Fashion Et Moi

January 16, 2019

How I Wear Beige

Beige. It’s not a colour that I own much of nor is it a colour I previously thought I could get on board with, if I’m honest. That all changed when I spied a pair of beige vintage Levi’s 501 jeans in a shop in Brixton and strangely, I couldn’t stop thinking about them. I’m a sucker for vintage Levi’s and an alternative to a classic blue pair is always welcome in my wardrobe. Luckily when I went back a few weeks later, they were still there.

Beige is a key colour for SS19 and beige jeans are an easy way to dip your toe into that trend, especially if, like me, you’re naturally a monochrome-phobe. They are a more subtle option to white jeans and are a great way to integrate some lighter wash denim into your winter wardrobe, before they come into their own in spring. (I’m thinking white T-shirts, hair scarves and bright sandals…)

So, a few hours before catching a Eurostar to Paris back in December, I returned to said vintage shop in Brixton to grab this pair, knowing how perfect they would look with the beautifully beige backdrop of the streets of Paris.

This pink coat is last season Jigsaw. I got it at their sample sale back in June and have been longing to wear it ever since. Coats are my thing and I have built up quite a collection over the years – almost an entire rainbow – I’m still missing a few colours but this pink one brought me a lot closer. It’s the perfect shape; cut in a thick structured wool with the most wonderful large lapels I have ever seen. I love how its bright colour looks with the beige; somehow it just works.

I finished off the look with my burgundy Coach saddle bag. I’m really into bringing together colours from the same area of the spectrum (hence the beige and cream in the base of my outfit) so pink and burgundy was an easy pairing. It was also a simple way to bring in another colour to this otherwise beige look.

So that’s how I wear beige, a surprisingly easy colour to come around to and style with colourful pieces. I could definitely see myself looking for some beige linen shorts for the summer when, as I learnt last year, I tend to wear a bit less colour. How will you be wearing beige this year? X

January 10, 2019

Postcards from Paris & an Updated City Guide

Back in mid-December, Lewis and I headed to Paris for a long weekend. This has become somewhat of an annual ritual – it’s great to get away from the pre-Christmas madness (even if you’re just stressing about buying Christmas presents in another country) and Paris is wonderful at that time of year.

If you’ve been on this journey with me for years then you’ll know that I used to live in Paris, for three years during my early twenties. I am still utterly head over heels in love with that city and I always feel like I’ve come home as soon as the Eurostar pulls into Gare du Nord. Because of this, I guess I haven’t really done any travel style posts about Paris for a while, just covering our recent trips through outfit posts or over on Instagram. So, this time I decided to cover our trip on film and do a mini updated Paris city guide, sharing our favourite corners of the French capital that we head to time after time on our trips back. Enjoy!

Crêpes are always high on the list of food agenda when in Paris. We usually head to Chez Suzette in St Michel on our last day for pre-travel fuel but this time we also added another crêperie to our address book. Straight off the Eurostar on Friday evening, we met our friend Hannah who lives there and headed to Canal Saint Martin in search of some dinner. My favourite, La Marine, had a long wait so we went to Lulu La Nantaise for good old-fashioned galettes and crêpes. Situated just off the Canal, this small restaurant was the perfect setting for eating some gorgeous French food, drinking red wine and catching up. Top tip: when in doubt, always go for caramel au beurre salé…I’ll be back.

Top of the food agenda: croissants. And pains au chocolat. And pains au chocolat aux amandes. Ok just all the baked goods. And bread. The reason I could never be fully vegan – la boulangerie française. We always make a trip to what was our local-ish bakery when we lived in Paris, which is situated near Bastille on boulevard Beaumarchais. Maison Landemaine Beaumarchais does the best chocolate almond croissant ever. In fact, it’s all good – even the bread – and it’s perfectly situated for fuelling up on pastries before heading to Merci, The Frankie Shop and then into Le Marais for vintage shopping and wandering its pretty streets.

We’ve spent many a day in Paris just in Le Marais, browsing the shops and hopping from one food place to another. It’s my favourite area of the city – my old stomping ground. Once I’ve shopped, it’s usually time for lunch and we always head for falafel at Chez Hanna on rue des Rosiers. With a takeaway price of €6, it’s the cheapest, most filling and delicious lunch you’ll get. Then, if you’ve got space, head around the corner to Le Voltigeur for liquid hot chocolate and whipped cream, or come back when it starts to rain.

