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

Late Night with Seth Meyers

On Wednesday afternoon, myself and two of the girls attended a taping of Late Night with Seth Meyers at NBC studios in Rockefeller Centre. Watching a show being recorded was one of the things I was dying to do while in New York, in particular Late Night, The Tonight Show or Saturday Night Live, so I was thrilled to get tickets. These shows don't cost anything to go and watch! You just have to apply for tickets through websites like 1iota, and if you're lucky enough you'll get given some. It's definitely worth looking in to if you're ever in New York. They tend to go up at the beginning of each month for the following month.

Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take any pictures once we were actually in the studio. It was crazy to see how much smaller the sets look in real life compared to on television. Another thing that shocked me was how fast they managed to film the show. I expected there to be a few slips ups and lots of takes, but you could tell it was very well rehearsed, and Seth Meyers is such a pro! He was super friendly the entire time of the filming, but as soon as he got on camera he just switched it on. He suddenly became fast and witty, reeling of lines and lines of script from the cue cards without batting an eyelid. It was so entertaining to watch! One particular bit from the show that amazed me was a segment about the election. He compared the reasons why people didn't like either of the candidates, suggesting just one reason for Hilary, but then going on a hilarious two minute rampage of the multiple reasons why people may not like Trump. He was spurting out the lines so fast, cue cards were flying, and he didn't stumble once! I have a new found admiration for TV show hosts. 

If anyone fancies keeping an eye out for my face in the audience then you can watch the 2nd November episode on nbc.com. I'm yet to check it out myself so fingers crossed I make a quick appearance. Our seats were right near the front so we may have been just out of the frame of the camera which was right next to us. 

Aderyn x

My Styling Classes

I take quite a range of classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology - everything from advertising to computing and styling - all of which come together to build the perfect curriculum to teach me everything I want to know. Two of the classes I am enrolled on involve styling; Photographic Styling focuses on small-scale, tabletop styling, and Styling for Visual Presentation involves photographing fashion and furniture. I wanted to share an insight in to the kind of work I do in these classes for anyone considering studying here themselves, or those of you who may just be curious as to what goes on in the classes.

These two images were taken in the Styling for Visual Presentation class. The brief for this project was to select a large scale object, then taking inspiration from its characteristics, create a set to place and photograph the object in. We came across this pink chair and thought it felt a little bit sixties. The pink screamed romance/lust, so we responded to this by creating a scene from a motel where a 'hookup' may have taken place.

We designed and printed our own paper for the walls, and found some old linoleum for the flooring. The bed was fashioned from a blanket thrown over a table. We decided to add in a few props such as the makeup and lingerie to suggest a story behind the object. It was really difficult working so large scale and having to create a set so large with minimal resources, but I always like a challenge!

This photoshoot was done in my Photographic Styling class. I find this class a little easier due to the set being much smaller in scale, which I prefer to work with. These images were part of our food styling brief. My group were given the subject of cocktails to photograph, so we all brought in props and food items and set this up on a table in order to create something that looked like it could have been taken in a bar.

The surface and backdrop tend to be the hardest thing to master, as it can be tricky to recreate a realistic looking environment for the subject. Working with food was much harder than our previous still-life shoots, as food is always changing. As soon as we poured the ice in to the glass it began to melt, so we had to work fast. The same occurred with the mint leaves. Shortly after we had chopped them up and placed them on set, they started wilting. This shoot definitely taught me to come prepared and organised, as you don't always have very long to get the perfect frame.

While I'm not sure if styling is something I will definitely pursue, it has been really helpful to gain an insight in to all the different aspects that go in to capturing a shot. I have learnt to consider how differently a set comes across on camera rather than to the eye, and lots of different tricks to help create a more visually pleasing shot.

Aderyn x

Smorgasburg Markets: Williamsburg

One of the best things about New York is definitely the food! All of our plans seem to revolve around where we want to eat that day. Yesterday we decided to try the Smorgasburg food market in Williamsburg. I had already been to the one in Prospect Park so fancied checking this one out to see how it compared.

