By Gaynor Alder

Gaynor Alder talks with Sheri Bomb – a rockabilly, vintage, retro and western loving gal. She finds out what inspires her, where she likes to hit town with her cherry red nails and gets the scoop on her upcoming adventures.

1) You blog about Kustom Kulture, Rockabilly, Western, Vintage, Retro, Atomica; and 1930s to 1950s era pin up, fashion, music, style, lifestyle and décor. At what age did you discover your passion for this and how did it come about?

Growing up my mother was always into 50s Rock ‘n’ Roll, mostly the music. Brought up on a steady diet of this and having grown up with my own creative flair it was really only a matter of time.

By the time I turned 18 I was sick of the modern culture and just happened to stumble upon a quaint little bar one night when the in-house Rockabilly band was playing. It felt like coming home and from then I was hooked.

There began not only my love affair with The Ten Fours, but with the entire Rockabilly culture as I slowly began to discover, to my delight, every aspect of this amazing culture.

2) We love vintage glamour here at The Modern Woman’s Survival Guide. You have a particular penchant for the ’30s to ’50s. Who are your style and fashion icons from this era and why?

Of course the gorgeous sirens of the silver screen, from Marilyn Monroe to Rita Hayworth, Sophia Loren and pin ups like Bettie Page but to be honest, my main fashion heroes were the housewives.

These women always looked impeccable even when cleaning the house, cooking a meal or ducking into town for some groceries and without all the help of the modern conveniences we have today.

That is no mean feat in my book but these ladies achieved simple and stylish elegance with such flattering shapes and gorgeous fabrics.

3) Words are your weapons. Tell us more about your blog and why you started blogging?

I adore living the Rockabilly and Kustom Kulture lifestyle and incorporating it into as many aspects of my life as I can makes me extremely happy.

I have also always been interested in or affiliated with writing in some way and for years I had been saying I would love to contribute to Rockabilly/Kustom Kulture publications but had never done anything about it.

One day I just decided that the best way to combine the two was to start blogging about the lifestyle I lead and gain some writing exposure for myself at the same time. I must say, it has been effective for both in spades!

4) You mention magazine contributions, which publications have you been featured in? 

I have been very lucky to contribute to a number of national and international publications and have a few more on the horizon but so far, my main achievements include:

Cruzin – Australian hot rod magazine (#135 Greazefest Feature)

Vintage Caravan Magazine – Australian magazine (#5 Greazefest Feature)

Cruzin – Australian hot rod magazine (#132 Kat’s Kulture write up on Sheri Bomb)

Cruzin – Australian hot rod magazine (#130 Garterbelts & Gasoline Feature)

Pinstriping & Kustom Graphics – International magazine (#28 Garterbelts & Gasoline Feature)

Pin Up Perfection – International pin up magazine (#8 Bettie Page Reveals All Feature)

Plan 9 – Australian alternative magazine (#1 Iron Fist Feature)

Greazefest website – Kustom Kulture Fashion Article

Rusty Pinto Combo – Band Review (Facebook, Myspace & ReverbNation)

5) Reading your fabulous blog, I hear that music moves your soul. What music do you listen to and why does it move your soul so?

My music tastes are actually quite varied and I enjoy everything from Rockabilly to Psychobilly, Surf, Rock, Punk, Blues, Soul and (heaven forbid!) even a little Pop sometimes.

Music is quite an emotional experience for me so it’s not about what genre it is or who it’s by, it’s about the way it makes me feel when I hear it. That being said, I adore seeing music live and that is how I spend most of my weekends.

My favourite musicians or bands at the moment would have to be The Ten Fours, Mitchy & The Mayhem County Boys, Rusty Pinto, The ReChords…really I could just go on forever!

6) You’ve just recently been on holiday to Melbourne. Where were your favourite haunts and why?

Shopping-wise I spent up big at the Benefit counter in Myer, the Soap & Glory wall in Kit, Rubi and Betts Shoes in Chapel St, Gasoline Queen also in Chapel St and Faster Pussycat in Fitzroy – all quite self-explanatory I believe.

As far as nightlife goes I really didn’t journey too far from The LuWow. Aside from heading to The Espy one night, we pretty much set up camp The LuWow. It’s an AMAZING tiki cocktail bar in Fitzroy that really has to be seen to be believed but it offers the best atmosphere, décor, tunes, cocktails and dancing a girl could ever ask for – I never wanted to leave!

7) You hail from Queensland. You’ve just painted your nails in your favourite shade of cherry red. What next? Where should peeps interested in the same things as you head to when visiting the sunshine state?

We’re very lucky up here in that there is usually always something to go to every weekend. Generally rockabilly gigs at some of the usual haunts like the Black Bear Lodge, the Joynt, the Beetle Bar and Morningside RSL.

However we also get spoiled with a lot of regular festivals, weekenders and big events like the Twilight Hot Rod Show on the Australia Day long weekend, the Garterbelts & Gasoline Nostalgia Festival over the May Day long weekend, Greazefest on the first weekend in August, the Johnny Cash Tribute in October and the Rockabilly Christmas Party in December, not to mention plenty of ‘big name’ gigs throughout the year.

You mention the GB&G Nostalgia Festival, a quick glance at your blog tells us you’re playing a role in this year’s festival. Can you tell us more about that, any scoops?

I’m very lucky to have been named the Official Blogger for this year’s festival so I’ve been involved in a lot of promotion and social media in the lead up however I’ll also be Assistant Pin Up Coordinator over the actual weekend of the festival. Aside from what has already been publicised, I can’t give too much away but suffice to say that THIS year is shaping up to be even bigger and better than LAST year – and I didn’t think that was even possible!”

Held at the top of the beautiful Mount Tambourine, the 4-day long festival brings together the best of the Rockabilly and Kustom Kulture. From rockin’ tunes and both national and international bands, to a heart-stopping hot rod show, vintage soap box derby, low brow art show and of course the infamous pin up competition judged by none other than the world famous US pin up photographer Mitzi Valenzuela.

9) What advice do you have for women of style and substance yet to be discovered?

Stop waiting to be discovered and make yourself known! It’s only a very lucky few people in this world who actually get ‘discovered’. Most of us have to work hard to get where we want to be, be persistent and find every way possible to get your name and skill set noticed. Any woman of style and substance has the class, strength, confidence and intelligence to find a way to make it happen.

I know from experience, I sat waiting to be ‘discovered’ for too long. As soon as I actually started to be proactive and do things, my blog and my writing quickly took off. You don’t have to know exactly where you’re heading or how you’re going to get there, the important thing is to just take the first step.

10) What’s next for Sheri Bomb and your blog?

Sheri Bomb is going through some very exciting changes at the moment. I’ve just registered for an ABN, have moved from a blogspot address over to my very own domain and am currently in the process of having the blog completely redesigned, which means saying goodbye to the western theme.

As much as I love my western theme, I feel like the blog has been lacking the punch and colour that reflects my personality. So the new design will still be sticking to my Rockabilly/Retro roots but will feature a lot more colour and fun. But never fear, I’ll still be the same old Sheri Bomb and my words will still be my weapons.

