RESPONDING TO ALEXA CHUNG'S 40 PEARLS OF WISDOM

Disclaimer: please note that this is a piece written by a girl who unashamedly has a pinterest board of Alexa Chung. Thus, there is a decent amount of fan-girl rambling that readers must tolerate. Plus, it is absolutely imperative that you read her Vogue article before mine.

 

Every decade has their fashion it girls and Alexa Chung is ours—well, at least mine. With her consummate British wit and enviable charisma, AC exists as a paragon of the cool girl: whatever she says goes as part of the zeitgeist. Throwback to the mid 2010s, she dominated the fashion world, grasping trends in ways that modern day influencers aspire towards and to this day, her influence endures. Taking the fashion world by storm with her infatuation for ballerina flats, Peter Pan collars, Breton stripes, thigh high socks (though met with controversy) and biker jackets, her personal style is unmistakably unique and difficult to pin down. The best interpretation I may offer is a classy French-feminine flair, dotted (literally, with polka dots) with her signature androgynous Brit rock & roll twist. Her outfits, a harmonious clash of styles that somehow works, epitomise the saying that “clothes can talk”. And they’re telling of her relatable existential anxiety, which may be precisely what makes her so endearing as a fashion icon. In short, she enjoys experimenting with fashion and has the capacity to live out every girl’s fantasy of playing constant dress-up.

 

Her well-earned status as a style icon was yet again attested to in her new article on Vogue where she dishes on “40 Pearls of Wisdom” that she’s acquired throughout her 40 years of living and breathing fashion. While it’s absolutely insane to comprehend that AC is 40 as she’s maintained such an unaffected air of youthful cheeriness, I knew, before even beginning to read, that her advice would be priceless — tinged with an experienced maturity from her trials and tribulations. Upon reading her writing, I, too, brainstormed a few statements… responding admittedly as a freshly 18 year old teen with absolutely no edge in the fashion world. 

 

1. As someone who struggles with love, my friends are indeed the most cherishable romances of my life. The most profound philosophy one must live by is: mates before dates (or, if you prefer the dated and gendered saying, bros before hoes). Though you may be enduring yet another Christmas season romantically loveless, as I am, you are not without love. 

 

1. Trends are overrated anyway. Invest in some quality timeless basics: white Ts, slinky black dresses, light wash jeans, dark wash jeans, medium wash jeans… you get the gist.

 

1. I’ve personally never worn men’s socks so I will not be offering a comment on that. But on the topic of socks, I have lately been finding lots of enjoyment in wearing socks as accessories to add vibrance to my outfits. One of my favourite brands is Happy Socks, definitely worth the purchase. 

 

1. Yes, no one wants to hear about your dream. But more importantly, no one wants to hear about your horoscope and moon sign gibberish. 

 

1. My mum has always been nit picky about my neck so I’ve always moisturised mine. But indeed, the neck is critical. Neck crevices are honestly equivalent to face wrinkles if you truly ponder. But also don’t overstress, ageing is a natural process and blemishes are what makes one unique.

 

1. Enrolling in Brown is kind of a one-way ticket to the world of smoking. Except smoking is only chic if you can handle yourself and aren’t overdependent. Ask the French; je ne sais pasquoi.

 

1. If I were to speak on the notion of women’s health advocacy, this would be a drawn-out dialogue deviating from fashion, hence I will be saving that for another day. But in short, take care of yourselves and stand up for your bodies when you are being unfairly treated. 

 

1. Personally, I am all for the post-break-up hair transformation. Have fun, live a little, you’ve got absolutely nothing to lose! As long as you don’t dye it green. Blechhhhhhh.

 

1. Jeans are magical. And addictive. All for it.

 

1. Accessories are also magical. One of my friends recently has been non-stop raving about belt buckle necklaces. Evidently, anything can be an accessory. Just don’t overpower your outfits with excessive accessories — and don’t overpower your pasta with cheese for that matter. The excess is dangerous, a concept I learned from gothic literature. 

 

1. As every girl probably knows, tiktok is the new textbook. I recently watched a clip about the Wrong Shoe Theory and I think that can be extended to literally any other piece of clothing. A mismatched bag would be cool. The moral is: be ECCENTRIC! Be bold! 

 

1. I am a verified pathological liar so really anything can be twisted into the funniest story. Live & let live.

 

1. Thou shall not drunk text. Thou shall not let thy friends drunk text either. 

 

1. Not an avid dairy consumer but on the topic of food, here’s my milk theory. Almond milk is the right milk. If you ever date a man with a full jug of whole milk in his fridge, he is either the most wholesome person descending from heaven above or the most atrocious manipulator. Marry him or RUN. 

 

1. Investing in shoes = sustainable fashion. I’ve also lately developed a liking for belts, perhaps worth pondering…

 

1. Hanging clothing as decor is the utmost genius interior design idea I have ever heard of. Enact! Enforce! Immediately!

 

1. On the theme of dramatic make-up, don’t ever let yourself fall into the extremities of developing a make-up obsession. Protect your skin and flaunt your natural features. Remember, make-up was invented as a means to enhance, not to cover up. 

 

1. Frankly as an immature Gen Z, I do sometimes believe the world revolves around me—that is until my friends reality check me. I think a large part of maturing is realising that every struggle you encounter is something that someone else has encountered. In short, the world we live in functions as a twisted, eternal sequence of falling on your bum and getting back on your feet, cliche as it sounds.

 

Relative to AC, my 18 years of experience are comparably limited in terms of ownership of wisdom. Yet if there is one thing I can confidently express is that my devotion to AC is a lifetime trait, evident in the aforementioned invasion of the pinterest board (see below). The fashion industry is an impenetrable sphere of exclusive trends and miserable subscribers, both financially and emotionally. Constructing a closet should be a personal experience for yourself; each article of clothing you purchase only needs to satisfy your vision. Not everything has to be with the times and perfectly matched, it can just be messy and explorative. With that in mind, let the spirit of Alexa Chung empower you as you peruse the racks in your next shopping/thrifting voyage.  

 

My pinterest board, if you care to see it: