Why I'll Never Have A Floordrobe

I will never have a floordrobe. At least not a serious one. I can't comprehend how people get by in day-to-day life by hunting through a pile of clothes in the morning to get dressed. If I started my day on the floor digging through clothes I would probably give up all hope and get back into bed. I need order, nothing too complicated or regulated but a separate draw for trousers, jersey basics and jumpers, tops (as my dad would say "oh you've bought another top?") and then separate draws for underwear. It's a system and I'm a stickler for it.

After reading the Getting Dressed feature in ELLE this month it got me thinking about my relationship with clothes and I have to say some of the statistics made me chuckle and nod in agreement. Apparently we haven't worn 13.3% of our wardrobe... I could probably go a lot higher than that. I'm a hoarder. I admit it, and I have tried very hard to let go and to reshape my wardrobe. Especially seeing as we moved house in July and I did get rid of about three black bin bags worth of clothes (honest!) but I still look in the wardrobe sometimes and have the question "why do I have that still?". But guess what? I close the door and go back to getting dressed, that animal print playsuit I wore twice one summer stays in the wardrobe. Why can't I let go?

Maybe it's nostalgia, I can pin point when I wore certain items and it makes me smile about the memories. However I know (I mean I really know) that there is no chance of me wearing it again and I give myself a deadline. In July I said "Vicki, if you do not wear this playsuit over the summer months then come winter it is out, gone, bye bye." And yet, go check the back of the wardrobe now and it's still there. Face palm. I do clear out my wardrobe but I'm not ruthless, an ELLE top tip was "Enlist a good friend who you really trust to help with a wardrobe clear-out". I agree, it's a great idea in theory, but in reality I know my friend would make me get rid of so much, she is literally ruthless and would not understand my (slightly lame) excuses on why I want to keep said top.

I believe my real issue is the "what if" question. You don't know, maybe the animal print playsuit which is a little too tight will come back into my day to day style (yes I know, unlikely). If I had the money I would do a full clear out, cut it down to the basics, rid myself of naff tshirts and ill fitting jeans, I would buy all the classics from Zara that I love, the trend pieces from Topshop and some special pieces from & Other Stories. But until someone kindly hands me over those hundreds of pounds, I can't risk chucking out clothes and being left with nothing. Because if I'm honest I probably have about 10 max good outfits that I would wear regularly, everything else would not be seen out the house.

I can pretend that I laze around my house in cashmere sweats, cute black slips, hair perfectly bouncing away and a fresh face. But in reality it's trackies (or pyjamas if I'm really lazy) and a massive hoody, hair in a bun and the hope that I don't come across a mirror anytime soon. I don't care what I look like when I'm behind the closed doors, cosy inside in a world where no one sees, no one really cares and I can just chill and watch my box sets back to back hour after hour. It's much safer here. But I guess some days, I want that wow reaction. I genuinely feel better about myself when I put in a little effort, get a new pair of jeans that make my bum look good and put on some lippy. Sometimes just one or two wardrobe updates are enough to keep me happy. Other days, I think of the space I'm wasting with crap. I'm sorry little playsuit, you may have to go.

Images via Pinterest 

Sunday Lounging

Another Sunday, another week gone by. What a week, the one after holiday is always the hardest. Busy at work, missing the beach and back to the commute. But it has been a good week, I love to be busy and have challenges at work, it's the only way to learn.

This weekend my best friends sister got married and I went along to the evening reception which was spectacular. With such a beautiful couple it was without doubt that I knew this wedding would be picture perfect. The family always know how to put on a show, such a great bunch of people, live music (some fantastic karaoke from the family and friends), great dancing and a wonderful night.

So today bae has gone off on holiday for 5 days... will the cats away... I shop. Why not hey? New season is almost upon us, I've got my holy grail of September issue magazines in my hands and I have started the transition to autumn. Colours of autumn are always my fave, the blues and purples just work so well to make the daily black/grey outfit a little more alive.

Over at Jack Wills HO I have been lusting over our gorgeous damson colour for autumn and finally it landed in store. So I have snatched up my winter hoody (currently curled up on the sofa in it now... so cosy), I have eyed up some winter boots and can see suede is continuing for another season (yay!)

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend x

Friday Feeling

 

I have definitely got that 'Friday Feeling' today. This week I have worked hard, I've worked out and I have got a result! Keeping it hush-hush for now but it is safe to say I am very excited for things to come. Oh and bonus, this time next week I'll be in KL on my stop over before I reach beautiful Bali to reunite with my friends. So now to enjoy some sunshine and the weekend with some tasty chocolates and my favourite magazine. Yes, today is definitely a dance-around-the-room Friday Feeling. 

ELLE Insider X Jack Wills Spring Lates Event

As an ELLE Insider I had the privilege to attend the Jack Wills event at Covent Garden on Wednesday night. With a look at the latest SS15 collections, some goodies, canapés, drinks and an exclusive Q&A with Richard Nicoll himself.

New creative director of Jack Wills, Richard Nicoll is bringing something new to the quint essentially British brand. You can still expect comfortable lounge wear, logo sweatpants and sweatshirts but the collection is more theme driven with a nod to 90s Brit Pop and the sixties.

