We are five days (six days?) into NYFW now and I've lost track of what I wore wear and when. Let's just say I've worn alot of clothes and alot of layers and rode in alot of taxis and ubers. It's been really really fun.

Highlights include.

• Watching Karlie Kloss take the runway for Carolina Herrera.
• Watching Anna Cleveland (this girl is amazing!) and Naomi Campbell STRUT for Zac Posen.
• Dion Lee show - his best yet!
• Seeing people outside the shows take layering to a whole new level.
• Experiencing the coldest and windiest weather I've ever known (and I live in Sweden).
• Seeing people wearing not enough clothing/layers in said weather.
• Shake Shack
• My incredible room at the Grand Hyatt. Editorial coming soon!!

I've been shooting some photo diaries and some streetstyle for various publications which I'm going to share with you soon. For now I have these two images of my look I wore for the gorgeous Tibi show.

photo 1, Adam Katz Sinding for W Magazine

photo 2, Tyler Joe for Elle USA

scarf, River Island

coat, Tibi

suede pants, Tibi

bag, Jimmy Choo

boots, Feit

Really thrilled to share the results of an advertorial collaboration with New Zealand based fashion label Ruby, shot near my home in Stockholm. I've been waiting for an opportunity to shoot something special in the very beautiful and historic Hagaparken. Unfortunately it's pretty challenging to shoot current season in the late winter as it's simply not warm enough - therefore I leapt at the chance to showcase some beautiful winter warmer pieces from the Southern Hemisphere in this snowy landscape. I honestly can't believe my luck with the sunny weather! I've only seen two blue days since the snow started falling in Stockholm. Feels like a miracle.

I hope you like my vision for these gorgeous Ruby pieces - I think the frosty fingers were well worth the effort! Thanks so much to the team at Ruby for having me on board for this project.

All clothing, Ruby 

Photography, Gustav Carlson

Styling, modelling and direction, Me

There's no place like New York. This is a city that pulses with energy - it's inspiring and exhilarating - and it's a place where you know that anything can happen! While I'm here I'm staying at the incredible Grand Hyatt - situated right alongside the iconic Grand Central Station.  It's been the most perfect landing point between all the shows, right in the middle of everything - in Midtown Manhattan. Times Square is just a moment away - I've been trying to score a bit of time to go and shoot there but it's been so tricky find it!

I'm thinking this makes up for it - 36 floors up - shooting in the sky! Atop the Grand Hyatt, the view from this hotel is pretty unbeatable. Having the chance to produce this editorial here feels like winning the lottery. #LivingGrand is right!

So today is my last day of shows here in NYC, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein - two of the best! Really looking forward to sharing more of my adventures here in New York - along with an editorial from my room here at the Grand Hyatt, easily the most luscious room I've ever had the fortune of being hosted in.

Outfit 1.

hat, Helen Kaminski - cardigan knit, Tibi - jeans, H&M - denim shirt (borrowed from Gustav)

Outfit 2.

jacket, Opening Ceremony - trousers, Ellery - white and grey shirts, H&M

Outfit 3.

blue knit, I Love Mr Mittens - jeans, H&M - sunglasses, Karen Walker

Outfit 4.

scarf, I love Mr Mittens - denim shirt (borrowed from Gustav)

Outfit 5

jacket, Acne - trousers, Ellery - ear muffs, ASOS - fluffy bag, Anna Rubio

Shot atop the Grand Hyatt NYC

Photography by Gustav Carlson

Writing this, having awoken in from my hotel room in London - I landed back in Stockholm two days ago, stayed the night and flew out again. Needless to say, I'm needing a little break now and it's not very long until I get one! This weekend Gustav and I have two days booked at Yasuragi Spa in Stockholm, it's a japanese style spa - my favourite part is going to be the Teppanyaki restaurant, what's better than delcious food that's also entertainment?

We snapped this outfit after a little rest and headed out for lunch. It's great to be home and enjoying a little normality! I feel like if I don't enjoy some of this a little more I might start to feel burnt out. Trouble is - with the launch of my new site fast approaching, the real work is only just beginning! Maintaining a good head space is totally vital.

