[Sisters with Style] Jess and Hannah

This week on South Molton St Style are two very special stylish 'sisters' - Jess and Hannah.  They have been friends since university and now both work in the fashion industry in London.  Jess is an Account Manager at Dust PR in Covent Garden, and Hannah is a Fashion Stylist for Look magazine.

Jess and Hannah

Do you both have a defined style, or do you change season by season?

Hannah: My style doesn't change drastically from season to season – I usually stick to my girly preppy style, but will update my look every so often with key buys. I used to stick to quite a simple colour palette with lots of greys, whites and navy but I've recently got really into colour and have been loving wearing lots of brights – they instantly uplift my mood!

Jess: I have quite a defined sense of style, I have a core wardrobe of blazers, dresses, skinny jeans, dresses and a lot of black but I mix and match small elements of trends to that each season. That sounds quite sensible when I say it out loud!

How has your style changed over time?

H: I think mine definitely has. I've got to know what styles and cuts suit me – I don't bother investing in trends if they'll do nothing for my figure. I've learned to stay true to what suits me, rather than what's in fashion - I'm petite but quite curvy, so I instantly know that anything 20s style with dropped waists or anything too loose is an absolute no no, where as I know 50s or 60s fitted styles with nipped in waists will suit me much better! 

J: Urgh I used  to dress horrendously, when I was 15 my jeans had to cover my entire foot with an extra 3 inches spare and I would pair them "emo/goth " style top… One even had "blow up doll " written on it! I've now learnt how to dress for my shape and what colours suit my English rose complexion.

What influences both of your styles? Do you influence each other’s choices?

H: I love looking at street style pictures – it's great to see how different people style themselves, and the inventive ways they make pieces look so different – I'll often mimic looks I've seen when I'm choosing what to wear. Me and Jess own quite a lot of the same clothes, but we're always borrowing each others things – I'd say Jess is a bit more lady like and I'm more preppy.

J: Just the other other day I bought the exact same dress as Han! We have a couple of similar obsessions, nautical, breton stripes and floral dresses but I don't share Han's love for shorts and she doesn't share my love for a leather leggings!

What are your wardrobe staples?

H: T-shirts in white and grey marl, shorts, brogues, chunky heels and jackets – I own loads, from blazers, to boucle, to parkas, camo prints, fur, leather bikers – I can't get enough of them.

J: Black. Black skinny jeans, topshop leigh jeans and black blazers from Zara. Rebecca Minkoff bags are an (expensive) addiction. Blazers in every colour although my Comptoir Des Contonniers nude is my favourite. Gold jewellery from Laura Lee and Monica Vinader. Brown vintage leather belts from Rokit & my waxed Barbour jacket. Oh and Zara dresses!

What items of clothing make you think of each other? Is there a particular outfit that stands out?

J: There are a few dresses which we've bought together – a navy sweater dress and a grey tee dress which makes me think of Han as we both have them, as do my acne t-shirts as she keeps wearing them! Plus Ralph Lauren shirts.

H: I instantly think of Jess whenever I see anything navy or nautical

When you shop together, where are the first places you visit?  Would you pick the same things out?

H: At uni we were OBSESSED with Miss Selfridge and Primark – (that's the basis of my student loan debt) but now we'll head to Zara and Topshop. We'll often pick out the same things, and sometimes Jess will pick up things I would initially dismiss then I end up liking it! We laugh about the fact that when we go shopping we just point at stuff and say "I like that."

J: Yup – Topshop and Zara are  first ports of call. H&M, River Island, Oasis follow.

If you were to be dressed by one designer for the rest of your life, who would you choose?  Who would you guess the other would decide on?

J: Hmmmm Miu Miu or Chloe with Isabel Marant shoes and perhaps a dash of Donatella (Versace)… I can't choose!

H: Just one!? Erm…I love Jil Sander, Valentino and Erdem

Do you have any particular ‘fashion memories’ with you own styles?

J: We both had epic fancy dress Christmas costumes back in our glory days at university. I was obsessed with denim skirts and Ralph Lauren and obviously Jack Wills Gilets – nothing's changed! I leave the experimenting to Han then copy her if  I like it. 

H: My first fashion memories are of me and Jess at uni. I remember Jess loving cowboy boots, and I basically owned every floral dress Primark have ever produced. I remember one time buying an amazing floral top in miss Selfridge and being so chuffed with it, then Jess going back and getting it in the sale. We had a lot of fancy dress parties and had a lot of fun finding outfits. And  I remember Jess getting obsessed with ebay purchases and bulk buying Ralph Lauren and Jack Wills. 

If you could get away with it, what items would you pinch from each other’s wardrobes?

J: Her Whistles navy lace dress, her Topshop denim studded dress, her Chanel bag and her urban outfitters floral dress. 

H: Jess has an amazing floral embroidered maxi dress from Topshop, which quite conveniently her mum has just taken up. I also love her nude Comptoir blazer. And her Monica Vinader gold bracelet. 

What trends do you think you’ll adapt to for Autumn / Winter?

H: I love all the renaissance looks at Erdem – loads of embroidery, brocade and trophy florals and the utility trend at Dries Van Noten and Max Mara – I really want a khaki coloured button up shirt!

J: Elements of the "tough love"  trend - seen on the catwalks of Balmain and Alexander Wang - aka lots of black leather – I'm coveting a Barbour/Temperley quilted leather jacket. Isabel Marants fringed boots would suit my skinny jeans very well too. A girl can dream, no?

As always thank you to both girls for taking part.  You can follow their antics through their Twitter accounts: Hannah is found at @hannaheichler and Jess is @JessDeLaDavis.  Read all our other Sisters with Style interviews here.

 

South Molton St Style 

xoxo