Autumn Chills

Autumn is definitely upon us - I'm currently writing this looking out across rain-lashed fields and a sullen, bruised sky. As it was a bank holiday today my family came to visit and we went out for dinner (hence the dressier outfit). What they neglected to tell me was that we were also going for a walk after - trying to navigate the rain, mud and nettles in a skirt was a challenge! Despite the gloomy weather today was beautiful - we walked alongside the river, picking the early blackberries and jumping in puddles.

I hope you're all having great Mondays too! - Esther.

Outfit details:
Blouse: H&M
Skirt: New Look
Jacket: River Island
Bag: Charity shop
Boots: New Look
Amber necklace: gift
Blue and silver necklace: H&M

Bow Ties Are Cool...

... And so are cats! Therefore this is the coolest dress ever: cats with bow ties! This is another of my work experience outfits - I did get some interesting looks on the train due to the socks (clearly London commuters don't fully understand the power of Topshop's frilly socks). I did feel like this look is a somewhat revised school uniform, albeit a much more quirky and pretty version. The best thing about this dress is that it's so easy to style it different ways: quirky-preppy like this, with frilly socks, lace-up boots and a backpack; or more edgily with a leather jacket, boots and a bowler hat.

Thankfully, today was a bright, sunny day - although I love autumn, I'm not ready to give up my summer dresses and ballet flats. After work, I decided to walk back to the station and to explore the surrounding area. As I write this the rain has returned however, and I'm spending the day lazily lounging around, drinking endless cups of tea and reading in my comfiest jumper. I hope you're all having great days too, despite any miserable weather.

- Esther.

Woodland Nymph

As you can tell from the title, this dress makes me feel like some sort of boho-gypsy-woodland-nymph which can only be a good thing! This dress was one of those magical finds - it was in the sale for £10 from £40 and, due to some small tears that I easily fixed, I managed to get it down to £8! Normally, being restricted by a student budget (and having just paid for a girly holiday and my travel card to London), and not being able to justify this as a staple must-have piece, I would have to reluctantly pass this dress up. I love this 'I just got a beautiful dress for more than half price' feeling! The print and colours of it are beautiful and it's what drew me first (I always seem to notice patterns and colours first) - the patchwork and paisley is a subtle nod to the 70s, and the rich purple, brown and orange combination makes me think of autumn. I can't wait to swish through campus crunching golden leaves with a pumpkin spice latte in hand.

- Esther

Outfit details:
Dress: Miss Selfridge
Cut out boots: Forever 21
Peacock feather necklace: Accessorize
Stone necklace: Forever 21
Blue and silver necklace: gift

Bejewelled

Here's something a bit different for you: my work outfit of the day. On Monday I started my month's work experience at the British Museum. Also on Monday, the heaven's opened and what was a beautifully warm August could easily have been confused for a November day. Surrounded by leaden skies, sleeting rain and swarms of black suit-wearers, I felt the need to pull out my brightest, jewel-like clothes and stand out. While I love the autumn and autumnal dressing - there's no better feeling than snuggling up in a favourite jumper on a chilly day - it does prove a challenge. Between the wind and rain, I often find myself retreating to the safety of jeans. I am trying to break out of that mindset but, at 6 am, (when all I want to do is hide beneath my duvet) it's hard!

I'm loving working in London. The people, the places, the energy - the people on my bus must think me very strange for being so chipper so early! I'm a country girl at heart (the fact that, in cities and towns, pizza is actually delivered all the way to someone's door is a major revelation to me) but I hope that one day I can work in London full time. During this month, I'm doing work experience in the Britain, Europe and Prehistory Department. So far I've been juggling my aspirations of becoming a fashion/arts journalist (which I've wanted to be since I was in year 5) and my more recent wish to go in to museum work; specifically fashion curation. This stemmed out of my love for the V&A and my countless visits there to their fashion exhibitions. I'm fascinated with fashion - not just in a superficial way, by which I mean knowing what's 'In' or 'Out' - but by exploring it as a marker of society. Exhibitions I've visited recently (such as Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950 and Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty at the V&A, The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier at the Barbican Centre, and the Origin of Fashion Magazines at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam) look beyond the surface of fashion, treating it as I always think it should: as both art and pieces of social history. The intersections between politics, economy, social opinion and artistic creation found within fashion is why I think it's vastly important that exhibitions exploring it continue. Masquerade masks from 16th century Venice or the influence clubbing wear has on high fashion; both are as equally fascinating and important to me.

