FUNCTION OR FASHION?

I've been encouraged to get a pair of Doc Martens since about the age of 10 as I'm part of a family of Doc-lovers, and nearly ten years later I've caught the bug and done just that. I've never been a fan of the classic Doc styles hence why it's taken me so long to get on the bandwagon, but the new styles that the brand have recently released sparked an interest. Initially it was the Jadon's that caught my eye - a take on the classic Doc boots but with a significantly bigger platform, aligning itself with the chunky shoe trend that is doing the rounds and doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. 

After scrolling ASOS, as I usually find myself doing when I want some style inspiration or an excuse to make a new purchase, I came across the Farylle chunky leather boots and decided that they were the Docs for me. The combination of the chunky platform, the oversized metallic loop holes and the metal cap toe is the perfect bridge between a more fashion-forward and unconventional pair of Docs, yet still flying the flag for the brand that's known for longevity, comfort (eventually) and timeless style.

The outfit pictured above is the sort I feel most comfortable in - a slight play on the classics in the way that the shoes and the graphic tee have a bit more to them compared to your average pieces, and they boast more of a boyish and relaxed fit which is something I like to channel a lot of the time. 

It's pieces like these that I tend to find get the most wear and with a global discussion about the environment and how we as humans are having an impact, this is an important thing to consider when making a purchase, specifically in terms of the ability to mix and match items to create different looks, or whether something will stand the test of time in terms of style and quality. 

Dr. Martens went from initially being a functional work boot, to a shoe brand that symbolises nonconformist attitude, self-expression and alternative style. As a brand they've seen societal and cultural shifts which they have worked through and become a part of, such as the explosion of British youth culture in the 1960s and 70s as well as ever-changing music scenes. Throughout all of this they've been able to maintain the high levels of quality that the Griggs family first championed back in 1901.

Mais

FASHION CAN'T EXIST ON ITS OWN.

Fashion can't exist on its own. Fashion isn't a single subject, but a combination of almost every subject. Take maths for example - involved in the creation of every piece of clothing on the planet. And then there's english - relied on for the marketing and communication of fashion. Geography too - heavily linked to the distribution methods and consumption patterns within fashion. There are more obvious examples, namely art, textiles, economics and business, but these subjects carry no more importance than the likes of maths and geography in regards to the fashion industry. Every subject plays an integral part to how the industry is run, and without their contribution to fashion, it simply wouldn't function as all the varying aspects work together to create what we know to be fashion.

Politics and fashion arguably have a less obvious link in comparison to the examples mentioned above, but when they do collide the force of fashion is evident, as demonstrated in the case of fashion designer Katharine Hamnett, who still to this day combines these two fields to project powerful messages across the world.

Undoubtably, her most famous example of this aligns with the most iconic moment in her career and involves former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and a T-shirt that reads '58% Don't Want Pershing'. It all started in 1983 when the British government decided to install U.S. nuclear warheads on British soil. This was a result of the Cold War where the clash of communist and capitalist ideologies resulted in conflict. As an allied country to the U.S., Britain deployed nuclear weapons on behalf of America.

This was deemed to be a controversial move as it was a decision that neglected the opinions of the electorate so Hamnett, along with many others, rightfully deemed it to be undemocratic. This resulted in Hamnett using her career as a fashion designer, as well as a timely invitation to number 10 Downing Street, to communicate her opinion on the issue. Little did Hamnett know that her brave stunt, where she removed her coat just before greeting Thatcher, would be seen across the world, even before social media was rife, truly demonstrating the potential power of fashion. The T-shirt gave Hamnett power where she otherwise wouldn't have had it - it acted as a political protest which, in this case, was far superior than spoken words.

