Sisters in style
courtney (left) wears: vest: $149.95, just jeans (1800 630 122). Bustier: $54.95, August Street (auguststreet.com.au). pants: $189, Lucette (02 8356 9991). shirt (worn around waist): $69.95 gap (1800 048 377). sandals: $220, natasha (02 8204 1500). necklace: $315, Peter lang (www. peterlang.com.au). watch: $129, fossil (02 9453 0288). cuff: $10, effekt at jay jays (1800 630 122). Laura (seated) wears: singlet: $159, lucette (02 8356 9991). pants: $45, sunny girl (02 9281 8185). sandals: $59.95, novo (03 9315 166). necklace: $295, peter lang (www. peterlang.com.au). bag: $415, kate sylvester (02 9211 2644). cuff: $12, effekt at jay jays (1800 630 122). bangle: $20, sja accessories (sja accessories.com.au).
No matter what your size, sisters and models Courtney and Laura Wells show how the new season trends are for everyone
Utility
mix cotton basics in a desert palette of khaki and sand.
opposite page Courtney wears: dress: $799, Lisa Ho (02 8303 7888). Boots: $69.95, Mimi Loves Jimi at General Pants Co. (02 9290 0800). necklace: $329, Mimco (mimco.com.au). Ring: $180, Samantha Wills (samanthawills.com.au). Laura wears: Dress: $450, Wayne Cooper (02 8399 3977). Boots: $159.95, Sportsgirl (1300 250 100). Necklace: $329, Mimco (mimco.com.au).
Styling by Sarah Bonett Photography by Richard Freeman
Draping
try Gathers and folds of silk and jersey.
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Nude
bring back muted tones for summer, and create balance with hints of darker shades.
What’s “ not to love
Minimalist
keep it simple with luxe fabrics like leather and suede.
laura wears: jacket: $569, ck Calvin Klein (03 9600 4888). Top: $299, Carla Zampatti (02 9260 9700). Skirt: $69.95, Sunny Girl (02 9281 8185). Heels: $449, Manning Cartell (02 9368 7711). Ring: $20, SJA Accessories (sjaaccessories.com.au). Courtney wears: jacket: $179.95, Alice in the Eve at General Pants Co. (02 9290 0800). Shirt: $39.95, Sunny Girl (02 9281 8185). Shorts: $299, Manning Cartell (02 9368 7711). Boots: $400, Nookie (02 9319 0023). Opposite page Laura wears: Cape: $220, Nookie (02 9319 0023). Dress: $260, Skin and Threads (03 9576 1000). Heels: $389, Dizingof (03 9318 6402). Necklace: $285, Peter Lang (www.peter lang.com.au). Courtney wears: Singlet: $79, Stylestalker (stylestalker.com). singlet (worn underneath): $165, Body Wrap Shapewear (1300 130 715). skirt: $395, Rachel Gilbert (02 8338 0192). Heels: $139.95, ALDO (1800 048 371). Bracelet: $65, Peter Lang (www.peter lang.com.au).
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about Laura’s body? She has the shape of a real woman – sexy and curvy...”
Digitalism go for a kaleidoscope of blurred colour.
Tribal
mix and clash techno colours with jungle prints.
Courtney wears: Singlet: $79.95, Anise (02 9212 3787). skirt: $69.95, Evil Twin (02 9212 4788). Heels: $149.95, ALDO (1800 048 377). Bead necklace: $269, Mimco (mimco.com. au). Coloured necklaces: $10 each, Gabby Wears (gabby wears.com.au). Laura wears: Top: $195, Very Very (03 9419 3599). Pants: $99, Shilla (shilla.com.au). Heels: $349, Mimco (mimco.com.au). Gold cuff: $169, Chrissy L (chrissyl.com.au). Bag: $299, mimco (mimco.com.au). opposite page Laura wears: Maxidress: $399, Charlie Brown (02 9360 9001). belt: $29.95, Indy C (08 8377 5033). Necklace: $179, Mimco (mimco.com.au). Courtney wears: Dress (worn as top): $229.95, and skirt: $159.95, both Mimosa (02 6680 8060). Bracelets: $85 each, Cynics (wearecynics.com).
