For the timeless and the effortless
In the Cab With
Neelam Ahooja
A Q&A on Timeless Style, Lisa Bonet and Sade, Trends, The Row (and More Affordable Alternatives), and Neelam Ahooja's Seven Easy Pieces
by Bart Kooi
Her style? “It’s relaxed, mostly minimal but with layers, timeless with an edgy element, and mostly black.” In this week’s article: In the Cab With Canadian Neelam Ahooja, a Q&A with a very Cabmate, timeless style icon who believes that less says more.
Given your background in finance, how did you transition to your current occupation?
I had a natural affinity for the arts early on and while my parents encouraged me to explore my creative talents as a hobby, they certainly didn’t think it was a viable career. They preferred us to select more traditional careers that would ensure financial stability. Growing up in the early ‘70s in a very small town in Canada, there weren’t a lot of opportunities in the arts for people of color, let alone women of color, so my parents gave us a choice. They asked my sister and me to choose from a few professions. Engineering, accounting, or medicine. I chose accountancy and ended up in the field of finance. And I was miserable.
When COVID hit, and I found that my children needed me less in the way they needed me before, I thought: “Maybe this is the right time for me to start sharing my passion.” I styled and directed one of my girlfriends (and myself) for my 50th birthday in a proper studio setting and the images were so nice that I posted them to Instagram. That's when everything changed. People were very welcoming and receptive and my unofficial career took off.
How would you describe your style in a few key words?
I would describe my style as relaxed, minimal but with layers, timeless with an edgy element (especially my hair), and mostly black.
How did you cultivate your style over time?
I was far more playful when I was younger — I took notes from Denise Huxtable on the Cosby Show. A bit of boyish excess. I came into my minimalism phase in the ‘90s when I entered the corporate finance setting. Throughout that period, I looked like Gwyneth Paltrow. [laughs] I mean, I didn’t look like Gwyneth Paltrow obviously [points at her hair], but I dressed like Gwyneth in the ‘90s. That’s what I wore from day to day. Finance is conservative both in conversation and in cloth and wasn't really a great place to experiment. And I preferred to look like the boys as I wanted to be taken seriously and ascend the corporate ladder.
I retired from accounting when I had my first child in 2003, and spent the 17 years that followed focusing on caring for my growing family. Comfort was a priority but I still wanted to retain some element of style. Eventually, I found The Row and it satisfied all my requirements — so much that it became one of the only brands I looked to. And because of the price point, it forced me to be very selective and cull my wish list down to essentials, eliminating waste.
My style has evolved and simplified and it’s far more functional and tells a different story. Perhaps it’s the years behind me but I just don’t feel the need to wave a flag when I enter a room. I’m more confident and self-assured. I know what I want in life and who my people are so I don’t need to come in costume. Less says more. Less is collected; and very Cabmate! [laughs]
Who are the style icons that have shaped your sense of fashion?
There weren’t a lot of coloured women around me in the 70s — not in life or on TV — but as I mentioned, one of the women I saw weekly was Lisa Bonet on the Cosby show. She (and her stylist) challenged the norms. She mixed men’s and women’s attire in a bohemian and eclectic manner. She expressed herself with complete abandon and when I looked in the mirror, I saw a lot of myself in her. Petite, brown, curly hair, and a tendency to lean in the opposite direction to where others are headed.
And while she was a huge influence in a sartorial sense, so was Sade, and the two couldn’t be further apart in their personal style. I toggle between those two aesthetics to this day and you can see it in my feed: sometimes I’m in basics and other times it can look like there’s a lot going on — because I’ve added a little bit of color and whimsy (for example, by adding a vintage Dries [van Noten] scarf).
Donna Karan had her “Seven Easy Pieces.” What essential items do you believe every wardrobe should include; what would be Neelam Ahooja’s Seven Easy Pieces?
