I think it was Chloe Sevigny who once said she only packs white clothes when travelling because that way, everything co-ordinates. Solid advice, though i'd definately add black and denim in there, maybe grey. You can't really go wrong - and wearing white is so fresh its almost a holiday in itself! I'm a red wine  and coffee drinker/persistant spiller so I've always steered well clear but recent years have meant i can afford a little more dry cleaning (i'm still spilling stuff!) and simply have more confidence with the hue.

Spying this shirt on LA's hippest online retailer, The Dreslyn - I knew it was time to get my white on. I love me a quirky detail too - so thanks so much Carven for that! Simplicity plus an element of fun. Paired with a classic denim mini, a missing staple from my wardrobe. Check out The Dreslyn for effortless summer separates from brands like ALC, Theyskens Theory and Rag and Bone. Paris meets LA chic.

Back to enjoying the sunshine! Well kinda… through my window as I'm chained to my laptop. Still! Can't help but be in a good mood… especially since I made this great working playlist. :)

shirt, Carven at the Dreslyn

skirt, APC denim skirt at the Dreslyn

bag, Zara

heels, Senso

I don't know whats wrong with me. I told myself last night, 'Pack your bags before bed Zanita' and yet here I am, one hour before I'm due to cab it to the airport and I'm typing away, staring at an empty suitcase. I guess I just live for the thrill, the rush of racing to another destination - unplanned and expecting the unexpected. Though - this time my trip really is planned, I'm headed direct to Ibiza with UK retailer River Island - along with a load of my favourite blogger friends like Sandra and Angelica (who I've just noticed has done the exact same thing and blogged before jumping in a cab!)

Snapped this outfit last night after dinner (sun is setting soooo late here now) and made the most of a glowing sunset. Another slouchy number from me - but also with that lady like element that I'm growing more and more fond of. A full skirt - but in denim? Yes please! I first spotted this skirt from H&M while I was in Amsterdam and went home in a panic stressed it would sell out before I landed back in Stockholm, convinced I needed it my wardrobe. Of course it hadn't sold out because I think you need to be gigantically tall for this particular style… I'm 181cm so it works.

Ok! Time to jam some bikinis and denim shorts into a suitcase and run!!

slouchy pullover knit, Morrison

heels, Senso

white denim skirt, H&M

gold headband, Amber Sceats

Feels like I haven't really slept for days! It was honestly one of the best trips I've had yet - the most incredible hotels and experiences. Looking forward to sharing more pics and video - coming soon.

For now I have these three portraits of my bloggers friends Sammy, Victoria and Linda.

In case you don't know, the very gorgeous Sammi is somewhat of a youtube celebrity - with some of her videos on her channel 'thebeautycrush' reaching up to a million views. I hadn't really know of Sammy's channel until i met her here in Ibiza - and once I caught up on a few of her videos, suddenly I feel like we're close friends. Do yourself a favour and check some of them out - my favourite is this one where her boyfriend does her make-up, they are the cutest couple!

Victoria is one of the biggest fashion bloggers in Sweden, known for her monochromatic and minimalist aesthetic - and her gorgeous face! It was so great to finally meet Victoria, who is a genuinely sweet girl with a great sense of humour. I'm looking forward to hunting her down again in Stockholm to shoot her, she's recently moved to the city from Umea in the North. The swedish bloggers are so hard working! Much inspiration. Victoria is part of the very popular Imnext.se network in Sweden - you can see her blog HERE.

Linda is a Dutch blogger friend who've I've known for some years, catching up on the international circuit over a couple seasons and watching her style evolve, she's a real Streetstyle Icon! Always taking fun risks with colour and silhouette, Linda a real original. I love her signature cropped do - there's so much versatility in a haircut like this and Linda really knows how to work it. She has recently relocated to Milan and is working with Italian Glamour magazine - living the dream! Check out her blog HERE :)

Hope you like my portraits! Look forward to sharing more from my trip to Ibiza. :)

I recently undertook a project with POL clothing, doing flat lays for their newsletter - which was a load of fun! For those of you who don't know, POL is an Australian brand, mastering effortless and functional separates and dresses, an authentic and unfussy style. I spoke to POL Clothing's designer Sam Jones - about what it takes to start your own label, how to stay inspired and a whole load more.

The world of online retail is so crowded. What is it about the POL woman that makes stand apart?

As a brand we stand out in the crowded retail environment and therefore the online environment by staying true to what we want to say.  We have something to say in the fashion community and our purpose is to bring style integrity to every moment or a woman’s wardrobe.  By creating bold, accessible and premium quality fashion and knits. Our story behind the brand is authentic, we are not fast fashion, but instead, we want to bring style to the contemporary woman. Our designs are easy to wear, modern and with our unwavering focus on quality, we find that this is galvanising loyalty with our customerss.