So this dress is from Aussie label OnceWas - I put on my modelling hat a few months back to feature in their newly launched campaign. I'll be sharing those images really soon on my blog!

Photography - Gustav Carlson

dress, OnceWas

coat, Reiss

headphones, Marc Jacobs x Urbanears

boots, Beau Coops

bag, Raspberry Rouge x O My Bag

Finally getting the chance to share these images, taken in our incredible NYC hotel room at the Grand Hyatt. Our suite was the perfect location for this simple editorial - born of inspiration from both the interiors of the room and these two easy 70's themed all white outfits, which weren't quite warm enough to wear outside in the freezing NYC temps. I'm looking forward to sharing more of the content I produced in NYC, including some of the streetstyle I shot for Bergdorf Goodman. 

Simple ideas are so often the best - and the easiest to build on. Especially when you're time poor! With this editorial, we began with an incredible room - added two similarly themed outfits that worked with the surrounds - added flash photography for a glamorous evening feel - and then finally - added big smiles for energy and mood. That's how it all comes together ;)

Concept, Styling & Editing - Me

Photography - Gustav Carlson

flared jeans, J Brand 

cardigan, Tibi

white leg jumpsuit, Raey (exclusive to Matches)

heels, CH for Carolina Herrera

watch, Larsson & Jennings

Green is my favourite colour - probably because growing up as a kid, the countryside where I lived was dry and arid (#straya) and all my childrens books were filled with images of kids playing in lush grassy field.  You always want what you can't have. Like expensive heels.  Sometimes I'm probably wanting things more because they have an expensive price tag. I'm guilty of being a gullible fool like many of us! But I can't help loving the high end fashion industry, seeing new trends and incredible pieces come out of the collections over Fashion Weeks. I feel very fortunate to have a part in this industry, it's something I've aspired to. I remember some of my very first blog posts - NYFW felt so far away but I watched it all unfold like a hawk. I could have never imagined that back then, that I would one day get to sit front row at Zac Posen or Carolina Herrera. I hope I never take a moment of it for granted!

Special thanks to the very talented Ashka Shen for this photo - how great is the light? That's serendipity folks :)

scarf, I Love Mr Mittens

green parka, Etre Cecile

jeans and shirt, J Brand

boots, Senso

Really busy editing photographs from my recent work - so I'm just sharing this post with you quickly, two snaps from the column that I've contributed to Vogue China. You can check out my New York photo diary HERE - and if you can read Mandarin - even better!

Hope you're all headed into a restful weekend!

P.S. The knee high boots are my latest obsession - thanks so much Kurt Geiger!! :)

It's no secret, when it comes to business - the ability to sell yourself is very important. I resent this so much, my Mum always taught me that there's a particular grace in being ultra modest. When someone tells me I'm a good photographer, my first instinct is to say "No I'm not, I'm just lucky, I have a good lens!" I'm embarrassed by self promotion - though I'm steadily getting better at it - because I'm just so amazing. See? Ha!

Jokes aside, there's a whole load of Do's and Do Not's when it comes to selling yourself proffessionally. I was unfortunate to witness quite a few 'not so smooth' movers at NYFW, plying their wares at any chance with gusto. When you're forceful - it has the opposite to desired effect. It becomes ugly.  The answer lies more in the listening than in the talking. An old view of salespeople is that they are like crocodiles, big mouths - small ears. Today, people are more and more aware of what they want - before you start plying your skills, you need to fully understand how you can best benefit and interest your target. So ask questions!

Of course, this advice is specific to speaking in person so it all starts with finding out who to approach. Some of my work comes from people approaching me - and some comes from cold calls, from email pitches, scoring meetings through requests. One you're in the room with that person - or you meet them at an event, tact is everything.

1. Ask the right questions, be an excellent listener.

I've seen bloggers walk into a room full of editors and designers and basically list out their recent achievements aimlessly to anyone who'll listen. The key to building long lasting professional relationships is meaningful two-sided interactions accumulating in results that aren't always driven monetary gain. You're not going to gain an understanding of what your client needs without asking them exactly what their looking for.

2. Be well researched.

Imagine you had the chance to speak to Anna Wintour about your favourite designer - but couldn't pronounce the name correctly! A simple mistake like that could bury you. If you ever get the chance to converse with a potential client, know their brand and know exactly how you can benefit their business.

