Sunday Spotlight: Elizabeth Whitelaw

If you know us, you know we LOVE The Bachelor, so needless to say we were beyond excited to help accessorize this incredible woman for her appearance on this season! (Tune in tomorrow, Jan. 2 for Bachelor Nick’s 4th go!)

Get to know Elizabeth here in our first Sunday Spotlight of 2017! (Spoiler alert: she is inspiring, driven, bubbly, a go-getter, smart, stylish and so much more!.)

Like us, Elizabeth is an animal lover and filled us in on Ears Asia, an organization dedicated to promoting awareness of the plight of Asian elephants. Throughout the month of January 2017, a portion of proceeds from all bk&leo jewelry sales will be donated to Ears Asia, in honor of Elizabeth.

Read on as we go way beyond the Bachelor bio with Elizabeth. This girl is a gem… No editing required.

bk&leo: Let’s get straight to the point… given the adventure you’re about to go on, what do you look for in a guy?
Elizabeth: The #1 thing I know would make me happy for life is someone with a witty sense of humor. If you can make me laugh until I cry, you’ll have my heart forever. Another thing that is so attractive to me is when other people talk about him and say “he’s such a good guy.” Knowing he is nice and respectful to others would make me proud to be with him.

bk&leo: What inspires your personal style?
Elizabeth: I always keep in mind two things when it comes to style inspiration. 1: Class – you don’t want to give it all away, your body is valuable and should be respected as such, then 2. Play – if you do dress sexy, dress sexy for yourself, not for anyone else. Furthermore, I like this quote: “A woman should be two things: whatever or whomever she wants”. So true!

bk&leo: Who is your style icon?
Elizabeth: I love Blake Lively’s style. I love how she can make ultra feminine look edgy at the same time. She uses different colors, textures and fabrics, and they all go together. For example, she might wear 3 different patterns, but they are the same color to make it come together. Then she adds a pop of color somewhere to make it feminine. Gorgeous!

bk&leo: How would you describe your own style?
Elizabeth: When I’m not in my yoga pants, I love Australian fashion! Esther Fashion is edgy and classy, and I also like Sabo Skirt and Hello Molly Fashion. They all mix sexy and sharp with feminine pieces. I love any fashion that can make bright pastels just as killer as wearing all black. It’s hard to pull off!

bk&leo: Your home is so gorgeous, too! Where do you get your interior decor & furniture?
Elizabeth: I love Society Social and Domino for interior decorating. I got a gold bamboo bar cart from Society Social and it is the most popular conversation starter in my house. Then I bought many accessories for it from Domino, like a pair of gold pineapple shaped shot glasses. It’s the little things that make a big impression on your guests! Lastly, I love gold mirrors so I have a lot of those in my house, and I’ve started to paint my own fun quotes in pink and other pastel colors to frame around the house.

I am inspired by the gold trimmings and details inside of castles in Europe, like Versailles. Then I bring it back down to earth with some modern tones. For example I custom made my white couch. It’s a three seater with two cushions and high arms — very modern — but then it is tuffed, like something you find in classic furniture. I love whites, golds, and blush colors.

bk&leo: Tell us about your dog Daisy!
Elizabeth: Daisy is my baby! She is a golden retriever. I got her as a Christmas present in high school and I ugly cried in front of my whole family. (I still hear about it to this day.) I had been asking to get her for years. Daisy is me in dog form – super bubbly, happy and will do anything to make everyone happy. The coolest thing about Daisy is that anytime we come home, she runs to the door, wagging her tail, and squints her eyes. She literally smiles with her teeth and cries. Then, she does this weird thing where she needs to put her mouth around your arm. It doesn’t hurt. I think that it is her way of kissing or hugging. I’m convinced she’s human because she is so smart and has such a deep soul in her eyes.

bk&leo: What’s your favorite piece of bk&leo jewelry?
Elizabeth: I LOVE bk&leo’s half moon and spike earrings. They are stunning, feminine, and edgy…all the things I like! They make a big statement and I get compliments every time I wear them.

bk&leo: Tell us about Ears Asia.
Elizabeth: Ears Asia is an Elephant Asia Rescue and Survival foundation (EARS), and it promote awareness of the plight of the Asian elephant. EARS supports ethical tourism initiatives throughout Asia, and offers responsible tourism advice on how to enjoy an elephant experience without contributing to animal exploitation. My favorite animal is the elephant, so this is an organization that I want to support any way I can!

bk&leo: What should people know about elephants used for entertainment / tourism purposes in Asia?
Elizabeth: Unfortunately, many tourists don’t know that when they visit Asia to ride elephants on the beach, or pay to watch an elephant painting, those elephants have gone through a process called, “phajaan”, meaning “The Crush”, or to crush the spirit of an elephant. The goal of this terrible exercise is to make baby elephants submissive to humans by going through unimaginable trauma and torture. That makes it easier for people to train the elephants to follow their command mindlessly.