“I wasn’t sure about wearing skirts over pants at first, but I’m now fully on board (obviously).”

Working in a creative role, it can be difficult to know how to dress for the day. Instead of having a set uniform of crisp white shirts and tailored black pants (as much as I love both), an ever-changing schedule means every morning requires a set of questions. Am I running around, or just sitting at my desk? Do I need to dress specifically for a project? And most importantly, will I be in the background of someone’s TikTok?

This week, Fashion Journal intern Julia Kittelty takes us through her week in work outfits. Balancing two jobs, university and an internship means Julia’s weekdays are packed pretty full, and often her outfits need to take her from class to work to an afternoon of interning.

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With a penchant for thrifting (and a part-time job at a secondhand store), her outfits feature lots of enviable pieces from the ’90s and early 2000s. A fan of layering and cute accessories, an outfit isn’t complete for her without an abundance of jewellery. Read on to see what garments she’s gravitated to.

Monday

Today I had a short shift at the boarding house in the morning and then worked from home interning for Fashion Journal for the remainder of the day. Although one of the best things about working from home is being able to wear your comfy house clothes, I do still enjoy doing a little something. And of course, I had to look cute for my lunch break trip to Touchwood for an oat iced latte.

Here I’m wearing Worship Supplies jeans I recently purchased and had altered to fit me a little better around the waist; I love the baggy look but don’t always love having to wear a belt. This red top is one of my ‘on-shift’ purchases from Storehouse Thrift, where I work a few days a week. I fell in love with the frilled sleeves – they drape over my hands in the most perfect way. The scarf was also a Storehouse Thrift find.

I went for my favourite pair of Dr Martens, which are deceivingly comfortable now that I’ve worn them in (it only took me 18 months). I’m wearing my everyday bag, which at the moment is my Baggu! I recently popped a cute little Hello Kitty charm on there, and I’m currently on the hunt for more. The cuter the better!

Tuesday

Today I started with another short shift at the boarding house, headed to uni for a class in the arvo, and then finished with an overnight shift back at the boarding house. It was a big day, so I needed to be comfy. As well as being comfortable, today’s outfit is 100 per cent secondhand!

The jumper, jeans and messenger bag are all from Storehouse Thrift. Honestly, working there has really improved my wardrobe. The jeans are vintage Target. They fit me so beautifully, and you can’t see it in this photo but they’re super low rise with a thick waistband, which I’m loving the vibe of at the moment! Super ’90s/2000s.

The messenger bag is vintage Mambo. It’s the perfect uni bag. I love the yellow and grey of this one, it’s an unexpected colour combo and it makes any outfit interesting! If you can believe it, I found the Salomons on Depop for $60. Talk about an absolute steal. I’d been putting off buying a pair new because they are on the expensive side, so when I saw these it was an instant buy. And they are in such a fun colourway as well.

The skirt is actually a vintage petticoat I picked up from Little Ms Waste-Not Vintage on a recent trip to Adelaide. It’s got an elasticated waist which makes it perfect for layering over jeans like this. I wasn’t sure about wearing skirts over pants at first, but I’m now fully on board (obviously).

I tied this all together with mixed metal rings, earrings and a cute little butterfly necklace I found at Savers. I find jewellery is the perfect thing to add if you’re not sure things are coming together. It’s like magic!

Wednesday

Wednesdays are a Storehouse Thrift day! I always like to dress a little funkier on the days I’m there – I feel like I have permission to use a little more creative license. The denim jacket and the graphic tee I thrifted from the store. I always love wearing things I find in the store to my shifts; it’s like a full-circle moment!

The jacket I love because of the wide sleeves and lack of collar: it’s perfect for layering. The graphic tee is an American Super Bowl shirt from a few years ago, and it made me think of Travis Kelce when I saw it, so I just had to buy it (lol). It’s also nice and baggy, which I love.

The skirt is another vintage Target find. I’ve been obsessed with finding a tartan skirt recently, and when this one popped up on my Depop I couldn’t resist. The collared shirt I thrifted years ago, it’s the perfect neutral basic. Amazing for layering!

These cherry Dr Martens were inherited from my sister. We are the same shoe size, which is very handy! I love these because the colour adds a little something to an outfit without overpowering it or becoming the focal point. And my headphones I take everywhere. Today I’m listening to Billie Eilish’s new album on repeat (obviously).

Thursday

Today I’m heading to a uni class in the morning and then interning at Fashion Journal in the afternoon. Here I’ve tied a vintage silk scarf around a little white tee to create a custom top. It’s such an easy way to make an outfit that little bit more interesting.

The jacket is secondhand, I can’t remember where I got it from; I’ve had it for years! It’s so comfy and it seems to go with everything. I’ve gone for my trusty platform docs again. I love that they give me an extra inch or two of height, even though I’m already quite tall. The taller the better!

I went for a long denim skirt, and I know (from TikTok) that a lot of people seem to hate these, but I love them. You’ll have to pry this one out of my cold dead hands. I found it at a secondhand store in Santa Cruz during a road trip I took with my siblings and partner down the American West Coast last year.

I’d been looking for a long, loose, low-waisted denim skirt since we’d left San Francisco, where all the girls in the hostel were wearing them. It might be my favourite piece of clothing in my wardrobe (big call, I know). The scarf was a late addition. I opened my front door this morning and realised it was actually quite chilly, so I stole it from my partner on the way out of the house. I promise I’ll give it back!

Friday

The thrift store is a place where I can really experiment with what I wear. Anything goes! As a part of my job I do a lot of fun and creative visual merchandising, and it always really inspires me to try new colours, styles and silhouettes. I picked up this vintage ’80s jumper while on shift a few weeks back, and today was the first day I wore it. I love how colourful and interesting it is. I paired it with my Worship jorts and my brown leather jacket (also a thrift find from the store), chucked on a heap of rings and popped in some chunky earrings for good measure. I know a lot of people really hate the jorts trend, but I’m completely on board. I’m a jorts believer! I love how they give any outfit a slightly masculine edge… I love wearing them with something frilly, dainty and femme.