Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2018 i ELLE Australia

“CAN YOU BE A FEMINIST AND STILL WANT TO BE ‘GIVEN AWAY’? (ANSWER: YOU CAN)” It’s full of new trends, fresh fashion, and all the feels. It might not be February, the clichéd magazine month for romance, but the heart-eye emojis are well and truly flying at ELLE this month, with no less than three editors (including myself) committing to a  ride-or-die over the past few weeks. In true fairytale style, market editor Claudia’s boyfriend Tom (watch me resolutely refuse to use the word “fiancé” even once through this entire column) popped the question as they sailed on azure seas aboard a Croatian yacht, as you do. Deputy editor Genevra’s long-term partner (see?) Geoffrey nostalgically got on bended knee out the front of the pub where they met up for…

“I wear a few simple, mismatched earrings and rings by the brands Reliquia, By Charlotte and Zoe &  Morgan – I  never take them off. I  also love to travel with statement earrings as they elevate any look.” “When I’m in a rush, I  throw on a belted jumpsuit or twinset suit. They always look put-together but they’re very no-nonsense. I love labels like Proenza Schouler, Saint Laurent and Altuzurra, and homegrown New Zealand brands like Georgia Alice and Paris Georgia – they all have the perfect balance of relaxed daytime pieces and effortless evening outfits.” “I always get right to the bottom of my Glossier Boy Brow shaper, and I love the classic YSL Touché Eclat to brighten under my eyes. My favourite trick is to use Dior lipgloss to add shine to my…

The starting point for my paintings is abstracted rooms and landscapes. I am interested in the ways meaning and memories are formed and held in objects and places and in the ways we inhabit and recall spaces, such as the home. I’ve been looking into ways memory is triggered by place. My current works explore ways we can experience landscape from inside our homes. My relationship with colour is emotional and hugely intuitive. I find myself in periods of one colour and I move through multiple periods when working on a show. I’m stuck on blue at the moment. I wear a  lot of navy and I sometimes wonder if what I wear informs the colours I use. Being a mum has made me so much more efficient in the studio – I…

LAST WEEK I SAW a woman wearing a jumper with the Keen’s Mustard logo, refashioned into the slogan “Keen as Mustard”. Then my friend Lea, who works in food media, told me she was on a waiting list for a pair of Shake Shack sneakers. Yeah, your favourite American burger joint now sells sneakers; part of a collaboration with Kiwi sneaker brand Allbirds. While food and fashion have always had some pretty clear connections – both are seasonal, driven by hype, embrace the concept of high-low and so on – food merch is something slightly different. It’s not just wearing a Ganni croissant T-shirt or a pair of Charlotte Olympia fruit salad slippers (though for the record, I’d wear both) – it’s going to Kentucky Fried Chicken’s US website and…

Her debut Conversations With Friends sparked endless amounts of said chats, and now Sally Rooney’s feverishly anticipated second novel, Normal People, is set to do the same. It’s hinged around the wealthy Marianne and poles-apart Connell, whose mother is the cleaner at Marianne’s family’s mansion. The two come to form a  connection at their prestigious Dublin college, and what follows is a relationship that alters both of them in ways they couldn’t imagine – and a novel that, much like Conversations, lives and dies in the minutiae of how we affect, and are affected by, those around us. Out September 12 ($29.99, Faber)…

“I was working as a personal trainer when I read an article about period poverty in Australia. I  couldn’t believe that as many as 40,000 women fleeing domestic violence situations were unable to buy pads and tampons when they needed them. I think every woman has had a  moment where they’ve gotten their period and been without a tampon; imagine not being able to pop over to the shops and sort yourself out. I don’t think there’s a  woman alive who doesn’t have sympathy for that situation. We’ve all been there. I told my clients that every time they had a glass of wine, they needed to ‘pay’ me with a box of tampons or pads. I  started giving them to local domestic violence shelters and within a few months,…

At the March for Our Lives protest earlier this year, many teens campaigning for greater gun control in the US used signs emblazoned not with slogans calling for an end to the slaughter of their peers, but with… Spongebob Squarepants memes. It seems odd, on the surface, but as New York Magazine writer Madison Malone Kircher wrote, “[Teens] know that a sign that says #enough isn’t going to get thousands of retweets and national news attention, but that if you put that hashtag coming out of the mouth of Mr Krabs… it might.” Harnessing the power of social media is something teens were literally born to do, and just as their protest signs are different to what ours might be, so too are their Insta feeds. Here’s what they’re into: NICHE MEMES HIGHLY STYLISED, CLIP ART…

Even before it all came tumbling down, Elizabeth Holmes was riveting. Her baritone voice. Those black turtlenecks. The seemingly endless plaudits she received from the tech world. That well-crafted narrative about how her fear of needles and desire to change the world led her to found a  company, Theranos, that she said could perform complicated medical tests with only a  finger-prick of blood. She exhibited all the qualities that women are typically discredited for — fashion quirks, outrageous ambition, unusual vocal tics, failure to provide hard evidence — and soaked up rounds of funding anyway. Theranos’s board was stacked with the kind of old white guys whose approval has long been synonymous with power. Holmes performed a sleight of hand not often achieved by women in public life. She didn’t have…

