Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2018 i ELLE Australia

My mother was recently going through a  box of old mementos and, either kindly or cruelly (she was so gleeful in the discovery, I can’t be entirely sure of her intention), passed on a few tokens of written evidence as to who my teenage self was. It was all still mortifyingly cringe-worthy, even after nearly 30 years (example from a motley rundown of my “Life Problems” written in Year 10: “5. Success – haven’t got any, really want some. 6. Sean – doesn’t luv me, sob, SOB!”). Among the horrors was a detailed list, written in careful curly cursive on Beverly Hills, 90210 notepaper during a long and tedious summer holiday down the coast, of the person I’d determined I should be going into the next school year. Much of…

More practical than a  pool slide, less serious than a  brogue – welcome to the age of the “handal” (hiking sandal). The action-inclined laces, just-thick-enough sole and indestructible black leather lend a tough edge to hyper-femme pink silk, a  healthy dose of cool to mannish trouser-shirt combos and polish to any throw-on summer dress.…

 “We’re pretty much the real deal,” declares Pip Edwards, one sneakered foot tucked up on the chair and flanked by an equally relaxed Claire Tregoning in their PE Nation showroom. They’re chatting joint family ski trips, Pilates, basketball and surfing at the beach (Edwards lives in Sydney’s Bondi and Tregoning in Avalon). Friends, co-founders, design partners and superwomen. It’s easy to see how Edwards and Tregoning have built the label that started with a  boozy lunch and a name (a  play on physical education and Edwards’ initials) into an international success story with 100- plus local and international stockists and a staff that’s quadrupled in the past year. Nowadays, if you’re not wearing PE Nation, you’re not in the game. And Edwards and Tregoning are the ideal advertisement for a life lived on the move and…

Meryl Streep STARS IN THE POST In what could be 2018’s equivalent of Spotlight, Steven Spielberg directs a cast with some serious Hollywood clout (think Tom Hanks, Alison Brie, Sarah Paulson and Oscar winner Streep) in The Post, an account of The Washington Post’s reportage on the Pentagon Papers, classified documents that detailed the country’s previously undisclosed – and largely problematic – political and military involvement in the Vietnam War. Streep plays the much-respected Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham, who, along with the paper’s editor at the time, Ben Bradlee (played by Hanks), defied threats from the Nixon administration to go public on the leaks. Graham led the paper for two crucial decades, also overseeing its Pulitzer Prize-winning reportage on the Watergate scandal, and was known to frolic at Martha’s Vineyard…

the smith street band On the surface, The Smith Street Band might seem like another rowdy, all-dude punk-rock band, but pay close attention and you’ll soon realise frontman Wil Wagner waxes lyrical about the minutiae of life and love with the emotiveness of a young Paul Kelly. While their latest record, More Scared Of You Than You Are Of Me, is a chronicle of a colossal, all-consuming break-up, listen out for the exception-to-the-rule tracks (like the giddily romantic “Birthdays”), which just might be the unexpected soundtrack to your next summer fling. CROWD PLEASER: “Death To The Lads”. dune rats Despite their unapologetic, zero-fucks-given schtick, it’d be a  mistake to dismiss the Dune Rats as merely music your brother and his mates listen to in your parents’ garage (while doing things you’d rather…

BOOK OF THE MONTH FEEL FREE BY ZADIE SMITH  If there s one woman whose words you want to seep into your subconscious as you fall into a hot afternoon slumber, its Zadie Smith’s. Her new collection of essays, Feel Free, is guaranteed to stir you as much as the rest of her works (and is the perfect entry point to her effortless wit and insight if – despite your best intentions – you still haven’t plucked Swing Time off the bookshelf). Feel Free ($35, Hamish Hamilton) is out January 29 This is the latest instalment of the ELLE Book Club, where each month we recommend one read we know you’ll love. To win a copy of this one, head to ELLE.com.au/win HOT MILK BY DEBORAH LEVY $22.99, PENGUIN This…

