Sunday 29 April 2018

Getting Snap Happy




Recently, much to my initial resistance, I've become a bit of an insta-bitch (follow me here btw), so I'm now constantly on the hunt for ways of upping my photography game. Luckily, photography guides and kick-ass Olympus Cameras from Clifton Cameras exist. So, if you're up for joining me as an inta-travel-whore, take a look at the travel photography guide below. 















xXx

Friday 27 April 2018

Window Shopping


Although it might be hard to believe given that I spend a good 95% of my time in my pyjamas, fashion was one of my first loves. I've interned for international fashion designer Fannie Schiavoni, worked at both London and Paris fashion week and freelanced for Matches Fashion and Net-a-Porter last year, so although I live in Primarni, I spend a lot of time dreaming in Prada.

And Vetements.

And Chanel.

Anyway, moving on.

When it comes to shopping, I SUCK at doing it online. Unless its something from Amazon that I can stick a free label on and shove back in a box if I don't like it, it's simply not happening. Thanks to this aversion, girl spends a lot of time window shopping.

A recent study about how boutique window dressing affects how we interact with retailers has just been carried out using details from denim Gods, and retailers behind Rails Shirts, Trilogy Stores. Here's what the company's creative director had to say.

Windows work

Most stores find success with the basics of window displays; creating memorable asymmetry using the 'rule of three', drawing the customer's eye to a featured product at the centre of a display using the pyramid principle and avoiding the colour red to prevent people associating a high-end brand with a low-cost sale. For Trilogy, their customer's love colour and print, which they found during the success of the campaign for their SS18 RIXO collab.

Stay fresh

To stand out in the big city, Trilogy Stores focused on how important it is for them to keep things FRESH. Casting aside stock-photos in favour of fashion shoot collateral, they've found success in stocking brand exclusives and maintaining a signature brand identity across channels. If you recognise them by their shop front, you'll recognise them by their Facebook page.

Consistent Confidence

BPD moments aside, I'm a big advocate for confidence. I might not always practice what I preach but I'm a big believer in showing yourself some love and taking the world on head first, and Trilogy has found the same with their window displays. By knowing exactly what will catch their customer's eyes and giving them what they want, more and more customers flooded their shop floors. And with the theme of the display being visible throughout the store, they're impossible to forget.

xXx

P.S. I've recently fallen in love with Instagram, want to see a fuck tonne of pictures of my face and cat? Find me here.



Wednesday 25 April 2018

Storage, Showing off and Silverware



All hail red velvet

Owing to my a) nomadic lifestyle b) minuscule attention span and c) raging commitment phobia, I have a tendency to move around a lot. I've set up house in around 10 different places since I was 18, not including the embarrassing amount of times I've had to head back home or the time I've spent travelling.

It this sounds like you, then chances are you've spent some time wondering how to pack up your things. Not everything's as easy to stash as your winter jumpers though. If you're lucky enough to have bought/inherited any valuables like antique silverware somewhere along the line, you're going to have to take a little extra time to clean and store it properly. Here's how to keep your silverware safe so you won't end up feeling like you're eating with something out of The Little Mermaid when it next gets used.

For the love of all that is holy wash the things

I'm fairly certain that a hatred of washing up is a relatively universal thing. It's messy, it's boring and odds are you'll have to do it again 30 seconds after you've finished so really, what's the point?

This is one of those occasions when you have to suck it up. Silver reacts with air, food and water which makes it an epic pain to look after, but it's worth spending a few more minutes keeping things squeaky clean to avoid yellow or black tarnishing. And don't try and skimp on the drying either, damp is to silver what Angelina Jolie is to Jennifer Anniston so make sure it's dry before you put it away.

Remember to wrap it up

Silverware, like so many things in life, is far better wrapped, but make sure you get your baggage right before you tuck everything away.

There are tonnes of options, acid-free tissue paper, airtight bags and boxes and cloth rolls. You can even pick up anti-tarnish bags for smaller bits. As long as you keep the air out you'll be fine. Just for make sure you keep it away from anything with wool, leather, felt, wood and ABSOLUTELY NO RUBBER.

Want to put on a show?

If moving isn't at the top of your regular hobbies list and running away isn't your forte, you might be lucky enough to be able to have things on display, so take advantage!

Rocking some decent storage space where you live? Cabinets, cabinets, cabinets, my friend. Take a trip into town or drown yourself in eBay or Etsy for the night. Glass doors are going to show everything off, and who doesn't want light dancing around their rooms like a 70s mirror ball? You've got some gorgeous goods on your hands, so keep a check on the humidity, splash out on some wax polish (the V&A recommend microcrystalline) and show off your stuff.

xXx




Friday 6 April 2018

What do you see?




I'm going out for the evening. I'm getting ready, prancing around to the Rent soundtrack in my underwear and I look great, so I quickly go and check myself out in the full-length mirror (because bitch looks fucking fine) but it's not the same.

There's fat, there are wobbles, my eating disorder fills my brain again and I feel hideous. My curves are gone to make way for my corpulent roles that cover my body. My body is gone, I'm gone, Candy is back.

Knowing I need to shake it off, I give my landlady a tongue-in-cheek flash and head up to my room, where nothing's changed except my appearance. There are the bulges, the lumps, the revolting roles. My clothes don't fit, my skin ripples, and Candy mocks me from afar.

She worms her way into my head. Instead of bubbling with confidence, I'm now sat on the floor, legs wrapped around me, listening to Will I, from the same soundtrack, on repeat. The song I listened to over and over after I was raped. When my body was no longer mine.

She doesn't see what I see, but I miss her every day.



xXx

Thursday 5 April 2018

I was never




I was never talented enough for what I wanted.
I was never smart enough for myself.
I was never enough to stop him hating me.
I was never enough to make her love me more.
I was never good enough to be who I wanted to be.
I was never good enough for where I wanted to go.
I was never beautiful enough for boys to want me.
I was never talented enough to get the part I wanted.
I was never smart enough to feel confident.
I was never good enough to make him want me.
I was never good enough to make him love me.
I was never enough to make them want to be with me.
I was never good enough to not worry.
I was never talented enough for the job I wanted.
I was never smart enough to not get in his car.
I was never strong enough to put it down.
I was never strong enough to admit when it wasn't working.
I was never strong enough to control my brain.
I was never strong enough to purge.
I was never thin enough for what I wanted.
I was never strong enough to starve.
I was never strong enough to stop eating.
I was never strong enough to put the food down.
I was never thin enough for my goal weight.
I was never small enough for what I wanted.
I was never ill enough for them to treat me.
I was never ill enough for their diagnosis.
I was never thin enough for them to believe me.
I was never thin enough for them to help me.
I was never thin enough to be anorexic.
I was never strong enough to be anorexic.
I was never thin enough for myself.
I was never thin enough.
I was never thin enough.


And that's what hurts the most.