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- [00:00]
Sapna Rao
Foreign.
- [00:07]
Maddie
This episode of our fresh new miniseries, Face to Face is brought to you by longcomm. Throughout this series, we'll be meeting three cult status creatives that are making their mark. Join us for each conversation as we delve into their business backstory, uncover their best kept tips, and get a taste of what life's like as a successful creative. This is all thanks to another icon, Lancome, and their new genifique, Ultimate Serum, which visibly repairs signs of aging in just seven days. It's available now@longcom.com.
- [00:45]
Hi, I'm Maddie. Welcome to Face2Face. This is the series where I get to sit down opposite some of fashion and beauty's best experts so I can get all of the industry's best kept secrets. And today we're talking all things beauty and fashion from an absolute true expert. Sapna Rao. Welcome.
- [01:04]
Sapna Rao
Hi. Oh my God, I love that intro.
- [01:07]
Maddie
I know. Isn't it fun? It's always nice being called an expert, isn't it? Yeah.
- [01:11]
Sapna Rao
Yeah, it is.
- [01:12]
Maddie
So I've got a little bit of a bio about you and I want to introduce you to our listeners. If they haven't heard of you, I'm a mega fan. So I'm very excited that you're here with us today. But Sapna, you are a fashion and beauty editor at UK publication Sheer Lux. She has a wealth of experience in broadcasting, podcasting and writing. Talk about a triple threat. She's also the co host of Lux Gen's podcast Group Chat. And we're lucky enough to have her here with us today to share with us her ultimate guide to all things fashion and beauty. Sapna, I'm very excited for our audience to benefit from your expertise on two of our favorite topics, what we wear and what we should put on our face.
- [01:53]
Sapna Rao
Oh, 100%. It's like the best thing to talk about, isn't it?
- [01:56]
Maddie
100%. It's what we spend hours at wine bars chatting about with girlfriends.
- [01:59]
Sapna Rao
Right, exactly that.
- [02:01]
Maddie
So at Stylish, one thing that we love more than anything is a recommendation. So I thought it would be fun for us to kick it off with a little recommendation that you might have for us.
- [02:12]
Sapna Rao
Okay, well, this is more of like a hack. I would say that I tell everyone at the moment it's a good one. And actually any makeup artists listening or any actual experts, close your ears because they're going to be like, no, no, no, no, no, don't do that. But I've honestly found it to be the best thing recently. So actually, before I tell you how often do you wash your makeup brushes?
- [02:32]
Maddie
Oh, okay. So I'm absolutely going to out myself here. I used to work in the beauty industry and I used to just buy fresh makeup brushes, like, every few months. But I do a little alcohol spray. Right. It's not good. I'm not out setting an example. So come on, tell me how often I should be and what I should be doing.
- [02:49]
Sapna Rao
Well, they say you should do it weekly. I was definitely not doing that. And I am quite like a spotty girl anyway. But I was, like, really getting so many spots, and I could tell it was every time my makeup brushes got a bit dirty. So my hack now, which I heard, I think on TikTok, like, every piece of information I find, but it does work. So I put it in, like, a silk pillowcase and put it in the washing machine, but with, like, nothing, like no detergent, nothing, like nasty glossy in there, but just put it in and it works. It's like, amazing.
- [03:18]
Maddie
Every single makeup brush.
- [03:20]
Sapna Rao
Yeah, every single. I literally put in like 20 in there a couple weeks ago, and they were all squeaky clean.
- [03:24]
Maddie
Okay. So I'm gonna wash my sheets tomorrow and I'm also gonna wash my makeup brushes in my silk pillowcase. That is a brilliant hack. And if it saves me having to buy new makeup brushes every few months. Or even worse, using dish liquid.
- [03:38]
Sapna Rao
Exactly. But the good thing is if you do it in one big bulk, then you've got them all clean. And then when you use them, you can use the little. You know how there's like the spray and then you went to wipe your. A brush. You can then do that. They last for longer, but maybe like once a month you just shove it in the washing. Not the washing. No, it is a washing machine. I thought I said dishwasher. Then I was like, don't put in the dishwasher.
- [03:55]
Maddie
I was about to say that wouldn't be a bad one either. Just where the utensils go.
- [03:59]
Sapna Rao
Yeah.
- [03:59]
Maddie
Okay. That is a great recommendation. I love that. And I will definitely be bringing that into my own routine while I'm doing my weekly washing. But I briefly touched on your credentials. But to start us off, I thought it would be great for anyone who maybe isn't aware of what she looks is if you could give us a little rundown of what the publication is.
- [04:18]
Sapna Rao
Yeah, for sure. I mean, it's actually quite apt because it was Sheer Lux's 18th birthday last week, which I think is birthday.
- [04:26]
Maddie
She looks.
- [04:27]
Sapna Rao
I know. And I feel like a lot of people who know it today probably don't know that it's been up and running for that long, but our Amazing founder and CEO Georgie started it 18 years ago as sort of like a directory almost. So it was where to shop and, you know, the best place in the high street. And now it's obviously evolved to so much more, I suppose. I think our site is everything from fashion, beauty, lifestyle, parenting, being a Gen Z. Like there's so many things that it covers. It's a fashion beauty publication at its core, I suppose.
- [04:59]
Maddie
Well, thanks for sharing and happy 18th birthday, Sheilux. Now you're a beauty editor and this is obviously a super covetable role and an industry that a lot of people would love to break into. Can you tell me how you started in beauty editing and writing?
