Coat Check is a column combining our love of fashion and music, exploring how both are used as a form of self-expression. Each month, Fran Barclay speaks to a band or performer in Aotearoa about their on-stage wardrobe and the making of their trademark look.
Like many of us, Hollie Smith is still recovering from the ‘slob style’ of the Covid-19 lockdown era. As one of New Zealand’s most successful solo artists, Hollie loves to look the part for corporate gigs and special occasions, but she’s not afraid to embrace the power of being comfortable in your clothes, as well as your own skin.
Last year, Hollie embarked on a series of intimate gigs around Aotearoa, and the next leg of her Bones II tour brings her south to the furthest corners of Te Waipounamu. With a chance to hear new music from her forthcoming album, these shows are “as personal as spending an evening with her in your living room.” For Hollie, it’s a welcome chance to tell her stories in a more relaxed environment. So relaxed, in fact, that she might be wearing her second-hand slippers on stage.
What was the last thing you put in a coat check?
I checked a vintage oversized men’s coat from Jetset Bohemian at the Aotearoa Music Awards. It really went with the old school vintage waistcoat and pants look.
How important is clothing to your sense of identity as an artist?
For me, I like playing around with stuff and being a bit different. I feel it’s important to have some individuality and flair. I've got fashion icons that I look up to: I love Erykah Badu’s style, and anything slightly quirky.
But my clothing post-Covid has gotten very, very casual. Every day I'm pretty much in gym outfits or track pants. I've still got dresses and girly things for when I have to look more corporate, and then I've got all of my random shit… so my wardrobe is really weird. If there's a specific event or I want to dress up in a particular way, then I often talk to [fashion] showrooms to see if they've got anything suitable. Most of the cooler outfits I’ve worn have probably been borrowed!
Like your 2023 Bones tour, the upcoming shows are going to be more intimate than previous performances. How do you go about choosing clothes for these kinds of gigs?
Normally it’s just something basic with good accessories and some pops of colour. I’ll be doing lots of gigs in a short amount of time, so it tends to get more casual as I go on!
I think I had my slippers on at a gig in Ohakune… I was performing in the same place that I was staying, and it was such a short walk to my room from the stage. There's casual, and then there's my style, which hasn't left Covid yet!
You’ve been performing since you were a teenager. How has your style evolved since then?
Hopefully a lot! But I’ve always had a pretty eccentric style, and I’ve never had a very girly aesthetic. Lots of my clothes that I really like I've had for 20 years. It's weird getting to the age where you've seen a fashion revival. All the 90s stuff coming back in style is cracking me up at the moment. It's like, “oh God, okay, I'm getting that old?”
Where are some of your favourite places to shop in Aotearoa?
I have no budget for shopping, but I’m lucky to have a few places that look after me, like Federation, Huffer and Tanya Carlson. Tanya has made me a couple of really amazing dresses, and it was fun being able to go in with an idea and work on something together. I used to work with Zambesi a lot, and I loved going into their archive collection. There's some amazing pieces in there.
What’s one item of clothing you always take on tour?
I think the coolest way to customise an outfit is through accessories. I wear lots of head wraps, lots of jewellery, and I've got a few different items just to make something pop. Lately I’ve been wearing a bright red vintage silk kimono that I can throw on over anything to vamp it up a bit.
Where do you think the crowd will be best dressed on your tour?
All of my audiences have the best taste, of course. [Writer’s note: I’ll be rooting for Gore]
Do you have any fashion advice for your listeners?
Go for comfort, and feel good in your clothing. Dress for yourself and don’t be shy.
• Hollie Smith The Bones Tour II tours Aotearoa from November 27 to December 7. Find dates and buy tickets here.