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Laura wears: Jacket: $289, Lucette (02 8356 9991). Tank: $69, Fate (03 9412 5222). dress: $59.95, Sunny Girl (02 9281 8185). Necklace: $940, Peter Lang (www. peterlang.com.au). Ring: $24.99, Diva (diva.net.au). Courtney wears: jacket: $799, Simona (1800 654 116). Tank: $143, HARVEY (02 9368 7711). Skirt: $350, s&b vie by sass & bide (sassandbide.com). Opposite page Courtney wears: Dress: $185, Party (02 9663 3311). Necklace: $79.95, Liberté (liberte.com.au). Laura wears: Dress: $169, Shilla (shilla. com.au). Ring: $49.95, Liberté (liberte.com.au). hair by keiran street/2c management. makeup by angie barton/dlm. manicure by shanae at miss frou frou. models: laura wells/bgm models; courtney wells/ vivien’s model management.
Embellished feel like a princess by layering sparkles and subtle shine.
eet the Wells sisters. Laura, 25, is a size 14, and Courtney, 20, is a size eight to 10. Courtney, who’s been modelling since age 14, has a portfolio including Westfield, Jets by Jessika Allen, Rebel Sport and Jeanswest, and has walked for David Jones at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. However, far from carving out a niche career in the slighter shadow of her catwalking sister, plus-size Laura’s star is also shining. Now signed to three international model agencies, as well as her local agency BGM Models, Laura’s major clients here at home include Razzamatazz, Myer and RIO, and she has recently landed a major contract as the face of Berlei Curves, which could see her total earning capacity increase to well over $100,000 per year. Both stunning, both successful working models, the Wells sisters prove that while sharing genes doesn’t necessarily mean sharing jeans, sexy can definitely come in any size…
Sister act
“Some people can pick it straight away and other times people will assume we’re friends rather than sisters … but it’s definitely a huge compliment if someone tells me I look like Laura,” says Courtney.
“I think Courtney definitely has more pressure on her to stay slim,” says Laura. “For Courtney and her industry it almost seems no matter how much weight you lose you will still gain work, whereas in the plus-size industry I cannot either lose or gain weight if I want to keep my clients,” says Laura. And Courtney agrees. “I’d say I have the most pressure to lose weight as I get turned down from a number of jobs for being too big. As a size 10, I could be considered plus-size in some countries! I feel the pressure more so in Milan and Tokyo where it’s so competitive.”
Growing up
courtney’s two to three sizes smaller than “me, but still has a curvy shape to her body...”
Cocktail
Under pressure
“I was always bigger in height and dress size compared to most of my friends at school,” says Laura. “During adolescence this can be difficult as there’s always the stigma to conform to ‘the norm’ and I didn’t fit the stereotype. I knew that no matter what I did – dieting or otherwise – my body was just naturally bigger, and I decided I wasn’t going to jeopardise my health to change it.” Adds Courtney, “I never compared myself to
try elegant lace and pearls for a chic evening look.
Laura, but that’s not to say I didn’t have my own insecurities. At 180cm, growing up I always felt awkward being so tall.”
On the job
“Different shapes definitely attract different modelling jobs,” says Laura. “With my curvy hourglass figure, I tend to get a lot of lingerie and swimwear work. Courtney, on the other hand, would work more in the editorial and advertising fields. Only now is there a trend to use plus-size models in editorial work, so until recently that was a part of the industry I very rarely worked in.”
Healthy living
“We grew up in the same household – Dad always packed us identical school lunches and home-cooked meals,” says Courtney.
“We live in the same house and generally eat the same sorts of foods – neither of us has a diet high in saturated fats, and we both try to keep our carbohydrate intake low.” “Although I’m a plus-size model, I need to watch what I eat and how much exercise I do to maintain a constant weight within the healthy body mass index (BMI) range, with minimal fluctuations,” explains Laura. “I work out at the gym four to five times a week and, on top of that, I walk two to three times a week.”
Words of wisdom
“Self-acceptance goes a long way towards happiness and quality of life,” says Laura. “Not only women, but men too, need to realise that there are all types of ‘beautiful’ out there.” Caelia Corse n
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