Brighton

Bit of a late post!

A couple of weekends ago I went home for a few days for Mothers Day weekend and visited Brighton with my beautiful mother!

I took a few snaps from the unique seafront lanes and we explored the amazing Pavilion building! 

I also got my nails done in shellac gel paint (a paint which dries instantly from UV light and lasts up to 10 days) - i highly recommend it! 

comparison is the thief of joy!

“People follow pretty things, I think if bloggers were less ‘perfect’ and polished I think respect would grow for them, and there would be less negativity and jealously towards them” – Charlie Pallant, styledbycharlie.blogspot.co.uk

“Social networking sites don’t publicise community, they privatise it” - Andrejevic (2011:97) in Hinton and Hjorth (2013)…  Did you notice you spend more hours on your phone everyday than you spend doing just about anything else (source: www.womenshealthmag.com).

                              

A survey published by the journal of Behavioural Addictions revealed young women spend on average a shocking 10 hours a day scrolling on their phones, addictive visual apps such as Pinterest and Instagram being the main culprit.

Many girls who have an interest in being ‘big time’ in the fashion industry can feel pressured to begin a picturesque fashion blog, along with tidying up social media such as Instagram in order to receive an increasing amount of like-minded followers.

I speak from experience. When I tried to kickstart my blog with a supporting Instagram feed I felt like I couldn’t upload any photos that weren’t cool or had a high level of style; otherwise I risked dropping likes and loosing a chunk of followers. It seems pathetic that I couldn’t upload something sentimental such as a family photo as nobody actually cared. Followers weren’t my real friends, and real friends didn’t care about a ‘Vogue’ flatlay photo. A clear example of this is the fashionistas dogs on instagram; if you don’t own a photogenic Pug or a Frenchie Bulldog then what is the use in uploading the cuteness of your old scruffy Labrador.

Meaningless yet eye-pleasing photos such as cups of coffee are not intended to provoke a response, yet serves to keep an individual social network alive by reminding others in the network that the individual is still there, as expressed by Crawford (2010) in Hinton and Hjorth (2013).

Blogger Vieve Wright stated, “Fashion blogging has become fiercely competitive, there are so many out there it becomes impossible to make yourself unique, there is a desire for bloggers to gain thousands of followers on social media instead of the actual blog itself!”

Moreover, fashion and video blogger Charlie Pallant stated, “I find successful bloggers attitude to offering advice to smaller bloggers rude and disgusting, as at the end of the day they started out from somewhere”.

A simple double tap on an instagram photo nowadays is equivalent to a personal compliment. As McKenna et al., (2002) in Mesch and Talmud (2010) suggested how, ‘Online communication has some features that make the creation of relationships online easier than face-to-face’. The seemingly perfect blogger Charlie Pallant expressed how her blog statistics dramatically increased once she was brave enough to open up about initially beginning her blog to help overcome her Bipolar Disorder, Depression and Anxiety. Proving how readers are attracted to bloggers who are genuine and can speak about real issues within adolescents.

“Frequent internet use for social purposes is especially attractive to individuals who feel socially insecure, express social anxiety, have a low self concept and are introverts.” Stated by Hamburger and Ben-Artzi (2000) in Mesch and Talmud (2010).

Recently, I worked at the London Fashion Week, and was shocked to see bloggers perched around Somerset house almost just waiting for someone to photograph them. Whether you love them or not, Fashion Bloggers are becoming leaders of the Fashion Industry. Many are travelling the world, sitting front row at fashion shows and getting invites to press events .I praise those girls who can achieve such sterile and perfect lives at the prime of our adolescence along with the peak of our hormones. Making a living out of taking selfies and promoting brands, it seems as if they never have relationship issues, financial struggles or any flaws whatsoever.

This is what social media has developed into, as it is all about an image and nothing genuine. The ‘fblogger’ world is very small, each blogger states to have their own styles however all I notice is cloned trends.

We have become a ‘wired youth’ judging individuals lives through squares of filtered images. ‘Online relationships nowadays appear to be an integral part of youth culture’ expressed by Helper (2008) in Mesch and Talmud (2010). There is an increasing pressure for adolescents to share the best parts of their life presenting a fake impression. I am a very colourful homely and rustic person, and I found I was only accepted by others on social media by expressing myself through a clean-cut monochrome minimalistic website design. I began exploring my style by dressing up in my favourite staple pieces and taking daily outfit if the day #OOTD posts. However, my housemates would laugh as I got all dolled up, took photos in branded clothing, then proceeded to throw my hair up in a bun and get into trakkies and an oversized jumper, as I obsessively post-edited myself and cropped out my messy student bedroom.