Smorgasburg is on every Saturday and Sunday. It takes place outdoors during the summer, then moves to an indoor location in the winter months, which means you can visit any time of the year. It would definitely be one of the things I'd recommend to someone if they were only here for a week. And with so much to choose from, it's perfect even if you've got a few fussy eaters in your group. I treated myself to a beef brisket sandwich and gooey butter cake. Both were amazing! 

I personally preferred the Williamsburg location because of the amazing Manhattan views by the waterfront. Despite it being a bit chilly, we couldn't resist sitting on the rocks and tucking in to our food with the view of the skyline behind us. I'm amazed I didn't spill any food on my white trousers!

While you're in the area it's also worth checking out the Artist & Fleas market just up the road which stocks loads of amazing, independent creations like handmade jewellery, phone cases and candles. Another one of our favourite food places, Vinnie's, is just around the corner. This pizza take out place has fast become one of our favourites because of the huge selection of flavours and also the option for vegan cheese (one of the girls is lactose intolerant). If only there were more meals in a day! 

Aderyn x

Photo credit: smorgasburg.com & myself

OOTD: Lunch In Brooklyn

I recently got this amazing jumpsuit as a birthday gift from my sister. I love how baggy it is and it's perfect for layering! The weather was surprisingly nice this weekend so I opted just for a t-shirt and Converse, but with winter round the corner I know this will look just as fabulous with a turtleneck jumper and a pair of boots.

What was meant to be brunch, turned in to lunch (we're never on time for things). We headed to a bar/restaurant in Greenpoint that we stumbled across in our first couple of weeks of being in NYC but were yet to try called Northern Territory. Having been blessed with a bit of sunshine we headed upstairs to enjoy the amazing views from the rooftop area, along with some catchy old school tunes blasting out of the speakers. You wouldn't have thought we were in the depths of October. The french toast was definitely tempting, but I couldn't turn down a juicy steak with PROPER chips!

After our lovely lunch we headed back in to Manhattan for a Sprinkles cupcake and a spot of shopping. I decided it was time for me to invest in some proper underwear so went to get fitted at Victoria Secrets with the intention of treating myself. After spending about two hours in the store I still walked out empty handed, however, I do intend to go back this weekend and finally make my purchase. I just needed some time to think about spending $100 on two bras, although I've been convinced that it'll be totally worth it! My opinion of Victoria Secrets has definitely changed; I originally had it pinned it down as a tad 'basic'. I am not the kind of girl to walk around wearing a hot pink push up bra and that's all I thought Victoria Secret's had to offer, but I was wrong! I had such a lovely experience with the amazing staff and actually found a bunch of more subtle, sophisticated underwear that I can certainly see myself in. I can't wait to go and spend my birthday money!

Jumpsuit - ASOS
T-shirt - Urban Outfitters
Shoes - Converse
Sunglasses - Primark

Aderyn x

My Birthday Weekend in New York

Last weekend I became a 'proper' adult; I turned 21! I wanted to share with all of you what I got up to on my birthday as it was certainly a weekend I'll never forget.

My birthday was on the Sunday, so to kick off the weekend we went to the cinema to watch Girl On The Train on Friday night. I hadn't read the book so I had no idea what to expect from the film which I think made it even better. This film is right up there with Gone Girl and Before I Go To Sleep - all amazing! I'd never seen Emily Blunt (who I love) portray a role like this before which made it all the more interesting to watch. I love a film that keeps me on the edge of my seat!

On Saturday we took a trip to the Cooper Hewitt museum, my favourite museum in New York! I find the work here to be much more interesting and meaningful than a lot of other places, and there are always some interactive elements. It turned out to be free on the day we went, so if you don't want to spend a lot of money, definitely try and head there on a Saturday. We finished the evening with a trip to our favourite cupcake place, Sprinkles! I treated myself to my usual triple cinnamon cupcake as it is one of my few favourites that is still available at that time of night - I'm lucky that a lot of people hate cinnamon.

For my actual birthday on Sunday I managed to convince the girls to go rock climbing with me at Dumbo boulders. Some of the walls were very hard and sloped back on themselves which is something my amount of upper body strength cannot handle! I still did pretty well at the easier climbs. To reward our hard work on the boulders, we popped over the road to check out the Brooklyn Flea Market which luckily was in Dumbo that day. I picked a super messy salted caramel doughnut for my 'lunch'. It was definitely worth the chocolate marks all over my chin. 

