I first met Charlotte Dawson in the early series of Australia's Next Top Model, when I was a guest judge. First impressions? Sharp, witty, spunky and super switched on. No wonder she is where she is now! She has such fantastic television presence that she hosts the Australian version of The Contender, as well as commanding a prized, permanent position on the judges table of ANTM. One thing I've always admired is her ability to dress as she pleases, and dress age appropriately, even amongst a sea of wannabee teenage models. Hard to do ladies, hard to do. We caught up for a Coco Lee style chat.
YOUR VERY FIRST FASHION MEMORY?
My sisters dressing me up as a bride when I was about four years old .. I recently found the little black and white photo and I had a bob haircut and was even holding a little posy of flowers. My two older sisters used to dress me up in all sorts of crazy fun stuff – it was always VERY fashion, and we’d listen to Pink Floyd and Fleetwood Mac!
YOU BEGAN YOUR FASHION JOURNEY WHEN ...
I think it just happened to me! I have never been a leader – just a follower and so therefore some very tragic attempts at fashion from the early 80’s keep haunting me. Hobble skirts, crystal encrusted military hats. What we used to refer to as ‘bank teller blush’ … it was literally streaked over cheekbones and of course over processed blonde breaking bleached hair. When I started modeling I became a little more fashion conscious and then when I started at the Today Show as their fashion editor in 1993, I became far more educated. Having said all of that, I’m now very lazy with my fashion choices and have become much more conservative and age appropriate (I hope)!
YOUR BEST FEATURE IS ...
I like my smile – it’s my best accessory. I had big old heavy metal painful braces when I was 11 years old and that awful frizzy unruly, unmanageable adolescent hair and a good dose of acne, so I would like to think I have improved over the next 33 years that followed! I am a friend of the Botox and now at 44 need to make sure I have a sense of when I might start to look like a complete freak, I’m sure my friends will tell me!
YOU LOOK YOUR BEST IN ...
I have to say, and not just because he’s my mate and has been for twenty years (he was also my agent when I was a model), that I feel and look my best in his dresses. They can be punishing to have to spend an entire night in but they make you feel very ‘expensive’ …(there Alex I said it OK?) so ALEX PERRY!
MY STYLE UNIFORM IS ...
I hoard jeans and suit jackets. But I mostly get out and about in trackies and t-shirts, gym or yoga gear.
YOUR MOST FABULOUS FASHION MOMENT?
I was in a little town called Warkworth about an hour north of Auckland the Christmas before last and I found this amazing retro shop and they had for about $40 the most incredible severe shouldered star-trek looking 80’s jacket by Thierry Mugler. I wore it to fashion week and got many compliments!!!
YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE IN THE WORLD?
Sydney. No question the energy and the people and the beaches ….. I can’t rate it highly enough.
YOUR FAVE STYLE ICON?
At the moment I think Carine Rothfeld – French Vogue Editor. I love her style and I love that she’s older and still can get away with really bold choices and she’s definitely got an air of tough but not a fashion victim.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE NOW THAT YOU COULDN'T DO WITHOUT?
My sanity. Finally. In a fashion sense I guess my mini collection of Camilla Kaftans that every year I can squish into a carry-on sized bags for my Xmas trips home to NZ and I am addicted to aviators … just spent an obscene amount of money on a pair of Veronique Branquinhos from Belinda in Double Bay … and here I was this year PROMISING my appetite for fashion should be replaced with concentrating on the ‘inner’ me (that’s the only small slip-up so far).
WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITE DESIGNERS?
I am now not really a connesuir of fashion anymore – it fails to ignite much passion in me as much as it used to, I guess I have grown out of being excited about it as far as following slavishly the international trends I don’t think it’s relevant to my life as much these days. But as far as my favorite designers to wear for myself? I love Scanlon and Theodore, Willow, Trelise Cooper, Carla Zampatti, Kate Sylvester, Jayson Brunsdon, Lisa Ho, Bianca Spender, Zambesi and of course Alex Perry. I think we are very spoilt for choice here in Australia.
YOUR LAST BUY WAS ...
Those damn aviators (see above) and a pretty silk cream ‘ See By Chloe’ top on sale from Christensen Copenhagen. I always make ONE extreme shoe purchase a year – last year it was the YSL jubilee shoes and Cosmopolitan shoes have just got the new collection in which is like shoe-gasm worthy…. So I’m trying to stay away (until next pay day….)
KEY PIECES EVERY WOMAN SHOULD OWN?
A beautiful quality white shirt. Obviously a good pair of jeans and my favorite a brilliantly tailored razor sharp jacket.
WHAT ARE THE SEXIEST THINGS A WOMAN CAN WEAR?
Amazing shoes – but if you can’t walk in them they just are not sexy … I now have bad knees and find it really difficult so I envy all those women that can stride around in heels – I’m a flattie girl now forever I think.
FIVE THINGS YOU'RE LUSTING AFTER THIS SEASON?
Yoga
Meditation
Moderation
Peace
And … just maybe a pair of YSL ankle boots…
ON SATURDAY NIGHT I'M BUSY ...
Having an early one at home or a quick tapas around the corner from my building with one of my mates who live either in the building or locally. Sunday is Monopoly city day … friends come over around 4pm and I cook and we get to be evil property developers. These sessions can last hours! It’s so much fun.
MINI SKIRTS OR SHORTS?
For me neither at my age – not a great look, but for young girls I see too many short short of both…. Somewhere in the last year someone removed the modesty out of fashion.
SKINNY LEGS OR WIDE?
I like a skinny jean, but I can’t bear the ones that are too tight – like you look like you just came out of a blue sausage factory and are ready to be hurled on the BBQ.
HIGH WAISTED OR LOW
For me, high waisted … my tum ain’t what it used to be!
STILETTOS OR PLATFORMS?
A stiletto is far more elegant and sexy, but I’m not good at walking in either (THANKS dodgy knees!)
HEELS OR FLATS?
Flats – out of comfort.
BIKINI OR ONE-PIECE
Joke question right? ONE PIECE (actually a wetsuit and I’d be comfortable)….
AND FINALLY, IF YOU WERE GOING TO BE ON A REALITY SHOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE CALLED?
‘Heel Or No Heel?’ OR ‘I’m a celebrity! Give me clothes to wear!!!’ ; )