I am not, I suspect, an innately kind person. Aged eight, I was accused of bullying by a boy called Sam because I told everyone his clothes looked like someone had sewn a vacuum bag to a fire blanket and given it a pair of knitted sleeves. Inspirational quotes on Twitter set my teeth on edge. I get an intense feeling of satisfaction when I overtake men in cycling shorts when I’m on my bike, and I  love winning at Scrabble. And yet, like more than 3.6 million Australians, according to the 2016 Census results, I volunteer at least once a month (as an English teacher at a community centre for refugees and immigrants), I recycle, I pay people compliments, I talk to strangers, I don’t like to see people cry. Perhaps…

“The more time you spend thinking about yourself, the more suffering you will experience,” so says the Dalai Lama in the Book Of Joy. The same can be said for social media: the more time spent curating flat-lays and #fitspo shots, the more “likes” you will get and, ultimately, the more trolls you will encounter.  In the same way the internet disrupted the way us humans in the West live and interact, Instagram has also had an impact on these online bullies. No longer satisfied living under bridges and harassing hungry goats, trolls now thrive off making hurtful comments, usually anonymously. What started as a medium to showcase saturated happy snaps of food and family eight years ago spun off and became a prism, if not the prism, through which we view ourselves and our lives. But somewhere along…

A few weeks after the release of 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey – Jakku scavenger, desert-planet survivor and feminist hero – went on holiday to an island off Croatia with friends from the crew. The actress, who was 23 at the time, had been warned that after the release of the movie – number seven in a franchise that’s made more than $55 billion worldwide – her life would dramatically change, and she was terrified. This was, after all, her first big-screen role. In restaurants, she scrutinised waiters to see if they were being too nice to her; she wondered if she’d ever be able to use public transport again. On holiday, her friends started calling her Linda, “as a jokey alias”, she says,…

Once a cringe-inducing icon of the ’80s  and ’90s, a teen movie trope to mark a tragic character or the butt of jokes on Sex And The City, the scrunchie has made a  triumphant return to chic heads via the Mansur Gavriel AW17-18 runway. They’ve since adorned the hair of Bella Hadid, Alexandra Spencer and Lily-Rose Depp. How ya like me now? #askELLE Q. I buy a palette that I think I love, but then only ever use the one shade. Am I just a sucker? A. Firstly, you look beautiful. Secondly, don’t beat yourself up: most women have at least once parted with their cold, hard cash for a blinged-up palette of dream shades, only to just use the matte beiges and blacks. But there is another way. A lot of powder…

Texture 2.0 The multi-function movement that’s been dominating skincare in recent times has made its merry way to haircare. “No-one has time anymore and they don’t want to use multiple products every day,” says hairstylist Kevin Murphy. “The modern woman wants to enhance, condition and style in one product.” Changing the game and downsizing routines right now are the latest hybrid stylers – texturisers that are spiked with protective ingredients to leave hair nourished and touchable, while simultaneously giving you more bang in each bottle. Haven’t found a texturiser that goes the distance yet? You may just be using it wrong. “Liquid texturisers such as sea-salt spray are designed to be applied when the hair is wet and then dried in – that way they give the hair a bit…

I NEVER HEARD MY ACTIVE, UPBEAT MUM USE THE WORD DIET. She seemed to maintain her tall, lean body with zero effort. It took me years to realise that effort was in fact ingrained in every decision she made: eat what you want, she’d tell me, but in small portions. When you wake up, do deep knee bends, stretch for the sky and start moving. If your clothes fit tight, just skip dessert. Exercise should be fun – like a raucous, social game of tennis. A sign of being a  grown-up is putting yourself to bed on time. When you eat ice-cream – as she did, every day – enjoy the ice-cream. But that’s not the kind of advice anyone wants to hear. In the 25 years I’ve covered our…

