Holly White isn’t your typical 18-year-old. Currently gearing up to release her debut EP, and about to start work on her first feature film, the young Australian singer and actor is keeping busy with creative endeavours most of us can only dream of undertaking during our lifetime, let alone fresh out of high school.

And that’s only a taste of White’s impressive experience so far. The local talent, who you might recognise from her brief stint on Home and Away, is well travelled to boot, after spending four years abroad exploring India and Europe with her family.

These days, when she’s not walking her dog in Sydney, you can expect to find White in Los Angeles living every ambitious Australian actor’s rite of passage—Hollywood casting calls—or recording and writing her own music, which she describes as pop with a soul twist.

A sense of style that feels uniquely her own cements White’s status as one to watch. The homegrown artist projects fashion-forward femininity with an offbeat edge, and she carries the covetable aesthetic with the easy confidence of someone well beyond her years.

Needless to say, we were intrigued to learn more about the rising star, so we invited White into the Badlands studio while she was in town to chat personal style, current fashion obsessions, and lessons to live by.

How would your describe your everyday style?
Anything that I think looks cool, and usually something with an eccentric twist.

What’s your go-to uniform?
Depending on the weather, it’s usually jeans or a long black high-waisted skirt teamed with a T-shirt, leather jacket and statement shoes.

Do you have a signature accessory? 
I am a massive fan of chunky silver jewellery, especially my rings which all have different stories behind them, but my favourite accessory is a silver elephant pendant my Mum brought back from Cambodia. It reminds me of my travels and symbolises good luck, wisdom and protection. It’s also on a super long chain so I can layer it with a load of other necklaces.

Growing up, you moved between Europe and India, have these early travels influenced your style? 
I love layering jewellery, so I probably got that from India, but fashion wise I spent a lot of my time [in India] in the beach side towns only wearing swimmers and a sarong. My main fashion inspiration was definitely after India, when I was in Europe.

You’ve got a cool edge to your look. Have you always rocked short hair?
Thank you! No, I used to have really long hair down to the bottom of my back, but I cut it off when I was 10 years old because I didn’t want to be like all the other girls my age. Cutting my hair off felt so freeing! My mum has rocked short hair for as long as I can remember so I think that helped me make the decision, too.

What’s your current fashion obsession? 
I am obsessed with glasses and right now I can’t stop wearing my Emma Mulholland X Pared Stargazers.

Where are your favourite places to shop? 
I think supporting local brands is really important. A local LA brand I love is called Lotte.99, a beautiful and talented mother and daughter team [are behind the label]. I like the Melrose [Trading Post] market in LA, too. When I’m in Sydney I like to stroll around Oxford Street and pop into Aje and Manning Cartell. I also like Adidas, and Dr. Martens for shoes.

Are there any beauty products that you can’t live without? 
I love Kate Somerville’s whole range as it really works on my sensitive skin, especially the Goat Milk moisturiser. For makeup, I love my Glossier concealer, Stila brow pen, Nars highlighter in Copacabana, and Urban Decay Perversion mascara.

Whose style do you admire?
I tend to admire people that stand out from the crowd and dress without caring what others think. I don’t dress like her, but I did really admire Amy Winehouse’s style—the beehive, eyeliner and especially her [clothing] collaborations with Fred Perry. I also really like Cara Delevingne, Dua Lipa and Ruby Rose’s style.

What’s the most valuable style lesson you have learned?
My parents taught me from a young age to be me—if I like something, that’s all that matters. This has led to many bold decisions like cutting my hair short, but also to many fashion disasters, which no one will ever see unless they go searching through the depths of my parents’ Facebook accounts!