Finally the evening came around and it was time for what we'd all been waiting for - a meal at the swanky Beauty & Essex! We spent ages getting ready together and dancing to some cheesy tunes. Just before we left the girls surprised me with lots of balloons and presents, as they sang happy birthday to me holding a tub of ice cream with big two one candles in. They'd obviously caught on to my frozen obsession! Of course this resulted in many happy tears from myself as I was so touched they'd gone to all this effort for me. We opted to take a taxi to the restaurant because we didn't fancy tackling the subway in heels. Best decision ever! Driving over the bridge in to Manhattan and seeing the skyline all lit up made me feel like I was in a movie. 

The restaurant itself was amazing. You enter through a normal looking door in to a room disguised as a pawn shop. At the back of the entrance was another door that led you in to the actual restaurant. The place was full of people and the atmosphere was incredible. We sat down and got straight in to ordering lots of food and cocktails. We were in there for a good four hours, drinking and chatting away. We racked up quite a large bill but it was definitely worth it! The evening turned out to be just as amazing as I'd hoped and will definitely remain as one of my highlights of my time here. 

We finished the night back home in a big giggly mess, dreading another week of classes ahead of us. I think we all just wanted to stay at Beauty & Essex forever! It was definitely the best 21st I could have asked for.

Aderyn x

Celebrity Turned Designer - Zayn Malik & Versace

With the recent news that Zayn Malik is taking the role of creative director for his collaboration with the fashion house Versace, I wanted to discuss the way celebrity culture is dominating the fashion industry.

With all these celebrities creating their own lines or collaborating with existing designers, it makes it harder for fresh talent to gain success. Celebrities are taking the jobs away from the up-and-coming designers, models and writers, who probably have more skill in these areas then the celebrity that has been chosen in place of them.

Most of the creators of our current big fashion brands have probably been in a similar position to today’s graduates. By collaborating with celebrities on their lines, they are taking these opportunities away from the real talent. This degrades the job of a fashion designer, as most of the celebrities involved in today's fashion collaborations are likely to have no previous experience in the field. The actual involvement of celebrities in such collaborations is often very low, and in some cases the celebrity is just licensing their name to the line in order to make a bit of extra cash.

Those who are just starting their own lines are unlikely to have the funds required to make a collection, let alone get their name out there once they have product. Especially for those who have just graduated from university with huge debts, the idea of starting your own line can seem nearly impossible. Rather than brands signing huge deals with big names, their money would be better spent in supporting fresh talent.

Zayn Malik has just announced his fashion line in collaboration with Versace. The singer has gained a lot of popularity since leaving One Direction due to his solo career and his relationship with supermodel Gigi Hadid, making him very popular right now. This will significantly help the sales of the collaboration as his fan base are so committed. While Zayn has shown an interest in fashion, Versace most likely wanted to collaborate with someone of his status as it would create a buzz around the brand and bring in more money through sales, rather than collaborate with someone because of their talent.

Kanye is another celebrity that has come from a career in music and made the move in to fashion. Kanye’s line Yeezy is now in its fourth season, producing clothing which look very similar to all of his previous collections. Due to his fame in the music business, Kanye already had a lot of money to launch his fashion line, a luxury which many new designers do not have. I don't think Yeezy would be as popular as it is if it wasn’t for the name behind it.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America set up the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund to award up-and-coming designers with the funding and business expertise required to launch their line and make a name for themselves in the business. This is giving new designers the financial boost that celebrities don’t require, therefore evening out the playing field a little.

As a fashion student myself (although not a designer), it bothers me that celebrities who already have fame and fortune are seeking to further this by extending their careers in to the fashion industry, at the expense of those who are probably much more talented. I know how tough and competitive this industry is, and how hard I am willing to work to get myself there. However, many of these celebrities, once they have reached a high level of status, are handed opportunities that should go to much more deserving creatives.

I look forward to collaborating with others like myself in an effort to support one another in this crazy industry. If I ever reach a point of great influence in my career, I hope that I would base my decisions on raw talent rather than the financial factor that comes with a big name.

Aderyn x

Photo Credit: Pop Sugar

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