My final recommendation is a pizza place called Simonetta that we discovered on our trip to Paris back in May when, being situated on the Canal de l’Ourcq, it was the ideal place to head after a few drinks canalside in the sun. Having tried quite a few pizza places during our time living in Paris – Lucky Luciano, Grazie, Maria Luisa La Cerise sur la Pizza, to name a few – we have come to the conclusion that this is the best one. The dough is super soft and squidgy while the tomato sauce is the most delicious I’ve tasted and they aren’t sparing on the toppings either. I’d highly recommend opting for burrata to start – also the best I’ve ever had. To top it all off, the décor is to die for. Pale green velvet booths, big wicker lampshades, rows of plants; it’s an art deco meets retro heaven and makes an evening out there feel quite special.

December 30, 2018

Reflecting On 2018

It’s been a couple of years now since I’ve written this type of post. This time last year, there’s no way I would’ve considered it – my mum had just died, I was working a shit job and I’d just experienced what it’s like to live through Christmas “festivities” when you just feel like total crap. It probably would’ve actually helped me to take stock and think about the good things in my life, but when you’re at the bottom of the hole, it’s pretty hard to see the light.

2018 has been two very different years to me. Similarly to 2017, when first six months were the best of my life but the second were the worst, this year has been a mix of extreme highs and lows. But I got through it – and I honestly wondered how I would at times – and, after a wobbly Christmas, I’m actually feeling pretty good.

Rather than writing a “2019 goals” type of post, I thought I would take this time to reflect on 2018 – the good and the bad – and recognise some of my successes and highlights of the year.

2018 was the year I took control of my mental health.

I had no choice. At the beginning of 2018, I was wracked with grief and I had to do something about it. With the death of my mum, my anxiety had returned with a bang and I knew that it would be really damaging if I didn’t address my problems. I did three months of bereavement counselling with Cruse and it was amazing. I found it really useful to talk to (or be silent with) a stranger every week and I was really lucky that they let me do as long as I needed. A few months later, I started a course of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), which is something I’ve wanted to do for years. As an overthinker and serial worrier, CBT helped me learn how to deal with my worries, both little daily ones and bigger, significant worries. Although I have been a bit slack at practising and meditating recently, I want to keep building on this. I would highly recommend CBT to anyone struggling with worry, constant indecision, overthinking and anxiety.

2018 was the first year without my mum.

It sucked. I still don’t really know how to feel about the whole thing and sometimes it feels like having a mum was in a different life. I think this is coping mechanism because if I have to consider this as the same life as before then I will feel how much something is missing even more. It’s been hard but time really is a healer. If you are going through something similar, please know it will get better and talking always helps.

2018 was the year I finally got the job.

After years working jobs to get by whilst living abroad and after a 5 month stint in a poorly paid role when I first moved to London, in April I finally bagged the job I’d been dreaming of – Social Media Coordinator at Jigsaw. I knew I could do it, it just took someone to see it and take a chance on me – and as far as I’m told, I’m doing pretty well. The job is great and I absolutely love the people I work with as well as the work environment. The goal that’s been on many my “new year goals” posts in the past has finally been achieved and I know the only way is up.

2018 was the year for veganism.

Starting with Veganuary, Lewis and I continued to be “week day vegans” (for the most part) for the rest of the year. While we still consume quite a lot of dairy at the weekend, we’re doing our bit and I always say that’s the best you can do. I hope to cut down a bit more in 2019 but I’m still never planning on being a full time vegan (cheese and croissants are my weakness).

2018 was the year I only went to one new place – Göteborg – and revisited Barcelona, Somerset and Paris (twice).

Although I am passionate about exploring the world, sometimes it’s ok to just go back to the places you already love. Having spent 3 years of my twenties living in Paris, that city is a part of me, feels like home and is a place that I just need to visit at least twice a year. While 2018 didn’t bring many new travels and I’m happy with the little trips I took, I’m ready to discover to new parts of the world. 2019 will bring a wedding in Croatia, perhaps a holiday in Sri Lanka, hopefully an American road trip and definitely lots more visits to Paris…

2018 was another year Lewis supported me unconditionally.

I honestly don’t know how I would survive without this boy. He has held me, told me to breathe and helped me rationalise during the darkest moments. From grief to flat hunting in London (if you’ve done it, you know how anxiety-inducing it can be), Lewis has been there for me and I’m so grateful for his understanding and patience.