Seven pieces I would wear on a daily basis and what I have in my own closet are:
- A white button down shirt;
- A pair of black trousers leaning either straight or wide, not skinny;
- A black trench coat or another very long coat, preferably tailored and belted. And I like ones that have some masculinity to them — buttons and cuffs.
- An oversized bag in black or in a chocolate, deep earth tone;
- A pair of boyish loafers. Right now specifically I’m loving The Row Cary loafers: they’re not too feminine and not too masculine;
- A classic belt;
- A boyish blazer: not too oversized and not too fitted, just something in between.
What's your go-to daytime outfit?
For the day I go for a relaxed look. For me the coat is always key — usually it’s a long slightly oversized trench.
My go-to is a pair of vintage Levi’s and an oversized tee. I would add a blazer or a long coat for cooler days and be out the door. As for shoes, I live in my The Row Mary slip-ons. They’re upscale Vans. Very minimal, decently comfortable, and they make every outfit look good.
What's your go-to evening outfit?
At night I move into more fitted wear. I will wear a blazer with trousers, or a maxi skirt, and a pair of short heeled boots. Very Gwyneth in the ‘90s. And a long coat that is either belted or a little leaner, with a clutch in hand. There isn’t a lot of evidence of this though because my husband can’t stand taking my photo and he prefers I be present and in the moment when we’re together. [laughs]
To you, which item has the most transformative power to enhance any outfit?
The most important part of an outfit and the piece that has the most power to transform any outfit is a long coat. It has to be very, very long: almost-touching-the-ground long. A coat is a powerful piece for the sheer fact that it has the most fabric of anything else. It's the one thing that you see clearly. As you walk it flows behind you, and depending on the cut, it makes you look polished and confident, and makes you stand out in a refined way. The Row or La Collection have beautiful, well-tailored coats.
Second to the coat is the bag — an oversized bag. Not crossbody; a large hand-held bag. One that looks like you’re headed to the airport for a week long getaway, but you’re really just going to lunch.
What's your most cherished The Row piece?
My most special The Row piece is my Salpa Margaux bag. I call it my half-baked Margaux. It’s unfinished — as if they abandoned the project in the middle and said: “Let’s leave it, it’s done”. You can see the culmination of the ideas the designers had, the references to the greats, and how it came together in this particular style. It’s very Margiela, very ‘90s.
When I saw that bag, for so many reasons, I loved it immediately. The deconstruction especially. I saw myself reflected in it. It’s an extension of my personality. It’s unfinished, as am I. You know how some people start to look like their pets? I put the bag up to my face and thought, “I think I look like my bag.” [laughs]
You’re an expert in The Row. Apart from The Row, which other brands do you particularly enjoy?
La Collection, run by Florence Cools and her husband, is one of my favourite brands. I love her professionally and personally. She’s warm and very charming and her clothes are exceptionally beautiful and fit me quite well. They just introduced a His/Hers line, which I love. That’s the one for me.
I also love Frances de Lourdes, which is a very Cabmate brand. They have foundational pieces and luxurious essentials like cashmere tees, pieces that will take you through the years. And there are plenty of other lines I love as well like Studio Nicholson, CO, and Toteme. These brands sit in The Row sphere: they have a The Row vibe without a The Row price. They’re more accessible, while The Row is more aspirational.
What are your top picks for affordable fashion brands / The Row alternatives?
One of my favourite more affordable brands that I wear all the time with my The Row pieces is Massimo Dutti. They’ve stepped up their game in the last year or so. The quality has improved and the styling in their latest campaigns is excellent. They’re really occupying their space with confidence now: affordable minimal style.
The issue with supporting high streets brands is that it has a negative impact the planet, so I try to ensure the pieces I do purchase are ones that round out my collection and ones I’ll wear a long time. Other affordable lines I wear often are Buhee, Aritzia, and COS.
Cabmate is all about empowering and inspiring people. In what ways do you use the platform that you have?
