I’m not a style-stalking type of person but if someone really catches my eye then I’m going to hunt him/her down and hassle them like a mad woman.  Or in this particular case, it involved a bit of Facebook stalking (guff… by the by, no point in stalking my Facebook as it’s so inactive and mouldy, I might as well delete it…) and a bit of smart detective work.  Previously Sara Arnold was just the really cool girl who I had seen working at Dover Street Market and out and about in and around Old Street.  Of course, coming up to her in person would have been all too embarrassing for me so naturally I hid behind the protective internet screens and asked her to compile a seven day style diary for Style Bubble. 

Shockingly, she very kindly said yes and also agreed to answer some questions… 

Her style is exactly how she describes it ‘eclectic and chaotic’ and I know for a fact some of you will shriek and say ‘Ick…that’s not my style at all…’.  Precisely.  It’s HER style and not something that people can OWN easily.  It’s the sort of resourceful, playful yet strangely articulate style that I find completely awesome.  I see customised Converse attached to wooden heels, granny influences, measuring tape braces, experimental headgear…the list goes on…and that’s just seven days of her wardrobe, with a lot of outfit changing going on throughout the day.  Sara did say it was a very honest reflection of her outfits whilst lounging around the house, going out and hanging out, and if you read her thoughts regarding dealing with outsider perception, it’s most definitely sound advice to carry around…

Name/Age?

Sara K Arnold, 21

What do you do?

Fashion student at Central st Martins and part-time sales assistant at Dover street market.

How would you describe your style?

Eclectic, chaotic and constantly morphing.

What are your favourite designers to wear/admire?

Rei Kawakubo, Junya Watanabe, Victor and Rolf, Hussien Chalayan, Manish Arora, Gareth Pugh, Boudicca.

Day 1 - Outfit 1 - Comme des Garcons skirt, Junya Watanabe jacket and boots, my Grandfather’s glasses that he got free on the NHS.

Day 1 - Outfit 2 - Hair and earrings from Dalston, customised jacket from Mango (I cut of the sleeves, added shoulder pads and attached wigs), I’ve cut out the crotch of a pair of nude tights to be worn as a top, plugs as nipple tassels, from a plumping shop, American Apparel high waisted hot pants, tights were a gift. // Outfit 3 - Hot pants and tights as above, Vivienne Westwood bondage tracksuit bottoms, jumper from Jakarta, blanket from India.

Day 2 - Outfit 1 - Ganryu (Comme des Garcons) hat, shirt from a market in Uganda, Karen Millen jacket from Oxfam Dalston, Junya Watanabe leather jacket, American Apparel leggings, vintage shoes from Beakens Closet, New York. // Outfit 2 - One piece from Beakens Closet, New York, Alexander McQueen ankle boots, silk scarf, Indian necklace worn as head piece.

Day 3 - Outfit 1 - Ganryu (Comme des Garcons) hat, Junya Watanabe leather jacket, Vintage dress, Junya Watanabe/Converse shoes.

How do you go about putting an outfit together (thought processes, etc)? What are your usual inspirations?

My mood… the weather…exposing and hiding strength and
vulnerability… nostalgia… futurism…surreal humour…the fashion don’ts
rather than the do’s … my many alter egos… exploring, revealing and
concealing the layers of who I am…but ultimately the need to protest
against the dictation of what is beauty and taste.

Day 3 - Outfit 2 - Junya Watanabe leather jacket, Silver Vivienne Westwood jacket, Vivienne Westwood penis T-shirt, American Apparel skirt, leggingS from a market in Uganda, Junya Watanabe/Converse shoes.

Day 4 - Outfit 1 - Karen Millen jacket from Oxfam Dalston, black top from Mango, Miss Sixty jeans. // Outfit 2 - T-shirt from Bali, leggings from Uganda.

How do you handle the attention your dress sense gets (like stares on the streets etc)?

I block it out. It has to be an extreme reaction for me to notice or
respond. I do this because I don’t want other people’s perceptions to
affect the way I construct my image. I don’t want to feel social
pressure to conform. If people approach me politely and want to talk to
me about what I’m wearing, I’m usually happy to explain, however I do
not dress to provoke attention.

Day 4 - Outfit 3 - Hat from a charity shop, vintage one piece, customised jacket, shoes from Office.

Day 5 - Outfit 1 - Shirt from a market in Uganda, American Apparel leggings, Vintage shoes from Beakens Closet, New York. // Outfit 2 - American Apparel skirt and leggings, Junya Watanabe/Converse shoes, vintage T-shirt and jacket.

Why do you think personal style is important?

To encourage people to see more possibilities. Fashion is not
just the adornment of the body, but a way of gauging a social mindset.
Boundaries and codes of beauty are a powerful illusion but one that we
as individuals can uphold or shatter simply by what we wear. Throughout
history clothing has been used to divide people by hierarchical system.
Today’s world is ruled by commerce and capitalism – a hierarchy
identifiable by branding. In a capitalist democracy such as ours we are
increasingly empowered only through our purchasing power. We should use
our money wisely as a tool for social change in all arenas, including
fashion, thereby consciously conceiving our own personal style to
express our own selfhood and political agendas.

Day 6 - Outfit 1 - American Apparel leggings, Junya Watanabe skirt, vintage T-shirt, jacket and shoes.

Day 7 - Outfit 1 - Hat from charity shop, my mum’s cardigan, skirt from a market in Jakarta, Junya Watanabe/Converse shoes.

**EDIT** Sara has sent me the clothes credits for her pics so you can see where she got her outfits from...and the mystery of those Converse are solved....they're a Junya Watanabe collaboration...doh!