'What do you mean?' Brand Narratives.

Welcome Back!

Well it's been a while hasn't it?

Yet again life, studies, coursework & social plans all got on top of me and my little blog was neglected because of it. I'd love to know how regular bloggers do it- consistency is something I really need to work on but I'm getting there... slowly.

Little Uni update: I got my grade back for my last project and I got a low 2:1 which I'm super happy with considering it was the first official project! To think I actually thought I'd failed as well- just goes to show if you put the work in, then it pays off...

Loving the Rihanna gifs right now.

Lately I've been feeling quite uninspired, it's taking me a while to get into our latest uni project especially after 2 reading weeks. However in my seminar today I suddenly felt like something had finally clicked back into place and I've finally got my inspiration back *cheers*. We were looking into the stories behind brand advertisements which really seemed to grab my attention and get me out of this 'lazy, non-working coma like state' which I've been in for a while. I have always been a idealist so I love exploring possible reasons behind why something has been advertised the way it has been. 

It's just something that really intrigues me...

This DKNY 'Be Tempted' campaign was the one I looked at.

I feel the idea of Eve from the story of Adam & Eve has a strong presence here, as the apple and the subtle snake bangle both have strong connotations with that story, she is also stood in a garden similar to that of the garden of Eden. All of these factors make the women look pure & innocent, her blonde hair, blue eyes, the nude tones all contribute to this puristic image. Yet this perfume is about trying to tempt you away from purity towards something more seductive & sexy, the consumer is tempted by the perfume in the same way Eve was tempted by the snake. Rebellion has a key underlying tone in this advert, fragrance is all about offering you something you don't already have. Many people want to appear rebellious but are too afraid to actually part take in any rebellious acts, so by using this perfume it's almost saying you don't need to do anything rebellious other than wear this product. 

This advert is typical of DKNY fragrance, as they often focus on fantasy, dreams & the want to have what we desire. I think this could easily be linked back to the 'Big Apple' and New York skyline. Acknowledging these connotations adds to idea of desirabiliy, after all we all aspire to be in NYC where dreams are made. Escapism is the biggest fantasy that all fragrance creates in our minds, as this advert could even be linked to Snow White especially with the innocent looking girl and the apple, very sweet almost sickly like- potentially 'good girl gone bad' stereotype. 

The two brightest colours in the ad are the red of the apple & the blue of her eyes, red is seductive, bold and a sign of rebellion- red makes a statement. Contrasted with blue which is very clear, pure, almost optimistic. Interestingly the bottle has a largely smooth texture besides the embossed/ raised snake around the centre of the bottle. Adding the snake to the bottle take something that is sweet such as an apple, and turning it into something much deeper & darker- almost like it's her poison.

Her makeup, hair, the fact she's wearing no clothes all create this very natural setting, nothing takes away from the main focus of the perfume. The fading light to dark from top left hand corner to bottom right, suggest the transformation from good to rebellion. The apple in the model's hand is very similar, almost exactly the same as the perfume bottle- the bite out of the apple says she's been tempted, yet her eyes are almost rhetorically asking if you're tempted too?

This is another picture part of the campaign, this has even stronger resemblance to Adam & Eve. The perfume is now suggesting that by using this perfume you will tempt him, in the same why the snake did Eve. 

Let me know what you thought about this post in the comments below.

What narratives did you get from this fragrance advert?

Hope you all enjoyed this post- I certainly enjoyed writing it, strangely it felt therapeutic to analysis the stories behind brand advertisements. I will certainly be doing more of these. 

Enjoy the rest of your day & take care. 

X

Pictures are not my own.

Valentino Haute Couture Fall 2016-2017

Valentino...

Yes it was necessary for that to have it's own line, Valentino is the designer brand that I would love to own something of. It's just so timeless & classic, I mean some brands are only current for a certain period of time but Valentino is going to be around for years to come. Personally I think if you're going to invest into something designer then it needs to be a one off, time, classic because then it will always be wearable. 

"Valentino haute couture Fall 2016 collection was Elizabethan themed, a conveniently fitting, considering that so many plays were set in a fantasy Renaissance Italy—Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice.

The cast of characters walking the runway were princelings, princesses, and priests, all high white ruffs, doublets, bodices, puffed sleeves, and clerical robes—inspiration richly available to two designers, Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri, who live in Rome and are surrounded by the portraiture, architecture, and high Catholicism of the Renaissance. It’s a culture these two live and breathe every day, as do the all-important Roman men and women who work in the Valentino couture ateliers. 

All of them together—as a fashion house on fire—have created an influential and poetic fashion phenomenon over the past few years."

This Valentino collection is so stunning it's actually unreal!

This dress above is all of my fashion dreams rolled into one, it's just so beautiful. I love the floor length gown, paired with the ruffled neck & sheer, glittery overlay. There is nothing I do not like about this look. I personally don't think I would be able to pull it off as well as the model can but a girl can always dream...

