If you’re in search of style inspiration, Carmen Hamilton is your girl. She initially launched her blog, Chronicles of Her, as a hobby – a creative outlet for her to engage with while studying. Recently however, Carmen refreshed and relaunched her platform to become a style destination in its own right, celebrating street style and inspiring us all to play dress-up.
There’s no question, this Aussie beauty is effortlessly chic…
The fashion and lifestyle industry is always evolving, how would you describe your "day-job"?
The industry is evolving so rapidly, which means that my “day-job” gets more and more complicated to explain! My boyfriend sometimes teases me that I run an play school for adults and I’m often met with glazed over eyes when I try and describe my job to my extended family. But here goes… first and foremost, I’m the editor of CHRONICLES OF HER and then I work with brands alongside that for my own personal channels wearing many different hats – creative director, photographer, writer etc. I guess ‘influencer’ is a pretty good umbrella term for what I do, even though I’m still not sure how I feel about the word!
You are incredibly lucky in that you get to travel all over the globe for work, do you think each country has a different articulation of what beauty means to them? And which country would be your favourite?
Definitely! I especially notice this when travelling for fashion month (New York, London, Milan, Paris). The style and beauty vibe is so different from city to city, and each one is inspiring in its own way. If I had to pick a favourite though, I’d say Paris. French women take a very laissez-faire approach to beauty – they embrace their unique features wholeheartedly and get on with it.
You're originally from the Gold Coast, you live in Sydney and you travel the world, which location (or locations) has had the most impact on your sense of style?
Initially, I’d say living in Sydney helped me to find my style signature – a great suit, a tee and sneakers – mostly due to a lack of time after I entered the workforce. But I always feel very inspired when I travel, particularly to NYC or Paris. During the time that I’m at home – Instagram keeps me on my toes.
Who inspires you?
People who think differently, have worked hard to get to where they are and continue to help others along the way.
What does Inner Beauty mean to you?
Being genuinely kind to people, for their benefit and not your own. Good listeners who care about what you have to say.
Can you give us an example of a time you've listened to your gut instinct?
Every day in my business! I perhaps even listen to my gut too much as I have a tendency to be almost impulsive and always make decisions based on whether it ‘feels’ right, often despite the logic.
What do you do to get your daily GLOW on?
I drink GLOW and CLEANSE at my desk –just ask my staff! – remove my makeup before cleansing with an oil-based pre-cleanse balm and I moisturise morning and night.
Lets all go to Paris and… shop for vintage at Thnx God I’m A VIP.
I secretly wish that… the world was phone-free.
Sometimes I purposely… pretend I don’t have one.
What does Inner Beauty mean to you? Join the conversation over on Instagram by visiting @TheBeautyChef.