HANAN KHADER FOUNDER OF HELLO WORLD KIDS, A PROGRAM TO TEACH CODING TO CHILDREN IN JORDAN On her life’s mission: “We are still not working seriously to prepare the next generation for the future –  65 per cent of the jobs that will exist in the next decade do not exist today. It is a very severe and critical problem that governments, decision makers and countries should fix now if they want their economy to keep moving forward. Every child has a  right to learn the digital skills that they will need in the future. Coding is becoming the new literacy, it is as important as reading and writing, so it’s a huge problem if kids are still learning how to insert a  table in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.” On maximising your talents: “If I’m  not preparing…

EMPORIO ARMANI Marta (left) wears: jacket, $1,700, skirt, $730, heels, $820, earrings, $630,  brooch, $630, bag, $1,200, all EMPORIO ARMANI, armani.com; tights, $7, CALZEDONIA, world.calzedonia.com…

TEMPORARILY DOWN FOR SPIRITUAL MAINTENANCE. That’s the message Coach’s 2.8 million Instagram followers received on June 9 before being hit with one simple summons: “Hello… your future is calling. Are you going to pick up?” Cue #LifeCoachNY, six days of life-coach appointments, sound bath meditation led by modern mystic The Hoodwitch, tarot readings,  midyear astrology forecasts from The AstroTwins and, because the action converged at the brand’s hip SoHo store in downtown New York,  live graffiti and daily DJ sets. An immersive multi-sensory experience created to “wake up all the feels”, the week was trained on helping the brand’s followers find their truest potential, live their best lives. And the people, they came. Such is the pull of the cult of Coach. And the guru spreading the message of mystical cool? Creative…

LIKE MANY QUESTIONABLE past decisions, it’s easy to point an accusing finger at alcohol – including our adolescent use of toners. Packed with offending ingredients, they stripped our skin of vital moisture and ultimately turned a generation against the post-cleansing step. But the tide is turning. Water-like textures (more elegantly called “essences” in Asian skincare regimens) have grown up and rebranded with more effective ingredients. “A post-cleansing essence softens, balances and rehydrates the skin, priming it for the application of serums, oils and hydrators,” says skincare therapist Melanie Grant. “And because the formula is lighter, and therefore smaller in molecular weight, there’s more effective penetration into the deeper layers of the skin, without leaving any film or residue.” So what exactly can a toner do in 2018? Protect, hydrate, exfoliate, brighten — the…

If eyes are the window to the soul, then hands are the peephole into how many rotations of the sun you’ve done. That’s because most of us don’t treat the humble hands with quite the same TLC as we do skin from the neck up. Give your mitts a little (luxurious) love with one of these new break-out stars. Aesop’s famous waterless wash now comes in a more sensible giant size. Chanel’s clever graspable hand cream has arrived with the scent of their latest No. 5 incarnation, L’Eau. And Rodin’s delightful Crema now comes in an adorable clutch-perfect mini size.…

“I go through hairspray the quickest because I use it for so many things – to add shine to a finished look, remove flyaways, keep the hair in place all night, add texture or keep sleek styles super-glossy.” 1. EIMI Super Set Finishing Spray, $26.95, WELLA PROFESSIONALS, wella.com “I use my tongs to create beach waves and old Hollywood retro curls. I even use it as a  straightening iron when I  don’t want the super straight look or to remove stubborn kinks in the hairline.” 2. Curve Soft Curl Tong, $230, GHD, ghdhair.com/au “I like super spicy food and catering at work isn’t always what I’d pick to eat, so I make sure I have an emergency bottle of Tabasco sauce in my bag at all times. I’m also convinced it wards off…

IF YOUR FAVOURITE EXCUSE FOR NOT EXERCISING is lack of time, then sorry — you’ll have to think of something else. The aptly named SpeedFit is solving that problem, one 20-minute, once a week, electronic muscle stimulation (EMS) session at a time. “These 20 minutes are equivalent to up to four hours of strength training at the gym,” says SpeedFit trainer Ally Vaicekonyte. “The workout covers all the muscle groups – back, chest, abs, legs, bum and arms and is low impact so it’s easy on the joints.” While it sounds a little too good to be true, there is (literally) a shocking caveat. The workout is a series of exercises (think lunges, squats, bicep curls) performed while hooked up to electrodes that message the muscles to contract deeper, exhausting them much more quickly. It’s  not a painful shock,…

EVERYDAY HAIR SEEN AT: CHANEL, SPORTMAX,  VALENTINO Some years, the stand-out styles require pro-level plaiting skills, but this season embraced what you already know. Thanks to Chanel, Sportmax and Valentino, your go-to messy topknots and low ponytails are now on trend. Make it runway reminiscent with an MIA hair tie, so swap last season’s scrunchie for a thin elastic. And make the most of swept-back strands by adorning the look with statement earrings. NINETIES ACCESSORIES SEEN AT: ALEXANDER WANG, PRABAL GURUNG No precious metals here — it’s all about plastic fantastic. Claw clips and accordion headbands turned nostalgic heads at NYFW, as both Alexander Wang and Prabal Gurung opted for the throwback accessory. Raid your chemist for a  cheap and cheerful claw clip (or splurge on Wang’s variety as seen on p151). The headband may be a…

