TieDye

Kimono - Zara / Shoes - Zara / Jeans - H&M / Chunky Bracelet - Tiffany's / Skull Bracelet - Dower&Hall / Little Finger Ring - Stall in the Brighton Lanes / Middle Ring - Pandora

I've had this long, dress-like kimono for over a year now and have barely worn it. The length of it means, you really need to wear heels, which is why I think it mostly remains in my wardrobe. But on Sunday, I grabbed it out of the darkness and shoved a camera in my boyfriends hand. Annoyingly, the sun was shining all morning and as soon as we hit the beach to take the photos it went in and the greyness came. Typical! 

I love the colour, the pattern, the style so much. As soon as I got a glimpse of it online I snapped it up, and ye ok I don't wear it a lot, but it's just one of those beautiful pieces that I'l never get rid of. 

Photos by Rich Murphy / Editing by Me

Photography: Every Girl Has To Have That One Dress.

Dress - H&M / Jewellery - H&M

It is really cool to be living with someone creative too, we've not even lived in The Cottage for a week and a couple of photo shoots have been taking place. I am really into my photography, from reading images to taking them. However, I have a lot to learn. And to learn, one must practice. We've got off to a good start, let's just hope it will continue! Here's too a year of practicing!

Following on from my last post of me wearing my H&M Paris Show Collection dress, here's Beth in hers! I'm quite jealous of this gorgeous buy, it was an amazing piece to photograph.

Photography & Editing by me / Model - Beth Dowdell

So We Beat On

Dress - H&M / Hair Clip - H&M

So here is my other purchase from my H&M Paris Show Collection buys. This dress was so beautiful, with it's twenties flapper style. Very Great Gatsby. It is extremely sheer, so I won't be wearing it like this on a normal occasion. But me and Bethy thought we'd be a bit more photo-shoot than outfit of the day with this post. I'm quite looking forward to dressing it down with jeans and maybe my new boots, as well as seeing how I can keep it quite dressed up too. 

"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

- F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Photo's taken and Edited by Beth Dowdell

Booties

Boots - H&M / Jeans - H&M / Top - Matalan / Jacket - Zara / Sunglasses - Topshop

I was on the outlook for a pair of black ankle boots with a slight heel, to be worn with trousers, as well as skirts and dresses. Et voila!! Real leather booties, with potential for smart and casual dressing, the right colour and heel size for £50. 

There are so many great black boots out there at the moment, all with slight differences, making it hard to choose a pair. I will admit I brought two pairs from H&M at first, brought them home, got a couple of opinions and these were the chosen pair. Although I would have loved to keep both, I couldn't justify spending the money on such similar boots. Although I own a fair amount of shoes of different sorts, I don't seem to have enough options (of course), so these were a great investment. Next on my list are some over the knee flat boots.

As I said in my previous post, me and my housemate are acting as each others personal photographers this year, so this is her first images of me.

Photography& Editing - Beth Dowdell

Photography: Bethy

Coat, H&M / Necklace, Primark / Top - Topshop / Sunglasses - Christian Lacroix

So now me and Bethy are housemates, we are officially the perfect photography, outfit of the day, creative partners. We have both solemnly swore to keep each other not only sane during this hard last year of tedious and hectic uni life, but also to motivate each other to get out there and do stuff. This starts with our promise of acting as each others personal photographers.

I love photography and taking photographs, however, I know there is a lot I need to learn about the whole process, (i.e. getting my head around aperture) as well as getting to know my camera more. So here I present you my first collaboration of mine and Beth's. 

Photography and Editing - Me / Model - Beth Dowdell

New Abode

Moved back down to Worthing this Saturday just gone, and although I managed to fill to full cars of my stuff (yes, there's still more at home!) it was the easiest uni move I've had! I'm living basically on the seafront, so although there's a salty smell as you open the front door, the views and convenience being so near town is amazing. Plus, The Cottage, as it is actually called is so sweet. I am living with fellow friend and Fashion Promotion Student Bethy! I am hoping we will be encouraging each other to work work work, as we'll need motivation in our third and final year. However, we are both currently sitting here, work in front of us, yet I'm blogging and Beth's on her phone. Maybe we'll improve. . . Hopefully!

