Italia

First stop Venice. Got my nautical stripes at the ready so here's hoping... Ciao for now. x

Bank Holiday Weekend..

Before departing for Italy I went away with the family to Seasalter near Whitstable in Kent for the bank holiday weekend. We stayed in a sweet little house that felt more like a roomy beach hut, overlooking the sea. The moody sky, grey-blue water and stony beach reminded me of the Welsh scenes from one of my favourite films, The Edge of Love, directed by John Maybury and starring two of my favourite girls, Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller. I love their rustic, dishevelled look in the film and the casual combination of delicate lace and feminine florals with chunky knits. The film is referenced by Christa D’Souza in the vintage inspired August issue of Net-A-Porter’s online magazine The Edit. The beautiful Lily Aldridge graces the cover and her shoot plays on a similar vibe but with a touch more ethereal elegance. N.B. the wellies have been traded in for a pair of Jimmy Choo biker boots. So as soon as I’ve sourced my Jimmy biker alternatives I’ll be trying this look in full, but for now the wellies will have to suffice.

A series of photos that concludes with some snapshots from the weekend. I’m wearing my Topshop dungarees, which recently ripped of their own accord, my latest lace purchase from a vintage shop in Oxford and my Dad’s jacket.

The first six photos are via Pinterest and Tumblr

The final seven were taken by me.

A Sustainable Thread...

This blog has come about, partly because like any English student I enjoy writing, but also because for a while now I have been struggling to balance a love for fashion and beautiful clothes with a growing objection to the modern consumer lifestyle. The fashion industry relies on a fast product turnover; forever enticing us with the latest trends whilst we let last seasons ‘must-haves’ gather dust at the back of the wardrobe. As a result, resources are depleting faster than ever, whilst at the same time clothes that could be recycled end up in landfills.

[See my recent article for Nottingham’s IMPACT magazine here on how the high street are establishing sustainable strategies: http://www.impactnottingham.com/2013/08/sustainable-fashion-what-can-you-do/

  

I love the idea of living a minimalistic lifestyle with only very key pieces inhabiting my wardrobe. I haven’t quite mastered the self-restraint required to live this way and frequently moving between home and university only highlights the amount of stuff I manage to accumulate. And so, I’ve come to the conclusion that if I can’t go cold turkey on the buying front then I’ll try and change what it is that I’m buying. Instead of succumbing to cheap and cheerful fast fashion, I will try to shop sustainably, choosing only a limited number of key pieces (from sustainably assured lines and designers where possible), but mostly buying vintage and second-hand.

For the most part this is no problem as I am already a fan of sourcing vintage and second-hand bargains. As well as the student friendly price, I think mixing high street with one off pieces makes for a much more whimsical and creative way of dressing. I love mixing grungy and elegant, bold patterns and ethereal pieces and topping it off with anything oversized. I’m a big fan of the thrown together look and am totally envious of anyone who can make a flawless outfit look totally effortless.

This blog, as well as easing my consumer conscience, will document my attempt at embracing sustainable fashion (on a budget) with regular outfit posts and comments on various developments in the eco fashion world...

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/11216587/?claim=hg3cprd4a4c">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>