Playful looks abound in this beach community where the waves become a runway

When dressing, comfort is always my top priority. It’s got to be effortless, ready to go. I’m not into buying the newest, latest and greatest — every now and then I’ll buy a staple piece. I love my bikinis to have a bit more coverage. This one is from a local designer, Saint Helena, and I love them because they are feminine and offer that coverage. I don’t want to be coming off a wave and worrying about where my bottoms and tops are. The girls surfing here at The Pass are pretty stylish. The wave can be a bit of a runway, there are lots of girls in high cut bikinis and jewelry. I’m not into it as much but I can appreciate the beauty of it. It’s fun. There are so many female surfers here, it is a female-dominated line up now, hence why I think fashion and surfing is popular here. The waves are relaxed and mellow, everyone is happy to share. Party waves!

My sense of style is very personal, not really reflecting the external world. I love to dress according to my whim and that’s usually very feminine styles. When I was younger, I used to have a lot of pain in my heart and I started to self-harm as a way to externalize my inner pain.

 

Natalie Grono for The New York Times

Every single tattoo that I have represents a process that I was going through in my life. I turned my emotional pain and scars into beauty. I used to love sitting for full days; my latest one, last week, I sat for 6 hours straight

It doesn’t matter how good-looking the clothes are, if they are not comfortable then I’m not wearing it. I love dresses that are floaty and airy and that I do not need to wear underwear underneath.

“I love the lifestyle here. Being in my twenties, there are plenty of other people the same age doing the same thing. It’s a massive mixed culture, its very communal. It’s easy to meet people here.”

All my pieces are either gifts from friends or secondhand clothes. These earrings are a gift from Peru, they are of a sacred mythical bird. I made my own head crown. I grew up in Sydney and the first time I came here I found my place, my people, I had found the Promised Land.

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