In 2017, we kicked ELLE off Writing the Competition in a bid to amplify women’s voices and uncover some of the country’s most exciting emerging talent. We weren’t disappointed. An incredibly rich and varied response made the judges’ task of choosing a winner an unenviable one. But one voice stood out for its ability to capture vulnerability, heart-wrenching sorrow and resilience in a moving exploration of womanhood. Introducing writing’s next superstar, M.J. Reidy. Read her story on p66 WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR STORY, NULLIPAROUS? I first started writing this story almost two years ago now. I’ve had a number of friends who have gone through the IVF process and for some of them it’s  been successful but for other friends it’s  actually been quite a long, expensive and stressful journey.…

Opt for light-as-air layers in sweet sorbet shades or sultry black. Just be sure to invest in a quality pair of made-to-be-seen high-waisted briefs.…

 Rainbows spark joy. Plain and simple. The sheer sight of one will lead to rainbow emoji Instagram Stories, big smiles and a “storm is over” sense of elation. So when the resort runways, street-style royalty and up-and-coming labels such as Rosie Assoulin and Tata Naka all deliver their own arc of colour in the form of pleated skirts and striped dresses, you know you’ll want to chase this rainbow. Ease into the trend by pairing a striped knit with block-hued pants (to help shake off any kindergarten vibes) or by replacing your black tote with a colourful carryall. If your 2018 goal is to get happy, this is a good place to start. If happy your goal , a rainbow is to getis a good place to start…

THE XX FACTOR If your appetite for all things The xx can’t be sated by just one performance this month (they’re touring our east coast from January 13 to 20), then you won’t want to miss the Tree Of Codes ballet at Sydney Festival – it’s soundtracked by the trio’s frontman Jamie xx. An adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel of the same name (which, in a  very meta turn of events, is actually a  retelling of Bruno Schulz’s book The Street Of Crocodiles), the Wayne McGregor-choreographed work comes alive to the British producer’s dreamy strain of electronica. January 6-10; sydneyfestival.org.au OUT OF THE WOODS Hailing from Chicago, Jamila Woods describes herself as a  “poet”, “mystic” and “sister”, but she’s most famed for her undoubtable talent and social conscience as a  singer-songwriter, which has seen her garner collabs with Chance The Rapper…

THE RAVEN R IS AN ADORABLE ROBOT WITH IMMACULATE MUSIC TASTE No longer are home speakers the bulky accoutrements you’d feel the need to hide behind your healthiest fiddle leaf fig, dropping out (just when the playlist is getting good) every time the person connected to the Bluetooth has to field a call – the new-gen speakers have more power and better sound quality than you’ll ever need, and are imbued with the most useful features technology has afforded us. The latest releases now have access to most streaming services built-in, mitigating the need for a  device to hook up to – and you can forget clumsily trying to adjust the volume manually, as most can now fulfil all your whims via voice command. And much like the Bang & Olufsen…

While teetotallers used to have to settle for boring, sugar-laden soft drinks or juices on a night out with friends, non-alcoholic spirits are now here to save your liver, head and hip pocket. Abstaining from alcohol is a growing trend in Australia. A DrinkWise study found just 11 per cent of respondents were teetotallers back in 2007, while in 2017, about 20 per cent said they now do without Dutch courage. Our British cousins are also getting off the sauce. The number of adults who drink alcohol in the UK is now at its lowest level since 2005. For its latest version of the Census, about 10.6 million people indicated they didn’t drink. One of those is Ben Branson, the founder of Seedlip, a distilled non-alcoholic spirit that is sugar-, sweetener-, allergen- and calorie-free.…

