Short dresses and oversized shirts and the summer styling essentials I love. Wearing these combinations to help me pretend in somewhere in Spain or Italy soaking up the sun. Instead of in Bournemouth applying for graduate jobs.
Shoes – Gucci (vintage) Dress – Tesco | Shirt – Ralph Lauren (mens) Bag – Thrifted
Monday the 8th July 2019.
Dress – Zara | Shoes – Micheal Kors | Cap and Gown -? Earrings and Necklace – From my family
I graduated with my fellow Fashion Promotion and Communications girls in the Guildhall. My mum and dad came and of course, Hayden was there to share in the moment with me. Three years of ups and downs but a Ba(Hons) is worth it all. “Educational” trips to London, Paris and Florence with my uni girls will forever be a high light. Sipping coffee before presentations in the cafe across the road. Frantic messages to each other trying to decipher the notes we had written in lectures.
University isn’t for the faint-hearted, but it will fill your mind and expand your horizons if you let it. You will be pushed to your limits let down by circumstance but you will achieve and create and have an amazing time.
The thank yous
To mum and dad for listening to me cry down the phone to them about silly things. For holding my hand when I needed it and for letting me go it alone. Marshaine, Poppy, Stella, Emily, Amy, Emily, Charis, Tess, Maruta. All incredible smart girls that have been with me on this three-year crash course on, how to create, become adults ( or at least pretend to be) make friendships and love fashion and be a good kind human.
Of course to Hayden for being the best guy. We’ve been together nearly 3 1/2 years and that whole time I’ve been in education working towards this moment. We worked towards it together.
Solent Class of 2019 FPC !!
The art of the ‘put down’.
It comes in many forms. If you are about to graduate soon (Monday 8th, anyone?) Then you will be applying for graduate jobs, left right and centre. I’ve finessed my CV, have previous experience, am a really hard worker that goes above and beyoned. Yet I’m not getting an interview or even a call back. I get the standard. Thank you for applying we have moved to the next stage of hiring, your application was not selected at this time. No, Dear Amelia, sorry but we aren’t interested please consider applying again in the future. The art of the put down has never been so biting. A generic message saying No. A slap in the face might have stung less. ya know?
The art of the ‘rise above and keep going’.
With no, after no you really do feel disheartened and it’s hard to keep going. But you have to realise no one will just give you a job you have to prove that you are worthy of it. If anyone is reading this and is in the same boat please don’t give up. Go back into education if you want, intern and get more ‘experience’ apply for something a little outside your field. Go for it with gusto and passion and I’m sure some company somewhere is just waiting for you. If nothing works book a holiday, learn a new skill, find a hobbie.Get your hair dyed. I got my roots touched up and I feel like a new woman. Take your mind away from applying for jobs and live your life for a while.
Style.
I’m not sure what made the photos more perfect, the fact that it was Golden Hour or that we were by the seaside. This little shoot was taken on a date to Weymouth with Hayden. I love the confident Hayden is getting in taking photos for me. The less standing and posing the better. I’m not looking for family portrature in my photos more candid fashion moments that work with the camera and the location. Don’t you think we are getting better at taking photos together.
Trainers and T – DNKY | Button front trousers – Primark | Rainbow hoop earrings – New Look | Bag – Zara
I have been meaning to get back into blogging now that university is over, but oh my the break has been amazing. I thought I would start my return by styling this little shirt dress from Zara. It’s in the sale. But there are loads still in the Bournemouth store if you are interested. The pattern is very 60’s inspired which is great for my personal tastes. The dress comes belted but I took it off for a more ‘house dress’ style look. Wore pearly hair clips for a more glam aesthetic and metallic heeled sandals. The bag is another Zara find that I am loving. I am so passionate about colour and this that a vibrant wardrobe is a key to fashion happiness. Wore this whole look out to get supplies for dinner and got a compliment and was asked if I wanted to skip the queue.
My return to blogging and The Curly Haired Girl has sparked a lot of creativity within me. I am looking for more interesting locations and trying to not always wear jeans and T-shirts. This newfound creativity will hopefully bring some exciting content and great imagery to TCHG.
Dress- Zara | Bag – Zara | Shoes – Clarks (old season)similar here, here, here | Hair Clips – Amazon
Oh, brother, I’m in love with the pearl clip trend. Back in my early school days, I was a fan of an obnoxious clip. These clips are perfect to relive my 13-year-old life but also be a grown up sassy boss lady. Pearl clips feel super chic, so I’ve been wearing them to work to feel more put together.
Amazing Zara peplum blouse with beautiful cuffed sleeves. It’s all I’ve been wearing this past week. The detailing and attention to detail. Sometimes Zara really pulls out a few pieces each collection that are truly quality and look more premium. Styled with a pair of brown checked high waisted trousers and Gucci slippers.
