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TV shows to watch (and not watch) and dressing up like Reese Witherspoon

By Posted on 2 5 m read 1.9K views

Big Little Lies and other shows returning in 2019

*This post is sponsored by Panasonic.

Who doesn’tΒ love Netflix and chill, Amazon Prime and unwind, Now TV and… take it easy? I can’t wait to get a brand new TV for my house – I’ll be having a look theΒ Panasonic Oled Televisions.

Sometimes my two passions (fashion and snuggling on the sofa) come together. I love watching stylish programmes that show off fashion eye-candy, likeΒ Gossip Girl, Sex and the City, 90210… And as only re-runs air now, the new show that filled the void in 2017 was the multi award-winningΒ Big Little Lies.Β If you haven’t watched it yet I implore you to!

AlongsideΒ flawless acting, with a show starring Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Alexander SkarsgΓ₯rd, Laura Dern and Zoe Kravitz, how could you not expect an impressive exhibition of fashion?

Β 

Entertaining with great storytelling and visual artistry and speaking meaningfully about the world we inhabit.

TV shows not to miss in 2019

Other TV shows returning in 2019 that IΒ cannotΒ wait for:

  1. Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Jake Peralta and Captain Holt never fail to make me literally laugh out loud. The world panicked when it was cancelled and wept with joy when it was picked up for season six by another network in the same day. What an emotional rollercoaster.
  2. Game of Thrones: if you’re not watching this epic, where have you been? Just everything about this show will have you on edge (once you’ve got your head around all the characters).
  3. Good Girls:Β hilarious and gripping, this is a cross betweenΒ BridesmaidsΒ andΒ Breaking Bad.
  4. Black Mirror:Β creepier and creepier each season, you don’t want to look, but you can’t look away – whilst also being paranoid that you’re in an alternative universe where someone is watching you

[ If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, then why not check out this post Game of Threads: Fashion behind the thronesΒ or this one on Daenerys’ style (promise you won’t be disappointed – I have photoshopped in a dragon!) ]

What NOT to watch

OMG I tried to watch Netflix’s new show (or bomb)Β Insatiable.Β Preparing myself for some black comedy and a harsh reflection on society’s perception of beauty… I was sorely disappointed.

I don’t even recommend this show for the laughs. Because there are none.

It tries so hard to be funny and slick… but it doesn’t succeed. It could’ve been good.

But, a show that uses the line ‘skinny is magic’ in all seriousness without a hint of underlying sarcastic commentary is not a show clever enough to pull off what they’re trying to do.

Don’t worry, it’s not just me who thinks this – it received mostly bad reviews.

Anyway, enough of that rubbish! Let’s move on…

Hannah wears a shirt dress and fluffy green bag

Why you should watch Big Little Lies

  1. Have you not read the list of stars in the show? Alexander SkarsgΓ₯rd. Reese Witherspoon.Β Alexander SkarsgΓ₯rd. Nicole Kidman and…Β Alexander SkarsgΓ₯rd.
  2. They touch upon hard topics that need more awareness, for example, domestic abuse.
  3. It’s multi award-winning –Β too many awards to count!
  4. The wardrobes!
  5. Beautiful music.
  6. Beautiful scenery.
  7. A look into frienships and relationships.
  8. Tough reflection on society and its obsession with perfection and image.

Big Little Lies:Β New Wardrobe Envy

I love Reese’s character in Big Little Lies,Β Madeline Martha Mackenzie. She’s firey, takes control, loyal, will do anything for her friends and sometimes fucks up but isn’t afraid to admit it.

Her style is very clean and put-together and always feminine. I noticed that she is a lover of a Dolce & Gabbana dress too – a designer which I have just posted about (wink wink).

In the season one finale, the women all dress like Audrey Hepburn characters for a party (as you do) and Madeline dresses as Holly Golightly in her pjs.

You know we’re all about that pjs-as-outerwear trend, so I’m totally stealing that Reese-as-Madeline-as-Audrey-as-Holly look! (Wow it’s fashion inception)

This look cost me like Β£9! lol

Hannah wears pink tassel earringsHannah wears shirt dress, fluffy green bag and headband

Β 

Bruises heal, stigmas can last a lifetime.

– Madeline Martha Mackenzie

The costume department may haveΒ dressed Reese in an oversized CΓ©line shirt, but, I went one better and got this beautiful from Asos for a toal of Β£3, once I used my student discount and my Β£15 Asos rewards voucher – #winning.

I decided not to go full-on with an eye mask, like Reese’s, (fun fact: the costume designer bought the actual one worn on the show !) but in stead, I took it as inspiration and went for something more wearable like a twisted head-wrap.

I got this one from , random, as I have not set foot in that shop since I was 12, but heads up – if you need a handband they have loooooads of choice in there! They’re perfect for keeping hair off your face on holiday!

Earrings: EbayΒ | Dress: | Bag: | Shoes: Asos | Headwrap:

“Sometimes I’m just holding onto this idea of perfection so tight, something has to give.”

Top tip: get costume earrings from eBay!

These cost around Β£3 (you know Zara be charging Β£15), they came the next day and the quality is pretty good so far!

Madeline is often seen in feminine floral A-line dresses with a little cardigan. Definitely stuff I wear on holiday. Probably all the time if I lived by the beach like her…

Reese Witherspoon on set of Big Little LIes wearing a floral dress

This Jack Wills piece gets the vibe of Madeline’s dress here quite well and I think it will be good to transition from Summer into Autumn. They also have a more casual cami version πŸ˜‰

By the way, shout out to all the Instagram boyfriends out there – thank you Daniel for your photography and willingness to follow me to various places and hold up a blanket whilst I change in a park!