- [05:15]
Sapna Rao
Yeah, so I actually before being a writer or an editor, I was in pr.
- [05:22]
Maddie
Yeah.
- [05:22]
Sapna Rao
And actually more on the fashion side. I think fashion was always my sort of first love and passion. And while I didn't actually study it for my undergrad, I then went into fashion communications. But I think fashion, beauty, crossover so much that you are just exposed to that. And growing up I was that girl who was like on YouTube watching all the makeup tutorials. It was just like the thing I loved so much. So I think from that I gained a lot of knowledge about beauty, about the beauty brands, about like what people were using and how they were using beauty and makeup. And so it was always just something that was a passion alongside of like fashion that I was actually trying to, you know, pursue a career in. And then when this job came up at Sheerlux, I had already been sort of creating a blog and writing a lot about fashion and beauty. And so it just made sense that, you know, the job was sort of for both. And I was like, well actually I do have a lot of knowledge and like love for beauty as well. So it just sort of worked in that way that it was for both. But I think it's one of those things that with any job you have to almost love it so much to like be able to like get your foot in the door for it. Like you have to be like an expert in the subject you're talking about before you're actually an expert. That makes sense.
- [06:31]
Maddie
Yeah. Passionate expert. Yeah, an expert in passion. And so what would be some practical tips you would give to someone who maybe is looking at a role like yours or someone like you and looking to break into the industry or have a role like your own?
- [06:45]
Sapna Rao
Yeah. So whether it's fashion or beauty or lifestyle, anything, if it's writing. And if it's publishing or magazine that you're looking to work at, if you don't have the experience, you have to create the evidence. And I say that to everyone. And I was someone who didn't do that for a long time. I was applying for jobs and I was like, why am I not getting anything back and why is no one replying to me or whatever? And it's because my experience, yes, was in pr and yes, I did have the knowledge, but I didn't have the, like, writing experience that I suppose you need for a role like an editor or writer. So that's when I started creating a portfolio. And even when you can't, maybe an internship or, I mean, a lot of people sadly have to work for free even to get that experience, and I'm sure a lot of people can't do that. So if you can't, what I did was started a blog and I was writing about trends or outfits or makeup or whatever, and I would just start doing that so that when I was then applying for the jobs, I could send them this website that I was creating and be like, look, this is examples of my writing and this is how I can write. And one tip, actually, I'd give to anyone who was gonna maybe give a publication a sample of their writing is to do it in the style of something that they already do. So there might be like a franchise that they do. So for example, at Sherlocks, we have this thing called One Look Three Ways. And I actually on my thing had already done a One look three Ways, and I had, like written all about it. So that was a really good piece that I could give to them to be like, oh, look, I've done this and you do this and I can do this for you. So I think that's a really good way to do, is show evidence that you can do what they want you to do, even if you haven't already worked somewhere or, you know, had an internship in the same sort of thing.
- [08:24]
Maddie
I absolutely love that piece of advice. And particularly doing something in the style or manner or framework that a business is already doing something in or a public. I think that is such a valuable piece of advice. I love it.
- [08:36]
Sapna Rao
Yeah.
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Maddie
So you've obviously had this super impressive career at Shelux, and it's an incredibly fast paced, moving industry, the beauty and fashion industry. What's been the most unexpected career lesson as part of your journey thus far?
- [08:49]
Sapna Rao
I think, I suppose it's more of like a personal thing, but it's more just, you have to really just vouch for yourself. I think a lot of young people especially sort of think that, you know, your career will just happen once you're in a job or whatever. It will just happen, it will progress. But I think in this sort of world, it's not as corporate as you think. There's not like clear levels or roles that you sort of naturally fall into. And you have to really just ask for what you want and say what you want. And I think especially working in this kind of industry, you have to really roll with the punches. It's super fast paced. You have to really know your shit. And I think a big part of that for me is being so just chronically online. I think that really does help. But yeah, I think one of the biggest kind of career lessons for me has been to sort of just if you don't ask, you don't get.
- [09:33]
Maddie
Yeah. And I love that you touched on being a young person as well, because obviously you've had such tremendous success for your age. How have you kind of developed that confidence and resilience in your career and in the workplace?
- [09:45]
Sapna Rao
I mean, it's definitely a work in progress there because, yeah, I think especially when you're surrounded by people a little bit older than you, you do have a bit of that, like, oh, should I really be doing this? Should I really be here? But I think you have to just fully, wholeheartedly believe in yourself. You are your own biggest cheerleader and you have to be because like I said, you have to vouch for yourself. But I think it's also just accepting that everyone does things differently and it's finding your own way of doing things. And I think you really shouldn't compare to how other people are doing things because, you know, a management style or a working style or whatever that works for someone else might not work for you. I'm really good at, like reflecting, I think, which is such a weird thing to say, but I'm really good at reviewing what I'm doing and how I'm doing things. And maybe it's because I'm a math massive overthinker for like everything in my life, but I do think it does really help in the workplace to constantly be thinking, okay, how do I do that? How could I do that better? How did that work out? And I think it's also just really leaning on a mentor or people within your business. I definitely have those people for me who I respect so much and whose careers I really respect. And it's so amazing to just go to them and be like, oh, but you know, in this situation, what would you do? And I think you need to do it in a way that it's not like you're going to someone for every little thing and not making your own decisions, but that you can lean on someone that you really trust as well.