Clips – Amazon | Blouse – Zara
Hey guys, it’s been a minute. I’m finally a little less tired after finishing my degree to get back into the swing of blogging. Taking you back to April and our last day in Paris, exploring Monet’s water lilies. I’ve always wanted to see more of Monet’s work and managed to find some time on our last day to see the beautiful works of art. Musee L’orangerie houses the eight of Monet’s water lilies, in two oval rooms interconnecting right in the middle. Supposedly to Claude’s specifications. The lilies are placed this way for the viewers to experience the natural cycle of nature. The beautiful rippling water, the delicate flowers. I had my favourites and loved moving around the space.
Jacket – Vintage | Jumper – H&M | Bra – M&S | Jeans – Primark | Trainers – Converse | Earrings – H&M
The sustainability conversation needs to be translated into action more than ever. There are plenty of clothes and accessories in the world to really take stock and use what we as fashion consumers already have. I’ve always thrifted. Or if you are British, go to charity shops. Even when it was super ‘uncool’ and I used to get bullied by the popular girls for doing it, but now they do it, so!!!! I’ve always loved the thrill of shopping, and will never stop. But I will make efforts to buy second hand, thrifted or vintage. There are more stories to clothes then sitting in a shopping centre and being worn once.
This whole look I’m wearing is thrifted, to some degree. The shoes are vintage Gucci from Florence that I bought on a university trip, a fraction of the price if they were new and they have sentimentality to them that wouldn’t have been the same had I bought them new. I had been looking at the Gucci slides for months and wanted them so much and it felt like fate to find them in my size in an aesthetic vintage store. The trousers are from a Dorset charity shop called Julia’s House. The shirt is from a vintage store in Southampton and is a men’s Ralph Lauren shirt. The bag is also from Julia’s House and costs only £2. Again a purchase I’ve been wanting to make. Straw bag season is my favourite. My mum and auntie have huge straw bags and I have the little blue one handed down to me. But I needed something big enough to fit my phone, purse, camera, chargers and wires, games and anything else in. I might customise it with some appliqued flowers.
It’s so easy to pull looks together with thrifted items. This look new would have cost roughly £835 but what I paid came to £136.99. It’s incredible to see how much things can cost and also how much you can save buying thrifted or vintage. p.s. Earrings are new.
Earrings – H&M | Trousers & Bag – Julia’s House | Shirt – Harper & Lewis | Shoes – vintage Gucci | Sunglasses – Oscar De La Renta
Dress -Zara | Boots – Just Fab | Bag – Fiorelli | lipstick – L’oreal
Three years are over. I finish university this month and let me tell you I’ve been waiting for this day since I went into the third year. I wouldn’t say I was over university but I feel ready to start working and getting paid some money. I am over making coffee at the weekends being glued to a computer during the week, either at home or in the library, sitting on the train trying to not fall asleep to and from my university. I’m ready.
My ready-ness is also met with a lot of trepidation as there is no going back. Yes, I can do my masters right away but I want a break I want to be free. My happiness and trepidation helped develop these shots. I wore tan boots stood in a field of yellow, wore a beautiful pink floral dress from Zara, but everything is black and white. There is no colour just shape. I think you can see the thought in my face more then if you had the coloured photos you’d just think the shot were pretty.
I want to start my life but not end this chapter of it yet. My three-year long routine will be over and I will have to start anew.
Welcome to the real world.
Location – Dorset Countryside
Photographer – Hayden
Double denim, the Canadian suit whatever you like to call this look. It’s an easy “made an effort without trying too hard” outfit. Any denim jacket matching your jeans or not. Keep your other detail simple and nuted and it’s all done. So simple, and my favourite outfit I’ve worn for a while. If like me your jumper is quite puffy in the sleeves pull them out of your denim jacket to add more interest to the over all simple look.
Denim Jacket – Next | Jeans – Primark | Jumper – & Other Stories | Boots – New Look | Straw Bag – thrifted (Julia’s House) | Sunglasses – TK-Maxx ( Oscar de la Renta) | Earrings – H&M
Photographer – Hayden
location – Bournemouth Arcade
although I’ve never travelled alone, I think I could quite easily. During this Parisian stay, I did find myself alone for a decent amount. Travelling around a city that you can’t really speak the language of, navigating the streets and cultural customs. I found it relaxing. If you’ve read my blog you will know that I’ve been to Paris a few times and felt comfortable being alone in the city, practising my French to waiters and strangers. Walking through the neighbourhood where Hayden and I used to live when we last visited made me happy. Seeing L’Escargot on Rue Montorgueil where I made Hayden try snails for the first time. It was strange to know a city that is in a different country, as though it was your own. I was out solo exploring while Hayden slept after his Marathon. I went to find him the best pastries in Paris. I chose the Patisserie Stohrer, which is considered the oldest in Paris. I returned home with Poisson de Massepain, Cafe Eclair and a Paris Brest. All were delicious and the kind of pastries we were looking for this whole trip. I organized a photo shoot while Hayden was running with a photographer that I had never met before and just went to the location, did the shoot and that was it. I wasn’t frightened, or unsure I just knew that I wanted to experience this city and to meet new people and explore is the best way to do so.
photographer – Camille Richez
location – Eiffel Tower