May’s Letter From The Editor: Georgie Abay

I thought my career would be over when I had children. I was 30 when I had my first, 31 with my second.

I’d spent a decade slowly hiking my way up the mastheads of women’s fashion magazines only to get close to the top and fall off the mountain. I’d had two babies back-to-back, a very difficult second pregnancy and birth, and I couldn’t do it all. I know I’m not the only one who has had children and felt like their career is over. The motherhood penalty (the phenomenon by which women’s pay decreases once they become mothers) is the real deal. I’ve felt it and chances are if you’ve had children so have you.

In Australia, the value of unpaid childcare work is about $345 billion, which makes it nearly three times larger than the financial and insurance sector combined. The burden of providing this care falls disproportionately on women. For every hour of unpaid care work done by men, women do one hour and 48 minutes.

No one is immune from the motherhood penalty, not even our May cover star, actor Kirsten Dunst, whose new film Civil War, is out now. At 42, she is undeniably one of the most accomplished actors in Hollywood, and yet, by her own admission, since she became a mother (of two boys: Ennis, five, and James, two) she’s dealt with being typecast.

Motherhood, coupled with entering her 40s, was challenging. “Every role I was being offered was the sad mom,” she tells marie claire. “The hardest thing is being a mom and … feeling like I have nothing for myself. That’s every mother – not just me.”

I feel insecure like a normal woman, but I also have a good head on my shoulders

Kirsten Dunst

Dunst is someone who strikes me as having perspective beyond her years. “I feel insecure like a normal woman, but I also have a good head on my shoulders,” she says. This is her first interview – and role – in two years. Reading her words, it feels like the most vulnerable and honest she’s ever been.

At marie claire, we use the power of storytelling to drive connection because, ultimately, we want you to feel less alone.

At our annual International Women’s Day event, in partnership with Pandora and supported by Napoleon, in early March, I was reminded of the power of connection. And I don’t mean digital connection (because personally I don’t ever feel truly connected online) I mean the bonds you create when you are meeting people face-to-face and sharing failures and triumphs.

For our IWD lunch, I interviewed five extraordinary women: federal MP Tanya Plibersek and her daughter Anna Coutts-Trotter, who is the founder of The Survivor Hub (a charity organisation supporting people who have been impacted by sexual abuse); media personality, author and presenter Melissa Leong; entrepreneur and author Erin Deering; and British author and podcaster Elizabeth Day (her How To Fail podcast is downloaded by more than a million people every month, and given she has been in my ears for many years, it was a total joy to interview her in person). You can read my wrap-up here.

There really is so much to love in our new issue. If like me, you’re a fan of high-waisted pants, we’ve searched high and low for the best styles. And if you’re a skincare junkie, our beauty team has created an A-Z guide on the latest trends. As we move into the cooler months, I’m also loving the prepiness of all the rugby tops out there (see my favourite three below).

Georgie wears camilla and marc blazer, and pants. Viktoria Woods shirt. Shop the look below.

Finally, marie claire strives to spark change, which is why we are thrilled to announce the launch of our inaugural marie claire Sustainability Awards, in partnership with Volvo.

A celebration of brands that prioritise both people and planet, these awards will champion businesses and products that are implementing genuine change and building a better tomorrow. There will be more to come on this exciting new initiative, so stay tuned.

Georgie x

What I’m Currently Loving…

Looking to save money on fashion essentials? Check out our coupon codes for Oroton, FARFETCH and more.

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Related article:

• I Searched Everywhere For The Perfect Denim Maxi Skirt – Here It Is
• Everything We Learnt When We Met British Best-Selling Author & Podcaster Elizabeth Day
• As Mothers All We Want Is To Keep Our Babies Safe