Fashion Et Moi

December 15, 2019

How to dress sustainably this party season (and beyond)

CHOOSE VINTAGE

Sparkly mini dresses, velvet LBDs, lurex knits, there are plenty of vintage partywear options out there already, it’s just a case of finding them. Since launching my own vintage clothing brand, Anita is, I have been sourcing some amazing party pieces and these are all now available to buy from the ‘Disco Hymns’ collection.

TRY RENTAL

Had your eye on a pretty party dress that sold out? Couldn’t quite afford your dream handbag? Simply don’t have the space to welcome a new addition to your wardrobe? Enter clothing rental. It’s not a new concept but it’s something that’s really taken off this year. I have never tried it myself but I do think it’s a great option for those with an appetite for newness who also want to be responsible. Try Hurr, By Rotation, My Wardrobe HQ and On Loan. Alternatively, borrow from your friends.

SHOP YOUR WARDROBE

Party season comes just once a year so chances are you probably already have something in your wardrobe. Always start there. I find that when new seasons come around, my wardrobe gets a new lease of life, whether that’s through new styling ideas, having new places to wear them or simply through being my favourite pieces I’ve kept year after year. I get excited to wear my investment Rixo dress again, to style up an old sparkly blouse with jeans and try heels again.

September 10, 2019

A Love Note To The Beach

Sand between my toes, crystal blue waters and a (nearly) deserted cove. It was our little slice of heaven.

There’s something so romantic about a beach. The quiet ripple of water, the gentle warm breeze, the golden hues - you just can’t beat it. As soon as I slip off my sandals and sink that first step into the warm sand, a feeling of calmness washes over me.

Down a bumpy dirt track that seemed to put off the other beach dwellers in Saplunara, Limuni Beach is on the southernmost tip of Mljet Island, Croatia. During our three-day stay, Lewis and I made the trip three times to the island’s best kept secret. A quiet cove engulfed in sun, with little fishing boats tied up and bobbing to the rhythm of the gentle sea ripple, presumably belonging to the solitary house on the cliff above.

So here’s a farewell and a thank you to summer. As the days grow shorter, the nights darker and the layers multiply, I’ll think back to this peaceful place, to moments of freedom and to the heat on my skin. A summer spent in floaty vintage dresses with a Moroccan basket bag on my arm, filled with beach towels and sustainable swimwear ready for the next dip.

Summer, you were golden X

June 17, 2019

A Weekend In Bristol

Hello! I hope you had a lovely weekend. I was back home in Bristol and I wanted to share some photos I took on my phone. In true Bristol style, the weather was rather wet during my visit - apart from glorious blue skies when I first arrived back on Friday night.

Saturday started off just as Saturdays (or Sundays) in Bristol should; with brunch. My sister and I took our dad out for a day-early Father’s Day treat at our favourite brunch spot, Bakers & Co on Gloucester Road. I had avocado on toast with mushrooms and stole a piece of my sister’s halloumi - just the start of a day full of vegan slip-ups, oops. Following brunch, we braved the rain and darted in and out of all the charity shops Gloucester Road has to offer. I always find some great homewear bits and this time was no different. I picked up a dusty pink lamp base in one shop and a rattan lampshade in another - a match made in heaven, until I found the lampshade didn’t fit so off we went to the hardware shop for a solution. Most of my trips to Gloucester Road shopping seem to end up with me at the hardware shop…

Following a quick trip to Clifton Village where I admired the freshly watered (read: rained on) and colourful fruit stall at Reg the Veg, my sister and I headed to our stepdad’s for an afternoon of lazing about in the conservatory, watching the rain hammer on the glass roof and admiring the colourful flowers in the garden.

I want to do more off-the-cuff, diary-style blog posts like this so I hope you enjoyed this post. X

June 11, 2019

The Knee High Sock

One minute I’m in mini dresses and last year’s grass-stained white canvas trainers and the next I’m back in jeans and a leather jacket, cowering from the wind and rain. With current temperatures certainly not living up to the non-stop sunshine of last summer, I thought I’d share a style hack that I’ve been sporting recently for those in-betweeny temps - the knee high sock.

Running the risk of sounding like a cliche American stylist from a 90s sitcom, "they go with everything." Dresses, skirts, shorts, you name it, the knee high sock is your unexpected hosiery-hero.

My love for the knee high sock (well, renewed love - we all wore them at some point during Britney’s ‘Baby One More Time’ heyday, right?) began back in winter thanks to Pinterest. My feed is always full of sixties imagery and I started to be drawn to outfits featuring mini lengths and knee high socks. I made a mental note to try this come spring and this is how I’ve been styling the knee high sock.

June 4, 2019

Talking Circular Fashion & Vestiaire Collective

Today I want to share an outfit that I love as well as touch on circular fashion.

I shot these photos about a month ago now, on film with just 7 photos left on the roll. There is something so freeing yet considered about shooting on film. We don’t check the tiny digital camera screen for funny facial expressions, misbehaving fringes or untucked shirts, we trust that those precious few photos will deliver the goods. Luckily, this time, they all did.

I love this outfit. It came together so effortlessly and is exactly how I see my summer style this year - simple and monochrome with pops of colour. I love pairing white with white, or white with off-white. It instantly gives a fresh look - that is, until you spill something down yourself… The jeans are vintage Levi’s 501s and I paired them with this vintage tee with a twist. Dating from the 70s, it has a cool dagger collar and adorable colourful embroidery on the chest; a nice update from a classic white T-shirt.

I finished the look with earthy-toned accessories; my trusty Coach saddle bag, new-in Ray Ban square sunglasses and these Isabel Marant Etoile sandals. They are a new purchase from Vestiaire Collective - a luxury resale site that champions circular fashion. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term ‘circular fashion’, it is essentially about ensuring the fullest life span of any item. This doesn’t just mean re-selling your old, unwanted items. It starts with a brand designing and producing an item made with high quality materials and a sustainable and ethical manufacturing process. Once in the consumer’s hands, the item should be used for as long as possible through good care, repair and redesign and when it is just gathering dust in a wardrobe, it should be lent, swapped with friends, given to charity or sold on pre-owned websites like Vestiaire Collective. The final stage of circular fashion is when the item can no longer be rehomed or repaired, it should be given up for material recycling.

Back to the Isabel Marant sandals - they were like new and I bought them for less than half the original price. I don’t know whether their previous owner had received them as an unwanted gift or simply changed their mind but I’m happy they allowed the life cycle of the sandals to continue (or even start!) by selling them through Vestiaire Collective. They were exactly what I had been looking for - a chunky wood platform with tan leather straps, the perfect way to add a touch of seventies to a summer look.

What is great about Vestiaire is that all items are checked by their experts in Paris for authenticity and condition before being sent out so you can shop with peace of mind. I always go on Vestiaire when I am looking for a designer piece and I am regularly browsing their vintage sections for that Gucci bamboo crossbody or a pair of perfect Chanel ballet pumps.