Faded Spring

    Learning How To Overcome My Fear Of Cycling With Brompton Bikes

    I was 15 when I first rode a bike and while it might seem like quite a late age to have picked up cycling, I was proud that I had finally learned to ride a bike. As a kid I would learn with stabilizers but somehow 'never got round' to learning to ride. It might be because in the middle of my transition into cycling I was abused and bullied, which made me forget everything I had learned and when it came to a Year Six 'cycling proficiency test' I was one of the few ones to sit out the test, because I didn't know how to ride a bike. Then again cycling wasn't the only form of sport or exercise that I had learned late, swimming too, which I learned by the age of 13-14. But I digress; between the ... read more

    Quiz Clothing’s #LOST IN SUMMER Collection Launch

    I remember when I was 14- 15 years old and I was obsessed with Quiz clothing. Every year I would save money for the Boxing Day Sales and lavish cash in Primark, New Look, Select and Quiz, which were my favourite brands at the time. But then something changed and my tastes became more affiliated with brands like Miss Selfridge, as I entered my university years. Brands that I had loved as a teen growing up had remained stuck in the past and due to the fast evolving nature of trends, brands like Quiz Clothing had been left behind. It wasn't until last year that I fell back in love with Quiz and that was all thanks to a new creative vision that was cool, on trend but with creative flair that ... read more

    An Open Letter To Grenfell Tower: The Cold Hard Truth

    Grenfell Tower 58 people feared dead, dozens missing and hundreds without house or home, caught in limbo as they watched their homes go up in flames on the 14th June. Many were lucky to have made it out alive; a blind pensioner who used his jumper to create an SOS signal, rescued 12 hours after the fire had started from his 11th floor flat orffff the hero who caught a 4 year old girl, thrown out of the window by her mother who is believed to be deceased. But for some, their last words brought anguish to their families; talented artist Khadija Saye who posted on Facebook that she had tried to escape but couldn't leave due to the thick smoke and flames or 23 year old Mohammed al-Haj Ali who ... read more

    How PosterLounge Taught Me How To Appreciate Art

    One glance at my blog's design and it is clear that my aesthetic is centered around street art. From breathtaking murals to painted bricks, street art has been integral to my personal aesthetic and has helped me embrace colour in its rawest form. When I first found street art, I had been blogging for two months and was wowed by the artistic delights that Great Eastern Street had shown me. I slowly evolved into a street art enthusiast; At first I still photographed in locational areas like parks, malls and gardens, but the more street art I saw, the more I realized I had a chance to carve out a special aesthetic niche and that was to use street art murals as a feature wall. Naturally, my ... read more

    Degustabox: The Picnic Edition

    I can't believe it has been nearly 5 months since I first started reviewing Degustabox. From the good, the bad and all the bits in between, Degustabox has taken me on one hell of a journey. So far I have been treated to goodies from brands like Cadbury's, Zeo and more and while last months box was the lowest rated so far, I was optimistic that the picnic edition was going to be one of Degustabox's best boxes yet. Oh boy was I right, it had everything you could want from a box; alcohol, chocolate, sweets , popcorn and more. In fact I was practically salivating and was not sure how I would be able to last three weeks without eating the box, which is when my next shoot was scheduled. Needless ... read more

    Online Games With Boomtown Bingo

    There is something so thrilling about playing games online, from bingo to mobile games on the go  playing risk free games, gives me somewhat of a rush. When I was at university, I mentioned how I would play casino games but that it had been a while since I had indulged myself in another 'online game' due to work commitments and growing out of that phase. Funnily enough when it came to online gaming or traditional forms of gambling, casinos was not my first foray into 'gambling'. I must first point out that I am not a 'gambler' but would occasionally when I was younger play bingo, penny slot machines or online games which were low risk but just as fun. It sounds like a rather 'grown up thing' ... read more

    A Letter To My Dad On Fathers Day

    Dear Dad, I remember the last time that I held your hand; I was 10 years old and had just been taken into care by my foster mum. You came to my new foster home and promised me that you were always going to keep in touch, that you would never stop seeing me no matter what. But you did and at the age of 10 I learned that my biological parents, who I was meant to call mum and dad, were not always going to be the ones to kiss me goodnight and hold me in their arms when things got tough. You blamed me for getting put into care, telling social services that I had exaggerated the extent of the abuse that I had faced at the hands of your wife and yet you were there, you saw with your very own ... read more

    Faded Spring’s Quest For Cruelty-Free Skincare

    Ever since I found out about how many large companies were abusing 'animals' to make our skincare, make-up and more,  I have been on a quest to create a cruelty-free routine, where no animals have been harmed. It began with my make-up, gone were banned brands like Loreal, Revlon and Max Factor and in its place were cruelty-free brands like NYX, Limecrime and Too Faced. When it came to skincare and hair, my heart sank, I had been using products that were part of the 'Proctor and Gamble' family who openly admitted to testing on animals were it is legally required to in order to pass customs. I felt sick and made it my mission to once again ensure that ALL the products I would be using would ... read more

    5 Floral Print Blouses You Need This Summer

    Ah, there is nothing like a floral print blouse to get you in the mood for summer. From off the shoulder to kimono style blouses, the floral print can make any garment look stellar. While florals are commonly associated with 50's tea dresses and vintage, the floral print has been updated for S/S 17, with brands like Quiz and Zaful, using florals as a feature print in a way that is new and fresh. From tropical floral blouses inspired by 'summer beach trips' to choker blouses with a moody floral print, one thing is for certain, florals are going nowhere this season. Let Faded Spring take you on a ride through floral town with 5 of the best floral print blouses that you need in your life ... read more

    Faded Spring’s Weekly Happy List

    After recent events, the prospect of finding something 'positive' to say about this week can almost seem daunting.After all, from the bombings in Manchester to the terror attack in London, the public might find it hard to find something to smile about. But I believe in the power of 'positivity', that out of bad good will arise and we will stand united even in the face of destruction. I want you to tell someone that you love them each day and smile warmly at the person next to you, even if they are a stranger. But most of all, I want you to find the things that make you happy  because life is too short to live in fear. I don't want to live in a world where I have to watch my back or worry ... read more