W: www.sheribomb.com.au
E: contact@sheribomb.com.au
T: @SheriBombBlog
F: facebook.com/SheriBombBlog

Nina from The Proper Lady has a thing or two to say about what it means to be a proper lady in our modern times. And whilst she loves white gloves and pearls, it’s more about what you cultivate from the inside and how you treat others. – Ed.

Throughout my time writing The Proper Lady, I’ve gotten emails from women who seem to believe that one needs to live like a Victorian in order to be a lady. This may be true on certain sites that discuss how to be ladylike, but not mine. There are some traditional values that I admire and embrace, such as my role as the pillar of the family, however I feel that it’s unreasonable (and silly) to hold onto all traditional values in a modern world. One needs to adapt to the changing times. After all, a lady (at least on my blog) is more than elegant and well mannered. She’s also smart with a healthy dollop of common sense.

So what does it mean to be a 21^st century lady? The first time someone described me as a “lady,” I was sixteen years old and volunteering in a museum. “You’re a young lady,” the security guard said to me. At the time, I wasn’t so sure about how to take his comment because I also viewed ladies as wearing white gloves, being prudes, and having way too much time and money on their hands. I soon realised that I had in mind what being a lady meant in the 1950s, and not in the 21^st century.

Certain traits will always remain ladylike, no matter the century. They are timeless, just like a lady is. Those traits are kindness, dignity and virtue, and intelligence.

I believe that the amount of kindness and consideration for the feelings of others a woman possesses is the greatest measure of how much of a lady she is. A lady thinks about others and how they may feel before she acts.

She has consideration for those around her and does not want to do anything that may hurt them: she thinks about others and aims to make people feel better about themselves and about where they come from. Her aim is to make her friends feel cared for, to make strangers feel welcome, and to make her romantic partner feel respected.

A lady also has a sense of dignity and virtue. What does this mean? This means that she has self-respect, self-confidence and she acts like a woman of value.

My personal view on sex is that it is no one’s business but your own (and your partner’s). I personally take a more traditional stance, but I respect those who do not share my beliefs.

Although kindness is crucial to being a modern lady, I also feel that if a lady is wronged, she will politely put the person in their place. It’s not rudeness if the other person is being cruel; it’s justice and self-respect. Not only would a lady be respectful of other people and of their belongings, but also she will restrain those who aren’t.

I also feel that it is very important for the modern lady to be intelligent. A modern lady will read newspapers (or news sites), she will read non-fiction, and she will make herself well informed. She will be aware of world events, of what is going on domestically and abroad, and of the world’s crucial historical events.

A modern lady will be knowledgeable enough to stand on her own two feet, to be independent, and to be intelligent enough to hold a conversation, however she will also understand that there is an appropriate time and way to display her knowledge and academic accomplishments and that there is also an inappropriate time and way to display her opinion.

Being a lady isn’t a defenestrated concept. Ladies will always be present and always be respected by both men and women for their grace, their dignity, their consideration, their compassion, and their intelligence.

However the modern lady has a greater place in this world than the ladies of a bygone era. She not only understands the modern society that she lives in, but she understands her role in it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The Proper Lady is where Nina records her studies on being classical, elegant, lovely, generous, kind, warm, feminine, charitable, cultured, knowledgeable, and worldly.

http://theproperlady.blogspot.com/

By Pia Andersen from Art of the Cocktail Hour

• RSVP before the due date. A good host will send out invitations well in advance, leaving you plenty of time to respond. So return the favour and reply promptly. It’s tardy to have the host chase your reply.
• Ask what you can do to contribute to the evening. A bottle of spirits or a plate of food is a welcome gesture, as is a small token of appreciation for your host, such as a box of sweets or a bouquet of flowers. It needn’t be extravagant to make an impression.
• Be fashionably late. It’s courteous, not impolite, to arrive 10–15 minutes after the designated start time, as this will allow your host a few extra moments to finalise last-minute preparations. But if you’ll be any later than 30 minutes, be sure to call or send a text message to your host to let them know.
• Lend a hand. You don’t have to make a grand gesture; passing a plate around to other guests or simply returning an empty plate or glass to the kitchen is easy and your host is sure to appreciate the extra help.
• Don’t wait to be asked if you’d like another drink. It’s acceptable to help yourself, just be sure to offer other guests and the host a drink when you’re getting one for yourself.

Click here to read the rest of the article in Art of the Cocktail Hour. Follow Art of the Cocktail Hour next week, when Gaynor Alder provides with you tips for styling yourself for your cocktail hour event.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pia Andersen is a singer, stylist and vintage culture aficionado who is intent on decorating the world with a touch of vintage glamour.  She’s also the beauty and brains behind Sydney’s Vintage Allsorts, a performance based events, entertainment and styling agency.

A ladies handbag can be used for many things. It holds the basics like our wallet, keys, sunglasses and diary, but often it turns into a home for our makeup, tangled jewellery, pens, and old receipts. If you’ve ever asked yourself  ‘where do all the bobby pins go?’, check the bottom of your handbag, you never know what you find down there!

If you’ve got a less-than-organised handbag, then Borne Naked has the competition for you! All you have to do is snap a photo of your messy handbag and you’ll be in the running to transform it into a beautifully organised one, thanks an $800 prize pack featuring Pink Corp, Moxie, MOR Cosmetics, Tipsy Toe and more.

There are four ways to enter:

1. Email a picture and your name to competitions@BorneNaked.com

2. Post your picture on the Borne Naked Facebook page with the following comment “I have Australia’s most unorganised handbag!”

3. Post your picture on Twitter and tweet “I have Australia’s most unorganised handbag! #BorneNaked”

4. Create a video of your ‘Messy Handbag’ and post on YouTube.

Entries close 2nd November.

Every week someone will also win a Borne Naked handbag liner valued at $24.95.

For more information go to www.bornenaked.com

 Q: Why did you decide to become a life coach?

Becoming a life coach was a natural step for me, an extension of what I had been doing for over a decade prior. My background is in Occupational Therapy and as a life coach I draw upon my  experience working with government, non-government and not for profit organisations in a variety of roles including team leader, facilitator, consultant and educator.

I have worked in senior clinical positions in mental health services where I focused on working with young people with a mental illness.  I also established an employment agency that specialised in supporting people who experienced a mental illness find or keep employment and lectured at the University of Queensland and Griffith University.

I was keen to move away from working within “sickness” models and use my expertise to support a wider group of people achieve what is important to them and create meaningful lives. I was inspired to start Living Savvy through my work as a coach and a consultant where I have come to know many fabulous women.

As I listened to their stories, I began to recognise the key characteristics that distinguished those women who were fulfilled, happy and truly successful. Of course, each story was different – some women were very rich while others lived incredibly simple lives, some had families they loved dearly while others treasured complete independence, some had endured tremendous struggle and loss.

I wanted to create a place where these stories could be shared.  I believe that women learn through storytelling and that it is difficult not to hear a story and not be moved in some way. Story telling is a magical gateway through which we can connect with others  and emerge educated, enriched and perhaps even a little enlightened. This is why I created Living Savvy has a place where people can come and be inspired and entertained by the stories shared.

Q: What does it mean to live savvy?

