Strobe

kimono/vintage    thigh high boots/office    dress/handmade

It's been SUCH a long time!! Writing here feels like a fond reunion with an old friend and I just want to spew out my whole entire life story. I feel like this year has been such a journey and played a very key part in my life. I've adopted the minimalism philosophy, began to pay more attention to politics (knowledge I always thought was important), began to think more strongly on issues regarding feminism, rape, democracy in Hong Kong and overall thinking more ethically about the things I buy - minimising waste, spending less and making a move towards cruelty free products. I feel like as a person I have improved, become more independent and overall nicer person. I still have a long way to go but every effort counts towards something, right?

Well, since jumping into the minimalism philosophy I've began to think carefully about my purchases. Though I think it is important to enthasise minimalism and treating yourself is not mutually exclusive! When you see something you absolutely love swaying temptingly on the hanger for £15, you cannot possibility say no! And that was the case with this amazing kimono I found in my local vintage shop.

This kimono is absolutely beautiful with red oriental embroidery detail contrasting against the sheer black fabric. It has earned me a few compliments and also got me street snapped when wearing it to GFW last week. I've also been loving wearing these chunky heeled over the knee boots. A casual substitute to a heel with a little more comfort. I've been wearing them a lot for drinks with friends.

Many thanks to Walu, my flatmate for taking these photos! I can't wait to attempt to get back onto this blogging game during the summer.

Much loves
x

float | outfit

dress/romwe    socks/topshop    

My brother has been gifting Google products to people after his recent visit to their quarters in London, and as he puts it "everyone likes things more when it has google on it!". Pairing this tote with my retro Charizard print jumper - provided kindly by Sam- and my silver flatforms, I think it created a nice casual outfit with a hint of quirkiness and personality to it.

Top Five Moments of Early 2015

Top SEVEN moments of early 2015**

Very late post! Prolonged due to my lack of motivation to get off my bum and develop my film photographs which are supposed to accompany said events spoken about in the following post! Shall update it after they are developed (probably won't) but for continuities sake... here's the unfinished article :3

1. Spain 

A trip to Edinburgh several years ago was branded by my brother as our "last family holiday" 

2. Drinks at Charlie's 

Originally intended to be a 'photoshoot' day for my recently made garment turned out to just be a day showing Charlie drinking games, taking a few lame pictures, watching Top of the Pops (ft. the brilliant Legs & Co - queue more drinking games) and feeling extremely sick from excessive sugary drinks and Pimms. I didn't get many pictures, mainly because the only ones consisted mainly of me throwing myself around Charlie's attic. It was awesome to catch up with my bestest brahmiga! Chaazzar, u da bomb. 

3. Exhibition Night

The final night of our exhibition finally dawned. My closest friends on my course and I felt quite somber and sad to reach the end of our time on the course. Yet, we were excited and happy at the same time for the good things in store for us. It's was like a not-so-final final goodbye. All the work on show was amazing too. We all come from pretty much unknown towns but the local talent definitely shone through. I invited my best friend and boyfriend and it was nice to have various groups of my own friends mingle together. I loved you FAD. I miss you so very deeply and thank you for one of the best years of my life.

5. Blackpool and Scarborough

Sam and I's first real 'outing' or 'date' was to Blackpool (looking back on it now is so weird, having gone through so much more adventures since then). I loved it. It was hilarious being chased by seagulls along the seafront with our chips! We both agreed we probably looked like huge ignorant tourists. Eventually, Sam decided to throw his chips down at them and we both made a break for it whilst a group of people were walking behind us - probably laughing at our whole odeal.

6. Oxford

7. Bowness and Keswick

Bowness was supposed to be a 'scouting' trip to find a good camping spot for our next trip to the Lake District. Unfortunately, Bowness was too 'touristy' to have any potential camping spots, despite efforts of walking around in circles to find one. We found a nice little walk, a bit away from the large crowds though. We laid on the grass for a while and just talked. It was peaceful and I wouldn't change it in anyway. Sometimes the simplest things, when you're not even doing anything in particular, are one of the most blissful moments you can experience.