I'm still juggling between the two career paths. Now that I'm entering my final year at university (eeek! How has the time flown?!), I'm beginning to feel like I need to know what I want to do. Whatever I chose, I hope to always be able to be creative and to be able to write about the things I love. This blog has really helped me with that - there are so many more things I want to write about and explore!

Sorry for the rambling, well done if you got through that essay! - Esther

Outfit details:
Blouse, skirt and boots: H&M
Necklace: Accessorize

Love // Musing on vintage shopping

Wandering the city streets, getting lost and discovering new and exciting secret places is one of my favourite things. Maybe it's because I'm a country girl, more accustomed to stretches of fields, woodland and the odd tractor, but city life beckons. Partially, it's why I chose Birmingham for university. It's the second city, cheaper and less scary than the mammoth that is London. Also, my campus is just outside the city and is very quiet and green - you can take the girl out of the country... ;) The nearest city to me at home is Norwich - it's a beautiful city, with the centre boasting Roman ruins and plenty of cobbled streets to get lost on. Today I went on a day trip to Norwich with my mum and sister in search of vintage and second hand treasures - I found two dresses, a skirt and a bag (soon to appear in outfit posts).

I love vintage shopping. I've heard countless people complain about vintage and second hand - it's 'dirty', 'too much effort' or 'too hard to find' they say. And they are right in one sense: it is easier to simply turn to the high street. It's familiar and comfortable, and it's no wonder that thousands of us flock daily to shops like Topshop, H&M and River Island, especially with the increasingly busy lives we lead. However it's also rather clinical: well ordered racks of the same dress 5, 10, 20 even times over; bright fluorescent lighting beaming overhead; the same annoying number 1 track pounding through the speakers; hoards of other shoppers armed with baskets, bags and crying babies...

Don't get me wrong, the high street is amazing. Now good quality and relatively cheap (despite the increasing hike in prices) clothes are universal. The high street has democratized fashion, bringing the runway trends to the masses and allowing the masses a place in the conversation that is the fashion industry. We now, as the consumer, have a far louder voice, whether that be used  to challenge unfavorable trends (remember the'bras for kids' scandal?) or unethical practice (e.g. sweatshop revelations). As a university student especially, the high street is a god send. The majority of my wardrobe consists of high street purchases, and it is because of the high street that I can attempt to emulate the kind of looks that I can only dream of.

However, I think we have lost something so important in the mad rush of fast fashion; we've lost our own identity and our own sartorial voices in the void of demand and production. It's almost a given now that someone else at a so-and-so's party is going to be wearing the same black Topshop bodycon dress. While the high street does allow more of us access to stylish, quality clothing, it also seems that we're in danger of looking too similar. With vintage that's not the case. Yes, maybe some vintage shops smell a bit funny, a bit musty and, occasionally, like someone's attic. And yes, maybe it does take more time to sift through the tat before a treasure is found, but that's what makes it so rewarding. Discovering something that, now, is one of a kind is an amazing feeling. Not to mention the history of vintage pieces; every vintage item has lived a life already. The idea of adding to that heritage and story is a pretty beautiful thing I think, and it is my favourite part of the vintage shopping experience.

So, the moral of this rant is: I urge you to try vintage shopping. Only if it is once, or if you don't even buy anything, try something different. You never know, you might find 'The Perfect Dress' for so-and-so's party that you know no one else will be wearing...

- Esther.

Outfit details:
Blouse: second hand
Shorts: Forever 21
Boots: Office
Necklace: Accessorize
Bag: my mum's (thank's mum! ;P)