Saturday 14 January 2012

Bringing back the Bum Bag


Reaching the peak of its popularity in the late 80s through to the mid 90s is the Bum Bag.. or the Fanny Pack as they call it over in the States. Practical and pretty I want to bring the Bum Bag back.

Friday 6 January 2012

December at Dazed and Confused

During the month of December, I knew I had time off from University coming up. Instead of doing what I usually do in the holidays, (sleep, watch friends, spend money I don't have etc..) I decided to try and get myself some work experience in the fashion industry. When I emailed in to one of my favourite fashion and lifestyle magazine, Dazed and Confused, asking if they had any work available, I did not expect to be working as an intern for the month of December, let alone a reply!

Dazed and Confused is a British style magazine, founded in 1992 by photographer Rankin and editor Jefferson Hack, (who is also the father to Kate Moss's child). Well known for its consistency to feature up and comping artists before they become famous, Dazed is about all areas of the creative industry, fashion, music, art, film and literature. Dazed and Confused is one of the worlds most innovative and influential magazines.

Before Dazed, I had never done any work experience, or in fact shamefully, never had a real job (as babysitting apparently doesn't count) so I really didn't know what to expect. Deciding what to wear on my first day was a nightmare, but in the end I decided to go for something quite casual, which I decided due to the magazines style. After worrying for the whole journey there that I was too casual, I realised upon arrival I had made the right decision. People in the office were dressed in hoodies, oversized jumpers and converse rather than your typical smart office wear. Instantly I felt comfortable in the office.

The office itself is located in Old Street, a 2min walk from the oh-so-trendy shoreditch. Dazed share the office with AnOther magazine, and it is laid out openly in sections, e.g. fashion, online, editorial etc.. I managed to bag my internship with the fashion department, which meant I spent the majority of my time in the fashion cupboard.

I got to handle to most beautiful clothes. Clothes from my favourite ever catwalk show, Meadham Kirchhoff SS12. Half the time I had to stop my self running into the toilets and trying on Meadham Kirchhoff pinafores, Chanel mini dresses or Dior Couture gowns. I packed, un-packed, folded and hung up all the garments going in and out of the Dazed office, while trying to keep the cupboard reasonably tidy.

The time that I spent out of the fashion cupboard, I was either in the magazine cupboard, hunting for old issues, or out of the streets of London, dropping off and picking up clothes from PR companies and head offices. I went literally everywhere.. North, East, South, West. To Dalston to Stoke Newington, to Kings Cross to Kensington. Although it was hard work carrying heavy bags to and fro I got to peak inside some of London's most well known designer head quarters and PR companies offices, where I'd work out in my head which one had the best decoration or which one I'd like to work in.

There were perks to the internship. These came in the forms of being on a shoot, where Robbie Spencer had styled an Asian model to be doll like, accessorised with chinese fans, summer umbrellas and candy coloured bonnets. And Christian Louboutin biscuits given to the interns, shaped like shoes and bags with icing covered in edible glitter.

Even though I may have dreded getting up early and travelling in the cold winds, my time at Dazed has been both insightful and exciting. I have loved and loathed the internship at different points but overall I can easily say I am so glad I have done it. Being able to say I have done work for one of London's best and well known magazines in the industry makes me so happy and to be honest, quite proud too. The hard work has definately been worth it and I would be more than happy to intern at Dazed again in the future.

Tuesday 3 January 2012

It's 2012!

Happy New Year!

I always like to look back at my favourite past times of the previous year at the beginning of every New Year...
This year I had to learn to look after myself as I grew up, finished sixth form, passed my A Levels, moved out and started at University. Before Uni started I had the summer to spend with everyone else from school before they all moved around the country to their Unis too. I went on my first boyfriend-girlfriend holiday with Ben to Greece, then to Marbs in Spain with my family. Weeks away in the sun was shortly followed by a wet weekend at Reading festival with the lads and then a glitter filled weekend at Bestival with Char.
I then moved out of home and into a 7 bedroomed house in Epsom with complaining neighbours and 6 other students starting their first year, just like me. And then came freshers. Many nights that involved dressing up, geek glasses, pre drink parties and running home bare foot, stealing road work signs when the night had come to an end.
After freshers the real work at Uni began but not without a break before Christmas with a weekend away to Amsterdam... A weekend spent walking around the city incredibly high, taking in the lovely sights around me. It reached the date of the 26th November while I was away in Dam, which meant me and Ben had spent a whole year together too.
I spent a few more weeks back at Uni decorating for Christmas with fairy lights and Hello Kitty candy canes, before packing my case and returning home for Christmas. Christmas Eve was spent in the pub with my friends, which meant Christmas morning was spent drinking off my hangover with Champagne and smoked salmon on toast. The rest of the day was spent drinking some more and playing twister and opening lovely presents.
New Years Eve is always one not to forget but hard to remember and this year was no exception. A house party round a friends with everyone highly intoxicated was just the (crazy) way start to the New Year.

Bring on 2012!