Gucci Says Bye-Bye to Bling

28 February 2015

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Fashion week is known as the most glamorous in the industry. The front row demands the attention of showbiz bloggers while the fashion fanatics wait for the highly anticipated shows. Alessandro Michele’s first show as creative director of Gucci awaited the eager crowds and Italian fall women’s wear season. Notorious for being one the most glitzy fashion houses, Gucci surprised majority of the audience and journalists on Wednesday. Devotees of the brands are used to the clear and precise references to the high fashion, first class lifestyle. Diamond-encrusted knitwear and dressed down ball gowns were to be expected of the line, but as the show began it was clear this year was very different.

Rather than the ever-flowing champagne along the front row and unnecessary bright lights, the walls and floor were black, creating an intense atmosphere. The audience were reminded “The Contemporary is the Untimely.” by show notes that referenced philosophers Giorgio Agamben and Roland Barthes. There were less ball gowns and red carpet wears but more midi skirts with both men and women taking to the catwalk. Nonetheless, flowers and floral prints were still incorporated into many designs, subtly celebrating the history and glorious traditions of Gucci.
The show was full of vintage treasures, hurling the spectators into a world of flea markets with a date of couture. Librarian chic was a running trend throughout each look, highlighting brains over beauty. With a mix of oversized and nerdy eyeglasses, rings on every finger, knit beanies and turbans, floral hair combs on top of slippers and clogs lined in fur at the back; Mr. Michele bought a new twist to Italy.
Gucci brought back the greatness of a fashion show. Letting go of the superficial highlights and bringing the focus to the clothing. The shift from colossal logos and immature intentions is a positive one, with the big brands stepping up to emphasise the prominence of classic high fashion. 

Saint Laurent captures Parisian Magic

27 February 2015

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
In the eyes of fashion’s finest Paris Fashion Week is long gone. But for some of the world’s toughest catwalk critics, the City of Lights still lingers in their palette. The Saint Laurent show closed the menswear season, including both men and women taking to the runway. Aside from the shockingly thin appearance of many models, the show was stolen by the clean and simple take on Autumn/Winter 15-16 by Hedi Slimane. Despite multiple looks leaving the audience questioning the muse behind the collection, I think it’s very clear. Each charm represents the fresh and youthful street style seen all over Paris. Not one of the outfits would surprise me if they were spotted strutting down the Champs-Élysées more than they surprise me now. The overall taste had a 70’s feel, one aspect that keeps Paris feeling so ‘vintage’. The lack of colour doesn’t make the selection boring, rather, it causes outsiders to focus more on the details instead of being bombarded with colour and texture insanity. Hedi has notices lunacy on the runway isn’t always the best way to get attention.
Slimane’s Saint Laurent has a certain offbeat glamour which doesn’t demand an enormous fashion statement or ridiculous colours. The book “How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits” by Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline De Maigret, and Sophie Mas is successful for a reason. There’s a certain je ne sais quoi about the way Parisians carry themselves. Their attitude and accent are enough to draw me in. This mystical element is captured in this line as the whole collection represents one gigantic shrug with a splash of shimmer from the City of Light. Saint Laurent’s models carried themselves with great arrogance that seemed to appeal to the audience. The line screams ‘too cool to care’ which is the best way to feel like the perfect Parisian. 

The Reality of 9 to 5

12 February 2015

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Working hard is something I have always weirdly enjoyed and I was more than excited when I got my first full-time job. School always taught me that jobs only came after university, but there's something about four more years of learning that I was never really keen on. The great thing about working is that I get paid, an obvious positive. However, working from 9am to 5pm has opened my eyes to reality and helped me realise that being an adult is not as amazing as it was made out to be. 

I have always had diaries, just because I like to be organised. But half the time they were empty or I completely forgot about them half-way through the year. Today, I rely on my diary and planner more than ever. The calendar app in my phone has become on the most useful tools over the past few weeks and without it I would probably be without a job. When I first started working full-time, I was still work-shy from missing having days at home and felt uncomfortable being squashed up against other people on a train. A few weeks later and it's almost like I'm a completely different person.

Working in a busy city has boosted my confidence and given me skills I never had at school. I'm now more than ready to move to somewhere much busier like London or even New York, after the experience I have gained in just a few weeks. Being shy always held me back, but today I have absolutely no issue walking around in a busy city and I'm astonished. School always felt like a burden, and on occasion work does too - but the reality of 9 to 5 is a much more useful step into life than the awkward years of secondary school.

Pretty and Pink

10 February 2015

Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
There aren't many nail polishes that I would recommend because there are very few that I think are good value for the money. I used to always stick to darker nail colours but there's something about this glittery shade that I just can't resist. The Best Seller shade by Leighton Denny has become my go-to varnish. I was immediately drawn to the shimmer that's included in the dark red/pink colour. In different lighting, the colour looks different which I think makes it unique and the best seller. The red base is almost jelly-like and the texture is thick and luxurious. As it's a shimmer polish it's very easy to apply in contrast to glitter polish. However, as the shimmer is so extreme it does need a strong remover to remove it effectively and tidily. Some may think this shade is Christmassy, I think it's a great summer colour too, but I can't help but wear it as much as possible. The varnish is very thick which means one layer is enough, although, two will help it last much longer. I can wear this colour for at least two weeks without any chips and messes. One of the greatest qualities in Best Seller is that it dries incredibly quickly. I could wear this at any time of the year, it's a beautiful nail polish!