SUMMER PIECES THAT WON’T LOOK OUT OF PLACE IN THE OFFICE If you’re currently riding the “don’t  know what day it is” high, you’re at risk of carrying out a  few January-brain buys. The number-one symptom is purchasing another linen cover-up that won’t work when the nine-to-five starts up again. Never fear! These are the pieces that can do both: long summer lunches and long office brainstorms. THE NEUTRAL JUMPSUIT HOLIDAYS: Unzip the collar and tie a bright kerchief around your neck for a hit of print. OFFICE: Keep the front zipped up and add pointed nude pumps to up the girl-boss ante. THE UNSTRUCTURED LINEN BLAZER HOLIDAYS: Throw it over short-shorts and a crop top when beach plans turn to dinner plans. OFFICE: Create a psuedo-suit by pairing the relaxed blazer…

WELL, CONGRATULATIONS, WE MADE IT. Don’t bother raising your hand; pretty much everyone was personally victimised by 2017. It was a year that was meaner than Regina George: with terrorist attacks, the ongoing refugee crisis and the exposure of some of our favourite leading men and their alleged acts of sexual abuse and assault, we could all be forgiven for sometimes feeling like the world had turned to stone. So welcome 2018; can we pour you a drink while you settle in? Let’s hope you provide some cracks in the horror to allow the light to come in. The early signs are positive: with Zimbabwe’s imminent reboot in a post-Mugabe era, the impending arrival of another chubby-cheeked royal baby and more Indigenous Australian female MPs in government, it’s hopeful that the 12…

Sarah Corbett, founder of Craftivist Collective, started a campaign in 2015 that convinced UK retailer Marks & Spencer board members to agree to pay their workers a living wage rate by making them cross-stitched handkerchiefs that read: “Don’t blow it. We know your jobs are really tough, but we really hope that you use your power to help the most vulnerable people.” “They really were bespoke,” Corbett says. “We googled the crap out of those people, used their favourite colours, decorated them with things that they liked. They were totally overwhelmed and ended up working with us.” Those hankies are now part of the official M&S Archive and the company and Craftivist Collective are still working together. Corbett, who is an introvert with a love of craft, is no stranger to traditional…

Where were you on How To Make Roast Chicken Day? That’s November 27, 2017; the day Prince Harry – the world’s most eligible and awesome bachelor – announced his engagement to actress, activist and puppy rescuer Meghan Markle. The pair, who decided to get married one night over a chicken dinner, were so giddy over each other during their first interview together that the BBC should have issued a vertigo trigger warning, with Markle confessing: “I didn’t know much about him, so the only thing I had asked her [their mutual friend] when she said she wanted to set us up was, ‘I have one question, Well, is he nice?’ Because if he wasn’t kind it just didn’t seem like it would make sense.” Markle’s query chorused the 400,000 singles…

WHAT IT IS: Australian brand Original & Mineral first launched its ammonia-free hair colour nearly 20 years ago. Its next-gen version is free of paraphenylenediamine and resorcinol (a response to what they say are increasing rates of chemical sensitivity), comes in more than 100 different colours, is extra hydrating and conditioning (thanks to an oil blend that includes coconut and macadamia) and capable of covering up pesky greys. WHAT IT FEELS LIKE: “Not a lot – and that’s a  compliment. There was no noticeable chemical smell, which I’ve come to expect from hair colour, and no irritation to my scalp, skin or eyes.” THE VERDICT: “I’d do it again. My greys were covered perfectly and the colour has a  lovely natural tone. The biggest change was in how soft and healthy it made my hair. I’ve…

BLUSH HOUR When makeup artists want to fake a  healthy, just-went-running flush, there’s a good chance they’ll reach for Benefit’s cult Benetint. Several iterations have been released since it first made its debut, but we think the latest, Gogotint, could just nip at the heels of the original for top spot. A dense cherry tint that adds a  pop to every skin tone, use a light hand to apply it to cheeks or swipe it over lips for just-bitten pink. IT’S LIT Strobing is still having a moment, but nothing beats the natural-grade glow that comes from lit-from-within skin. This mask will fast-track your efforts via a cast of antioxidants, radiance-boosting fruit extracts and vitamin C. Come for the selfie-ready purple colour and stay for the insane lustre it gives your…