Anyway, the sun was a shining down on heavens waiting room today, so I popped out (literally outside our front door) and took some photies of the scenery. I love the rainbow that formed due to the sunlight and water fountain!!

Inspired.

Photo taken at the Istanbul Exhibition, London April 2013

Most days there are little spots of inspiration, small things, but it is rare occasions that I feel really, truly, deeply inspired by something. In such a way that it makes you really think about life, your life and the way you live, as well as thinking about the world. I love feeling this way as I am motivated, inspirited and my thoughts are stirred. Yesterday evening, and this afternoon I have incurred two of these rare moments of reflection and deep thought. 

Last night I watched the film, The Butterfly Effect, a film of which I have wanted to see for a long time, and although I don't know what I expected to happen, I was surprised by the films story and it's intensity. However, I was gripped from the beginning. It left me thinking about that every decision you make in your life will effect your future, therefore I need to do what I want and what feels right. Ok, these actions you decide may not be as extreme as the ones in the film, but they are still important.

This thought about making the right decisions and doing what is right also links in with the documentary I watched this afternoon on 40D, Fabulous Fashionistas. This documentary looked into the lives of 6 women all with an average age of 80, who were not just stylish, but a huge inspiration. Each of them not caring about age or death, but striving to live and enjoy life. All of them strong and passionate women who cared about themselves and their happiness, not letting old age turn them into a retired, little old lady.

Both of these inspirational films are a recommended watch. I wanted to write this post to share the inspiration, not to be intense and serious, but to put across that at the end of the day life is what you make it. Wear what you want, be who you want, and do the things you want to do.

"You think about death, but you choose life"

Sue, from Fabulous Fashionistas

Tar Tan

Laura Whitmore wearing The Ragged Priest bomber jacket
Photo credit: David M.Benett/Getty Images for Sandro

Mooching through my Bloglovin feed and instantly fell in deep love with this The Ragged Priest tartan bomber jacket! Oh my, even with a £160 price tag I am more than tempted. Can I treat myself?

On the subject of tartan, this very 80s, 90s and all things scottish trend is back with a vengeance this season, influenced by the likes of Saint Laurent, Celine, Stella McCartney and Moschino. And I must say I'm a fan, but it is definitely a trend you have to get right. Here are some examples I've found where I think it works just right.

Zara tartan skirt worn by Angelica Blick. See her blog here.

Next skirt worn by Ngoni Chicwenengere. See her blog here.

Dress, by Primark.

Coat, £129 by Zara.

Dress, £17.99 by Glamorous.

I am debating my purchases, but until then I brought this scarf today to keep in touch with AW13's scottish ways.

Scarf, £6.99 by H&M.

Cardigan

Cardigan - Primark / Top - Topshop / Necklace - Topshop / Skirt - Miss Selfridge / 

Shoes - Topshop

So I have realised it is extremely difficult to take good photographs of your own outfit, after not being able to find your tripod. I am embarrassed by the quality of these photos but I just had to do a post to show off my new cardi.

I was originally on the hunt for a black fluffy one, and magically found one in Topshop, but with a £38 price tag my mum persuaded me to have a little look around incase I could find another one. Heading to H&M and Rivers with no luck (Northampton isn't the best shopping), Primark came up with the goods! Ok it's not black, but my wardrobe is a mass of black! I love this deep pink/maroon, and am hoping it will brighten up my winter wardrobe!

Village At War

As I said in my previous post, on Saturday I visited the Stoke Bruerne, Village at War weekend. Once a year the village dedicates a weekend to looking back into the Second World War era. From people dressing up in the full attire, to air-raid shelter demonstrations, music, war reenactments. fashion shows, and cars... It was quite a fun few hours out, and ended up being something that can go into my uni research file. Bonus!