Fashion is a tough industry to crack - what advice can you give to someone starting from the bottom?

Get as much experience as you can by learning as many sides of the industry as you can.  Work hard, stay true and be flexible.

What were some of the initial steps did you take in starting your own business? Did you always know this was what you wanted to do?

As I have been creating clothes since I was small, my own business was a natural progression.  When I started, I made sure I had all the right contacts, as much experience as I could gain, and drive and ambition also in abundance. Don’t be afraid of hard work.

How has the online market affected the way you do business and design clothes?

We can really cater to the online woman now by creating individual styles.  Clothes that photograph well and have something to say online can be completely different to bricks and mortar designing. This has been a huge learning curve for us.

Where do you find your inspiration for each coming season?

It really begins with intuition, we source fabrics from all over the globe, one will always stand out and inspire a collection. Other women are also influences, a strong and surprising woman will always inspire me.

What secrets can you share for staying up to date and understanding what's right for the POL woman?

Listening,  The world is constantly evolving, with music, fashion, literature, interiors, art, cities.  Read alot, watch everything and absorb what is going on around you.  Then you can see what women are looking for in this unpredictable world.

Running your own business means work is often brought into the home - how do you keep a separation from work and relaxation? 

Weekends away, with no internet, no emails.  This is my sanity and sanctuary.

What's next for POL?

We would really like to move into accessories and homewards. This is the next step for our contemporary woman.

Thanks so much to Sam Jones for taking part in this interview! There's a wealth of knowledge to be learnt from successful women such as Sam and I know we can all gain a little bit from hearing about her talent and drive. Gotta stay in inspired and work hard!
All clothing, POL Clothing All accessories, Hard to Find

I've been back a couple days now from my trip to Ibiza with River Island and I still feel a little like I need another good 8 hour sleep before I'm fully recovered from the jam packed schedule of activities. These images were snapped on the return ride to Formentera, where we had a late lunch in a fab restaurant on the beach, tables sitting in the sand and fresh seafood. So wonderful! I really made some great new friends - sharing the journey with bloggers who included Sandra (5inchandup), Angelic (Angelica Blick), Victoria (Victoria Tornegren), Tamara (The Glam and the Glitter), Sammi (The Beauty Crush), Linda (Linda Tol), Kenza (La Revue De Kenza) and Patricia (Patricia Bright). I loved meeting Patricia and Sammi because they are actually Youtube stars - and I learnt alot from them and now I'm totally obsessed with each of their channels. It's inspired me to do more videos (like this one where I went to Ibiza last year with Nicole) and work harder!

I hope you like these pics - and thanks so much River Island and the Pacha Collection for taking us on this amazing trip - and stay tuned for Part II of my imagery.

You would think by now - I would have learnt to expect the unexpected. This time my trip to Ibiza went by too fast, a whirlwind of days that seemed to blend into one.  After a cancelled flight and an overnight stay in London - I'm a little setback in my work and I'm working manically on four deadlines today! But like many I work better under pressure - and there's nothing a full jug of coffee can't help you achieve!

I'm excited about the weekend because here in Stockholm its going to be Midsommar - meaning some crazy holiday where everybody drinks alot… seems like its going to be plenty like Christmas in Australia! And for those of you who haven't cottoned on, Christmas is a summer holiday down under. Throw another prawn on the barbie!! Anyway, Midsommar is more about dancing around Maypoles and flowers in the hair and eating herring and drinking schnapps - which for me sounds very exotic. Horrendously disappointing though… the weather is going to be  complete  shit. Like 15C and rain. Company is 90 percent of the fun anyway right?

So this was some attire I wore to the most incredible restaurant experience of my life Lio in Ibiza town. Trust me - if you go to Ibiza and only do one thing - GO to this restaurant. It's basically a high end meal with cabaret entertainment which is very engaging, like watching the 'best of' Britains Got Talent or American Idol except all the contestants could also win modelling contracts. This one absolutely gorgeous guy got up and sang Con Te Partirò (or in English, Time to Say Goodbye) originally sung by Andrea Bocelli - it brought me to tears, so beautifully sung and moving. So yeah, go to Lio if you have the chance - the performers are world class. Thanks so much River Island for taking us all there!

Photos by Tamara, Editing by me

dress, And Other Stories

shoes, Mode Collective

bag, Zara

sunglasses, Spektre

So this afternoon I'm heading down south this afternoon to celebrate properly with friends. I love getting involved in these celebrations, learning about a new cultural tradition alongside drinking and eating is really my kinda fun! Basically Midsommar happens on the summer solstice here - and it feels like the sun barely sets. It doesn't get truly dark! And if you had spent anytime during the winter here - you would know why the sun and light are celebrated with such vigour this weekend.