I hope to inspire people to do what comes naturally to them and to invest in timeless pieces and only adopt trends in moderation. For example, if high waist jeans are trending but they don’t suit your frame, pass on them. I’d like to inspire people to be who they are, to know who they are, and to be OK to share who they are.
My style is relatively consistent, trends come and go and I don’t care. I wear what I want to wear. Minimalism is —I hate to say it— trending now. However, I came in it for function and will stay as long as it suits me; pun intended.
What are your thoughts on trends in the minimalist fashion sphere then?
We all influence each other. The more we see of something, the more it becomes a part of our life. It’s just natural. Trends exist and it’s inevitable. For some it’s very helpful — especially for people who are unsure about how they want to dress. It simplifies things.
However, I also think trends are for people that want to attract attention. They want the latest/hottest items. The problem is, social media accelerates the speed at which trends arrive and depart and in between there’s an oversaturation. It’s loud. It screams in all CAPS. Definitely not my lane.
Which past runway collection do you consider iconic?
There are many, but there are two standout archival collections I love. One of them was Calvin [Klein], Fall 1996. The opening look especially. And the other one was Giorgio Armani, Spring 1999.
I wore a lot of Theory back in the ‘90s, because I couldn’t afford Calvin Klein, but Calvin was what I wanted to wear. Calvin Klein was all about the quality, the aesthetics, the stores were like galleries, and the imagery was dreamy. The simplicity of the fabrics, the flow, all of it! I come alive talking about it because it reminds me of everything I wanted to be and everything I wanted to wear. Calvin would make you feel feminine, but not feminine in a sexy way. Sexy in a gloriously “I can be who I want” feminine way.
Giorgio Armani was graceful and elegant, a lot of fluid clothing against silky layers, soft layers, and it’s actually how I dress now with skirts on top of trousers and simple fluid tops.
What is it about the '90s that captivates you the most?
I think because we were coming out of the ostentatious ‘80s (vibrant colors, neons and fluorescents) the ‘90s was a time for reflection and stillness. A time to express in a more muted manner.
CK for women in the ‘90s was minimal magic. Sexy and confident, and office appropriate. And the colors were dark and sometimes moody, but not in a Rick Owens and [Ann] Demeulemeester way (I love both those designers too), but in an "appropriate for the day way". A little attitude but no grunge.
Which recent runway collection left you breathless?
There is one particular recent collection that I loved and not shockingly it’s The Row: Spring 2023. It leaned masculine but softly: long coats, funky accessories, some elegant looks but accented with quirky accessories, and lots of relaxed looks.
I think this collection also stood out to me because I was invited to the show and felt more of a connection to it. When you see it up close, it imprints on you. And as a result, my bank account was a little lighter! I bought a lot of it.
That collection was a marriage of past and present. It had a lot of Calvin [Klein] tones, but generous proportions. Calvin was much more fitted to the form, and this was a little bit more oversized, a little bit more boyish. It also had some strapless dresses, some Japanese inspired fabrics and layering. It had cottons and wools, shorts with blazers, and it was very cool girl.
Finally, what makes something very Cabmate to you?
When I think of Cabmate, I think of Gwyneth Paltrow seated with her square toe boots and cigarette in hand. I think of Winona Ryder in the ‘90s. Carolyn in a simple white button-down shirt and an oversized bag. And Kate Moss —for Calvin.
It’s clean, cool, and confident. And clean doesn’t necessarily mean simple, because simple could be just a fitted turtleneck and a pencil skirt — and J-Lo wears them all the time, but she doesn’t scream Cabmate. It’s clean in an effortless way. In a way that makes you think “she didn’t give a lot of thought to what she’s wearing and she looks fantastic.” It’s not manufactured, it’s not off a script.
To me, Cabmate is more an attitude. It’s someone who exudes a lot of confidence, effortlessly. If you’re thinking too much about it, it’s not very Cabmate •
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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