- [11:01]
Maddie
Yeah. I think a mentor is such a great piece of advice because I think a lot of people might be a little bit nervous to ask, was your mentorship something that you naturally fell into or did you kind of approach that person asking if you could, you know, make it a little more formal?
- [11:16]
Sapna Rao
I think it was definitely a more natural thing. You know, it's people who were my managers or all my managers now who are just the best and the best. So I think it was a really natural thing to just be like gaining advice and wisdom from them.
- [11:27]
Maddie
Yeah, very lucky. Sounds like you've had some great managers. So in your role, you obviously have a media role, but you also have a public facing element to that role. How have you dealt with balancing both of those parts of your job?
- [11:41]
Sapna Rao
I think they kind of just go really hand in hand. And in terms of like creating content on my channels, it has just been a bit of a passion and something that I've done even before I was at Sherlocks and, you know, just taking photos or putting outfits together and all that kind of thing. So with it being a passion, it was something that just continued and obviously now having like a really busy full time job, it's also squeezing that in alongside that. But yeah, I think because of the nature of my role, it kind of just goes hand in hand now and something that feels quite mutually beneficial almost.
- [12:13]
Maddie
I know that I am an avid fan of consuming your content, so we'll definitely make sure if any of our listeners haven't seen you on your personal socials that they should definitely check it out. There's lots of outfit inspo there. Is there anything that you think would surprise people about being a beauty editor?
- [12:29]
Sapna Rao
I mean, it's like a complete blessing and an amazing thing, but the sheer amount of products that we are sent is crazy. And it's lovely being an office full of women that we can literally dish that out to everyone.
- [12:41]
Maddie
Yeah.
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Sapna Rao
And also we do a lot in terms of charity and giving to beauty banks and things like that. But I think the amount that is received is crazy.
- [12:49]
Maddie
Yeah.
- [12:49]
Sapna Rao
And I think any beauty editor would say that as well.
- [12:51]
Maddie
You're like, I've only got one face.
- [12:53]
Sapna Rao
Yeah. Literally there's an element, obviously you want to test a lot and you want to make sure your reviews and what you're talking about are genuine. But Yeah, I think PRs need to calm down slightly with the amount that they send. Also, you know, you see those crazy road packages and those amazing activations and things, those are so lovely. But I do think as someone who's so planet conscious, the amount of cardboard and plastic and things that I receive a week is mental. So, yeah, the little PSA people need to streamline that slightly.
- [13:21]
Maddie
You're like recycled materials, consolidated PR packs, opt in emails, all very welcome. Yeah, Speaking of beauty, what beauty trends do you think we're going to be seeing more of as we head into 2025?
- [13:34]
Sapna Rao
I think hair this year is a really big thing and across all categories, we've seen this sort of skinification happening, which basically just means that a lot of, like skincare ingredients are moving into hair care, makeup, basically every category. But hair specifically, I think we'll be seeing more and more of that. Other trends, I think. I mean, last year we had so many, like, ridiculous micro trends. I mean, I love them. I love all the fun names and things like that. I can't say there's anything that's like really sticking out to me at the moment, but red just generally across fashion, beauty, home lifestyle has been so huge. And I think this year with makeup specifically, it's so going more into like the cherry red vibe. So I think we've seen a little bit more of that. But going back to hair, I think cuts like the way we've seen a lot of celebs doing fringes at the moment, but like micro fringes or the sort of like stepped fringe cut. So I think that will sort of be thing that we'll lean into a bit more as well.
- [14:32]
Maddie
Yeah. Is there anything you saw in 2024 that you want to leave in 2024?
- [14:37]
Sapna Rao
Oh, my God, so much. But I think the main thing was the, like, layering. I can't remember what it's called now. Was it not slugging? But there was like a thing where people would layer so many skincare products onto their face and I think it works for some people. And I think if you really know your skin and you can do that, then that's great. But I think generally we need to be calming that down. We need to be like streamlining our routines. Less is more. I mean, double cleansing is out, apparently. I kind of have stopped double cleansing. I don't know about you. Do you double cleanse?
- [15:08]
Maddie
I do double cleanse. I do. I wear SPF every day here in Australia. So I always do like an oil or a balm cleanser and then I'll go in with a cream or a gel.
- [15:17]
Sapna Rao
So I'm similar to that. Like in the evenings to get my makeup off, I'll always double cleanse.
- [15:22]
Maddie
Yeah.
- [15:22]
Sapna Rao
But in the mornings I've tried to really strip it back with just something really gentle. So yeah, I think generally people just.
- [15:27]
Maddie
Need to ease up.
- [15:28]
Yeah.
- [15:29]
No, I would never think to double cleanse in the morning. I'm like, there's nothing to take off.
- [15:33]
Sapna Rao
No. But I see people's like full routines in the morning which like a million products. I'm like, you really don't need to be doing that.
- [15:38]
Maddie
I know. And also, do you really want to get up three hours earlier to like fit that into the morning? Like you need to set your alarm two hours earlier so that you could have the 45 minutes delay and then go do the skincare routine.
- [15:49]
Sapna Rao
Literally. I will like in the evenings on a Sunday, I will happily set aside like an hour or more to just have like a self care evening. But in the mornings it's quick. Quick, let's go.
- [16:00]
Maddie
Yeah. It's funny, isn't it, that you can have such a quick, speedy routine in the morning but at nighttime it can be so ritualistic.