Let alone time consuming; this lifestyle becomes self-obsessive - to only eat breakfasts that look like they’ve jumped straight out Pinterest, and the pressure to possess an all white room with zero clutter.

Model Karlie Kloss expresses how we should enjoy the moment, ‘something special has been lost – that is, simply being present’.

However, this self-expression through images and captions can have positive aspects, as many can emit a strong sense of identity through being successful ladies. “Virtual interactions and online spaces (such as Blogspot and Instagram) are seen as additional sites of interaction, where youth can explore their identities and sense of themselves, also experiencing a sense of freedom, enthusiasm and power” Maczewski, 2000; Leander and McKim, (2003) in Mesch, G. and Talmud, I (2010).

REFERENCE LIST:

Charlie Pallant. (2015). Styled By Charlie. Available: http://www.styledbycharlie.blogspot.co.uk. Last accessed 20.3.15.

Charlie Pallant. (2015). Living with Bipolar, Depression and Anxiety. Available: http://www.styledbycharlie.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/living-with-bipolar-depression-anxiety.html. Last accessed 20.3.15.

Crotty, N.. (2015). KARLIE KLOSS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: 'SOMETHING SPECIAL HAS BEEN LOST' The social media-savvy supermodel feels there are downsides to all that 'gramming. Available: http://www.elle.com/culture/news/a27303/karlie-kloss-instagram-social-media/. Last accessed 23.3.15.

Hinton, S and Hjorth, L (2013) Understanding Social Media. Sage Publications.

K. Aleshia Fetters. (2014). You Won't Believe How Many Hours You Spend on Your Phone Each Day. Available: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/hours-you-spend-on-your-phone. Last accessed 20.3.15.

Mesch, G. and Talmud, I (2010) Wired Youth. Routledge.

Vieve Wright. C’est La Vieve. Fashion Blog. Available: http://vievewright.com Last Accessed 23.3.15

Photos: Lydia. (2015). Blogging: Expectation Vs. Reality. Available: http://www.fashioninflux.co.uk/2015/02/blogging-expectation-vs-reality.html. Last accessed 20.3.15.

Photo: Buzz Feed Community Post. (2013). 12 French Bulldogs You Need To Be Following On Instagram. Available: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/277675133247697295/. Last accessed 20.3.15.

Publication Website: Available: http://i-d.vice.com Last Accessed 23.3.15

Detox your Student Room for free!

It’s not late nights messing up your sleeping pattern... it’s Melatonin.

Congrats, you’ve made it! January is over and the pressure of detoxing and shifting the Christmas bulge has faded out. Whether you have achieved your dream Victoria Secret’s body or not, it is now mid semester and it is back to eating pasta and cheese three times a
day and time to focus on other aspects of your lifestyle.

When assignments start building up it is vital to stay stress free, the best way to do this? Turn your bedroom into a Red Light District! ... Shocked? Allow me to explain.
Since beginning university, have you ever said your peer, “my sleeping pattern is messed up”? Don’t put this down to the night out you had a few days ago, ‘catching up on you’. Scientists and Experts have discovered a new reason.

Parents have always been anti - Televisions in bedrooms, many of us growing up would have assumed this was because of watershed. However, A new study proved that those who used a gadget such as; a computer, iPad, smart phone or kindle during the hour before we hit the sack are three times as likely to get less than five hours sleep. Not only does this affect your alertness, it can increase the risk of medical conditions such as obesity, heart problems and can shorten your life span.

The bright white/blueish light (red light has no effect at all) that is emitted from these gadgets (also found in energy saving bulbs as they are fluorescent) has a certain wavelength that suppresses the production of a chemical found in the brain, called Melatonin. Melatonin is a chemical that controls the night to day cycle and needs to be kept natural to allow healthy biological functions. You may have seen Melatonin in your local Holland & Barratt store as the hormone is actually used as prescription in treating sleep disorders. Constant use of your gadget before bedtime tricks your brain as this blueish light mimics daylight so your brain instinctively wakes up.