As previously mentioned, thirty-five years on and Hamnett's work is still in full force with her latest topic of discussion being Brexit where she continues to showcase her left-wing views through slogans such as 'Second Referendum Now'. By combining fashion with politics Hamnett is allowing for important conversations to be had where they may not have regularly taken place. Often times artists and designers have a much greater influence than traditional outlets such as the government and pressure groups because of the way their messages are communicated. Particularly in today's climate it seems that capturing the attention of the majority, particularly in relation to subjects like politics, more specifically Brexit and climate change, is essential in order for change to take place.

The broad spectrum of fashion is fascinating. Fashion doesn't and can't exist without contextual influences and varying subject matter and the complexity of the industry seems to be something that goes amiss in general conversation.

Mais xx

CREAM CORDS.

White tends to be the colour solely reserved for the summer but after finding a pair of cream/white corduroy trousers on the sale rack at Mango during a shift, something I've been trying to hunt down for a while, wearing white in the colder months made more sense. 

The modern corduroy comeback properly took off roughly two years ago during the revival of the 70s style, and for me I knew I wanted to take part in the trend in the form of trousers. I have always felt most comfortable and like myself in trousers, and with this pair in particular they are the perfect mixture of flattering but by no means skinny. They're actually a flared pair of trousers but more often than not I role them up for more of a boyish look. If I'm going for something a bit more put-together wearing them as they're intended to be worn does the trick for me, which is what I did last weekend.

Tonal outfits have been something I've always admired from afar, that being when similar colours are intentionally worn together, but after pairing these cords with an oversized white t-shirt it just seemed to work. Adding in my white Nike's resulted in an all-white look which has got to be one of my favourite outfits that I've worn in recent months - a subtle statement that also looks somewhat effortless. YES to that.

I haven't stopped wearing these trousers and I look forward to finding different ways of styling them up.

Mais xx

MY EXPERIENCE WITH SYNESTHESIA.

Synesthesia isn't something many people have heard of, and until the age of 14 I hadn't heard of it either, even though it has been affecting the vast majority of my thought processes my entire life. 

Synesthesia is the communication of two regions of the brain that do not typically communicate, creating involuntary sensory links that would not otherwise be present in the average human brain. In my case, I associate all letters, words, numbers, names and people with a colour. So for example, for me Monday is pink and Tuesday is orange - it always has been and it always will be. And for the musician Lorde, weekends are brown (whereas for me, they're blue). Other forms of synesthesia include associations between smell and colour as well as taste and sound, but the list of associations goes on. Now, whenever I explain that I have synesthesia the conversation always results in me being asked to allocate someone a colour which is always entertaining.

I distinctly remember the day I found out what synesthesia was - I was sat in the kitchen with my dad when I randomly asked him what colour his 'Tuesday' was. He was baffled by what I had asked him and long story short, we did some quick Google searches and discovered that I am amongst the approximated 4% of the world population that has synesthesia. 

There has arguably been a link established between creatively-minded people and synesthesia. Many famous musicians have the condition including Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Duke Ellington Charlie XCX, Billy Joel and Lorde and many have vocalised about how this has affected their careers and the way they perceive music specifically.

I often wonder if the reason I've been so driven towards working in the fashion industry for most of my life was initially because of my relationship with colour. With fashion being so visual and colour being a crucial part of the industry, perhaps I gravitated towards this career path because of the way my brain is wired.

In terms of my everyday life, I don't really think about my synesthesia because I've never experienced life without it, but it still affects the way I perceive every word, letter, etc whether I realise it or not. I have always found that it's really helped me with my memory as associating certain things with a colour means I am able to remember it much more easily with not a lot of thought. In school I always did well in spelling tests and number association tasks as well as remembering general facts for an abnormally long period of time - so academically it really has favoured me which is something I'm grateful for. I've always been drawn to the more creative and essay based subjects in school and the degree that I'm studying for now is proof of that and I do believe this has something to do with my synesthesia. It can sometimes create confusion though. For example, if the number '8' was written down in pink that would completely throw me off as in my head it's green and that's not up for dispute when it comes to the way I think about this number.

