WELCOME TO ANOTHER ISSUE OF 'EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN' WHERE WE BRING YOU CONVERSATIONS WITH EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN AND DELVE INTO PHENOMENAL CAREERS, PERSONAL STYLE, MOMENTS AND EVENTS THAT SHAPE THEIR LIVES, PASSIONS AND SUCCESSES, CHALLENGES AND LESSONS THEY'VE LEARNT.
FOR OUR LATEST ISSUE WE CHAT WITH ANGE CLEARY, SHE HAS ENJOYED OVER 25 YEARS IN THE AUSTRALIAN FASHION INDUSTRY INCLUDING ROLES IN RETAIL & MARKETING, CURATING AND LAUNCHING HER OWN CAPSULE COLLECTION, HOSTING STYLE WORKSHOPS, GUEST SPEAKING & STYLING TV & MEDIA PERSONALITIES.
MOST RECENTLY ANGE APPEARED ON THE CHANNEL 9 TV SERIES 'AGELESS' AS THEIR STYLE HOST AND MENTOR FOR WOMEN OVER 50. WE LOVED CHATTING WITH ANGE ABOUT THIS ROLE AND WE HOPE YOU ENJOY HEARING ABOUT THIS EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN.
LANAMARA (LM): Welcome Ange, it's so wonderful to connect, firstly can you give us a snapshot about yourself and your background?
ANGE CLEARY (AC): Style has been my first language for as long as I can remember. With decades in the fashion and beauty industries, I’ve lived through trends and transformations. For years, I worked behind the scenes — styling photo shoots, personal clients, consulting with brands, National sales & wholesale both high street and high end, plus I have launched my own capsule collection. I saw firsthand how often women, especially as they age, feel invisible or unsure of how to fully express themselves. I knew style wasn’t just about clothes — it was about taking back power, presence, and permission to be fully seen. That’s why I became a style mentor. I had to create my own signature skill-set — a guide, a listener, a mirror. I help women reconnect with who they are now, not who they were 20 years ago or who someone else says they should be. I believe that your mid-life is not the end of style — it's the beginning of dressing with intention, clarity, and joy.
LM: We’ve had the pleasure of connecting over dm’s on Instagram after discovering each other through mutual admiration. We’ve also shared what it means to us to be heart centred & guided by our intuition. How do you stay true to this?
AC: Staying true to your heartfelt guidance and inner intuition, takes discipline and trust in yourself. Especially in a world that can be noisy and image-driven. My inner intuition is my compass when trends, algorithms, outside opinions or fears try to pull me off course. Intuition needs space to breathe. Whether it’s a morning ritual, a walk, or quiet time alone. I always give myself permission for that sacred pause in life. I lead with my heart and I am also big on energy. If things don’t feel right it’s a hard no and that’s everything from people to places and work, funnily enough I am cementing that same philosophy into my kids. That doesn’t mean I don’t push myself or get uncomfortable, it just means I know my boundaries and I know what feels right for my personal growth. I always ask myself “Does this align with the person I’m becoming — and the people I serve?” Your intuition speaks in peace, not pressure. Follow that.
LM: You have such great personal style, what influences and inspires your sense of style?
AC: In two words - Travel and mood! But my favourite online references who I have a quick squizz at and admire would probably be @oliviapalermo @thesatorialist and @portermagazine. I also love Natalie portman’s style. My mum passed down to me her love of style and beauty plus all things of unique and interesting design. My mum is a bower bird collecting pieces and all things that sparkle and shimmer her whole life. I am encouraging that same sense of style and detail with Cici. I believe it’s a generational quality where by a little DNA is left inside us from our mother but how that manifests and is expressed is up to her.
LM: I think women often feel the pressure to wear the badge of being ‘busy’, what are your thoughts on this and how do you respond to yourself when feeling overwhelmed?
AC: I love this question. I think the greatest privilege in life is time. All these people chasing the rabbit down holes hoping to eventually catch up. You never do, because even when you think you have caught the rabbit another rabbit will have caught your attention to chase. Busy doesn’t equal success nor does it prove anything, it just ends in stress, overwhelm, anxiety and exhaustion. I think people get so caught up in their own “busy-ness” that they seem to forget they created it and then it just becomes a vicious cycle. I’ve learnt it’s not an accolade either, people genuinely don’t care if you’re busy or not. To be honest it usually ends up with you feeling burnt out, lonely and isolated because busy people don’t have time for their own time let alone your time. Basically at the end of the day it’s just what you want to give priority to, we all have the same amount of time in our day.
LM: Like me you have a daughter, Cinnamon, she is at an age where social media and other influences can play a huge role in how girls feel about themselves. How have you guided Cinnamon through this thus far?
