frankie Magazine

once upon a time,

the concept of ‘time out’ sent shivers down our pre-pubescent spines. Sitting quietly in one spot while we ponder all the things we’ve done wrong? No thanks – we’ll make the bed and stop piffing spitballs at our brothers, sorry Mum!But as time marched on and we got the hang of household chores (and saliva-covered missiles somehow lost their charm), we found a new appreciation for a little time out. A moment to take a quick breath and regroup; a break from the never-ending hustle and bustle. No longer a dreaded punishment, we’ve come to realise that time outs are an essential and happy-making part of life.They could be big (a jaunt across the globe to try on a new home); small (burying your nose in a dreamy novel);…

dear frankie

LETTERS@FRANKIE.COM.AU Oh, frankie. The reminiscing! I’m sure as an ’80s toddler I paddled in a blow-up duck ring in the pool photographed by Kate Berry for issue 87’s “OK Motels”. I remember I was petrified of the pool plug! But I must say, the sight of the quintessential breakfast window was the real winner. Before children, my husband and I roadtripped up the Queensland coast, and our only selection criteria for a motel was that it had to have an old-school breakfast window! Thank you for the memories. Sofie xx Dear frankie, I’ve been reading your pages, but have you been reading my mind? I’ve been snipping magazines and creating collages in my friends’ birthday cards for so long, and I was overjoyed to see a section of issue 87…

frank bits

g.keroOoh – we covet the SS19 range from French brand G.KERO. We covet it hard. Bold colours, simple cuts and Africa-inspired illustrations makes for 100 per cent awesome in our books. If your books hold similar fashion predilections, then make your way over to gkero.fr, stat. what a mug Nothing to see here, folks. Just a somewhat awkward mug for a similarly awkward person, who enjoys steaming beverages and acknowledging the discomfort in a room. So, uhhh… we’ll leave it at that. Cool bananas. $16, thesupercool.com kitsuSomething feels a little backwards about dangling boobs from your earlobes, like you’ve gone all topsy-turvy with feet for hands and hands for feet. Even so, we’re seriously digging these breasty hoops from Melbourne label KITSU, moulded by hand from…

the white dress

NATASHA, 42, has kept her wedding veil for 21 years. “I put the veil on for the anniversary of our marriage. I keep it because of the tradition.” Who are you and what do you do? I’m a photographer based in Belarus. I mostly work on independent documentary projects and make portraits. The topics I’m particularly interested in are gender, womanhood, physicality and memory.Tell us about this project, White Dress. Marriage is the greatest concern for many women of different ages, social statuses and backgrounds in Belarus. Being married, and having a family and children, are still regarded as important indicators of a woman’s personal success. A popular belief endows the wedding gown with a mystical power to preserve a happy marriage forever – as long as you keep…

ready for retirement

A lot of people want to retire young these days, and they’re aggressively pursuing frugal fiscal policies or risky investment strategies to get there faster. The problem? They’re spending so much time plotting their path that they haven’t considered what they’ll do when they get there. They’re racing towards the edge of an existential crisis. Like so many before them, they’ll end up latching onto the first hobby they find and spending directionless days beading bracelets or making rocking horses from plywood. More power to them, I guess.My strategy is the opposite. I’m spending all my time planning what I’ll do in retirement; how I’ll fritter away those winding days. I have grand plans. (The flipside of this strategy, of course, is that I’m yet to work out any…

the wisdom of washington

FAKING IT WON’T HELP YOU MAKE IT Something I now know to be true is that you’re much more resonant when you're being authentic and honest. When I was first starting out, I tried really hard to be what I thought I should be; to be the person I thought the world would want. I would have been more powerful and compelling just being the person I am, though. That's when things really connect. People usually like it way more than if you’re trying to be some fancy-pants.CREATIVITY NEVER SLEEPS The strangest place I’ve found inspiration is a Ken Burns documentary about the First World War. A couple of years ago, I went through a really bad patch of insomnia. I used to fall asleep watching those Ken Burns…