PICK YOUR BATTLES “Blackheads are open at the skin’s surface, so they’re the easiest to extract. Whiteheads and inflammatory pimples can be more difficult, because they’re covered by skin.” COME CLEAN “Cleanse your face and press a warm facecloth against the pimple for a few minutes. This will help soften inside the pore, allowing for easier excavation.” CHOOSE YOUR TOOL “Some blackheads will emerge with just the pinching pressure from your fingers. If not, use a blackhead-removing tool to apply targeted pressure.” KNOW WHEN TO STOP “It’s time to stop if you no longer see any ‘pimple’ contents, and certainly if you only see blood. It may not be a pimple that can be expressed.”…

THE SIMPLE WEATHERBOARD FAÇADE OF Bonnie Ashley’s cottage in the Melbourne suburbs belies the caravan of colours and patterns that fill every square inch inside. Along with husband Neil Downie, Bonnie founded the design studio and homewares line Bonnie and Neil, so the sweet two-bedroom space is packed with plenty of pieces of their own making. “A lot of props from our shoots find their way into our home,” explains Bonnie. A new acquisition is the bedhead, covered in the brand’s latest creation, printed fabric, which is sold by the metre and handcrafted by Neil. The giant canvas, hand-painted by Bonnie, which takes pride of place above the green velvet sofa in the living room, was also originally commissioned for a Melbourne Cup marquee. The pair’s highly covetable, often-colourful wares are…

Jean Paul Gaultier, Serge Lutens, the Hermès family, the Bransons, the Bulgaris — every stylish globetrotter seems to have a bolthole in Morocco, where Europe almost touches Africa at the Strait of Gibraltar. And one of its major inland cities, Marrakech, is a magnet for fashion buffs, a  sublime fusion of the elegant and the exotic that is by turns antediluvian and achingly chic. It’s hard to name a label that hasn’t squeezed Africa’s most stylish city for creative juice. A few recent collections by Tory Burch and Mara Hoffman come to mind, while Matthew Williamson, fresh from Poppy Delevingne’s Marrakech wedding, drew inspiration for his pre-fall 15 collection from its architecture, mosaics and decorative techniques. And for spring/summer 18, Anthony Vaccarello opened his show with a boho parade inspired by…

DAPHNE NGUYEN @DAPHNENGUYEN_ THE INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER (WHO LEADS A DOUBLE LIFE AS A  COMMERCE AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS STUDENT) TOOK A BREAK FROM THE BOOKS TO SHOOT OUR ALL-WHITE STORY “NOT SO INNOCENT” ON P114 On my playlist: Anything with vaguely interesting lyrics makes the cut. Right now I  have Cigarettes After Sex and Interpol on repeat. On my reading list: I just started reading Nadja by André Breton. Surrealism is so wonderful. On my to-do list: I spilt hot candle wax down my jumper the other night. I  should really figure out a  way to remove it. On my wish list: I want pots of whatever body paint Jeremy Scott used on the runway for Moschino – and probably a new jumper. On my bucket list: I  would love to live overseas…

THE ‘90S IS NEW AGAIN. (Again). Yes, we’ve all been stuck in a #TBT loop for some seasons now. First mom jeans, then the choker, spaghetti-strap slips, scrunchies, cargo pants and, for better or for worse, crushed velvet. Some of us even tried a chocolate lip. But believe it when we say that this new season flashback is our favourite yet. Why? Because the A/W 18-19 runways delivered up the sassiest take on the decade we’ve seen so far. And how? By channelling those groundbreaking women we grew up wanting to be. Think TLC, who showed us how to be crazy, sexy and cool, Salt-N-Pepa, who got us talking about sex (ladies, all the ladies, louder now), Lauryn Hill, Janet Jackson, Missy Elliott; strong singers, songwriters, rappers and recording artists…

Not many trends offer youthful charm and womanly confidence at once, but the pairing of shoes and socks is one of them. Yet to try it? Head to your sock drawer and take your everyday attire to the next level. Those white frilly slip-ons you’ve had forever? They’ll add playful charm to a court shoe. Lurex ribbed socks? Instant coolness when paired with a ballet flat. And white striped ankle socks? Summer sandals are now winter-proofed. Just ensure your skirt or trousers sit above the ankle so your handiwork is on show.…

“MOST MODERN COUNTRY MUSICIANS TRY TO BE ‘NOT COUNTRY’” The weekend after Beyoncé hung up her denim shorts at Coachella, teeny sunglasses and pink-hued braids were quickly replaced by American flag bikinis and (genuine) cowboy hats, at the festival’s country music equivalent, Stagecoach. Headlined by the likes of Keith Urban and Garth Brooks, Coachella’s little sister – dedicated to country, bluegrass and roots – is gaining a  following of its own, just with a decidedly less zealous approach to an Instagram content plan. Back home, the Tamworth Country Music Festival rates as the largest music festival of any genre in the Southern Hemisphere, with approximately 700 acts drawing more than 50,000 visitors over 10 days (that’s almost double the tickets sold to last year’s Splendour In The Grass 2017). On Spotify, the “Hot Country” playlist…