- [16:06]
Sapna Rao
Yeah.
- [16:06]
Maddie
I love that.
- [16:10]
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- [17:41]
We talk a lot about like desert island products, but I think the real term is the carry on products or tools.
- [17:48]
Sapna Rao
Yeah.
- [17:48]
Maddie
So if you had, you know, seven, eight kilos carry on baggage, what are you packing? Like what's your non negotiable.
- [17:55]
Sapna Rao
First of all, I would 100% be paying excess baggage if I had that. But if I had to really be curated with what I'm taking, it would definitely be like makeup and beauty wise. A dual ended brush, I feel like that is like you could do so much with that. You could probably use that for every single thing on your face. You probably shouldn't, but you could. And then while I love my razor, I've got such a great razor. I always take the like mini. I don't even know what it's called, but there's like a little mini pocket razor. Have you seen those? I don't know if they have there.
- [18:24]
Maddie
That is genius though.
- [18:26]
Sapna Rao
Oh my God. Yeah, you can get them in like the drugstores here and boots and stuff. It's like this tiny little razor and to be honest, they are so sharp and they really get it done. So that's great for travel. What else? I mean, I'm all about like my base. Like if I had to leave the house with nothing but a bit of like concealer, I'd be fine. So yeah, it would be a really good concealer. Especially when you're going on like a hot holiday. I'm not going to be there putting like a load of foundation on. So it's probably like a really light tinted serum and then concealer everywhere basically. And then a really good palette. I love just a palette that has like highlight, a bronzer, a blush. So you're set and that's kind of all you need then.
- [19:04]
Maddie
Yeah. And that's probably a seven kilos sorted by then.
- [19:07]
Sapna Rao
Yeah, exactly.
- [19:08]
Maddie
No clothes, you're like, I'm done. You can take one bra, one pair of knickers and like one outfit. That's it now.
- [19:14]
Sapna Rao
Exactly.
- [19:16]
Maddie
So I imagine that you get absolutely inundated with beauty tips and tricks and I imagine if your office is anything like the shameless media media office, it is just arrive with recommendations and little tidbits. What tips and tricks have you heard as a beauty editor and writer that you actually use. Aside from obviously the genius silk pillow hack that I think we're all going to be now doing.
- [19:39]
Sapna Rao
Oh, I think one of the main ones that always stuck with me because brows for me have always been such like a bugbear. I've never been able to nail them. I still feel like I'm not nailing them. But the biggest or two of the things I've heard about brows is it should be sisters, not twins. And that's always stuck with me because I think I was fully trying to make them identical. And that never looks good. Like it never looks good.
- [20:01]
Maddie
You were trying to do Mary Kate and Ashley.
- [20:03]
Sapna Rao
Exactly. And then the other thing is also the way to sort of line them up. So you're basically meant to take your brow pencil, whatever you're using and place it on your nose and then like go up like this. Sorry if people can't see me doing this. To like the top of your brow. And that's where it should start. So that's actually transformed the way I do my face. And then also in terms of skin care, one thing that has like completely changed my skin is vitamin C. Genuinely doesn't matter what brand you're using, use a vitamin C. As someone who's quite acne prone and also suffers from like dark spots and things like that, it's like really cleared my skin.
- [20:39]
Maddie
It's been game changing.
- [20:40]
Sapna Rao
Yeah, it really is.
- [20:41]
Maddie
They're great tidbits. I'm for sure gonna go home and grab my eyebrow pencil and just make sure that my sisters, not twins, are like cooperating accordingly. Yeah. Speaking of skin, is there any non skin care related items that you feel like have changed your routine or transformed your skin?
- [20:57]
Sapna Rao
I mean, I don't know how much they've transformed my skin, but it's definitely a nice thing that I like to do and I feel like it helps. My skin is a good sheet mask. I love getting a sheet mask and putting it in the fridge and just putting it on my face like on a Sunday or after a long day. It just. Yeah, I think with like puffiness or redness or if you are breaking out a bit. That's amazing.
- [21:19]
Maddie
Yeah. And very self care routine coded.
- [21:22]
Sapna Rao
Yeah. I'm also on a bit of like a gut health journey because I do think that what's internally happening does also come out for your skin and your hair and your nails. I've been having simper, which is a great, great thing to be happy. Like. I honestly, it's one of those things. But when you're having it, you don't feel like it's doing anything for you. And then when you stop having it, you're like, oh my God, I'm ill every day. So it's one of those things you have to stick with. But it's really good for skin, hair, nails, health generally.
- [21:48]
Maddie
I love it. We love something that can do it all. Yeah. Is there anything in your self care routine that's a non negotiable for you?
- [21:55]
Sapna Rao
I just love a good face mask. I know I said about sheet masks, but like a good clay mask.
- [22:00]
Maddie
Yeah.
- [22:00]
Sapna Rao
That you can just slog onto your face and just sit there. What else do I like? I think aside from beauty and skin care and all of that? I think it's just one of the things I've been doing so much recently, which is so simple, but it just changes my mood so much as I get in the shower with my speaker and I'll just put on like some really good music. And I think singing in the shower is like the best form of therapy you can have other than actual therapy, which I also love.
- [22:23]
Maddie
It's much cheaper than actual therapy.
- [22:25]
Sapna Rao
Yeah, exactly. But no, it's great. I really recommend, if you don't already do that.