In relation to this, your other senses also need de-stressing. It is advisable to wear a sleep mask in student houses to ensure you have an un-disturbed night sleep due to the light that may seep under doors from hallways, or car headlights through gaps in the curtains. Moreover, give your MacBook a chance to save battery life and shut it down instead of leaving it on sleep mode; the constant brightening and dimming standby light can also disrupt sleep.

Furthermore, a bedroom should be kept cool as your body temperature naturally drops as you nod off, experts recommend 10 degrees Celsius lower than the daytime average (hooray for lowering the heating bills). If you like drifting off to music, William C. Dement MD, the professor of psychiatry at Stanford University and Author of The Promise of Sleep recommends getting an app on your music device that automatically shuts down after 30- 60 minutes.

5 student-budget -friendly products for a better nights sleep:

1. EcoTools Sustainable Sleep Mask – Boots £4.99
   
2. Boots Pharmaceuticals Foam Ear Plugs – Boots £6.99
   
3. Off Remote app – Free Application on iTunes
   
4. L.E.D Night Light Animal, Red – IKEA £13
   
5. French Lavender Sampler - Yankee Candle £1.75
   

So give your bedroom an MOT, store away those gadgets in cupboards, make space for your degree folders at the bottom of your wardrobe and return to your bedroom satisfied after a productive day to awake feeling refreshed and energised. 

Lolita's

Disclaimer *all views and opinions are my own apart from those referenced* (obvs)

“Clothing is one of the most immediate and effective examples of gendered, made ‘feminine’ or ‘masculine’.” (Entwistle 2000: 141)

How does the ‘Lolita’ subculture in Tokyo use gender and style to reject male dominated fashion and achieve a sense of belonging in modern society?

The main three objectives of this research will be: To describe the social and economic state of Tokyo in context to the emergence and success of Lolita’s. To analyse why Lolita’s choose the Victorian Era clothing to revolt against modern society and reject male dominated fashion. To evaluate how Tokyo’s Lolita’s use fashion to separate themselves from other Tokyo subcultures and achieve a sense of belonging, using theories from; Hebdrige, Kawamura, and Entwistle.
Crane (2000: 1) argues that, ‘Clothing, as one of the most visible forms of consumption, performs a major role in the social construction of identity’.

The main body of the text will begin with a summary of the current social and economic state of Tokyo, with the increasing Westernisation of society and the current place of women in society. The author will investigate why Lolita’s emerged from the 1980’s dominantly from the music and film obsessed culture. The author will then discuss theories including the sense of belonging that subcultures attain, especially in female dominated subcultures against the mass culture. The use of relevant literature from Hebdige, Kawamura and Entwistle will be used to consider why Tokyo’s females reject male dominated fashion, and discuss the relationship between gender and fashion subcultures.

Subcultures defined

In this current era of postmodernity, any member of society can adopt a subculture style to fit their preferences and lifestyle. A subculture has been defined differently by many academics. Overall a subculture is a way of the youth creating a sense of expression; self-identity is a crucial part of adolescent’s development. Sage dictionary of Cultural Studies (2004) in Kawamura, Y (2012) states, subculture is referred to a, “whole way of life” or “maps of meaning” what make the work intelligible to its members. A subculture is constituted by groups of individuals who share distinct values and norms that are against mainstream society (Such as Lolita’s who reject male dominated fashion). Furthermore, Subcultures have been seen as spaces for deviant communities to claim their position or space, suggests Kawamura, Y (2012). Cohen, P (1972) defined subculture by using terms such as ‘hedonism’, ‘defiance’, and ‘quest for excitement’. For example Lolita’s, whom adopt amine styled fake names and never discuss their careers or personal life when they socialise.
Moreover, Gelder, K (2007) suggests, subcultures have a social purpose, with shared conventions, values and rituals. Kawamura, Y (2012) investigated the nature of the Japanese subcultures and found different districts of Tokyo had a relationship with the structural problems of the wider socioeconomic structure. Kawamura, Y (2012) expands by suggesting, ‘there is an ironic correlation between Japan’s economic slump and the increase in the youth’s creativity’. Tokyo’s Lolita’s subculture is especially a form of escapism from Japans current situation, dressing in Lolita is a form of expression of their fantasy world from, “taking flight from adolescence or adulthood and returning to childhood”. Moreover, it is a way of momentarily removing herself from everyday reality, as suggested by Rahman, O, Wing-sum, L, Lam, E and Mong-tai, C (2011). Baudrillard 1983; Thomas 1997, uses the word ‘Hyper-reality’ to describe Lolita’s as ‘beyond real’, through blurring distinctions between real and unreal, these girls create their own fantasy identity that then in turn becomes their reality.

