Why I Study Fashion

The recent news regarding national cuts to creative courses has encouraged me to write about why I chose to study fashion. This isn't going to be another one of those posts that talks about how different the world would be without creative people (I think that's kind of an obvious one), but more an explantation of why I have decided to dedicate my life to a career which many people deem as shallow.

I'm aware that fashion isn't the most important thing in the world. It isn't a matter life and death like the role of a surgeon or scientist may be, and I may not change peoples lives in the same way a solicitor or teacher might, but there's plenty of other jobs out there that hold a similar level of significance as fashion but don't seem to have the same bad reputation. But that's okay. Not every job is going to change the world. And that's not to say that I don't want to have an impact on the world or that I don't care about making a difference, but making a difference within the world of fashion is big enough for me. Fashion is something that has massively inspired and influenced me, and pursuing a career I am passionate about is the most important thing to me.

At the end of the day, I just want to enjoy my job. I want to wake up every day and not have to dread going to work. I couldn't imagine dedicating the rest of my life to something I wasn't passionate about. If I have the right job then it shouldn't feel like a chore. 

Fashion allows people to express their personalties through the way they look. The way we present ourselves allows for an immediate first impression to be made. In some cases, the way you dress is crucial; going for job interviews, meetings and even first dates. Fashion helps achieve the portrayal of characters in film and television, the persona of many musicians on stage and the presentation of significant leading figures. You get it, fashion has influence. 

I've always cared about the way I dress and present myself, and filled my time reading magazines, watching fashion shows and going to fashion events. It's clear to me that fashion is something I care about enough to call it my career. With age, my interests have changed. I no longer want to be the next winner of Project Runway like I may have done when I was 12 (because taking A Level Textiles proved me to that sewing was not my strong point). I began falling in love with the layouts of magazines and the fashion editorials in them, so took Graphic Design at sixth form to try my hand at the more digital side of the industry. This is where I realised the route I wanted to take.

I'm sure we all know a brand that really resonates with our values, or remember a great advert that made us want to buy something. The stuff that sticks with you is the work of amazing creatives who know how to target their audiences. I won't bore you with talk about consumer marketing, but being able to create something that effective and memorable is what I hope to achieve. And I don't see how creating something that successful can ever be considered insignificant.

I'm tired of the stereotype that studying fashion is just for people who love to shop. Most of the people I know who are studying fashion are intelligent, ambitious and socially engaged women who want to have an influence on the world. Fashion can be used as a platform to open up discussion about greater issues. Starting these types of conversations is so important because if no one is aware of such matters then what can be done about them? 

As insignificant as my little blog may be in the grand scheme of things, one the reasons I chose to start it was to provide myself with a platform to discuss things that matter to me, in the hope that others will see it and do the same. I've spoke about things on this page that aren't necessarily the kind of things you would share on a day-to-day basis, but I like having a space that is all my own to share my thoughts and encourage discussion around certain topics, whether you may agree or disagree. And while this may be alongside posts about what I wore last weekend and what I'm loving in Zara at the moment, it doesn't take away from what I'm trying to achieve. 

So if you want to study fashion (or any other creative subject that apparently isn't important), know that while that friend of your mums may not think it's worthwhile, yes it is - and it's none of their business!

Aderyn x

It's My Birthday: The Big Two One

I was going to put up one of my usual posts today, but figured since it's my birthday I should write something to celebrate my 21 years of being me! Here's a little Amy Poehler style memoir (read her book - it's fab) about my little life so far...

 Happy me on the steps of The Met.

 Halloween has always been my favourite holiday!

 Preparing for my days as a surfing granny.

 My favourite girls ft. parallel posing.

All the New York girls!

This 21st birthday is a little different than how I expected it to be when I was younger. I always imagined that I'd hire out a big venue at home, put on a fancy frock and invite all my friends and family. Thinking back, this was never going to happen. I've always known I was going to go to university and organising things when you live between two cities isn't the easiest job! Much to my surprise, I'm spending my 21st birthday in New York of all places. It's been a tough one not being able to drink here so far, and my 21st certainly won't be as wild as my previous birthdays. Instead we've opted to go for a classy meal downtown, where I'll definitely be treating myself to a few delicious cocktails. I'm not sure how much of the New York nightlife I'll be able to sample now that I'm 21 as all the girls are younger than me - but I will find a way!

Coming to New York is one of the craziest/bravest things I've ever done. I consider myself a very independent and strong willed person, but this experience has pushed me more than I could have imagined. I now feel like I can move anywhere in the world and take on anything! 