As mentioned earlier, Keswick was supposed to be our camping trip but Sam's co-workers advised against camping with his lack of knowledge in tent set up. We ended up staying in a bed and breakfast and spent half our first day there. =w=  In the morning we woke up and mingled with a lovely older couple during breakfast and went on a walk towards the mountains which Sam called "Skyrim irl". On the way we ran into another old couple from our bed and breakfast! It was amusing seeing that we seemed to be the youngest visitors. heheh

Other noteable occasions included the time my old Sixth Form friends and I met to go to the pub. Also, Nick's BBQ which he - admittedly - hosted extremely well. All of them were amazing moments but for the sake of shortening the post, I'm not going to talk too in depth about it!

anarchy

 

kimono/DIY    shorts/primark    top/topshop

My latest project theme was all about punk, specifically Riot Grrl, a feminist movement. I started to make garments with strong and independent women in mind. I went over to my friends Charlie's house to take some photos but they all turned out rather silly and unusable - though somewhat amusing (see photo of me rolling around on the floor)! We ended up just playing drinking games and watching Top of the Pops and laughing at the ridiculousness of a particular dance group Legs & Co. I did, however, take slightly more professional photos and they will be coming up in a post hopefully reasonably soon! 

concrete | outfit

coat/urban outfitters    boots/river island    dress/topshop    necklace/afflecks

This was one of those 'panic! throw it all together' sort of outfits. When faced with one of those situations, I normally gravitate to my black coat which admittedly drowns me despite the fact I got a small size (darn shortness!). I have also learnt to loathe this two piece/dress in disguise because for a short period of time I swear everyone else was wearing the exact same thing. Oh the perils of high street shopping.  

vacant | outfit

Things are pretty low when the designer gets peer pressured to by her own models to pose in her own garments. A great opportunity to swipe the images and plaster them on thy blog though! Do you ever get those times where you wear one thing and seem to get a bunch of compliments on it? This dress seems to be one of those things. It made me so happy that people liked something I made without the knowledge of knowing that I actually made it.

These shoes are also my go to. They're black, have a reasonable heel length (essential for this shorty) and are easy to slip on and off, a.k.a perfection. Bonus: they were cheap and my sister bought them me for Christmas!

And why is it that whenever I get asked to pull a 'neutral' face I still end up smiling?!

Jessica
x

Top Five Moments of Late 2014

Happy New Years all! A little belated, yes, but *cough* better late than never. Weirdly, late 2014 is lacking in photographs. I must not have taken as many (that or they are on my film camera) but I'm going to try salvage whatever I can. So here goes, the top five moments on the latter half of the year gone by!

1. Brunch Dates

[Sorry for any involuntary salivating I may have unintentionally induced] Oh so many lovely meals out with my auntie, cousins and uncle. They were mainly girly little brunch outings. We went everywhere from tea houses, steak houses, to pizza take outs. They also kindly catered to my love of desserts... damn they were b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l. Food aside, I love spending quality family time in their company!

2. New School Year

Certain things happen which may seem bad at the time but somehow they work out for the better. I didn't get into the universities I initially wanted to but starting the course I currently am on was the greatest thing, education/creativity-wise, to happen to me. I started to actually feel that I could do the things I wanted (which is fashion) and express myself the way I couldn't previously. Being surrounded by creative like-minded people has been the best eye opening opportunity I have been given.

3. Dolphinholme

Imagine starting a new school. You're the socially awkward kid and you literally know no one. Then you are forced into staying at a two day residential with a bunch nameless faces you only got acquainted with two weeks prior. Sounds like hell, right? I thought it would be... but it turned out to be hilarious. Especially during the night - we got spooked by some guys coming around scaring everyone in their tents which consequently lead to our tutors finding us all hiding behind the kitchen counter. We also stole toilet paper from a neighboring tent and Alice went a little crazy and began making shadow puppets. I also (surprisingly) further established some newly found friendships which would last throughout the year (and hopefully longer!).

4. Oxford 

I went to visit my brother and sister-in-law in Oxford. My brother acted as a bit of a 'tour guide' (he was pointing out the obvious might I add). We walked around, shopped, went punting with a pair of Germans (lovely people!), went to the gallery, ate yummy food and most importantly - had the most delicious bubble tea I have ever had E-V-E-R. So authentic, such lovely distinctive 'tea' taste and the right kind of bitter. Mmmmmm. I had a grand time.

5. Wedding

What kind of sister would I be if I didn't even mention my own sister's wedding? ^-^ I officially love weddings. I especially loved hanging around my family as we tried to get each other more drinks. It was so much fun that went asked about the wedding by my friend I responded 'I had 2 jagerbombs and several other drinks and I still didn't get tipsy!' - it was safe to say he wasn't really impressed with that answer. Seriously though, I probably could not have picked a better brother-in-law. Who else would manage with our crazy family?


Phew! I actually had more photos than I anticipated. A few other noteworthy occasion is Christmas of course! My brother stayed for a week. My whole family knows how much I love my brother's visits, we all do. And also a Christmas meet up with some old friends, because who doesn't love a little friendly get together?

That wraps up 2014!