Midi Skirt Disaster

Midi Skirt by emilyrodgers18 featuring ballet shoes

You must have noticed the midi skirts at the moment, my favourites are in Topshop. There's something 50's Givenchy glamour about them. I tried a few on, but settled on this light pink one from Dorothy Perkins because of its price (£20) and its colour. In essence, this should be a cute little outfit for a winter dinner in a fur coat. In reality? It looks awful. 

The skirt was not at all what I expected when it came in the post, the colour is completely different from the picture, its a brighter pink, and the fabric is thin and cheap looking. I mean, it is cheap, but you can buy stuff in Primark, which when asked where its from and you say Primark, they go "OH MY GOD, WHATT?! I CAN NEVER FIND ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN THERE!"

So there was no excuse. 

In this day and age, where online shopping is so popular, and the line between bricks and mortar and websites is getting rapidly smaller, being able to see a product up close and know what you're getting for your money is a bonus. When it still doesn't look like the picture after zooming in and examining it on the web, and you've paid a good few quid to get it delivered, or schlepped through the shoppers to get it from click and collect, this is somewhat less impressive. 

But I guess there's an essence of mystery about it, hit and miss, and when you hit, you feel accomplished, when you miss, its just a ball ache to return. 

Has anyone else bought a midi this season? Where from? I'm still on the look out after this disaster! 

New Flat

Apologies for my recent absence, but with moving into a flat comes the joys of landlords, bills and no internet for three weeks. Thankfully we are getting Talk talk in next week so I can get back into posting! In the mean time, I thought I would show you a few snaps of my new pad, which I'm sharing with a girl I went to Uni with. I am very house proud with this one, its in a great location (right near camden and only 20 mins to work) and its really coming together with our little homey touches! These photos were taken just after we moved in, so its a little more lived in now, but you get the gist! 

I will be back to posting about fashion-y things next week!

How times change

I wrote this little exert back in May when I had just finished Uni, had no job, living in Jersey and was feeling pretty sorry for myself. I am now living and working in London, for a major designer, with so many exciting opportunities and projects coming up. Looking back on this has really made me appreciate how lucky I am to be in the position I'm in now. Its funny how times change isn't it?!

"Right now its may, which means the hoards of newly grads are going to haul themselves back to the island any minute and snap up every available job going. The good ones get the best roles first, and then what’s left for the rest of us is pretty slim pickings, so I’m attempting to act fast.

As you can probably tell, I’ve had no luck as of yet, although I think I’m punching a bit above my weight as I refuse to go back to shop floors, and I hope I’m not the only one struggling.

As soon as I say Fashion in an interview people tend to switch off before they even let me finish with marketing. "Oh, I suppose you want to be working for Chanel with the fancy bags and the fashion shows or a pretty magazine." Well, no. My course involved logistics, accountancy, internationalization, the economy, consumer behaviour, however all anyone ever hears, is dresses, shoes, designers. It was no easy feat. 

As much as it’s a dream of mine, I highly doubt I’m the next Carrie Bradshaw, mainly because she’s fictional, and also because that’s a dream. We are all encouraged to dream, it gives us goals. But the reality is, most of us are destined to be the next admin assistant in the photocopying cupboard saving for months for that amazing trip or a gap yah.  I’m also way too cynical, as this rant might have already shown, which is why I can look at the people who say “chin up” and “dream big” but the reality is, if you want something you have to work for it, so I guess I should stop complaining and get to it, because although I might get stuck making little penguins out of blue tac, its experience at the end of the day, and I should be grateful for any sort of job.

What makes it worse is that, whilst sitting at home, perfecting my eBay selling skills (not one to put on the CV) and watching the dreaded day time TV, my Facebook newsfeed is filled with the lucky ones who’ve managed to nab their dream jobs. “OH EM GEE, starting the new job today, eekk!” really?! That’s fantastic, please keep reminding me of your amazing success and your super duper organization skills, while I slowly but surely slip into the realms of bum-hood.

