Monday 30 September 2013

Generation Connected And Why It's Ok To Be Lonely Sometimes

Have you got hundreds of  Facebook friends, most of which you would probably not even say hi to on the street let alone invite to yours for a cup of tea? Do you spend a good part of your day  liking pictures on Instagram, coming up with cutting and witty replies on twitter and sending out iMessages to acquaintances to make sure your spare hours are safely filled with fun activities? The answer to most if not all of the above for the generation that I am part of is a resounding and rather worrying yes, a generation that, it seems, has become incapable of being happy alone. Lets be honest we have all sent that drunken text to a love interest that never quite got his act together. We do this knowing it will do little good, yet in the spur of the moment and after a night in an anonymous club environment and  on a lonely way home, we choose to cling onto that little snippet of hope that maybe, just maybe, the guy will after a badly worded and probably not very accurately spelled message change his mind and fall in love with you. Of course he doesn't and the next day you will ultimately feel not only hungover but embarrassed (  in most cases also  because it was done more out of loneliness than genuine interest), yet to me exactly this kind of behaviour  is symptomatic of a wider problem.

In a world where we all work long days with short lunches and return to our little rooms in flat shares often with complete strangers, we have become obsessed with cultivating and maintaining a social life that is almost as rigorously planned and stressful as the jobs we work in Monday to Friday. I am not only talking about Instagram etiquette ( you have to like certain people's pictures, some you can't follow yet regularly search for anyway especially exes and former friends) or group chats on Facebook organising the next big party, but an inner urge to keep our diaries filled, brunching, dinning and partying with people that as sad is it is in most instances we don't really like all that much. It may in our eyes prevent an overwhelming fear of loneliness that seems to equate to ultimate social failure these days but rather paradoxically has resulted  in most of us wasting much of our twenties clinging on to friendships and relationships that are as superficial as the platforms that are used to keep them going and in fact leave us lonelier than ever. Just because they have tagged you in that burger picture on Instagram doesn't mean that there are actually very interested in the emotional state of you and seeing this type of friend every few weeks will hardly  offer the platform to form much more than a surface knowledge of the person sitting opposite you. Why do we still invest so much time in these kind of friendships? It's simple- we do not want to be that person stuck at home on a Saturday night or having brunch out for 1 or even just going for a coffee by ourselves. Added to this of course is also the fact that our lives ( or lack off  we fear if we fail to comply) are near completely transparent through  the aforementioned social media channels that we have slowly shaped our lives around and that have further added to the stress of not being alone and making sure the world knows this through visually well composed and fun pictures ready to be "liked".

 I can't say that I haven't  been more than  guilty of this too, especially in my meticulous planning of eating out activities at weekends,  until one day something hit me. I  was actually putting  more effort into keeping these kind of relations alive than the happiness and actual satisfaction I was receiving in return. I have my few very good  ( and indeed very valued as they put up with me)  friends that have seen me through it all- the good the bad and yes the very ugly, and that without a doubt always manage to make me feel better. I may not see them every week but when I see them it's far more rewarding than the money wasted on people slotted in to fill my weekend just to, and I can't even deny not falling victim to this, not be viewed by the world to be having no life. Of course it's not easy to be by yourself especially because it means actually having to face up and think about the things we try to push to the back of our minds through  packed social and medial  life. Facebook, Instagram and twitter might mean we are less bored on the tube but they also mean that we seem to have forgotten to be  with just  us and OUR thoughts much like the time spend  with circumstantial acquaintances  discussing holidays and other rather dull subjects  to avoid thinking about problems at work, insecurities and fears that we need to face or at least discuss with people that actually want to hear about them.

Of course I still want to go out at my weekends and try new restaurants but I equally have realised that its ok to live in the moment and make time for the people that really matter,  a spontaneously organised day with one of my best friends doing very little that is instagrammable but very much that is good for my soul or  a Sunday evening in my pjs watching German political discussion shows and eating roast vegetables with lots of sweet chilli sauce ( two guilty pleasures) now my preferred options that I don't feel guilty for choosing. Yes that will mean  sometimes feeling a bit sad about a few things because I get the chance to actually think about them before going back to the office on a Monday morning but i rather do that than chasing an ideal of popularity and attempt to constantly busy  ourselves that if anything has only guised  and in many cases worsened rather than cured my generation's loneliness. 

