‘Choose comfort over anything else’: Neelam Ahooja on how to find your own personal style

When thinking about the much-discussed concepts of personal style and taste, Neelam Ahooja’s name springs to mind. The Toronto-based accountant-turned-stylist has built a loyal audience thanks to her ability to cut through the noise and dress for herself. She is a proponent of minimalism and frequently turns to the 1990s for inspiration yet she manages to make every look her own with personal touches, such as with one-of-a-kind vintage pieces or embellished accessories that hark back to her East Indian heritage. 

Here she breaks down her signature look – achieved through years of collecting and confidence-building – and offers advice on how to find yours. 

How did you develop your sense of style? 
I was never really conventional with my style and I think a lot of it has to do with the way I look. I felt I could never look aristocratic because of my [curly] hair; it has a life of its own most days. I spent a lot of time fighting what was naturally given to me but at some point I decided to work around it. Now, after a long time, I’ve embraced it and it has become very much an extension of my personality and style. My hair is as important, if not more important, than the clothes I wear. Depending on what kind of hair day I’m having, it dictates what I wear.

Were you always a minimalist? 
For a long time [my style] was a lot busier: I wore a lot of patterns, prints and colours. There were many pieces by Dries Van Noten, Victorian-inspired jackets and big skirts. Part of that came from having East Indian heritage: our culture is so rich in details, from collars and beading to embellishment. But around the [coronavirus] pandemic, I felt a little fatigued from having so much on the body. I’m ageing and I want things to be easy. I don’t feel the need to have as many accessories. Plus, I have always had minimalism in my heart; I [came of age] in the 1990s with images of Kate Moss and Carolyn Bessette. 

What is it about the 1990s that feels so relevant today? 
I spent many years in the 1990s as an accountant going to the office every day in suiting. One of the reasons I went into finance was because I wanted to wear a suit and carry a briefcase. I have never wanted to return to the profession but since the coronavirus pandemic, I began wanting to dress like I did back then. If I look back at the decade when I felt really good, really empowered, really confident, it was the 1990s – whether I was at the office or with my friends at a bar. I came all the way back to that style and who you’re seeing now. This is who I am. 

Style has become quite homogenous because of the access that everyone has to social media. How do you avoid falling into that trap? 
We all influence each other in every industry, in every corner of life. My father influenced me when I was young to be a good person and to read more; my children teach me to live more lightly through them. In fashion too: everyone is influenced to a certain extent if we’re seeing the same images. But with age it becomes much easier for me to ignore the noise. 

You can follow the trend of the decade – oversized blazers and suiting in this case – but within  that very big box, you have the liberty to make the look your own. I might have a vintage Prada bag thrown in with a [contemporary] outfit, so it’s never a replica of the runway look.

Any other tips for people trying to dress in a way that feels more individualist? 
To avoid trends you have to stick to what looks good on you. For instance, high-waisted trousers on someone with my height and proportions don’t work. Also, always choose comfort over anything else. You’ll rarely see me in high heels. If something feels itchy, I won’t wear it. I like things to be oversized and a little sloppy so that I can sit in my car and drive around.  

What are some of the brands you keep returning to? 
There’s a handful of brands whose aesthetic I really love. La Collection, designed by Florence Cools in Amsterdam, is one of them. I live in her designs and appreciate how in touch she is with her audience. I think that comes from the fact that she started small with her husband. They built the brand up and she is still close to the ground. If I want to play around with embellishment, I’ll wear my Dries Van Noten scarves – I have a whole collection and I love them. 

What is your take on dress codes? 
I don’t care what anybody else is doing. I was at an event recently and I wore a very classic white shirt with a black maxi skirt and boots, while my friend showed up in a bright floral tunic that was so vibrant. Someone else was wearing denim at the same event. We need to allow others to express themselves in their own way.

I believe that with fashion you need to leave the rules behind and do what feels good. You can’t be dogmatic about it: getting dressed is a form of expression and it’s ever changing.

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Further reading: Three exceptionally stylish people on the art of dressing well