Earrings: EbayΒ | Dress: Jack Wills | Bag: FendiΒ | Shoes: Asos

Β 

You can go fuck yourself on the head.

– Madeline Martha Mackenzie

I hope you enjoyed this. What do you think of my attempt at Madeline’s look? Let me know in the comments if you watched or are going to watch any of the TV shows I mentioned in the comments and if you have any recommendations!

In this post for Madeline’s look:

Earrings: Ebay | Dress: | Bag: | Shoes: Asos | Headwrap: 

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Style Inspiration: Dolce & Gabbana

By Posted on 1 5 m read 7.1K views

Get the Dolce & Gabbana Look on the high-street

I hope the people remember Dolce & Gabbana for the sensuality, for the Mediterranean sense, for our honesty to the life.

-Domenico Dolce

Dolce & Gabbana has one of the most distinctive brand personalities – think of Dolce & Gabbana and you think of sunny Sicily, small Italian villages, big italian families and big designs. It’s one of the most recognised fashion houses since the 80s, so it’s no surprise that there is so much on the high street that has clearly taken inspiration * cough * or ripped off * cough * from D&G. Being one of my favourite designers, it made sense for my next ‘inspired by’ post to be on D&G.

[Check out my Style Inspiration posts onΒ Gucci and ChloΓ©]

If there is one thing that Dolce & GabbanaΒ doesn’tΒ do, it’s doing things by halves. It’s the definition ofΒ maximalismo. Everything is exuberant.

Fun fact: Dolce & Gabbana have said that when they die, their eponymous fashion house will die with them – they do not want anyone else to take over after they are gone. Every offer they have received so far, for example, when they broke up as a romantic couple, floods of offers came in to take control but they refused.

The DOLCE DNA

If you want to experiment with your style and add a splash of D&G flavour to your high-street outfit, then here’s what to look for:

  1. Lingerie pieces
  2. Feminine florals
  3. Colourful prints
  4. Regal and religious accessories
  5. Baroque extravagance

Photography by D Rayner PhotoΒ (edited by me)

Hannah wears an embellished and jewelled black bustier with straps and baroque patterned red silky pyjama style trousers/pants. Shoes are red mules and she holds a black weaved wicker box bag outside a old white Manor House.

Powerful but romantic. Womanly.

-Tim Blanks, Vogue

1. Lingerie pieces

Bralettes, camis, satin pyjama pieces, corsets, structured tops… These are the types of pieces that make up the basis of Dolce & Gabbana’s aesthetic. Perhaps, the corset is the most iconic – a favourite of their muse Sofia Loren – which subsequently returns to their collections. I saw this bejeweled bustier top on Zara and immediately knew where they got their inspiration from. Black and red are staples of the D&G diet, more specifically, black lace and red jewels and lips.

Hannah wears an embellished and jewelled black bustier with straps and baroque patterned red silky pyjama style trousers/pants. Shoes are red mules and she holds a black weaved wicker box bag, in front of a white stately house.Look One | Earrings: | Bodice: Zara | Trousers: | Bag: | Mules: River Island

To me, flowers are happiness.

-Stefano Gabbana

2. Feminine florals

Florals make up a large proportion of Dolce & Gabbana’s prints, especially roses. Instead of ditsy prints, look for large flowers that dominate the fabric. This white and is absolutely stunning (any weddings coming up soon?) and a complete D&G dupe.

Have fun with the florals – clash them with other prints, like polka dots or leopard print, maybe go for a nautical vibe and pair a floral top with stripes.

Hannah kisses a pineapple

Hannah holding a pineapple to her hear

Look Two | Earrings: | Top: | Skirt: | Bag: Asos

In life you need to take a risk

– Stefano Gabbana

3. Colourful prints

Go for statement prints that remind you of summer. Prints that are beloved by D&G (and lucky for us available on the high-street) are florals, as mentioned, prints with fruit, post-card prints (an example of what I mean below), animal prints – especially leopard, a classic – scarf prints and tile prints to evoke their gorgeous maiolica print…

This H&M dress may be a bit extra, but as soon as I saw it, I needed it. The sweetheart neckline, the ruffles, the banana and yellow lily print just screamed Dolce & Gabbana.. which may be why it sold out straight away. I tried three times to buy it when it went out of stock! Eventually, I came, I saw, I conquered! It was all worth it. This dress has earned so many compliments every time I’ve worn it.
If you’re afraid of wearing something like this, then maybe first try it out with flats and understated jewellery and start by wearing it to an event like a wedding, where you’ll feel more comfortable all dressed up.

Hannah wears an H&M bright, floral and lemon flounce dress in front of a mediterranean looking house. Hannah in yellow floral dress leaning on a red post box. Unfortunately, this dress is sold out! But here are some gorgeous alternatives:

We built our fashion around three fundamental concepts: Sicily, tailoring, and tradition.
– Domenico Dolce

4. Regal and religious accessories

Sicily is at the heart of the brand, so pieces that reflect the traditions of this Italian city are key. Domenico and Stefano love to play with bringing Italy’s historic and religious past into their modern-day looks. Expect to see a lot of big crosses and headpieces that would be fit for a queenΒ 👑.

