Melisa Boyalikli: A week in my wardrobe

MONDAY

Mondays are extremely important for me, they help me set the tone for the rest of the week and get into the right frame of mind. As I run my own online fashion business (Sibling’s Wardrobe), I go between working from home and working from in the city, where we have a showroom and a set to shoot all our content. So depending on what needs to be done each day, I will base my outfit around my schedule. On a Monday, I like to head into the showroom and catch up with my business partner on how the site performed over the weekend and sit down together to plan for the week ahead – usually over a coffee! How I dress is important because it’s always a direct reflection of my mindset, so if I dress professionally and fashionably it’s almost like I switch into work mode and feel confident to tackle my tasks for the day. As a new business owner in this industry, it’s important to not get overwhelmed and I feel a great way to combat this is to dress the part. A comfortable suit that you feel like a boss in is the perfect go-to for a Monday morning! This two-piece suit is the ‘Diamond suit’ from our AW collection and I’ve styled it with a cosy turtleneck to stick to the fall theme.

TUESDAY

A lot of my week consists of meetings – thankfully we’re back to face-to-face communication – and there’s no better way to go into a meeting than with confidence… and a pair of knee-high boots! I’ve always loved the idea of playing with silhouettes and enhancing the natural shape of my body, so drawing attention to your waistline with a belted pleated skirt is a great way to show off your natural female curves. Emerald green is one of my favourite colours and it’s perfect for autumn/winter. My default dressing will always be more dark than colourful, I revert back to basics (like this top) a lot of the time and therefore do tend to wear a lot of black. However, I do venture into the world of pop colours from time to time, especially when I need to lift my spirits!

WEDNESDAY

As we all know, the way we dress is how we show off parts of our personality and our culture. I have always been very proud of the fact that I come from a mixed nationality background. My mother is Irish/German and my father is Turkish. Moving between Dublin and Istanbul my whole life has definitely influenced my style over the years. I would say due to my upbringing that I have developed a love for conservative fashion, while also being able to appreciate a more subtle approach to provocative dressing. A term I love to use often is ‘subtle sexiness’! While there are obvious ways to dress sexy (which is also amazing), for me, I’ve always loved the idea of finding what makes ME feel my best! The combination of a dress with a sweater overlay is such a great way to style an outfit. Pair it with some heeled boots and it’s amazing how you can feel confident and sexy… even with a turtleneck jumper on!

THURSDAY

As I previously mentioned, I do tend to default to darker tones but I try to push myself to wear more colour. When I do, I always go for a strong pop of colour that really stands out like this bright fuchsia jumper with a feathered cuff. I love experimenting with my fashion, sometimes it connects and sometimes you look back and go… ‘What was I thinking?!’ But that’s what I love about fashion, you can be a different version of yourself each day and test the waters with whatever you like in that moment. Another great styling hack is to combine different textures, this is always very appealing to the eye. When worn together, the check coat, the feathered jumper and the leather leggings allow you to play around and create a more interesting look!

FRIDAY

I do love to dress up, any excuse to get an LBD out! It’s important to find a good work/life balance and, when you run your own business, those two lines tend to merge into one… you’re never really “off the clock”. That said, I try my best to get a date night in each week and when I dress for such occasions, I would say that my style is very elegant and classy. I love old-school glam and a simple black dress is the best investment you can make because it’s timeless. It’s something you can revert back to over and over again and you will always feel great in it. I love that you can re-wear a black dress and change your look entirely by how you style it up. Add on some bold accessories, mix up your heel choices or make it a statement beauty look with a strong lip. You can shape it around any occasion and versatility is key when making purchases.

SATURDAY

Saturdays are for the girls and I always have lots of fun with what I wear then! I know for me, getting dolled up for a night out with your friends is half the fun. It allows me to get creative and playful with my looks. I have always been obsessed with the 80s; the culture, the music, and of course, the style! A great way to play on that theme is to draw attention to your silhouette by adding a funky belt. Try out some ruffles or prints and just have a bit of fun with your outfit. The best vintage finds for me have always come from my mum’s closet, I love seeing the outfits she actually wore throughout the 80s. Since I am definitely a heels type of girl, the vintage boots she gifted me have become a staple piece in my wardrobe.

SUNDAY

I am a big nature lover and I always find being outdoors on a Sunday is the perfect way to collect your thoughts and let yourself recharge. Life can move very fast and it’s important to allow yourself those downtime moments, connecting to the world around you. With this, comfort and warmth (especially in these cold months) is key! I love to layer up as I think this gives you the opportunity to still express your style through the variations of what you’re wearing. A gilet is perfect for this, especially when combined with a knitted jumper dress, some leather leggings and of course, boots! It’s the ultimate autumn/winter look – falling between function and fashion.

Photography by Melisa Boyalikli, @mel_boyalikli. We may earn a commission if you buy something from any affiliate links on our site. This article was originally published in November 2022.