Welcome to Lessons In Cool, a new series all about the people we’re constantly inspired by. They are tastemakers, curators of style, thought leaders, and well, just cool.

Meet fashion stylist and content creator Clarice Chian. We fell in love with her style a few months ago after scrolling on Instagram and now her images are filling up our saved folder. Born in Britain, raised in Brazil, and now based in Australia, there’s no doubt her international background has influenced her creative process. We caught up with the mom of three to find out where she looks for style inspiration, her biggest challenge, and of course, her beauty essentials.

Name & occupation:

Clarice Chian, once lawyer, turned medical researcher, now fashion stylist, content creator and mom of three.

First thing you do in the morning:

Grind coffee beans for my flat white, because life begins after coffee.

Biggest challenge?

Motherhood. Also the most rewarding, but learning to stay connected with myself separate from my role as a mother is something I have recently started working on. Conversely, I am undertaking an amazing course on Conscious Parenting by Dr. Shefali Tsabary, which I highly recommend to everyone, parent or not. It is helping switch the onus from the child to the parent in order to create positive change in both.

Biggest inspiration? Who inspires you?

I find every mother out there inspiring.

Last person you texted:

My sisters, via Viber (they live in Sydney and London).

Most scrolled app or site:

Instagram, followed by YouTube.

What are the 5 products you can’t live without:

• Biologique Recherche, especially Lotion P50 PIGM400
• Light Salon Boost LED Mask
• More at-home skincare devices, like Ziip, Tripollar Gold Vx, and Bioequa Enercharger — can you tell I’m a skincare and device junkie?
• Jones Road Face Pencil (Obsessed!)
• Jones Road Mascara

Your fashion/style icon?

I don’t think I have a fashion or style icon per se, but I love Dries Van Noten and Phoebe Philo’s aesthetics. I love how the way Dries Van Noten mixes prints, silhouettes and textures, always bringing an element you already have in your wardrobe, like a plain button down or a grey sweatshirt, “grounding” an outfit, always making a look effortless and balanced. And absolutely love Phoebe Philo’s work at both Chloe and Celine, and how she encourages women to build a wardrobe rather than give into fleeting trends. Her sophisticated and sleek tones and silhouettes were such a breath of fresh air, and I am beyond excited that she is returning soon with her own label.

Your go-to:

Breakfast: Usually just my flat white coffee I make at home. I used to think skipping breakfast was terrible for the body, but I now consider it intermittent fasting. On the rare occasion I go out for breakfast (wish I could do it more) I love getting a ‘green bowl’ (kale, poached egg, grains and avocado, perhaps with halloumi as well).

Lunch: I absolutely love sushi and sashimi.

Dinner: Some people eat to live, I live to eat. So picking a favourite dinner is like picking my favourite child, I love good food, any and all cuisines.

Cocktail: Caipirinhas or negronis.

Advice you’d give your younger self:

Be kind to yourself.

What does “cool” mean to you?

“Cool” to me means being comfortable in your own skin, and being compassionate.

For more from Clarice, follow her at @claricechian.