Stacey Dooley Told Me Her Personal Style Formula

You know Stacey Dooley. Probably either via her hard-hitting documentaries seeing her travel all over the world or as the winner of Strictly Come Dancing. There are few who can or have the talent to straddle both these polar opposite jobs but it seems to come naturally to Dooley. Most recently, she's been the presenter for The Glow-Up (essentially the Great British Bake Off for makeup artists), and here she's also proven her flair for the glamorous.

In many ways, Dooley has made a real impact on our TV viewing over the past decade. She's also one we've been watching very closely when it comes to her fashion choices. Since SCD, over at Who What Wear we spotted that her laid-back style had a chic little upgrade—a pair of The Row sandals here, a Bottega Veneta bag there. Quite the array of cool-but-understated selections by Dooley. She also has a knack of pairing her love of matching joggers with tailored leather blazers or oversized coats with aforementioned accessories, which is very 2020 wardrobe goals, no? 

Of course, she's also become quite the beauty influencer too. And now, to top it all off, she's become the new face, or rather the new hair, for Nice 'n Easy, which is why we had the chance to sit down with her. From how she gets her trademark slicked-back bun to her favourite fashion purchase, as well as her thoughts on sustainable fashion.

What are the best haircare tips you've ever received?

"I'm not very high maintenance—quite the opposite. I wash my hair, at a push, once a week. I learnt very early on that dry shampoo is my best pal as I've been in situations in countries where I've not been able to wash my hair. I'll have my hair down for a couple of days, then when it's greasy, I'll give my hair a quick spray of dry shampoo."

What are the weirdest haircare tips you've ever received? And did you try any of them?

"Put lemon juice in your hair and you'll get natural highlights, although I've yet to see that working! I tried colouring my hair when I was young but it never went well. I did also go through a phase of letting a girl on my estate cut my hair. We all wanted to look like Jennifer Aniston, and I ended up with terrible steps in my hair."

How do you create your signature slicked-back bun look without it looking greasy? 

"When it's too manky or greased back, basically [laughs]. When it's really dirty it gets nicer again and although, I think, sometimes, my hair does look greasy, I just don't care. I slick it right back and then I'll put a bit of coconut oil for flyaways. As for dry shampoo, I love Batiste but also Sam McKnight's Lazy Girl. Failing that, I'll use talc."

Who's your hair inspo?

"I love Grace Coddington. She's such a mood and she looks so different to everyone in her field. Daphne in Scooby-Doo. Really, it's anyone who's unapologetically themselves. When you're younger you want to conform but then when you get older you don't so much."

What are your best beauty tips? 

"I'm useless at makeup, but my big thing is skin. If my skin is clear, then I really feel the part. I always make sure I double cleanse. I often get breakouts if I've got the hump or whatever, but I find if I cut the cheese and the milk, I do see a difference. I'll use anything though really, but anything from the French pharmacists is always the best."

Do you sometimes feel like you have to justify your love of fashion and beauty with the more serious side of your personality?

"Thankfully, people accept that it's 2020 and that this idea that women are either serious and high brow or frivolous is a tired narrative. The coolest girls I know who always look great are really curious about the world and are really articulate. I find it mad to think you can't care about what's going on in the world." 

We've long been fans of your wardrobe. How would you describe your personal style? 

"Certainly relaxed and super informal. I love being comfortable and I love luxe materials, cashmere and silk, ideally. I'm of the mindset that if you invest in pieces, you'll love them for years. Sustainability is really becoming something important and not just a buzzword, and I think we've accepted that fast and disposable fashion isn't cool. I accept that lots of people don't have much money to always make that choice but we have to go back to owning and wearing clothes rather than just consuming them."

Did it take you a long time to find your style? What are your tips for anyone trying to find theirs? 

"I tend not to follow trends—my wardrobe is mainly filled with black white, grey, neutrals, and navy. There are bits I've got and worn for five, six, and seven years. If you do want to follow a trend go with accessories or jewellery."

How do you balance your love of fashion with sustainability? 

"I am really into E.L.V. denim [a zero-waste sustainable denim brand]. The brand is really passionate about the ethics. I also love renting clothes such as from By Rotation."

Shop Stacey Dooley's Style and Beauty Picks:

Next up, the biggest autumn/winter 2020 fashion trends to know.