When you are living savvy you are living your life with an understanding and awareness of what you have in life, what you desire and the pieces that are missing.  Living savvy is how you create your dream life – one that is fulfilling, satisfying and joyful.  What does your dream life look like? Who’s in it? How do you spend your time and energy? What will you leave behind?

The answers to these questions, and the vision of your dream life, is as unique as you are.  Living savvy is not about fixing something that is ‘broken’ and it’s not about radically overhauling your life.  Living savvy is about the choices you make every day to create a life that is fulfilling, satisfying and joyful.

Living savvy is about being well-informed – not just consuming quality information but taking also taking the next step to creatively apply new ideas to your life.  Living savvy is about living consciously, forming meaningful connections with others and valuing the process as much as the outcome – savouring the moment as much as the final success.  Living savvy is about the small changes you can make to your daily life, your habits and your mindset to produce amazing results – fine-tuning the ordinary to live extraordinary.

http://livingsavvy.com.au/living-savvy-jo-bassett

Q: Can you tell our readers about your approach to your clients?

My coaching is centered on the belief that everyone has the right to access or create  opportunities that allow them to be the best they can be.  It’s about always seeking to be the best you can be, not about being labeled as ‘broken’ nor trying to implement unsustainable life overhauls.

As a coach I provide a safe and supportive environment in which issues can be honestly explored and clients can find answers to important questions: What am I creating? What do I believe? What will I commit to, to deliver my best? Self responsibility and accountability are the values that underpin all of her coaching conversations.   I have created the 5 steps to Living Savvy Ask, Do, Discover, Commit and Celebrate.

Step 1 Ask: The first step to creating your dream life is to ask yourself the big (and sometimes difficult) questions, and to be prepared to receive the honest answers.

Step 2 Do: To dig deeper, and find your own unique answers to the living savvy questions, it often helps to experiment with different activities and forms of creative expression.

Step 3 Discover: A core characteristic of living savvy is being open to new information, ideas, people and experiences. We learn by making connections – with others and their stories – and by creatively applying what we learn to our own lives.

Step 4 Commit: Living savvy is about committing to change. Make a choice, try something new, take action and see what works and what doesn’t.

Step 5 Celebrate: It’s so important to acknowledge and celebrate our efforts and achievements.

http://livingsavvy.com.au/5-steps-to-living-savvy

Q: What can clients expect to achieve by hiring a life coach?

Life coaching is about using questions to think differently, which leads to behaving differently and, ultimately a different result. If you have a goal of changing something about your life, life coaching is a process that will help you make that change. For life coaching to work for you, you need to be willing to engage, willing to share and ready to change.

Are you open to ideas and new information that may lead to a different thinking and behaving? Are you ready to commit to what’s important to you? If the answer is yes, then you will benefit from the life coaching process. Life coaching creates a space (dedicated time) to think about life, what is important, and what you want to achieve.

Many people report feeling the benefits of having a coach, who acts as a sounding board, to share ideas, talk through decisions and to offer them different perspectives.  A coach’s role is to keep you focused, committed and accountable.  Each person gets something different from coaching.  However during and after coaching you most likely will:

• find that you are able to be present for those you love the most, and also pursue your personal dreams
• define your own success and realise your full potential
• create a life that is fulfilling, satisfying and joyful
• do all this without being busy and stressed.

http://livingsavvy.com.au/how-life-coaching-can-help

Q: You were recently interviewed on The Circle about mentoring. Can you tell us more about the role mentors can play in our lives?

A mentor will offer new perspectives, ask questions, share ideas and (if you are really lucky) challenge you to go places you may have never dared to go.  Creating mentoring relationships is a valuable way to discover, one of the steps to Living Savvy.  I believe that creating a network of mentoring relationships work best for women (instead of the traditional  “male” model of a mentor who wants to mould his mentee  into an image of himself).  The network of relationships better reflects the diversity of life roles women have as they move through the various stages of life.

http://livingsavvy.com.au/life-coaching-mentor-the-circle

Q: Tell us about Monday Bites and Champagne Friday on Living Savvy?

Sometimes the world in which we live spins so fast it seems like it is on warp speed.  Champagne Friday and Monday Bites are designed to slow us down, live mindfully and recognise what we have, what we have done and what we can do.  Champagne Friday complements the discover  (step 3) and commit (step 4) of Living Savvy.

Having a Champagne Friday moment each week is important to me in my quest to live savvy, it is my way of capturing insights and discoveries that without this ritual I  would register for a moment only before my attention gets swallowed up by something else.  Writing this post each week is my way of staying connected to my life, insights, hits and misses.

I have never been one to journal (I know a life coach who doesn’t journal, shocking isn’t it), writing random thoughts and ideas down on sticky notes is as close as I ever got, until 18 months ago when I created Champagne Friday.  It’s so important to acknowledge and celebrate our efforts and achievements, this is what Champagne Friday is all about.    Monday Bites is the post the kicks off the week at Living Savvy and captures what Living savvy is all  about  – not unsustainable overhauls but the  small changes we can make to create a life that is a little more fulfilling, a little more satisfying and a little more joyful.  Each Monday I share three simple ideas I have to fine-tune my own ordinary to live extraordinary during the upcoming  week.  I keep it simple and usually all about me. 

Q: How do you live savvy in your own life?

Simple things like burning all natural scented candles in the office and bedroom, fresh flowers in the house, time spent with friends, sharing the love with my fella and our children), a run in the sunshine, putting a conditioning treatment into my hair, having  ABC classical radio on in the background during our family dinners, my Thursday night yoga class, having my nightly cup of tea made for me (not by me), creating space to watch my favourite TV shows (the best way for me to unwind), a book to read for a few minutes before I go to sleep, being asleep by 10.30pm.

Q: What are the challenges you believe modern woman are facing today?

We modern women live in interesting times so many opportunities and yet life doesn’t seem to be getting any easier and in fact if you believe research we are becoming less happy and more stressed.  We have so much information available to us that it can be overwhelming when making a decision.  There is immense expectation that we get our decisions right and not make a mistake, we live in risk averse times.  We are expected to make major life decisions and achieve all major life milestones (travel, study, career, marriage and family if that is your cup of tea) by the time we are forty. We are raised to be independent with an expectation to cope with anything that life throws up with asking, accepting or buying in help is seen as a sign of weakness or incompetence.

I have coined the term “airbrushed lives” and recently wrote about this phenomenon. http://livingsavvy.com.au/airbrushed-lives-unhappiness

Airbrushing lives is when we are presented with stories of women living the perfect life in the media, the goal is to maintain the appearance of the ‘perfect’ life and conveniently edit out anything that doesn’t meet the standard (or else find a way to use any difficulty as part of an inspiring tale of triumphing over tragedy), I believe this type of air brushing is just as damaging to our self confidence and happiness as airbrushing photos.

The challenges faced by the modern woman is perfectly illustrated in this response by  Germain Greer to the reporter Ellen Fannings, in a the channel 9, 60 minutes programs that featured a story called Housewife Superstars (http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/stories/824791/housewife-superstars)

ELLEN FANNING: What do you think of the fact that women are coming to the conclusion, even some of the ones who are doing it, this is just too bloody hard, this juggling?

