frankie Magazine

but every issue of frankie ends up becoming a Magic 8 Ball of sorts. Give it a shake, turn it over and a little pearl of wisdom comes into focus. Maybe it’s because we, like other creative souls, get caught in cycles of self-doubt (read: extended periods of lying motionless on the floor, fearing our work will never be good enough). Then when we’re up and running again, we subconsciously cobble together a pep talk on these very pages. While making this issue, we’ve been telling ourselves: “It’s OK for the first draft not to be Shakespeare.” (page 48) “Don’t be embarrassed to just ask.” (page 120) “The stupidest and scariest ideas are the best ones.” (page 28) And this gem: “Don’t be a turkey; fly like an eagle.” (page 106) If…

LETTERS@FRANKIE.COM.AU Dearest frankie, I doubt it was coincidence, but instead fate at its finest, that on the day I was diagnosed with a molar pregnancy, I bought issue 107 and found solace in Freya Bennett’s article “Silver Linings”. I was utterly overwhelmed by my diagnosis, but Freya offered a light at the end of a deep, dark mole tunnel, helping me to see that I was in fact not a lone mole. Cheers to you, frankie, for embracing the tough subjects and always being there. Love from a fellow mole, Laura Dear frankie, As I sat down in my microeconomics tutorial at uni this week, the pink issue 107 tumbled out of my colourful tote bag and onto the floor, alongside my floral pencil case. It was met with disapproving faces by the…

closet mod Back in the early days of air travel, it was common for holidaymakers to arrive at the departure gate in their finest two-piece suits. Closet Mod’s new collection, Arrival, harks back to that glamorous time – and judging by the array of jaunty frocks and button-ups on display, they’re dressing travellers headed straight to Carnaby Street. Swing by closetmod.com to see more, or throw your hat in the ring at frankie.com.au/win for a chance to score the Heathrow dress in your size (pictured left). diana dawn Arizona lass Diana Dawn is not your average hatter. Armed with nimble fingers and a keen eye, she carefully embroiders her custom hats with soaring eagles, blazing sunsets, pine forests and other intricate designs. Desert dwellers, festival-goers and bohemian road-trippers can find them at dianadawwwn.com please,…

Tell us, how did you end up on the arty path? I have always been interested in visual arts and design. As a child I wanted to become an interior designer, then in the later years, my interest shifted to advertising. I was drawn to the power of a big idea and the challenge of expressing it in the simplest possible way. I enjoyed working in advertising but the hours were crazy, so I left the industry and started designing children’s clothing. In 2014, I made an Instagram account for my business and started throwing my art projects into the mix. To my surprise, those projects were so well received that I started getting commissions from amazing brands. It gave me a much-needed confidence boost to pursue a career in…

Have you ever suppressed an interest in something because you didn’t think it was ‘cool’ or because you weren’t ‘allowed’ to like it? I’ve just realised that thing for me is trains. As a kid, my brother was the one who had mountains of train toys and a party on Puffing Billy (a heritage railway with old steam trains in Melbourne’s outer east). Apparently, I was also given the opportunity to play with trains but I gravitated towards dolls. This may be true; however, I do remember being supremely jealous of my brother’s stripy train-driver-inspired overalls and hand-knitted jumper sprinkled with train silhouettes. For whatever reason – gender norms, feeling my personality was ‘set’, and later, the belief that trains absolutely aren’t ‘cool’ – I subconsciously decided it was best to…

Dolly Parton is universally adored. For a while there, when I was little and too dumb to understand much, I just saw boobs and that was all I knew of Dolly. She was a blonde boob punchline. But as I grew and learnt and listened, I got it. She’s so much more – she’s a queen, a savvy businesswoman, a voice for women (especially working-class women), a unifier and bloody smart. She transcends her genre in a way so few stars ever could. And her dumb blonde jokes are better than any that get thrown her way. This article would be easier to write if I could just list the reasons I don’t love Dolly Parton, like how she won’t answer my calls or give me a million dollars. Also, she…