“THERE’S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF, ‘FUCK IT, LET’S HAVE SOME FUN’” JARED LETO IS A RIDDLE, WRAPPED IN A MYSTERY, INSIDE A GUCCI PRINT. He’s designer Alessandro Michele’s muse, an Oscar winner (for the AIDS drama Dallas Buyers Club), a Silicon Valley investor who’s had stakes in Uber and Spotify, and a method actor who – in preparation for his role as The Joker in Suicide Squad — once sent co-star Margot Robbie an actual rat. Even his house is on-brand: in 2015, Leto bought a massive former Air Force base in LA, where conspiracy theorists believe footage was shot to fake the moon landing. But Leto’s most personal work has always been his music. His electro-synth-rock band, Thirty Seconds To Mars – written off as a vanity project back…

MARY’S, SYDNEY: Show your love for their excellent burgers with tees, hats and even baby onesies. BUTTER, SYDNEY: Get a side of fried chicken with your sneakers. MILK BAR, NYC: What’s better than a  compost cookie? A Madewell T-shirt emblazoned with a cookie, that’s what. PIETRO NOLITA, NYC: The cult all-pink eatery sells tees that read “Pink As Fuck” and has a collab with shoe designer Brian Atwood. BABY COFFEE CO., SYDNEY: Another pink-slathered cafe, Baby Coffee Co flogs tees and sweats alongside avo toast. VEGEMITE: If the spread’s good enough for Attica’s Ben Shewry to put on the menu (with ice-cream, to boot), it’s good enough for you to wear on your shirt.…

JULIA GARNER CLEARLY HAS A SOFT SPOT FOR TROUBLED CHARACTERS. At just 17, she landed her breakout role as a cult member in the Elizabeth Olsen-led Martha Marcy May Marlene, cutting her teeth on a  roster of indie flicks – like Grandma, in which she plays an 18-year-old in need of an abortion – before starring as a religious leader’s child bride in Waco (centred on the Branch Davidian religious sect and its tragic 1993 siege with the FBI). Most recently, she’s made a name for herself as the fiery and foul-mouthed Ruth in Netflix thriller series Ozark – largely because the 24-year-old doesn’t just hold her own alongside the seasoned Jason Bateman and Laura Linney; she steals the show. When I first read the script for Ozark, it was very clear who Ruth was,…

THE SEASON: Autumn/winter 18-19. THE MESSAGE: Easywear reigns supreme. Think cosy layers, iconic prints, floaty dresses and neat tailoring, all reinvented for 2018. But just because the classics are making a comeback, doesn’t mean designers have forgotten about fun. Silver, leopard and leather will become daily attire, because everyday calls for special occasion wear. THE TRENDS: We’ve chosen the only eight you need to know. Discover how to wear them in the pages ahead. ALL OVER IT The LLC (Long Leopard Coat) is an instant outfit creator. Throw one on and watch jeans and a tee transform into a look. TOP-TO-TOE LEOPARD In street-inspired next-gen twin sets and voluminous coats, animal print is less lady-about-town and more Hadid sister. This one is by Copenhagen-based label Ganni, who have mastered the…

When author Caitlin Moran noticed that her groundbreaking bestselling memoir-come-manifesto, How To Be A Woman, was being bought in droves by teenage girls, she turned her attention to them: what were they lacking in their lives that they’d  be seeking advice and wisdom from a 30-something mother-of-two? Since then, she's published How To Build A  Girl, a novel based loosely on her own experiences as a teenage music writer in London in the early ’90s, and co-written the riotously funny sitcom, Raised By Wolves, with sister Caz Moran, based on their hand-to-mouth upbringing in England’s West Midlands in the ’80s. Moran perfectly unpicks the neuroses and delights of being a teenage girl: the fear of never finding your tribe and fitting in anywhere lives right next to the joy of discovering that masturbation is not a  one-way ticket to hell,…

A seemingly legit 25-year-old “German” heiress, Anna Delvey, managed to convince everyone she met that she was about to inherit $14 million… and racked up thousands in unpaid bills before going to jail. Then there’s Yvonne Bannigan, a former assistant to US Vogue’s Grace Coddington, who was arrested for charging $68,000 of her own things to her boss’s credit card. Here in Australia, who can forget Belle Gibson, who lied about healing her own cancer with a wholefoods diet? She’s  been in the news again recently for failing to pay the $410,000 fine. So yeah, as Jia Tolentino for The New Yorker writes, it’s “grifter season”. But what compels someone to lie to such an extent that it becomes a crime? The truth is, we all have the tendency to lie, even just…

