Style Spy: Fazillah Abdul Gaffa
Hey babes, we run a style and fashion blog, Wonderwool ! :)
Style Spy is a weekly feature of stylish ladies with in-depth interview to know them better! I hope you girls enjoy this and let us know how we can improve; Or if you have anyone to nominate! Thanks!
xx
For our first Style Spy feature, I am delighted to introduce all of you to Faz. By her own admission, she's "an old Hollywood diva living in the body of a twenty-something, overworked-underpaid writer/stylist who spends all her money on shoes and globe-trotting".
Wonderwool chose to interview Faz as she is extremely interesting and her passion for life, travel and all things beautiful will inspire you to no end. She runs The Drama Diaries, which documents her incredible journey.
L:In Madrid, Spain, for Madrid Fashion Week, Fall 2009 [Jacket by H&M, Dress by Dahlia & Bag by Charles & Keith]
R:In New York, at NYFW, Spring 2010 [Coat by Desigual, Tights bought online, Boots by Steve Madden]
Tell us what makes you/your style different?
I don't think I'm particularly stylish - I just don't dress like everybody else. I wear 6 inch heels, even though I'm already 5'8, I like dresses and skirts like tulle layering, and I'd wear a tutu skirt everyday if I could. Unfortunately it'll just get in the way of everything - trust me, I've tried!
ON FASHION
In Austin, Texas [DIYed hair bow, coat by Desigual, ring by Tarina Tarantino]
How did you first fall in love with fashion?
I think there was some part of me that was always interested in things that are aesthetically-pleasing - I got that from my mother. I think I fell in love with clothes when I started dressing myself up for school in Polytechnic. After ten years of uniforms, breaking out of it was so much fun! Not for long though - when the projects and deadlines start streaming in, you wouldn't care less what you put on yourself! Describe your style and what inspires you sartorially?
I think I'm an eclectic dresser - I throw on whatever feels right, and in Singapore's weather - comfortable. As I grow older, I lean towards purchasing things that will not only last longer, but will also remain stylish for a long time to come. I'm fond of white shirts, high-waisted skirts, lace details, little black dresses - and I absolutely adore hats and headbands. I have a ton of them, and because I also use them on my shoots, it kinda justify my buying more... right? ;o)
Share with us some of your must-have items.
Heels!! Any reader of my blog will tell you the tales of my heels. Here's the deal - I have US Size 11 - 12 feet. They're the size of snow skis. Until I was 19, I didn't own a single pair of heels because I couldn't find any that would fit me. My friend got me a pair from Australia, and I was hooked. What started with a 2-inch pair of pussy heels (they shouldn't even be called heels! satisfaction does not come from 2-inch-anything!) became what-will-be a lifetime of 6-inch obsessions. I don't want to start counting how many heels I own, because all that will come to is my counting how much money I've spent on shoes - and let me assure you, it's quite a bit!
And yes, I have tried on a pair of heels I couldn't walk in in Patricia Field's boutique in the Lower East Side in NYC, and they look like this!
Her favourite pair of shoes!
What are some trends you can’t wait to try?
I'm not much of a trend follower, but I am loving the sheer fabrics that are rockin the runways in Spring. I also need to pay homage to the great Alexander McQueen and try on one of his Armadillos. ;o)
ON LIFE
White shirt by ck Calvin Klein, Skirt, Tights and Heels by Topshop
What’re your ambitions and where do you see yourself in the next few years?
The truth is, I don't know what I want in life; however, I do know what I don't want, and hopefully, through a long process of elimination, I will eventually find what I want. All I know is that I want to be happy, and I want (and need) to travel the world!
What have you learnt from life?
During the recent Oscars, Colin Firth was quoted, as he introduced Carrey Mulligan, "We all know how it feels to be sixteen and think you know all the answers then you realise that you don't know the questions at all." It's true - once upon a time, I had plans, I knew where my life was going and what I wanted, and then a couple years later, I realise that I don't know anything, and learning something new everyday only makes me feel alive. And if there was ever a point in life where you feel like you're at the lowest of low, know that it can only get better from there. As cliched as it is, I live by 'Whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger'.
ON HER CAREER
Hamburg, Fall 2008 [Coat by Marc by Marc Jacobs, Top by American Apparel, Skirt by Miss Selfridge, Kicks by ck Calvin Klein
You’re a stylist, how did you end up there? Tell us your journey and experiences.
I wanted to be a writer, but it so happens that the first magazine I worked with was a fashion magazine. Someone decided I had an eye for styling, and the rest is history. I've met so many amazing people through my line of work, it's not only eye-opening and inspiring, it's also terribly, terribly humbling.
Advice for aspiring stylist?
While test shoots are fun, you need to stop wasting all your time on it, because what's most important is getting out there and making contacts. Assist established stylists, intern in fashion magazines and don't be shy about coming up to people and introducing yourself. The more people know you're out to take over the world, the better it is for you!
LAST WORDS?
Sometimes the best thing for you to do is the first thing that comes to mind - whether it's complimenting a stranger on her outfit, or going chat a cute guy up, or sending your resume to the job of your dreams. If it doesn't go the way you want it to, then, hey, it's a story you can recount at parties over and over again, but if it does go your way, then baby, come what may! ;o)
Coat by Desigual, Dress by ASOS, Insane fetish latex gloves I insisted on wearing.
Hamburg, Fall 2008 [Coat by Marc by Marc Jacobs, Top by American Apparel, Skirt by Miss Selfridge, Kicks by ck Calvin Klein