Stefani Jelić is The Motor Report's female conscience. Unfortunately, she's as much a car enthusiast as the rest of us, so she's rubbish as an inner voice.

Living a life where a love affair with a $400 pair of Jimmy Choos can equal the love of a well-tuned engine on the side, what’s a girl to do?

She buys the Jimmy Choos, packs them in the back of her little car (with a killer outfit to match, of course) hoping that she’ll be able to show them off at dinner that night.

Of course, upon arriving at her destination, she soon realises that perhaps the idea of dinner out with friends and sexy footwear was best left back home in Sydney. Two pieces of chicken, a slice of pizza and a few vodkas later, maybe staying in was the better option. After all, what kind of girl wants to ruin her shoes walking around on Wakefield Park's gravel?

Oh, I should introduce myself. If it helps, you lads can think of me as TMR’s own Carrie Bradshaw, mixed with Angelina Jolie in Gone in 60 Seconds (yes, I’ve got the boobs).

In a world of love, cars, and shoes (and love for the latter two), I got to thinking of how alike buying the right pair of shoes is to buying the right car, and finding the right guy. It occurred to me that it all comes down to purpose. Are these shoes for work, and do they therefore need to be comfortable and practical? Or are they to attract attention so I can have people gushing over my stunning footwear (and, of course, their wearer)?

Conversely, do I want a simple, practical car with a small appetite that will get me from one side of Sydney to the other with ease on a Shopping Saturday? Or do I want something that is going to turn heads as I roll down the main drag of a morning, afternoon or evening? The same goes with men: Do I want something serious with this guy, or not? Do I want him to be a permanent fixture in my life, or do I simply want someone I can call at 2am because I’ve drunk three quarters of a bottle of red wine and don’t intend to go to bed alone?

We all want some form of a status symbol in our lives, whether it be a scorching hot imported car (that you had to wait for two months before it arrived), that hot guy at the bar (whom you’ve been eyeing off for two months), or that pair of three and a half inch stilettos you saw in the window of a shoe store (whilst making your way back to the car after one too many champagnes at a cocktail party for a winter promotion in Double Bay). The question I put to you is: Is it worth it?

Is it worth spending in the vicinity of $10,000 on modifications which, in most cases, will not add any real value to the car? Is it worth spending the $600 I saved up (admittedly only to be able to say I have savings) on those sexy stilettos I saw in the window and convince myself, even though I will only wear them once, that I really need them? Is it worth taking that guy from the bar home with you only to wake up and find that he has left you there alone, but with a smile on your face, remembering what fun you had that night?

Yes. If it’s a passion of yours, then absolutely yes. A million times yes.

As a kid growing up, I was always the tomboy. Daddy’s little girl. Helping him wash the car in the rain, asking him ‘what does that do?’ and ‘how does that work?’, walking past his workshop on the way to school to see what car he was toiling on that week. I wasn’t old enough to notice the apprentices, but once I hit high school and had determined that boys weren’t made of snips and snails and puppy dog tails, I wasn’t stopping in just for the cars anymore.

Entering high school, I realised very early on that I had more in common with boys than girls. Girls, to me, were a bunch of whiny, gossipy, look-at-me look-at-me bimbos, craving attention from the boys I was associating with. And it soon dawned on me, entering senior year with two failed high school relationships behind me: I will always be one of the boys, never with one of the boys. So I endure, opting for the motoring mags over the girly ones.

Of course, these days I do pick up the odd Cleo or Cosmo… for the shoes, of course.

See you next month, boys and girls. Mwah.

Stefani M Jelić

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• reply ” like !

  

  Meredith says,
  5 years ago

  Nice to see a girl who understands!
• reply ” like !

  

  Neffie-o says,
  5 years ago

  Nice write up Stef, hope to read more from you as TMR flourishes.
• reply ” like !

  

  fgfalcman says,
  5 years ago

  Great intro stefani!
• reply ” like !

  

  Conquistador says,
  5 years ago

  Ok, which one of you blokes is moonlighting?
• reply ” like !

  

  Conquistador says,
  5 years ago

  In that case welcome aboard SJ
  
  Its a shame really, no matter how much of a tomboy SJ is she will never experience the holey grail of male motoring.
  
  Yes thats right gentlemen that stirring feeling you get after a few laps after a hard weeks work, a blat down your favourite B road or even that 2hours drive to grandma's.
  
  & interestingly enough it has a name it is...............
  
  "the travel phat" phenomenon.
  
  
  
  jimmy choo's cant possibly compensate.
  • reply ” like !

    

    Meredith says,
    5 years ago

    Conquistador, you've obviously never worn Jimmy Choos...
    • reply ” like !

      

      Conquistador says,
      5 years ago

      I've worn the price tag a few times
• reply ” like !

  

  Carmen Kwan says,
  5 years ago

  Nice article. I myself grew up as a "tomboy" and was generally seen as 'one of the guys'
  I am turning more feminine now that I have a Boyfriend [of course one that shares my passion for cars] but when I am with friends I will always be considered a "guy".
  I also find that girls are "a bunch of whiny, gossipy, look-at-me look-at-me bimbos, craving attention from the boys I was associating with" which is why I am generally closer friends with males than females.
  As for shoes, sneakers > heals
  • reply ” like !

