Cindy Newstead Chadstone's Head Stylist Interview

Cindy Newstead Chadstone's Head Stylist Interview

Get ahead of the Melbourne fashion pack this Autumn Winter at Chadstone's Runway to Every Day Styling workshops presented by Cindy Newstead. Chadstone's Head Stylist, Cindy Newstead, will showcase the season's must-have collections on everyday Melburnians, making high-end fashion accessible to all. With a workshop feel, Cindy will share her top tricks of the trade, revealing how to interpet the trends for different body shapes and varied budgets.

Date: Friday 14th March, 6.15pm arrival for 6.30pm start
Saturday 15th March, 12.45pm for 1pm start
Location: Lower level outside David Jones, Chadstone The Fashion Capital

Be quick for a front row seat – tickets available at www.stylewithcindy.com.au/rted.php for $15 including seated catwalk show, refreshments and goodie bag valued at over 550. Chadstone shoppers welcome to view the shows at standing room only.

Interview with Cindy Newstead

Meet Cindy Newstead – a personal stylist, makeover guru and therapist to boot. With 13 years' experience and over 6,000 consultations under her Miu Miu belt, Cindy's a pioneer of telling you if your bum looks big in that (in the nicest possible way). Heading up a team of personal style consultants at Chadstone – The Fashion Capital, Cindy's passionate about not only helping the nation dress better, but feeling warm and fuzzy about it too. Cindy believes it's not just about looking pretty for that upcoming wedding. It's about banishing those pesky self-limiting beliefs for the long haul. With her extensive psychotherapy training, Cindy offers style consultations which are often confronting, life changing and most importantly, inject the enjoyment back into shopping.

Cindy believes personal stylists are not just for the A-listers and specialises in translating runway fashions into real-life, practical and affordable style. There's only room for one Lady Gaga, after all. Like all good stylists, Cindy has a waiting list. So three years ago, she cleverly launched a Styling Academy to train aspiring style consultants in fashion prowess and business acumen and to help her in her quest to transform the nation. When not being a personal stylist and heading up a Styling Academy, Cindy is a mum to four and a step mum to a further four.

This autumn/ winter, Cindy will mostly be investing in a good quality pair of boots to complement the season's key looks whether it be Highland fling or Hitchcock heroine. It all starts with the boots.


Question: What should attendees expect from Chadstone's real life runway shows?

Cindy Newstead: The ability to see real life models in a variety of shapes and sizes, and with different body shape issues, show case on trend outfits for the everyday person. We work really hard to make sure that all outfits are within reach for everybody.


Question: What will we learn during the Chadstone's Runway to Every Day Styling workshops?

Cindy Newstead: The three main areas I focus on during the show are how to dress different body shapes, how to mix and match the current trends into every day looks and how to tackle problem areas on each model.

Question: How do you ensure you cover every different body type and style during these workshops?

Cindy Newstead: There are so many combinations that make up an individual body shape when you consider the horizontal and vertical body shape, together with everyone individual's different body features. It's very difficult to cover all body shapes with all the variations but I choose my models to represent as many different shapes and sizes as possible. We have a very mixed group of models this year and most have troublesome body issues that many women experience.


Question: What are the must-have items for the 2014 Autumn/Winter?

Cindy Newstead: A great leather jacket, leather skirt, a cape or a statement jacket, Black fitted jeans or leather Jeggins, statement blouses and statement accessories.


Question: Is it possible to stay in style this Autumn/Winter with a smaller budget?

Cindy Newstead: Absolutely, I manage this every day for clients. My number one tip is to always research the looks you want on style blogs and magazines, label look-books and even just down the street, and then buy inexpensive alternatives.


Question: What are the five most important items we should always have in our wardrobe?

Cindy Newstead: A blazer, a leather jacket, a black pencil skirt in a ponti fabric, a versatile dress (black is always my go-to) and a great pair of Long boots.

Question: What are the most important five things on your check-list when styling a client?

Cindy Newstead: I'll always work within their budget, their lifestyle, their personality, their sizes and their body shape.


Question: What's involved in your job as Chadstone's Head Stylist?

Cindy Newstead: It's such a privilege to work with Australia's Fashion Capital every day. I get to run my Real world runways seasonally, and am often asked for commentary in the media, TV or in print. I also run my styling sessions out of Chadstone, they have a fabulous cross section of brands and I find this to be so beneficial for clients because there's always something to work within every client's budget and style.


You've opened your own styling academy to help young stylists-in-the-making break in to the industry. Can you share with us some of the main tips you give young stylist prepare them for success in a competitive industry?

Cindy Newstead: I've had this academy for a few years and my advice is always the same, be honest to your client but gentle, have integrity when dealing with shop assistants and always be friendly to everyone. Most importantly, you never stop learning!


Question: What inspired you to begin styling, 14 years ago?

Cindy Newstead: I've always had a talent and flare for fashion and a real empathy for people, it also filled a gap for myself as I've always felt a very strong need to help and contribute to something bigger.


Question: Can you tell us about your new book?

Cindy Newstead: This is a book about personal style, but it's really a deeper message of helping people to see themselves differently, more positively. This book is inspirational and motivating. The main message in my book is to not focus on your problem areas as they don't define who you are!

Interview by Brooke Hunter