Black is cool, but colour has more fun.

Black is effortlessly cool and subtly powerful. It can complement a classic beauty or rebel against society.

And it seems to be a prominent trend within our culture:

• "buying clothes that aren't black is hard"
• "it's black clothes or no clothes"
• "spring: black clothes, summer: black clothes, autumn: black clothes, winter: black clothes"
• "black clothes are a way of life"
• "black clothes are good for the soul"
• "how do I start buying clothes that aren't black?"

As today is World Goth Day, I'm pondering on what it is that makes the colour so appealing.

Is it really best? The legends of monochrome think so,

"Black is the most slimming of all colours. It is the most flattering. You can wear black at any time. You can wear it at any age. You can wear it for almost any occasion. I could write a book about black." — Christian Dior

I have said that black has it all. White too.
Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony.”   ― Coco Chanel

Black matches with everything, flatters any figure or complexion and never goes out of style.
Black enables you to blend in, it's the symbol of secrecy and the unknown, and as a result it creates an air of mystery.

This is not to diminish the comfort zones or preferences of those that choose to wear all black, but isn't black just playing it safe?
When you see how stunningly bold colourful clothes can be, you realise how boring it is to wear black everyday.

There's no need to lose the air of sophisticated cool that black creates, by going crazy with clashing patterns and eccentric colour palettes, however, sometimes life is better with a bit of colour.
Colour is daring and valiant, allowing us the room to experiment and make some major mistakes. In many ways, colour provides the freedom of expression and risk-taking that black lacks.

Black is cool, but colour has more fun. Always.

'One is never over-dressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress.' - Karl Lagerfeld

Read more at http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/542820/the-40-best-style-quotes-of-all-time.html#xwGtSjfDapGL5wvJ.99

'One is never over-dressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress.' - Karl Lagerfeld
Read more at http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/542820/the-40-best-style-quotes-of-all-time.html#xwGtSjfDapGL5wvJ.99

'One is never over-dressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress.' - Karl Lagerfeld
Read more at http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/542820/the-40-best-style-quotes-of-all-time.html#xwGtSjfDapGL5wvJ.99

'One is never over-dressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress.' - Karl Lagerfeld
Read more at http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/542820/the-40-best-style-quotes-of-all-time.html#xwGtSjfDapGL5wvJ.99

'One is never over-dressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress.' - Karl Lagerfeld
Read more at http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/542820/the-40-best-style-quotes-of-all-time.html#xwGtSjfDapGL5wvJ.99

'One is never over-dressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress.' - Karl Lagerfeld
Read more at http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/542820/the-40-best-style-quotes-of-all-time.html#xwGtSjfDapGL5wvJ.99

Face it, you're stuck here. Treat it good.

'Happy Earth Day!' from last weeks Google homepage was a slightly empty and meaningless statement, given that now earth day is over, the majority of us have reverted to our natural routines of neglecting the everyday damage we're doing to our environment.

For one day a year, the world is reminded of the beauty our earth beholds and the speed at which we are all destroying it.  Tumblr celebrated Earth Day in it's usual, quirky style 'Hug a tree. Enjoy the barky sensation.', whilst still raising some important and thought provoking points.

Utah Phillips once said "The earth is not dying, it is being killed, and those who are killing it have names and addresses."
His statement is undeniably true, as the human population is ruining the earth at astronomical rates.

I fully believe that we all have a sub-conscious desire to preserve the environment whether we know it or not, no-one wants to purposely damage the earth in which they live on. However, ignoring or failing to recognise the damage one is doing is no better than damaging the environment on purpose. And it is not an excuse.

I am particularly interested in sustainable fashion and the idea that everyone should be more aware of what they're buying.
Last spring I took part in the Enliven Fashion Project (http://enlivenfashionproject.tumblr.com/), a competition for emerging designers. This wonderful opportunity involved sourcing unwanted garments from a charity shop, and 'up-cyling' them into new, rejuvenated and stylish outfits.
Reflecting on this event a year later, it's extraordinary how much it has changed my perceptions of the fashion industry.

Each morning, many people on a global scale make a conscious decision on what clothes they wish to wear that day, as well as what message they wish to project about themselves through their fashion choices. It’s interesting to consider how many of us actually think about where our clothes have come from and what the story is behind our outfits. Fashion is a hugely influential and diverse industry which effects the world at a colossal scale. Due to the many ethical and environmental impacts caused by the fashion industry each year, sustainability is a worthwhile topic of discussion, as it is becoming increasingly important that these impacts are maintained for the benefit of present and future generations. 