3. Be confident, speak on the level.

Being overly flattering or going full on 'fan-girl' isn't really going to endear you to any future client. Be confident in what you have to offer. It can be as simple and stating after a query, 'I've got 10,000 engaged followers' rather than 'I've only got 10,000 followers.' Most brands aren't always after the biggest fish - anyone can provide value provided they have a good understanding of their worth.

4. Don't push too far, keep it short and sweet. Never oversell!

Overselling is a major no no - firstly, it's incredibly transparent, exaggerations are easy to read - secondly, if you manage follow through, you're already onto a great trial managing expectations of your client. Keep emotion out of it and win them over with hard facts and reason, results you know you can deliver.

5. Exchange contacts - follow up promptly!

I've been guilty in the past of chatting to loads of contacts at fashion week, discussing ideas and then never following up - mostly out of lack of confidence or lack of time. The world belongs to those who seize opportunities as they arise and from my understanding, those who do follow up are rare - so you're odds are up! Clients will always appreciate someone who means what they say when you exchange contact details and replying to emails promptly is a great sign of professionalism. Some clients might also prefer to communicate via phone so keep that in mind.

This is going to be the first part in a series discussing career strategy on this site! Would love to know any other details and topics you'd like us to cover - and additionally, we are currently looking for contributing writers as part of the new launch/re-vamp which is happening around the end of March. If you're interested please email us  - info@zanita.com

:)

Photos and text by Zanita Whittington and Gustav Carlson

sweater, I Love Mr Mittens

bag and trousers, CH Carolina Herrera

I'm finally feeling on the sorer side of wearing coats all the time. Looking forward to dressing a little lighter! Can't wait to spend a bit of time this summer somewhere gorgeous.

Saint Laurent Gold Frame Shades

Preen by Thornton Bregazzi Shirt

Isabel Marant Earrings

Christopher Kane Embroidered Shorts

Sophie Hulme Cross White Body Bag

Red Chloe Sandals

Excited to share these images from the recent campaign I modelled in for new Australian brand OnceWas. It was great to put on my 'modelling hat' again - I hope I wasn't too rusty! It really refreshed in my mind the specific skill set that it takes to pose up a storm, props to those girls who kill it in the modelling industry, some of them are real artists.

How great are those trackpants? What I love so much about OnceWas (besides their super friendly team!) is the ethos of practicality. Fashion weeks aside, I'm actually a pretty practical dresser. I love feeling comfortable, wearing clothes that fit my shape well and cover me up. I love fine details and soft fabrics. My wardrobe is 50 percent classic pieces like these and 50 percent quirky pieces - they work in great combination.

Clothes to live though - those are the ones I treasure. That cardigan than feels great on your skin or a silk dress that goes from day to night, flats to heels - without over-considerati0n. That's what this brand is about, effortless and confident.

Thanks so much to OnceWas and their team for having me onboard to get in front of the lens, it was a real honour :) x

All clothing, OnceWas

Checking in! I’m thinking this post is a little overdue because I’ve just been inundated with work and it’s challenging to keep up with my blog - which unfortunately needs to come second to the deadlines given to me by my clients. Certainly nothing to complain about - having alot of work. In fact right now I’m facing a very long day ahead of me (midnight finishing time!) shooting a special project in Begrade, Serbia. It’s the first time I’ve visited this city, it’s very lovely, certainly not the most beautiful you’ll find in Europe but there’s a great energy on the street and I really like the Serbs I’ve met, very friendly and down-to-earth, unsurprisingly, traits you’re less likely to find among people in my industry. Wishing I had more time to explore Belgrade once my job is done! I love discovering the character of a new place.

Gustav and I are currently working on our NYFW video - it’s probably the one thing on my blog I’m most excited about posting because we really did alot of filming and I feel like it’s a good representation of what going to NYFW is like… especially in the winter which is quite challenging! I’ve also go more content from the shows and streetstyle.