I’m not judging those who got their dream jobs, seriously, congratulations. You are the talented, smart ones destined to achieve greatness, as Will Shakes said, however, for the rest of us? The mediocre, run of the mill types? We’re lucky if we have any greatness thrust upon us. But that’s just it, its not lady luck who’s stopping you from getting these jobs, its someone with better skills and more experience, don’t wait for the greatness and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Yes, that is a quote from Will smith in the pursuit of happiness, going for a will theme here.

At uni they make a big deal of telling you of all the things you can achieve with this course, all the opportunities that are going to open up for you, you leave with a sense of hope and a lump of giddy excitement in the pit of your stomach to get out there and start a new chapter as a proper grown up. Turns out the hope is actually naivety and the pit is pure fear. Naivety of the fact that the reality is you will probably not get that dream job for a while, and your going to have to work bloody hard to get there, this has then made you think if that’s what you really want to do, contemplating the rest of your future, with all its choices, decisions and problems ahead, there’s the fear. So we can either bite the bullet, or dream on.

Now that’s been said, its time to get back on the job site, maybe a new position has been posted in the last 5 minutes."

Its funny because despite saying I didn't want to end up back on the shop floor, I worked for most of the summer in Next, the irony! It also turns out a bit of luck was sent my way to get to where I am now. It may not be my dream job but its a lot closer than I was back then! 

Try writing down a rant, or a story of your day, then read it back to yourself months from now and see how things have changed. It can go both ways in how it will make you feel, but the outcome is always interesting!

Vivienne Westwood Internship

You have probably guessed, I've got some rather big news! 

I decided a while back to take the plunge and move to London. 

With the pursuit of getting a job in the fashion industry in mind, I started applying for internships and such, but after a failed interview at Motel Rocks I wasn't having much luck. 

Pretty much the same day, my dad rang me saying "how fast can you get to London to work for Vivienne Westwood?" 

After a bit of explanation, it turns out my Uncle knows someone who's daughter is Viv's right hand woman, well for Press anyway (Laura McCuaig). As reluctant as I was to accept help from others and to make it on my own, this was one contact I just couldn't turn down! 

She put me in contact with Jess Moloney, who also works in the Press Office, and after a few exchanged emails and a phone interview, I was offered the three month internship! 

From what I could gather I will be dealing with samples, helping to organise press days and keeping the showroom neat and tidy. 

I start this wednesday and I am so excited! 

You may have seen what's been said in the news about her supposed exploitation of interns. Well I say, if you want something bad enough, you have to be willing to work for free for it. In such a saturated and competitive market such as fashion, what do you expect! 

And not only that but work hard whilst working for free. 

I am baffled by anyone who goes into a job and does it half arsed. You're there to work, to make an impression, so why not (for want of a better phrase) put 110% into it? It doesn't matter if you're getting 1 mil a minute or tuppence a day! And that also means being more than happy to make the tea, run half way across London for a sample and of course, the photocopying. 

You will only be rewarded for your efforts surely? Instead of being known for your laziness and unapproachable attitude. 

I started out picking up dog poo as a volunteer for the Animal Shelter, just so I could play with dogs. So I am very willing (if not privileged!) to work for an iconic British Designer just so I can get a proper job in fashion! 

I will be working here, at the Press Office on Conduit Street. I will be blogging about my experience there and the things I get up to, and I really hope its a great experience. I have all the faith that it will be! 

Finally, here are some of my favourite Looks from the S/S 14 collection in Paris.

Unconventionally 22 by emilyrodgers18 featuring Yankee Candle

As you've probably guessed, my birthday is coming up, and sorry Taylor, but I really don't want to feel 22 (standard cringey pun). So in honour of not wanting to get older, I'm asking for some rather crazy things this year, just to spice it up and revert back to childish ways, which I don't find hard to do at the best of times. 

So this year I'm asking for some guitar picks (those things with the eyes), not specifically those ones, but I do like whacky ones. I used to have spongebob ones, but they disappeared. 