I can't wait to get back and see my lovely friends at home in Manchester, and at university in Nottingham. I am so blessed to be living between two fabulous cities. Everyone knows that Manchester is the one; it's full of amazing bars, restaurants and of course the style! But Nottingham has seriously impressed me. The city is much more compact than what I'm used to at home, but this makes getting everywhere so much easier. There's a bunch of cool independent stores and restaurants that remind me of home, and the nightlife is my favourite. The city is dominated by students which means enjoying all of the fun university antics that comes along with it. Nothing fills me with more pleasure than walking the streets of Nottingham on a Wednesday night and seeing all the students running around in their Ocean Wednesday costumes, shouting one of our university chants. Everyone is so proud to be a Trent student - including me!

I always pictured myself at a London university because everyone tells you that's where you need to be for fashion. While I inevitably see myself moving to London, I am happy that I'm out of the capital for my university years. Nottingham Trent is a great school for fashion, and I love the sense of community that I don't think you would get in London. Whenever I walk around campus I always feel like I'm part of something. And who can afford London anyway?

I'm super grateful for all the friends I have made so far. Anyone who knows me will know that I think doing Art Foundation was the best decision I have ever made and I encourage everyone to give it a go. I constantly ramble on about how much I love the girls I met during this year, but I really do feel so honoured to have such a positive and amazingly talented group of friends who I know will be there to support me for the rest of my life. As I've gotten older (yes, I know 21 isn't that old), I've began to realise that it's really all about who you surround yourself with. As long as you have a great group of friends behind you, everything will be fine!

I couldn't talk about my 21 years without mentioning my disastrous dating life. But guys, you've gotta do it! Go out there, go out dates, meet new people. You'll really learn so much about yourself. It's definitely one of the scariest things you can do, but if nothing else, it'll make for some funny stories for your friends! It's interesting to get to know different people, learn about what they want to do and where they're heading. And of course have someone listen to you ramble about your life for a little bit! I'm a big believer that you can't commit yourself to a person until you're fully confident being on your own, because no one should hold that amount of power over your own happiness. Don't be expecting grandkids any time soon, mum! 

My rough plan for my next 21 years include living in Manchester for a little bit after graudating to lap up all the northern-ness before I head down to London which is where I see myself really getting my career going. I'd love to work abroad for a year or so, but the language barrier might hold me back on that one. My plans are pretty 'take it as it comes' after that, until, of course, I retire to Devon and become a surfing granny. You're never too old! 

Until next time,

Aderyn x

Why Poland Shouldn't Make Abortion Illegal

It came out earlier this week that Poland had gone back on their plans to make abortion illegal after large protests broke out across the country. I personally couldn't be more pleased for the women of Poland.

I understand that the choice to terminate a pregnancy is a big one and should not be taken lightly, but it's a choice that I believe women should be able to make. Carrying a child in your womb for nine months, going through the pain inducing process of child birth, then dedicating your life and money in to raising a child you didn't ask for is not a decision any one else should be able to make for you.

The argument that by engaging in sexual intercourse means you should be prepared for pregnancy makes about as much sense to me as the argument that by wearing revealing clothing you should be prepared for sexist catcalling. Of course, when you have sex you should always be aware of the consequences and take the necessary precautions. But women shouldn't be punished for having sex for pleasure by being told that if they do become pregnant then they have to keep it, while the male in the situation could get away with just paying some child support every month.

This decision should not be made for us by anyone else; by men who will never know the panic of being late on your period, or by those who have enough money to raise a child if they ever needed to. Everyone's circumstances are different. In an ideal world there wouldn't be any need for abortions. Our contraception would always work. Women wouldn't get raped. Young girls wouldn't have sex before they were too young to understand the consequences. No one wants an abortion, but no one wants to be told they're pregnant if they're not ready to raise a child. 

These are just my personal views on abortion and I by no means want to offend anyone or dictate what people should think. The news that Poland planned to ban abortion even further encouraged me to share my feelings towards the situation because, as a woman, this is something I feel very strongly about and I wanted to voice my support for Polish women. Of course, since the news broke, the government have announced that they are rejecting the plans but, nonetheless, I wanted share my thoughts. 

This post is more serious than what you would usually find on my blog, but I hope to use this is a personal platform for me to express my interests and opinions, and encourage conversation about these important topics. 

Aderyn x

Photo Credit: Los Angeles Times

Coping With Homesickness

Being away from home has never really caused me any problems. Aside from the odd fuss when I was younger, homesickness isn't an issue for me.

