What do you do when you're not blogging? What is your job?

Annika: I am a full time student, studying science! I also make a small living selling my clothes at markets, when I get motivated to do so!

How did you come up with your blog name?

Annika: Haha, my best friend actually came up with it and I kind of stole it off her... In fact, the Pineneedle Collective was her pub trivia team's name! When I was trying to come up with a name for my blog, she casually suggested that, and I went "why not?" - and it stuck!

How would you describe your personal style?

Annika: Colourful, girly, eclectic and vintage inspired.

Who or what has been your greatest fashion influence?

Annika: My best friends, who were always better dressed than me, who introduced me to vintage and op shops when I was about 15. That event, I believe, has been the most influential on my style, and I've been building a small mountain of vintage clothing ever since!

What would be the one fashion tip you would give to a friend?

Annika: Why buy when you can DIY? Seriously. Don't buy something that's brand new and $300 when you could pretty easily make it (or at least, something similar) yourself! Or when you could thrift something equally as good!

3 fun facts about you:

Annika: 1. I bleach my hair once a month and dye it every 2 weeks - and somehow, it is still ridiculously soft. 2. I eat a ridiculous amount - 6 or 7 meals a day is my norm - gosh I love food! 3. My boyfriend has much nicer hair than me - seriously, he has the most gorgeous silky long hair!

What inspires you?

Annika: In the fashion world I am most inspired by modern day vintage ladies who dress up every day like a pin-up models from the 50s, and exude this total confidence. I aspire to be like them! In the outside world, I am inspired by amazing scientists like Neil deGrasse Tyson and Susan Greenfield.

How are you able to stay fashionable without spending a lot of $$? What are your tips and where do you shop?

Annika: Well, while I think that I still actually DO spend too much $$ on clothes... I save a lot by thrifting (about 2/3 of my wardrobe is thrifted), making my own clothes (with thrifted materials, even better), and shopping wholesale!

In your opinion, every woman should own:

Annika: Okay, the answer to this popped straight into my head before I realised how stereotyped it sounded - and this still sounds majorly misogynistic - but a sewing machine! I'm serious. It's quite liberating being able to make your own clothes, and it means you own things no one else in the world owns!

4 things you can't live without:

Annika: 1. My wardrobe. I can't believe I am saying that, but if it were to suddenly disappear, I would be completely devastated! 2. My liquid eyeliner. 3. My boyfriend. He is the most amazingly supportive, sweet guy ever. 4. My family. Ditto on the supportiveness & sweetness. *Not in order of importance!!*

If you had a time machine that could take you back in time, what year would you go to and why?

Annika: If I had a time machine I would be taking that baby to the future!! I'm so curious to see where humans will be in a couple of hundred years. But if I HAD to go back into the past, I would go to the beginning of the 90s, so I could dress like a grungey teenager and watch Nirvana play live!

People would be surprised to know that I...

Annika: Am a massive nerd. Actually, I'm not sure if people would be surprised by that. But anyway, I am. I love science, I love learning and I love thinking about the universe and all the amazing ways in which it works. I also really quite like maths.