Kimono Funzo

I am officially channelling some summer vibes after today's delivery! After seeing kimono's with beachy backdrops in every other instagram post I finally caved in and bought myself this Band of Gypsie's kimono from ASOS.com. Now I just need to figure out how to wear it with something a little warmer.. 

Lighten Up: A friendly reminder to myself.

If there is one recurring thought circulating it's way around my brain that needs sharing, it would probably be something about lightening up. Taking stuff too seriously seems to be a downward spiral into the black hole of unproductivity and a place I often find myself having to clamber out of with grazed knees and stubbed toes.

Admittedly I haven't found a particularly successful way of getting out of this hole/avoiding this hole in the first place but there are a few things which may be of assistance (or not).

1. Go back to that childhood art fun stuff. I'm talking flicking paint, blotto painting, colouring outside of the lines, feet painting, basically anything that makes a good old mess.

2. Shoot on film! Not being able to see the images you're taking straight away makes the whole process a lot more bearable and lets you see that sometimes the mistakes make the best results.

3. Remembering that there is no right way. At all. Not even in the slightest.

4.Get inspired by some fun art. Anything will do, from the likes of Chris (Simpsons artist)'s silly illustrations to Shia LaBeouf skipping for an hour in Meditation for Narcissists. 

5. Go to the pub. 

Prada Candy (and how I'd like to imagine my life!)

Finally a great fragrance advert! Prada, Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola, and a hilarious French story...what's not to love?! Grab me a bottle...

Bailey's Stardust

On an important trip to London a couple of days ago, I managed to find time to make my first visit to the National Portrait Gallery to view, what else, but Bailey’s Stardust. To me, David Bailey is one of those names deemed with greatness, exceptional talent and a corker of a phonebook; making it mildly entertaining therefore, that the first portrait I viewed featured Marc Newson and Jonathon Ive, the latter being a childhood friend of my mother’s. This was evidently Bailey’s personal invitation for me to continue through the exhibition with my head held high, feeling as significant as the middle-aged women sporting pearl necklaces and Prada handbags, despite practically entering debt from the smoked chicken and orange salad I had previously purchased for lunch. 

I had a skip in my step, embracing the talent before me, marvelling at the classic black and white portraits, smiling at the shots of Bailey and Warhol in bed, quietly singing along to the touch of music in the ‘Fashion Icons’ room, and staring for approximately ten minutes at the portrait of “Prince Albert” for his ‘Democracy’ series in pure fascination.

Yet, it was the room titled ‘Catherine Bailey’ that stopped me in my track. It consisted of personal and intimate images of Bailey’s wife and children, including a shockingly heart-warming photograph of his newborn child, fresh from labour, forcing even myself – a self-proclaimed-disliker-of-children – to well up ... just a little bit.

Alexandre De Betak and His Fantastical Sets

The French fashion show producer has had my heart and imagination in a headlock since i-D published this interview with the man himself. His shows, if not magnificent and dreamy, are perfectly finished and precisely designed.

Home Pride

How often do you buy clothes manufactured in Britain? Are you aware of where the last item you purchased was made? Where the fabric came from? I’m going to guess that you haven’t got a clue; me neither. Our impulse to buy those cashmere gloves you *need* as it is winter, and you have... hands – to quote Confessions of a Shopaholic – often overrides the ethical question that surfaces to the front of our minds every now and again when headlines like the Bangladesh Primark disaster hit the news.

The late 1980s and early 1990s saw a huge rise in cheap textile production over-seas but recent talk has been suggesting that a return to UK manufacturing is on the cards, for reasons such as lower travel cost and market access. Companies, databases and associations are popping up all over Britain in attempts to make an impact on our textiles industry. The UK Fashion and Textile Association is a prime example of the UK voice working to provide a network for brands and manufacturers striving for a home driven industry.

Despite an obvious lack of the big high street brands switching to British manufacturing there is an overruling sense of home pride floating within the waves of new, young and British designers. I am constantly reading articles and blog posts of the next generation of designers and more than often it features their organic and local choices and the pride which comes with being a Brit. This generation cares! Now more than ever we have the means and the ability to dig further into facts thanks to our friend, the internet. We can, and we do, sign petitions and campaign online against corrupt governments or to give support in conflicts, at the click of the mouse or tap of the screen. So why don’t we have the same approach when it comes to the fashion we wear? We refuse to buy real fur yet effectively support manufacturing labour.

It seems that it is inevitably down to us, the consumer, to give the movement an extra push. So maybe next time your eyes meet that perfectly embroidered jacket across the shop and you are certain it just must be love at first sight, look at the label just a little closer and allow that little moral voice at the back of your head to have its chance to speak. 

In response to BBC Radio 4's In Business 'Stitch in Time' episode. Listen to it here.

Get Shit Done

I stumbled open Ivania Carpio of love-aesthetics.blogspot.com on Instagram a few months ago and loved her incredible dedication to minimalism, stunning photos and DIY posts. She is offering a free online download of her second edition of her great 'get shit done' calendar which I will definitely be printing off and pinning above my desk at college to ensure I am quite literally getting shit done daily. 

View it here. Plus check out her blog and Instagram while you're at it!