A WOMAN OF INFLUENCE
Trinny Woodall has more than a million followers on Instagram and double that on Facebook. Whether it’s a live-streamed yoga class, a guide to the best vintage shops in New York or a ruthless trans-seasonal decluttering of her wardrobe, she knows how to work a room. Just don’t call her an “influencer”.
“I hate that term. I really hate that term!” says Woodall, who posts what she genuinely likes on social media and doesn’t do commercial deals. “I don’t deride what an influencer is, because there are a lot of people who have created a very good revenue and career. But I see myself as a CEO of a business and a writer and a broadcaster, and I happen to do social.” Accounts she personally follows include a fact-from-fiction current affairs journalist — “There’s so much false news out there that you just want to find out what’s actually going on” — and Mrs Solomon, a woman in her 50s who she met in New York.
“We like the same clothes and she challenges herself. I quite like women who challenge the norm.” Here are five of her favourites:
Tim Spector @tim.spector: British scientist, epidemiologist and author, with a special interest in the microbiome. According to his website, he’s in the top 1 per cent most-cited scientists in the world. The book: Food for Life: The New Science for Eating Well.
Jessie Inchauspe @glucosegoddess: French biochemist and New York Times bestselling author of Glucose Revolution and The Glucose Goddess Method, on how to avoid spikes in your blood sugar. The hack: “Put clothing on your carbs” (add fats, proteins or fibre to reduce how quickly the glucose is absorbed).
News Not Noise @jessicayellin: Emmy awardwinning American political journalist and former Chief White House Correspondent for CNN. The pitch: “We separate the news from the noise, so you know which stories matter and which you can ignore.”
Rose Li @thecreativeclassicist: Raised in Melbourne and now based in New York, she describes herself as a full-time corporate professional, part-time student of style. The post: “How to: Barre to Brunch.”
Rachel Solomon @heymrssolomon: A midlife perspective on finding your style DNA. The vibe: “Have you seen Mrs Robinson lately? Because she’s the only one in the movie going after what she wants. And looking exactly like herself. Just saying.”