Thank you for reading this year. I hope you have a good end to the year and I would definitely recommend taking a moment to think back on the year and recognise what you have achieved, even if it’s something small. X

December 20, 2018

How To Make The Most Out Of Your Party Pieces

Hello and welcome to the last blog post this side of Christmas! With the peak of the festive period fast approaching, I wanted to share one final sparkly outfit and talk about how to make the most out of your party pieces.

I picked up this party dress in a charity shop in Bristol a few weeks ago. Despite having already planned to wear my Rixo dress to my work Christmas party, I just couldn’t walk away from this showstopper. It’s 70s dream; with a sparkly ribbed tank top and a flowing black and silver lurex stripe A-line maxi skirt and it fit like a glove. So I bought it, determined to wear it a few times during the festive season and actually, I found that it was a surprisingly easy to wear.

The best way of making the most out of your party pieces, is to find a way to style them for the day as well as the night. Having worn this dress for Christmas drinks with friends a couple of weekends ago, styled with my By Far Becca boots, I decided to try dressing it down for work and I love the result.

I simply threw on my big, slouchy & Other Stories black jumper for an oversized look that lets the skirt do the talking and swapped my heeled boots for my chunky Grenson boots for added comfort. I finished the look with my Coach saddle bag for a muted pop of colour and my trusty black faux fur coat to keep me warm post-work at the Columbia Road Christmas Market drinking mulled wine and carol singing. If I had been heading somewhere more fancy, I would simply remove my black jumper and voilà! It is such an easy day to night look that I love so much.

So this party season, don’t just wear a dress once and leave it to sit your wardrobe until festivities come round again. Let those party pieces shine and rework them for the everyday. Because sparkles are not just for Christmas. If you want more partywear inspiration, check out my everyday party look post.

I hope you have a lovely Christmas – but know that if you aren’t feeling festive or are going through a tough time, it’s ok to just do the bare minimum to get through the Christmas period (read more in last week’s post on having a different perspective on Christmas). Lots of love X

December 12, 2018

A Different Perspective on Christmas

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. But is it? It certainly isn’t for everyone.

I used to love Christmas. Sparkly lights, mulled wine, overindulgent food, festive gatherings. You name it, I was in to it. Until last year when my perspective totally changed.

The first Christmas without my mum was always going to be hard. But I didn’t know that it would come so soon. I had barely accepted her diagnosis (of Motor Neurone Disease in June 2017), let alone her death (four month later). I was both heartbroken and empty, feeling all the “wrong” feelings and none of the “right” ones for the festive time of year. I was angry that my life had changed so much and jealous of anyone who could and would still have a normal Christmas. I was certainly anything but joyful and that can be really tough when it is impossible to escape the “tis the season to be jolly” messaging that consumes us at this time of year.

That’s the real problem; the pressure and expectation that we should all feel and act in a certain way just because it is a particular time of year. It’s everywhere – from shiny billboards and John Lewis advert hype to never-ending posts on social media, we are bombarded with festive cheer for three months straight. However, when you’re not conforming to this feeling of merriment – whether online or offline (read: on social media or inside your own head), you feel like a failure, which makes being miserable all the more so and thus the circle continues. I feel guilty because this year I am contributing to the problem. Working in social media, I write captions to inspire – what brand wants to risk bringing a downer on Christmas with some real talk? And thus the circle continues again.

Last Christmas I went through the motions – attending a festive dinner with friends, buying presents and posing for an Instagram snap on Christmas Day – when all I was thinking was ‘no, I’m not feeling fucking festive,’ when people asked. I just wanted to crawl under my duvet and hide until the whole period was done with.

But I got through it and I thankfully still had a loving (albeit grieving) family to surround me – imagine what Christmas is like for people much less fortunate than me. Or even for those more fortunate, we all have our struggles even at this time of year and it’s important to recognise that, to talk about it and to not brush it under the carpet just because we feel we should be merry.

One year on, I’ve got my Christmas mojo back…kind of. Festive feasts, spangly outfits, back to back Christmas films except that now I see Christmas in a completely different light. I’m more mindful of the pressures of the festive season and how it’s not the be all and end all if you don’t feel festive (I really used to get stressed about this when I was younger). It’s really ok not to be merry because after all mental health problems, grief and loss don't stop just because it's Christmas. Do what's best for you for this Christmas period, whether that's enjoying yourself while still missing that special someone or just waiting for the time to pass by. Look after yourself and those around you. X