Tag: Fashion

May Favourites!

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We’ve gotten to May! I don’t know about you but this month we’ve had a bit of a heatwave. The summer is definitely getting there (although as I write this it’s raining, typical). So with another month done and dusted for 2017 let’s get stuck in.

Books 

I’ve had a little bit of a reading slump this month and struggled to get into fiction in particular so this month I’ve been reading a lot of memoirs and general non-fiction. I’ve fallen in love once again with Hannah Witton as I mentioned last month I love her videos and picked up her first book which is about sex and relationships although it’s aimed at a younger audience it’s a great read. I also read Drew Barrymore’s memoir Wildflower (review here) and it was an eyeopener into her life, when I knew little about her. I also enjoyed Luisa Omielan’s first book What Would Beyoncé Do?! Named after her hit stand up show, it was both funny and touching read my review here. I also looked at my feminism shelf and just felt so proud to have all these wonderful books in my possession, I can’t wait to get through them all!

Music

Ed Sheeran was incredible and going with my Mum made it all the more special.

Watching 

I finally finished Game of Thrones and my jaw dropped. I won’t spoil it for anyone but now class GoT as required viewing for all. I also went to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, it wasn’t as strong as the first film but I’ve still had the soundtrack on repeat. Also, Baby Groot is life.

Lush Cupcake Face Mask
Can certainly ‘Slay All Day’ with these
All the cuteness
Vintage Vibes
Gok knows his stuff
Ann Summers Babe!

Fashion & Beauty 

I’m finally adding in a Fashion & Beauty section, I know shock horror. This month I’m repping Lush’s Cupcake face mask which is the first lush face mask I’ve ever used and was great on my face and didn’t make it angry (everything makes my skin angry). I’ve also been in LOVE with Lottie London matte lip glosses and wearing them every day because the colour sticks well and the tones are great for an everyday look. I’m also featuring some beautiful vintage inspired fashion, a bag I made myself and my new dress from VJ Vintage Treasures in Basingstoke! Lastly, two of my new bikinis one from the Gok Wan for Sainsbury’s range and the other from the wonderful Ann Summers as I am now an Ann Summers babe!  Rocking those curves.

My lovely Wickett
Mmm Thai!
Chilling in the sun
With my Sammy!
In for the chop!
Ice Cream for life

General 

First of all, shout to the Ice Cream man who parks up in the work car park when it’s boiling! I’ve definitely been feeling the sun this month laying out with my best friend (pre IKEA trip, another favourite). I also experienced my first Thai meal with work and absolutely LOVED it, I’m nervous about trying new food because of my IBS but I definitely made the right descision. Also, from working I caught up with my friend Sammy who also happens to work for the same company I’m temping for and has become my permanent lunch buddy. And finally my hair got a much needed cut, my Wicket is still adorable as always.

 

 

Finally… 

Miss VJ Vintage for May!

I’ve been named Miss VJ Vintage for May! I’m so excited to wear this sash for a wonderful local shop and thanks to everyone who ‘liked’ on Instagram!

What were your favourites this month? Let me know in the comments below!

Stressed, Depressed, but well dressed?

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When I was in Brighton a few weeks ago I saw a jumper with the slogan ‘Stressed, Depressed but well dressed’ across the front. I’ve seen these shirts before and they’ve become popular, before this it was the slogan ‘more issues than Vogue’. I’ve always felt conflicted with these shirts. For me, someone who does have issues and does get severely stressed and depressed because of my illness, it can be funny to wear these shirts, it’s me laughing at myself. With that in mind though, there is a bigger issue.

There’s been a lot of talk about making mental illness fashionable and there’s definitely been a surge of people claiming they’re ‘super anxious’ or ‘feel really depressed’ or that someone is ‘so OCD’ because they like things clean. These are things I can’t stand because these illnesses are so complex and damn hard to live with. A few years back there was controversy when two t-shirt were released by Urban Outfitters.

Now, I’m all for raising awareness and the ‘stressed but well dressed’ shirt isn’t outright offensive like the Urban Outfitters ones, but it is problematic. For people who have little information and are the type to throw around these words around and claim illnesses that can, if we’re being frank, kill people. People do die of these illnesses.

So do I think I’m going to buy one of these shirts? Probably not. While I can laugh at myself and say yes this is so me on some of my bad days, it’s not usually the reality. I can tell you that when you’re super stressed you don’t want to get dressed, particularly well dressed. Right now I am really sick with stress, so much so it landed me in hospital. Everything is an effort, getting out of bed, putting on clothes and as for makeup? You can forget it, unless I really have to I can’t be bothered. I think designers have to be mindful of what it’s really like for real people. You wouldn’t make a shirt about cancer because people know just how horrible it can be and how ill people get, and mental illness should be treated the same.

Stylist Live!

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This week I was lucky enough to win tickets to Stylist Live, this is Stylist magazine’s first big event, located in central London with great speakers such as Katie Piper, Nigella Lawson, Dawn O’porter to name just a few. The event has been running for the past few days and today was its last. Now I had no idea what to expect from an event like this, I’ve never been to anything fashion and magazine like before.

So Dani and I turned up, were handed a drink and just kind of wandered around until there was something we wanted to do. I got the impression that the event was for people with money and speaking to great companies but a lot of them are way out of my price range. It was a nice thing to go to but I don’t think I would have paid £25 for a ticket because there just wasn’t enough to do. While I had a plan of all these talks I wanted to go to the rooms were too small, getting there 15-20 minutes early and the talk was already full. You’d have to wait for nearly an hour to go to one talk, meaning you would miss your next one.

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I did enjoy seeing my first proper fashion show, even if I didn’t take it entirely seriously, really because catwalk fashion is always a little off to me. The catwalk was better because it was based on high street, even though I definitely don’t have the body type for 90% of the outfits on the catwalk. I think I’ll stick to my Next jumpers and Topshop jumpers!

stylist

We made the most of the day though, we left early because the queues were crazy and ended up in an amazing little Oxfam bookshop where I ended up getting a load of stuff for my dissertation and there was an amazing piano (in the top left of the above picture). I’m glad I got to spend the day with Daniela and do something a little different, as well as getting some good news which you’ll have to check tomorrow’s post for. All in all I think I’m going to be sticking mostly with book reviews and my student bits and pieces, I’m not quite a fashionista yet.