Gold is a key metal, so pick out items with gold buttons and or cute headband to jazz up an outfit. Statement earrings are a must – the bigger the better. You’ll find loads of that are especially made to look like the ones seen on the runway.

Go for jewels upon jewels! Jewelled earrings – check. Embellished bag – check. Stone headband – check. Pretend you’re BeyoncΓ© in the ‘Bow Down’ video.

(Okay, I cheated with this outfit, because the top is not a high-street dupe, but I’ve listed a few tops below that are similar to the D&G top I’m wearing).

Hannah crossing the road, wearing a Dolce & Gabbana vest top which says 'Sicila, Mare, Sole, Amore' with an Asos polka dot skirt with gold buttons. Floral and embroidered sandals with a rose gold flower headband and cross baroque earrings with red lips. Dolce and Gabbana style inspiration

Look Four | Top: Dolce & Gabbana – in blueΒ | Earrings: | Skirt: Asos | Bag: Asos (sold out – ) | Β Shoes: Topshop – similar | Headband: Asos

Purse friendly versions of this Dolce & Gabbana vest:

BaroqueΒ  /bΙ™ΛˆrΙ’k/)

is a highly ornate and often extravagant style of architecture, art and music that flourished in Europe from the early 17th until the late 18th century. The baroqueΒ style used contrast, movement, exuberant detail, grandeur and surprise to achieve a sense of awe.

5. Baroque extravagance

The pattern on this Asos jumpsuit fits perfectly into the baroque category; it’s got the roses, the ornate gold borders, panelling and the colours are stunning together. Reminds me of the Sistine Chapel ceiling!

To get this look, make sure you have some gold or silver tones, along with textures like embroidery on top of intricate patterns and jacquard fabrics.

Hannah wears a scarf print jumpsuit in blue, red and gold baroque pattern. She holds a minaudiere box bag in black. Dolce & Gabbana designer inspired high-street look. Style inspiration. Fashion blogger. Photos taken by D Rayner photo

Look Five | Jumpsuit: AsosΒ |Bag: | Sunglasses: Primark

I had a lot of fun putting together these outfits! Are you inspired to jazz up your outfit with a statement earring or cute box bag? Let me know in the comments what you thought πŸ˜‰

Also would you want me to share the Lightroom presets I made for these photos? Let me know!

Thanks for reading!

x

More Dolce & Gabbana inspired pieces

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Is Burberry making a mistake? | Fashion fail

By Posted on 2 4 m read 4.3K views

Is Riccardo Tisci going to f*ck up Burberry?

This is the second time that Burberry has been at the forefront of fashion news this fortnight. The first time for their disposal of their left-over stock. That’s another issue which I actually wanted to write about. But, this may surprise you… The second piece of news – the controversial logo change – now THAT Β has triggered me more than all of Burberry’s burning clothes.

THIS IS THE NEW BURBERRY LOGO (be prepared to be underwhelmed):

If you like this new logo, then your opinion is WRONG! πŸ˜›

Let me tell you why.

Christopher Bailey would not have committed such a crime when he was at the helm of Burberry.

To me, this logo change doesn’t seem to about Burberry. It screams ego-trip. It’s a power move by Tisci

What is it with new Creative Directors coming into historic brands and theΒ firstΒ thing they do is rebrand? Sometimes it’s needed. Burberry could use an overhaul in some areas of their public image, but one thing it did not need is a brand new logo.

Part of their brand identity is heritage and history. This logo is what translates that to me:

My issue isn’t necessarily with Tisci trying to modernise and bring the brand into 2018. Maybe if the new logo was still a serif font I’d have less vexation.

The issue here is that:

  1. The sans-serif just is too over-simplified to translate the luxury and history that Burberry is meant to be all about. I get that many other luxury brands use serif, but there is something about this logo that’s not fitting for Burberry.
  2. This took four weeks to design. Come on now. Apparently, this project actually needed four months! FOUR. MONTHS. To design this… Okay then.
  3. Where is the creativity? It looks like a watered down version of every. other. new. logo. out there.
  4. Following on from this, I feel like these rebranded logos have become a meme of their own. We have Hedi Slimane changing Yves Saint Laurent‘s beautiful script into the plain ‘Saint Laurent’ that we have today. Raf Simmons just changed Calvin Klein’s logo, which was designed byΒ Peter Saville, who, surprise suprise, has designed this new Burberry logo. I mean, just look at how diverse he can be…

We also have CΓ©line, Balenciaga, Diane Von Furstenburg… (the list goes on)Β with similar looking logos. To me, this new logo is this meme:

Can I copy your homework? sure just change it up a bit so it doesn't look obvious... ok.

Even the new monogram is blah. Why do they need a monogram? We already have the iconic Burberry check. This monogram just looks like a souk’s version of Louis Vuitton and Goyard mashed together.

 

[Read:Β Five Fashion Fails: Lawsuits filed against fakes]

If it ain’t broke..

In his statement about taking the job [Tisci] said, β€œI have enormous respect for Burberry’s British heritage and global appeal,”

Vogue

Being British, Burberry is an important brand to me. 2016’s Christmas campaign starring Domhnall Gleeson as Thomas BurberryΒ perfectly captured what the brand is all about. Tisci coming in and demanding a complete rebrand within four weeks doesn’t seem to be someone who really wants to get in touch with the heart of the brand’s history. Imagine the research and archives you’d have at your disposal and the amount of time that it would really take to understand the complexities of what works and also what doesn’t work.

It’s a very bold move, even arrogant, to assume you know the failings and to overhaul everything when you’ve only been in post a couple of months.