I’m leaving Belgrade on Thursday after two days of shooting (sorry to be mysterious! All will be revealed soon) and then it’s a few extra days in Stockholm before heading down under again - to film a new series of Fashion Bloggers. More adventures!! This season is going to be bigger and better - and I’m very excited to share our new cast member Nadia Fairfax will be onboard. She’s got such a great energy! We shot together last season for one of the later episodes.

On a personal note - Gustav and I have a new apartment, we’re renovating throughout April/May. I’ve never renovated before but I have a feeling I’m going to start being obsessed with interiors. Expect a few inspiration posts on here! It represents the first time in my adult life, I’ll have a spare bedroom. A rare commodity in the cities I’ve lived in!

Finally, the launch of our new site is fast approaching. I might be needing to taking a few extra days out of posting content while working on populating it with all the old data. There’s going to be a completely new layout for all the posts so some of them will needing alot of re-formatting.

Looking forward to sharing more in the weeks ahead. xx

It was yet another absolute delight to witness Dion Lee's Fall 2015 collection in motion, one received to critical acclaim.  Dion really is a master craftsman and an innovator. I'm inspired by his ability to present truly original ideas and make them so wearable and chic - he seems to consistently break the rules, with the way pieces should be cut and the way fabrics should fall and be worn - but always stay's true his sexy and modern aesthetic, there's never anything weird or kooky about a Dion Lee collection. I loved every piece - Bravo Dion! This guy makes me very proud to be an Aussie.

Photography, gifs and editing - Me :)

I'm at the point in my career where alot of people are watching me, following my work, watching what I do, what I'm up to next. I can't really describe it as anything other than strange, I've built all of this - but now as I keep working, it's evolving into something totally unexpected. I'm not a celebrity - but I certainly know some Fashion Bloggers who could be categorised in that way! Both Chiara Ferragni and Kristina Bazan have had paparazzi start to follow them while they have been in the US. Crazy huh? As you guys probably know, I have plenty of friends who are very well known bloggers - and often when I'm walking down the street with them, they'll get stopped constantly. I've even seen someone cry with excitement over running into one of my blogger friends on the street! It's totally surreal, because these girls are so normal - if there is such a thing. They've also had their bloggers around 5 years plus, so it's not like some overnight thing - they've had to work for it consistently. That slow burn has been good because you can adapt to the changing 'Professional Blogger' environment as your reach and influence grows.

What does this mean for  Fashion Bloggers in the future? Where is it heading? I can't say really - there's been articles out there talking about how Fashion Blogging is Dead - but it certainly doesn't appear to be slowing down in that way. I really just think it's that different bloggers tend to have less influence and new ones rise up in their place. I can see that the type of content these publishers put up has been evolving. When once upon a time, consistent inspiration posts and occasional outfits was enough - now we are seeing a little more lifestyle, a lot more editorial and of course advertorials, which is the way most influencers earn their money. The better you can tell the story of the experience, the more engaged people are to the content.

So once you're super popular, what then? If you don't continue to work for it, you can end up fading out. I've seen this happen... to bloggers people can hardly remember now because it's the business of all the rest of them to stay up in your face. I'm happy that we are all now being considered professionals. There's still a few complainers out there, who consider that earning money this way isn't OK, expecting us to follow that grass roots path forever - but I feel like - if influencers are plain and open about the fact that this is business and work hard for that, the criticism should become less and lesser.

I often meet people who, when I tell them what I do - don't really understand the actuality of my job. The way I explain it, what I have is like an online magazine - where I'm the model, editor, writer, photographer, stylist. I handle the marketing, the strategy, the clients and advertisers -  now with the help of my business partner, Gustav. The readers of our 'magazine' come to see exactly what I'm working on and where I'm at and I share as much as I can through social media. It's not really that complicated! I'm passionate about it and I'm lucky to have it - though it's a lot of work.