I’D SEEN RAE SULLIVAN around campus, but it wasn’t until early February of our freshman year that I decided I wanted to be like her. This realisation happened at Dartmouth’s post office, on a Tuesday morning, when I was in line behind her; I was there to buy stamps and she was sending a package. It was a little after 9am, a  quiet hour, and as the only person working helped the students in front of us, I had plenty of time to scrutinise the package in Rae’s arms: a cardboard box addressed to a person named Noah Bishop. Though the rest of Noah Bishop’s address was obscured by the angle at which Rae was holding the box, I could see that her handwriting was jagged in a cool way — it…

Friendship, to Emma Stone, “is pretty much everything”. Which is why the star and executive producer of Netflix’s Maniac – and face of Louis Vuitton’s new fragrance – requested that she be interviewed by her longtime pal Jennifer Lawrence (who calls her by her real name, Emily). The two got together in New York to discuss her new project, living life in the public eye and turning the big 3-0. Come along as ELLE listens in… “SO MANY OF MY DREAMS ARE NOW PERSONAL AND LESS PROFESSIONAL” Jennifer Lawrence: Okay, let’s get things started! Emily, you’re the best. Care to comment? Emma Stone: Um, oh God. Uh, no comment. JL: Next: you’re so pretty. How’d you get like that? ES: [Laughs.] What’s the Bridesmaids line you always say? JL: That you smell like pine…

If you’ve ever seen kids with beautifully shiny natural hair and wondered where it all went wrong for you, the answer is in the way you treat your strands. They’re damaged. The fact is, the better condition the hair is in, the more light it reflects and the shinier it appears. So if you’ve been mistreating your mane, it’s time for a serious change. It’s time to change the heat. Science tells us temperatures over 150 degrees will weaken elasticity, and once you hit 230 degrees, hair can burn, even melt. Scary stuff. So it’s time to cool down. Dyson’s Supersonic hair dryer has a unique glass bead thermistor that measures the temperature 20 times a second and intelligent heat control prevents damage by ensuring airflow remains below 150 degrees.…

“MASCARA IS MY THING – I DON’T LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT IT. THIS ONE IS FEATHERY, FULL AND FLUFFY, WHICH I THINK IS PERFECT. ALWAYS PUT IT ON FIRST. THAT WAY, YOU HAVE A GUIDELINE FOR WHERE YOUR LINER OR SHADOW SHOULD HIT. IF YOU DO LINER FIRST, IT CAN GO TOO FELINE AND NOT YOUR MOST FLATTERING SHAPE. I LIKE TO DO A CAT-EYE EYE SHADOW, SO I START AT JUST WHERE THE SECOND-TO-LAST LASH HITS, THEN GO INWARD”…

WHAT IT IS: Think of it as  “diet keratin” – a gentle conditioning treatment packed with amino acid that reduces frizz, making hair more manageable, but not poker straight. A bhave Smoothe Keratin Therapy appointment starts with a  consultation, followed by a shampoo and rough blowdry. The bhave treatment is then applied in small sections to the hair in the same way colour is, using a  brush to get it close to the roots and then taken down through the lengths. The treatment then works its magic, deep conditioning with argan oil, collagen and silk amino acids while you relax for 45 minutes. There’s no gross smell or toxic fumes. It’s then washed out, hair is dried again and smoothed with a  flat iron until the lengths are stick straight. Unlike other keratin treatments, you can…

TO ADD A LITTLE RETRO COOL to a  two-piece suit this spring, take inspiration from the ’40s romance of Alice McCall’s latest runway show. Hairstylist Renya Xydis used a centre part and the throwback hair accessory to give all the girliness a  fresh spin. “It’s very of the ’40s era – fierce and feminine. The combs hold the hair back tight but there’s coolness, too, which makes the retro look modern,” she explains. In case you’ve forgotten how to use them, Xydis has a tip. “It’s essential that the hair isn’t too polished and perfect. It needs texture, so I used Wella Professionals Eimi Ocean Spritz [$24.95, wella.com] to get it a bit messy and cool first,” she adds.…

“AFTER CENTURIES OF MEDICINAL USE, THESE NATIVE PLANTS HAVE FINALLY FOUND THEIR WAY INTO SKINCARE” YEARNING FOR A YOUTHFUL GLOW? Consider ginger, ginseng, turmeric and cica – eastern medicine’s go-to ingredients for restorative skin and hair treatments. Rich in antioxidants, these native plants fight off lustre-zapping free radicals, soothe irritation and promote a wrinkle-free complexion, and after centuries of medicinal use, they’ve finally found their way into skin and haircare. While turmeric’s made an obvious splash in your latte (aka golden milk), its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial superpowers – which minimises redness and scarring sans filter – make it great for acne-prone skin. And Jose Ginestar, scientific director of Sisley-Paris is impressed by cica extract which promotes epidermal restructuring and assists with skin regeneration, giving lacklustre complexions a natural glow. Pair it with the tonifying effects of ginseng for an added boost of brightness.…

JANNA JOHNSON O’TOOLE, BEAUTY &  FITNESS DIRECTOR “I’m a makeup minimalist but Elie Saab’s sophisticated blue liner has me reaching for colour this season.” CLAUDIA JUKIC, MARKET EDITOR “My dream hair is super-glossy and tousled, just like at Loewe.” GENEVRA LEEK, DEPUTY EDITOR “The arrival of Clare Waight Keller signalled a new era for Givenchy, and the hair (short and choppy) and makeup (fresh and minimal) helped reset for a look that’s all about the woman underneath.” E…

