Madeleine Jones’ Style Is a Technicolour Dream
“If I could define [my style] in one word it would be, colourful,” New Zealand-born, New York-based stylist assistant Madeleine Jones tells Vogue magazine. “I could count on less than one hand the number of black items of clothing I own. There are definitely days when I wear jeans and a t-shirt, but the jeans are probably orange and the t-shirt might be green.”
In lemon yellow, bubblegum pink, and kiwi, Jones is pretty hard to miss. And yet Vogue found her right inside their own office. As the assistant to legendary stylist Grace Coddington, Jones has been a bright presence around Vogue HQ – and the cause of much coat envy in the winter. Still, for all her delightful colours and wild prints, she remains a pragmatist about her style, estimating that she dresses for the job, not the ‘gram.
“It’s sad to say but I’m usually thinking about work, as I’m typically sending emails or taking phone calls while getting ready. I’m mostly thinking, ‘Have I worn these pants too many times this week?’ ‘How can I accessorise with a favourite outfit to give it a different look?’” she begins. “Really what I wear all depends on what the day holds. If I’m going to be running around on set, it has to be comfortable. It sounds really practical, but it helps to have a lot of colour on hand.”
The practicality is something picked up from Coddington. “Grace wears sneakers with everything and that’s definitely rubbed off on me. I wear sneakers all the time now too. Grace has a work uniform and is a very smart and considered dresser in this way. I’ve followed her lead a bit on this,” she pauses. “The big difference being that her uniform is mostly black and mine is multi-colored.”
As for her fashion don’ts, Jones has just three: “I do yoga a few times a week and that’s the only place I wear yoga pants – exercise gear as daywear is a big fashion don’t for me. Another is head to toe black or denim cut-off shorts, I will avoid them at all costs.” Doesn’t seem like Jones is missing out on much. With a wardrobe stuffed to the brim with every colour under the sun, black is, well, not necessary.
Original article by Steff Yotka, Vogue, September 6, 2018.
