Vancouverite Sharla Farrell explains her date-night outfit philosophy: ‘Go overboard’ | Canada Voices

Who are you, and what do you do?

My name is Sharla Farrell, and I’m a freelance public relations and marketing consultant based in Vancouver. Right now, I’m at Dachi restaurant. It’s the cutest, coolest wine bar. The music is great, and I love everybody that works here.

How would you describe your style?

My style fluctuates, so you could say I’m a chameleon. Yesterday I did a big double-print look. I love to embrace trends if they look good on me; I’ll never jump into something just to do it. But playing with fashion is fun. Red is my power colour, so I try to inject it into my outfits whenever possible.

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What are you wearing?

The faux fur jacket is from Boheme, which is a Vancouver-based brand, and the shoes are from Poppy Barley – another Canadian company. I always want to support local when I can, and I’m wearing assorted earrings by Toronto’s Jenny Bird, and one of my rings is from Montreal’s Pilgrim. Another one of my rings is from the Spanish brand Simuero, and I’m wearing a custom heirloom ring by Noon Jewellery, which is based in B.C. The halter top is Belle the Label, and I got it from my friend Alejandra’s store, Siista. She keeps it on the cutting edge, and if you recommend a brand to her, she’ll do her best to bring it in. The jeans are vintage men’s denim from Gap. The glasses are by Bailey Nelson, and I got my second-hand Louis Vuitton pochette from Mine & Yours.

What makes this an ideal date look?

It’s extra. My boyfriend has a uniform that he always wears – sneakers, comfy pants, sweater, hat, and I feel like the yin to his yang. My advice for putting together a date night look is, just go overboard! Do the opposite of that quote, “take one accessory off before you leave the house.” I’m adding more. And my partner loves that I dress up because he knows it’s part of my personal expression.

What started your passion for wearing men’s wear?

It honestly began when I realized that I couldn’t fit into women’s jeans because of my body shape. I always felt uncomfortable because jeans felt too tight on me, even if I went a size up. I also like wearing baggy, oversized pieces and I naturally gravitate towards men’s-wear shapes. When I’m thrifting, I head straight to the men’s section. In terms of styling myself, I wear baggy bottoms with a tiny top, or a baggy top with short bottoms.

How does sharing a wardrobe work with your boyfriend?

We share just about everything. Whenever I’m shopping, I try to consider how he would look in a piece and if he’s getting something like sweatpants, he’ll get them in a size that I can wear. It’s been my dream to date someone who I can share clothes with.

This interview has been condensed and edited.