coax

Last week, I was honoured by Vogue Australia and Croser as one of their Women of the Moment at a beautiful dinner held for us at The Atlantic restaurant in Melbourne. It was such an honour to be recognized by the peers that I admire while enjoying some vintage Croser sparkling wine, delicious seafood and the company of remarkable women. Big thank you to Croser, Edwina McCann for her kind and inspiring words and a fun night!

Below is a transcript of my interview originally published on vogue.com.au

Vogue caught up with the model-turned-blogger to talk being chosen as one of Croser Wine’s Women of the Moment, celebrating and everything in between.

Who is the most remarkable woman you know and why?
The most remarkable woman I know is my mother. She survived cancer at 33, spearheaded our move from Europe to the Southern Hemisphere and rose to any challenge presented to her with her head held high – all whilst being the family’s main breadwinner.

What does it mean to you to be selected by Croser as one of their Women of the Moment?
It is completely humbling to be nominated - I feel incredibly honoured!

What does style mean to you?
To me style is more about being sartorially expressive of your own personality and learning to work with your own body, rather than following trends or purchasing high ticket items. I believe in experimentation and having fun.

What are three key pieces every woman should have in their wardrobe?
Gosh, only 3 items! This is a little hard, but right now: a great pair of jeans or leather leggings, a beautiful cashmere sweater and amazing pumps.

As a working Mother what advice would you have for other working mothers in terms of perfecting their style?
When your child is very little opt for beautiful, soft basics in good quality materials and neutral tones so you do not need to think too hard in the morning when you have baby brain and are trying to take care of what seems like the whole Universe. A pencil skirt, good flats, an elegant coat, a great knit, some silk shirts, a sharp blazer, soft denim and an amazing simple tote. Then, once your child grows up a little and can be a little more independent, start introducing more experimentation to your basic wardrobe template and playing around with structure, embellishments and trends.

What’s your biggest achievement to date?
My wonderful daughter Coco!

What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken in your career?
Leaving my 17 year modelling career to be a full time blogger

If a risky business move pays off and you have cause to celebrate how do you mark the occasion?
Usually it involves girlfriends, a trip away and some good sparkling wine!

What, to you, makes a moment worthy of celebrating?
Anything that benefits not only my life but the life of my family and friends, my community or planet Earth; that’s a lot of sparkling wine!

Do you have any tips for entertaining or celebrating?
Pre-prepare anything you possibly can – ideally you want to do most things the night before. I am a big fan of roasted, then marinated vegetables to be thrown in with some leaves for a salad, a Tiramisu or similarly pre-prepared dessert. Accept help from friends or hire it – the idea is to have fun and connect with people, not spend your time stressing!

What are some of your musts for a celebration to be successful?
Great friends, beautiful food, wine and a relaxed atmosphere.

Aside from being a successful blogger you’re also an astute business woman, what advice do you have for other women looking to start their own business?
Be willing to work very hard- you are trying to build something from the ground up. I often work all day, then come home to cook for the family and spend time with my daughter before getting back to work. It is important to me that the quality of my work reflects my brand and aesthetic – ultimately, the finished product is my responsibility. Be open to constructive criticism and experimentation. But most importantly always keep learning!

THMEL8

The arrival of blistering winds, bucketing rain and the enveloping cold used to herald the decline of my sartorial mojo. My Croatian roots and a flexible, freelance job gave me the luxury of becoming summer’s tireless pilgrim for over 20 years  - since my modelling days and beyond, I swapped hemispheres whenever winter took over season’s reins – owning a coat was unnecessary, boots a frivolity that would only weigh down my already overweight suitcase.

Oh how things change! My daughter’s education has meant I needed to stay put for longer, so my winter wardrobe went from a population of a single pair of Ugg boots and a holey oversized sweater to stylish key winter pieces and expert layering. Nowadays, I get excited when direction of the wind changes announcing a different season - dressing for cooler weather is infinitely more fun with it’s cosy coats, sleek pants and soft sweaters in endless combinations.

For this story, I paired up with Tommy Hilfigher to curate and demystify some of this season’s trends in an urban and wearable way.
Above:Embrace the utility trend with it’s military detailing, leather strapping and gold tone accents

( Tommy Hilfigher top and pants, Versace sunglasses from Sunglass Hut )

THMEL1

This winter choose beige and brown tones across suede materials for an updated take on the 70s trend. Don’t forget to accessorise with mirrored aviators, textured jackets and pops of snakeskin ( Tommy Hilfigher shirt and pants, Aquazurra shoes, Marimekko coat, Max Mara bag, Miu Miu sunglasses )

THMEL3

Black is always back in winter. Pair sleek stovepipe pants and an unbuttoned shirt with your favourite ankle boots and a mannish car coat for a look that means business ( Tommy Hilfigher shirt, pants and coat, Balmain booties, Tiffany & Co Smile necklace )

THMEL2

The arrival of winter shouldn’t mean the banishment of colour. Choose a soft, cashmere, cable knitted sweater in a pop of bright hue to brighten long overcast days.

Photographed by Alice-Wesley-Smith
Read the rest of the story up on the Vogue Australia website here

You don’t have to be an expert in geometry or a mathematical genius to see spring’s bright linear future.
This is a trend that is clean, fresh, modern, and in OCD terms tidy (boy, my boyfriend loves that word). Importantly, this is a look that goes beyond the term trend because it is universally re-workable; take a soft dress, throw on a neatly patterned coat and voila! You get a softly structured outfit that takes you from boardroom to dinner.

