Real Girl Wardrobes - Adele Packer

Today, I'm excited to share Real Girl Wardrobes with you, a new series that's all about women with great everyday style. Adele Packer is a graphic designer, photographer and maker who lives in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales. I love her effortless style and asked if she could share how she shops, packs and pulls outfits together.

How would you describe your style?

I just like to wear things that are comfortable and simple, I don't try to overdo it. I love wearing a pair of high waisted jeans, a shirt and my Birkenstocks. 

I’ve always been curious about where you shop. Do you shop much in Wagga Wagga?

I do shop in Wagga Wagga, mostly at op shops. I actually find the best things are at little shops like Factorie and Cotton On. Another quirky one is Reiss Emporium on the last block of Baylis street. It's 90% sequins and flarey stuff but there are always some little treasures. I do buy a lot of stuff online from ASOS. 

What's the percentage of your online shopping, compared to op shopping and actual shopping?

Online would probably be 50% and then 30% op shop, 20% down the street.

Do you buy things on a whim or do you tend to have some idea of what you’re looking for?

I like basics that can be recycled. I used to op shop more than I do these days and I’ve found myself buying, not necessarily expensive, but more quality pieces. I just invested in a leather jacket when I was in Melbourne. I usually don't spend a lot of money but I was like - I'm going to do it, it’s a nice leather jacket that I can use for a couple of years.

Are there particular brands you like?

I really like a brand called Monki, they're a UK brand that sells on ASOS and I love everything they make. Also River Island, they make really good shoes and it's all street, skater, basic things. I actually follow a really good designer, I just found her on Instagram. The shop she sells in is called Wildwood and I actually want to go to Canberra to go to the store.

Do you gravitate towards particular colours?

Obviously black, grey and white. I don't wear colour in my clothes but in my make up I do - I love wearing bright lipsticks. I have colourful tattoos as well and I feel like if I wear colour,  I'm a big palette of colour. I don't usually tell people that's why I wear black!

What influences your style?

As far as famous people go, Alexa Chung is definitely one of my fashion idols. She's just so simple and always looks amazing. I actually just read her book It and it was really interesting to find out that all of her fashion icons were from old movies. 

I hate to admit it but I'm a massive Pintrest fan. I guess it's just like a massive mood board and because I'm a graphic designer, I love that. I heard Emma Stone say once that it's everything you wish your life could be, so it's like you're making this board of what you'd love to wear if you had all of that money.

Do you find that you buy stuff that you've put on Pintrest?

Definitely and because I'm into basics, I'll look at basic things. It might just be a pair of blue denim shorts, a sweater and some loafers that look good and mine might not be amazing brands but I can still pull off an outfit that looks similar to that.

Is there an item you buy or wear over and over?

High-waisted jeans, that's my thing. I went through a stage of buying only Dejour jeans - I’ve probably had six pairs over the years. Dejour is this tiny jeans place on Brunswick street in Melbourne and they tailor a pair of jeans to you, they're custom jeans. They do them on the spot or within the hour if they're busy. You choose your colour and the style you want, you put it on and they get out a bit of chalk and measure you up. You can get it taken in at the crotch or at the ankle. Of course it's gone up a bit as they've gotten more popular. When I started going there it was $30 for a pair of jeans and I'm pretty sure it's $50-60 now. 

What’s your favourite season?

Winter, I just love jeans and boots. I love my little pull on Dr Martens boots, jackets, coats, chunky sweaters and beanies.

How do you pack?

I just went to Melbourne for Jake's exhibition and I always lay out outfits that I know I'm going to wear. There’s a casual outfit and an outfit for the opening and then I try and do outfits where I know I can swap things over, so they're interchangeable. Although I'm going to Thailand at the end of this month and I have no idea what to pack for that - a pair of denim shorts and a singlet?

You're really good at sunnies, I'm assuming there's a collection?

Definitely. I have them all in my cupboard and probably up to 20 pairs.  I used to be really into cheap sunnies. When I lived in North Carolina on exchange there was a little store called Planet. It was the weirdest shop that sold band tees and all of these little crazy knick knacks and they always had a rack of sunnies that were $7 a pair. They were the coolest sunnies I've ever seen. I wear these ones a lot, these are the first pair of expensive sunnies I've bought.

What about bags? 

I have a million calico tote bags. Tote bags are another thing I'm addicted to. I don't really use them for handbags, I use them for lugging my shit around. I'm kind of on the clutch bandwagon at the moment but then I lug it around and think - why don't I have a bag with a strap? My bag at the moment is from Kmart and I got it for $10 and cut the straps off. 

What do you wear if you're dressing up?

The one thing that dresses me up is shoes because I wear my Birkenstocks every day. So a nicer pair of shoes and always lipstick. I wish I went to more weddings because I don't actually go to many things where I dress up. Even when I go out for drinks, I've just never felt the need to put on a dress and heels to go and have a drink, it just seems like a funny thing.

You did wear a great jumpsuit to a wedding recently.

I guess that's what I did because I knew I wanted to wear something a bit different. I was the only one at the wedding with a jumpsuit - so I was like yes! 

What would you wear on a road trip?

I'd go for comfort again and a cool pair of sunnies - gotta have my sunnies on the road trip.  All of my friends, we share each other's clothes. I probably have about 10 items in my closet at the moment that belong to my friends. There are some things that you would want to wear once but you wouldn't want to invest in yourself. When I went to Melbourne, I texted my friend Dani and was like - can I please have this item, this item and this item - and she brought it round for me. 

What do you wear on a lazy Sunday?

Sunday is actually my Saturday because my weekend is Sunday-Monday. I sleep in a lot these days but I'm not really one to be lazing around in their trackies. I have little booty shorts that I wear to the gym sometimes and I find them comfy so if I'm lazing around it'll either be in them or my undies! 

What’s on your wish-list at the moment?

Overalls are something that I love and there's a pair I really want to buy but I haven't found a store where I can try them on. They're by a skate brand called Afends. I really like long overalls so I'm trying to buy more.They're tapered in at the ankle, so they're skinny leg but then baggy and they're all black. Right now, I only have the one long blue pair and they're so comfy.

Thanks so much Adele! You can find Adele on Instagram. She makes really great handmade cards and personalised banners too :)