- [22:29]
Maddie
What's on your playlist at the moment?
- [22:31]
Sapna Rao
Honestly, you guys probably wouldn't have heard of her, but Mahalia, I'm like the biggest Mahalia fan in the whole world. That's what I listen to almost every day. And then what else am I to do? Taylor Swift. I'm big Swifty. So always a lot of Taylor Swift.
- [22:44]
Maddie
It feels like it goes without saying now I don't trust people who tell me Taylor Swift isn't on their playlist anymore. I'm like, you're lying.
- [22:49]
Sapna Rao
Yeah. Also have you heard I love Olivia Dean as well, but have you heard her new song for the new Bridget Jones film? It is so good. That's been currently actually what I've been having on repeat.
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Maddie
It is so good. I can promise you 24 hour flight away in Melbourne in my shower that is also getting an absolute workout right now. We have spent a lot of time talking about your best beauty tips and tricks and your recommendations. But I mean, I want to know what your most controversial beauty take is.
- [23:18]
Sapna Rao
Oh, I think that for skincare, mainly skincare. I think it needs to have an age on there. You know, with movies you go in.
- [23:27]
Maddie
And it's PG or PG 13.
- [23:30]
Sapna Rao
Yeah. NC 16. I feel like we need to start doing that for skincare because there has been such like a shift on socials with like really young kids using skincare. And I think part of me loves that they are taking that time for like self care and like really taking care of their skin at a young age. Part of me is terrified because I saw someone using retinol the other day and I was like, I don't even use retinol. So like, why? They were like 12 or 10 or something. So I think skincare brands, especially anything with actives in it, I feel like it should have a bit of a disclaimer for age, especially as like young kids are on social and they're seeing XYZ products and they're using it, but maybe their parents don't know what's in that and they're just like, yeah, sure, let's go and buy that. They might not know. So I think having that, that's, that's my take.
- [24:12]
Maddie
I feel like you think that's a controversial take. I think every parent is like, hallelujah, yes, we need that because you're so right. I think a lot of the time there's like these tiny little tweens and teens using products that are far too advanced for their baby sensitive skin. They're perfect collagen filled skin. I'm like, you don't know how good you've got it.
- [24:32]
Sapna Rao
Literally.
- [24:33]
Maddie
Okay, so let's park the beauty chat. As much as I could sit here and keep going because I love all of it and I think you're a wealth of wisdom, but you obviously are heavily involved in fashion as well. And it would be remiss of me not to say, is there an Aussie brand that you love or that you've had your eye on so many.
- [24:52]
Sapna Rao
I love Dish. I think Dish and Camilla, Mark, are like my. Yeah, main favorites. And I also love Sir. It's the label.
- [24:59]
Maddie
Yeah, so the label. Yeah, that's a great triple threat.
- [25:02]
Sapna Rao
Oh, so good. I love that. I've named some really expensive ones, but I love them a lot. There's also. Is it lioness? Is that Australia?
- [25:09]
Maddie
Yeah, that is Australian.
- [25:11]
Sapna Rao
Yeah, I love them as well. So, yeah, those are the main ones that I go to.
- [25:14]
Maddie
God, you're good. You've got four.
- [25:15]
Sapna Rao
Thanks.
- [25:16]
Maddie
If you had to pick your favorite of those four, who would you pick and why?
- [25:20]
Sapna Rao
Oh, my gosh, probably Camila. Mark. Just because I think like the vibe really goes with like London as well. Like, I've got this amazing trench coat from them that I wore like all of last spring and I'm like waiting for it to not be freezing cold. Here to wear it again. But it's like just the perfect trench in the whole world.
- [25:39]
Maddie
Yeah, they do an incredible trench. They're very well known for their trenches.
- [25:43]
Sapna Rao
Yeah.
- [25:43]
Maddie
I mean, great segue into what I want to ask you next because the beauty of Australians traveling abroad, I think, is that we often get to see what we'll be wearing six months later. It's incredibly warm in Australia at the moment. We're in the peak of our summer, but as you just alluded to, you are freezing cold. So sorry to rub that in. I want to know what your kind of hot take on what is in vogue and in fashion at the moment for you in the UK is, because it's very likely we'll be wearing it in six months. So. Yeah, why not head into the time traveling machine?
- [26:15]
Sapna Rao
Well, I think capes are a huge thing at the moment. I think people think of cape like these huge overpowering things. But I've seen these really lovely ones that are just sort of go over your coat or over your blazer even and have like a little bit of fringing and they just kind of sit over. And I think we'll see high street brands doing that a lot more as well. I think it's a lot more of a designer thing at the moment, but we'll see that. Another thing that I love and I actually really want to get something of is like a handheld big pouch. So there's like clutches and things like that. We've always had like, little clutches for the evenings or going out. But I love the, like daytime, like a good suit and then just like a really chunky, like, handheld pouch. Like, oh, my God, so gorgeous.
- [26:55]
Maddie
Yeah.
- [26:55]
Sapna Rao
What else? I'm trying to think ties. I mean, I'm really not for ties. We had this whole debate in the office about ties, and I'm still very much in the camp of like, I wouldn't wear a tie, but I do think it's going to be a trend that we're going to see so much more of. I think that whole preppy, borrowed from the boys vibe is always trending, always trending. But ties is definitely.
