In partnership with Pandora.

Self-care and Scorpio Moons, tinctures and discotheques, indulging in Calabrian anchovies and being packed in like sardines at the dance party. These are a few of Ondine Daisy’s favourite things, and it’s no surprise they revolve around balance and rituals in manifesting your best self. The Sydney-based writer has a keen interest in clean food, cheese (because fromage is a whole other category), collecting vintage clothes and having fun. We visited her at home to look through her carefully curated wardrobe, all of which pairs effortlessly with her Pandora Moments bracelet.

My name is:

Ondine - the elemental in alchemy that represents the physical embodiment of water or a water fairy!

What is your star sign, and do you subscribe to that idea of yourself?

I’m a Capricorn Sun, Pisces Ascendant with a Scorpio Moon. I definitely think that I’ve got some very obvious traits from each of them - but what I love about astrology is that it’s constantly in flux. I kind of look it as this roadmap for our self; things we can work on because astrology gives us the awareness. I know I can be stubborn like a Capricorn goat, or fiery and passionate like a Scorpio, but also have the softness and watery energy of the Pisces. They provide me an awareness of myself and even my flaws, things to work on so it can be used for growth rather than stagnation.

Where would be your dream holiday if travel restrictions were eased tomorrow?

Italy! I fell in love with it the first time I went, now two years ago. There is so much beauty there, history and myth. It feIt almost like time was folding. I was supposed to have been hosting a retreat with my mum and a wellness company from London this past June in Tuscany, so its been bitter sweet being landlocked.

Do you prefer online shopping for clothes or IRL?

I like the ease of finding incredible brands globally when I shop online, the amazing thing about social media is our ability to connect and make the world a little smaller by being in touch with artisan labels, boutiques and ethically made pieces. That being said, I do love the experience of being able to “feel" things, know the fabrication and play dress ups.

Your favourite vintage shop in the world?

I have found some of my most loved pieces I had been searching high and low for on Golborne Rd in London at Found and Vision. I’d been looking for the perfect baby-doll/Rosemary’s Baby-esque dress, the best pants and if the exchange rate hadn’t been so bad I probably could have bought the entire store.

What are some of your most treasured vintage pieces that you own?

I’ve got a few very (very!) short 60’s dresses that are really special to me. Then there’s a velvet Saint Laurent suit that was almost criminally cheap. I’m a sucker for a patterned pant, and the 60’s and 70’s cut will forever be my favourite.  I think part of the magic of finding vintage is it appears in your life in its own time, there’s an element of surrender to the whole process. Maybe I’m making it deeper than it really is, but I like that aspect.

What is your favourite memory of nightlife pre 2020, and what outfit and scent takes you back to that time?

You know, I have always heard stories of my mum in Hawaii in the 70s at a “discotheque”. I still think we’re missing that from our night life. A proper disco. I have really missed the simple act of connection; hugging a person you just met or being close to people whether you knew them or not, eating in a packed wine bar, shoulder to shoulder. Dancing; crammed like sardines but everyone feeling this urge to be together and connect on that level. I wear either French Lover or Tabac 28, and the way it melds with your scent; maybe a little sweat from the dancing, the iodine salty sent that lingers on your skin after you’ve been swimming. You can’t bottle that. The outfit that captures that is my black crochet mini dress, black underwear under it a la Birkin. Waiting for that time to return.

What is some advice you might have for looking after your Mental health and tending to self love?

It’s been a tough time for us all. Maybe the solace is whilst we can’t connect as much physically, we’re all entwined on an experiential level. It’s so easy to feel stagnant, landlocked and dejected and I’m trying to wrap my head around this new feeling for me. It's foreign, and there’s only so much that putting my feet up and a face mask on can offer when what a lot of us are craving is this prospect of a future. In the thick of it, I’m having to be very aware of my internal dialogue and be on top of my feelings. Allowing tears to flow if you need to is an act of self-love, honouring the need for our free-flowing emotions. That in itself is being 100% honest to yourself. I believe often we need to get out of a routine if we’re feeling low; do something different, go for a walk, get energy and qi moving, chant, meditate, dance.

What would your last meal on planet earth be?

God, the hardest question. I have a real love affair with tomatoes or any vegetable with just salt and olive oil. There is a reverence for the plant in the Italian way, it allows the plant to speak for itself. That said I eat raw fish maybe four times a week. Maybe it would be a table of Caprese salad, Sicilian olives, tuna crudo, some sort of sourdough and Calabrian anchovies, and a selection of raw goat cheeses and fruit.

Who do you most look up to at the moment?

My mum, she’s an incredible hard worker, dedicated to the spiritual growth and expansion of all herself and everyone of her clients. Knowing that she is shifting energy and creating a more conscious future with these people through her wisdom and assistance is really humbling.

Which album sums up your 20’s so far?

Realistically, probably Harry Styles because life’s an adventure and you should always dance. Music is fun and is there in all its forms to be enjoyed.

What is your favourite ritual?

I’ve been doing moon rituals quite a bit recently, shifting intention as the moon goes through its cycle. On a New Moon you’re clearing energy, and on a Full Moon setting intentions. There is a lot to be said for just sitting, lighting a candle, mixing oils or incense, writing or speaking them out loud, surrounded by crystals. I really believe that the effort and respect you put into creating what you want can reap a massive reward.

If you could visit any person’s wardrobe and dress yourself in their wares, who would it be and why?

Again, Harry Styles. Without a doubt, the silky, lurex Harris Reed and Gucci blouse envy is real, and enough patterned suits and 70’s style trousers to last a lifetime. Dressing should be fun, it’s an artistic expression. It’s almost like it’s this collaboration between you and the creator, coming together to enhance every cell of your being, to make you feel good. I really respect Harry’s fearlessness in that way.

The best book you have read in the last couple of years?

Consider the Oyster by MK Fisher. There’s really too many to name.