Japan’s style revolution in reaction to the economic state

“When I put on my costume, I feel like I look very different from everyone else around me and it makes me feel stronger” (Rinka, female, Hong Kong. In Peirson-Smith, A 2013)

Since the economic prosperity in the 1980’s, Japans economy has burst and the country is experiencing the worst economic recession. Mothers who used to be homemakers now have to desperately find menial part-time jobs. Moreover, there has been a widespread feeling of alienation, uncertainty and a loss of identity. Hebdige, D (1998:35) suggested how subcultures are formed in the space between surveillance and the evasion of surveillance; they translate the sense of being under scrutiny into the pleasure of being watched. Japanese street style is increasingly creative and they try to challenge the notion of being normal. Furthermore, many Lolita’s dress in the Victorian porcelain doll style, including umbrellas, gloves, and hats. Which in the Victorian era would be acceptable for very wealthy and high-class ladies, perhaps this is in irony to Japans current low economic state.

Lolita’s begun with the up rise of the Visual Kei movement; rock bands in the 1990’s began wearing extravagant outfits, with feminine make-up. Moreover, Japan became infatuated with an, “obsession with the visual”. This Visual Kei mainly influenced Gothic Lolita, as teens would attend concerts and imitate the band member’s style. Furthermore, this led to a sense of belonging in a time when values and beliefs in society were uncertain, especially among women. From this obsession, many sub-styles evolved and ‘Kerouac’, a fashion magazine began photographing Lolita street styles and as a result, many more Lolita brands evolved. During the end of the 1990’s a comic book and film called, “Nana” was released; the main characters obsession for Vivienne Westwood began an obsession for Lolita punk fashion. Clarke et al (1976) asserted that subcultures can find a solution to an individual problems, Lolita’s style creates an image they cannot fulfil in reality.

Lolitafashion.org says that; those who live Lolita as a lifestyle, “may try and live like a princess, surrounding themselves with things of beauty, and taking part in a number of ‘proper’ feminine activities such as baking, embroidery, sewing and other old- fashioned ‘women’s’ activities.” Lolita today is a mass-market fashion and a broad subculture term; it is complex to define the origin of this fashion. Although primarily influenced by Victorian children’s clothing and costumes from Rococo period, Lolita’s are mainly influenced by music, film and key brand styles. Many Lolita’s sew their own clothes, however, the fashion began by labels such as ‘Pink House’, ‘Milk’ and ‘Angelic Pretty’ began selling clothes. Therefore, this subculture has expanded into many different sub-styles. Kawamura, Y (2012) distinguished the differences between Lolita’s categories. Each has a set of rules and regulations regarding style and lifestyle, The Sweet Lolita (Ama Loli) consists of pastel colours. Wa Loli, is classic with frills, gathered skirts combined with Japanese elements, such as kimono blouse. Gothic Lolita wears black with frills and lace, whereas Black Lolita is strictly dressed in all black head-to-toe. It is interesting to note how there are sub styles developing in this Lolita subculture, and a single person may adopt many of these sub-styles according to their mood.

Rebellion against the over sexualisation of women

All Lolita subcultures are entwined to the anime culture, where individuals can escape into a childish and innocent world. Many Japanese women are intimidated by high fashion in the West; the refined beauty, tall, curvaceous bodies, cleavage and tanned skin is something that Japanese women cannot strive for, nor physically achieve. However, Kawamura, Y (2006) suggests it is interesting to note not all girls strive to look different from Western fashion, as one of the first trends among high school girls in 1993 was a pair of long loose white socks pushed down the knee to give the illusion of long model legs. However, Lolita’s want to go against the grain of sexualisation, they ‘rebel’ by going for a look that emphasizes cute girlishness petite bodies, which suits them, as suggested by Talmadge, E (2008).