Neon Flash

Jumper / Monki
Trousers / ASOS
Shoes / Russell & Bromley 

Wednesday 25 September 2013

Noctis Magazine Shoot

Check out the shoot and interview here

Tuesday 24 September 2013

Neoprene

Beanie / Topshop
Jumper & Skirt / & Other Stories
Necklace / Topshop
Shoes / ASOS
Clutch / Monki 

Monday 23 September 2013

White Tones

Beanie / ASOS
Necklace / Zara
Jacket / Monki
Trousers / Topshop
Shoes / ASOS  

Wednesday 18 September 2013

LFW SS14 Collection

J. JS Lee

picture style.com
Lee presented a crisp yet feminine collection that focused on simple and strong cuts, texture clashes and geometric prints. Putting a twist on the classic shirt she showed a collection that was both wearable and directional. Pink and turquoise colour pops were seen in statement dresses and trouser suits and shown  alongside a modern and graphic take on gingham that adorned cinched in at the waist designs. She presented an interesting texture mix of leather panels and collars, patent rain coats and  softer materials that made it a collection perfect for the rainy weather faced by all show goers today. 

Holly Fulton

 
pictures style.com
Holly Fulton wowed the crowd this afternoon with her 21st century take on a glamourous 70’s housewife by taking the silhouettes of the decade and infusing them with her signature printed motifs and embellishments. From silky flares to midi denim skirts adorned with intricate geometric prints and floaty shirts, her looks were delicate yet defined and showed a vision of a confident lady of leisure not afraid to put on one of the extravagant crystal chockers she finished her evening looks with. Her wide brimmed hats and half moon clutches were matched perfectly to the unexpected colour combinations of light blues, lilacs and flashes of neon tones. Snippets of modernity were visible in her more boxy bomber jackets and crisp cut white shirts, adding a much needed androgynous edge to looks that could have ended up look twee. It was a confident and established collection that showed a designer able to put a modern twist through her use of unusual materials such as laser cut cork surfaces on classic cuts, a futuristic look back to the decade that made a visually stunning presentation. 

Simone Rocha

pictures style.com
This season Simone Rocha adopted a darker and much more grown up look for her collection, with only glimpses of her signature futuristic fabric interwoven into a collection that combined sophisticated and sexy. Fusing together pearl collar details and cut outs within the skirt that made them almost float around the model’s body she created an air of mystique that showed a designer growing up in her designers. Her high knee socks with pearl trim are already set to become a fashion statement for next season and indicate the main great things to come from Simone Rocha in the next few seasons 


And What I Wore

Monday 16 September 2013

Pink Silk

Jumpsuit/ Topshop Unique
Earrings/ H&M
Clutch/ Monki
Shoes/ Kat Maconie

Saturday 14 September 2013

Monochrome

Hat/Topshop
T-shirt/ 5 Preview
Jacket/ 5 Preview
Skirt/ River Island
Clutch/ Monki
Boots/ Dorothy Perkins

Wednesday 11 September 2013

Bea's Of Bloomsbury Diner

A great brunch for me is almost unbeatable and something I look forward to every weekend, a ritual of being able to get up in your own time, have a leisurely cup of coffee, great food and a catch up with your nearest and dearest that I value more than ever now that I work full time and do, or at least attempt to do, that whole adult thing. Even better for me with my ridiculously sweet tooth and inability to face savoury dishes first thing ( even if first thing can mean 3pm on a sunday) is if it's an excellent sweet brunch, something that is not that easy to find if you want something a little more adventurous than some kind of carb drenched in maple syrup. Since sampling the fantastic pancakes at the Modern Pantry a couple of weeks back I had been on the look out for other brunch venues that specialised in this classic Americana breakfast staple. This is how I stumbled across Bea's diner, south of the river (about 10 minute walk away from London Bridge station) and located in an old grain storage space under a railway bridge, bang in the middle of the bustling Maltby Street food market and next door to St John's bakery, infamous for their cream filled donuts that on this occasion I was sadly too late to try before they sold out. I had been to the original Bea's of Bloomsbury before which specializes in baked goods like meringues and cakes and thus had a bit of an inkling that these guys know a thing or two about sweet things. 

Fancy dining this is not, the menu is short, it's only available until they sell out of ingredients and the coffee is bottomless filter rather than fancy Lattes but what they do do at Bea's they do pretty darn well. Be it their blueberry pancakes with grilled strawberries, whipped cream and as much maple syrup as you reckon your heart can take, and in my case that means a lot, the french toast with caramel bananas and walnuts or for the people that can't quite be without a little bit of heartiness, a half n' half special comprised of a muffin with poached egg and hollandaise AND buttermilk pancakes, everything served in their rather generous portions is absolutely delicious. You can tell great care is taken in sourcing ingredients and though that means that I only got a little dollop of cream as that was indeed all that was left, and that service can be a little haphazard at times with dishes taking quite some time to come out and often at different times for diners at the same table, you can't but forgive Bea's little faults for the charming and incredibly good value for money brunch it serves in an atmosphere where you can just relax and enjoy the for me no doubt best mealtime of the whole week. 
   

Tuesday 10 September 2013

Fluorescent Touch

Hat/ Topshop
Shirt/ New Look
Top/ & Other Stories
Skirt/ Topshop
Shoes/ Nike 

Friday 6 September 2013

Print On Print

Top/ Textile Federation
Skirt/ Textile Federation
Trainers/ New Balance