GERMAINE GREER: I agree. When people say to me, “Nowadays young women have it all, what have you got to say to them?” And I say what I’ve got to say to them is, “They’ve got all the work, that’s the only thing they’ve got all of.”

Q: Who is Jo Bassett, the Woman behind Living Savvy?

My life coach “bio” describes me as … executive and performance coach, team leader and facilitator, wife, mother of two spirited little people, big-time dreamer and idea explorer….this is me. I am genuine, I don’t pretend to be something I am not.  The personal is the professional.

At Living Savvy, I write honestly about my lack of perfection, my quest to discover the answers to the big questions in life and the challenge to sparkle bright every day.  I  believe my relationships are the essential nourishment for my soul and spirit. This means I choose to create time and space to spend time with the special people in my life.

I believe that a strong and healthy body underpins everything. This means creating the space in my life to exercise and move is a priority.  I also believe in fairness, authenticity, credibility and optimism. So when I interact with others I always do my best to understand the world from their perspective, and to be genuine and honest in my interactions.

Do I live true to my values perfectly every day? Definitely not, I am human after all! But being clear on my beliefs and aware of who I am and how I am (or am not) reflecting them in my activities and behaviour, gives me the energy and motivation to keep living my life true to me.

 Jo Bassett | Creator

Living Savvy Lifestyle Program

m 0419 020 873 | e jo@livingsavvy.com.au | w livingsavvy.com.au

1. You are currently the editor of  ’Chasing Aphrodite’. Can you tell our readers why they should start chasing Aphrodite on your site?

We all need a dose of the beautiful and the lovely, and sometimes, living the goddess life doesn’t have to be something for myths and fables. In the modern day, women are juggling a bit of everything, Chasing Aphrodite is a site where we can find something to cheer us up – a sneak peak into another woman’s closet, a beauty product to buy, a restaurant to try, a destination to dream about, an experience to add to our life-list, or even, something to add to our shopping wishlist.

Chasing Aphrodite indulges the frivolous things that make life a tad more exciting. As we mention on our site, it can be everything from silk pillowcases to delicate cupcakes and the perfect pink champagne. We put on our rose-tinted glasses, reveal all the latest and greatest products, and chase the stuff that makes our life bigger, better and sweeter, in the hope that we can translate it to you. The aphrodite life is a treasure, and we chasers are the Indiana Jones equivalent of treasure hunters.

2. Can you tell us about the Aphrodite in your life?

3. You have a real flair for writing. Can you tell us about your writing background? What other sites and publications have you written for?

4. For me, I write because I must write. It’s what gets me out of bed everyday and it’s also a cathartic release, otherwise my mind as Judith Lucy so eloquently put it, “is like a cross between a fly blown chop and question time at Parliament House”. Why do you love to write?

6. What are your favourite holiday destinations and if you can live anywhere in the world where would it be?

I love the big cities, and the super-small towns. Paris and New York have been my favourites of late, but I also love Santorini, and my parents’ village in Northern Lebanon. If I could live anywhere in the world, it would probably be Paris, but I think NY has a better foodie scene.

First Published in Art of the Cocktail Hour | By Zoe Ritch & Billie Shenen

“Spring has sprung!  Well, at least it has in the southern hemisphere. Shake off winter and head outdoors for a cocktail party in the sun. Take inspiration from an English garden party or channel a Great Gatsby, Long Island vibe.  For a dapper do like this, choose cocktails with floral overtones, make some fresh, simple canapes, slip on a pretty lace dress and you’re set for a cracking afternoon.”

Visit Art of the Cocktail Hour to view Zoe & Billie’s other mood boards and inspiration to create a thoroughly modern cocktail hour reminiscent of the golden ages.

By Gaynor Alder

I interview Paula Joye and get the lowdown on Life.Styled., discover her style icons, snare expert beauty tips from her time working with supermodels and get advice for up and coming writers who want to break into the industry. Bet you didn’t know she cooks a mean pavlova?

You were the Founder & Editor of Madison (04-10), Editor-in-Chief of Shop Til You Drop (02-10), Editor of Cleo (98-04) and Editorial Director for Cleo and Cosmopolitan (07-09), so it goes without saying that you are intrinsically in touch with the modern woman. What do you think are the main issues facing women today?

Choice. There is so much on offer. Too much I think and it can make life tougher. I’m a firm believer that you can’t have it all – certainly not all at the same time. The biggest issue for women is finding space in their lives (forget balance – that’s impossible). I have yet to crack the code.

What inspired you to create Life.Styled.?

When I create something, it’s a direct response to not being able to access what I’m looking for elsewhere. Not terribly scientific, but I figure that if I’m looking for it then others must be too. I was passionate about learning and understanding new media – getting my hands dirty and building something from the ground up proved an excellent teacher.

Tell our readers about Life.Styled. Why should they bookmark it stat and make it their go-to destination for all things beauty, fashion and lifestyle related?

It’s an edit of all things stylish – a daily hook-up of news, inspiration and shopping. I’m currently working on the second generation of the site and it’s going to have some fun bells and whistles.

What are the main differences between being an editor for print and online publications?

It’s not that different really. The biggest change is that the web allows you to work in real time and have conversations in the moment. You’re not running with a two month lead time, and if something happens you can respond. The thing I loved most about magazines was the incredible people that I worked with. My editorial teams were filled with talented, funny, fabulous women (and a couple of top blokes) and I really liked making something new each month – something tangible.

As a style icon yourself, who are your style icons and why?

You’ve jumped the shark on that! I’m not a style icon. But my own top five style heroes echo the five kingdoms in my wardrobe – Carolyn Bessette, Debbie Harry, Grace Kelly, Kate Moss and Carine Roitfield.

You offer beauty advice on Life.Styled. What expert beauty advice would you give to our readers? We all know we need to drink more water, slather on SPF 30+ and cleanse, tone and moisturise like a demon, but do you have any other advice for our reader’s beauty regime, including any beauty products that you can’t live without?

Keeping out of the sun, exercise and sleep truly are the king tips but …. white eyeliner will make the tiredest eyes look awake, tangerine blush will make you look healthy (I love Stilla and Shu Umera), fake eyelashes make you feel like a movie star and speak to your GP about a prescription vitamin A and an antibiotic for pimples (every supermodel I’ve worked with had it in her handbag).

As a former editor of Cleo, what did you think of ‘Paper Giants – The Birth of Cleo Magazine’? Personally, I have a new-found appreciation for Ita Buttrose and what she did to empower women in the ’70s – not only for her readers, but also for women professionally.

I loved the show – loved it. It was such an honour to edit Cleo. I had so much fun on that title – there was a lot of freedom to push the envelope and we did. Ita is remarkable – she’s been nothing but kind and nurturing. She’s the real deal.

As an editorial guru, what practical advice would you give to budding writers wanting to break into the industry?

• You can do it.
• Make sure you really want it (because it’s hard) and then dig your heels in.
• Work experience is essential and your first job is likely to materialise that way.
• Start a blog or website as an outlet for your writing – it also becomes your CV.
• Don’t forget it’s not just magazine, online and newspapers – there is film, television, book editing – throw the net wide and see what you can catch.