Moreover, Still today Japan is a male-dominated society. Hirooka discussed the fact Lolita is escapism, many male Japanese boys are highly educated and have well respected jobs, whereas within women, adopting the Lolita style it is a rejection to conformism with the expectation on young Japanese girls to quietly accept their adult life (to be devoted to just become a wife in the male-dominated society). The notion behind Lolita’s is not a fashion to attract men, they simply want to create their own childlike, fun and carefree world to escape the increasing pressure and responsibility of society, as suggested on thefashionspot.com by Talmadge, E. (2008). Lolita’s even go as far as acting facial expressions and childlike behaviour to construct their ideal character.

Attention seeking or a youth revolt?
Japanese fashion does not come from professional Japanese designers, but is led by high school girls who are becoming increasingly influential in controlling fashion trends through the use of subcultures, they don’t imitate modern western styles, they lead by creatively mixing contrasting styles from the West, suggests Kawamura, Y (2006). "People notice us – we stand out," said Sachi, the lead vocalist for Black Pansy. "The pure, girl-like world inside of me, that is what Lolita is all about." (Talmadge, E. 2008)

Lolita’s are only associated with females of Tokyo. Oakley, A (1976) states, “Gender is a product of culture. Gender refers to the social classifications into ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’, whereas sex is a word that refers to biological differences between male and female” (1976:16).
In Rahman, O, Wing-sun, L, Lam, E and Mong-tai C (2011), a sociologist interviewed a boy who dresses as a Lolita girl, he admits he has a poor relationship with family and friends and is lonely in his daily life. Moreover, he only dresses up in Sweet Lolita in his room due to being laughed at and being called ‘gay’, (even though attracted to women) he states returning to his reality life after dressing as Lolita is very difficult, indicating a ‘sense of ambivalence between his Lolita self and his actual self’.

Wearing Lolita is deemed a lifestyle. Moreover, it is seen as an expression of feminism, they wear innocent clothing to reject ‘revealing’ clothing that males would like to see.
In conclusion, Lolita is a successful and popular subculture among women especially in in Tokyo as it works as escapism from the dull poor economic state. Moreover, Japanese women reject the Western styles that attract men, as this sweet childlike Lolita styles suits the natural petite body shapes of Japanese women. When the Lolita’s socialise they adapt fun imaginary characters that create a sense of belonging in an uncertain world. Entwistle, J and Wilson E (2001) states that, “Dress works to ‘glue’ identities in a world where they are uncertain: as Wilson (1985:12) puts it, ‘the way in which we dress may assuage that fear by stabilizing our individual identity’.” As David, S (1995) suggests, dress is a visual metaphor for identity and as pertains in particular to the open societies of the west.

Reference List:

• Clarke, J., S. Hall, T. Jefferson and B. Roberts. 1976. “Subcultures, Cultures and Class.” In S. Hall and T. Jefferson (eds) Resistance Through Rituals: Youth Subcultures in Post-War Britain, pp. 9–74. London: Routledge.
  
• Davis, F. (1995). Identity Ambivalence, Fashion's Fuel. In: Fashion, Culture, and Identity. Chicago: University of Chicago.
  
• Davis, F. (1994). Fashion, Culture, and Identity. Chicago and London: Unknown Publisher.
  
• Entwistle, J. (2000). The Fashioned Body: Fashion, Dress and Modern Social Theory. Oxford, London.: unknown publisher .
  
• Kawamura, Y. (2012). Fashioning Japanese Subcultures. London: Berg.
  
• Kawamura, Y. (2006). Japanese Teens as Producers of Street Fashion. New
  York: SAGE. .
  
• Oakley, A. (1985). Sex, Gender and Society. England: Ashgate
  
• Entwistle, Joanne, and Elizabeth Wilson, eds. Body Dressing (Dress, Body,
  Culture). Oxford and New York: Berg, 2001. FASHION THEORY JOURNALS:
  
  • Osmud, R. Liu, W, Elita, L. Mong-tai, C. . (2011). "Lolita": Imaginative Self and Elusive Consumption. Fashion Theory. 15 (1), 7-28.
    