To me, this logo change doesn’t seem to about Burberry. It screams ego-trip. It’s a power move by Tisci who wants to show everyone that he’s the new person in charge and he can do what he wants and he’ll get all the praise for any of the publicity it gets.

Italian designers can be brash and bold, which works for certain brands. But here, for Burberry, whose essence lies in innovative practicality – think back to the 1901 classic trench that was designed for British and French soldiers – I can’t see how Tisci is a good match. Come September, we’ll see if I’m proven wrong. IΒ do look forward to seeing Tisci’s first collection, however. Who knows, maybe I’ll review it?

A Burberry gift box

Do you have any thoughts on this? Am I overreacting??? Let me know if you disagree and you like the new logo; I’d be interested to know why!

If you like a ranty post check out my ‘trends that need to die in 2018’!

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#FAIL: I’m shit at blogging

By Posted on 5 6 m read 2K views

This one is for everyone that has ever got stressed out about not being able to fit in the things you want to do around the things youΒ needΒ to do.

I suck at this.

So… I’ve been slacking. Anyone empathise?

I’m sure you’ve all have had that moment (or a lot of moments) where you’re doing something (or not) and just question if you’re doing it right, or whether you should be doing it at all?

Yeah, that’s what I’m wondering.

I started my blog because I wanted to have a project outside of my full-time job – something to allow me to be creative and have something to show for it.

But, checking my homepage I realise my last post was over THREE months ago!

Blogging requires posting frequently and I haven’t been.Β Just because it’s a side-project, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t stick to a schedule. Or does it? Now, I’m just second-guessing what the point of this is. I shouldn’t be stressing about it because it’s meant to be for fun and stressing isn’t fun.

Instead of accepting that I’ve inadvertently taken a blogging break and taking the time to recharge, I’m just getting worked up over it. My health hasn’t been great recently (something I’m not sure whether to go into here or not yet) and when I get in from work I’m too exhausted to do anything.

What I’m doing wrong

1. Not having enough time

Or should I phrase that to be ‘notΒ makingΒ enough time’?

I’m at work all day – I’m not an early riser, as I suffer from insomnia from time to time, so during the week, getting up early to blog before work is a no-go and the evenings are the only time I have left. Except that’s when I have dinner, spend time with the boyfriend and see friends. Plus, being sat at a screen all day in an office then continuing to do that well into the evening cases headaches (literally and metaphorically).

Also, we’ve been looking to buy a house since the New Year, (no luck so far) and if you’re familiar with the process, you’ll know that you need to book viewings as soon as you have a spare minute free, which, yes,Β of course, is after work. There is a lot to cram in! I am busy, yeah… but am I really more busy than everyone else who has a full-time job and other responsibilities? This is something I wondered before – we’re always ‘on’ so we always feel rushed off our feet and so the things we enjoy and don’t ‘need’ to do get pushed to the side.

So what about the weekends when I’m not at work?

As I’m sure, this happens to everyone, no matter what you want to do, the weekends end up jam-packed with plans with people you can’t see during the week, the things youΒ needΒ to do, the things you don’t need to do but feel obliged to and suddenly you haven’t got any time left to yourself.

When do you have time after all that, you just feel too mentally and physically tired toΒ do anything other than veg in front of the TV.

2. Not finishing posts

I contacted the lovely Primrose, who you probably already know blogs at Style Petal, to ask for her input into a post that I’m writing on Influencer Marketing and I’m also writing a collaboration post with Luke Christian about getting your motivation back (ironic lol) and I feel sooo bad that I haven’t published them yet!

The first post isΒ written, so I don’t know why butΒ I decided it needed to go more in depth. It needed to be the MOST DETAILED post ever written on influencer marketing. And it snowballed into a post that is longer than a dissertation and I can’t seem to structure it or put it into a logical order.

So, now I’m thinking it’s too long and messy and the perfectionist in me is not satisfied with posting it. I know I’ll end looking like this when it’s finished 👇 (and so will anyone who reads it).Skeleton waiting

(I’m sorry for being crap! I promise I’ll get around to publishing it).

So, not wanting to deal with the imperfect post that I’ve already started, I decided to write this oneΒ 😂. Which leads into the next point —> that I’m too much of a perfectionist.

3. Having too many expectations

I just have to admit it. IΒ can’t do everything all at once. I’m not a robot.

The perfectionist side of me wants every single post to have high-quality photos that I’ve created myself that are also relevant. For example, if I’m writing about office culture or fashion, I’d want a photo of me in the office. Can you imagine? Me lying on a desk in the middle of an open-plan office posing for a camera, like, “what are you looking at, Barbara from Procurement?!” It’s just not always possible to create the vision in my head, which is why I end up with a long list of ideas and unfinished blog posts.

4. Freaking out about what I’m not doing

Argh, I haven’t scheduled any Twitter content to promote my posts… I need to go and take loads of photos for Instagram, I’ve got to spend three hours commenting on other people’s blogs, I’ve not replied to that email about car tyres, I’ve been meaning to make business cards for four months now!

Okay, THIS does not help. I will always do this though, it’s just the way I am!

I’m happy that just one person has read my blog, so that is what I’m going to focus on – there is at least one person who’s read what I’ve written!

What I’m going to do instead

1. Low stats equal low moodΒ Don’t let stats affect me!

So many bloggers comment that when the stats go down, so does their mood. We really shouldn’t let this get to us. (Easier said than done).

