ILIO NEMA

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6 perfect cover ups for a day at the beach

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Step by Step guide to travelling in 3 of Sri Lanka's most beautiful destinations

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Zach Bush and his audacious plan to save the world

Anyone who has followed me for a long time knows I’ve always been an avid…

SPRING LAMB AND WILD HERBS TWO WAYS

Arriving to Croatia's island Vis in spring was a visual and aromatic delight. I took…

What being diagnosed with a MTHFR mutation taught me about my health

There were times when my health was wonderful, sure , but heck, back then I…

Pomalo

  Pomalo... ...the waiter says as I walk into the local cafe, perspiring with existential…

What becoming friends with my body taught me about intuitive eating

Understanding of my own body changed a whole bunch over last decades, so much so…

ILIO NEMA

Some people come into our lives like magic. This was certainly the case with my…

How Covid-19 encouraged me to reflect on my past and reframe my future

When the topic turned to fashion reform on a podcast I was on back in…

How I Boost My Immune System and Fight Illness Naturally

We swim in a soup of bacteria and viruses constantly, they are all around us,…

IN MY BLOOD IT RUNS

Sometimes a film fundamentally changes our perception of reality in such a profound way that…

6 perfect cover ups for a day at the beach

Summer is my favourite time of the year: stone fruits, sunshine, and long, languid hours…

Step by Step guide to travelling in 3 of Sri Lanka's most beautiful destinations

( wearing Zimmermann at Anantara Peace Heaven Tangalle) The first time I travelled to Sri…

5 Trends to Consider Investing In This Summer

Pip Edwards and I have been friends for 20 years, way back when we had…

What's new in shoe trends?

I must say I was so excited to shoot this story on my recent European…

ON THE HYPOCRISY OF BEAUTY IN THE 21st CENTURY

I’m a hypocrite when it comes to beauty and chances are you are too. We…

A Coat Story

In Sydney, we’re big believers in pretending winter doesn’t exist until the Antarctic southerly sets…

What's new in beauty?

Make up is one of those perks us women get in life to experiment and…

On The Importance Of Truth And Vulnerability

  Right before the craziness of Fashion Week began, whilst the air was still warm,…

MBFWA REVIEW

Aje kicked off Mercedes Benz fashion week Australia with a runway overlooking the opera house…

Andalucian Adventures

This month I had a chance to travel to Andalusia, the southern part of Spain…

A roadtrip in Spain, but make the car a Bentley GT Convertible

Ola Espana! Recently I made a trip to the other side of the world to…

How I deal with Depression and Anxiety

I am writing this story in the hopes of it in some small way helping…

Weekend BBQ chicken

This summer was the first one that I owned an actual bbq yet had no…

Why We Need Men Now More Than Ever

Oh boy was it hard getting around to writing this essay! It’s said procrastination is…

How to dress sustainably and stylish at the same time

Did you know that the Great Barrier Reef is the largest living thing on Earth?…

Scampi pasta with a side of extra

Sometimes in life, it's fun to be a little bit extra but with the holidays…

6 dresses for every Xmas occasion

Snowflakes softly falling, novelty reindeer sweater, eggnog, a roaring fire, making a snowman…wait what? This…

48 hours in Tuscany

      A few years ago, I decided I didn’t want to turn around…

The Truth About Blogging

I’ve stopped telling people I’m a blogger and it seems , so have all my…

Meet Vis, the island made famous by Mamma Mia 2

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO BEACHES, RESTAURANTS + THINGS TO SEE AND DO I debated writing…

MI CASA +

Yeah, I'm a terrible blogger guys, I geddit. Whereas a normal blogger will do at…

SUIT UP

A suit is by definition a set of outer clothes made in the same fabric,…

SOUR CHERRY PIE (thats good for you)

This pie reminds me of  summers spent in the sour cherry tree tops in the…

COMPLETE BALI TRAVEL GUIDE

Bali was a complete mystery to me until a couple of months ago, when I…

MBFWA wrap up

Fashion Week only swings around once a year in Australia so come May everyone in…

My MBFWA review

The week started with rain so torrential, it was hard to imagine how anyone would…

COME INTO MY CLOSET

Fun ensued when FIB came to my house to raid my closet and talk fashion..Check…

Sustainability gets Sexy

Sustainability is a new buzz word in fashion and for good reason – turns out…

Why once you go hybrid, you'll never go back

We live on the precipice of an energy revolution but we are not quite there…

What Lindy did next

Lindy Klim is a style icon, a businesswoman, mother of four and a Balinese princess.…