- [27:16]
Maddie
I'm with you on ties. Well, I was until about a week ago, and then I saw Nicole Kidman walk a red carpet in Head to toe Saint Laurent with a tie. And I was like, maybe I am a tie. I have to remember that maybe it won't quite look the same on me as it does on Nicole Kim.
- [27:29]
Sapna Rao
Well, no, I did the exact same thing. Because the only image that I love, love, love the look of with the tie is that one of Bella hadid on the St. Laurent catwalk. I don't even know when it was. Maybe last season. And that is, like, the most amazing styling. And then I'm like, but she's Bella Hadid, and she looks. Looks like that. And that's why she looks so sick in that.
- [27:46]
Maddie
Yeah. I think I'd look like I'd been rifling through my dad's wardrobe, but I'm adamant I'm gonna give it a go. I'm just gonna try it.
- [27:52]
Sapna Rao
I do think as well, it depends what your wardrobe looks like. I think that's the case with any trend. Like, for me, I lean into slightly, like, slouchier, more relaxed shapes. And I love tailoring. I love a bit of, like, a preppy vibe. But then I feel like adding prep with prep is, like, a lot. But if you are a little bit more feminine or you go a bit more edgy, adding something preppy, like a tie, is actually quite a nice balance. So it really just dep with what you have in your wardrobe and what you already wear.
- [28:18]
Maddie
That's such a great tip. And I feel like being able to shop from your wardrobe and see where you can help implement trends as opposed to just going and buying an entire full look is a much smarter way to integrate it.
- [28:31]
Sapna Rao
Yeah.
- [28:31]
Maddie
There's going to be a lot of career gals listening to this episode and I think hanging on to every one of your words. But one thing that we talk a lot about is what to wear to work. What are some of your go to corporate girly brands or maybe items of clothing that you feel like everyone should have in the wardrobe?
- [28:50]
Sapna Rao
Okay, so brands wise, do you guys have Massimo duty there?
- [28:56]
Maddie
We don't, and that breaks my heart, but you better believe we are all adding it to our Pinterest boards.
- [29:01]
Sapna Rao
Oh, such a shame.
- [29:02]
Maddie
We're hanging out for one. We got Zara so late in the game versus the rest of the world, but no, we had another guest on this podcast who was like, I am dying for them to come out here.
- [29:12]
Sapna Rao
Oh, my God. Yeah. So Massimo, I just feel like kills it constantly. I do find them quite pricey for the high street, but if you get a couple good bits from them, it's great. Mango as well. I feel like I'm constantly finding great pieces from them for work, whether it's tailored trousers or, like, a good blazer. They've got some really good coords as well. I've got this really nice, like, shirt and trouser Striped camel colored set. And I just feel like I've been wearing it so much recently. But, yeah, it's probably what I'm wearing now, to be honest. I love a good suit. I feel like I'm in a suit a lot of the time, at least once a week. But the good thing about a suit is that you can break it up so you can wear the blazer with different trousers or jeans or bottoms or whatever. And then for the trousers, you can wear it with, like, jumpers and knits and vests and. Yeah. So I think investing in a good suit is always worth it. Although I've said investing. There are so many good ones on the high street. Like this one's actually from Topshop.
- [30:01]
Maddie
Yeah.
- [30:01]
Sapna Rao
On asos. Do you guys have asos?
- [30:03]
Maddie
We do have asos. No, we're not totally deprived. I made it sound like we were. We have asos. We're lucky. And we've got Mango. We've got Mango online as well.
- [30:13]
Sapna Rao
Oh, great. Yeah, so I think those are the main things. Good tailoring, but also, like, just some good knits. I think at this time of the year, it's really nice to just wear like a nice pair tailored trousers, a knit and some loafers. But my thing, to be honest, is I really struggle in the summer because I just want to be wearing, like, the bare minimum. But you can't really do that to work. It's not very professional.
- [30:34]
Maddie
Yeah.
- [30:35]
Sapna Rao
So I think for me, in the summer it's just like light layers, a good waistcoat and trouser matching set kind of thing that I really like.
- [30:42]
Maddie
Yeah. So chic. We were laughing about this recently on an episode of ours, because we were saying it's so much easier to look chic in winter.
- [30:49]
Sapna Rao
Yeah, it is.
- [30:50]
Maddie
The season lends itself so much better than it does in summer.
- [30:54]
Sapna Rao
And it's such a dilemma because I love summer so much and I love the sun and like, generally summer dressing is amazing, but dressing for autumn, winter is just a new level of, like, you can just be so much more creative with, like, layers and colors and textures and there's just so much more going on.
- [31:08]
Maddie
I feel I could not agree more. And I know that you said when you're getting dressed in the morning, you're quite intuitive and you're not someone who lays it out, but is there something that does inspire you or someone that inspires you when you're getting dressed every morning?
- [31:21]
Sapna Rao
I think I love Pinterest, so I'm like someone who every quarter has a Pinterest board for Like a vibe, a mood. It includes fashion, beauty, home, like all sorts. So I really just kind of use that as an anchor. Like if in the morning I'm so uninspired, I'll just look at that and be like, oh, yeah, I really like those shapes actually and like those colors and like, what do I have that I can like, mimic to that vibe?
- [31:43]
Maddie
Yeah.
- [31:43]
Sapna Rao
So that's where I go when I need a bit of inspiration. I follow, obviously, so many people on socials, but I try not to copy, I think not in like a way of like, oh, I don't want to look the same as that person or have the same as that person. But I think it's really important. I think it's so hard to like find your own style these days and like have elements of like you if you are just copy pasting. And I think there's anything wrong with that because everyone finds inspiration from somewhere.