The potential of light therapy – exposing the body to specific segments of the electromagnetic spectrum to address certain health conditions – was first recognised in the early 1900s, when Niels Ryberg Finsen picked up a Nobel Prize for his treatment of lupus vulgaris (nasty tuberculosis skin lesions) with ultraviolet radiation. The practice got a  boost in the ’90s when NASA sent LEDs into orbit, having discovered that the wavelengths emitted by the tiny electronic light sources could enhance cellular energy in plants, enabling them to sprout aboard space shuttles. When researchers found LED exposure also benefitted human cells, it resulted in the development of LED therapies for pain management and wound healing. Now, the uses are prolific: different wavelengths have been shown to act on everything from acne to arthritis,…

THE TECH: MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS From counting steps and encouraging standing to evaluating how hard you went in that HIIT workout, smart watches have largely focused on improving our physical health – but that’s now set to shift thanks to new research into the ways wearable technology can track anxiety, stress and depression. A UK study found success using a new Apple Watch app to monitor and assess people with major depressive disorder. By having participants complete cognitive tests, the app was able to evaluate attention, mood, memory and reaction speed throughout the day. In addition, new discoveries into the link between our heart rate variability (the time between beats) and circadian patterns mean wearable devices that track both have the potential to screen your risk of mental illness with new-found…

This issue of ELLE is published by Bauer Media. Bauer may use and disclose your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy, including to provide you with your requested products or services and to keep you informed of other Bauer publications, products, services and events. Our Privacy Policy is located at www.bauer-media.com.au/privacy/ It also sets out how you can access or correct your personal information and lodge a complaint. Bauer may disclose your personal information offshore to its owners, joint venture partners, service providers and agents located throughout the world, including in New Zealand, USA, the Philippines and the European Union. In addition, this issue may contain Reader Offers, being offers, competitions or surveys. Reader Offers may require you to provide personal information to enter or to take part. Personal…

LASER CLINICS AUSTRALIA Imagine being bikini-ready at a  moment’s notice. Laser Clinics Australia offers fast and reliable permanent hair reduction with experienced therapists using the world’s most efficient hair-reduction system. Think smooth, supple skin – and never being caught out again. Brazilian and underarms for $49; laserclinics.com.au PANDORA Big earrings are big news this season, so now’s the perfect time to put a  stellar spin on your style with PANDORA’s Shooting Stars Hanging Earrings. Hand-finished in sterling silver and embellished with shimmering stones, they’ll bring a dazzling edge to everything from off-duty denim to eveningwear. $89; pandora.net SUNGLASS HUT Sunglass Hut has joined forces with Vicki Lee and Ted O’Donnell – the creative duo whose artworks feature in many fashion influencers’ homes – to capture iconic summer moments for its new campaign. In one of…

#1 ANKLETS Ankle jewellery replaces the choker as the comeback accessory of summer, in gold or silver chain. #2 SZA The alt-RnB star got the golden nod from Beyoncé, which is all we need to know. Catch her at FOMO festival across Australia from January 6. #3 DISTANCE RUNNING 42km? Meh! Ultramarathoning is where it’s at for 2018. Grab Anita Bean’s The Runner’s Cookbook ($29.99, Bloomsbury) and start fuelling up now for the 60km Wild Women On Top Coastrek in Sydney this March. #4 LIKE-A-BOSS BLAZERS Blazé Milano’s blazers are the uniform of fashionistas on the fast track to CEO. The label’s new hot-ticket capsule collection will be exclusive to Matches Fashion from January 18. #5 BITCOIN That virtual currency everyone laughed about? It’s exploded in value recently. If you haven’t invested…