What's new in evening wear

Hit the town dressed to impress with these top tips—they're as easy as one, two,…

The Magic of Mumbai

India is comparable to a drug-  one that blows minds wide open, horrifying and enchanting…

Konichiwa Japan

When I was ten, I had a bicycle I named Furious Fire that I’d ride…

POSTCARDS FROM COOBER PEDY

Walking past opal digging equipment in a Zimmermann dress, Hermes hat, Aquazurra sandals, Jordan Askill…

3 x Jeans I <3 now

Last week was steaming but the last 2 days have felt more like winter. Summer…

3 summer dresses you need now

One of the best things about summer is being able to wear dresses. As a…

summer days+cool separates

When I first came to Australia 20 years ago, I was taken aback by the…

3 trends from the streets of New York

What does a girl do when given the chance to attend New York Fashion Week?…

Travel Tips no 3

Could I be classified as a travel accessory hoarder? Possibly ; ) It all depends…

Buy Now Wear Next Year

Layers may not be the sexiest clothing option in the world, yet winter is the…

Holiday Make Up Essentials

When I go on holidays I don't wear make up 95% of the time. I'd…

How A Dyson Supersonic Can Change Your Life

Wearing Gucci dress, Nars Schiap lipstick I don't often get over-excited and enthusiastic about small…

Five Trends To Try This Winter That You'll Want To Wear Forever

One of the greatest things about fashion is that it isn’t about simply fulfilling a…

How To Go From Day To Night In A Flash

Wearing Equipment shirt from Edwards Imports, Holly Ryan earrings, Ellery jacket, Smooth Miracle Primer, Miracle…

MBFWA review: Test Driving The Clothes Before The Runway

Australian fashion continued to carve its own path on the world stage at this year’s…

How To Achieve A Flawless Complexion

There isn’t anything like healthy, even and smooth skin that makes me feel more self-confident…

5 trends to embrace this winter

Fashion has been morphing so much the last few years that no one decade has…

When one pair of sunglasses isn't enough ~ a summer diary

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

How to find your perfect hair colour

How good is that feeling of walking out of a salon with freshly coloured hair,…

How to add drama to the new season

It’s all about the impact From Gucci to Valentino, the runways seem to be awash…

How to extend a salon treatment

In a whirlwind of travelling and my daughter getting sick, 2 weeks have gone past…

5 key tips for slowing the ageing process

(Natalija silk top, Silk Slip eyemask and pillowcase ) Remember when you were a kid…

Interview with Style Inc

I recently did an interview with Style Inc, an awesome blog that features many women…

How to make healthy hair happen

How to make healthy hair happen My hair has had an abysmal ride through life…

SWIM+RESORT SERIES DIARY

As confounding as 2016 has been, there were moments within it that were absolutely amazing.…

How to throw a party using a smartwatch

5:45pm:  After navigating my appointments, it is time to coordinate the final rsvps for the…

Christmas with SK-II

“Last Christmas I gave you my heart..”- George Michael is belting out his perennial 80s…

My guide to a perfect day in Sydney

Wake up, put your sneakers on, grab a takeaway coffee (organic of course, we are…

How to wear mascara day to night

On my days off, I’m not much of a make up girl, but catch me…

INTRODUCING THE 2016 WINNER OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOOLMARK PRIZE: TEATUM JONES

  Wool is really some sort of a voodoo magical fabric. In contrast to synthetics, Merino…

MONOCHROME SPRING

Spring is here and so is one of my ultra rare monochrome posts. Everyone knows…

Spring conundrums in burgundy, mauve and pink

Spring is awakening in the depths of the Antipodean countries like a shy deciduous leaf…

Why you need a superfood mask

Superfoods have gained a name for themselves in the last few years as being the…

6 Timeless Styling Tips

Fashion is a fascinating concept. Besides being something solid created purely out of imagination, it…

How to add a touch of luxury to occasion dressing

Not only do women on occasion want to get dressed up and be fabulous, but…

A day at Emirates One & Only Wolgan Valley resort

“There is only one success in life - to be able to spend your life…

MBFWA 2016 REVIEW VIA 8 DESIGNERS

My love for Australian Fashion Week runs deep. For 20 years now, I have participated…