I get alot of emails asking me about to become popular/famous/rich from blogging. The pessimist in me wants to say 'You can't, just just have to BE it!'.  That's really how I started, without this goal in mind. The truth is - the examples of how it's done are all out there, there's so many success stories, each person has done it in a way that suits them and is unique to their interests. Being well researched and original is key. This is a dream job! I'm forever grateful to you for following all this way and giving me this. It's made me fulfilled in my career. I hope I can continue to further my skills and creativity and share more interesting content in the years to come. :)

Photos by Gustav Carlson for Vogue China

sweater, I Love Mr Mittens

pants, CH by Carolina Herrera

bag, CH by Carolina Herrera

shoes, Senso

P.S. Spot the yellow snow! (eww - probably should have shopped that out)

Here's a look I wore to NYFW, I'm standing outside the Ralph Lauren show freezing my ass off. These red pants, I'm going to love them to the end of my days. Maybe its the silhouette, I love that slouchiness over my legs. Think they are going to work so well with sneakers and a t-shirt when I head back to Oz on Monday. Also maybe a denim jacket! Actually looking forward to wearing lighter clothing.  I'm headed back to film Fashion Bloggers Season 2! This season is going be bigger and better. :)

Anyway - included some songs I'm listening to at the moment, getting me through a load of editing. Music is the life in my day when I can't be inspired. I can always count on it.

top, Toni Maticevski

pants, CH by Carolina Herrera

shoes, Senso

coat, Acne

bag, Jimmy Choo

Etre Cecile could undoubtably be one of my new favourite labels - it basically represents everything I love in clothes! The label is the brainchild of aussie streetstyle Icon Yasmin Sewell - along with Gemma Dyas and Kyle Robinson. The inspiration behind the brand is 'Cecile' - a Irish born artist living in 1960's Paris. The result is a fun and ultra cool collection of casual wear - clothes to live in. This coat is from the brand - and it was a life saver in NYC, blocking out the wind and coping with a lot of layers underneath pretty neatly. I loved wearing it because it felt very 'me' - and that's real confidence!

We snapped these images really quickly outside the Karen Walker show - which was wonderful! Those images coming in another post coming tomorrow. Working on so much right now - have to pack my bags for three weeks in Australia and move out of my apartment this weekend, as well as do my posts and work on a new course coming out...

coat, Etre Cecile

jeans, Citizens of Humanity

bag, Jimmy Choo

heels, Senso

So excited to be finally posting up this video from NYFW - these type of videos edited in this way are such a fun reminder of all the great times we had over the week. Some of the highlights in the video - posing/shooting streetstyle, the runway shows for Carolina Herrera, Ralph Lauren, Zac Posen, Karen Walker, Prabal Gurung and Tommy Hilfiger, sitting across from Mark Ronson, Christina Hendricks and Kesha at Zac Posen (omfg), shooting 35 stories high at the Grand Hyatt, seeing Naomi Campbell on the runway.... and so much more!!

If you like this video even a fraction as much as I enjoyed watching it then I'm bloody stoked.

Don't forget to subscribe to my channel! 

Video by Gustav Carlson

Song, Two Heads by Coleman Hell

I'm maybe starting to become a little obsessed with making GIF's - much like I'm a little obsessed with the pieces and palate of the Karen Walker show in NY! The very last coat, the green one - it's totally my jam. My favourite look is the first one here - with the red coat and jeans but unfortunately that style doesn't really suit my body type, with broad shoulders and chest and not much of a waist. I'm really really hoping I get the chance sometime soon to shoot a 70's style editorial, taking advantage of these incredible looks.

It was such a delight to see this show in NYC! Thanks again to the team at Karen Walker for having me along.

As this post goes to air I'm likely going to be in the air - en route back to Australia. Thumbs down for 24 hours of flying - but thumbs up for sunshine and having the chance to meet Sara's new puppy, Ben. He is the cutest thing!!

Photos and Edit by Me

I want to talk about confidence - I know I've touched on this in the past, but I want to share my personal story and the way I learnt about the value on confidence and how it changed how I think about myself and my place in the world.

When I started modelling, I was 18 years old and had moved from where I grew up in Esperance to Perth to attempt some tertiary studies. I was a huge fan of the fashion industry - I loved runway shows, I knew all the names of designers and the models. I walked into Vivien's Modelling Agency, they were on the fence about signing me... I maybe pleaded just a little (alot) and managed to get myself a contract. Booya!