What are three things our readers may not already know about Paula Joye? Go on, spill it.

I am a music nerd, my pavlova is legendary and I’m possibly the clumsiest person you’ll ever meet.

Visit Life.Styled. for style inspiration.

Follow Life.Styled. on Facebook.

Stalk Paula Joye on Twitter.

Image Credit: Carolyn Bessette taken by Vanity Fair.

First Published in Art of the Cocktail Hour | By Gaynor Alder

We all need divine (fashion) inspiration at some point, and Melbourne Spring Fashion Week not only delivered the latest in runway looks, but there was an abundance of beautiful cocktail hour attire.  After immersing myself in fashion all last week, I’ve come up for air and have outlined three key trends.

Smouldering Sophistication

Show stopping, jaw dropping gowns with feathered trim, exquisite detail and beautiful beading. Debut one of these stunning dresses at a high-class cocktail hour in honour of a special event, such as an important birthday, anniversary or engagement. Don’t forget your false eyelashes for movie star glamour.

Read full article in Art of the Cocktail Hour.

What are the struggles you have faced when transitioning from an independent single woman to that of a mother? 


Before we had children, I thought I would definitely want to be a stay-at-home-mum, but after my first maternity leave I realised I wasn’t quite ready to leave my professional life so I returned to work four days a week.

When our second child was born I felt differently; there was so much to juggle with two children and a job and a long daily commute from our home to my job in Dublin. With school looming for my eldest, I had started to think about how long I would continue working. Finding the right work/family balance is a very real dilemma for many mothers.

As a mother, how do you carve out time for yourself? Or is that an unachievable and whimsical fantasy?


It’s tough! In terms of my writing, I’m not sure I could say that I organise my writing time; it’s more a case of grabbing it when I can! I’m lucky to have a wonderful attic conversion which I disappear to when the boys are both in bed or before they wake up. This is where, and when, I have done most of my writing.

I can see that as the boys grow older, and are both at school, it is going to get a little easier for me to have scheduled time to write. For now, it really is a case of stolen time. As a freelance writer, it’s difficult to predict when a piece will be commissioned so when I do get a deadline, I have to re-focus and get my head down.

My blog occasionally gets completely neglected and as for writing my novel, I grab any time I can and try to get as many words written per day as is humanly possible. Sometimes it’s zero; occasionally it’s thousands. My ‘leisure’ time has definitely been sacrificed for my writing. I don’t lounge around on the sofa channel-surfing and I, equally, don’t go to a gym or go running.

I now regard my ‘free time’ as the evenings after the boys are in bed and I use that ‘free time’ to write – sometimes I write for pleasure (i.e. my fiction novel) and sometimes it is for work (i.e paid articles etc). Of course, the boys often want my attention when I’m working – any time I am trying to have ‘me time’ will always be difficult for them to accept at the moment. As I am trying to write this, I have one child sitting on my knee asking me to put his shoes on and the other asking for a drink and both of them needing various other things – it is a fairly typical scenario!

Despite a good G&T, what advice do you have for mothers to stay sane whilst juggling their career with motherhood?


The G&T definitely helps! I think for many mothers juggling careers and family life, we end up feeling constantly guilty – about the children, the house, or our career which, in my case, is my writing. Over the last two years I have become much more realistic about what I can achieve and am better at leaving my writing when I have to, because ‘real life’ takes over.

Society in general, the world over, puts immense pressure on women to be the perfect mum. Modern mums are expected to be all things to all people and the endless coverage of celebrity mums in the media adds to the perception that we, too, should be a size 8 immediately after the birth of our baby and be immaculately presented wherever we go. The reality is very different.

As a result, we put ourselves under enormous pressure which often leads to feelings of failure or inadequacy. My advice is to be the best mum you can be and be comfortable with your parenting skills and decisions; good, bad or otherwise! For me, becoming a mother did result in making a decision to step back from my professional career, but in a roundabout way, it is because I am a mother that I am now in my second career – as a writer – and I couldn’t be happier.

What do you love about motherhood?

For me, being a mum is a whole package – the laughter, the tears, the pride, the frustrations – I don’t think you can separate things out when it comes to being a parent, so I guess I love everything about motherhood: the entire experience. Through my blog and writing career, I’ve fortunately managed to turn redundancy into a great new opportunity which allows me to work at home and have this time with my boys while they are young and still enjoy my kisses and cuddles!  I feel extremely lucky. My children are my inspiration and the basis of most of my subject matter. If it wasn’t for them, I simply wouldn’t be writing.

Do you have any other writing projects in the pipeline?

Always!! The most exciting thing happening RIGHT NOW is that my fiction novel is currently being read by an Irish publisher. It is a complete departure from the blog, parenting or anything to do with my life as a mother which has been a challenge and a fascinating journey. I am keeping everything crossed for a publishing deal – what a dream come true that would be!

Find out more about the ebook ‘Hot Cross Mum – Bitesize Slices of Motherhood’

Read her fabulous, hilarious and honest account of motherhood on her blog, Hot Cross Mum.

Stalk Hazel on Twitter & Facebook.

First Published in Art of the Cocktail Hour | By Gaynor Alder

Spring has sprung and fashionistas are flocking to Melbourne Spring Fashion Week to celebrate the changing of the seasons. As a major sponsor of the event, Cointreau has created Art of the Cocktail Hour inspired hospitality suites for guests to enjoy prior to the runway shows. Last night, I attended the Manhattan nights inspired room before viewing the first 7pm show of the Designer Series.

The stunning ambiance of the suite was off set by vases of beautiful spring blooms, sitting against a backdrop of paintings from the historic Melbourne Town Hall.  Guests were treated to culinary delights and Cointreau cocktails, including the Cointreau Blush, which was fresh and sublime.

I spoke with Dom Bagnato and Yeojin Bae, two of the designers featured in the runway show, and asked them about their collections and whether as designers they were inspired by the vintage era. Dom said that he definitely references past eras in his collections, and Yeojin is drawn to ‘20s and ‘30s fabrics, as a starting point for her feminine designs.

Click here to view full article at Art of the Cockail Hour

Want to win a VS Sassoon Goddess Slimline Hair Straightener valued at $156? Well, we here at The Modern Woman’s Survival Guide want to know who inspires you and why?

The Modern Woman’s Survival Guide is passionate about showcasing women of style and substance - fabulous women, past and present, whose spirits move and inspire us. From Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, Edith Piaf, Tamara De Lempicka, Florence Broadhurst, Billie Holiday to modern day marvels.

They follow their hearts.

They express a beauty from within.

They have a clear defined sense of self.

They have grace and style.

They have unstoppable spirits.

They push boundaries.

They live by their own rules.

They have an immeasurable strength.

They are real.

To enter, simply leave a comment below telling us who inspires you and why?

This weekly competition closes on Friday the 9th of September. Click here to view other competitions.

Tell us more about your ebook?

‘Hot Cross Mum – Bitesize Slices of Motherhood’ is intended to be a humorous, warm and honest account of family life. It is written in a series of short, diary-entries which follow the first year of my journey as I adjusted from the corporate world of deadlines and boardrooms to the domestic world of washing lines and bathrooms!