Black out & Lace up

There is something magical about the way light changes during Australian winter. In the summer,…

A DAY WITH LONGINES

For nearly 200 years, Longines has been a company founded on the principles of elegance…

It's All About Gucci

When Alessandro Michele was appointed at the helm of Gucci at the beginning of last…

At home with L'oreal Elvive

Having a shoot at one's house is never a relaxing proposition.  Especially not when your cleaner…

March into Blue

The cool breath of blue has been stalking catwalks this season and it comes baring…

Tonal Springs

After a month of temperatures in the high 20 Celsius and above, it started feeling…

3 ways to wear a suit now

Suits may have been invented for men but women have appropriated the codes since the…

How to achieve glowing skin

The morning I woke up and realized I was now in my third decade of…

How to nail transeasonal dressing: buy now, wear later

Sydney siders can grumble about this year’s lack of a real summer yet nothing can…

3 Ways Fashion Breaks Rules This Season

Watch out; there is a new girl in town this season and she doesn't mind…

VIVA LA CUBA!

The best thing about doing my job is combining travel and fashion- two of my…

HABANA LIBRE

2016 is here! I've taken a few weeks off over the summer holidays and moved…

Shine bright

When it comes to shine, nobody did it better than Ziggy Stardust, David Bowie's concocted…

Holiday Essentials : The ultimate Wish List

Christmas time is always such a whirlwind in houses across Australia with present shopping, last…

BAREFOOT CHIC

Proponents of earthing believe that we need to allow our bodies a bare skin connection…

3 ways to summer ready simple cool

Summer is upon us and while the temperatures soar it's easy to drift into the…

Life's Little Pleasures

Happiness is a confounding concept in today’s quickpaced world ; elusive as a unicorn and…

Style Update: All about the lips

Over the ages, lipstick has been used as a cosmetic enhancer for both men and…

Si to life

The decision to say yes to life is essentially taking a huge leap of faith.…

Derby Day '15

When I woke up in the morning to hail, rain and absolutely no sunshine, I…

SPRING TREND REPORT IV : RETURN TO THE 80s

There is something exciting about Fashion’s return to the 80s for someone who never actually…

SPRING TRENDS III

While in Paris recently, I had a couple of nights off so I decided to…

How To Wear Red This Season

Red is my mother’s favourite colour so by proxy I’ve had a lot of experience…

SHONA JOY EDIT : RETURN TO SUMMER

Whether it's the smell of opening jasmine, warm northerly breezes or the still shy crickets'…

SPRING TREND REPORT no 2

This season take on the subversive allure of silky lace and sharp tailoring for a…

How to wear your not-so-everyday jewellery

I adore the minimalist trend – the simple, monochromatic outfits, clean cut shirts and dainty,…

KHAKI LOVE

Hello khaki my old friend. I see you stalking the runways and being worn by…

7 sartorial tips on moving house

After living in our home for 9 years, we recently sold it to a lady…

SPRING TREND REPORT 1

Hey hey - it’s finally spring! Trading in cold overcast days and upturned umbrellas for…

How To Perfect Make Up On The Go

Like all mothers, my morning make up protocol is overshadowed by hurrying, nagging and sandwich…

One of these nights ...

Synchronicities. Some say they don't mean anything in particular and others in the more spiritual…

European Summer - a personal photo diary

Editing these pictures has taken me nearly a month to do- there were so many…

Why Stripes should always be a part of your wardrobe

A breton striped t-shirt is always on trend; either as a low key basic, rock…

SIX WAYS TO TIE PINK INTO YOUR WARDROBE NOW

Pink is a more contentuous colour than any other; some love it, some hate it…

PRIMARY

"So they close together Dressed in red and yellow Innocent forever, sleeping children In their…

Detox ! 8 tips on how to do it right

Sometimes in life I just feel : enough. Enough booze, late nights, fatty foods, desserts,…

On Motherhood and Business via Vogue Australia and Croser

Last week, I was honoured by Vogue Australia and Croser as one of their Women…

WHAT TO WEAR FOR AN EVENING OUT

Choosing eveningwear can be tricky – I never know if I should buy something basic…

My beauty secrets with The File

The File popped in to my home and made me dish out all my beauty…

HOW TO WEAR NAVY NOW

Navy is one of my favourite colours. Not only is it chic, elegant and less…

Winter White

Once upon a time, when I was a teenager, I was a goth (4 lyf…

LOOK OF THE WEEK / AUTUMN RED

Sydney has been bathing in sunshine lately and even though the nights are close to…