AC: I believe your children chose you at birth. Cinnamon is here to help me learn my lessons, help me heal and challenge my previous programming. My job is to teach her how to be strong, learn to be resilient and pivot in life with ease. Life throws s*#t sandwiches and curve balls at many stages but if you have love and support and love yourself enough then you will make it through anything. No amount of money or success will help you through tough times. I want cinnamon to always back herself and stand up for what she believes. I often remind her not everyone will like you and that’s o.k just be true to yourself and the right people, places and careers will stick and those that fall away were never meant to be lifetime things. 16 is a tough age, she is pretty strong but also sensitive, I forget that sometimes because she is so straight forward and there is no grey area she is very black and white. I thought I was like that but she is even more so, she doesn’t suffer fools. Cici will call people out, say it like it is and never back down. I think those traits will hold her in good stead. I just want both my kids to always be kind, respectful, caring and have empathy.
LM: You and Cinnamon both have some Lanamara pieces, what’s your favourite and why were you drawn to it?
AC: Honestly, it’s all so gorgeous! Accessories bursting with stories and eye catching detail. It is refined bohemian meets global glam. The kind of accessories that will always catch the eye and have people asking “where’s that from!?’ Cinnamon loves the more delicate girly pieces where as I am drawn to the paradiso sunburst necklace and matching earrings. They remind me that the sun rises everyday and you have a choice of new beginnings which I love. I also love the clover earrings and heart stopper collection. I think we will start to see a lot more statement rings in the coming season. Hearts are already everywhere OS.
LM: You are definitely a multihyphenate Ange, from HOST/GUEST SPEAKER, BUSINESS BRANDING / STYLING, CONTRIBUTING WRITER & GUEST EDITOR, SPECIAL EVENT STYLING, RETREATS/ WORKSHOPS, STYLE AMBASSADOR, COMMERCIAL TALENT 45+. I imagine your days are quite varied, what does a ‘day in the life’ look like for you?
AC: They are just different hats and roles I have played in life. I think of myself as a bit of a chameleon and I don’t like to be too boxed in. If you’re into human design I am a manifestor-generator. It’s like my rolodex of work life over the last 20 years and work that I hope to keep doing in years to come. I hope It keeps changing and morphing into different pathways. To be very truthful with you though a day in my life is centred around my dog, my teen kids and my husband probably in that order. They come first and the rest of life just fits in. Wasn’t always like this. I have had my fair share of anxiety driven roles, trying to keep up and being unhappy and not in my flow.
LM: You have enjoyed over 25 years in the Australian Fashion Industry with roles including national retail and marketing positions, hosting style workshops and guest speaking plus styling various TV personalities and media profiles. Was there a particular role that really lit you up, where you felt most aligned?
AC: Mentoring the woman on Ageless, a TV series I did for CH 9 about life after 50 made me feel like I was offering service with purpose. It was very heartwarming, I felt I truly made a difference to these womans lives and how they felt about themselves. It was definitely an opportunity for me to step out of my comfort zone. I was rattled with self doubt and nerves. What urged me to do this was, that if I felt like this then I imagine other woman feel like this too. I could make a difference and just do what I do best and that’s encourage women to shine and become their own force. I worked on my confidence whilst helping others with their confidence and together that’s when you create magic. A deep reverence that allows everyone to shine. That’s what I think midlife is all about. Respecting and honouring where everyone is at in life, the different chapters, journeys and stories we tell. All unique, all valid.
LM: I understand you launched your own capsule collection at one point in your career, that must have been exciting, how did it come about and did you enjoy the process?
AC: the collection was a bucket list, like an itch I had to scratch. I didn’t know where it would lead but I knew that I had to at least try. It was tough. All small business owners would agree retail is hard. Without huge backing and support it can be quite soul destroying. I think for me it was all timing. When I look back the timing wasn’t right. When I launched I lived somewhere I really didn’t want to be anymore. I didn’t feel connected to the community and personally the dynamics within our home were not right for me to be so focused on designing, producing, selling and building a label. The kids were still young, my husband travelled A LOT! We moved back to Sydney amongst it all which didn’t end up being the right move for us and I just felt overwhelmed, peri-menopausal, disconnected from everyone and defeated. I personally feel like a good fashion label needs to be a duo, you need support and to have your separate roles. You can’t do it all and if you can then something has to give. It was based around a 10 piece capsule collection for women who want to mix and match from AM to PM with ease. To be honest I laugh now as I was a little ahead of my time. It then became a thing, all labels and brands were launching capsule collections. Oh well at least I know in my heart I was on the right track and it was needed within the market place for that 40 plus woman. I say I’d never do it again, but in my family we all say….”you never say never”.
THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR OUR LATEST EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN, WATCH THIS SPACE FOR OUR NEXT EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN.
MARIKA XX