I haven’t posted frequently on my site or on Instagram and the unfollows ensue and the page numbers drop. Ugh. I’ve put in so much effort for people to become disinterested. I know why they are low, so I know how to fix it. Frequent and quality posting is key to an engaged audience and I can’t expect numbers to rise when there’s nothing new to see.

There really is no point getting bummed out about something thatΒ really doesn’t matter all that much.

I’m happy that just one person has read my blog, so that is what I’m going to focus on – there is at least one person who’s read what I’ve written!

2. Don’t compare

Comparison Is the Thief of Joy

Yeah, there’s something in that.

I look at bloggers who have been doing this for years, turned it into their full-time career and churn out quality content consistently, alongside going to events and travelling and I think ‘wow, that’s amazing, why can’t my blog be like that?’.

Well, it can’t. Because this is just a hobby that I do after work and at the weekends (when I can – see point 1 above!). I shouldn’t feel bad about my work because of comparison. So, I haven’t posted in a while… I can’t compare that to someone whose literal job is to do just that.

You know that saying ‘you have the same amount of hours in a day as BeyoncΓ©’? It’s meant to be motivational, but it’s not.

True, you can’t make more time, but no one is in the same position as her. If you’re a single parent, who works a day job and are trying to make it as a musician, comparing your success as a musician to BeyoncΓ©’s isn’t logical. She has a huge support network, people who’ll look after her children when she can’t, assistants, cleaners, chefs, etc etc etc. So, she has as much time as she needs to put 100% effort and concentration into her craft. You get the point.

Everyone’s journey is different, so just be proud of what you’ve achieved πŸ™‚

3. REST and don’t make myself ill

There’s a reason I took a break (even though I didn’t mean to). I’ve had some difficult months and instead of just focusing on my health and my family, I’ve been beating myself up about not doing enough for my blog. And that’s been making it worse.

In the future, I’ll just listen to what my body’s saying, post a little notice on the blog saying ‘be back soon’ and don’t worry. This is for fun and I don’t know why I’m putting pressure on myself.

Thanks for reading, if you made it this far! Do let me know if you’ve ever felt the same and if you have some advice to share.

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Is Snapchat dead?

By Posted on 3 5 m read 2.3K views

Did Kylie Jenner just kill Snapchat or was it already a sinking ship?

Snapchat boomed out of nowhere. Now, it’s an advertising platform for multi-million-pound companies; a far cry from being known as β€˜that shady app’ for people sent β€˜those kind of photos’ that conveniently disappeared.

It seems that Kylie Jenner killed Snapchat overnight with her tweet:

Kylie Jenner's tweet: 'sooo does anyone else not open Snapchat anymore? Or is it just me... ugh this is so sad.'

A tweet that cost Snapchat ONE BILLION DOLLARS.

However, it’s probably a little more complicated than that. Snapchat was being beaten to the floor and Kylie’s just delivered the final blow.

I just have the image of Scar and Mufusa (RIP) at the edge of that cliff. Here’s the metaphor:
Mufusa = Snapchat. Kylie = Scar. Cliff = shit tonne of money.

Image of Kylie Jenner's face photoshopped onto Scar from the Lion King and the Snapchat ghost photoshopped onto Mufusa, hanging from a cliff.

This is the worst photoshop ever. But I wanted to bring the vision to life. (Rights belong to Disney)

Following this episode, they made a very distasteful joke about Rihanna’s domestic abuse at the hands of Chris Brown. This led to a lot of angry Rihanna fans, and well most people on Snapchat, leading to further damage to their bank account ($800 Million).

There were a few bumps in the road before this. Snapchat was growing fast and making so much money, that perhaps these blips weren’t taken seriously.

Here is the timeline of Snapchat’s ups and downs:

2011
Snapchat launches

Everyone’s like: β€˜hey I’m on Snapchat, add me!’ and then you’re like: β€˜WTF is Snapchat’
Everyone: β€˜It’s this thing where you send a photo to someone; it lasts for 10 seconds and then it disappears’
You: β€˜So, it’s for sending dodgy pics that you don’t want other people to save to their camera roll’.
Everyone: β€˜Uhhh… I guess’.

2012
Funding

Major funding goes on. They raise $10million and then value the company at $70million.
One of the funders of Instagram also invests.

October 2013
Stories

Snapchat launches the famous β€˜snap stories’ function, which was an instant success.

November 2013
Snapchat pisses off Facebook

Facebook tries to buy Snapchat for $3billion. To which they declined. This probably turned Facebook’s friendly competition into: β€œI WILL END YOU”.
That’s what I took from it, but both companies declined to make a statement, so that’s PR talk for β€˜i f*ckin h8 u now’.

2014
Hacked

Snapchat is hacked to send people spam pictures of fruit smoothies.

(Not that important. Highlights security problems, but I included this part mainly because this the nicest sort of spam you could receive).

2014
Snapchat gets in trouble

Snapchat broke the terms of the Federal Trade Commission. If you’re a blogger or in advertising, then you’ll be aware of how hot they are on their rules. Basically, Snapchat made out to the public that photos would not be saved and would disappear, when, in fact, that wasn’t the case and actually they were stored on a cloud somewhere.

2016
Snap’s estimated market value climbs to $25–35 billion.

August 2016
Facebook goes head-to-head

Facebook updates Instagram to include Instagram β€˜stories’. Like… Ohhhh no you di’n’t!’
The is one of the worst things that has actually happened to Snapchat.
Snapchat growth slowed 82% after Instagram Stories launched and a lot of its audience was lost to Instagram.