4 WINTER TRENDS AND HOW TO WEAR THEM NOW

The arrival of blistering winds, bucketing rain and the enveloping cold used to herald the…

The Mini & The Maxi - a new trend edit with Coach

Shooting this editorial the other day in the last days of Autumn - sun still…

The Spy Who Loved Her- an aprés ski winter 15 edit with Shona Joy

The Spy Who Loved Me was one of those definining moments in my life when…

WHY YOU NEED A WHITE SHIRT NOW

When I turned 13 years old, my mother was diagnosed with cancer of the uterus.…

My MBFWA 2015 DIARY

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MBFWA x VOGUE Preview with 7 designers

If I were to judge the upcoming MBFWA 2015 solely based on the samples pulled…

The equinox with Thomas Sabo

This Friday, the 20th March is a special occasion. Not only is it the Spring…

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

Ahhhh, springtime in Paris...Tiny little green buds on the trees, bright jonquils and saffron dotting…

Australians in Paris

Our designers on their inspirations and favourite Paris haunts During Fashion Week, Paris is a…

IN FLIGHT ESSENTIALS

Comfort can be an elusive thing on planes but none the less it is the…

How to do everyday make up in 10 minutes flat

Make up is a special weapon us women have in our arsenal to keep ourselves…

How to do the 70s with swagger

2015 is definitely all about a 70s revival. Maxi dresses, flares, blousons and velvet on…

FIRST EDITION - The edit

As summer slowly draws to the end and the rays of light get less hot…

Shona Joy edit no1

Catching the last bit of summer holidays in the gorgeous Jarvis Bay National park was…

That 70s summer...

It has been a month since my last post - a long time to be…

DIAL 0 FOR ANYTHING

This story was shot in London town one rainy night a couple of months ago…

HOW TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT PARTY DRESS THIS SEASON

Summer is my favourite season. For some reason, the imaginary line between the summer period…

Monochrome heatwave

Monochrome is a mainstay of most women's wardrobes and a clean,tidy and polished way to…

WHAT TO PACK FOR A SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL WEEKEND

‘Tis the season to start planning your festival inspired outfits… The Australian summer isn’t all…

SUMMER WITH JETS

The holidays are nearly upon us and with them the inevitable search for the perfect…

WHAT EVERY GROWN WOMAN SHOULD HAVE IN HER WARDROBE

Net-A-Porter's head of personal shopping Lupe Puerta covers all the basis of the perfect wardrobe…

ELLERY X VITTORIA SUMMER FASHION SERIES

The new Ellery resort collection is the stuff sartorial dreams are made of. Sumptuous, thick…

WHAT TO COVET THIS PARTY SEASON

It’s that time of the year again! You know, the one where we attend multiple…

RESORT ESSENTIALS

To me a good holiday conveys the following experiences in no particular order: sunny, beachy…

DERBY DAY 2014

This year, Derby Day had no help from naughty Melbourne weather with it’s decided reluctance…

SWIM - new witchery edit

Living right opposite Bondi beach I’m totally across the need for a good swimsuit. My…

Holidays with Macquarie centre

Summer in Australia is so magical to me, because it summons pictures of sandy bums,…

SUMMER SOFT + Wella Competition Winner!

How to keep your hair soft in the summer months - even if you are…

SPRING INTO RACING WITH REBECCA VALLANCE

Rebecca Vallance is one of Australia's newest premier designers with international clout. Since showing on…

The 'W' Edit : Resort Styling

As soon as the weather gets enticingly warm, my mind evokes pictures of weekends away…

TIME WARP - why going back in time is the new chic

  When Nicolas Ghesquiere became the new creative director of Louis Vuitton, the fashion fan…

IBIZA DREAMING

Voyaging to Ibiza had always been my dream - that island where Spanish summers are…

WILD ABOUT PANTHERE

Celebrating 100 years of the iconic Cartier Panther collection. In Paris recently whilst on holidays,…

UNLEASH THE SUMMER

So before we start, a little secret. I am not really a blonde. What?! Yep,…

YOUTHQUAKE

Remember the Youthquake ? No?  Neither do I - I was nowhere near being born…

LINEAR

You don’t have to be an expert in geometry or a mathematical genius to see…

HOW TO WEAR THE CROP NOW : M.E.L for WITCHERY EDIT

In my new edit for Witchery, I talk crop. Crop tops , to be exact,…

HOLIDAY DIARY part 1 : FOR FESTIVAL

This year I left the Australian winter early to camp out in the Mediterranean on…