Emma Watson speaking to British Vogue commented on her own clothing choices: "I think it's important that I'm accountable for the choices I make and understand they have serious consequences." - http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2014/04/01/bangladesh-rana-plaza-anniversary-fashion-revolution-day

One of the major problems with the fashion industry is the mind set of consumers. The relationship the public has between fashion and consumption contrasts with sustainability goals.

Vivienne Westwood informed i-D: It’s your responsibility as a fashion fan and consumer to “buy less, choose well and make it last.” - http://i-d.vice.com/en_gb/read/interviews/2366/worlds-end

As nation, we shop for clothes addictively due to the constant pressure to change and remain 'in fashion'.

• The average woman spends £13,000 over her lifetime on clothes she will never wear - (Ecologist: Eco fashion, Volume 38, Issue 2, March 2008, pages 58-65.)
• Many of our clothing purchases are discarded after 6 months. - (Ecologist: Eco-Fashion, Volume 38, issue 2, March 2008, pages 58-65.)
• 2 million tonnes of consumer clothing waste is generated in the UK each year, with a large majority of this ending up in landfill. (Ecologist: Eco Fashion, Volume 38, Issue 2, March 2008, Pages 58-65.) 
• ‘If Britain keeps throwing away rubbish at its current rates, it will run out of space by 2018.’ – (Awdas, R. (2012, February 28th) The Environmental Impact of Fast Fashion. Ethical in Style. Retrieved August 2013, from www.ethicalinstyle.com).

Liz Claudio recognised that "Fashion is low quality and sold prices that make the purchase tempting and the disposal painless." - (Liz Claudio, writing in Environmental Health Perspectives - Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys – Kate Fletcher, 2008). Arguably, the speed of the industry is to blame for this as it is now possible for a designer to turn a design into a fashion product in as little as 3 weeks, with some retailers having up to 15 seasons. This of course reflects into consumers disposal habits. 

The misconceptions are that sustainable clothes are expensive and low quality. However, if we revitalise our relationships with those that make our clothes, we can be assured that the clothes produced are of a high quality. The farmers and factory workers should not be people behind the scenes; they need to be actively recognised. The designer needs to be involved with all aspects of their garment. For example, if the designer is involved with the farmer/producer of their material, they can ensure that they are getting a fair wage and producing good quality materials for the consumer. This would of course mean that the cost of the item would increase, however it would mean fair treatment of the people involved with its production, as well insurability that it is good quality and made to last. The scales need to be tipped away from wanting to purchase extremely cheap clothes that are painless to dispose of; shops like Primark and Matalan almost oppose sustainability goals.

Buying less is not a ridiculous concept and will also benefit wardrobes. If you spend more money than usual on a good quality garment that you really love, it is much better than buying lots of cheap, poor quality clothes you just like.
Simply changing our attitude towards shopping and disposal can really make a difference towards the environment.

As Orsola de Castro recognises - (Borromeo, Leah. (2013, September 23) Was sustainability on trend at London fashion week? The Guardian. Retrieved October 2013, from www.theguardian.com); "It's a tough industry to change because there are so many elements to it. But it is also an industry that can really make a difference."

Face it, you're stuck here. Treat it good.

"Most people die at 25 and aren’t buried until they’re 75." - Benjamin Franklin

We are all guilty of subconsciously hurrying through life. We move on from one task to the next without really pausing to enjoy ourselves or 'appreciate what matters'. We have such in-built routines that it's difficult to ever properly branch away from these. 
We wait all week for Friday, all year for summer, and all life for happiness.
 
Ricky Gervais once tweeted "Remember, Mondays are fine. It's your life that sucks." Although relatively comical, the statement is very much true. Mondays are continuously moaned about, so does that mean everyone hates their life?
The reason that people often dread Mondays is because they dislike their job. One of my biggest fears for the future is being forced to work a job I hate because it is easier to achieve or it 'pays the bills'. It is something so foolish that people risk their happiness in order to have enough money. Of course money is important, as it is a cause of happiness in itself. However, being in an unsatisfying job is not worth the limited/temporary happiness brought about by having more of it.  
“Making money isn't hard in itself... What's hard is to earn it doing something worth devoting one's life to.” - Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Shadow of the Wind. 
Understandably, we can try our hardest to achieve our dream jobs, however some of us will just simply never reach these goals. That's the way life is sometimes. Yet, that doesn't mean that we have to settle for a life that we hate.

