Thaarani Uthayasangar - Optimistic, Shy and Easy-going
There are exactly two South Asian women who have impacted me when it comes to fashion. One is Mindy Kaling and the other is our May’s Tenacious Woman, Thaarani! I saw Thaarani doing a wardrobe essentials video on YouTube with a hair and makeup artist a few years ago. I was very intrigued by Thaarani and what she was saying because I felt like I needed some serious fashion advice. I loved the way she pulled items out of a closet and suggested the different ways you can style them. I went to look for her on Instagram and it was very much the effortless “French girl” vibe everyone’s doing these days – one I was very drawn to but never thought would work on someone who looks like me or of my skin tone. Thaarani blew all that away.
While I first started following her for fashion tips that felt simple and accessible for someone who can’t tell the difference between lilac and lavender, I quickly became drawn to her laidback energy, her positivity and how she focuses on the simpler pleasures in life (also, her ADORABLE boys!). Over the last 4 years that I’ve been following her, Thaarani has helped so much with my self-confidence and the way I look at clothes. All by carving out a niche in everyday wear and just sharing pictures of what she was wearing for the day. She has encouraged me to explore colour which is a big deal for me as someone who only wore black once upon a time!
More than the outfits, Thaarani’s outlook and quiet contentment in life made me adore her and stay as a loyal follower. Her posts and stories are always a breath of fresh air on my Instagram. When I started the Tenacious Women content 2 years ago, Thaarani was one of the first people I wanted to approach. But I was very nervous, and as you do with most people you put on a pedestal, that she might not be the same as she seems on Instagram. Well, I finally plucked up my courage to ask her, and true to how we see her on Instagram, Thaarani accepted with no hesitations and has been so lovely to work with! So, without any further ado, here’s her story!
When I look through your Instagram photos, I think it’s safe to say you love a good classic tee and jeans! Now, this is a pairing nearly everyone has done but as someone who always manages to look so chic in them, in your opinion, what is the best way to elevate this look and what is the easiest mistake to make so you end up looking a little frumpy?
I do love a simple look! I think firstly you have to find a good pair of fitting jeans. Even though nearly every store has one, it’s probably the one item that is the hardest to shop for. I think wearing something that doesn't fit right or doesn't suit your body shape can make you look uncomfortable and frumpy.
Please be honest with us! Do you have moments where you look at your wardrobe and go “I have nothing to wear!!” And if you do, what do you do to get over that “block”?
Yes, definitely! My husband rolls his eyes every time I say this. I always check the weather beforehand so I can plan my outfit in my head the night before. But organising your wardrobe every season helps you see what you have and what’s missing. I also love Pinterest for street style images, it’s a good way to get outfit ideas.
You have mentioned that you have always worked around clothes, from sales to head office buying. How much of this experience actually shaped your personal style, or rather, how did this experience shape your personal style?
When I was around 17/18 years old and had my own part-time job, I was able to buy clothes myself which meant I could experiment more (there was no way my parents would buy me short skirts/dresses or crop tops etc). I was very much a spontaneous buyer, never really thought too much into it. I think after a while you kind of know what suits you and what you’re comfortable with. I’m not sure if my experience working in retail shaped the way I dress but I was definitely more aware of trends and more open to trying different styles!
What prompted you to shift from purchasing clothes every season to rewearing and restyling your wardrobe as much as possible instead?
I think it was since I had my first child, I was definitely stuck in style rut, pretty much wore the same thing every day and I hated it as nothing else really fitted or looked right on me anymore. I wanted to go back to looking and feeling more put together. I also realised from moving houses I kept a lot of clothes I hadn't worn in years! I then started to clear this out and only buy things I needed and would wear often. I still had those spontaneous buys but less often and over the years it slowed down. I have some good basics I wear year after year.
Many “minimalism”, or “recycle” trends encourage you to only buy what you will re-wear several times, or to invest in clothes with fabric that have a good shelf-life. One of my personal fears is that doing so might cause your clothes to look a little out of season or like something that just doesn’t suit the current time. Do you have any tips for buying clothes that can survive the different seasons and years and still look current? Because I’ve seen you pull out a skirt or a top from years ago, and yet you manage to still look on trend!
The key thing here is to buy quality, I have a white tee from Arket and the quality is amazing, it’s been washed many times and still looks good. I think also buying less trend pieces help; classics don't go out of style. But if you have an old skirt for example you can always update it with a new top or adding accessories to make it look different to how you wore it the year before.
I think coming from a South Asian background like myself, you might have been in a scenario where you grew up with a different mindset about clothes from your parents and felt the need to justify to them that it’s totally normal to pay x amount of money for something and like they didn’t get it. And when you start making your own money, to become a shopaholic with loads of impulse purchases. Now that you’re a little older, and wiser and practical with your purchases, what would you say to your younger self when it comes to buying clothes?
Haha that’s exactly what I was like! I wish I was more responsible and also looked after my things more. I also regretted giving away things that I wish I had kept. Definitely would have told her to buy that Chanel bag because it’s way too expensive now! But yes, I would tell her to cut back on the clothes, find other ways of styling things and you really don't need another pair of jeans! I had soooo many low-rise jeans!
Speaking of your younger self, did you ever imagine you would one day have a blog and a social media presence where you share about clothes? And when you started sharing pictures of your outfits on Instagram, did you think you would grow to the following you have now or carve out a niche in everyday style? I’m also especially curious to hear how you decide if you want to work with a brand or not and whether working with brands was something you worked towards to, or something that just happened organically on its own!
Never ever did I imagine I would be doing this. I always thought I would have to go into something banking related or accounts. I graduated with a Business Economics degree but in my early 20s realised I wanted to work in something retail related. When I started my blog my aim was to be like a personal shopper, showing others what’s new on the high street, how it can be worn and my personal style.
I think working with brands happened organically, it was nice to be approached by businesses and have the opportunity to style their clothes my way. I try to work with brands that have clothes I would generally wear, it’s really important for me to stay true to my style.
Social media naturally attracts comments from so many different people and they are not always positive. As someone who shows how to style clothes and physically puts yourself out there, you must have dealt with quite a bit of uninvited criticism. Now, you have said you are a pretty laid back and positive person so do they get to you at any point and if so, how do you deal with such comments?
I’m very lucky to have lovely followers, honestly, I don't get negative comments. I may have gotten the odd “don't like that” comment but that doesn't really get to me. I think everyone has their own personal style and it would be boring if we all wore the same thing. It’s their opinion but as long as you love it, that’s all that matters.
I think for some women, maternity could throw their style off a little or they could have a bit of a struggle in finding something that works for their body and all the changes it goes through. Did you feel like that during your pregnancy and were there any differences with the way you styled or bought clothes during your two pregnancies?
The first pregnancy I didn't know what to expect, I bought maternity jeans, dresses and leggings and as I was mainly pregnant around winter lots of long tops and jumpers. My second pregnancy I didn't buy any maternity clothes apart from one pair of jeans. I pretty much wore what I had, bought things that had elasticised waists and made the most of what I had. It was also the hottest year to date, so I was in the same dresses most days. So, to answer the question, the second was different to the first, realised you don't need maternity clothes, and to buy clothes you could wear after pregnancy rather than just for the nine months.
At the end of the day, what would you like to be known for?
An amazing mother to my kids and a positive person that likes to see the brighter side of things.
What would you like to share with the woman struggling to find her niche or her passion?
There’s no time limit. Don’t be afraid of trying new things, you might end up liking it!
What does the word “tenacity” mean to you?
Persistence, to keep going to get to your goal.
You can learn more about Thaarani through Instagram!
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