SHINE ON

Never was I the sort of little girl that admitted to liking anything remotely girly,…

MODERN FOLK

With my love of vintage clothes and furniture, there also comes a determination in scouring…

GO GREEN: HOW TO ADD THE COMEBACK COLOUR TO YOUR WARDROBE THIS SEASON

  Green is one of those colours that has a pretty bad reputation as being…

METALLICA : how to wear metallics now

Ziggy played for time, jiving us that we were Voodoo The kids was just crass,…

THE NEW NUDE

Pink has turned subversive this season in the many incarnations that bear interesting names; there…

GIRLS KEEP SWINGIN'

David Bowie sang : "Heaven loves ya, The clouds part for ya, Nothing stands in…

MEL on TORY BURCH BLOG

Tory Burch is an American label best known for it's preppy boho luxe aesthetic and…

IN THE NAVY

  This season , take a cue from the Royal British Navy and inject navy…

MBFWA 14- A SARTORIAL DIARY

One of the best aspects of being a blogger is playing dress ups with fabulous…

MBFWA 14 REVIEW

Among the fashion flurry of designers buyers, photographers, models , la mode folk and a…

MBFWA via 7 DESIGNERS

It has been a loooong hiatus between posts, partly because I was so busy shooting…

METALLIC MANIA

  Metallics are slithering into this season and I have been keeping my magpie eyes…

ANIMAL INSTINCT

Animal prints again reign supreme this season, as they have for the last few years.…

PRECIOUS METAL

Gold, silver and all the metallic hues of the rainbow are reigning supreme again this…

JAILHOUSE ROCK

Stripes have been a constant in fashion for the last couple of seasons but this…

MAKE A STATEMENT

If a black dress is the sartorial equivalent of the daily coffee: practical, sharp and…

My Empirical Valentine : Vicki Lee & Ted O'Donnell

Artist Vicki Lee and photographer Ted O'Donnell met, fell in love and started producing amazing…

Too Easy - new pieces to dress down with

The other night I had a great work dinner with some of my fellow bloggers.…

MERMAID DYSPNEA

  When I was a little girl, I was obsessed with mermaids. Not happy, beautiful…

YOKO ONO : WAR IS OVER ( IF YOU WANT IT )

Yoko Ono is these days most recognised for her work as a conceptual and avant…

NEW YEAR, NEW START

All hail 2014! Most people I know look backwards at 2013 with a big "phew…

HOW TO WEAR DOUBLE DENIM

Double denim is one of those trends that was labelled as “wrong” and “tacky” for…

A Tiffany blue Christmas

  Ever since I was a little girl I have loved Tiffany and Co. Watching…

MESH UP - how to wear the new mesh for day or night

Most famously hung across the shoulders of such 80s icons as Madonna and Sid Vicious…

SIMPLY WHITE

The warmer months are upon us and there is nothing as refreshing as an all…

DERBY DAY '13

Derby Day is my favourite day on the racing calendar. The black & white palette…

MY EMPIRICAL BYRON BAY

Byron bay is a little town situated at the most easterly point of the Australian…

TOUGH LUXE- how to wear grunge/punk in a wearable way

My teen years were so heavily influenced by grunge for a while that I felt…

SEVEN REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T WEAR BLACK TO THE BEACH

Banish the black and choose this season's separates in colours that pop the tan and…

HOW TO WEAR THE NEW BLUE

Blue is a huge trend for autumn 2013 and is slated to be a hit…

HYEEEE NEW YORK CITY!

Ahhh, New York! City that never sleeps, the ultimate urban jungle, the place where dreams…

LOUIS VUITTON X MY EMPIRICAL LIFE / LV ICONS: THE ALMA

  The Alma is one of Louis Vuitton's most iconic bags. Born as  Gaston-Louis Vuitton's…

IN THE BLUE

Here is the first part of my swimsuit special shot on the beautiful island of…

BRONZE AGE

Next season is all about bronze. Yep, I'm calling it. Never have I been so…

SUMMERTIME!

I must admit, I'm quite spoilt when it comes to holidays. Having a holiday house…

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