If you follow my Instagram (@stormykeating) you’d already know that I’m back Downunder enjoying what I consider one of the greatest countries on earth. People are bubbly; food is outstanding; the weather makes you smile; and the natural beauty of the beaches + landscapes remind you just how lucky we are to be alive. Every day you get all of this in bucket loads… so needless to say it’s a great place to visit (or come home to in my case) and so I’d like to share a little piece of this heaven with you.
When I moved to London three and a half years ago, the first thing to go out the window (along with my natural tan) was the beach lifestyle. My bikinis, sunscreen and sandals were very quickly replaced by a minimum of 4 layers, intensive moisturiser and ugg boots. Now don't get me wrong, I love living in the UK - London is one of the most magnificent cities in the world and there's nothing like the English countryside BUT... when I’m lucky enough to find myself back in the land of plenty (that’s how us Aussies endearingly refer to Australia – not sure where it comes from though: plenty of natural resources? plenty of sand? plenty of convicts?) I spend most of my free time lapping up the sand & the surf plus relishing every minute of it.
Hat: Helen Kaminski, Shirt: Maje, Shorts: Joes
Most of the Eastern beaches of Sydney are very convenient to get to, but for this trip we’ve decided to stay at the most vibey of them all - Bondi Beach. The thing I love about Bondi is that it has everything you need and all within walking distance: great cafes, bars and restaurants; cool boutiques; plus all of your usual day-to-day facilities. The streets have a buzz like Coachella festival all year long and people are so chilled that sometimes I wonder if anyone actually has a job. Every morning the beach is bustling with people out doing their morning exercise and every sunset they’re back enjoying a drink with their mates. For anyone who is susceptible to getting caught up in the rat race of life, Bondi provides the most blatant reminder that there really is an alternative way of living... the right way.
So with that, I thought I’d take the S Blog on a journey of my #BondiLife and share the things that I love the most about it. There's a lot I love (clearly) so I'm going to cover my list off in parts, today we're kicking it off with …
FLIPPING IN THE SUN
Bikini: Melissa Obadash
Despite only 4 hours of sleep on the long haul from London to Sydney and of course heavily jet lagged, when I finally arrived at our Bondi hotel, it took me all of 7 minutes to whip on a bikini and walk right back out again (admittedly in a zombie-like state). It didn’t bother me at all that I was so tired I could barely string a sentence together, all that mattered was that the Vitamin D was calling and it had my name on it. Despite my lack of brain capacity at the time, I managed to not overlook the three most important items when hitting the beach in Australia – a good sunscreen, a good hat and a good swimsuit!
Swimsuit: Heidi Klein, Shorts: Joes, Sunnies: Yves Saint Laurent
In Australia it’s all about ‘Slip Slop Slap’ – this is a slogan from the 1980’s and is attached to one of the most successful health campaigns in Australia's history. There was a TV add where Sid the Seagull danced around the television screen singing the Slip Slop Slap jingle and showing us how easy it is to be sun smart. Today ‘Slip Slop Slap’ has become a part of the everyday language in Oz and it means to: Slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat. We all learn it as kids and then we teach our kids and then they teach their kids and so and so on…. in short: good old Sid is still alive in Australia. It would be fair to say that because most Aussie’s take sun protection seriously we are lucky to have a great range of quality sunscreens to choose from. Segway to "Slop" ....
SLOP: I wear a light SPF base under my makeup every day but if I know I’m going to be out in the sun for extended periods of time, I go with a strong 50+ sunscreen called Actinica which is amazing. A dermatologist friend told me about it years ago and said that it’s one of the few sunscreens out there which is proven to last up to 8 hours without reapplication (ladies that’s pretty much the whole day under your makeup!). Apparently a lot of the daytime moisturisers we buy that have SPF in them, only last 2-4 hours on the skin before they've run their course. This means that by the middle of the afternoon (when the sun is hottest) your UV shield has fled the gates and your face has no defences. Next time you’re in the market for your sun care products, why not ask the questions and be sure of what you're wearing. Since I found this little piece of information out myself, I’ve used Actinica religiously and don’t go on a summer holiday anywhere in the world, without it.
Hat: Prymal
SLAP: I confess I'm a lover of hats and possibly err on the side of having a few too many in the wardrobe… BUT in my own defence: they’re practical, stylish and an easy way to mask a bad hair day (which is often the case with me – having the time for regular blowdrys is as likely for me as winning the lotto). Although hats are never fun to travel with, for me they’re always worth their weight in gold when I reach my destination.
Maison Michel and Helen Kaminski are two of my favourite milliners for quality and style, their hats are slightly more expensive but ageless and longlasting. Another of my favourites is Prymal because aside from their gorgeous & colourful range, they’ve also been awarded the coveted butterfly mark by Positive Luxury (which means they’re a brand you can trust are operating a positive business model which is mindful of society and our environment).
Bikini: Melissa Obadash, Hat: Seafolly Sunnies: YSL Watch: IWC Chain: SVP Jewellery
When I’m sunbaking however (also known as "sunbathing" by some) I like to buy cheap hats that I can flatten or crush into a beach bag. The ones you don’t mind getting wet & sandy and their ruggedness equates to part of their charm. I also like these hats to have a wide brim (the wider the brim the more protection) plus a wire in the trim, so you can shape the hat whichever way you want. This is very helpful when laying in the sun because it means no matter what angle you’re on, you can redirect the brim of your hat to ward off the UV. Over the years I’ve come to learn that there’s not a huge amount of hats that tick all these boxes (and still look good) so you may need to hunt around to find the one… but it’s the type of hat that unless you loose it, it will stick with you for life. I’ve had mine for years now (mine are by two Australian brands: Seafolly and Hurley) and I have no intentions of upgrading any time soon.
SLIP: Well ok we’re not slipping on a shirt here (sorry Sid) we’re slipping on a fabulous bikini (or full piece) because when you’re on the beach and half naked, you want to be wearing something that makes you feel good & confident. For some of us, finding the right swimsuit is an arduous task and it’s not because there’s a lack of options available… it’s because the hunt for the perfect swimsuit is like the hunt for the perfect pair of jeans – it gets personal. There’s a lot we expect from a swimsuit and of course the criteria changes drastically from woman-to-woman, so the only true rule to remember here is: the female form is gorgeous every which way it comes, so buy whatever swimsuit makes you feel a million bucks and rock it on the beach like Beyonce rocks a wind machine.
If you want some tips on where to start looking, some of my favourite swimsuit brands to inspire you: Melissa Obadash, Heidi Klein, Lisa Marie Fernandez, Duskii, and Seafolly Australia.
Sx