- [32:07]
Maddie
Yeah.
- [32:07]
Sapna Rao
But I think it's better to take bits and bobs and then put it together in your own way.
- [32:13]
Maddie
Yeah.
- [32:13]
Sapna Rao
Which I think is definitely done with accessories and jewelry and things like that as well.
- [32:17]
Maddie
Yeah. Drawing inspiration, not mimicking.
- [32:20]
Sapna Rao
Exactly. Yeah.
- [32:22]
Maddie
So if I'm right, you have just come off the back of London Fashion Week, which I imagine is a very busy time for you. Is there anything before prepping for big events like that or going to big events like that that is non negotiable for you?
- [32:36]
Sapna Rao
I feel like I should say that I really plan these outfits out and really have like a good process for what I'm wearing to London Fashion Week. But, like getting ready in the morning, it's very intuitive. But I think a non negotiable for me is having a good pair of boots. I'm someone who loves a flat, but I will never wear like trainers or anything like that to a good event. I used to wear them to work all the time. As I started to mature slightly, I'm like, okay, I need to put the trainers away for a while and wear a good pair of boots. Boots, some loafers, things like that. So one thing that I always make sure I have when it's London Fashion Week time, especially because the season is like wet and rainy and gross. I just need a good pair of small kitten heel boots.
- [33:12]
Maddie
Yeah.
- [33:13]
Sapna Rao
Which actually have a very good pair from H M and a very good pair from Topshop. So they're good places to look for those.
- [33:18]
Maddie
Okay, great. We'll add those to the list.
- [33:20]
Sapna Rao
Yeah, definitely add those to the list. Another non negotiable is a good small Bag, which sounds silly, but you need a bag that's almost small enough that you're not lugging loads and loads around because you're back and forth and you're running from place to place and whatever, but it can't be so tiny that you can't put, like, the things you actually need in. Like, I always need a few makeup bits. I need a phone charger. I need to put my phone in there because the snatchers in London are actually ridiculous. Have you heard about this?
- [33:47]
Maddie
I have, because I was actually over 12 months ago visiting one of my best friends and I sat down at a cafe and put my phone on the table, which I would always do in Melbourne. And she was like, yeah, we're not in Kansas anymore. Put the phone in your handbag. Handbag on your lap. If you've got a chain over the body, like crossbody everything.
- [34:05]
Sapna Rao
Yeah. I was saying before, I grew up in Singapore, which is like the safest place on earth. So I'm like, really? I've been adjusting to London and, like, thankfully, touchwood, that's word there. It's not happened to me. But I've heard so many stories of people just, like, bikes and people just take their phones anyway. Having it in a bag away so no one could take it is very important.
- [34:25]
Maddie
So, yeah, very important indeed. I think they're great tips. If I was to come to the uk, though, and I wanted to borrow an outfit, Are you someone who does lend things and is there anything in your wardrobe that you're, like, hard off limits? I'm not sharing.
- [34:40]
Sapna Rao
Absolutely not. I'm such, like, a sharer. I love. I feel like that is, like, the best thing, though. Like, if you have friends with different vibes or different clothes, like, it's such a nice way to, like, shop each other's wardrobe. So I would 100 lend you anything in my wardrobe.
- [34:52]
Maddie
Okay, great. What size shoe, though?
- [34:54]
Sapna Rao
I'm a four.
- [34:55]
Maddie
Oh, okay. Yeah, I'm a five. We might have an issue there. I'll have to go to the clothes section of the Shoe Shack.
- [35:00]
Sapna Rao
It's fine. We can squeeze anything I probably wouldn't lend you is, like a really ratty old jumper or pair of shoes that, like, no one should be wearing anymore. But I still have out of, like, sentiment.
- [35:09]
Maddie
I love that because I feel like most people's natural incline would be don't go for the very expensive fancy things. And you're like, no, no, please just stay away from the ratty things in the corner that I can't quite get rid of exactly, yeah. Okay, so from the ratty things to the most special things in your wardrobe, what are your most prized wardrobe possessions?
- [35:26]
Sapna Rao
Okay, so I have this blazer from a brand called Ray which used to be stocked on matches fashion which sadly doesn't exist anymore. And it's really, really sad. Literally every time I say them I say rip because it's the saddest thing ever. They did the most incredible pieces, tailoring, coats, everything. So that for me is like my most prized possession that if I was to ruin it or lose it, I would be so upset because they just don't make them anymore. So that's probably it. I mean I've got a few bags that I absolutely love. I'm a huge vintage shopper. I love ebay so much. I buy so many amazing pieces from there. So those are probably also my prized possessions, my ebay bags. I've got this incredible vintage secondhand Bottega bag from ebay that is in this like incredible rust brown color and I just haven't seen many of those around and especially from like their newer styles and new season styles, they don't do that color. So that is definitely one of my prized possessions.
- [36:22]
Maddie
That is a really good find. I'm a little bit jealous if I'm honest. I don't think I'm an amazing vintage shopper, but I want to get better. Do you have any tips?