To quote from the online description, ‘There are many highs; days when she bursts with love and pride for her two boys and days when nothing gets spilt or broken. But there are also the lows; when the days seem endless, the dinner is thrown on the floor and there isn’t any tonic for the gin. Written with a wry humour and honesty which only someone who has lived through the experience of raising young children could do justice to, ‘Hot Cross Mum’ will reassure any parent that it isn’t just them and, apart from anything else, will provide a welcome distraction from the housework!’

Rather than being a straightforward reproduction of the blog, the ebook includes new material, so there’s plenty of new reading for my loyal blog followers, as well as for people who have never seen the blog and discover the ebook first.

What inspired you to start blogging on ‘Hot Cross Mum’?


I started blogging after being made redundant in March 2009. I’ve always dreamed of writing a fiction novel and looked into freelancing as a way to develop publishing credit and to generate some income whilst being at home with my children – I had written nothing, other than tedious management reports up to that point and didn’t even know what a blog was!

My breakthroughs really occurred quite quickly and unexpectedly so it was a bit of a roller coaster ride for a while. At the time I started my blog, my youngest was 15 months – by the time he was two, I’d been approached by literary agents, was blogging for ‘Hello’, had regular freelance work, was being interviewed for The Sunday Times and Irish TV and had started working on a fiction novel.

It was a crazy time really; trying to maintain the momentum which had started and managing two small boys; whilst still adjusting to life at home as opposed to a professional career. Two years on, I consider myself extremely lucky to have found something I love doing which I can combine with being at home with my children. My blog has also given me access to an incredible network of smart, intelligent, motivated women; many of whom have become real friends after starting out as virtual ones.

What can readers hope to benefit from reading your ebook?


Personally, my hope is that anyone who reads ‘Hot Cross Mum’ will recognise a lot of their own experiences of parenting with all its ups and downs and realise that it is not ’just them’ – if I can make people laugh and cry in equal measure, then I will have done a good job! For women, in particular those who have given up a professional career since having children, I hope that they will feel encouraged to read about someone else’s journey and struggle to adjust to life at home.

The following comments from readers of the ebook probably sum it up best:

“I loved this book, it was like having a catch-up with another Mum over coffee, minus the screaming toddler and mess that ensues! It made me laugh out loud and nod in agreement. It’s fun to read but I also found it to be quite inspiring. It made me realise that this time we have with our children while they’re so little is fleeting and precious. Sure, there are some not-so-great times but for the most part it’s a wonderful journey with lots of laughs, cuddles and pleasant surprises. “

“Last night I finished reading your ebook (I downloaded it from Amazon) and I love, love, LOVED it! Truly, it’s a special book. Made me want to be a better Mum!”

Can you tell our readers about Hazel Gaynor, the woman behind ‘Hot Cross Mum’?


Hmmm, that’s a tough question! Perhaps it is best summed up by my Twitter profile ‘Mother, aspiring author and book review blogger for Hello magazine. Partial to a large G&T’! I guess the person I am now is the sum of all the parts of my life so far; a lovely childhood growing up in a rural Yorkshire village in England, my crazy university years, the devastating loss of my beautiful mum to cancer in my early twenties, my year living in Sydney, forging a corporate career in London, meeting my Irish husband in Dublin, having my two beautiful children…..it’s been a busy forty years I’ll say that much!

Where else do you write?

I now write regular features on parenting for the Irish press and am a regular contributor to parenting magazines and websites in the UK and Ireland. I also write for the national Irish writing resourcewww.writing.ieand tutor on ‘Blogging and Beyond’: an online and one day writing course for aspiring bloggers and freelancers.

I recently started a new blog for HelloMagazine.com, ‘Off the Shelf’ which features book reviews and author interviews – this combines my two loves of reading and writing and it’s great to be able to interview the authors and get an insight into their writing life.

Follow part 2 of this interview next Friday, when we talk about more about her transition from single and independent professional woman, to becoming a stay at home mum, wife and freelance writer.

Find out more about the ebook ‘Hot Cross Mum – Bitesize Slices of Motherhood’

Read her fabulous, hilarious and honest account of motherhood on her blog, Hot Cross Mum.

Stalk Hazel on Twitter & Facebook.

Art of the Cocktail Hour are giving away 16 pairs of tickets the Designer Series plus access to the VIP Platinum Bar for Melbourne Spring Fashion Week.

“The MSFW Designer Series, the hallmark runway event of the season, delivers exceptional designs from Australia’s pre-eminent fashion talent. Be tantalised over four nights by the season’s latest collections, styled to perfection, all within the impressive setting of the Melbourne Town Hall. You will also be able to enjoy Cointreau cocktails in the exclusive Platinum Bar.

These runway events will open your eyes to new and inspired fashion trends and we have 4 pairs of tickets to each of the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9pm runway shows.”

The 16 lucky winners will be notified by 31 August by email or phone.

Click here to visit Art of the Cocktail Hour for the entry form and full details.

First published in Art of the Cocktail Hour on August 18th 2011

Hosting a cocktail hour or heading out for cocktails is the perfect excuse to dress up – whether it’s slipping on your latest designer dress or going for an authentic cocktail hour look. Just remember that wearing vintage from head-to-toe can be a bit too much. It’s all about reviving the glamour of yesteryear and merging it with modern day style.

1920s

The cocktail dress originated in the ‘20s to coincide with the birth of cocktail hour. Reminiscent of The Great Gatsby, ‘20s flappers and sophisticates wore knee-length evening dresses with beads, or fringing – perfect for dancing the Charleston. Dresses were coupled with Mary Jane style heels, long beaded necklaces, feather boas and headbands.

Create the look

• Adorn your hair with a hair clip and long stringed beaded necklace from Mimco.
• Wear an elegant knee length dress and pair it with heels and fishnet stockings.
• Purchase an Olga Berg ‘20s inspired bag to complete your roaring ‘20s meets modern look. This one is perfect, I say, perfect!

Click here to read the full article in Art of the Cocktail Hour.

1) How long have you have been writing Life and Other Crises and what inspired you to start the blog?

I began L&OC in May 2009. I’d been a freelance writer for years, but after my sister died in November 2007 I had period of complete writer’s block – it was awful. I couldn’t write a word for 18 months. Then in April 2009 I read an article about Twitter and decided to give it a go. It totally helped me get my mojo back, and within a month of starting on Twitter I obeyed the commands of hundreds (okay, two) Twitter buddies and started my blog.

2) You have an avid following on your blog, with a readership who seem to engage with your candid and tell it like it is style of writing. Do you think this has been a major contributor to your success in the blogosphere?

You know what? I honestly try not to think about why people like my writing because I don’t want to become self-conscious and ruin it. But I do want people to feel better about their own lives by laughing at mine, so hopefully that’s what’s happening!

3) You have a natural flair for writing, so it’s no surprise you have released a book. How did your publishing deal come about?

I was soooo lucky. My divine agent Pippa heard through the online world that I was writing a book, and she approached me and asked if I’d like to discuss being represented by her. By the time the book was finished she had several publishers reading my blog, and it was sold within a few weeks to Random House.

