The Australian Women's Weekly August 2018

My husband Tom has kept every edition of The Weekly since I became Editor-in-Chief. He proudly announced this month that the pile is 12 issues high, marking my one-year anniversary in this iconic chair. He believes they are important to keep not only as a career milestone, but as a record of the important stories of the time to share with our daughter Ellery when her reading progresses beyond The Very Hungry Caterpillar. There have been plenty of highlights since joining The Weekly, from exclusive cover stories with Aussie legends like Olivia Newton-John and Nicole Kidman, to our Women of The Future campaign and last month’s emotive tell-all with Natalie Joyce, the reaction to which has been nothing short of astounding (page 10). However, the only time I’ve managed to…

I would like to thank The Australian Women’s Weekly for providing me with such a strong and empowering platform to share my story. I write this letter to thank the hundreds of people from all walks of life and of all ages who wrote or made contact with me. I’ve been overwhelmed with the response. Moving forward I hope that I can be supportive to many other rural women who are facing tough times in the current rural climate. NATALIE JOYCE RESPECT FOR A MOTHER’S DEVOTION Natalie’s decision to set the record straight for the girls after their father’s betrayal is empowering. A beautiful family torn apart; she is determined that the girls will not be the real victims. Infidelity in marriage is detrimental but Natalie shows that hate and…

PARIS FASHION WEEK HAD A distinctly antipodean tone this year, with Australian model Adut Akech starring on the catwalk and whimsical local label Romance was Born stunning with a collection created with artist Jenny Kee. Sudanese-born Adut closed the catwalk shows for haute couture houses Chanel and Valentino. The 18-year-old said she looked and felt like a “beautiful flower princess” dressed in gold for Valentino. She was handpicked by Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld, who dressed her in an aquamarine suit. Adut wrote on Instagram that no words could express what the moment meant to her. “The beauty of having a dream is watching it come to life.” PRESERVED IN PAINT Artist Robyn Collier has been capturing the beauty of the Burragorang Valley for 40 years. Sixty years ago much…

HANDMAID STAR EXPECTING On screen, she is the cruel, barren Serena Joy Waterford in The Handmaid’s Tale. Off screen, Yvonne Strahovski is a glowing mother to be. ELECTION UPSET A 28-year-old woman from the Bronx pulled off a stunning upset in the US Congressional primaries. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeated 10-term Congressman Joe Crowley. COUCH REFORMER We loved seeing New Zealand Prime Minister and new mother Jacinda Ardern welcome a welfare reform package from her couch with newborn daughter Neve Gayford in her arms.…

CARRIE BICKMORE didn’t just glow at the Logies, she positively sparkled as she took her bump out for a spin on the red carpet draped in a divine creation by Paolo Sebastian. The Project host praised her style team for always making her feel comfortable and glamorous even when she doesn’t feel glam inside. Carrie recently revealed she is expecting her third child, and later posted a shot of herself poised by the porcelain as she battled through morning sickness.“Why the hell is it called morning sickness when it can be 24/7!” she wrote. Carrie is already mother to Evie, three, and Oliver, 11. NATURAL BEAUTY While Weekly favourites Lisa Wilkinson and Tracy Grimshaw looked divine at the Logies, what we really loved were the candid…

Appearance activist Carly Findlay (right) has always loved fashion but was frustrated with the way the industry didn’t represent disabled people. To combat this, she has organised Access to Fashion, an event which will feature a diverse range of disabled models such as Ngino Amum (above) and a panel discussion to emphasise the need for accessibility and authentic representation. “I am proudly disabled, and want to show that I can be disabled and be stylish,” says Carly. Access to Fashion will be held in Melbourne on September 1. You can support Access To Fashion via its Go Fund Me Page.…