Laser skin rejuvenation is a  quick and non-invasive procedure to tackle inflammation and acne scars and help the healing process. It’s over quickly with minimal discomfort and doesn’t require any downtime. Skin is left slightly red afterwards, so if you’re rushing back to work, a  little makeup may be required. A series of four to six sessions is ideal for maximum results. Laser Facial Treatment, $150 per session, REVLITE, yourskinclinic.com.au…

1. THE iPhone X CAMERA IS PHENOMENAL: it may as well be intravenously attached. We still lug our beloved Canon 6D around the world, but most of our travel photos are taken with the phone. On portrait mode, specifically. From $1,579, APPLE, apple.com/au 2. MY SON’S Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera creates rad, flash-based fashion editorial-level polaroids. They’re amazingly ’80s and I stick them all over the kitchen. $99, FUJIFILM, jbhifi.com.au 3. MY HUSBAND bought me a Dyson Supersonic hair dryer for Christmas 2016 but I was so attached to my Parlux I  ignored it for a year. I’m evangelical about it now that I  wear my curls naturally: the diffuser is magnificent. $499, DYSON, dyson.com.au 4. WE RECENTLY INVESTED in a couple of Bang & Olufsen P6 Beoplay speakers – they’re breathtaking.…

GET IT OFF YOUR CHEST I’m cursed with size 32H breasts. Bras are $90. Finding a swimsuit that I don’t fall out of is nearly impossible. My wardrobe choices are horribly limited. And to top it off, I’m petite! My back and shoulders hurt. Add the leers and the cat-calls, and I’m really quite over it. My mother and the surgeons I’ve spoken with assure me wholeheartedly that I’m a good candidate for breast reduction. Here’s the catch: my beloved aunt is absolutely against it. She says a reduction will “ruin” my life and I may lose the ability to breastfeed. She advises me to wait until after I have children. E. Jean, I don’t even know if I want kids! I adore my aunt, but should I wait until…

VIRGO AUG 24 – SEP 23 SEPTEMBER WILL OFFER PLENTY TO THINK ABOUT WITH MERCURY AT HOME IN VIRGO FOR HALF THE MONTH. USE YOUR EXTRA-SHARP WIT TO ATTRACT WHAT YOU WANT AROUND SEPTEMBER 7 AND 15. A FRIEND OR PARTNER COULD FEEL LOST AND CONFUSED ON SEPTEMBER 7 AND 13, SO CONSIDER LENDING THEM YOUR EAR. MARK YOUR CALENDAR ON SEPTEMBER 9 FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE NEW MOON IN VIRGO – IT’S AN IDEAL TIME TO CARRY OUT RITUALS THAT BRING YOU PHYSICAL AND MENTAL RENEWAL. BY SEPTEMBER 21, IDEAS ABOUT MONEY WILL BE READY TO MATERIALISE ONCE MERCURY SWINGS INTO LIBRA. LIBRA SEP 24 – OCT 23 Residual themes around family linger throughout the month (especially on September 8 and 25). It might feel like someone is putting up a…

…thing you bought with cash? FLOWERS AND ORGANIC PRODUCE FROM THE FARMERS’ MARKET. …thing you did before leaving home today? Brush my teeth. …song you played on rotation? “Love You Like That” by Dagny. …party you went to? My baby shower, hosted at home. [Kerr had baby boy Hart in May.] …holiday you took? A family vacation last August – we travelled to some beautiful, remote islands in Europe. …record you listened to? U2’s The Joshua Tree, on Evan’s  [Spiegel, Kerr’s husband] record player. …post you tagged someone in? Rosie [Huntington-Whiteley], to send her birthday wishes. …karaoke song you sang? “FEVER” BY PEGGY LEE. I LOVE KARAOKE. …photo you took on your phone? Me and Flynn [Kerr’s seven-year-old son], on Snapchat. …thing that made you really happy? PLANTING AN APPLE TREE IN THE BACKYARD…

Tied under the chin, woven through belt loops, artfully transformed into halter tops and handkerchief skirts… the silk foulard is your styling secret weapon this season. Fold an Hermès 90 x  90cm silk printed square in half diagonally, wrap it around your neck and tie it with a  knot for an edgy take on the Western trend.…

The best part about brown shirts, suits, hats and boots? Their ability to work with every other colour in your wardrobe. Right now though, we recommend diving into the shade of the moment from top to toe. Add tonal brown accessories over billowy dresses and soft tailoring and don’t stop until life looks like a box of chocolates.…

IF THE PAST TWO YEARS have felt like one long mercury retrograde, you’re not alone. But if you’re looking for reprieve, there’s a meme for that. With the help of social media, astrology is taking on a  left-leaning, social justice-aware agenda, meaning you might not discover what your most starsignaligned Tinder match is, but you’ll find an astrological explanation for why that political party you loathe is giving you extra grief this week (call it Saturn in Capricorn) – and permission to indulge in a bit of self-care to remedy it. LA-based Chani Nicholas is one of Instagram’s most popular astrologers, addressing issues like racism, sexism and the patriarchy with sassy memes, describing herself as “an angry feminist who just happens to be into astrology”. She also dishes up a unique strain of anti-affirmation affirmations…