She may have spent the past few years cutting her teeth in LA like any young Australian actress with talent, but Sophie Lowe isn’t blithely drinking the La-La Land Kool Aid. “I  feel like Australians aren’t  really afraid to offend people, so I get roles that I can really express myself in and test my abilities,” she says. Her latest role is no exception, in the TV remake of the seminal 1992 film Romper Stomper, which kickstarted Russell Crowe’s career (and its warranted share of controversy in the process). While fictional, the original mirrored racial tensions at the time, with writer and director Geoffrey Wright depicting a group of Anglo-Australian skinheads violently targeting those in Melbourne’s Vietnamese population. This time around, inspired by more recent news headlines, a far-right paramilitary group called Patriot…

“As difficult and sensitive as they are, these topics need to be discussed” On Instagram, Stella Donnelly is endearingly witty, down to earth (see: unflattering selfies and a text reminding her nan about an upcoming gig) and humbly supportive of her peers, whether it’s her bandmates in groups Boat Show and Bells Rapids, or the female artists paving her way, such as Ali Barter and Alex Lahey. But like all your favourite girl crushes, she’s also unashamedly straight-talking and unafraid to be searing on the issues that matter – such as the topic of sexual assault in her song “Boys Will Be Boys”, in which she addresses the rape of a  friend. “As difficult and sensitive as they are, these topics need to be discussed,” says Donnelly, making it obvious she’s the kind…

One, $299, SONOS, sonos.com A six-way microphone means you’ll be able to tell it what to play from any room, plus the sound quality is crisper than an Antarctic morning. Soundlink Micro, $170, BOSE, bose.com.au The Lara Croft of speakers: it’s compact, waterproof and comes with a belt strap for those times you just want to jam while hanging out the washing. Home Mini, $79, GOOGLE, store.google.com Has 360-degree sound and a built-in “assistant” that’ll play your music and read out your recipes in the kitchen.…

Socrates once said: “Worthless people live only to eat and drink; people of worth eat and drink only to live.” Clearly he never experienced a Lune croissant, if so his philosophy would reflect one Twitter user’s trending rhetoric: “Why am I more invested in The Great British Bake Off than I am in my own life.” Like bandage dresses, the days of MasterChef-inspired snow eggs and “plating up” may be cooling, with fussy food being replaced by a growing hunger for homemade goods crafted with love (and natural sugars). This return to a more Kerrigan-family style of eating has been quietly bubbling on Australia’s collective stove as food-delivery services such as UberEats and Deliveroo dominated our mealtimes and ate up our data in 2017. While Menulog, the first foodie app to…

IN JANUARY DONATE BLOOD One in three Australians needs plasma and platelets in their lifetime, yet only one in 30 donates – and blood stocks particularly drop during the party season, according to the Red Cross. Collection centres all around the country will be open over the New Year period – book online, pop in and be sure to try at least two of the famous Red Cross choc-chip cookies once you’re done. donateblood.com.au IN FEBRUARY PERFORM A RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS Got a spare couple of bucks? Why not treat a stranger to their double-shot soy latte (with added honey). You’ll not only make their day, but you’ll also tap into Feel Good Feb – a warm and fuzzy initiative established by an Aussie mum to counteract all the…

ACTS OF RANDOM KINDNESS: Like a fitness tracker for generosity. Select how often you’d like to complete kind acts and the app will prompt you to keep you on track. GIFT OF KINDNESS: Kill two birds with one stone by giving to charity and buying gifts at the same time. The app sends your loved ones a message telling them a donation has been made in their name while a tax-deductible receipt lands in your inbox. NOBLY: Like Facebook but without those bullies you went to school with. The social platform is built by like-minded people who want a space to create and interact with acts of kindness. FEEDSPIRE: The result of what would happen should Pinterest and Instagram quotes ever meet. Feeling off-balance or just in need of a…

Frankie digs the hole beside a patch of dying forget-me-nots. The soundtrack is all wrong for the burial, the air electric with birdsong. Lorikeets chatter manically from the trees, galahs scream and shriek.  She stops to watch the cockatoos perform loop-the-loops on the powerlines – their white, erect combs that resemble the sails of the Sydney Opera House. All that life, watching it, and she feels suddenly tired. She pushes their rhapsody out of her head, digging fast, clawing with her fingernails until they bleed. As she digs, she notices the kookaburra on the back fence, head bowed in solemn prayer. “Lookaburra”, she’d nicknamed it, because the damn bird had been watching her for weeks. “An omen of pregnancy,” her mother had cooed over the phone, when she’d complained about its presence. For weeks…