I'm interested to see how my synesthesia will continue to affect me as I get older, specifically in regards to my hopeful career in fashion. I can't imagine my life without synesthesia and I wouldn't have it any other way. It's something I thought I would share as it's not commonly discussed but most people tend to be fascinated when they first hear about it.

Mais xx

WINTER NEWNESS.

With the combination of Christmas gifting and the start of sale season I've acquired a few new pieces in the last few weeks. I feel like I'm the last person on Earth to get their hands on a pair of Nike Air Force's but with my beloved chunky Topshop trainers looking worse for wear, a new pair was needed to act as a replacement. I opted for the new Sage addition Air Force's as they have a slightly chunkier platform meaning they're a more apt replacement for my old trainers. So far they've proved to be a perfect replacement and I can't imagine what I'd wear on my feet on a daily basis if it wasn't for a white pair of trainers.

For a while I've wanted an overcoat and this has only been reinforced by my newly attained part-time job as a Sales Assistant at Mango. Even with my staff discount though, the post-Christmas Day ASOS sale led me to a Mango overcoat which filled my void perfectly with a better price tag to match. The thing that drew me to a coat of this style is the relaxed sophistication and multiple styling possibilities with my preferred way of styling being pictured in the post - that being with my favourite ASOS Farleigh jeans, a classic roll neck, my new trainers and my well-loved cross body bag that has accompanied me on all my recent nights out. A roll neck frames the V-shape of the coat and acts as a solid layering piece as overcoats aren't the most practical when it comes to warmth. Since the coat is double breasted it appears formal once the buttons are done up and the waist it tied, but if it can be helped I prefer having it unbuttoned for a more slouchy look. The neutral tones that run through the coat make it easy for styling which is something that appealed to me as it can act as an everyday piece which is what an investment piece, such as this, should be used for.

All of the images in this post were taken whilst I was on holiday with my family over the New Year period. The photo above was one I took whilst we were there so I thought I'd share all of the pretty sunset colours and the gorgeous view.

Mais x

SATURDAY BY MEGAN ELLABY AND IT'S EFFECT ON ME AS A CONSUMER.

So when one of my favourite fashion bloggers announced that she was releasing a clothing line, naturally I wanted a slice of the action. The insanely talented and oh so stylish Mancunian Megan Ellaby has created a clothing line: 'Saturday by Megan Ellaby', and this time round it's the turn of the jumpers. 'Saturday' because these pieces are ideal for wearing on all sorts of Saturdays - be that a casual one, a smart one or an night one. The knits are interchangeable in terms of styling choices making any one of these pieces a worthwhile investment. Those that are familiar with Megan's style will know she doesn't shy away from clashing colours and bold prints so this collection was never going to be a boring one. After watching Megan's Youtube reveal and the breakdown of all five jumpers, I gravitated towards 'The Pop of Colour Knit' (which sadly, although not surprisingly, is sold out now) as I'm the world's biggest fan of roll necks and the subtle, handwritten detail against the navy blue wool was calling me! Since the launch of this line Megan has confirmed the designs for a second collection which I'm eagerly awaiting to see! Roll on round two!

The packaging and branding is something Megan has clearly taken into consideration and it's details like these that make fashion labels stand out in a very saturated market. The clam cuff branding on the sleeve of every jumper is a classy way to trademark Megan's brand whilst also adding a little bit of something extra to (in the case of this particular jumper) an otherwise plain sleeve.

