Nadia Bartel 5 MINUTES WITH
18th Feb 2015
We sat down with our Walk Tall Influencer, Nadia Bartel from fashion blog Chronicles of Nadia to hear her take on current fashion trends, her personal style and the key to feeling confident. We also got a sneak peek on what she has in store for 2015!
I hope to inspire women all over Australia to Walk Tall and feel proud of who they are.
What does walk tall mean to you?
‘Walk Tall’ is all about feeling comfortable and confident. If you feel confident then you can achieve anything that is thrown at you.
Why did you want to be in the brand campaign and be a Wittner Walk Tall Influencer?
I absolutely love Wittner, I have been wearing Wittner shoes as long as I can remember so it is a natural fit to work with the brand as I believe in their ethos. I am so excited to partner with them on this campaign as I hope to inspire women all over Australia to Walk Tall and feel proud of who they are.
Your personal style in 3 words?
Minimal, clean and classic.
Your everyday uniform?
I think it is so important to have an everyday uniform – something you feel great in, no matter what happens during the day. My uniform is a great pair of black skinny leg pants or jeans that fit the body perfectly, then teaming them with a clean crisp oversized white shirt and a leather jacket or black tailored blazer. I am a heel over flat girl any day of the week, so the laced up black Umika heel is my ultimate shoe to elongate my legs.
What has been your journey to achieve your personal style and feeling confident?
I have always had a strong sense of style, I knew from a young age what I liked and what I didn’t like, and there is no grey area. I feel like I have finally discovered my own personal style. I have discovered that it is so important to buy quality over quantity, investing in those staple pieces will give your look edge.
I recently cleaned out my wardrobe, and discovered I owned so many pieces that I never wore, so now its about spending more on staples like black boots, leather jackets and accessories and mixing it back with high-street classic pieces like simple white t-shirts. My wardrobe is focused around monochromes, wearing head to toe white is my weakness, but I am also partial to a great print.
How many pairs of shoes do you own?
I honestly can’t give you an exact figure. Shoes are my weakness! It’s a lot (too much, the hubby would say). In the hundreds for sure!
My signature scent…
D&G 3 L’ Imperatrice by Dolce & Gabbana or Chanel Chance.
What are your 3 favourite styles from the Wittner AW15 collection?
The Umika heel is definitely a favourite. It’s so sexy and true to my personal style. I also love the Palma man-style brogue, it’s perfect for when I am on the run. I am so busy running from meeting to meeting, so these ensure I am always comfortable but looking chic – plus patent leather is such a bold style statement! My love for high heels is endless and I absolutely love the Dasio heel in snake print, my style is very simplistic and minimal so these add a point of difference when I am wearing my trusty black.
4 must-have shoes for every woman’s wardrobe?
Classic Pump – Every girl needs a classic black pump that you can wear with just about everything in your wardrobe, they pull together any outfit and add class.
Brogues – I love a minimal looking brogue because they look masculine and are super comfortable, so perfect to wear when I am running around styling clients.
Ankle Strap Sandals – A minimal shoe with an ankle strap will lengthen our legs and also perfect for your summer dresses when you need something fine.
Black Ankle Boots – Boots add a little edge to our outfit, I love wearing black boots with bare legs in summer, and also with denim in the cooler months.
Top shopping tip?
If you are anything like me, you love to shop. Things can get out of hand quickly, so I like shopping with a plan. Sometimes I look online first to make a list of what I need before I head to the shops. If not, I end up with a bunch of items I never wear.
I recently splurged on…
Black Celine bag. You can never have too many black bags right?!
Your guilty pleasure?
Eating lollies, anyone that knows me, will tell you about my sugar addiction. An Allen’s bag of lollies (strawberries and cream or Chicos specifically) will be demolished within seconds.
My style icon.
I love Diane Kruger, because she isn’t afraid to push the boundaries but she looks amazing doing it. Victoria Beckham is another women that looks minimal and classic, I would love her wardrobe.
Hair care routine?
I like to use high-quality shampoos and conditioners so my hair shines. I don’t like using a lot of hair-care products when styling, I like to keep it simple with a great blow wave and hairspray. I love waving my hair with my curling tong, but I am lucky that my hair is really dry so I only style it once or twice a week and it stays put.
When do you take fashion risks?
I like to take fashion risks a lot. Especially at big fashion events like the Melbourne Cup and fashion events.
What is in store for 2015?
It is a very exciting year for me, as I am working on a couple of different projects that are keeping me busy. One of them includes launching an online store The Con-Nection that I am very excited about.
Which trends are you seeing for Winter this season?
This winter will be about oversized pieces and layering. Roll necks, midi skirts, capes and the humble sweatshirt will be worn on rotation. Popular colours will be grey, rich camel and soft nudes.
Image Credit: Liz Sunshine, Street Smith