All is explained in this video - Midsommar for dummies!!

Meanwhile how amazing is the sunset on a perfectly still lake? I'll take a pass on tropical islands any day - this is my idea of paradise :)

I've actually automated this post because I'm presently down south, enjoying myself as part of the Swedish Midsommar celebrations - and I don't want to be chained to my computer! Bascially these images were snapped all the way back in January last year - as part of a series of projects I undertook with my good friend and very talented makeup artist and hair stylist, Sina Velke. She created this bad-ass do (see below for the instructional video) and we did this little impromptu photoshoot on the rooftop.

Check out the video… and don't forget to check out Sina's gorgeous beauty blog HERE

Happy summer to all!! xxx

Hair and Make, Sina Velke

I'm still down south doing Swedish things like  drinking schnapps and eating herring (actually, pass on the herring) and so I'm automating Part II of this video series by Sina Velke - how to do soft contouring to compliment my bad ass hair look from yesterday! Sina has such a talent, an eye for all things subtle. Love that.

There's also a bit at the end where I'm modelling up a damn storm… I am such a poser #represent

Don't forget to check out Sina's blog for more tips!

Time seems to be racing past me, so many activities to be had this summer! Though right now it feels a little bit rich to call it 'summer' in Stockholm, sitting cosily inside while outdoors the temperature hangs at a mere 10 degrees. Get me on a plane outta here! It's pretty easy to feel ripped off enduring temps like this in the middle of summer.

So for now I have my sunny images from my trip to Ibiza with River Island and Pacha alongside fellow bloggers and you tubers - Sandra (5inchandup), Angelic (Angelica Blick), Victoria (Victoria Tornegren), Tamara (The Glam and the Glitter), Sammi (The Beauty Crush), Linda (Linda Tol), Kenza (La Revue De Kenza) and Patricia (Patricia Bright). The highlights of my trip include an incredible private boat ride to and from Formentera and a visit to Atzaro spa for relaxing times and a very soothing massage. Thanking my lucky stars to have been invited on such a fun filled trip and very grateful to have made some wonderful new friends. 

Hope you like these pics! You can see more from our trip at #riverislandxpacha on Instagram. Thanks again River Island!

It's always fun though, to make a reference to something else when it comes to self styling. I find I'm doing it more often than not - particularly when it comes to movie characters. This outfit is some kind of weird mix between Clueless and The Craft - aren't my flats a bit witch-y?

Anyway, today I'm having one of those days, when you reach the end of the afternoon and realise you've only achieved a fraction of what you hoped from the day. One downside to being your own boss - you really have to motivate yourself! Sometimes it's a bit too much to resist, stuffing around and having a lazy morning. Looks like I'm up later tonight trying to catch up!

knit top, Oskar

pendant necklace, Swarovski

leather skirt, Miss Wu (Nordstrom)

backpack, Barbara Bonner

gold bangle, By Charlotte

watch, Larsson and Jennings

bracelet and ring, Efva Afftling

I'm excited to be wearing this little top - something I designed in collaboration with french brand Pimkie - and sporting my favourite number, 14! It's my sisters birthday.  Also wearing my new Alexandra Kaldili ear cuff. I love the quirky hand details - my favourite kind of jewellery always has an element of strangeness.  

Another busy day chained to my computer editing around 5 projects… So sorry I can add much more… except that tomorrow I'm flying to Nice, France! Very excited about that, I've never been to the south of France. Stay instatuned for pics of the French Riviera!

I've got another video coming tomorrow, answering some more questions. Looking forward to posting that. :)

shirt, Zanita for Pimkie

skirt, H&M

earcuff, Alexandra Kaldili

booties, Senso

belt, American Apparel

And please forgive me again for being so erratic - especially for the strange unannounced blooper reel I placed at the end of the video! Its true though, you need to do a whole load of shitty work before things start to get really good, it's the same for almost everybody. I'm going to endeavour to get a proper set up where I can do youtube videos with nice lighting and a good camera and Final Cut Pro and all the shizzle. Fun times ahead.

Hope I've provided you with some kind of enlightenment and thanks everyone who sent me questions!

I've just landed in Nice for a much needed break away - I don't really want to work too much so please excuse a lack of presence on my blog. Will try to instagram as much as I can! I've done my best to automate a few posts. More to come!!

sunglasses, Tom Ford

headphones, Bowers and Wilkins

ring, Amber Sceats

necklace, Gorjana

We took these images back in February - during Paris Fashion Week. I met Amber with really moments of light to spare - but what light! Clear sky sunsets in a city like Paris are hard to beat. It really gives the city a look of magic, particularly around the Tuileries where we shot this - it felt like I had stepped into a beautiful painting. Truly surreal.