When I was watching the Youtube reveal, Megan made a point of mentioning the quality of her collection in terms of materials. Each jumper is made out of 100% Italian Merino wool, which of course means the jumpers aren't going to be cheap but the price can be seen in the quality. This seems poignant at this point in time when there's plenty of awareness of the fact that the fashion industry is one of the biggest contributors to climate change. Fast fashion and consumerism are killing our planet and pretty much everyone has a part to play in this global issue. The quality and cost that comes with buying one of Megan's pieces has got me thinking about investing in fashion so that mass consumption can be reduced. A common way that many of us shop is to buy at record breaking low prices to then go and wear the garment in question a few times before throwing it away or leaving it to gather dust in our wardrobes. Everyone, and most definitely me, is guilty of this but it simply isn't sustainable. This way of life is fuelled by 'Instagram culture' which often means that once you've been seen in a particular outfit, there is a fear of re-wearing it. This attitude needs to change but it's easier said than done - I'm very much guilty of this and it's hard in this day and age when so much emphasis is based upon aesthetics. It doesn't help that retailers are churning out weekly collections opposed to the standard four collections a year that align with the seasons. 52+ collections a year is beyond excessive. Investing in pieces that are guaranteed to last and that can be styled up in different ways is a way to reduce consumption.With the jumper that I purchased from Megan's collection being £75 I certainly can't make a habit of buying pieces at this cost, but making a conscious effort to think about wearability and longevity is a step in the right direction. Being aware of the problem is important and as someone who loves to shop and consume fashion it's a hard pill to swallow. This doesn't mean that I won't be buying pieces that are of a regular quality, because sadly my student loan doesn't allow for that, but I like to think that I'll always think about the effects that garments are having on our precious Earth. 'Stacey Dooley Investigates: Fashion's Dirty Secrets' is an eye opening BBC documentary about the devastating effects that the fashion industry is having on our planet which goes into depth about different issues surrounding fashion and the environment.

Back to the jumper - it fits like a dream and Megan has nailed it as expected. Thanks for creating a banging collection and consequently making me think about a better way to shop.

Mais xx

A NEW OUTFIT AND A MONTH OF UNI.

I've been at uni just over a month now which has of course flown by. It's been a big period of adjustment for me (and I'm sure many others) as I'm a home gal through and through and change can often feel intimidating, so when pretty much everything changes regarding the people you surround yourself with, living spaces, routines, cities and so on, it has felt (understandably... I think) overwhelming at times. I'd say that at the moment I'm feeling the most settled that I've felt since moving. I've started researching for assignments and getting into the swing of routine, and for a girl who thrives of productivity this has made it easier for me to feel settled. One particular assignment that is interesting me is based upon the relationship between fashion and the factors that influence it such as politics, society and art. We've also had multiple individuals from the fashion industry that have come in to speak to us about their story and what they've learnt along the way. It's inspiring seeing successful industry professionals who have been through similar processes that us students will go through as it makes the dream seem a little more attainable.

During the first week of uni it was my 19th birthday, so naturally I had a bit of birthday money to spend which of course ended up in the hands of Urban Outfitters. 

For a while I've had my eyes on the Adidas poppers after constantly seeing them on girls and guys when I'm out and about. They always seem to look so effortless but still fashion-forward which is what I'd say I like to achieve on a daily basis when thinking about how I put my outfits together. The classic Adidas three-stripe creates a bold, yet easy-to-wear statement. Poppers also tie in nicely with the current flared trouser trend as I tend to wear mine with at least one of the poppers undone which creates a slight flare effect. At this time of year, as temperatures are steadily declining, layering has to be considered so I opted for the classic black pair of poppers (as I was tempted by the green ones) so that I can style my burgundy aviator jacket and baby pink puffer with them seamlessly.

Because the poppers are in no way figure hugging, my preferred way to wear them has been with skintight, high neck tops as this creates that flattering juxtaposition between loose and tight. This particular funnel neck top is once again from UO *shock*. It's a lovely, sleek grey-brown shade which works well for this autumnal time of year whilst still adding something ever-so-slightly different. The zip up element of the top plays on the whole 'athleisure' look that the poppers already allow for, especially when teamed with my chunky Topshop trainers which I have not stopped wearing since I bought them back in June.

And with that comes the end of my first blogpost whilst at uni. 

Mais xx