Did you know you can receive Slow Fashion Muse every Monday in your inbox?
Joy, 29, is a British fashion journalist, currently shopping editor at Who What Wear UK. She writes about vintage (I discovered so many cool Etsy shops thanks to her research) and British slow fashion brands giving them loads of exposure. After reading her fascinating articles, I was enchanted with her amazing sense of style and have wanted to interview her ever since. Follow @joy_monty and prepare to be inspired!
✺ ✺ ✺
Tell us the story of the most interesting piece of clothing in your wardrobe…
“I think that depends how you define ‘interesting’, however I would have to say that my jumper from Mad Brown Knitwear is certainly one of the most fun purchases I’ve made in the last year. I discovered the brand on Instagram and was instantly won over by its original approach to upcycling, which sees old cable knits given a new lease of life with woven coloured yarn. I wrote a story on the brand for Who What Wear, but thankfully I managed to nab one of the jumpers before they sold out! It definitely reflects one of my favourite parts of the job, which is discovering and championing small businesses.”
If your personal style was…
A song: “I’m not going to lie, I have terrible taste in music, but I would probably have to pick a cheesy tune from the 1970s to reflect my love of vintage fashion from that era. Let’s go for Dancing Queen by Abba, feel free to judge me.”
A piece of furniture: “Ever since I moved house in January, I have been on a constant search for vintage homewares, and one of my favourite finds has been a wavy bamboo mirror which now hangs in our bedroom. It’s a classic piece that won’t age, but it still packs plenty of personality – both things that I try to replicate in my own style, so I would have to pick this!”
A fictional character: “This changes on a weekly basis, but right now I keep thinking about Lucy Boynton as Mary Austin in Bohemian Rhapsody. The flares! The fluffy coats! The fringe! Throwback heaven.”
A dish: “Would it be weird for me to say a really good plate of pasta? Simple, easy to throw together, comforting and… colourful? Somewhat tenuous.”
A quote from a book: “I’m a self-confessed Harry Potter nerd, so obviously I’ll have to pick something from one of the books. I’ll go with an excellent description of Luna Lovegood, one of the books’ most stylish characters IMO:
The girl gave off an aura of distinct dottiness. Perhaps it was the fact that she had stuck her wand behind her left ear for safekeeping, or that she had chosen to wear a necklace of Butterbeer caps, or that she was reading a magazine upside down.”
Describe the relationship you have with your wardrobe and what’s in it today
“You would think that being a ‘Shopping Editor’ would make you want to buy more things, but ironically it’s had the opposite affect. Being confronted with so much newness on a daily basis has really helped me to refine what I like and what I actually need from my wardrobe. Obviously I’m lucky enough to be gifted pieces, but that has also offered me an interesting insight into which brands – particularly pricier brands – are worth the investment. A higher price tag doesn’t always mean higher quality! I’ve also loved rediscovering my teenage love of vintage over the last decade, and hunting for that next pre-loved gem is definitely one of my favourite pastimes.”
What’s the last piece of clothing you bought or thrifted?
“The last secondhand item I bought was a pair of ‘70s high-waisted denim shorts. I found them on Etsy last week – there’s nothing I love more than discovering obscure vintage sellers on the platform – and this particular seller also offered interiors, so I threw in a cheeky vintage vase too. I look forward to wearing my shorts with chunky sandals and a tucked-in dagger collar blouse when summer finally arrives.”
What’s the ultimate dream item on your fashion wishlist?
“I’m a bit of a jacket fanatic, so the dream would be to find a vintage Chanel boucle jacket in a charity shop. Sigh. My style isn’t particularly preppy, but I can imagine one of these iconic pieces looking so good with jeans and a simple white tee. I think Coco would approve.”
What fashion brands or friends should we all go check now?
“We’ve made a real push to feature more independent brands on Who What Wear over the pandemic, and every month I update a story which is dedicated to lesser-known names. Some recent finds include Seventy + Mochi, a sustainable brand that creates the coolest denim pieces, Grandpa’s Shirts, which specialises in upcycling pre-loved shirts, and Cawley Studio, a British brand that designs the most beautiful basics in short runs.”
Asking you as a fashion editor. What should we all stop wasting our money on and what’s actually worth investing in?
“I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how you work out which trends will stand the test of time and which ones are worth avoiding. I think ‘trends’, in and of themselves, aren’t inherently bad, but I think it’s how we approach them as consumers that makes all the difference. There’s nothing worse than jumping on a trend just because you’ve seen it on Instagram – that’s a one-way ticket to a wardrobe stuffed full of items you wear once then discard.
Personally, I like to think carefully about whether a trend or particular item is true to my personal style, for example would I have bought it two years ago when it wasn’t ‘in fashion’? Does it make me feel good when I wear it? Does it fit in with the other items in my wardrobe? I acknowledge that this requires a certain level of confidence in your own personal style, but I think working out what makes you tick, in a fashion context, is key to making smart purchases. Oh, and it’s an obvious point, but you also can’t go wrong with investing in good basics. Think: jeans, white tees, a classic crew neck knit, etc.”
Your 3-5 favourite places to shop in and around London…
“In my opinion, Marylebone High Street has some of the best charity shops in London. In my first job, I worked just around the corner and browsing Oxfam in my lunch break was a regular fixture. I also rate the charity shops in and around south west London – think Richmond, Twickenham and Teddington – as that’s where I grew up and I love to pop back there for a browse when I have a spare Saturday (well, before lockdown anyway). When it comes to vintage shops, Covent Garden is my go-to – it might not be the most ‘off-the-beaten-track’ destination, but I’ve been going to stores such as Pop Boutique since my teens, and some of my best vintage purchases were found there.”
All images: Joy Montgomery
Did you know you can receive Slow Fashion Muse every Monday in your inbox?