Showing posts with label clothes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label clothes. Show all posts

Tuesday, 12 November 2013

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!


Thursday, 1 November 2012

My Great Great family


My Grandpa passed away in September 2011. 
Not the best way to start a post.
But a few weeks ago, his old desk was delivered to our house.
In it, wedged at the back, was this picture.
Dated approximately 1890, it shows my Great Grandpa and Great Grandma on their wedding day, surrounded by their families, including my Great Great Grandpa. 
Not only is it strange to see my ancestors all lined up, but I found the clothes fascinating.
It's not everyday you find a picture like this from your relatives past. I've only ever seen this type of photograph with this fashion in books or magazines.
The bonnets, the bustles, the flowers, the ruffles, quite well dressed aren't they?
A little piece of my history on paper.







Friday, 22 June 2012

Mamma Knows Best

When at home, I like to root through my mothers things, jewellery, clothes, mainly old stuff, just because its fascinating. From what I'm finding it turns out I inherited my interest in fashion from her. 'It's amazing what comes back into fashion', something we hear all the time, but its true! 
Below are a few things I've found of hers that I love, some retro, some classic, and some back in style!
I recommend having a look into your mum's wardrobes to see if you can dig out anything that you fancy, or even anything which you used to wear. Theres always a way of revamping it.

A selection of old broaches. 
(taken with Instagram) 


This one is my favourite, very art deco, which I know my mum loves. 



 A set of pearls, I used to play dress up with these when I was little, now they would make a nice addition to an evening dress for a summer occasion or even an elegant ensemble to casual day wear.



These watches are everywhere at the moment, I recently bought one just like this from Urban Outfitters, when there was one sitting in my mums draw this whole time!



I've always loved this selection of retro earrings she has, she used to wear them in the eighties a lot. 



Bucket with mini spade and fork!



 Tiny pink telephone!



 Another painted wooden parrot. 
I'm not brave enough to wear these myself, maybe one day for fancy dress!


 I often borrow this Moschino belt for nights out or to wear with high waisted skirts. Everyone always asks me if its real, of course its not, but I love it as if it were!



This chippy belt is also a cute one to wrap around your waist with a skirt or dress. 



Something else from the 80's. This padded quilt bad with gold chain is very chanel-esque. Petite and perfect for a day out.


She gave me this selection of silk scarves when I started Uni, they were just coming back into fashion and she had loads, so I didn't have to go out and buy any!







I am a lover of big knitted cardi's and jumpers, which is why I adore this pink oversized jumper with rose detail. 





 And finally, this tweed pink jacket. You may have seen my post the other week about the range of these in zara at the moment, now I don't need to buy one! I was ecstatic when I found this, also very Chanel. 




(Apologies for the shoddy quality photos, cannot wait to get my hands on a DSLR!)

So why not try and dig up some old treasures, you never know what you might find!