4) Can you tell our readers more about your book? What inspired you to write the book?

I was really tired of reading books about falling in love and walking off into the sunset, or about breaking up and finding strength after that. I was more interested in what happens after you walk into the sunset – years and years after, when you’ve been living with the same person for about 100 years, had the same fights with them 1000 times, tried to avoid having sex with them after a long day, and had kids with them. Oh, and I also wanted to make people laugh. So I wrote a memoir of marriage and motherhood.

5) If not thoroughly entertained for one thing, what do you think people will get out of reading your book?

Women will realise that they are not alone, and men will realise that the women they are living with are normal!

6) Who is the target audience for your book? i.e. what kind of woman needs to put down her glass of wine and google your book stat?

Really, my book is for any woman who has ever been in a relationship or has had kids, or who is contemplating getting married and having kids. And it’s also for the men who will sneakily read the book over their shoulder, realising ‘Oh, so that’s what she’s thinking!’.

7) Who is Kerri Sackville, pre Life and Other Crises and published author?

Mother, wife, friend, daughter. Underachiever. Copywriter. Freelance writer. Nail biter. Avid reader. Diary keeper. Young Talent Time enthusiast.

Do you find it hard to find the time to write whilst juggling motherhood?

YES! I basically just write in any spare minute I have, in between looking after the house, the finances, the rabbit, three kids, and a workaholic husband.

9) How do you find time for yourself? What are your favourite ways to relax?

I love to read, I love to watch stupid shows like Real Housewives of Beverley Hills, and I love to meet my friends for breakfast…. but sadly when I do have an hour spare I am usually so tired I collapse in a heap on the bed (or couch, or floor) and sleep.

10) Desert island. 3 items. (Not including Simon Baker.)

1) The World According To Garp. It’s my favourite book ever and I could read it a thousand times.
2) Pictures of my kids. Even seeing their faces makes me smile.
3) A pen and paper (okay, so that’s four items….). I seriously cannot survive without writing materials. The ideas will go round and round in my head and I won’t be able to sleep till I get them down. And writing in the sand isn’t quite satisfying enough.

Click here to visit Kerri’s Blog ‘Life and Other Crises’

Click here to find  out more about Kerri’s book ‘When My Husband Does The Dishes’

Gaynor Alder is a Melbourne based writer with a penchant for vintage glamour and all things Parisian. Constantly living outside of her means, she brings new meaning to living the champagne lifestyle. She believes that one should never leave home without gloss (universal law 1.1), wouldn’t dare attend a red carpet worthy occasion without false eyelashes, and isn’t interested in doing anything where she can’t wear her heels – although she can be tempted by a lovely pair of Audrey Hepburn ballet flats, should the occasion call for them.

Sarah Prout is a best selling author, entrepreneur and social media expert who has followed her passions to self publish a book that sold over 9000 copies, which educates people how to earn money online doing what they love (what a woman). Since then she has attracted over 42,000 Twitter followers (so she must be doing something right). Naturally, I was intrigued by Sarah’s success and passion, and contacted her to find out more.

Q: You are a entrepreneurial self published social media expert. What inspired you to start Sarah Prout and Sprout Publishing?

I’m a writer so I love to write and connect with people. I’d say that I’m a true entrepreneur at heart and have always been thinking up creative business ideas since the moment I figured out that there is an awesome feeling attached to building something from the ground up. I started SPROUT PUBLISHING in 2006 as a way to expand on my greeting card company. I first started compilation books for female entrepreneurs which has now expanded beyond my initial expectations.

Q: Tell us more about the books you have published?In 2009, I was headhunted by Wiley (one of the largest publishers in the world) to write The Power of Influence. It was really an ideal platform to teach people how to construct an inspired online enterprise. I also managed to weave in a lot of personal development and biographical material. The feedback has been amazing so far. In fact, it’s being translated into German for European distribution, due for release in November 2011.

 

However, my true love is publishing books myself. I love the process of creative direction. Under the SPROUT umbrella I have published two books. The first sold over 9,000 copies in pre-sales and featured bestselling authors, designers and even an EMMY award winner. My new company (Älska Publishing) is set to release two books in the next two months that feature teachers from ‘The Secret’. My partner and I are so proud of our 60 authors collected from all around the world for the first two editions of our Adventures In Manifesting series. It’s going to be a very exciting launch indeed. Q:  What can readers hope to gain from reading your books?

I’d like to think that they find reading my books inspiring. I get emails daily from people saying how much they loved reading The Power of Influence. Some of the words move me to tears with gratitude. Honestly, it means the world to me to be able to inspire change in people’s life.

Q: What is your formula for social media success? (Obviously we’re not asking you to give away all your trade secrets here.)

The best piece of advice that I can share is to be authentic. Allow your online lifestyle to flow directly from your offline experience. The beauty of social media is interaction, engagement and sharing. If you do this from a place of uniqueness, then you know the secret to using social media effectively.

Q:  You have a passion that comes through all that you do. On your website you list these as art, writing and metaphysics. Can you tell us more about what inspires your passion for this?

I am the daughter of two artists. I grew up in galleries and studios surrounded by creativity and vibrant entrepreneurialism – so I think being exposed to things such as art, literature and concepts of the workings of the universe, just naturally became what I loved. I really get inspired by good design. Blogs in particular that are well designed can be so compelling.

Q: If you had to describe Sarah Prout in ten words, what would they be?1. Creative 2. Artsy 3. Thoughtful 4. Loving 5. Hyperactive 6. Workaholic 7. Inspired 8. Eccentric 9. Vegan 10. Feminine

Q: You speak about your love of design. Who are your influences? Who are your favourite designers? How would you describe your design style?

This is such an exciting question! I am strongly influenced by ornate and feminine design. Anything that is intricately detailed with a tincture of style and a modern twist is beautiful. I love architecture from the Victorian era, Art Nouveau jewellery, floral motifs, bold typography, circus-esque imagery, glittery surfaces, sleek automotive design (eg. Masterati) and vibrant hues of fuchsia. These visual delights will get framed up in my mind as eye-candy. I love the paintings of Klimt, Waterhouse and wallpaper patterns designed by Florence Broadhurst.

I try to translate my love for these visual elements into everything that I create – whether it’s a blog post, an eBook, the front cover of a new book or the way I decorate my home – my vision is to surround myself with beauty on a daily basis. If you want to get a visual idea of what I’m talking about, then please check out my inspiration boards on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sarahprout/

Q: Tell us more about your new Gratitude Revolution project.

This project is currently taking more of a definite shape. I’m planning to release an eCourse that will help people to tap into the awesome power of gratitude in their daily lives. This will work in conjunction with my AdventuresInManifesting.org community. We currently have over 300 students that have taken the course to create more magnificence in their realities. Q: What does the future hold for Sarah Prout?

Happy times with my amazing man, Mr. Sean Patrick Simpson and my beautiful children.  The expansion of Älska Publishing, SarahProut.com and the creation of more products. Manifesting even more amazing opportunities and connections with people. Whatever the future holds I know that it’s going to be filled with fun and creatively. What can I say? I’m an optimist!