Next step was to start attending castings. I purchased my first EVER pair of heels and headed out. I couldn't believe how gorgeous the girls were, head to toe in designer gear, hair and make-up flawless, amazing personal style, so graceful...  Very intimidating! From that point I basically tried to emulate any girl who's style I admired. Naturally I was pretty insecure about my country girl aesthetic - which up until this point I figured wasn't actually half bad.  What was worse about trying to fit into a look that wasn't myself? Was trying to behave in a way that I felt was going to get me the gig, like these models who were booking editorials for Vogue. Fact is - I'm not really composed or cool - I'm excitable and silly, I swear alot, I have bad posture and I slouch when I sit down, I make rude jokes, I'm self-depricating. All traits I dropped for a good part of my early 20's because I lacked the confidence to be myself.

One day I realised I'd had enough - I guess you could say I became uninspired by my not-so-impressive portfolio and lack of work, so I dropped the act. I figured if the fashion industry didn't like me as I am - then they could stick it! Do you know what happened next? I started to book so much work! I never had to worry so much about my back pocket. I not only became happy being myself, but more confident in that people would accept me for my geeky self. I learned to speak to photographers, stylists and anyone else I worked with - on the level, which earned me more respect.

When you approach someone new for the first time, so much can be read by your body language and tone. When I met new people in the fashion industry, I lacked so much confidence that I considered everyone to be above me - and thus - gave them permission to treat me as such, that I was worth less than my colleagues. I'm not saying that anyone was cruel or rude to me, but that it's only natural for hierarchy to occur in the workplace. It's about energy! And who wants to pay someone to work for them that doesn't feel worthy of their position?

I'm turning 29 this month - and I'm happy to say I'm confident in my future and who I'm growing to become.  I'm by no means perfect and I still have alot to learn! But my confidence has taught me to accept new challenges and grow from them. That's why those who can develop confidence are those who stand out among the rest, not because they are the best - but because of their willingness to take on what life throws at them and learn. Confident people draw on their self belief, exuding positivity and other people are in turn drawn to those good feelings.

Looking forward to sharing more on building confidence! Girls run the world!!

P.S. This is me in an outfit, these pants are so great - comfortable and fun, perfectly juxtaposed with a prim blazer. I feel like this look is very me! A new favourite.

pants, Etre Cecile

blazer, Reiss 

shoes, Senso

shirt, Acne

Photos by Gustav Carlson

Peggy is a  feminist and cat lover who doesn't have time for a cat, she likes yoga and black coffee, her favourite band is Fleetwood Mac and she's always the last to leave a party.  Her dream holiday would be a sailing trip through Montenegro with her Mum and great Aunt Merle.  He favourite cocktail is a Amaretto Sour and she can quote all the best lines from Quentin Tarantino movies with gusto.

hat, Eres

top, Studio Nicolson

jeans, J Brand

bag, Chloe

espadrilles, Soludos

Squueeeee! Say hello to Ben aka @adventuresoflittleben aka Sara's new black labrador puppy. I'm so excited to meet him - and wishing I could get a puppy of my very own... though its kind of amazing how much care and attention a new puppy needs. Growing up on the farm, when we had new puppies, they would sort of get left to their own devices - but when you're the sole carer in a house of apartment it's a whole different story!

So by now you might have found out I'm in Australia, getting ready for a whole new season for Fashion Bloggers and loads more. So excited about what's ahead, everything is bigger and badder this season and we are like a little family.  It's one of the greatest things I've ever had the chance to be part of.... airing all over the world! Can you believe that?

New goals lately, I really want to get fit and healthy. I do a lot of sitting in front of a computer - sitting in the dark like Gollum and its terrible. I'm constantly sore in my back and neck and my energy levels wain throughout the day. I can feel that if I don't push myself now I'm going to end up with some long lasting injury. I'm also having problems with stress - which is really just an issue over dealing with problems mentally, something that comes much easier when you're feeling vital. I recently heard of a friend who had to quit work from being burnt out - and they mentioned that the solution was exercising. Here's to sweating it out!! So often I try to fight getting out and pushing myself - but I never regret it once it do it! The hardest part is getting out the door.

Big list of tasks today, firstly I need to go to PR's and pull loads of looks for upcoming shoots - then its working on my new course, which I hope will be a really great one! Count down to sharing that all with you.

Back to work! xx