Faded Spring

    From Milan To Mainstream: Moschino’s Rise To Fame

    The UK is currently undergoing a fashion revolution with more people than ever shopping for designer brands, owing in part to reality TV shows , digital influencers and aspirational celebrity endorsements. Throughout all of this, fashion designers are struggling to stay relevant and in 'Vogue'. One brand, however, has not struggled to stay popular. I am talking about Moschino, a label that is as culturally relevant and revered as it was when the label debuted in 1983. Designed by Franco Moschino, the Italian brand is renowned for its outrageous designs which has been worn by celebrity icons like Miley Cyrus, whose avante-garde approach to fashion runs in a similar vein to Moschino's kitsch ... read more

    The C- Word

    The C-word; it takes our loved ones too soon and breaks apart families. It can ravish you with disease and leave you dead before your time. But sometimes you survive and even when cancer tries to knock you down you come back fighting. Your one of the lucky ones, there are those who are told they only have months to live and all they can do is prepare their loved ones for their departure to the other side. Finding out you, a family member, friend, co-worker or neighbour has cancer is a nasty shock and it can be difficult to learn how to cope when a diagnosis is heard. I have lost people I loved to cancer; some were barely a teen when cancer took hold of them and others were older. When it ... read more

    The Moonlight Necklace: Symbol

    The moon dips in and out of my vision, a glistening crescent illuminated against the dark canvas that is night. Silver moonlight bathes me in a strange glow, its almost ethereal. I shiver as the winter wind nips me playfully, its a blessing and a curse. The winter holds dark memories, it was when my mother passed that she entered the arms of the moon god and left us, me her moon child behind. We were once so young and now I feel the ravages of time like my mother did all those years ago when she died. My skin is mottled like wizened apples, my frame frail, my vision no longer as clear as it once was. But still years later I come here, the path beyond the valley, the one place where I can ... read more

    Jord Watch Giveaway

    Watches. Crisp, clean cut, elegant, the ultimate epitome of sophistication. No two watches are the same but it takes a 'good watch' to change up the 'game'. Don't know what I mean by the game? Well the fashion game of course; what outfit is complete without a watch to set you apart from the rest of the 'style wannabees'? The whole world races through life, the swift tick of their watch documenting their every move and capturing it in the imprint of time. The soft hum-drum of the ticking clock goes 1,2,3 but in the sea of generic watches lies a hidden gem, a watch collection so different that its very creation is a separate trend in itself. Ever heard of JORD watches? Well guess what their ... read more

    Dealing With Scoliosis

    To an average bystander I am just a normal girl, full of life and as healthy as can be. But the reality can be far different. Last year I became sick after years of ill health had taken its toll and I had no idea what to do. I was being sick, feeling fatigued and had no energy whatsoever. Most of all I was in excruciating pain; my back was constantly sore and I could feel the tension knots bubbling underneath my skin. I had no idea that the pain I was getting was actually serious and after a series of tests I was diagnosed with scoliosis, a dislocated deltoid, hyper mobile joints and the early signs of arthritis in my joints. In short if I didn't sort out my back immediately then within a ... read more

    The Autumn Throne

     Standing alone like a warrior preparing for battle the Queen peers out the window at the spectacle before her. Her men who were assigned to her service since she became Queen all those years ago pledge allegiance to a new leader, the woman who murdered her husband. If she had any tears left to cry she would but truth is emotion left her the moment her husband died ; from that moment on her heart had turned to stone. The queen without emotion they would call her, a visible shell of her former self but how could she show how she really felt when that woman had stole her one true love to exact a ticket to the Autumn Throne? There was nothing she could do but stay chained to this iron tower, ... read more

    J.F Rabbit’s Veg Water

    Having a sensitive stomach and acid reflux issues can mean that food and drinks that are 'acid rich' can set my heartburn off and leave me in discomfort and pain. I am not meant to eat spicy, dairy rich (especially chocolate) drink too much alcohol or eat foods that can cause 'flatulence'. Yet in order to eat a balanced diet I eat many of these food groups that can cause pain, especially fruit juices like apple and orange, which may refresh my thirst but leave me clutching my stomach. Of course it is not just my acid reflux that affects my digestion, I also have a hernia, IBS, Gilberts Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue which can affect my food and drink intake immensely, thus I try and eat my ... read more

    Chie Mihara’s Vintage Love Affair

    Cast your mind back to 2002,  Prime Minister Tony Blair was in power, Sound Of The Underground became Girls Aloud's first single and the late Terry Pratchett wins the Prometheus Award for Discworld Novel 'Night Watch'. The political disray of Brexit was a mere speck in the future and the proliferation of social media was non-existent.  But amidst these prolific events was a new designer craving a shot at stardom: Chie Mihara. After becoming frustrated with designers inability to merge high quality design with comfort, Mihara sought to release a practical footwear collection, with a foothold in the fashion industry for real women. What about the mothers? Working Women? Active Women? The ... read more

    Twenty Four Fashion: Pantone 2016

    When Pantone announced not one but two colours would be awarded superstar status in 2016 the world went into meltdown. How dare they defy expectations and venture outside of supposed fashion constructs? But slowly by slowly they began to silence their critics and fashion feeds were awash with a delicious blend of Rose Quartz and Serenity shades, like one epic fashion smoothie. But colour-blocking is no new phenomenon, quite the contrary when we read the 60's fashion archives whose icons were infamous for their mod ( black and white) looks. But I digress, before pink and blue were considered acceptable shades to clash together I was pairing my two favourite colours together because I had a ... read more

    Perfect Eyebrows Part II

    After the success of the first treatment, my six week retouch was due and I could not wait to see myself one step closer to achieving the perfect eyebrows. Having been teased as a child because I had excessive facial hair, I became obsessed with making myself look more ‘European’ and eyebrows were one of the first hair issues I addressed. Having my eyebrows threaded since the age of 16 has changed the entire structure of my face and although I like having my face threaded (Note I like the results but not the process itself) I was after a semi-permanent procedure that could also address my gappy eyebrows. Because I usually fill in my eyebrows with powder and a thin slanted brush it can ... read more