In the lead up to me moving to university, lots of people were asking me if I'd miss home and how often I would come back for the weekend. No one believed me when I said I'd be fine, saying it would hit me once I'd left. Admittedly, I did feel a little upset when my family eventually left me in my student halls with a bunch of strangers I was about to live with for a year, but any emotion soon vanished when I started getting ready for our first night out. There were times when I struggled with uncertainties about making friends, but time proved I was worried over nothing and now I have a wonderful group of girls that I love being with.

The only time I went home during my first year at university was for the holidays. Even during the two weeks my course had off for 'reading week', I opted to stay while every single one of my friends headed home. I just love the independence of being at uni, I love being in a city and I love being surrounded by friends. One of the worst things about being at home is that my closest friend is at least 15 minute walk away, and every fun thing to do requires some form of transportation. I know that it could be worse, but going from having your best friend living three rooms away from you makes any distance seem like miles. 

Then I decided to come to New York to study for four whole months. While homesickness wasn't a huge concern of mine, anyone who knows me knows I seriously suffer with FOMO (fear of missing out). When I moved to university this wasn't an issue. If anything, staying at home would've caused my FOMO to flair up even more seeing all my friends move to uni and start new lives while I continued doing the same thing. However this situation was different. My friends weren't going anywhere, but I was. They'd continue leading the life I enjoyed so much being a part of, just without me, and this is what I've struggled with.

Everyone thinks I'm crazy. 'But you're in New York!' they say. Yes, New York is amazing and this opportunity is amazing and I am so grateful for those who got me here. But what people don't seem to realise is that you could be anywhere in the world, but if your best friends aren't there to share it with you, you can't help but want to be wherever they are. Even if it is little Nottingham.

One of the toughest things about coming here was being thrown in to a very unfamiliar situation with five strangers. Moving to New York wasn't the same as moving to Nottingham. Everyone there was in the same boat. Here, us Brits are sailing on our own (excuse the pun). What if we didn't get along? It's not like at university at home where if you don't like your flatmates you can just make friends off your course or with the flat next door. To everyone else at FIT, this is where they're going to spend the next four years of their lives. For us, it's just four months. Of course, that's not to say I don't want to make friends with the students here, but knowing they're going to be in a completely different continent to me after Christmas makes me think my efforts would be wasted, putting even more pressure on my shoulders to bond with the girls I came with. Thankfully they've all proved to be super lovely!

A lot of my concerns stemmed from the fear of not making friends and missing out on what was going on at home. I thought I would share with you all three things that made everything a little easier for me.

1. KEEP YOURSELF BUSY

I felt my worst when I wasn't doing much, or I was doing something away from the girls. My FOMO would kick in and convince me they were all rapidly becoming best friends in my absence and I was completely missing out. Being on your own also gives you more time to worry over what your friends are doing at home. I felt much better after my jam packed weekend which you can read about here, because I was having too much fun to worry about anything else. Keeping yourself busy can seriously get rid of a lot of anxieties.

2. EVERYONE IS IN THE SAME BOAT

Anything you're worrying about, another person probably is too. In situations like this it's helpful to remember that you're all in the same position. Just chat to other people about it. I wasn't aware that a lot of the girls felt the exact same way as I did, but now I feel so much better knowing that I'm not on my own. It is difficult doing something as daunting as this with people you have only just met. Coming from a close knit group of friends, it's hard suddenly not having the same level of comfort and support that only comes with long term friendships. But everyone is away from their friends, so they'll probably be very happy to make some new ones.

3. FACETIME YOUR FRIENDS

I thought that this might make me feel worse. What if they had been doing amazing things while I wasn't there? In reality, it just reassured me that things probably aren't as spectacular as they appear to be on social media, and they're having just as many down days as I might be. It also helps having someone you feel comfortable with to chat to about all these things. My friends were great at reassuring me that I was doing the right thing, and anything I felt like I'd missed out on we could just do again once I got back.

A lot of people stress that you need to enjoy yourself because time will fly by, abut this only adds to the pressure. I feel like I HAVE to be enjoying myself at ALL times just because I'm in New York. This goes the same for university. I always felt guilty for having down days because apparently these are 'the best years of my life' and if I'm not enjoying myself all the time then it's a waste of an experience. But having down days and learning to deal with them only adds to the experience and makes you come out of it a more matured person than when you started.

Aderyn x

Surviving First Year

With my freshers year at university having come to an end, I thought it would be nice to recap my first time living away from home, and all the things that next years freshers should take note of.

