Being a former Miss SA, do you
feel like you have a lot of pressure
to always look your best when
leaving the house?
I think like most women, I always
want to look my best but I suppose
I am aware that there is a slight
chance that I may be recognised
and judged for what I am, or am not
wearing! I feel most confident when
I’m well dressed, pulled together
and groomed but I’m not trying to
kid myself, I have four kids and there
are MANY mornings when I leave
the house with a messy bun and a
tracksuit for the school run! I don’t
have the discipline to get out of the
house picture perfect at 06h00!
Did you always want to enter the
Miss SA competition — and have
you always been interested in
beauty pageants, and beauty in
general?
To be honest I entered Miss SA on
a whim! I saw a call for entries on
TV one afternoon and thought ‘Why
Not?’ It was definitely a case of
being in the right place at the right
time, it was my lucky day and I will
forever be grateful for the entire Miss
SA experience. I wasn’t a pageant
pro by any stretch of the imagination
but I was Miss Portugal/South Africa
at 18 and participated in the Miss
Portugal pageant that same year.
How important do you think nice
hair is on a woman?
Very! Oh Lord, I would be nothing
without my hair! It is our crowning
glory after all! I try not to mess with
mine too much. If I use a flat iron
once a month it’s a lot and I don’t
colour as often as my hairstylist
would like although I may have to
start soon as Im getting more and
more greys!
Do you feel like you have to stay
in shape and watch what you eat
because you are a celebrity who
is in the limelight, or because you
want to?
Definitely because I want to! I don’t
remember my mother ever being ill
growing up — as mothers we can’t
afford to be ill can we? We’re the goto for everybody in the family! I look
after myself for my kids sake and if I
happen to inspire some mothers out
there to get fit and be in shape, than
that’s a bonus too!
How do you keep up with different
styles and trends?
I don’t think of myself as particularly
trendy. I’m a little too old for that! I
like to think that I have a classic,
timeless style. I’m all about
classic, well tailoured pieces with a
statement necklace or shoe to bring
a look up to date. I’d rather spend
R2 500 on a beautiful, well cut
blazer that I’ll wear forever than on
trendy, so-hot-right-now pieces that’ll
make me question my sanity next
week.
Have you ever had a complete
hair disaster which you would like
to share with us?
I was about 18 and going through a
bit of an experimental phase. I asked
for dark hair with blonde highlights
to