( Versace sunglasses from Sunglass Hut, Hermès scarf, Max Mara bra top, Tiffany & Co Smile necklace )

As the summer came to pass, unfairly amidst 6 weeks of rain, I was inclined to shout curses whilst waving a closed fist to the heavens. How dare the powers up there deny us of the best part of the season? All those late march barbeques and languid lazing on the beach gone up in a poof of neverending rain.Then, I started editing pictures for this story and realized the summer was plenty alright, even if it had prematurely ejected itself from my overzealous plans. In collaboration with Sunglass Hut, I spent the past few months wearing amazing sunglasses I had edited from their extensive collection and these babies made every one of my outfits incredible by extension. So without further ado, here is my summer diary…in sunglasses

Above: In December, my boyfriend and I took a trip to India. It had been my dream to visit Kerala since I saw a documentary on the region’s food a few years back so he surprised me with the trip (more on India coming soon in a travel post!) We rented out a whole houseboat and sailed the backwaters , all the while eating delicious seafood curries. These Versace sunglasses are my favourite shape; somewhere between a cat eye and wayfarer and are uber versatile with their tortoishell tones

( Prada sunglasses from Sunglass Hut )

After the boat, we spent a few days on Kerala's serene beaches where the fisherman's boats were painted an obviously on trend shade of orange ; ). I'm absolutely in love with the Prada sunglasses I wore in this picture and still mix them up with everything from jeans to LBDs

( Ray Ban sunglasses from Sunglass Hut, Agent Provocateur bikini )

After India we jumped onto a plane to Sri Lanka, where we stayed at the beautiful Anantara hotel surrounded by hectares of coconut plantations. I loved how these Ray Ban sunglasses had reflective lenses...perfect for napping on day beds whilst pretending I'm reading a book

(Miu Miu sunglasses from Sunglass Hut, Rebecca Valance top, Sarina Suriano earrings )

Back to Sydney post holiday and off to a friend's birthday. Loved how these Miu Miu shades added elegance and metallic sheen to my pretty ruffled top

( Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses from Sunglass Hut, Max Mara top, Thomas Sabo necklace, Cartier bracelet )

Taking a break from shooting in possibly the best aviator sunglasses I have seen in a while. With their geometric and exaggerated shape, these honeys cover a multitude of sins whilst making every outfit cool AF.

( Prada sunglasses from Sunglass Hut, Binny dress, vintage earrings )

It's now autumn but the sun is out again so how about pretending the summer is still going? Certainly, looking through pink tinted lenses might help to see the glass as half full - that's why these Prada sunglasses are staking a firm hold in my wardrobe

Proponents of earthing believe that we need to allow our bodies a bare skin connection to planet's magnetic field regularly so we can release stress and electrical charge from our bodies. They say that barefoot walking is a fantastical way to release our energies into Earth leading to greater wellbeing and health.

I'm pretty sure that's true, since I always feel happiest in places I can slip my shoes off and dance barefoot ; sink feet into grass, wriggle toes into sand or sway legs in a refreshing body of water. Summer becomes a time when footwear becomes superfluous and I turn into a shoeless hippy, often a painful exercise like when you realize running across hot asphalt really does burn or when a monster bindi pierces your foot in dry grass. But being barefoot also means being free, yes, even for a girl like me who loves heels and thinks that she could outrun or outdance anyone in a pair of stilettos even if they were Louboutin Pigalle 120s, that sexy pump that makes me feel like a goddess on stilts. Yet who wouldn't rather take them off and salsa onto the beach in wild abandon ?

For one of my last collaborations of the year, I paired with Eastland, the new shopping destination encompassing a state of the art cultural and library facility in the newly redeveloped Town Square. With over 100 retailers such as Mecca Maxima, Mac, Sass & Bide, Scanlan & Theodore, David Jones, Oroton etc, Eastland also unveiled a world-class level of art to Eastern Melbourne, with a series of works from celebrated artists David Bromely and Joost Bakker- David Bromley having revealed his largest mural project to date; a whooping 1,600 metres appearing throughout Eastland. I wonder if this state of the art culture, food and fashion hub allows bare feet, because I have gone and pulled my designer favorite barefoot outfits for this story; ones that shun shoes and relish summer in all it's unstructured chaos. Just add a red nail polish for color pop!