Elizabethan inspired clothes aren't something that I ever thought I'd be attracted to. 

I think it's the simplicity of the collection that I'm really in love with, black & white as you know by now are some of my favourite colour combinations, I just think these colours can never make an outfit look bad. 

Sheer fabrics are massively on trend right now. 

Sheer is always a fabric I have loved, purely because I think it's showing off your body but at the same time you feel covered up by that simple layer of sheer that hides any of your body's sins. 

In my wardrobe I don't own too much sheer but I do have a couple of sheer tops that I love to wear on nights outs because they're so effortless but never fail to make me feel glamorous. 

Besides black & white, red is a beautiful colour, red is actually a colour I love to wear, there is nothing better than an off the shoulder red top & a red lipstick!

Equally I think red works well with black and white individually. But as a trio, well what a striking combination that really makes a statement.

After all if you can't make a fashion statement on the catwalk then where can you?

I don't know if I'd invest into this collection, but I love the minimalistic elements to it.

As I said at the beginning it's very timeless and classic, fashion consists of fads and classics amongst other elements, fads come & go but classics well they'll out live us all. 

What do you think of Valentino's collection?

Let me know in the comments below.

Take care & I'll see you all very soon.

X

Pictures are not my own. 

If Only... with love from Zara

Zara is basically me in shop form.

It's a store that I've massively grown to love over the last year or so. 

Stupidly of me, I casually wandered into my local Zara last week to have a "quick look", when we all know that you can never have a "quick look" round, over half an hour later I emerged without buying anything *victorious moment* but it doesn't mean I didn't fall in love with what I found.

Walking away empty handed was VERY hard indeed, still there's time yet for me to go back and do some serious damage to my bank account. 

CONTRAST STRIPED TOP

This top is just beaut!

I am actually surprised I even like it but surprisingly I do, I just think it would be the perfect top to wear in the summer. It's so cute! I would wear this on a night out as an alternative to my usual black top of choice, I think paired with black jeans and heels would create a very fashionable look indeed.

PLUSH SWEATSHIRT

I was with a friend when I saw this in store and she immediately said that she could definitely see me in this. This sweatshirt is me down to a tee. Although the masses of white on it does concern me a little considering I am a pretty messy person, I don't know how long it would stay white. But I love this top so much- I think I will have to return to buy it, let's hope they still have it!

GRAFFITI SWEATSHIRT

I am currently going through a style change in my life, things that I use to love, I would now not be seen dead in. I have fallen in love with the torn, ripped trend, I just love the edgy vibes it gives- I want to be cool enough to wear things like this. I didn't actually see this in store but I saw it on the website and I was like "I have to have that".

CROSSOVER FRONT SWEATSHIRT

In this picture you can just about make out the cross over detail on the front. Again this is a top I fallen in love due to my recent edgy look inspiration. I just think it's so cool and hipster, if I saw someone wearing this then I'd think they must be a seriously cool person!

SWEATSHIRT WITH BOW

This sweat is a quirky twist on the usual crossover trend. 

Firstly I love the colour of the jumper, beige isn't usually my go to colour but I feel the need to widen my colour collection. The crossover with eyelets is simple yet stunning, I think this is the kinda sweat you could throw on when you're in a rush and you'd still look bang on trend.

CROPPED SWEATSHIRT WITH TEXT

Firstly this sweat is pink- need I say anymore?

Yes I am still going through my "pink phase", but it's not just that. I think it's so sassy and cool, I love how on the Zara website they have paired it with black culottes, I just think the look here is so on point- I wanna look this cool!

SWEATSHIRT WITH EYELETS

Okay so I know this sweatshirt is similar to the beige one but just look at it!

I mean it's black and it has eyelets- don't tell me it isn't perfection in a sweatshirt. 

If I were to buy all of these tops then it would cost a grand total of £185.93 *sighs loudly*, that total actually makes me want to cry both on the inside & outside. The only way I'd be able to buy all of these would be if I were to stop eating for like the next month. 

So it's either food or clothes?... Now that's one tough decision!

Let me know what you thought to this post in the comments below.

Take care & I'll see you all very soon.

X

Pictures are not my own. 

Karl Lagerfeld's Chanel collection

For those fashion lovers reading this it will come as no surprise that I am going to do a post about Karl Lagerfeld's Chanel collection, personally Chanel for me has always been that brand that I like but I don't love every collection. 

I guess it's just personal style preference. 

Lily Rose Depp looked absolutely stunning in these pictures.

I am very jealous that she has walked the Chanel catwalk when she's only 17 years old. That is beyond crazy, I guess some families just get all of the good genes. 

Normally I would say my style is fairly minimalistic, Zara is basically me in a shop. 

