The Working Wardrobe: Dara Allen
For Interview fashion director, stylist and model DARA ALLEN, everyday dressing is all about striking a balance between function and fantasy. Here, she speaks to FEDORA ABU about her love for the 1970s, learning from the legends, and establishing a signature style
For as long as she can remember, Dara Allen has been a fervent believer in the transportive power of dressing up. Raised in southern California, the stylist and model expressed an early fascination with clothes – her mother even regales her with stories about refusing to wear what had been laid out for her, preferring to pick out her own outfits from a young age. In high school, fashion became a means of world-building, self-discovery and shapeshifting, as she and her friends pored over glossy magazines, raided thrift stores, crafted their own clothes and styled amateur shoots. Safe to say, the career path she eventually pursued was of little surprise to those around her.
Indeed, the journey from fashion-obsessed schoolkid in San Diego to big-shot stylist in New York City can be credited to a plucky, DIY attitude, a sprinkling of good fortune and no shortage of determination. After graduating with a degree in fashion journalism, Allen decamped to the East Coast, where she soon found work assisting a stylist; she and her friends also established a makeshift studio in their apartment, producing shoots in their spare time and sharing them on social media. It was these images that caught the eye of influential casting directors and, in 2017, Allen was invited to walk in the Marc Jacobs FW17 show – a breakthrough moment.
For the self-described fashion nerd, modeling served not only as a passport into the elusive industry she’d admired from afar, but also a chance to glean tricks from the most revered stylists and fashion editors in the business, and build connections with up-and-coming creatives. It wasn’t long before she struck up a friendship with photographer Ethan James Green (who’d she’d go on to become a regular collaborator with), while Mel Ottenberg – then the creative director of Interview – tapped her to style shoots for the publication, which was co-founded by Andy Warhol in 1969. Her biggest project yet came in 2021: styling the magazine’s September issue, which celebrated the 40-year anniversary of legendary designer (and Warhol contemporary) Carolina Herrera – and, in hindsight, proved to be something of an audition. In February, with Ottenberg now editor-in-chief of the title, Allen was appointed fashion director, joining the illustrious ranks of André Leon Talley, Fran Lebowitz and Glenn O’Brien as an Interview staff member.
Nowadays, her busy schedule sees her shuttling between a WFH set-up at her Brooklyn apartment, the Interview offices in Downtown Manhattan, and studios around the city – not to mention walking shows for the likes of Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen and Proenza Schouler. But whether heading to a casting or rushing around on set, functional clothing is key, and Allen relies on a rotation of sleek, polished basics to get the job done. Still, ever the visionary, she’s sure to leave plenty of room for fun, glamour and a reference to her favorite moments in fashion history, too. Below, she invites us into her nine-to-five wardrobe and shares the secrets to her styling success.
Allow your style to evolve
“As a teenager, every style phase was so important to me and felt like who I was deep down – and then it shifted. When you move to a new city, you almost want to prove yourself in different ways and you end up pulling yourself in multiple directions. I think now I feel defined in who I am and so that’s made my style a little bit more concise.”
“There’s something about the 1970s that feels very glamorous but very easy and sort of DIY. You could throw a piece of fabric around yourself, secure it with a safety pin and then go out for the night and dance. I love that
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Draw inspiration from the past
“I’ve always looked at fashion history, and the 1970s has sort of been my comfort zone. I love Antonio Lopez and Halston. Pat Cleveland is a big obsession, and also fashion illustrators like Tony Viramontes and the worlds they created. There’s something about that era that feels very glamorous but very easy and sort of DIY. You could throw a piece of fabric around yourself, secure it with a safety pin and then go out for the night and dance. I love that.”
Learn from the pros
“Working as a model is the ultimate school for styling. I got to watch the best people in the business do their job and see their process and how they approach or solve a problem when it comes up. You learn how flexible you have to be and how you can push for your idea without alienating people. And being attentive, too. When you’re on a Vogue shoot with someone like Camilla Nickerson, you see how they pair an outfit with a person that is clearly so fitting for who they are and that image of them. There’s something so magical that happens when you see the right thing on the right person. The most important thing is about finding the essence of the person you’re styling, even if they don’t necessarily see it themselves.”
“I really like the idea of having a uniform. All my favorite fashion people have that sort of strong signature, and I think I’ve found an easy way to feel my best
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Dress the part
“On set, I love to bring it. I feel like it helps everyone feel invested in the moment if you bring your A-game. And if you’re working with talent who haven’t done a shoot before, then it helps to look like their idea of a stylist.”
Find your go-tos
“Simple, basic, ‘nothing’ clothes are my favorite thing, and I love classic tailoring like that from The Row mixed in with other pieces. For me, it’s usually a white button-up shirt, and something like a black jacket or blazer and baggy pants with lots of pockets. I love those sort of wide-leg cargo pants that feel very glamorous in silhouette but also very functional. And usually, I’ll have a little ballet flat or a black leather block heels so I can run around – because I will be running around!
“I really like the idea of having a uniform. All my favorite fashion people have that sort of strong signature, and I think I’ve found an easy way to feel my best.”
Basics can be bold
“With my shirts, I love really long sleeves with French cuffs. I like to wear them without the cufflinks, and leave them open and casual. And I always like a Prada or Miu Miu moment. I have this pair of glittery Miu Miu shoes – I kind of feel like metallic silver shoes are sort of a neutral and go with everything. They’re like glass slippers!”
Add flair with the finer details
“I always wear big, gold jewelry – I feel like it wakes you up. I have these bobble gold vintage earrings from a flea market – my friend had a similar pair and I kept borrowing them and she found these for me. She also gave me a chunky gold necklace, and I have a gold ring from my mom.”
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