  • Peirson-Smith, A.. (2013). Fashioning the Fantastical Self: An Examination of the Cosplay Dress-Up Phenomenon in Southeast Asia. Fashion Theory. 17 (1), 77-112.
    WEBSITES:
    
  • Cover photo: Alex. (2012). A guide too Harajuku fashion. Available: http://www.travelettes.net/a-guide-to-harajuku-fashion/. Last accessed 10.3.15
    
  • Lindsey. (2010). LoliGirls: The Movie!. Available: http://www.lolitafashionmovie.com/index.html . Last accessed 10.3.15
    
  • Talmadge, E. . (2008). Tokyo's Lolita Subculture. Available: http://www.thefashionspot.com/style-trends/17687-tokyo-s-gothic-lolita- subculture/ . Last accessed 1.3.15.
    
  • Yao, M.. (2014). The History of Lolita Fashion. Available: http://lolitafashion.net/the-history-of-lolita-fashion.htm . Last accessed 1.3.15.
    
  • Unknown Author. (2000-2014). Visual Kei. Available: http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/245824. Last accessed 10.3.15.
    
  • Unknown Author. (2012). Japanese Lolita & Harajuku Styles Fashion Show & Talk – Pictures & Video. Available: http://tokyofashion.com/japanese-lolita- harajuku-fashion-show-pictures-video/. Last accessed 1.3.15• Unknown Author. (2013). The History of Lolita Fashion. Available: http://asianbeat.com/en/feature/issue_lolita/history.html . Last accessed 10.3.15. 

LFW backstage diary

So I luckily got a work experience intern placement working backstage at London Fashion Week FreeMasons Hall. has been an amazing experience so far seeing the hair and make-up process, dressing the amazing models for their runway looks and generally seeing the whole production process aswell as jumping in to watch a few shows. 

Friday 

I was thrown in the deep end to dress the 

first look model Taja in the beautiful Felder felder AW15 Collection, filled with glam rock vibes with furs, black lace and gold metallics. 

We then moved onto dressing models in Mariana Jungmann collection, with a strong workwear aesthetic of pinstripes and oversized shirts. 

Luckily in the evening we were able to jump in and watch the House of Ccuoco show which was one of my favourites so far! so many red and blacks and studs! 

Felder and felder looks 

Felder felder backstage line up

Label. m and Toni and guy 

Mariana Jungmann 

Favourite Ccuoco look 

Ccuoco

Saturday

We began the day by dressing the models for the lovely Judy Wu, this by far had my favorite hair look of the week. The collection had beautiful bright reds, blues and oranges with camel and fur. 

Later this day we dressed models for four different designers for the "ones to watch show". You can tell this was a very busy experience by the fact I didn't take any photos lol.

Judy Wu

Judy Wu 

Judy Wu 

Great backstage line up quote and view

Of the clean cut runway on the other side of the board.

Saturday evening we walked around Covent Garden then we headed to Liverpool Street for dinner and drinks, we went tho this amazing bar called The Alchemist - they put dry ice, fire and bubbles in drinks like its a science lab! And the drinks are very strong for the prices (even better) 

Sunday 

we watched the amazing show by Gyo Yuni Kimochoe, along to one of my favourite songs "black skinhead" by Kanye West. The background research and inspiration of this collection amaaaazed me (pic description below).

Then we helped dress models for the Pam Hogg show which was a memorable experience to say the least, a very amazingly loud collection! (Again no photos as was so busy!)

We also went to a rainy Tate Britain to catch the end of the Topshop Unique show, and was stood a few metres away from Cara Delevigne and Kendall Jenner themselves - Along with Pixie Lott and Ellie Goulding! 

Gyo Yuni Kimochoe

Description of Gyo Yuni Kimochoe collection.

Kendall and Cara 

Pixie Lott 

Monday 

Today we had a lovely relaxed day, we arrived at FreeMasons to be told we can watch the LuLu Liu show which was beautiful as always! then we decided to head to head to Camden market to shop around and have lunch (in The Bowery which is an American bagel style coffe shop where I had he best mocha I've ever had.)

Yup ^ (I need an unlimited bank account) 

Monday 

Home Comforts

Felt like I needed a detox from university life and so I had a weekend retreat back to my hometown! My weekend included my favourite place Swanbourne lake, roast dinners, sticky toffee pudding, snow, rescue dogs, costa date with my favourite girls and a new light up 'N' for my bedroom!