These are some quick sketches I produced during my final post-graduate project at uni, which involved creating a magazine to fill a gap in the publishing market. I chose to create a 28 page contract publication for AllSaints, which is a brand that I admire, and these illustrations show two items from their Spring/Summer collection for 2011. I didn't end up using them in the project, but it was fun to draw again, as it's something I've recently neglected a little in favour of photography.
(Image: My first successful attempt at fashion origami, using the kit that I was given for Christmas. Pretty snazzy. This one is meant to be a men's shirt, in case you can't tell, and you can make a little tie to match if you're so inclined). Sorry for the severe hiatus from blogging. I finished my fashion journalism course in early February and then the great job hunt began, which left me pretty frazzled but excited to try something new. I'm now interning on a part-time basis at a fantastic new ethical luggage brand, as well as continuing my stint in retail. I'm certainly no stranger to juggling things, having studied for a combined honours degree and also taken on an extra AS-level before I even attempted uni, so you could say that I'm well within my comfort zone. Sadly I have had to drastically cut down on shopping, as things are quite tight financially, thus the blogging has been less frequent than usual. However, these are the things that have caught my eye recently in the sartorial world:1. H&M's new Conscious Collection, which uses recycled fabrics and is mainly based on a palette of white or un-dyed fabrics. It's not 'frumpy eco-clothing with hemp', as so many people assume it might be, and most of the pieces seem really wearable. The worrying thing is that I rarely visit H&M without buying something, so I'm trying to hold out for as long as possible, or at least until I get paid. It's a toss-up between the white lacey dress with ribbon straps (think the Virgin Suicides but less tragic) and the scallop-edged ecru shorts which fall in layers and skim your thighs in a gentle rather than cellulite-exposing way (I hope). 2. High waisted denim shorts: this phrase would normally have me running for the hills and crying out for something more low-slung and comfortable, but the slushy and windswept winter has left me in definite hibernation mode, resulting in a hefty muffin-top on my stomach. More accurately, this should be called a cake-top, because most of it is down to my Lola's Cupcakes addiction. Anyway, due to this unfortunate but completely self-inflicted excess baggage, I cannot wear anything that sits below my belly, as it makes the problem area all the more obvious. Instead, high-waisted shorts have been my saviour, especially the ones that are more like hotpants in their cut, because it draws attention to some indecently exposed legs rather than my worrying paunch, which becomes much flatter. I plumped (excuse the pun) for a Topshop black denim pair with gold rivets, which set me back £32; yes, this is too expensive for shorts, in my opinion, but they have been brilliant and I know I'll continue to wear them for years to come. I thoroughly recommend them. 3. Peacock feathers: call me an old hippy or a Bohemian twat, but I love them. The real ones, however, are an utter nightmare, and I seem to be in a constant cycle of buying and accidentally destroying peacock feather earrings or necklaces. They look great when contrasted with a more severe piece, such as studded boots or frayed denim. 4. Bright yellow fake Dr. Martens - yep, I bought some. I would love to say that they were real, but I don't have £90 knocking around to spend on a pair. If I'm honest, these fakes are a lot lighter to stomp around in all day, though I don't expect them to be half as hard-wearing as the real thing.