Why wear a little black dress when a little blue one totally wins summer? Cinch in that waist and show some leg, because this silk baby will stay footloose all night long ( Rodeo Show dress )

I love a messy linen suit on a woman in the summertime, especially when worn with sandals off. Wear yours with nothing underneath or a little bralette for ultimate androgynous elegance (Skin and Threads pants and jacket )

With a cinched in waist and long, flowing layers, this Sass & Bide dress will work the breeze to it's advantage

There is something about a simple linen pinstripe dress that spells relaxed chic ( Veronika Maine dress )

What would summer be without a good bikini and cover up? I have been loving everything Tigerlilly has been doing lately, including this version of the wrap around dress that doubles as a beautiful robe for the beach

 

Check out more about Eastland here!
photographed by Alice Wesley- Smith

Whether it's the smell of opening jasmine, warm northerly breezes or the still shy crickets' song ; summer is on it's way and let's face it- boy does it feel good. I travelled to Paris recently to shoot some fun stories (that I cannot wait to share with you) but before I left Sydney I had to move house and nearly froze in the weird coldsnap storm that gripped the city in it's frosty clutches. Coming back home was a delightful and decidedly beachy welcome and my only plans for this weekend include assuming the lazy lizard pose on the Bondi Beach sands ( oh please stay sunny! )

This summer's edit for Shona Joy was such a hoot to make. Shot  at the hip Beach Club resort on Hamilton Island, my photographer and I ran around the beach and grounds of the hotel while I pretended I was a spoilt heiress with all the funds and time in the world to enjoy being absolutely languidly fabulous. I feel Shona's clothes have been going from strength to strength with amazing new silhouettes and I have had so much fun shooting the edit this year in fabulous locations around Australia. This season, revel in flippy hems, high thigh splits and exuberant print - a summerliscious SJ affair indeed

above: pop white with red for a Billy Idol kind of white wedding ( Shona joy dress, Christian Louboutin heels)

Wide legged pants and tunic tops are what leisurely summer days are made of ( Shona Joy top and pants, Chloe wedges, vintage hat, Sarah and Sebastian jewellery )

Hello sailor! Don't be afraid to play it sexy this summer ( Shona Joy dress, Sarah and Sebastian necklace )

A simple dress gets tricky with side detailing and mixed print while staying firmly boy friendly with a deep neckline ( Shona Joy dress, Amber Sceats necklace, Pushmataaha bracelet and ring )

Whether it's lazing on a yacht or surveying the beach, this dress is on the prowl ( Shona Joy dress, Dita eyewear sunglasses, vintage Prada sandals )

Waiting for your heart on the dance floor is this little number- just wait 'till you see it twirl! ( Shona Joy dress, Chloe sandals, Pushmataaha bracelets )

 

Shot by Alice Wesley - Smith

With thanks to Hamilton Island and Beach Club Resort
beauty note : Charlotte Tilbury's lipstick in Lost Cherry and Beach Stick in Formentera will brighten up day or night

This Friday, the 20th March is a special occasion. Not only is it the Spring equinox in the Northern hemisphere and the Autumn equinox in the Southern hemisphere but there is also a total solar eclipse happening and a supermoon will be gloriously huge in the sky. These things, you see, I take very seriously.

When I was a child growing up in Croatia, my relatives from the countryside used to tell me magical folk stories in which the heavens and Earth were always connected; planets and stars weren't masses of matter but characters personified here on earth. Whenever something was going on in space, it had direct correlations to our mortal world and we had to prepare for our life changing in some way. In this sense, faeries were completely real beings that occupied a world overlapping ours, only a thin veil away. These faeries were not some cute little creatures like Peter Pan's Tinkerbell, but female beings ,long haired, beautiful, sometimes endowed with goat legs underneath long dresses.  They harbored emotions and intentions, sometimes evil and capricious, sometimes pityingly sensitive to mankind's plights . Occasionally they fell in love with men, abducting them and the males would cross into their world never to be seen again. Congregating around water, rocks or anything misty; they danced next to flowing forest springs and roamed foggy sunset fields. I was terrified and mystified yet dreamt and wanted to be them; ethereal and eternal, perfect but ultimately flawed in their formless shape, never quite of the material world.

For my Thomas Sabo edit I wanted to emulate these otherworldly beings while showcasing some of the most gorgeous clothes available right now. Thomas Sabo is a company I have had my eye on for the last few seasons for their meticulous attention to detail, high quality and collections that vary from classically elegant to extravagant and punk rock. Their beautifully crafted , innovative silver jewellery garnered them fame in the 1990s, however the original collection has expanded into a myriad of styles ; from charms and pendants to crystal jewellery, there is something in the range for everyone. For my edit, I picked my favorite pieces ; silver seashells and white pearls, gorgeous gold plated medallions, cute flamingos and chakra inspired mandalas. I hope the faeries approve ...

This Alex Perry gown is modern romance personified while beautifully crafted silver jewellery and pearls add a little moonlight to the ancient rocks

Ellery does contemporary with a vintage twist - this gorgeous tweed fabric and flared details are completely on point. Match up tones with Lucy Folk's delicate bead clutch and Thomas Saboo's Maharani set with radiant milky quarts and milky aqua. Faerie of the seafoam would approve

The forest faerie should be so lucky to posses a special amulet such as this radiant sphere for her crown and a beautifully crafted Toni Maticevski knot top to dance around the weeping willows in

Don't let the adorable flamingo and intricate charms fool you, this faerie is being naughty in her Agent Provocateur corset.

