Austin & Ash t a k e o f f i c e w i t h s t y l e STITCH: If you were meeting the President of the United States, but the dress code said casual, what would you wear?
STITCH: What are your favorite places to shop?
Austin: I would wear what I’m wearing right now: an oxford with the sleeves rolled up and a nice pair of slacks and boat shoes. Ash: Khakis definitely, I’d wear a button-down and nice shoes. That’d probably be it. I’d just keep it simple.
Austin: I mean, I shop most often at J. Crew, but I love going to Rugby and Ralph Lauren. On very special occasions I like to go to Biconte Arthur and La Martina. Ash: I frequent the Gap pretty often, but I buy my nice shirts and pants from Brooks Brothers. I actually recently bought clothes from J. Crew, but yeah, that’s where I pretty much buy everything.
STITCH: Do you think your personal style affects how people see you politically?
STITCH: What’s the best thing to wear on a date?
Austin: Someone once asked what I was wearing and was like, “So are you dressing like that now because you’re ASG president?” No, I’ve actually been wearing this every day for the last couple of years. So I think I’ve just grown up wearing preppy clothes ever since I was little, since that’s how my mom dressed me when I was a toddler. I keep wearing clothes like this because they look nice and remind me of the East Coast, where I’m from. Well, some people won’t consider Florida the East Coast, but I do. Ash: I didn’t change my personal style now that I am somewhat political, but yeah, I think that’s how people get first impressions, and that’s important, so they are important.
Austin: A super nice pair of slacks. I’d wear a really nice pair of Nantucket Reds with like an oxford and a blazer. Ash: Jeans and a nice shirt with the shirt tucked into the jeans is my go-to outfit.
STITCH: What is the most embarrassing outfit you’ve ever worn? Austin: Whatever I wore when the ripped, distressed jean look was in session, around eighth and ninth grade. I quickly got over those. The American Eagle, like, tiny little holes, you know? Ash: Freshman year of college when I was running to be on the Student Organizations Finance Committee on ASG, I showed up in a full suit while everyone else was wearing a T-shirt and shorts. I was really embarrassed. STITCH: Describe your style…in middle school. Ash: Lots of polos. And jeans. And sneakers. I would always wear blue, so a blue or white polo usually, and then blue jeans. Austin: I went to a private school, so I wore khaki shorts and a white polo or a blue polo every day. But I never wore navy. I haven’t worn navy bottoms since like, the middle of elementary school. I’m just not a fan of navy shorts, at least not navy school uniform shorts. Maybe if I bought a non school-uniform pair that would be okay.
STITCH: Hot or Not? Jeggings? Austin: I think they should maybe pick one or the other. Like either wear the leggings, or wear the jeans. They just look a little synthetic. Like, either wear skinny jeans so they look like jeans, or leggings so they look like leggings. Ash: Hot. Positive. I feel positive about them. I am in favor of them. I like the creativity involved.
Rompers? Austin: Yeah, I think they’re kind of fun. One of my friends had a seersucker romper and it was the coolest thing. She could pull it off so well, so that put rompers in good standing. Ash: Not.
Combat boots? Austin: Are they my personal favorite? Not really. They kind of remind me of Bucktown, which is the hipster capital of the world, practically. I definitely think certain people can pull them off, though. Ash: I like those. Those are nice. I’m a fan of boots.
Menswear on women? Austin: I think certain blazers and, um, the oxford shirtesque dresses are kind of cool. Ash: I like it. I’m a fan.
Interview by Jaya Sah Photographed by Can Efeoglu Clothes: Models’ own STITCH | 31