March 2017

Snap Inc. goes on the NY Stock Exchange, selling 200 million, priced at $17 per share, for a total of $3.4 billion

June 2017
Snapchat are worried

Downloads drop by 22% and Snap’s share price falls in one week from $27 a share back down to its IPO* of $17… In other words β€˜oh snap’ (pun intended).

August 2017
One year on since Instagram copies stories

Snap’s stats are crap.
Snapchat’s monthly active user rate down from 17.2% to 5%
Snapchat’s Stories users halts at 166 million daily users, whereas Instagram now has 250 million.

β€œFacebook and Instagram didn’t have to outdo Snapchat. They just needed to copy it and put it in a more convenient place in apps that people of all ages already use.”

Instagram Stories turns 1 as daily use surpasses Snapchat

January 2018
People hate Snapchat

Snapchat’s big redesign bashed in 83% of user reviews (*2.)

February 2018
Kylie’s tweet

One simple tweet from a reality person wiped $1billion of Snap’s stock market value.

March 2018
Rihanna vs. Snapchat

A ‘thrid party ad’ – put in airmarks, because Snapchat may be trying to place blame on someone else – slipped through their approval process and the ‘joke’ fell flat. It was a game of ‘would you rather slap Rihanna or punch Chris Brown?’. This alludes to the domestic abuse that Rihanna suffered at the hands of her ex-boyfriend and massive douchebag Chris Brown.

The result? Snapchat loses $800 million

Snapchat stocks plunged by 4 percent on Thursday,Β losing the app nearly a billion dollars this weekβ€”evidently due to Rihanna fans who decided to delete the platform from their smartphones.

β€˜Snapchat Lost $800 Million After Rihanna Criticized Its Offensive Ad’

So what’s going to happen?
Predictions

I don’t have a crystal ball, but it’s not looking great for the app, although I’m sure we haven’t seen the end of Snapchat. Now there are a lot of investors and companies relying on the app to make big money, so they won’t let it die so easily. It may be the case that Snapchat stops growing and gradually users begin to become inactive over a period of a couple of years, as advertisers stop paying.

The developers will do all they can to claw back their reputation and the users. I think it could be heading for a MySpace funeral. A site that was once visited MORE THAN GOOGLE, MySpace is now probably only visited by people looking up their old profile to have a laugh at photos from year 7. To fill you in, MySpace lost its users as soon as new owners began to monetise it. This is exactly what everyone is getting annoyed with on Snapchat.

What I think Snapchat might try next

Live videos

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and even YouTube all have live video facilities. To compete and stay relevant, Snapchat may end up doing the same. Well, they’ll need to do the same. They dabbled with broadcasting the Winter Olympics in February, however, have no plans to let users launch their own live videos. Missing a trick there.

Influencer Marketing

They’ve had a lot of bad press from some of the biggest names in celebrity culture, so maybe to counteract it, maybe they’ll try some proactive positive PR by using celebrities to promote it, to counteract the negative from Kylie and Rihanna.

Make advertising easier for brands

Digital marketing research showed that “brands and media buyers believe Snapchat is the hardest platform to advertise on” over Facebook, Twitter, Google and Amazon. It’s also one of the most difficult to gauge Return On Investment. If Snapchat is to survive, they need to stay competitive with Facebook – where marketers put most of their marketing budget – so, Snapchat need to lure back their advertisers, so they can keep their investors happy and retain profit.

Snapchat will most likely have a few more tricks up its sleeves before it disappears. What do you think will happen to Snapchat?

Do you think Snapchat has had its day? Or do you think it will ride out the rough patch and survive?

Sources

1. Twitter

2. Tech Crunch

3. Forbes

4. Vanity Fair

5. Digiday

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Fashion trends that must die in 2018

By Posted on 22 4 m read 3.5K views

8 fashion trends that need to stop!

“AΒ trendΒ simply reflects what seems to be going around at any given time.”*

Some are born out of necessity, some are expensive, some out-stay their welcome and some are downright wrong (see number 8). Some are all of the above.Β Trends come and go and these are those that need to go.

They’ve gotta go…

1. Ridiculously ripped jeans

Cue the jokes about me sounding like your nan, but why am I paying so much money for something that is already torn before it leaves the shop?

I’m here for rips in the knees and some artful fraying –Β modest rips, shall we say – but what in the hell are these rips all the way up to your butt cheeks? You know the ones. Just imagine Kylie Jenner as an extra in the Walking Dead – the sort of jeansΒ thatΒ character would wear. Just please. Someone make it stop. Or, just give me Β£40 and I’ll happily ruin some of your old jeans for you.

2. Nude everything Γ  la Yeezy

I like nude colours. They can look so chic. Especially suiting pieces (see my photo belowΒ 😉). But what I can not get on board with is nude body-con pieces paired with more nude and even more nude, so you become all camouflaged. I’m thinking most things Yeezy and these sorts of outfits that Kim Kardashian wears. Unless penis in a condom is the look you’re going for. (Sorry for all the weird imagery. And we’re only at no.2 in the list).

You know what I want to see this year? More colour!

Kim Kardashian wearing some god awful latex, shiny, nude colour dress

3. Gucci marmont belt

“AΒ trendΒ simply reflects what seems to be going around at any given time.” And there has been a lot of Gucci belts going around. I meanΒ A LOT.Β It’s hard to open Instagram without seeing one… and it’s (dare I say it) a bit too samey. This isn’t new either; I think this has been around the last two and half years now and I’m a bit tired of it.