HEART BERRIES BY TERESE MARIE MAILHOT If it’s good enough for Emma Watson’s book club, it should be good enough for yours – this searing autobiography from Canadian writer Terese Marie Mailhot tells of her dysfunctional upbringing in an Indian Reservation in British Columbia. She shares how the intergenerational trauma she suffered came to shape her, culminating in her hospitalisation for post-traumatic stress and bipolar II disorders. But it’s also an uplifting testament to the power that can come from pain – and healing from love. Out September 1 ($27.99, Bloomsbury Circus) TRACE: WHO KILLED MARIA JAMES? BY RACHAEL BROWN If you devoured the ABC ‘s Trace podcast (or just love a good true crime story), this new release from the series’ creator and host, investigative journalist Rachael Brown, is a…

“HOW CAN YOU SAY YOUNG GIRLS DON’T GET IT? THEY’RE OUR FUTURE. OUR FUTURE DOCTORS, LAWYERS, MOTHERS, PRESIDENTS, THEY KIND OF KEEP THE WORLD GOING. TEENAGE-GIRL FANS – THEY DON’T LIE. IF THEY LIKE YOU, THEY’RE THERE. THEY DON’T ACT ‘TOO COOL’. THEY LIKE YOU, AND THEY TELL YOU. WHICH IS SICK” – HARRY STYLES IN ALL THE MORAL PANIC ABOUT TEENAGERS – and there’s a new source of this almost daily (take your pick: social media, body image, Tide pod challenges, mental health, 13 Reasons Why, promiscuity) – one thing is usually almost always missing from the conversation. Teenagers. As a society, we talk a lot about teens, but rarely do we sit down and talk with them. And it’s a funny thing, because we all remember what it felt…

It took Kristine* about a year to realise that something in her seemingly idyllic relationship wasn’t quite right. She and her boyfriend had fallen for each other over long days spent on a  coastal road trip. But, 10 months in, she started to notice some red flags in how he approached the necessary tasks that come with keeping a relationship on track. For one, he couldn’t plan ahead. “I  rely on you to be my calendar,” he’d tell her when she would comment on his lack of initiative. And when it came to making dinners together, all the details were on her — from coming up with meals they both liked to grocery shopping to remembering to take the chicken out of the freezer in the morning. Her boyfriend also…

For this year’s ELLE Writing Competition, we’re looking for modern, contemporary voices telling stories that are engaging and subversive. We want: fresh, modern, topical tales that may or may not riff on pop culture. Humour is encouraged but not essential. We don’t want: stories that make us sad. The world is dark enough. While there’s no specific theme, we want unpublished stories that capture the mood of the moment. Write a  4,000-word short story on the topic of your choice. The deadline for entries is October 26, so if you’ve got a tale to tell, what are you waiting for? The winning fiction will be published in the January/February issue of ELLE, and the author awarded a $5,000 prize. Two runners-up will receive a  prize pack of recent releases from Hachette Australia worth $200. Visit ELLE.com.au/write-to-win for full details on how to…

WHITE WASH THE RUNWAYS WERE FILLED WITH ANGELIC WHITE LACE, FRILLS AND DENIM. THE NEW WAY TO WEAR IT? ALL AT ONCE.   HAT TRICK A white bucket style nixes the schoolyard vibe but dials up the street cred. NIGHT FEVER TRY FLOATY SHAPES, SOFT TEXTURES AND TALISMANIC JEWELLERY READY FOR TOIL AND TROUBLE. POINT BLANK Find a sharp-toed boot – either knee-high or kitten heeled – in textured leather or velvet that’s black as night. TREASURE CHEST For ’70s-style charm, swap out everyday chains for chunky linked necklaces worn over knitwear.…

LEAVE IT TO ALEXANDER WANG to turn a faux pas into a major beauty moment: the claw clip, which adorned his models’ slicked strands,  was the unexpected hero of New York Fashion Week. Put all preconceived notions aside, because beyond its newfound fashion-factor, the clip is incredibly useful. It grips and secures even the thickest, most unruly hair without the worry of a snag or tangle, and enables an up-do in three seconds flat. It’s so easy, you’ll wonder what took fashion so long. For our complete edit of the best autumn/ winter 18-19 trends…

FOR REMOVING MAKEUP, my favourite is Bioderma's micellar solution. BEACH WAVES are my go-to style. Ouai’s Wave Spray makes them look effortless and keeps them in longer. TO KEEP MY HAIR SOFT, I use a lightweight David Mallet hair serum on the ends – it's not greasy at all. THE BEAUTY CHEF'S BALM IS MAGIC for keeping lips and skin hydrated and nourished. WHEN I WANT TO FEEL calm and feminine I wear scented oil. I get at least three compliments every time I wear it. I TURN TO THE NOIR 29 when I want a  fragrance with a bit more depth for events and special occasions. It’s the perfect combination of soft and strong. I LIKE TO KEEP MY FOUNDATION LIGHT and natural, and that’s exactly what The Base By Lara…