Unlike many of my friends, I wasn't nervous in the slightest about moving to uni. I was just so excited to be getting away from my parents after almost 20 years of living by their rules, that perhaps I set my expectations a little too high! My course wasn't all I thought it would be, I didn't get on with my flatmates as well as I'd hoped, and making friends took longer than I'd anticipated. However, despite university not being everything I imagined it would be, I still had the BEST time and I can't wait to go back.

 Our kitchen at its finest!

 Admittedly my room wasn't the tidiest either.

Goodbye bedroom!

1) VISIT YOUR UNI

Not only is this great for picking out the accommodation you want (pictures are deceiving), but your opinion of a university can completely change after a walk around the campus. I visited all the universities that I applied to, and the ones I thought were my favourite I ended up hating the most, and the ones I picked on a whim and didn't think that much of became my firm favourites!

Check out the town you'll be living in for the next three years. Are there lots of shops, restaurants, clubs? And what are the facilities like at your uni? Is this a place that is going to inspire your work? How far is the accommodation from the uni? What are the people like? Speak to students!

All this being said, I'm sure whatever uni you choose you will have an amazing time at. Great people and great experiences are waiting at every city, so stay calm even if you don't get your first choice.

2) JOIN A SOCIETY

I joined the Fashion Society and Pole Dancing, and contributed to the universities online magazine from time to time. Despite being a part of these groups, I never truly got involved as much as I could have and this is something I regret. I'd turn up once every few weeks and wonder why everyone seemed so much closer to each other than I was. If you really commit to societies then you'll make a brand new bunch of friends, which is perfect for when your flatmates really begin to irritate you.

3) GO TO OCEAN

(or whatever your local clubs & societies night is)

No, you're not too cool to dress up as a giraffe and dance to Taylor Swift. Just do it. It will be one of your best nights out during your time at uni. Nothing will get you feeling so patriotic towards your university as a night of drinking games, dares, uni chants and swinging your top around to the sound of the Baywatch theme tune. So swallow your pride, paint your face, and grab a VK!

4) VISIT YOUR FRIENDS

You are in possession of free accommodation at multiple locations round the country. So visit them! Get them to show you around your city and finish it off with an amazing night out at somewhere you've never tried before. Sometimes it's nice to take a break from your little university bubble and step inside someone else's. Universities are all so different - so get out there and be a Leeds student for the weekend!

5) DON'T FREAK OUT

Most people at one time or another will question their university experience. A lot of my friends and myself included were worried that we'd never make friends. We were well in to November and none of us felt like we really fitted in. All I can say is give it time, it will happen! I really wasn't happy with my course at the start of the year, and I'm still not in love with it now. It feels very disorganised, I don't think I've learnt that much and the level of teaching is too low. It's only first year, I tell myself. They're just getting everyone up to the same level, then it will get more intense next year. Second and third years look at me like I'm crazy for complaining about the lack of workload for a £9,000 a year course. I'll probably look back and laugh at my naive self when I'm up at 4am crying over my dissertation. We'll see.

I hope anyone at university or starting this September found this post helpful, and if you have had any of the same worries I'd love to hear from you!

Aderyn x

A Week With No Phone

Last Friday my amazing friends from home took a trip from their uni towns to come and visit me in Nottingham. Of course this meant a big night out. While we were all busy dancing the night away and pretending we were a sassy girl band, a snoopy pair of hands slipped in to my handbag and stole my phone! I’m usually very good with my phone, I never break it and I’d never lost it before so I was really surprised that this was happening to me.

Looking back, I am quite thankful it was me that had my phone taken and not one of my friends; others may not have taken the discovery of their phone being gone quite as calmly as I did. But I was there to have a good night with my favourite people, and there was nothing I could do about my phone, so I continued with the evening as normal. As soon as I got home I logged on to my laptop and opened up ‘Find My iPhone’. Offline. Great. There was no hope of me getting this phone back. I didn’t get paid till the following Thursday so wouldn’t be getting a new phone till then. I accepted my fate of a phoneless week. Here’s how it went.

Saturday:

I didn’t really notice not having my phone with my friends being round, as I hardly would’ve used it anyways. There was too much catching up to be done. It did hit me when we headed to a Nottingham Fashion Week event and I had the sudden urge to Snapchat/Instagram my surroundings. It made me question why we feel the need so bad to let every one on our contacts list know what we’re up to.

Sunday:

My friends had gone home and I faced a twenty minute walk back to my flat from the train station without a phone. It didn’t dawn on me until then how much I needlessly have my phone in my hand. What’s wrong with walking around town with your eyes focused on what’s in front of you? Why did I feel the need to scroll Facebook as I made my journey home?