Click here to visit Sarah Prout’s website for inspiration and expert advice on how to follow your dreams to become an online entrepreneurial success.

Minogue, beautiful and poised, wearing one of her own Project D designs, spoke passionately about her love of Melbourne – a city that continually unfolds and reveals its hidden secrets to her. It’s a view shared by Van Den Akker – a passion which was a contributing factor in her selection by Doyle to be the face of the festival for 2011.

Doyle declared his support for the festival as a showcase for local Melbourne designers, a celebration of our creative talent and the financial injection it brings to our retail trade. He is delighted that all designs featured on this year’s runways can be purchased from Melbourne’s city streets and laneways.

When probed by journalists in regards to the festival’s commitment to the promotion of healthy body image, Doyle was happy to say that this year’s festival will have a diverse range of models. Whilst the models today were tall and slender, Doyle assured the media that they will be celebrating all different body shapes and sizes during MSFW 2011.

Doyle received heartfelt applause from the guests after adamantly rejecting a journalist’s claim that holding a fashion festival in tough economic times is frivolous and out of touch with the consumer. He said more than ever, it’s times like this we need to support and celebrate our designers who contribute to the identity of our city and help make Melbourne what it is.

MSFW 2011

5th to 11th of September 2011

Click here to visit the Melbourne Spring Fashion Festival website for more information on shows and tickets.

The Art of the Cocktail Hour is Cointreau’s modern, entertaining and thoroughly useful guide to recreating the golden age of the cocktail hour, today. “With our cocktail connoisseur and chic contributors we’ll usher you through cocktail basics, early evening etiquette, fanciful food, sophisticated styling and all things necessary when gathering with friends for a cocktail party at home. We’ve got weekly installments up our stylish sleeves to assist and inspire you from now until Christmas, so grab a cocktail, sit back and let Cointreau make cocktail hour entertaining easy.”

Here is an excerpt from my first article as their Style Expert:

Today we’re going to travel through bygone eras and pay homage to the traditions of the cocktail hour, inspiring you to bring the glamour of yesteryear into your modern world.

Our journey begins in the 1920s, when women rebelled against corsets, cut their hair, raised their hemlines and swarmed to underground drinking establishments called speakeasies. But prohibition meant that the liquor was of such poor quality, it had to be disguised with the taste of fruit – and so the cocktail was born, as was the stylish and sophisticated affair known as the cocktail hour.

First stop, Paris…

1920s PARISIAN SOIREE

Recreate the hedonistic excess of Paris in the roaring ’20s, when artists were flocking to the city, flappers were revelling in their new found freedom and the Fitzgerald’s were hosting flamboyant parties against a backdrop of art nouveau and art deco elegance.

• Set the mood with a space lit with large candles on tall candelabras and tea lights burning in damask-patterned candles
• Create a fabulous impression by hiring a gramophone to play old records, or shuffle jazz and the Charleston on your iPod
• Form the centrepiece of your table with a decadent vase of oriental lilies, which have a heady, alluring and exotic fragrance that will permeate throughout the space
• Line martini glasses up in rows on one side of the table and your canapés on the other side on three-tiered Parisian-style stands
• Use damask or plain white napkins and tie them with velvet ribbon and black feathers

Click here to read the rest of the article.

By Joanna Davy

Jackie Maxted was never very big on mapping out her future. When she came to Australia on holiday more than 20 years ago, the UK-native stayed because it just felt like “the right place to be”. As for becoming one of the country’s digital publishing gurus, Jackie says it all started with a great idea, and the desire to build something from scratch. “Having an interesting job was very much an ambition of mine, but I never knew what it looked like,” she says. “I’ve never had a clear plan in my life about anything.”

While many of us would label Jackie’s current role as Managing Director of online beauty hubs Beauty Directory and Beauty Heaven a little more than interesting, she remains very much aware of where it all started. Unwavering belief in Beauty Directory, an idea for an online database of beauty products available to brands and beauty media prompted Jackie to sideline a successful career in PR and begin creating a website back in the days of dial-up.

“In 1999, the Internet wasn’t an essential part of daily life yet,” she explains. “Beauty writers didn’t even have Internet on their own computers, and people were very wary of what could go wrong, rather than focusing on what’s great about it.” While Jackie admits the industry was perhaps not quite ready for Beauty Directory in 1999, twelve years in technology sure feels like a lifetime, because the site today boasts details of more than 26,000 products from almost 600 beauty brands.

Beauty Heaven was less a growth strategy and more a revelation for Jackie who, upon deciding to close Beauty Directory to those without media or brand member access, discovered 20,000 consumers using the site to explore the beauty products available to them. “We spotted an opportunity to launch a site just for them. It’s about offering a community the opportunity to become experts on beauty and share their expertise with each other,” she says.

With over 70,000 product reviews written by Beauty Heaven’s own members, Jackie has a clear vision of why the online medium works so well for the beauty industry. “It’s moving away from the traditional model of telling people ‘how to think’ and ‘what to do’,” she reasons. “We’re putting ideas out there to let them decide what works and what doesn’t.” Establishing what her readers expect from Beauty Heaven presents Jackie with the constant challenge of staying on top of an industry that’s continuously evolving.

The mother of four says that she’s constantly on the Internet, looking at what creates a good experience for web users, but also cites her children as an invaluable resource. “Their lives are very much more digital than mine was at their age,” she explains. “So they tell me what makes them interested and I know what doesn’t interest them.” Having dealt with the daily balancing act of motherhood versus career for more than 20 years, Jackie admits that whilst she applauds women who choose to become stay-at-home mothers, giving up work was never on the cards for her. “Having to balance work and family is what makes life interesting and rich. It also gives me an opportunity to get out of both situations at times,” she chuckles.

Certainly, Jackie would have had cause to run home and pull the doona over her head one morning in 2008 when her company’s US server went down, and both Beauty Directory and Beauty Heaven disappeared into cyberspace for several hours. However Jackie seems to have no trouble keeping things in perspective, pointing out that when it comes to a crisis in her profession, it’s very rarely life or death. “There are always solutions, you just have to calmly work through them until you find the right one.”

With her children growing older and a solid team of professionals behind both websites, Jackie says her relationships at home and work have taken on a collaborative nature. Having taken that step back to manage the ‘bigger picture’ of her publications, Jackie’s focus for her future in digital publishing is to remain ahead of the game. “I think it’s always been a challenge not to think that just because you’ve created something the job is done – it’s never done,” she says. “There are always more ideas, better ideas.” And while the long-term forecast might be foggy for Jackie and her team, she’s conscious that taking risks and leaving certain things to chance have stood her in good stead in the past. “It’s all evolved along the way,” she says. “Yes, I have goals in place, but it’s never been about me, it’s about what I’m trying to create.”

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Jo is a journalism and PR student at RMIT, who has more sides to her than you can poke a stick at (please don’t, she bruises like a peach). She enjoys being right, reading non-school books on the train, and arriving home with pretty shopping bags. Jo wants to be a features writer, travel Europe with a Birkin bag on her arm, maybe get famous, and never again run out of conditioner in the middle of a rinse and repeat.