"Ralph Waldo Emerson once asked what we would do if the stars only came out once every thousand years. No one would sleep that night, of course. The world would create new religions overnight. We would be ecstatic, delirious, made rapturous by the glory of God. Instead, the stars come out every night and we watch television." - Paul Hawken.

This statement is inspiring as it highlights the superficiality within our lives. UK viewers currently watch an average of four hours and two minutes of television a day.(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21828961) Now I'm not saying this time should be spent appreciating the stars, but this time could occasionally be used better.

In '25 Things To Do Before You Turn 25', Stephanie Georgopulos raises some valuable points regarding life.

8. Make a habit of going outside, enjoying the light, relearning your friends, forgetting the internet.
11. Don’t keep wearing high heels if you hate them; don’t keep smoking if you’re disgusted by the way you smell the morning after; stop wasting entire days on your couch if you’re going to complain about missing the sun.
12. Take time to revisit the places that made you who you are: the apartment you grew up in, your middle school, your hometown. These places may or may not be here forever; you definitely won’t be.
13. Find a hobby that makes being alone feel lovely and empowering and like something to look forward to.
15. Forget who you are, what your priorities are, and how a person should be.
16. Identify your fears and instead of letting them dictate your every move, find and talk to people who have overcome them. Don’t settle for experiencing .000002% of what the world has to offer because you’re afraid of getting on a plane.
25. Quit that job that’s making you miserable, end the relationship that makes you act like a lunatic, lose the friend whose sole purpose in life is making you feel like you’re perpetually on the verge of vomiting. You’re young, you’re resilient, there are other jobs and relationships and friends if you’re patient and open
 
We are constantly living with the fear that we are wasting our lives. As we get older, time tends to feel like it is moving more quickly. The amount of people I've heard say "I can't believe it's April already" is almost frightening.
Philip Yaffe (http://ubiquity.acm.org/article.cfm?id=1455706) and Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D. (http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201004/why-time-goes-faster-you-get-older) discuss the reasons for this.

'Our first love, our first heartbreak, driving a car, landing a job, marriage, etc. When we look forward, all these milestones seem impossibly far in the future. However once achieved, how quickly they recede into the past.'

'The early years are full of first-time events... First occasions are novel events and we tend to make more detailed and lasting memories of those first times. When we repeat the event, year after year, it is less likely to make a unique or lasting impression.'
 

These observations mean that in order to truly appreciate and slow down our fast paced lives, we should experience new things as often as possible.
 
"So please ask yourself: What would I do if I weren’t afraid? And then go do it." - Sheryl Sandberg (Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead)

Drop the excuse that you're busy and make time.

It is easier said than done, but something always worth thinking about.
 

 

Ashish

Ashish Gupta is rapidly becoming one of my favourite designers.

Ashish Spring/Summer 2012

I first came across the Indian born designer whilst scrolling through Tumblr. I saw a photo of busted black biker boots laced with an array of contrasting flowers; I knew instantly that this was a designer I would connect with. The Ashish spring/summer 2012 collection was a spectrum of bold florals on simplistic sillohuettes. Something edgy, yet feminine is what I aim to capture with all of my personal fashion choices, and I feel that Ashish communicated this perfectly. The burnt black lips and contrasting patterns created a collection that incorporated 'goth glam' with 'festival cool', a collaboration which can never go out of style.


Ashish Autumn/Winter 2014

Sequins are undoubtedly something I aim to steer clear of at all costs. I've always found them tacky and immature, reminiscent of the sequin embroidered t-shirts I was so fond of as a young girl.  They are a no go in my wardrobe. Regardless of my preferences, the signature use of seqins in Ashish' collections has almost changed my perspective on them altogether. Imagine an Ashish collection without them? As the designer said himself, 'People always ask me why I'm still doing sequins but they are no less valid than a brand whose signature is trench coats or digital prints.' (Pithers, E. 2014, January 3rd. Inside the world of Ashish Gupta. Telegraph. Retrieved February 20th 2014 from http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/) What makes the use of sequins so effective is that they are done well, they don't overpower Ashish' garments or collections; they enhance them.           
Ashish' Autumn/Winter 2014-2015 collection has only strengthened my love for the designer. We were taken back to school with sickly sweet frou frou dresses in candy shades of pink, as well as gym wear joggers all accessorized with platform trainers. The prom queen theme was given an urbanised twist with ruffles of denim and spikes of texture. 1980s influenced poodle curls and tiaras proved that Ashish had truly showcased the modern day prom queen. And of course, what would prom be without some sequins?