The GUCCI BELTS NEED TO GO.

“But I spent a lot of money on this!” you may cry. Don’t get me wrong, I actually love these belts and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want one. I even considered getting one… But y’know – money, sizing, stock problems (what you gunna do?). But the main problem with this trend is that it’s just that:Β a trend. An expensive one at that.

Alas, it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. I have a feeling this will probably divide a lot of opinions!

PS I know Moschino belts were a big blogger thing a while back. They were an eighties revival, and for me, a classic. So, after the hype died down I got one in a thinner width and less in-your-face. I see less people (and less fakes) with this belt, so it looks a bit different.

Want a designer belt? Why not try one that’s not ‘trendy’ so you’ll never have to worry about it going out of fashion?

My top alternatives to the Gucci belt

4. The ‘choker’ dress

To be honest, this one isn’t offensive at all; I’m just not sold on this trend – is it a choker or is it a dress? You want to wear a choker, why not put on a necklace? This one looks a bit faffy for me to buy one of these, although it does look good on a lot of people, I’m just probably not one of them.

5. UGLY sneakers!

Just… No. I couldn’t ever jump on this bandwagon. If I wore some of these trainers in P.E. back in school in 2008, I would have got so bullied. Don’t these Balenciaga trainers just remind you of something you get out of lost property when you left your kit at home?

I’m still seeing these this Fashion Week… Part of me thinks there’s an inside joke. I can imagine the brands and influencers talking ‘let’s make the ugliest shoes possible a ‘thing’ and see how much people will pay for them?! It’ll be hilarious”.

Yeah… I’ll stick to my white Nikes thanks.

Louis Vuitton's extremely ugly sneakers

Louis Vuitton

6. Slogan tees that make no sense

Don’t get me wrong, I love a slogan T-shirt. I have too many to count. And they are definitely going nowhere… if anything, we’ll see more of them (if that’s possible), but what I just don’t get, are slogan tees that chucked some words together to form a sentence that doesn’t mean anything. These are some hilarious examples I’m talking about.

7. Low jeans on men

This has gone on for too long. Wear your trousers properly! I can see your pants and it looks like you shit in a nappy. That’s all.

Liam Payne wearing jeans so low you can see his boxer pants!!

8. Wearing IKEA bags

Let me repeat that for you, so you can let that sink in. People were actually making clothes out of those blue Ikea bags and wearing them, out in actual public. Now, I don’t know if this was a full-on trend; I didn’t see my Instagram cluttered with Ikea, nor have I seen anyone wearing this, but this wave of nonsense is too funny not to include.

I believe the whole thing started to poke fun at Balenciaga for producing a Β£1,600 bag that looked eerily similar to Ikea’s shopping bag.Β Is it just me or has Balenciaga had an identity crisis?

I gotta give to those people for their creativity with this though! Check outΒ Some of the Best (and Most Ridiculous) Products People Have Made From IKEA Bags.

Three people wearing IKEA bags as 1. a coat, 2. shorts and 3. bralette

Do you agree/disagree with my list? Is there a trend I missed that you would really like to see disappear this year?

Leave a comment below πŸ™‚


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Why perfume will always stand the test of time

By Posted on 5 4 m read 2.9K views

The power of perfume

*This post is sponsored by Clive Christian.

Next to flowers, perfume is at the top of the gift list for Valentine’s Day. Why? A perfume can evoke feelings and it can be a symbol of love. Scent is powerful: from its rich history to the way it can evoke emotions and memories. This list ofΒ Valentine’s gifts for Him and HerΒ include the very same perfume that Prince William and Kate received for their wedding day. What a romantic gift for a special someone… (or yourself!)

The power of perfume means our love affair for fragrances is going nowhere.

Here’s why:

A royal history of fragrance

Ever since civilisation, perfume has existed. Perfume is an ancient ritual, which goes all the way back to Ancient Egypt, much like the beloved red lipstick. Scientists believe that frankincense was most likely used for Pharoahs’ perfumes, which was understood to be a scent of the Gods. Perfume with expensive and exotic ingredients was a symbol of status.

King Tut (King Tutankhamun Exhibit - Cosmetic Jar with a Recumbent Lion on the Lid)

Ancient Egyptian Cosmetic Jar on display at the King Tut Exhibition.

In 1872 during the reign of Queen Victoria in Britain, The Crown Perfumery wasΒ established; this would later become Clive Christian. Queen Victoria was so impressed with the perfumery that she granted permission to use the image of her crown for the crystal bottle-stoppers – a honour which still endures today.

“In ode to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who made perfumes for each other as a symbol of their enduring love, many Clive Christian perfumes are created in matching pairs…”

Telegraph

It seems the Christian Clive tradition wasΒ passed down to another royal couple…

For His Royal Highness Prince William and Catherine Middleton in honor of their union, Christian Clive was commissioned to create this bespoke presentation of his No.1 perfume. Complete with their initals and diamonds, of course.

The bespoke perfume bottles presented to Catherine and Prince William on their wedding day. The his and hers matched pair of Clive Christian No. 1 Perfumes with gold etched initials for Catherine and William. The perfume bottles are hand-cut crystal with a brilliant-cut diamond solitaire embedded in them. A β€œC” is etched in gold on the women’s, and a β€œW” on the men’sβ€”a gift fit for a royal pair.

The bespoke perfume bottles presented to Catherine and Prince William on their wedding day.

