Personal Essay
I Tried Dressing Like It Was My Last Day on Earth — Here’s What I Discovered
I'm not someone who has ever really enjoyed black - yes I know that might sound shocking from someone who works in fashion. We are told black is a staple and should be in everyone's wardrobe, but it's just not for me. I try to wear colour, most of the time; it makes me feel more like myself. However like most people I just outright sometimes cannot be bothered to be creative with an outfit and to make an effort to dress up. It's just sometimes, well, always easier in the morning rush to grab the easiest and comfiest thing we own and wear on repeat. Anyone else? Enter this experiment. You may be wondering why I have decided to dress like it's my last day on earth every day for a week. Well, I have been influenced and inspired by Louise Thompson, who has documented what some people might c...
Fashion Is Trying to Bring Back the Worst Y2K Trend: Using Real Animals as Accessories
It all started at Chanel‘s spring/summer 2022 haute couture show in January. Grace Kelly’s granddaughter Charlotte Casiraghi opened the catwalk by riding on horseback, but critics viewed the spectacle in bad taste. While also fuelling whispers that the brand is trying to compete with equestrian-focused Hermès, fans were quick to call out the ethics of using an animal as a prop — particularly when horses are notoriously skittish. The use of real animals as fashion accessories or luxury items is having an unforgivable comeback. And while Chanel’s choice to put a horse on its runway might have Coco rolling in her grave, designers across London and Milan were also guilty of indulging in the unethical trend. “Quick fashion! The planets on fire! We need to fix things stat...
Style Stories: How a Vintage Topshop Dress Led Me to My Future Husband
Fashion has a remarkable ability to shape our memories of an important person, place, or major event. Whether it’s a piece of jewellery gifted from a loved one, a dress worn on an unforgettable night, or a handbag that validates your financial freedom — sometimes our clothes help to create who we are. Style Stories share the scandalous, wholesome, and hilarious moments when our style became an important character in the story of our life. Having recently walked away from a relationship that left me a broken shell of my former self, dating felt like dangerous terrain that couldn’t be trusted. A broken butterfly being forced from its chrysalis, on a diet of antidepressants, sleeping pills, and pure anxiety. I was sure that nobody would be interested in me. I even considered movin...
How to Master the Art of Buying Clothes on Depop, and Yes, It’s an Art
People always seem surprised when I tell them that almost 50 percent of my wardrobe comes from Depop, but it’s honestly the truth. I joined the app seven years ago, around the time that I was getting ready for my year 11 prom. I bought a red dress from Depop for £14, had it tailored, and the rest is history. Since then, my Depop finds have gotten more and more impressive, and I find myself using the app to shop more than I use any other ecommerce site. Over the years, I’ve bought a Gucci notebook, Vetements shirt, Saint Laurent slides, and a brand new Fiorucci T-shirt from the app that, altogether, retail at well over £2,000. I, however, spent a fraction of that price and now continue to use Depop as my go-to for finding affordable designer items. As a seasoned shopper, I must ...
How the Coronavirus Will (and Should) Transform the Way We Shop For the Better
The coronavirus is completely transforming our relationship with fashion and clothing. While we reflect on the ethical footprint of our everyday purchases, our favourite brands are being forced to take sustainability more seriously. The pandemic has shown us how globally connected we all are — for better or worse. If fashion wants to thrive post-lockdown, then companies must connect the stories of those making clothes to the people buying them and how that aligns with the needs of our planet. Fashion’s embrace of sustainability has been slower than expected, but with shoppers becoming more conscious of our consumption, popular brands are responding more quickly to demand. What is lacking is brand transparency. Fashion Revolution Week 2020 marks the seven-year anniversary of the Rana ...
My Question to the Early 2000s – Why Did We Dress Like This?
The early 2000s was a strange time for pop culture. A time where women kissing was seen as shocking (Britney, Christina, and Links”>Madonna at the 2003 VMAs), but using people and pets as accessories wasn’t ( Links”>Gwen Stefani‘s L.A.M.B, and Links”>Paris Hilton‘s Tinkerbell). The early aughts was bizarre, for sure, especially between 2003 and 2006, which created some of the worst personal style of the past century. Yeah, it was that bad, which is why we absolutely love it. Early 2000s fashion sense might be trash, but it was totally iconic. We had a strange obsession with really long torsos. Not sure where that came from, but all signs seem to point to the debut of The Simple Life in 2003. Paris Hilton made Juicy Couture track suits, tiny dogs...