In essence it is all about well-cut clothes that take on architectural principles but are modified to be feminine, light, airy and flattering.
Below the knee dresses and skirts add a modern Mad Men sensuality, while cropped silhouettes herald the arrival of spring and the perennial classic, monochrome gets a much needed update.

 

teeeg
Soft silk and lace blend with a cover-up that is just as glamorous (LOVER DRESS, JOSH GOOT COAT, GIANVITO ROSSI PUMPS AND AMBER SCEATS RING)

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Accessorise with simple, architectural jewelry.(Wearing Cynics silver rings and Tiffany & Co. cuff)

linear6
Mix soft tweed with elegant separates for springtime glamour. (Wearing Josh Goot top and skirt, Sportsmax coat and Gianvito Rossi pumps.)

Full story and 3 more looks on Vogue.com.au's website here!

Pink has turned subversive this season in the many incarnations that bear interesting names; there is powder pink, sideshow rose, new york pink, champagne pink and silver pink that work beautifully tonally with the quirkily named beiges such as desert sand and cosmic latte, brown shades such as camel, fawn and wheat, whites such as ivory, seashell and linen and that is without even getting into equally gorgeous shades of taupes or greys!

Truly the possibilities are endless and the combinations so incredibly complimentary and utterly chic, that the new nude is not only a new world of countless amalgamations but a trend that looks timeless, expensive, pulled together and stylish.

 

NUDE1

This powdery pastel pink dress, above, is like the 21st century rendition of a sexy Studio 54 number with it’s voluminous sleeves and daring thigh split – just made for cutting the rug! (Dion Lee dress, Dawn is Mine choker, Christian Louboutin shoes)

 

NUDE2
The perfect dress for work must be one that strikes a balance between feminine, sharp, practical and chic – this one, above left, covers all the bases plus it’s a slick light shade of slate. Pair with nudes for an immaculate tonal finish. (Karen Walker dress, Emilio Pucci bag, Stuart Weitzman shoes)

 

NUDE6
The best way to accessorise nudes this season is with gold tone jewellery, pops of bright red and rose flushed cheeks. (Clockwise from bottom left: OPI nail lacquer in Big Apple Red, Dawn is Mine choker, Pushmataaha serpent bracelet, Twenty One Degrees seahorse bangle, Dior Diorblush cheek creme in Bikini, Mac lipstick in Lady Danger, Mania Mania necklace, Monica Vinader bracelet)

 

 

3 more looks await on Vogue.com.au here!

If a black dress is the sartorial equivalent of the daily coffee: practical, sharp and dark,  then the statement dress would be the wardrobe counterpart of an iced hazelnut triple shot macchiato with cream and chocolate syrup. These dresses are meant to be talked about , admired, swooned over and envied. They are the dresses you buy for a special ocassion, the sort of dresses your daughter will want to steal. The Alex Perry dress pictured above is like a gelato on a summer’s day: pastel hued, light and delicious.

 

Josh Goot has really played with proportions this season – I love this beautiful bustier, thigh split, long sash number. It’s modern and sexy at the same time. 

This Dion Lee number is a sexy and  intricate play with textures and lenghts.
3 more outfits and the full story up now on Vogue.com.au here !

photographed by : Alice Wesley- Smith

double denim

Double denim is one of those trends that was labelled as “wrong” and “tacky” for far too long thanks to embezzled jeans and jackets, bad cuts and awkward styling ( ahem Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, I'm looking at you )

Thankfully, designers have decided to look past this and embrace denim for what it is – a beautiful, hardwearing and versatile fabric that is soft, comfortable and cool. Double denim is back! Seen throughout resort ‘14 lookbooks like Chloe, Balmain, Christopher Kane and Alexander McQueen, this look is looking far more polished and restrained than its ‘80s and ‘90s faux pas friends.
Above: Mix a light chambray shirt with some pink accessories ( Maison Scotch shirt, Proenza Schouler bag from Land's End store and Pink Lou Lou necklaces)

double denim 1

Play around with different jean washes and textures and cool accessories ( Bassike jeans, Celine bag from Land's End store, Oscar Wylee x Kahlo sunglasses ((top)),Persol sunglasses ((bottom))

double denim 2
A combo of a well cut boxy top and pencil skirt works as well off duty as it does on ( Lover skirt and top, Gianvitto Rossi heels, Proenza Schouler bag from Land's End and Lovisa jewellery )

Check out the full story and 5 more pictures up now on vogue.com.au here!

TG 1

The warmer months are upon us and there is nothing as refreshing as an all white palette on a sunny day - no matter what the ocassion is. No longer just the domain of tennis players and doctors, white has been having a moment for a few seasons and it shows no sings of disappearing. The crispness of the cleansing palette and the way it pops against a tan is unbeatable. This Camilla and Marc jacket is elegant biker chic when paired with a cute pleated Lover skirt. I also added a crock print Rachel Ruddick clutch and a silver vintage Kramer ring as understated but punchy accessories.

TG 2

There is nothing wrong with a little bit of flirt - especially when it is done in a demure way. I paired a kicky Lover skirt with this luxe silk Tome top , Scanlan & Theodore heels and U.n.i.f.o.r.m leather cap for a look that goes from day to night and feels like summer personified.

Check out the full story and another five all white looks on Vogue.com.au here !

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