion rule of intentionality, really questioning if a piece adds value to my life before I buy it. I’ll usually pin an item to a Pinterest board first, taking the time to visualise how it fits into my closet before committing to it.
The rule I break is the idea that ‘work clothes’ have to be boring. I love mixing my handmade, colourful pieces with staple items to bring a bit of my personality to the office.
What are some of the ‘investment pieces’ in your wardrobe, or items that have stood the test of time?
My Maison Margiela Tabi flats that I purchased in 2023. I love pieces that feel grounded and classic at first glance, but once you look closer, reveal a unique and subversive detail. I also love that the Tabi sparks a conversation between traditional heritage and modern design. I’ve actually had mine resoled with a durable Vibram rubber to ensure they last a lifetime.
What’s your favourite secondhand find?
During a recent two-month stint working in Japan, I spent my evenings perusing almost every secondhand store within a 15km radius of my accommodation. I eventually found a Prada column skirt at a RagTag in Osaka.
The fit was slightly too wide, so I sewed in darts at the waistband and now it’s the perfect low-rise fit. It’s one of my favourite pieces because it serves as a tangible memory of my time hunting through all the incredible archives in Japan and fits my rule of functional fashion: a piece that can be worn for every occasion.
What’s a fail-safe pairing you know always works?
A knee-length skirt with ballet flats. It’s a silhouette that makes me feel polished but I can change it up by adding brooches or belts, depending on how I feel that day.
Whose wardrobe would you steal if you could and why?
My mum’s closet from the early 2000s. My mum was an OG thrifter and I remember hating spending time with her at secondhand stores when I was younger, as I just wanted to be at home on Neopets.
I still remember iconic outfits she rocked, including low-rise trousers, baby T-shirts (midriff out for show) and platform sandals. She’s donated a lot of it over the years, which is a shame, but I recently found a pair of navy low-rise Esprit trousers she kept. I wear them all the time now – it feels special to have a piece of her style history.
What fashion piece are you keeping in your closet despite it being ‘out of trend’?
I don’t really believe in things being ‘out’. If I love a piece and it was made with care, it stays and becomes part of my archive and tells the story of my style history.
What pieces do you currently have on repeat?
I’m almost always in ballet flats. I rotate between three pairs: my Maison Margiela Tabis, a pair of timeless Mary Janes from Aeyde and my Repettos.
Who are your favourite local designers?
Madre Natura for timeless craftsmanship, Olga Joan for delicious colour combinations, Katharina Lou for playful plaids, Itadaki and Emily Watson for subversive styles and All Is A Gentle Spring for beautiful silhouettes.
Keep up with Cassandra here.