Rachael Armstrong: Walk In Her Wardrobe

Splitting her time between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, Rachael Armstrong is a busy multi-hyphenate – content creator and soon-to-be-launched footwear label founder are just two of these titles. Her aesthetic is chic and sophisticated, overflowing with neutrals, fluid fabrics (lots of relaxed trousers!) and welcome pops of red; gorgeous martinis, floral arrangements and an accessory collection we fawn over fill her feed. 

And yet, she’s just like us: “My days always start and end with a long walk with my husband and firstborn (of the fur variety), which I never take for granted.” For the mamas of all kinds, we wanted to walk in her wardrobe and find ourselves inspired, comfortable and confident. Here’s how this Blanca muse does it all (and dresses for it).

On her personal style evolution:

Even just 3 years ago, I was embracing a more quintessential ‘Queensland’ style, featuring feminine dresses and plenty of bright colour. More recently, I’ve leant into an off-duty capsule wardrobe with high-quality pieces I can rotate day-to-day. 

On ‘you’ outfits:

Even though I dress for comfort mid-week, I feel most like myself when I dress up into something a little spicy for a beautiful dinner date or a night out with girlfriends. This is usually an LBD with heels and whichever bag is my favourite for the month!

On high-repeat items:

I’ve always been a trouser girl, and right now, my toxic trait is that they simply *must* be an inch too long. A self-confessed slide over sneaker girl, I’ve been leaning into flip-flops, obnoxiously large handbags, and pretty much anything red. 

On balancing the many plates of life via clothing:

No matter the occasion, my wardrobe centres around feeling comfortable and confident. At the end of the day, this comes down to being the correct cut for my body. It’s taken years to finally know what will and won’t suit my body, and there is something very liberating about that.

On the ‘finishing touches’:

Right now, I can’t help but stack on some chunky bangles, they instantly elevate even the simplest outfit! 

My favourite everyday fragrances are Tocca Lucia, Dans Mon Lit & Juliette Has a Gun. I have certain scents that I associate with significant life events such as my wedding day perfume, Amouage Honour, which I strictly save for date night. 

I will never leave home without a brush, a bag hook, and a lip oil (Summer Fridays is my current fav).

On her average day:

No two days are the same, but you can always rely on me to rise with the sun and get some exercise in. If I need to shoot content, I try to get this done in the first half of my day so I can settle in at my home office in the afternoon. 

If I am out and about, I will no doubt be dressed in something simple like trousers and a tank, elevated with accessories. 

On her home and creative space:

My husband and I bought our home 8 years ago, and it’s been a slow evolution. We only replaced his bachelor couches last year! It’s important to me [that] it reflects both our tastes, which gives it a more masculine edge. My home office has slowly become a (slightly chaotic) mini showroom for my shoe samples, so this is where I inject some feminine details, including the all-important selfie-mirror. 

On finding inspiration:

My style icons include Viky Rader, Lovisa Worge, Amanda Shadforth, Elsa Hosk and Marina Didovich, just to name a few! I have made a conscious effort to take notes and save only my favourite trends that emerge during Paris Fashion Week. I find it overwhelming to try and absorb it all.

 

On resetting and relaxing:

Escaping to our home on the Sunshine Coast. We have an entirely different routine there, including morning Pilates, a day on the boat and afternoon siestas. It makes me happy just thinking about it! 

On our weekend visit:

It would include an indulgent dinner on Friday night at Establishment 203 (a new arrival to Brisbane and quickly becoming my favourite). Saturday morning, we would hit eject and go coastal to embrace the aforementioned routine! I would replace the afternoon siesta with aperitivo on our jetty for good measure. 

Rachael wears: Keris Top in Black, Keris Skirt in Black, Klara Shirt in Brown, Brooke Pleated Skirt in Tan.