1. BIG LOVE Model Nicole Trunfio collaborated with local fragrance house Lumira on this scent with key notes of rose, sandalwood and tobacco. It’s  the type of unique combination that'll elicit questions of, “What are you wearing?” enough to nearly make you tired of it. 2. SWEET DREAMS The latest from Louis Vuitton blends cacao flower, peony and Turkish rose to create a scent reflective of what its name translates to: dream catcher. 3. SO CHEEKY Technically, these softly shimmering powders are highlighters, meant to beam from the top of your cheekbones, but the trio of suits-all shades look just as pretty on eyes, too. 4. BALMS AWAY An uber-rich moisturiser made for creaming up very dry limbs, in smart packaging you can stuff in your bag, without fear it’s going to spill…

Q. MY SKIN IS FREAKING OUT – WHAT ARE MY CHOICES IF I DON’T WANT A MEDICATED SOLUTION? A . If your skin is so super irritated that even water makes you wince, cortisone creams aren’t the only option. “Rescue balms are extremely rich in texture and leave a protective film that will hold in moisture and shield against wind and irritants,” says skin therapist Diandra Politano, who uses Medik8’s Ultimate Recovery Intensive Skin Repair Cream on particularly compromised or stressed-out sensitive skin types during treatments. “It can really speed up recovery following a  professional treatment like a peel. But all sensitive and dry skin will benefit from using them as an overnight treatment or a  face mask,” she adds. Look for a  formula containing zinc oxide,  vitamin E or arnica.…

“I’M NOT HAVING A BAD HAIR DAY; I’m having a  bad hair year,” I say, nervously fidgeting under the expert strand-examining fingers of New York dermatologist Dr Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas. My fortysomething hair has been looking dull and stringy for longer than I care to remember. While my friends may bemoan the advent of wrinkles, I yearn for the lush mane of my youth, and the way it bounced with natural vitality when I twirled on the dance floor. I’m not alone. Alexiades-Armenakas has seen a  recent spike in the number of female patients who’ve come in because their hair has lost its lustre and their scalp has become itchy and sensitive. In my case, one of the culprits turns out to be my frequent use of dry shampoo to prolong blowdrys and…

With the party season just around the corner, now is the time to perfect your tresses with the latest high-tech hair stylers. Keep your hair in tip-top styling condition by opting for hair tools with temperature control technology that won’t wreak havoc on your hair like Dyson Supersonic Black Hair Dryer, $499. This iconic hair dryer just got even sleeker in a new black colour — it’s light, compact, quiet and seriously fast-drying. KATE’S Tip Whether you’re after a sleek style or beachy waves, choose between 12 digital heat settings to suit your styling needs. VS Sassoon 3Q Digital Hair Straightener. VSP2561 A, $79.95. Ideal for those with curly tresses, this time-saving hair tool will banish frizz, and smooth and straighten your locks as you brush. Remington Proluxe Salon Ionic…

Newspaper headlines claim we’re experiencing an “acne epidemic”. Adult acne figures have hit an all-time high and more of us than ever are suffering from the skin condition well beyond our teens. Have our hectic lifestyles and subsequent stress levels finally pushed our skin to breaking point? Or, in our Facetuned world, where flawless perfection is just an app away, is it any wonder our obsession with spots has officially peaked? One thing is certain: we’re fighting back. From types and triggers to treatments and the latest innovations, consider this your ultimate guide to dealing with breakouts. So let’s start with the basics... Although every spot type differs in appearance, they all start life in the same way – or, rather, the same place. “Acne can occur anywhere that hair…

LIFE IS FULL OF STRESS – your dental appointment keeps getting rescheduled, Brooklyn Nine-Nine being cancelled and then thankfully not (phew!), and the 43,000 emails in your inbox. It seems the ability to roll with the blows and keep on truckin' determines how successful you’ll be at navigating modern-day existence. Each person’s tolerance of the varying degrees of life’s strife is different – someone’s Krakatoa is another’s cracking good yarn after a few wines on a Friday night. And while we’d all like to stress less, the most common response to our modern world’s many stressors is to “calm down” and “take a step back”. But it’s not exactly the most helpful advice: if you’ve got three kids and a  presentation due in two days, or even just, you know,…

Settings > Battery > Last 24 hours > Clock icon This shows me how much of my life I’ve wasted on which apps. My husband and I  compete to see who has the lowest number of minutes on Instagram each day. Deliveroo/Uber Eats The fact that when you’re in full flow, or just exhausted, there are people who will deliver food to you has pushed my productivity up by approximately 400 per cent. Low FODMAP Diet This Monash Uni app lets me check which foods are chockers with FODMAPs [short-chain carbohydrates], which I should probably avoid because my gut will hate me. Sexy! Break-up Boss I thought, “Surely nothing could be this awesome and helpful for freshly single people; it’s  impossible!” But then it REALLY WAS THAT GREAT! (Disclaimer:  Break-up Boss is my app.)…