So if you don't don't know who Amber is - she's blogging at Venz Edits, however, the most inspiring thing about this auburn haired beauty is her business acumen, being one of the co-founders of  Rewardstyle alongside her boyfriend - now husband - Baxter Box. Being that Amber was a fashion blogger before starting her company, she really understood the kinds of tools a blogger needs to capitalise on brand connections. Rewardstyle has since changed the way that most bloggers do business - being the premier site for affiliate connection with brands, making it simpler for readers to purchase what bloggers wear and connecting with more retailers than any other affiliate. And now its not only tens of thousands of bloggers working with Rewardstyle - but powerhouse publishers like Conde Naste. Can you say #Ladyboss?

Follow Amber to learn more of her story and her spy on her impeccable sense of style! photography by ME :)

So I've been enjoying a wonderful break down here in the south of France. It's just as beautiful as you would dream of and I'm excited to share a few extra pics I snapped. Meanwhile I spent this morning drawing up this very detailed self portrait - don't act like you're not impressed! ;) It's what i would be wearing in an outfit post if I went cray on my credit card and didn't pack clothes I have already worn and featured on my blog.

Perfect pastels to wear in the summer sun.

Floral jacket, Carven

Cargo shorts, Wayne

Sunglasses, Rag and Bone

Shoes, Women by Common Projects

Bag, Elizabeth and James

I used to shoot models for test shoots every week - unpaid - just to learn my way around my camera, using different light conditions, understanding how to direct my subject and make them feel comfortable. All of these images were shot in natural light, usually styled from my own wardrobe and mostly without an assistant. You can see also - I was also pretty limited with the locations available  to me, mostly just shooting in nearby parks or on the street - my reflector being held up between my teeth and directed with my knee. It's always best to keep it simple when you're starting out - sometimes a gorgeous face is all you need, that connection in the eyes or that glimpse of emotion.

One of the reasons I've stopped doing these tests is that I've spent so much time overseas - and when I've contacted agencies here they've not replied or even given me the snub. Time to press a little harder! I do miss shooting with models because you can really get the exact aesthetic you want,  it's their job to take direction. I can't really ask bloggers to give emotion and pose the way I want too much because their job is really about being themselves.  When it comes to models I get very bossy! Anyway, hopefully one of these Swedish agencies will be a little more receptive this time… I just don't like having to sell myself, its so awkward. "Don't you know who I am!?" That's incredibly embarrassing.

Look forward to sharing some more test shoots with you soon! And part II of this series coming tomorrow. :)

Having a pretty busy day today - want to get all my work done so I can escape my desk and make the most of this sunshine in Stockholm. Throwing up a few more old shots… Will try and shoot a model test next week. Fingers crossed I can pull it together….

Happy Friday lovers!!

Hailing back to a couple weeks ago, my trip to Ibiza with River Island, so I can feature this video - a styling 'Masterclass' alongside fellow bloggers and vloggers like Sandra (5inchandup), Angelic (Angelica Blick), Victoria (Victoria Tornegren), Tamara (The Glam and the Glitter), Sammi (The Beauty Crush), Linda (Linda Tol), Kenza (La Revue De Kenza) and Patricia (Patricia Bright). 

I started posting this with a slightly heavy heart because the patchwork denim jacket I'm wearing in the first shot? I thought I lost it - but a friend just text me to say I left it at her house - so all is well! Nothing like a good denim jacket - I've been very envious of Rebecca's jacket (hers is also from RI, the Riri collection) and now I have one that's got a similar silhouette all of my own. Plus its got fun little patches - will look great with my full white denim skirt. So 50's I am!

Anywho - hope you like the video! Was so fun to make… is this really my job?? Feeling lucky.

Photo by Sandra

dress, River Island

jacket, River Island

shoes, Wittner

bag, Zara

sunglasses, Spektre

You've probably already spied these shots on Sandra's blog - but here they are anyway. Another example of serendipity, whereby I happen to catch Sandra looking amazing in her kaftan and swimsuit at the same moment I had this ocean sunset available to me and the time to shoot. Totally unplanned - making it all the more exciting.

I do really love shooting bloggers! I've just booked an impromptu trip to Prague on Wednesday so I'm looking out for bloggers to shoot there… I've contacted a few girls, along with a modelling agency… can anyone suggest some great Czech blogger girls to meet? I won't have a whole load of time but it'd be a great chance to discover someone new too!

Photos by me

model, Sandra Hagelstam (5inchandup)

kaftan from River Island