Christian Wilkins recalls ‘offensive’ style era, ‘I’m so glad that phase of my life is over’

He’s known for his boundary-defying fashion choices, but Christian Wilkins has revealed there was a time where he took things too far.

Christian Wilkins is one of the most fashion-forward people in Australian showbiz, with his boundary-pushing style choices often stealing the spotlight at star-studded events.

But the popular Sydney influencer, 28, has revealed there was a time when he perhaps took things a little too far.

Never one to be too proud to have a laugh at himself, Wilkins recalled to Stellar a particularly edgy phase of his life he’s “so glad is over”, citing past looks he dabbled in for “shock factor”.

“Subconsciously, it was my way of being [like], ‘This is who I am, you can’t ignore me, I am queer, hear me roar’,” Wilkins said of his earlier fashion choices.

“So I dyed my hair pink, [put] feathers in it,” he said, before sending news.com.au the below photo from the 2013 ARIA Awards as an example: “I’d say this ARIAS is the most offensive [of my looks],” he added.

Christian Wilkins and TV presenter Richard Wilkins at the 2013 ARIA Awards. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

Wilkins continued to Stellar: “I’m very glad that phase of my life is over. I feel like I do stuff for me now. It’s less about what other people think.

“If I find beauty in a garment, regardless of if it’s a dress or pants or a blouse, I want to wear it because I love beautiful things, and I love the experience of putting on something and becoming a different side of myself.”

Wilkins’ image has certainly evolved since the aforementioned pink hair faux pas, with the model in his second year as an ambassador for the upcoming Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Wilkins at last year’s Melbourne Cup. Picture: Jason Edwards

Outside of kicking goals locally, the son of Today entertainment veteran Richard Wilkins, who just released his debut children’s book Princess Mitchell, has also been eyeing an acting career abroad.

He landed in the US on the brink of the history-making SAG-AFTRA strike, which started in July and is still ongoing, bringing the bulk of Hollywood productions to a screeching halt and momentarily squashing budding actors’ ambitions.

“The dream has always been acting, ever since I was a little kid,” Wilkins said to Stellar.

Wilkins holds ambitions to become an actor in the US. Picture: Tennis Australia/ FIONA HAMILTON

The Aussie star plans to head back to the US next year.

“I got there 10 days before the first strike happened and I shifted my goals to come back to Australia with an acting agent.

“I went to classes, took lots of meetings and sent out hundreds of emails. When I head back over [to the US] next year, I can hit the ground running.

“Also, I don’t think we need validation, but it’s nice to have someone there see something outside of the parameters of who I am here. They don’t have a concept of me – it’s purely based off my work, and that feels very good.”

Read the full interview in Stellar, available in News Corp’s The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), Sunday Herald Sun (Victoria), The Sunday Mail (Queensland), and Sunday Mail (SA)

Originally published as Christian Wilkins recalls ‘offensive’ style era, ‘I’m so glad that phase of my life is over’