    

    Alan Li says,
    5 years ago

    I still love the fact that you have an interest in cars, and drive, even if you are looking more feminine these days.
    
    Heels look good, unless you're behind the wheel.
    • reply ” like !

      

      Carmen Kwan says,
      5 years ago

      You are making me extremely feminine by domesticating me as well as influencing my dress sense.
      I love the fact that you are as much of a car nut as I am, even if you take longer to do your hair than I do in the morning.
• reply ” like !

  

  Peter Nguyen says,
  5 years ago

  HAHAHA, nice work Stef! you made me laugh so much. can't wait for the next installment.
• reply ” like !

  

  kenny says,
  5 years ago

  off the stage!
• reply ” like !

  

  mookers says,
  5 years ago

  Welcome Stefani!
  
  I don't know about girls being "a bunch of whiny, gossipy look-at-me look-at-me bimbos"... I think it's a matter of maturity. Most of my friends are girls and they are quite level-headed. Plenty of guys can be annoying and juvenile (and one tends to associate them with girls of the bimbo type).
  
  I don't think the love of cars is linked to this, either. I often bore my friends (female and male both) with my car stuff.
  
  Oh, and I don't know any women who can actually afford a pair of Jimmy Choos...
• reply ” like !

  

  Alan Li says,
  5 years ago

  Welcome aboard!
• reply ” like !

  

  roger peak-williams says,
  5 years ago

  it all sounds like a beat up to me..how about being original and not theiving a metro girl loves shoes plot line for a link...choo shoes? come on fess up your a late 40's single mum who wears kumfs, smokes horizon 50's and slots her kids allowance into dolphin dreaming at grab a granny bar every thursday night
  • reply ” like !

    

    Peter Nguyen says,
    5 years ago

    ROFL!!!! you know so little...
• reply ” like !

  

  Mike Stevens says,
  5 years ago

  See Stef, I told you it was a bad idea to start your column without a photo!
• reply ” like !

  

  craig says,
  5 years ago

  you tell em babe, cant wait to see you a lot more of you
• reply ” like !

  

  Mike says,
  5 years ago

  Don't forget to add a little of the 'Angelina Jolie' aspect in the pic! Ta!
• reply ” like !

  

  craig says,
  5 years ago

  forget the pistols..i've got one in my pants just thinking about whats about to come
• reply ” like !

  

  Rad says,
  5 years ago

  "Yes. If it’s a passion of yours, then absolutely yes. A million times yes."
  
  I liked this line, it's quite accurate. People who aren't into cars will never understand the whole philosophy of modifying.
  
  Mwah to you too. Oh, and please no more 2am calls!
• reply ” like !

  

  Cupid Stunt says,
  5 years ago

  You got a date Steph if you ever come to the UK. Just brig the heels. Love it. Look forward to more, you certainly know how to entertain.
• reply ” like !

  

  Casey says,
  5 years ago

  ahh i know u .... lol
  Hey Stef,
  YaY...awesome article...
  ~ Casey XOX
• reply ” like !

  

  Meredith says,
  5 years ago

  So when are we going to see another column from Stef?
  
  Great photo, by the way
• reply ” like !

  

  Bavarian Missile says,
  5 years ago

  Biggest problem I have always had as being a female car nut is that some guys feel intimidated by a woman that knows more about cars than they do,and although my best friends are car nuts too {as well as women}they too seem to associate better with guys than with homebodies that chat about washing powder! I also have to say that females get lumped in the same basket as other airheads that have a head from Mattel,seems a 5ft 8inch blonde that wears an E cup bra like myself is not only just a trophy for my most men but couldnt possibly have an interest in cars,this was especially bought home to me when I was a promo girl in my 20s that attended motor sport events,sometimes you would ask yourself why am I doing this {apart from the great money}Im walking around with a big label on myself that says " OGLE ME " but at the end of the day when the other girls would drive off in their typical girly cars I would have to sit there warming the 351 up in the XA GT 4 door that I had at the time and finally earning the respect from guys looking on,thumbs up most of the time!
  
  So yes women and cars can go together {even the good looking ones}
• reply ” like !

  

  ryan says,
  5 years ago

  I dragged you away from those stilettos! it was like trying to get a child out of a candy shop! stef really does love her cars, i have to force her to let me drive!!!
• reply ” like !

  

  John from AMR Mazda says,
  5 years ago

  Well i can promise you she does do the research, she just came into the dealership and grilled us!!
  
  Our opinion post her leaving was that she is in the wrong job... She would make a fantastic car salesperson.
  
  We are all looking forward to her next blog.
  
  John from Mazda at Petersham
• reply ” like !

  

  Dee Jay Toppo says,
  4 years ago

  You Can Call Me At 2am Steff; You Can Bounce Toppo At Text Anytime :P
  
  xx