Amalie Olesen: La Garde-Robe Schizophrène
LOCATION: VIBORG, DANMARK
Meet Amalie Olesen: Champion of juxtaposition and coherent incoherence
Upon hearing that I moonlight as a stylist, Amalie Olesen, already a fixture for her high heels and vinyl skirts in Århus, Denmark, invited me into her bedroom/wardrobe hybrid and proceeded to dazzle me. She has the looks of a grown-up Serena van der Woodsen with fashion It-girl style sensibility à la Pandora Sykes. Her style is hard to pin down, but it is made up of an eclectic mix of thrifted treasures, vintage designer goods, and high-street pieces that look expensive but really aren't. I fell in love with her style as soon as I laid eyes upon a cream hat worthy of Kate Middleton, and I knew I had to feature her once I spied her thrifted Miu Miu blouses and red patent-leather heels.
Amalie is a playwright by profession and a self-described "collector of beautiful things." She travels the world in search of experiences and stories, and, of course, crazy clothing. Every piece in her wardrobe, which has been developed over the course of more than a decade, has a story behind it and a personality.
Wearing an embroidered sheer pink Gown and a floral Crown
We took these photographs in and outside the old City Hall in Viborg, which is now a museum of sorts, so many of the shots are surrounded by or incorporate the myriad art installations, such as mutated chairs and old-fashioned pillars. The building houses (and celebrates) many different art forms, including an installation by Amalie herself.
AMALIE: "[This playsuit] was specially sewn for me for my high school prom. [I] wore a long black skirt on top which I stripped off at midnight." (Of course, as one does.)
Wearing a RedValentino Dress and zeroUV Sunglasses.
As for how Amalie describes her personal style? "Sci-fi road trip; time travel (a little something from each time period); second-hand; extravaganza." A secondhand sci-fi extravaganza is the most interesting way any interviewee of mine has described their style – though, Amalie also has the most interesting style of anyone I've interviewed.
Wearing a vintage suede colorblocked Coat.
AMALIE: "[This coat is] L.A. vintage gold from the 60s. Someone smoked lots of Lucky Strikes in that coat. [The] previous owner is probably dead by now, but the odor lives on." The best pieces are the ones with history and character.
Left: wearing a thrifted faux-fur leopard print Coat and vintage Gloves.
These two outfits are in fact the same; the only difference lies in the accessories and outerwear. In both outfits, Amalie wears a black bodysuit with faux-leather shorts and over-knee boots. In the left outfit, we added vintage gloves and a thrifted coat (both of which belong to me and were spontaneous additions from the outfit I was wearing to the photoshoot). In the ensemble on the right, we changed the vibe from film-noir seductress to late-sixties It-girl with a vintage suede coat worn as a dress and a chic, sophisticated hat. It's proof that power lies in the right accessories.
Left: wearing an H&M Dress. Right: wearing a secondhand Gown and a Joe Fresh Belt.
AMALIE (on the gown worn on the right): "[I] bought it in a dodgy secondhand store in Paris. [I] wore it for a Twin Peaks theme party as a dead Prom Queen Laura Palmer." She calls it her J.Lo dress, for obvious reasons. The belt was a stroke of genius on her part – it is, in fact, a thrifted belt of mine that is burgundy, but happens to be gold on the inside. With the addition of Dirty Dancing-esque sandals and a string of pearls worn as a headpiece, she looked like a modern-day Grecian goddess about to dance the Mambo. This incredible reflective wall only added to the glamour of both outfits.
Wearing a blush-and-leopard Dress.
AMALIE: "[This dress was] San Francisco gold. Someone at a party told me I looked like a curtain. I [took] it as a huge compliment." Leopard was a recurring theme in our photoshoot, as was this hat, which is definitely one of my very favorite pieces from Amalie's ample, incredible wardrobe. This dress, when paired with chunky pink slingback heels and this vintage-inspired hat, gives Elsa Schiaparelli vibes and exudes casual glamour. No wonder this statue of (I assume) Hermes/Mercury is in love with her.
Wearing a secondhand clear plastic Raincoat, a Henrik Vibskov Skirt, and a Platania Hat.
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AMALIE: "[The jacket is a] homemade (is
my guess) treasure from Beacon's Closet in Williamsburg. [The] upper body is unable
to breathe, though, so it fogs up when sweating. [So it's] best for photo shoots." Which is exactly what we used it for, along with a knit-on-knit combo of a printed miniskirt and bodysuit, fabulous retro
heels, and another piece from my closet – this wool hat, which you've probably seen before on Instagram. I must admit, though,
I think Amalie wears it better.
Model: Amalie OLESEN
Hair & Makeup: Amalie OLESEN
Photography: Annika JORDAN
Styling: Annika JORDAN
I will likely be featuring Amalie until she gets sick of me because I just want to live forever in her beautiful, eclectic collection of unique pieces. Do let us know which of these looks & pieces you love most! You can follow Amalie on Instagram at @amalieolesen.
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Much love.