A couple of Camilla Morton's books. I watched her speak at London Fashion Weekend (post to come) and she was so lovely and funny and I left feeling inspired to write my own book, but I think I'll start by reading hers. 

Some smelly candles. I don't have many candles, or many nice smelly things in my room, so I thought I'd combine the two. 

A new iPhone case. Not that crazy, but the one above definitely is! I saw it on the internet, and then in Topshop on Oxford Street and I love it! 

Some anti wrinkle cream, because I've ran out. Not crazy, just a necessity when getting older. 

And finally a minion. Just because. Or a rubber duck to add to my growing collection.

I would love these gifts, almost as much as that girl above loves balloons. Almost. She seems to really like them. 

Indonesia In Pictures

I wanted to do a quick post about my amazing trip to Indonesia.

I really hope the pictures give some idea of what its like there. 

After a bit of trouble with the friends I went with, I went off on my own, met some great people and had such a fantastic time. By the end, I didn't want to leave.

I would now recommend travelling to anyone, there is no better way to really experience a place than when you're with travellers like yourself, visiting new places, exploring and enjoying the culture.

We started off in Kuta, Bali. This had to be the craziest place I've been. Scooters, cars and people fill the tiny roads of Poppies, a complex packed with shops, bars, hostels and restaurants, as well as young people from everywhere you can imagine. Kuta beach is close by, and the nightlife is everywhere, so if you like chilling by day and partying by night, this is for you. I think a week there was enough for me, the hectic streets and constant crowds got to me, so we organised a day trip around Bali. We visited Ubud, the main cultural place, where there were temples and monkey forrest. Soon after, we all went to Gilli T, a small island of paradise just a short boat ride away. No cars, no scooters, just beaches, bikes and horses. It was so chilled out here, and so beautiful. There were only two main bars which became packed each night. The snorkelling was amazing, and we cycled round the island. Chilling by the beach all day, then listening to the live music in the reggae bar with a few cocktails at night was the usual routine. 

We headed back to Kuta for a couple more nights out before I had to leave. 

I would definitely go back, or at least stop over on my travels through the rest of Asia. 

Fun, new experiences mixed with rich culture and stunning places just make this place a great place for any traveller. 

IOTW #5

I am going to do a separate post about my trip to Indonesia, but I've still got loads of Instagram photos over the last few weeks to update you all on! The first is of a new outfit I bought after my very long trip back to blighty, I love the giraffe print top and I was dying for some new jeans (both Topshop). The tan loafers were an absolute find in Primark at just £12! 

The next is a roast I was served in the hotel I was staying at. My first proper english meal in 3 weeks, it couldn't have tasted better! 

My nails for my holiday. These falsies had lasted since my graduation which was about 3 weeks prior! I used my new matte top coat to finish off the design.

The next few are from my trip to Cayman in July, the mug was at my aunties house (where we stayed before our flight). She has loads of them with sayings on but I somehow always end up with this one! love it! 

As I was eating my cereal that morning, one of her cats stared at me the entire time. I gave in and gave her a cheerio, or two. 

Just one of the amazing sunsets we experience out in Cayman, they definitely rival that of my hometown in Jersey! 

Me and my sister went out a few times while we were there, and considering most of the tourists and residents there are American, we got native and played some beer pong! Turns out we were doing it wrong.

The next photo has to be the most spectacular photo of a sunset I've taken so far, with a bit of editing I must admit, but still pretty amazing! Every time I show someone, their reaction is "wowww". 

Blackbeard's vodka, the stuff of pirates and rather lethal at that. 

This lizard was a friend of ours, he hung out by the pool every day and we called him Yoshi. He even jumped in and came swimming with us once. 

I love this key ring I bought out there. The whole ethos of the island just seems to be this saying. Its so chilled out and everyone is always happy, I bought this to remind myself to be the same! 

And finally, my little sister went to Turkey shortly after Cayman, I've been before and therefore know all about the fake goods they import there. I asked for a Mulberry purse and this is what she got me, its so beautiful I almost can't believe its not real!