- [36:31]
Sapna Rao
I think it's just about just really searching. I genuinely love the search, like whether it's on Vestia Collective or ebay, I love just scrolling and looking for stuff. So I think you have to have a bit of that. But if you're going in person, I think you need to also go in with just a totally open mind because if you're looking for something specific, the chances are you're not going to find it because yeah, you can't plan what's going to be in a shop. So you've got to go in with an open mind, try things on if you are going in person and yeah, just read the finer details as well if you're shopping online. Also if you're using ebay, always switch on their authenticity guarantee because it means that you're not going to get anything fake or that's not actually real deal. So that's yeah, main tips.
- [37:12]
Maddie
I think if we're shopping secondhand designer, we want to make sure it's second hand designer.
- [37:16]
Sapna Rao
Right, Exactly.
- [37:17]
Maddie
Yeah, that's a very good tip. Speaking of tips, I mean I imagine you've spent time with and interviewed some incredible People within the fashion industry, what do you feel like has been the most valuable piece of advice you've received?
- [37:31]
Sapna Rao
I think something that comes up time and time again, especially from stylists, is the fact that you need to be constantly reviewing and cleansing your wardrobe. And that doesn't mean buying new things. It's more just looking at what you have and what you're actually wearing. Because if you've got a wardrobe full and like 50 of it you're not actually wearing, it's going to look really cloudy. When you're, like, trying to pick your outfits, you're going to be like, oh, I don't know about that. I'm gonna use that. But if you have in your wardrobe, like, the pieces you really, really want to wear, every single piece in there you will wear and you can wear together. It's so much easier to put looks together. So that's something I've definitely been trying to do, is to detox my wardrobe regularly and, you know, take things to charity shops and things like that.
- [38:09]
Maddie
I like that tiff a lot. I think a lot of the time it's like a one in, one out that people will often go by when they're. I feel like we're getting better at cleansing. But going back and just being like, why am I holding on to this? I have to ask as well, off the back of that, how do you organize your wardrobe? Do you organize things based on colors or pants are all together or skirts are all together?
- [38:29]
Sapna Rao
Yeah, I mean, my boyfriend would say that I don't organize it at all. He's the one who does that because I'm so bad at all of that. But that it's mainly. So I've got like, blazers, shirts, and then like jackets that aren't too bulky, sort of hung, and then I've got trousers all together. And then knits were always folded and just like piled on top of each other. Yeah, Loungewear and then like, knickers are just in a big, like, draw altogether. Like they've just got no. No organization whatsoever.
- [38:56]
Maddie
I feel like it's just rule of law that people need to have, like, the junk drawer. And I think often that is just bras and knickers. They're allowed to be like that.
- [39:04]
Sapna Rao
Exactly that. Yeah.
- [39:05]
Maddie
Also, side note, very good boyfriend organizing the closet.
- [39:09]
Sapna Rao
Yeah. Thank God for him because my wardrobe would be such a mess without him.
- [39:13]
Maddie
You've got your own Marie Kondo at home.
- [39:15]
Sapna Rao
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
- [39:17]
Maddie
Sapna, thank you so much for joining us today. I think there is going to be some seriously valuable pieces of advice for our listeners both in the career landscape if they want to, you know, break into an industry like the one that you're in. But also just general advice and also great tidbit on the makeup brushes. I think we're all going to be doing that now. You'll probably start a whole trend over the ditch here in Australia. But we of course want to say thank you to Long Comm and their genifique Ultimate Serum for making this series come to life. And remember that you can listen to Sapna's episode whenever your heart desires and pick up all these incredible tips. But thank you so much again. We know it's very early your time when we've recorded this and you've done it without coffee, so my hat goes off to you.
- [40:01]
Sapna Rao
Thank you so much for having me.
- [40:03]
Maddie
All right, bye bye.
- [40:09]
Longcom's iconic Genifique serum has had a makeover with revolutionary ingredients that repair skin damages in just seven days. Shop the new Ultimate Serum at Longcom.com.
- [40:22]
Ruby
This podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri land.
- [40:25]
Sapna Rao
Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.
- [40:28]
Ruby
Hi, it's Ruby here, host of Shameless Media's podcast Inherited. Every week I am joined by a guest on Inherited who tells me about the rule, relic, recipe and ritual that has shaped who they are. And I'm popping up today to share some special moments that have resonated with me here. Britt Hockley speaks about the relationship she shares with her business partner and best friend, Laura Byrne.
- [40:54]
Sapna Rao
The best thing that came out of the Bachelor was Laura. Laura Byrne. Yeah. By far the best relationship that I got from that series. We are very different people in business. That's why it works. And I think you can't have two people the same in business because you clash heads.
- [41:09]
Ruby
Next you will hear a side of Annabel Lee you may not have heard before.
- [41:12]
I used to be so secret negative as a kid when my parents divorced. When they split up, I didn't tell anyone in my life. I think it's because growing up I was kind of told by my parents. And it is also like a Chinese culture thing where you don't tell people the things that they might judge you for.
- [41:31]
And here's Caroline Kell, founder of Black Waddle Coaching. This was a really special conversation. Caroline speaks to the work she does with int indigenous communities, in particular, women who can reclaim their power.
- [41:45]
For a long part of this history in Australia, black women, particularly their bodies and minds have been exploited, enslaved, domesticated. You know, to have the bravery to name like how we're feeling, and to honour those feelings and to have even that language is a really courageous thing for us to reclaim our sovereignty of ourselves.
- [42:10]
Inherited episodes drop every Tuesday. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts. And you can watch it too on YouTube. Just search inherited.