So fancy frills & lots of fussy features within clothes is not for me at all. But I don't what it is about this collection. Oh my gawd. It's simply beautiful!

As much as I love face glitter, glitter on garments normally gets a no no from me, I have this one top that is all cute & glittery and no joke I had to hoover everywhere I went in it because it drops that much glitter. But something tells me that Chanel glitter would be the only glitter trail you'd want in your house, after all these dresses are gorgeous!

On a practical note, I'm not sure if there'd ever be an occasion to wear such a thing. I mean unless your the kinda person who goes on the red carpet regularly. But let's be honest, glitter & pink is any girls dream combination. 

Blush & nude shades are very on trend right now, there was a time not too long ago where I hated nude tones because they can completely wash you out if you don't pick the right shade for your skin tone. Now though I think these colours are very sophisticated & make you look like you just get fashion even if in actual fact you don't. When I'm older and have my life perfectly put together I feel my wardrobe will be full to the brim with these tones.

A not so favourite...
I don't know if it's just the lighting from when the picture was taken or what, but to me this dress has a green tint to it. Now as you probably already know green is THE colour of 2017 which makes me very sad indeed, green is just not a colour I initially would reach out to wear. Although saying that I am actually writing this whilst wearing a green jumper which I rather love, so I guess I may just fall for the colour after all...
I'm just not keen on this dress, it might be the fur trims, for me I just think it's a bit too over the top, I mean it's not hideous but it's definitely not stunning either. It's the type of dress I'd expect to worn by the bridesmaids at a wedding because lets be honest they tend to be put in dresses that certainly don't take the attention away from the bride. It would be a very lavish wedding though if these were your bridesmaids dresses though, just imagine!

Bella Hadid could wear a bin bag and still make it look effortless!
This dress however is certainly not to be compared to a bin bag that's for sure. This dress is my favourite piece from this collection, although I love the other dresses I think I would be more likely to own this. (Let's be honest though the chances of me owning anything Chanel are very slim) Black is just my colour, I like it because it just makes you feel so body confident even when you're feeling not so body confident. The halter neck style makes it different, I love how the front comes down to the belt which keeps the dress modern and youthful. There's even a dash of glitter below the belt which is more understated but this dress could easily revival any of the other dresses in a heartbeat.

Hope you all enjoyed this post.
What do you think of Karl Lagerfeld's Chanel collection?
Do you have a favourite look?

Let me know in the comments below.

Take care & I'll see you all very soon.

X

Pictures are not my own. 

Learning to not give a damn

Okay so it's been a little while since I last posted and if I'm completely honest then I'm not going to make myself feel guilty about it. Blogging for me is a hobby, pure and simple, it's something I enjoy doing in my spare time. Yes fair enough I know it's a requirement for my uni course, but I had my blog long before I started uni so to me it doesn't feel like a requirement at all. 

Recently I've stopped caring.

Now before you all 'jump the gun' so to speak and accuse me of being heartless I just want to clarify I'm not a heartless person. When I say I've stopped caring I don't mean about the important things, I mean about the stupid, minuscule things that I should never have cared about in the first place. All too often I am found questioning, replaying and practically torturing myself over something that I can't change, things that have been & gone and no matter how hard I try I'm never going to be able to go back in time and change them.

So that's what I mean by I've stopped caring...

My life is one rollercoaster journey ride and if I'm 100% honest yes of course there are things that I cringe at the thought of me saying or doing but why?

It's not like it's gonna help change anything. 

If you're constantly living in the past then you will never appreciate tomorrow. 

I am a goofy person, in my flat I feel like I'm the one who is always making mistakes, doing lame things & just generally being a bit of an idiot but that's just me.

Take it or leave it. 

Lately I've come to the conclusion that if people want to hold something against you that maybe happened today, yesterday or even 5 years ago then just let them. It's their time to waste. 

I've just learnt not to give a damn anymore.

Growing up from the age of 11 onwards, I felt extremely judged by people around me, high school was a shitty time in my life to the point that there are some days I want to erase from existence but then I remember I had some crazy, amazing memories too. It was both the best & the worst time of my life. 

I always watch those videos on YouTube about what people would tell their 13 year old self because I frigging wish I knew what I know now back when I was 13. I wasted SO much time worrying, criticising every aspect of my life because I felt other people were already doing that for me. That hands down is my biggest regret! Uni obviously has it's educational purposes but I feel it's truly changed me as a person, it's taught me to simply not care what people think of you anymore. It's just not your problem, if people want to waste their lives raking up someone's else past then just let them be like that. People need to learn that you can't live your life through the eyes of someone else. 

Simply don't assume what people think of you, if you are honestly hand on heart happy then you are doing exactly what you should be, don't ever let anyone else tell you otherwise. 

Have you learnt not to give a damn?

Take Care & I'll see you all very soon.

X