Winter Wonderland Walking

6 February 2015

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Winter is by far my favourite time of the year. When wrapping up warm, there's nothing to hate about this season. Nothing is more exciting than watching the snow fall, and as I live quite far away from any city centres, just about everything is blanketed by the snow. At the smallest sight of snowfall, the first thing I did was head outside with my camera to take a few shots. Despite the depth not being too bad, I still love the bright white sky and bare trees. My winter style, especially for chilly walks is very basic; all I need are a few layers, my waterproof coat, a pair of thermal leggings, climbing boots and a beanie. In the wintertime, I just seem to turn into a little child at Christmas taking in every aspect of the season even if it's not in full effect. I may be partial to this time of year because it means I can walk through the woodland areas without running and screaming from every form of flying insect I sense. There is a calming sense about snow and the winter which I have just taken a liking to.

Timid Tales #1

4 February 2015

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
After writing a post on being shy and getting a good response, I have decided to create a series on my blog names "Timid Tales", which will be full of stories and anecdotes featuring my bashful behaviour. One of my very first memories of being shy is from being around four years old. My dad worked late at the Royal Mail headquarters so my mum would pick him up from work so he didn't drive home tired. As the only child at that point, I had to go with her as there wasn't anyone else at home. I have a strong memory of feeling so shy when picking my dad up, I would be close to terrified when he got into the car and I knew I had to say hello because it's polite.

To this day, I have absolutely no idea why I was so apprehensive at that age as there's no logic behind it. I had a very close relationship with my dad when I was younger but there was something about the Royal Mail and night time that I just didn't like. When my dad jumped into the car and turned to say hello, I would release this tiny little squeak of a "hi" that could only be heard by bats and mice, while wrapped in a Barbie blanket and looking away. From a very early age, being shy has always really frustrated me. It was never anxiety, as I could happily have a conversation with someone and respond if they asked me a question; on the other hand, starting conversations or being in the spotlight was my worst nightmare. Now I'm a lot different, and could probably walk down a high-fashion catwalk if I really wanted to. Thank goodness I left those wary moments in the past!

My Guilty Pleasure Reads

3 February 2015

Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
There are very few books I will read over and over. They have to have specific sections that really grab my attention or that I can easily relate to for them to remain in my memory. There are also books that I just can't help but adore due to the memory attached to reading them or the characters I just fell in love with. These three books are some that I re-read over the winter and became obsessed with.

I'll Take New York by  Miranda Dickinson.

There is definitely a Christmassy feel to this book which made it one of my favourite winter reads. Out of the three, this book is my favourite as it's a classical romance story that's based in one of my favourite cities. The descriptive language in each chapter made the storyline seem all the more real and the book touches on romance as well as never losing hope and taking chances. Although the storyline is predictable, the romance is never forced and the characters are well developed before even meeting. It's obvious the author has a real love for New York City and that's evident in the narrative. The book is more of a 'chic lit' love story, it leaves you feeling inspired. I found it incredibly difficult to put this book down, saying "awwwwh" throughout and being desperate to read just one more chapter. 


The Manifesto on How to be Interesting by Holly Bourne

This is a piece of young adult literature this will always stick in my brain. The great thing that draws you in is the relatable protagonist and storyline. It's a book I wish I would have read when going through the younger years of secondary school. Even though school wasn't that long ago for me, this book  had me feeling nostalgic for my education days. The gripping thing is the realistic and relevant narrative and characters that are introduced throughout. It highlights some of the pressures and struggles that most people go through when in school and makes me very grateful that it's all over. This story helps you to realise happiness is much more important than reputation.

L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad

I have been obsessed with Lauren Conrad since The Hills so it was only natural to buy her book a few years ago. The first thing I loved is that the chapter titles are sentences or phrases taken from the chapter. The storyline does have a autobiographical feel which develops the characters well, especially if you know Lauren Conrad. The plot isn't too deep or intense which makes this book the perfect light or beach read. It's an easy way to get distracted from reality without diving in too deep. When reading, you almost get sucked into a reality show, which is very addicting. This book is definitely a teen novel, which is how it managed to make it onto my guilty pleasures list.

Better Than Lipstick

2 February 2015

Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
I don't like wearing lipstick as a lot of the brands I have tried out tend to have sticks that fade after time. There are high quality lipsticks but they're too expensive for their size and use. After recently shopping at Marks and Spencer for their bronzer which I can use as power. They have a line there under the name of Lola, (official website) which I'm always open to trying. The "Makeup by Perse" line has just about everything I need for everyday make-up; however every so often, I like to add colour to my lips as a twist. Red is usually my go-to colour as I shy away from pinks and oranges. 

Their lip gloss which is available for £10 at M&S was the first thing I was drawn to due to the bright colour and simple packaging. The colour I chose is "006 Red" and I immediately loved the non-sticky texture which is common among most lip glosses. The trouble I have with lipsticks that don't cost over £20 is that they often dry out and dry out my lips in the process. The colour in this lip gloss is not too strong and over-bearing, but it also hydrates my lips without fading after a few hours. This gloss has genuinely become one of my favourites to keep this season.
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