How fragrances affect us

It’s well-known that there are strong links between smell and memory. Certain scents can actually affect our physical well-being too.

β€œ75% of all emotions generated every day are due to smell, and because of this, we are 100 times more likely to remember something we smell over something we see, hear or touch.”

Scent Research

I like to use a perfume for the first time when I travel to a new place. This is because whenever I smell that fragrance again the next time, I’ll immediately be transported back to that place. There’s a particular fragrance that I only wore whilst living in Madrid and now, when I catch the same scent, I vividly remember walking down Gran VΓ­a.

Why we like some fragrances more than others

Research suggests that our perfume preferences are subconciously based on smells that bring us happy memories. Whether we realise it or not.

“WeΒ only learn to think of smells as β€˜good’ by associating them with good feelings”. So, liking a scent partly comes down to good memories associated with it.

The other deciding factors as to whether you like a fragrance:

1. Familiarity:

If someone in your family wore a orange-based fragrance, you will be more partial to citrus scents.

2. What your body needs:

If you’re body’s in need of something, you’ll be attracted to a scent that can help. For example, if you’re feeling a bit tense, you’ll be drawn to vanilla which helps you to relax (more on this here).

3. The nature of your personality

Psychologists can tell what your favourite fragrance says about you.

If you’re a night owl, you probably favour oriental notes; outgoing and experimental people will like fruity notes; floral fans tend toΒ feminine, friendly and outdoorsy.

Fun Fragrance Fact

Monkeys use perfume too!

Scientists have found some monkeys, such as the Mexican spider monkey, mix their saliva with crushed leaves to use as a perfume! They may apply this concoction to themselves every two hours in a day.
The aromatic plants they use are: the Alamos pea tree, which has fragrant leaves and flowers, a flowering trumpet tree, and wild celery.


Outstanding perfume creations are forever.

-Clive Christian

Perfume will always stand the test of time

Applying a fragrance becomes habit for many of us. It tells others who we are. Perfume has the power to lift our spirts and bring back fond memories. From ancient civilisations to modern day, perfume has always meant something more to us. The industry continues to grow year-on-year and has no signs of slowing down. I think this is because perfume is more than just a pretty glass bottle that sits on your dressing table.

Is perfume important to you? Leave a comment below!

Articles quoted:

What makes Clive Christian so exclusive

Monkeys use perfume

What perfumes did Ancient Egyptians use?

Scent research

15 things you didn’t know about fragrance

What makes us like or dislike a fragrance?

So THAT’SΒ Why You’re So Attached to Certain Perfumes

What your favourite fragrance says about you

Clive Christian: The scent of royalty

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Be kind this Christmas: this one gift will help the homeless

By Posted on 0 3 m read 1.8K views

How you can easily help the homeless this Christmas by buying a Β£10 calendar

β€˜It’s the most wonderful time of year’ as it’s famously sung.Β For others, though, Christmas can be cruel.

A couple of days ago I was wandering around Spitalfields Market, walking amongst the stalls and the Christmas lights; everything felt so festive.

I was stopped by a volunteer with a charity box. A lot of people would be thinking, like I did: ‘what am I going to be roped into now?’.

But I stayed to listen. And I’m glad I did.

I had just beenΒ wandering around the city doing a spot of Christmas shopping. I saw something sparkly in the window of a luxury watch boutique with a price tag that had a few noughts on the end. I thought, “I wish I could just go in and buy that!”

Then, I feel a pang of guilt as I thought about people sleeping rough, who are probably wishing they could afford a Β£3 sandwich.

That’s when this lovely lady approached me and explained CafΓ© Art’s initiative: the MY LONDON calendar.

CafΓ© ArtΒ 2018 MYLONDON calendar

In the middle of Spitalfields Market there is currently a photography exhibition of stunning imagery of London life.

COVER OF 2018 CALENDAR: Angel Kid, Shoreditch.

Cover of 2018 Calendar: https://www.cafeart.org.uk/gallery

All of the photos you see were taken on disposable cameras and by homeless people. And they are amazing.

This is what the MY LONDON calendar is all about:

Thirteen beautiful photographs, taken by 100 homeless people over five days, are part of the 2018 MyLondon calendar.

“Every year we have a photography contest with disposable cameras. We give them out with the goal of empowering people affected by homelessness – to give them skills, confidence and eventually to earn some money by selling the photos and the annual MyLondon calendar.

On 30 June 2017, 100 Fujifilm one-time-use cameras were given out at St Paul’s Cathedral. The goal was not to focus on homelessness, but to capture the London they love.”

I love this whole idea. The photos are stunning and showcased some beautiful hidden sides to London. It makes sense that I should buy the calendar. London is my favourite place, the photos are amazing and you get to give back at the same time. It is wonderful to allow people to be creative in this way, and benefit from it, in more ways than just monetary. Plus, the calendar is such good quality.

This is such an easy way you can be a part of this amazing project. Just pick up a copy when you’re out Christmas shopping or just add it to your basket if you’re online; it’s easy. By buying the calendar, we help complete the circle and give back to those people who captured such brilliant shots of the city.

Buy the calendar here!

If you’re getting one anyway, it might as well be this one.

So, for 2018, instead of buying a Harry Styles calendar or whatever, why not give a gift with a purpose that gives back?

*Image belongs toΒ Michelle Goldberg and CafΓ© ArtΒ in the 2018 calendar. Buy your own copy here.

It was lovely to meet you, CafΓ© Art!

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