With lectures awaiting me the next morning, I realised a crucial role of my phone. The alarm app. How was I going to wake up? Thankfully I have an amazing flatmate who, being on my course, has a very similar schedule to me, and agreed to wake me up every morning. Babe.

Monday:

Telling the time. Another crucial role. I headed to Primark and picked up a cheap watch, otherwise I would not have made any of my seminars or meetings that week. Organising specific meet up times and places became very important, because as soon as I left my room, I had no form of communication with anyone until I actually saw them face to face.

Tuesday:

By this point I was becoming quite used to not having a phone. There were still things which were a little odd, like not being able to text my best friend a funny story right away, or not being able to google my spontaneous burning questions, but overall it really wasn’t that bad.

Wednesday:

Knowing I would get paid tomorrow, I went online to see about ordering a new phone. It turned out my upgrade was due in October and I only had £180 left to pay on my device. It wasn’t ideal that I had to fork out this much money, but it was far cheaper than purchasing a brand new iPhone.

Thursday:

The day had come! Off I strutted to the O2 store, confident that I would be walking away with a new phone. It turned out I had some kind of block on my phone and it would take 24 hours to lift. I'd gone almost a week, I could wait another day.

Friday:
At this point I was so ready to have a phone back in my life. I had a number of phone calls I needed to make and it was becoming quite the inconvenience. Just my luck though, the block hadn't been lifted. In fact, they claimed no one even tried to lift the block in the first place. Another promise of 24 hours, and another disappointing walk home.

Saturday:
I wasn't all that hopeful that I'd be walking home with a new phone in my hands today. And rightly so. I went in to the store and they told me again that they couldn't upgrade me because of the block on my phone. I stomped home, very frustrated, and somehow stumbled across another O2 store that was much closer to my flat than the one I'd been trekking to every day! I thought I'd chance it and see if the staff were any more helpful in this store. 

Within half an hour I had a new iPhone 6 in my hands! While being frustrated that I'd been walking past this store everyday without realising, and had I gone to this one in the first place I could have had a phone days earlier, I was elated that I had a phone back in my life.

One of the things that I had missed the most about not having a phone was Snapchat. Somehow posting 3 second clips of my daily life, and viewing the snippets of 30 other people, was an integral part of my routine. It dawned on me that we're all a little too obsessed with making our lives appear appealing to people we hardly know, and far too concerned about what everyone else is up to. It was quite nice enjoying my Starbucks cookie without the constant thought of having to upload my snack to social media. Needless to say I went straight back to my old habits as soon as I had a phone again. *insert selfie with dog filter*

When I Was Subjected To Sexism

A third year on my course asked for contributions to her magazine on the topic of gender. I’d recently noticed the hashtag #WhenIWas on Twitter and thought it would make for an interesting read. Here it is…

Illustration: Myself & Beth Bowman

When I was 7, I was asked why I didn’t wear dresses to school ‘like the other girls’. When I was 10, a classmate groped my breasts in the playground. When I was 13, I was told I couldn’t wear a bikini on a school trip because it would be too distracting for my male classmates. When I was 14, boys would try putting their hands up my school skirt. When I was 17, I was told I had to vote because women died in order to give me that right. When I was 18, I felt a pair of unwanted hands grab my bum while dancing in a club. When I was 19, a co-worker called me a slut because I was confident enough to date, yet had only slept with four guys. When I was 20, I was told ‘come on, you know you want to’ in response to turning down sex.

This is just my story.

The hashtag #WhenIWas recently hit Twitter, taking a spot on the national trending list. Women from around the world revealed their most personal ‘Everyday Sexism’ experiences, with many telling appalling stories of sexual harassment.  What surprised me the most was the young age at which many women had suffered from these experiences, more unbelievably so, from figures of authority and trust such as teachers, priests and security guards.

Part of me is grateful that my experiences haven’t been as violent or upsetting as others that I have read. But why should I be grateful that I have only been groped, that I’ve only been told what to wear, that I’ve only been pressured in to sex, as if this is considered normal in a girls’ life, or somehow acceptable?

When seeking friends’ advice for this article, I was met with the suggestion of discussing how Yorkie had to change their slogan: ‘IT’S NOT FOR GIRLS’ as a ‘point on how sexism isn’t as bad as it was’. If changing the slogan of a chocolate bar is a milestone in the ongoing struggle against sexism, then we are clearly not moving forward at the pace required.

Campaigns such as #WhenIWas are crucial in raising awareness around the issues of sexism. Despite the serious undertone of the hashtag, I love that it encourages women to speak about their experiences on such a public platform, uniting women and offering support worldwide, while also educating those who don’t believe that sexism is a significant topic.

Aderyn Holt