Wanted at MONKI

Irma Dress - £30, Juni Coat - £65, Leslie Blouse - £25, Elina Dress - £35, Angelina Shirt - £20, Kirsten Dress - £25

Monki is currently one of my favourite places to shop! This funkier sister brand of my other favourites H&M and & Other Stories is always top of my wishlist. It pains me that the only store in the UK is in London, but thankfully they're stocked on good old ASOS, so the clothes are only a day away from my door step!

I've already added the orange dress to my wardrobe and I have to say my mother does not approve, comparing me to a sack of potatoes. But it's okay because I felt super sassy in this oversized number. Be sure to check out their website if you're in to oversized silhouettes, block colours and funky prints.

Aderyn x

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

Top Five Follows

I love hearing what Instagram accounts my friends love to follow. Personally, I find so much inspiration from the people I follow on Instagram, whether it be fashion inspiration, illustration or graphic design. I always come across something on my feed that I think is really cool or gives me an idea for my own projects. So I thought I would share with you all my top five Instagram accounts to follow, and hopefully you'll love them as much as I do!

1. Amy Hodkin
This account is dedicated to the works of Surface Pattern and Illustration student Amy. I love that her illustrations are messy and free, but still manage to look super cool - a skill I am still trying to master. The colourful images always stand out on my feed.

2. Hayley Hunter
As well as being a generally aesthetically pleasing account to look at, Surface Pattern student Hayley has some really cool prints/patterns on her account. And if you scroll back a bit you'll find some of her amazing, intricate cut out work. How anyone can be so neat with a craft knife is beyond me!

3. Beverly Salas
Another cool illustration blog! Sometimes her drawings can be a little creepy, but that's kind of what I love most about them. I always go to this account looking for inspiration for my own illustrations because I just love her style! Expect a lot of psychedelic colours/patterns and eyes staring at you.

4. Emma Stubbs
I first began following this account because of her amazing lingerie designs, but Emma has since moved to Hong Kong and I now regularly check out her account for travel inspiration/envy. She also has a really cool personal style which is always good to check out when I have no idea what to wear.

5. Polly Vadasz 
This girl is ultimate goals! She's the same age as me and she is studying for a degree while also running her own business and producing the prettiest Instagram ever. If you're in to hand written typography then check her out. Polly also produces a huge range of cute products from phone cases to laptop skins and tote bags for her business Sighh Designs.

Let me know what your favourite Instagram accounts are so that I can check them out! 

Zara Ungendered

Image: mic.com

Gender fluidity is a huge trend and is only set to become bigger. This year has seen the announcement from Burberry who will now show their men's and women's collections together, the launch of Calvin Klein's newest genderless fragrance CK2, and the unveiling of Zara's first gender neutral collection UNGENDERED.

The idea of marketing the same product to both men and women isn't really anything new. The genderless fragrance CK One was launched in 1994, and brands such as Agender and Not Equal have been around for a while. However the open minded millennial is growing up and becoming the main target for many brands. The generation that has contributed largely to fourth-wave feminism, view the term 'cis' as derogatory, and saw the change in laws of gay marriage want something more from the brands they buy in to. The population today seems more accepting than ever, and brands are reflecting this in their lines.

Now while I am all for everything that gender neutral clothing represents, I couldn't help but be slightly let down by Zara's big reveal. UNGENDERED is essentially a men's loungewear collection that is also marketed at women. I don't need this. It's already widely known and accepted that, as a woman, if you want something comfy to wear on a lazy Sunday, the men's department is the place to be. What I was hoping would be a fresh and groundbreaking collection injected in to the high street by a well known brand, turned out to be just a marketing ploy. Zara, I see right through you.

And if I really wanted to get all feminist on Zara, I could argue that they have opted wholly for masculine pieces, rather than try to push the boundaries by putting men in something more feminine. But that's getting picky. And of course Zara isn't the most avant-garde of brands. At the end of the day they need to sell their products, and something that you might see on Jaden Smith isn't necessarily what Zara's consumer would want.

What do you think of Zara's newest collection?

Aderyn x

NYC: Day 4

This was our final full day in New York. We did so much while we were out there that I can't believe it was actually such a short trip. We woke up early to make the most of our remaining time, and headed to The High Line, a must see for those visiting the city. It's a renovated railway line elevated above the city which makes for a lovely walk and some spectacular views. It was so nice to be away from the traffic, and be able to walk around without bumping in to people.

After our peaceful stroll, we headed to FIT to check out the two exhibitions they had on, Fairy Tale Fashion and Denim: Fashion's Frontier. I wasn't that impressed by the denim exhibition, but the Fairy Tale Fashion exhibition was amazing. Some of the garments you could see were heavily influenced by the fairytales like the Red Riding Hood cape pictured above, whereas others were just beautiful gowns which I could've happily spent all day lusting over.

Next on our list of things to do was Chelsea Markets. It wasn't quite what I had expected. I had pictured more vintage and clothing stalls, but it was more of a food and homeware/gifts market. Within the building there was also the Artists & Fleas market which had lots of jewellery and gift items.

We continued our journey downtown and explored the West Village and SoHo area, home to all the designer stores. I felt a little out of place walking through the doors to Marc Jacobs, but it was nice pretending that I could actually shop at these places. We stayed out till the shops started closing, then caught the subway back, finishing off our evening with a meal at our favourite place Bread & Butter.

I hope you've enjoyed my New York blog series. Thanks for reading!

Aderyn x

ASOS Haul

Yellow Sandals, £35, Truffle Collection Heeled Boots, £35; Real Suede Fringed Clutch Bag, £9.50; Side Lace Up Vest, £10; Long Sleeved Backless Body, £18. (And my fur coat from the New York posts, £32.50)

As a member of Access All ASOS and a lover of the brand, I recently entered a competition to win a £100 ASOS voucher. I was so shocked to find out I'd won, because as cliche as it sounds, I actually never win anything! Combined with a £30 voucher from my birthday, I hit the fashion website to do a little bit of shopping, and this is what I picked up!

The yellow sandals aren't something I would usually buy, but I fell in love with them as soon as I laid eyes on them. As for the black boots, okay yes I already own a pair of black heeled boots, but these ones have a chunky wood effect heel and amazing patchwork detail, so they were a necessity. I can tell they're going to become my staple going out boots.

Another lace-up item that caught my eye was this cream top. I decided I wear way too many dark colours, so this is a perfect addition to my wardrobe. Continuing with tops, I've wanted a backless body for such a long time, but it's so hard to find one that fits right. I ordered two strappy ones before settling on this long sleeved number. The sleeves provide more coverage, and make everything feel a little more secure, which is definitely something you need when risking it braless. I can't wait to wear it out.

I grabbed such a bargain with this fringed bag. It's real leather and was only £9.50 in the sale! I'll admit that I find holding clutch bags a bit annoying; I forever wish they had a strap that I could just fling over my shoulder and forget about. But no, I have to balance holding drinks and my bag while also busting out some serious dance moves on a night out. However I made an exception for this clutch because I just love fringing.

Another item I bought which I haven't included a photograph of is my fur coat. You'll have seen it if you've read any of my New York posts (which you should definitely check out!). I only brought one coat to uni so a second was definitely needed. The coat is rather oversized; sometimes I feel like a pigeon puffing it's chest, other times I feel like a stylish 70's hooker. But it's super cosy and kept me warm while in New York - I love it.

Hope you enjoyed this haul!

Aderyn x