During the Q&A with Richard Nicoll we discovered that he is inspired by the youthful optimism and hopes to create an adventurous spirit through the youth culture, with sugary colours representing the 'pop and energy' of the sixties. He is keen on personalising a look, so this season you can collect badges and patches to monogram your fave JW pieces. Another collection favourite is the classic Jack Wills trench coat, updated by injecting a hyper-real bubblegum pink to make the jacket really stand out from the crowd. 

I have mentioned before I am personally fond of the sport luxe look and so I asked Richard where his interest in sports and fashion comes from "I can't really explain why I like it but it's something I've always approached and I like that athletic asthetic, it's something I find very popular in the youth culture, they manage to take a sweatshirt but create modern looks by pairing it with tailored pieces."

We got a brief understanding of where the idea for the shoot location came from "I loved the idea of having this urban backdrop 'a sort of brutalist architecture' against the sugary coloured clothes." For the summer collection we can expect a feeling of a right of passage in 'summer escapism' with a mix of a nautical old school Jack Wills prep look with a more bohemian and organic feel. I can't wait to see the images from the shoot in Cape Town!

As the night came to end, DJ still playing, drinks flowing, I picked out a couple of pieces that I'd had my eye on; the staple grey jersey sweater (remember my sweater obsession... It's continuing) and a classic nautical striped day dress which will be perfect when we get some warmer days.

Thank you ELLE for a fab event hosted by the gorgeous Jack Wills store in Covent Garden, I think I might need one of those chandeliers for my room! 

Friday afternoons

 

 

Today I received my first subscriber copy of ELLE magazine. It is safe to say I am super excited to be receiving this at my doorstep each month, to get the exclusive news and events through ELLEInsider. I have loved ELLE for years now and I even created my final project at Uni around a special ELLE issue. This has probably been a long time coming to be a subscriber and I am grateful for this Christmas gift.

 

Now to relax, read my magazine, have a cuppa and enjoy a peaceful Friday afternoon. Happy weekend everyone x

Feminism; where do I stand?

If I’m honest I never really thought about the word ‘feminism’ or what it was to be a feminist before reading ELLE’s ‘Rebranding Feminism’ debate November last year. But when I think back to school PE days I realise it has always been something that I’m silently questioning.

It was the dreaded ‘Bleep Test’; a test of endurance and speed. Whilst still in mixed PE classes, the boys were all on board for the test, challenging each other, spurring each other on. Take one look at the girls and you could see that the interest was limited. The test begins, slowly the bleeps get quicker and you must run faster to reach the line before each bleep. By the sixth bleep most of the girls are out (mostly by choice and lack of effort) and sitting at the side of the hall, watching the boys and giggling. Far more interested in admiring these young athletes in the making rather than challenging themselves and their own strengths.

Down to the remaining few, the ratio of boys to girls approximately 3:1, maybe three of us girls still going, amongst the supposedly far stronger and more competitive boys. It wasn’t that I wanted to beat the boys, it was that I wanted to take part and I wanted to compete with the class; both boys and girls. I didn’t see the difference, why shouldn't the girls fight against the boys in a test of strength and endurance? I think if you were to ask the other girls running with me they would agree that we were competing to beat ourselves, each other and the boys, all in one fair swoop. Not trying to create a divide between the sexes. So why as we move up the school years are we segregated into Football for the boys and Netball for the girls? Why separate two sports by gender? To me it created a stereotype for sports - netball for girls, football for boys; prompting a generalisation of:“Let’s not ask the boys to play netball because that’s far to ‘girly’ for them to play”; “Oh the girls won’t play football because they don’t want to get muddy”; I'm sure the school system had it's reasons behind class distribution but I do wonder - Did anyone think to actually stop and ask what we wanted?

Flash forward to my years at University. A clear time of ‘labels’ and achievements. If a man has a successful night with various women he is applauded by his peers, branded a ‘Lad’ (which apparently they see as a positive status) and receives high-fives. Now what happens if a woman brags about her rendezvous? She receives a ship-full of negative comments, vicious stereotypes and labels that brand her as tainted and unwomanly. Or in some cases the phrase “trying to be one of the boys” is voiced, as though our actions are to fit in with the boys and not to fulfil our own desires and passions. It’s a very childish reaction and to me it just showcases the different platforms that women and men are put on, they’re not equal, if both sexes are doing the same thing they should receive the same reaction.

I could probably continue recollecting about what I have witnessed in gender equality in my life so far but I don’t want to keep looking back at what was. It is time to look forward at what is to come. I want to applaud ELLE for their fantastic December ‘The Feminism Issue’, which includes powerful and inspiring women as well as intelligent and thoughtful men. Because we do love men, we do want them in our lives, we want them to be a part of our world as much as we’re a part of ‘The Mans’ world’. We want one world where no-one questions your sex or sexuality on a form or questionnaire. Together is the way forward, there’s no need to ‘man-bash’ we all need to nurture one another and tell each other what we need and why. For men to be emotional and passionate and women to be strong and determined. Let’s get rid of the gender inequality!

My last note is to Emma Watson and her work for #HeForShe. Her speech at UN Headquarters in September was powerful, filled with emotion, informative, honest and captivating. She is a role model to me, with her beauty on the inside and out, her confidence is something that I want to achieve. To believe in something and to stand up for it and fight. Whether it’s for personal dreams or for a bigger cause. I will have a voice and I will always be the best I can be, in high heels or bare feet.