GET TO KNOW OUR STYLEFAST AMBASSADOR: @MISSTRIKOLAS

Hello, I’m Adriana. I work full time as a primary school teacher in Melbourne. I’m also a qualified makeup artist and worked as one before I began my career in teaching.

I am a little bit of a foodie, particularly addicted to brunch. On the weekends you’ll find me brunching and sipping decaf almond lattes. I wish I could say I loved wine, but I’m more of a cocktail girl, especially if there’s an espresso martini.

In my spare time...I mean who has spare time? Ha! I love to bake and cook and find it super therapeutic to wind down. Some people think I’m weird because I love it that much, but I’d rather cook/bake than read or watch TV.

Ever since I was little, I’ve always had a passion for fashion and styling. I was that kid that used to get changed into three different outfits each day pretending to go to different places. I started my Instagram when I was in university and originally it was more teaching content rather than fashion focused. It made a shift to be a fashion/lifestyle blog about a year and a half ago now. I wanted to share my fashion finds with everyone and share how I styled pieces together. I’m a bit of a bargain buyer and love pieces that are versatile and can be worn over and over.

Surprisingly I actually don’t have one. Weird, I know!

I’d definitely have to say a black blazer, white tee and white sneakers. Whilst so many pieces of clothing can be versatile when styled, these three would definitely have to be up there as my favourite 3. They can be styled with literally anything, as well as dressed up or down. Those mornings when I feel I have nothing to wear, I always reach for these pieces and pair them with a suitable bottom piece depending on what I have on, whether that’s a black pleated skirt, denim, leather pants etc.

It’s hard to put an exact time on it, and I think that’s something that people don’t really understand about brand collaborations. Whilst they can look super easy to your audience because you’re just ‘wearing the clothes and taking photos/creating reels’, behind the scenes there is so much more than that that goes into it. Each brand collaboration process isn’t always the same. Some brands will send through briefs of what they’re proposing to be posted. This could include how many stories/posts they’re wanting, what sort of setting they’re wanting the photos to be styled in etc. Some collaborations involve more time as location shooting takes time and there are many factors you need to consider when planning a location shoot, such as the weather and transport time. Once you’ve worked with the same brands for a period of time they trust and love what you do, so genuinely leave it up to you.

I get inspiration in various ways. I’m forever on Instagram and browsing other social media avenues such as Pinterest, so I often get some inspo off there. Whilst some of my inspiration comes from social media, a lot of it actually comes from trial and error. I have a good eye for what I think will work and am forever mixing and matching pieces to see what works and what versatility can be styled from a piece.

1. Don’t be afraid to wear colour, whether it’s a vibrant one or more of a pastel. If you aren’t someone that particularly enjoys wearing colour, start small until it grows on you and then build from that. Ways to start small in colour could be wearing a pop of colour on your lips or wearing clothing that incorporates colour within its design, such as a tee with colour graphics. Pastel is a nice hue to look at when experimenting with colour as it isn’t so much ‘in your face’.

2. Choose pieces that have their own features to elevate an outfit. For example, padding in tops are coming up here and there. The feature of this is situated on the upper body, so I’d balance this out by having a bottom piece that isn’t tight fitted. Some other pieces that have their own statement features are wide leg pants (seriously trending!), off the shoulder tops, frill cuffing, and tops with slight balloon sleeves.

3. Tonal dressing. It looks light and fresh and is perfect for the pop of warmer weather we get in Spring. Tonal dressing doesn’t always have to be in your brighter colours, neutrals paired together also are a stand out. When tonal dressing, don’t be afraid to experiment with different textures, as well as accessorise to make the outfit pop.

I’ve had many moments that have brought a huge smile to my face. I think something that makes me the happiest are the relationships I’ve built with not only the brands I collaborate with, but my followers too. I feel like I have such a hype family behind me and love connecting with them all. Whilst I share fashion ideas with my audience in hope

to give them some tips and inspiration, my following also make my day and being on Instagram every day is actually something I truly love. In addition to this, I love being able to shed light on many businesses I collaborate with, whether they are of a large following or a smaller business.