Align your chakras by wearing beautiful pendants the other way around with a backless gown - all that skin needs ornate adornments to shine (Kaliver gown)

Toughen up pretty lace with some rock n' roll jewels - this Bianca Spender floor length dress is asking for moonlight nights and bad boys

 

 

photographed by Ana Suntay- Toledo

As summer slowly draws to the end and the rays of light get less hot , I always go through my wardrobe and do a major reshuffle. I store all the light summer things away and pull out cosy knits out of the boxes where they slept the summer away, then go through the leftovers of my wardrobe and take a critical look at what I need to buy so I can refresh my look for the upcoming season.

For my newest Witchery Edit , I am playing with the First Edition March collection and styling it with different pieces to show you how I will refresh my wardrobe. I love it’s predominantly neutral palette, graphic lines, focus on quality and modern silhouette that make it such an effortless way to add building blocks to one’s transeasonal wardrobe. Above, I am wearing a turtleneck poncho that is a great cover up on cold mornings. Turtlenecks are back in a big way for Autumn.

White and cream is one of my favourite tonal combinations of all time. I paired this slinky white First Edition skirt with a beautiful, loose turtleneck knit, boyish loafers and a leopard bag for extra pop

This dress combines black and cobalt for a perfect lesson in colourblocking and begs to be taken out on a date
Read the full story on Witchery's website here !

 

 

photographed by Alice Wesley-Smith

Catching the last bit of summer holidays in the gorgeous Jarvis Bay National park was enough of a joy, but shooting these vibrant Shona Joy dresses on it's Murray's beach was absolutely hilarious. My photographer Kasia Werstak and I got there early in the morning (my call time was 6am ) and arrived to the peninsula realizing that a dark cloud hung over the pristine white sand like a coal rag. This was in no way the shoot we imagined and we started to despair. Here we stood, two shipwrecked girls with many bags , colourful dresses and sharp Louboutin stiletto heels on the far side of the beach getting strange looks from rare passersby. We wanted to shoot early and get out before it got hot, hence we didn't eat breakfast, but now hours passed and the sun played tantalizing peekaboo behind the clouds, never quite peering out enough to shoot 1 picture.

Luckily, around 10am, it finally broke through the heavy clouds and we found ourselves in visual paradise. Apart from a snake slithering behind my photographer's legs, curious dolphins ,even curiouser children and the fact we nearly became cannibals and ate each other, the rest of the shoot was a dream.

For this story the vision was that of a 1950s inspired movie star; immaculate even though she is marooned and disoriented , holding on to her heels, thinking all the while that she will be rescued swiftly and needs to maintain her pristine composure at all times. I wanted to create a disjointed composition between the sexiness and urban feel of the clothes and the amazing, tropical background we were blessed to have for the shoot.

Shona Joy's clothes are so full of joie de vivre with their exuberant prints and punchy primary colors whilst remaining sexy in an understated manner. I am happy to announce I will be doing the edit of Shona Joy collections for the next few seasons - there are many great clothes coming your way yet and I will attempt to create a fun character for them all. For now, enjoy this fun autumn collection - it is perfect to dance the last of summer in. Hope you like ! xTG

 

Clothes by Shona Joy
Stilettos by Christian Louboutin
photographed by Kasia Werstak

Living right opposite Bondi beach I’m totally across the need for a good swimsuit. My morning routine includes a walk across the kilometer long stretch of golden sand to Icebergs pool where I do laps in the beautiful open air saltwater pool. Ok, so the walk is more of a stroll and laps is less of a torpedo like sports performance than a leisurely paddle followed by a relaxing coffee or fresh coconut while lazing in the sun but the fact remains : good swimwear is a must.

So what constitutes a good swimsuit? Great cut, interesting details and good support. Add to that some sports luxe separates and hey presto! You have an outfit that can take you from the beach to the street. And while sports performance is important, looking good while doing it is a major bonus. I round up my Witchery swim edit with my favourite pieces

This digital print palm frond swimsuit is perfect for offsetting the tan and the silver anorak adds a cool modern touch while shielding from variable weather

Add great accessories like reflective aviators and a small clutch to keep all your most important items like a phone, keys and wallet free of sand

Swimming laps or just lying on the beach, a black one piece is a must. This number had a deep cutout to highlight the decolletage and beautiful cut outs on the back

Take a one piece from the beach to lunch by adding some zippered shorts, stacked gold cuffs and cool slip ons