Q&A
JASMINE HAND & MADELEINE WALKINSHAW
If you’re after expert formal advice, these are your go-to girls. Jasmine Hand, 23, is a makeup artist with an online following of more than 750,000 and Madeleine Walkinshaw, 23, is the owner of popular Chevron Island formal wear store Studio Minc. Kristy Muir sits down with the duo to chat all things formal.
Q
How have you seen the formal industry change over the years?
MW: The formal scene has changed dramatically over the past few years with the pressure and importance growing exponentially. We think the added stress and pressure has come from the rise of social media. In recent years girls are posting their dresses on social media to secure exclusivity (and) planning their dream dress on Pinterest years before the big night. It’s a once in a lifetime event and social media has put a spotlight on it.
JH: Makeup has definitely become more “on trend” recently and people have specific looks they are after, mostly influenced by famous people on Instagram like Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian.
Q
What are some of the biggest trends this year?
JH: The most popular makeup look for formals is a gold and brown smoky eye, bronzed and glowing skin with a nude lip. And everyone is loving the contour and highlight trend.
MW: The thing about formal is that most girls want to stand out and have their Cinderella moment. Backless is a huge trend and two pieces are making a big statement this year plus splits and sequins.
Q
Are more people coming to you for formals than in previous years?
JH: November is definitely my
busiest month of the year. And yes, a lot more people have inquired for formal makeup this year with even next year’s graduates already messaging me to book in. It's crazy.
MW: Our Sydney store has seen huge growth this year, even attracting Year 10 formal girls, with sometimes two-hour waits for change rooms in the peak season. We dipped our toes in the American prom market this year and were overwhelmed with the response, working until 12am to pack and fulfil orders.
Q
Madeleine, tell me the story behind Studio Minc.
MW: No one knows the formal scene better than a mum and daughter, which is the dynamic behind Studio Minc. It was when I needed a dress for my school formal and couldn’t find anything I liked that Studio Minc was born. My mum Michelle and I lived and breathed the formal experience and have been specialising in this market ever since.
Q
Run me through a typical formal job – what
happens exactly?
MW: Customers often shop six to 12 months out from their formal and visit us three-plus times a year for fittings, styling and final pick ups. We try to offer a “big sister” style of service, and by the end of the year it really starts to feel like a connection has been made.
JH: I always ask my clients to come in with a fresh, clean face and for them to show me a picture of the type of look they want, that way I know exactly how they want it. Some girls even come in for a trial before their formal date so they know exactly what it’s going to look like ... some even treat it like their wedding day.
Q What is your advice to students: what are the dos and don’ts?
JH: Over the years I’ve seen some really bad spray tans. My recommendation is to get a trial so you know exactly how it’s going to react with your skin. There’s nothing worse than being orange on your special day.
MW: Don’t be influenced by what other people have and don’t have. Don’t choose something you are not 100 per cent confident and comfortable in for the sake of being different. The most attractive and contagious thing someone can wear is a smile, so if your face lights up when you put on a dress then that is usually the “say yes to the dress” moment.
Q
Tell me about some awesome experiences you have had with clients.
JH: There's nothing I love more than doing (makeup) on young girls who may have never even worn a full face of makeup in their life. Seeing their reactions after the makeover makes my job so rewarding. I love making people feel beautiful, it’s an indescribable feeling.
MW: One of the most memorable experiences this year was Cooper’s story. Wearing a dress to formal was a dream of his since he was a child (but) he explained that girls are allowed to wear a suit to formal, but boys aren’t allowed to wear a dress … in this day and age we couldn’t believe it. Nevertheless, Cooper fell in love with the dress called Natalia Fox but, of course, he had to win the right to wear it first. A few months passed, when we heard the news that Cooper had won his right to wear a dress to formal. The bravery Cooper has shown in his fight to wear a dress to formal has shone a light and given a voice to the LGBT community, and we wanted to do our part in spreading it.
Q
How important is a formal to school leavers?
MW: Simply put, most customers come in wanting us to find the dream dress for them. For a lot of our customers school formal is a representation and celebration of their 12 years of schooling and their hard work. To the girls we feel it represents their transition between a girl and womanhood – entering the real world. The formal brings a lot of confidence and it’s a way to say “here I am, this is who I am”.