“All I need is a blow-dryer, a  good flat iron like a ghd Styler and a barrel iron. Those three can give me everything from a polished finish to a wild texture.” 1. The Airshot hairdryer, $240, CLOUD NINE, au.cloudninehair.com 12. Platinum Styler, $315, GHD, ghdhair.com/au 16. Curve Soft Curl Tong, $230, GHD, ghdhair.com/au “I prefer to be barefoot when I  work. And jobs for the red carpet always tend to be quick. I’m not a  huge snacker,  but if I work with my sister [Jenn, a makeup artist], she’s always fully stocked with all the essentials, including these curiously strong mints that I  eat like candy.” 2. Peppermint Tin, $3.99, ALTOIDS, usafoods.com.au 3. Bobby Pins in Blonde, Black and Brown, $3.29 per pack,LADY JAYNE, ladyjayne.com.au 4. Portable Case, $1.95, MUJI, muji.com/au “This product has the…

MY SKIN IS SENSITIVE so I love products that are nice and gentle. The chamomile range from Èminence is really healing. I USE A LOT OF ELEVEN AUSTRALIA, which is my friend Joey Scandizzo’s label. I’ve known him for 15 years – we used to surf together. I FLY SO MUCH, my schedules are always upside down and with jet lag I really rely on sheet masks to rehydrate my skin. SHOOTING ACTION FILMS can be incredibly taxing on my skin. For John Wick: Chapter 2, I  wanted my character to have scars and injuries, but then of course I was regretting it after all the hours of makeup I had to sit through. My skin takes a real beating, so when I  get a day off, I  just take everything off. FOR MY…

“The home is a warm space where we gather to share food, music and cups of tea” “I like simple lines, elegant, organic shapes and lots of texture and space” “Comfort is important to me – I love chairs and lounges sink you into can with a good book” “I collect pieces that are beautiful and sculptural, but also purposeful” CARLA OATES, the founder and CEO of wellness brand The Beauty Chef, lives surrounded by exactly the earthy, grounded shades and textures you’d expect, given her vocation. Tobacco leather and velvet cushions in soft khaki and rust pair perfectly with the natural finishes of timber and ceramics. “I’m inspired by the natural world and curvilinear forms,” she says. “I lean towards muted, dirty tones, with a pop…

TAKE THAT BROKEN HEART FOR A SPIN I’ve just had my first real, true heartbreak and I don’t know where to go from here. Everything was lovely and I was the happiest I’ve ever been – until one day, a girl from his past returned. I trusted him. I shouldn’t have. Even as we broke up, he said it wasn’t about her, but a few days after we ended it, I found out he’d cheated on me with her. I’d always planned on staying in this town for him, but now I don’t know what’s keeping me here. I feel like I’m caught in some sort of weird limbo. I’ve started jogging. But other than that, how do I keep going on with my life? Most of my friends are…

...TIME YOU FELT REALLY HAPPY? At my [baby] son Forest conquering cruising along the furniture. I feel pure happiness when I see him so excited about what he’s achieving. ...INVESTMENT PIECE YOU BOUGHT? My house. [It was] my dad’s property in Adelaide. We kind of did a swap – he relocated to the city, and we went from city to country. ...VACATION YOU TOOK? To Soneva Fushi in the Maldives. We were bike riding through the jungle,  swimming with the kids and looking at sharks. I haven’t been able to recharge on a holiday like that for a long time. ...THING YOU DID BEFORE LEAVING HOME TODAY? I did emails for Your Zen Mama, then took a bath with Forest. He fell asleep on me until we got very wrinkly and had to get out! ...PARTY…