You’ve got the little brown envelope in your hands, hundreds of people around you are screaming and crying and your emotions aren’t exactly settled. You tear open the envelope, quickly yanking the white piece of paper out. That’s it, all over. You can forget all those lame excuses you had lined up for Mum and Dad and all the CV’s you had printed out just incase, you’ve passed you’re A Levels, your going to university.
Now that the hard bit is over, its time to pack up all your stuff and head off to your new home, the student residences. You’ve heard the rumours; a non-stop party, the best time of your life, its going to be amazing. Isn’t it?
You’ve shed a couple of tears as you wave goodbye to your parents and you’re left to unpack. The place is echoing with silence and the nerves hit. What if all your flat mates don’t like you? What if there weird? What if they think you’re weird? I know just how you feel.
The most nerve-wracking thing I have ever done, moving into halls and missing most of the first day because my parents wanted to treat me to lunch, didn’t exactly help with getting to know people. Unpacking in my room, I heard everyone talking in the corridor, a perfect moment to go and introduce myself. All of my worries disappeared, they all seemed lovely. Let’s just say, it didn’t take long for the true colours to come shining through.
Now, don’t get me wrong, as expected I have found some true friends in my time here but sometimes, all we want is a little bit of piece and quiet especially when two hours have passed, your only 15 words into your 2000 word essay that’s due tomorrow and all you can hear is the bass vibrating through your wall from the ‘eccentric’ boy next door. It can get a bit too much, especially when it’s been ‘one of them day’s’.
Now I don’t want you to read this and think I’m a boring work-a-holic that despises anyone who bares a smile, it’s not like that. I’ve consumed a similar amount of alcohol, done as many stupid things and am just as behind on the work as anyone else but eight weeks of constant noise, mess and funny smells drifting through the flat, I wouldn’t be lying if I said it’s a little different from living at home.
Waking up at 4am to the noise of cello tape being ripped off the roll is something you cannot help but go to investigate. Opening the door I was greeted by an unusually dark corridor, especially as the lights don’t actually turn off, it was quite a surprise. Let’s just say two of my flat mates had found a very different use for black bin-bags and cello tape – to black out all the lights. And this is just the beginning.
Six days had gone by, we were all starting to settle into what student life was like and fresher’s week was taking as much out of us as it possibly could have been. The night was slowly coming to an end and all as drunk as you can imagine we took up pitch in the corridor, definitely one of those ‘it was a good idea at the time’ moments. One of my flat mates suddenly got up, dragged one of the boys with him and disappeared into his bedroom. Now, depending on the image you have in your mind of how my flat mate looks, this next bit could be quite disturbing. The bedroom door opened and out came a boy wearing just a thong with a little more than he had hoped on show; this was followed by the other boy falling out of the door in fits of laughter. “I can do better” shouted one of the girls, so off she went, taking the boy in the thong with her and again they disappeared into the bedroom. For your sake, I’m not going to go into detail of what came next but let’s just say it involved many fancy dress costumes, a very naked boy and a sock.
As the next week came and went, as a flat we had more fun than I think any of us had expected with everything from ceiling slates falling down, wine bottles being broken, wrestling with mattresses, hide and seek, ping pong with beer, getting knocked out multiple times by the ironing board where someone had placed it against the door and waited for you to open it and last but definitely not least, an announcement of erectile dysfunction. You can’t help but laugh and that’s not even half of it. My room alone has turned into the flat’s living room where everyone chooses to get in the bed and have a natter. It’s suffered from a broken wardrobe, multiple dents in the main door, the window being egged, a hole in the wall and countless amounts of times when I’ve had to share my bed because someone has fallen asleep in it. You’d think I was mad if I said you can’t fault it, wouldn’t you?
However, baring everything in mind, I’d have no doubt in saying that if somebody asked me to describe being here, I couldn’t possibly sum it up in one word.. It soon becomes clear why people say it’s the best time of your life and looking back now, all those nerves seem so pointless.
And finally, the cheesy bit. That little brown envelope really can change your life, well at least for me it did and although it’s true, that even made me cringe saying it.
Sunday 27 February 2011
Wednesday 23 February 2011
Colour Blocking
I predict a riot
This spring sees an explosion of colour hit the catwalks and everyone is getting involved. Stella McCartney used colour blocking in its simplest form while Jil Sander took advantage of the lack of rules, mixing green, pink and yellow to create the ultimate colour block.
This mix and match style is inspired by the 1970’s, ‘80’s and ‘90’s where it was used in everyday wear, as well as sportswear. The late ‘70’s saw diversity in the range and style of clothing that was being worn by both sexes. Men were more confident to follow the trends and wear everything from sequins to velvet, meaning a dash of colour was nothing too daring. Being known as an era of disco, it is no surprise that colour played a huge part in the fashion. Bright coloured leg warmers and crop tops were often worn by the likes of Madonna and the Spice Girls in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, fashionably two of the biggest inspirations to the youth of these time periods and the fashion timeline being as it is, it’s about time for a revival. This year it is back and brighter than ever and I cannot wait to start updating my wardrobe.
Jil Sander and Max Mara have inspired us to ditch the fears of clashing with their spring/summer 2011 runway collections as we yearn for this cold winter to be over. As we step away from those dull, neutral tones of autumn and winter, we welcome this season with open arms, and its set to form the pathway for a year of colour.
However, colour blocking did not start with fashion designers. Although being in the fashion world for many years now, it was Piet Mondrian, a famous painter born in 1872 in the Netherlands, that we have to thank for this craze. His childhood led him towards abstract painting, and from an early age he painted his view of nature. As his career developed, the images he had of nature became simplified on the page; so much so, it ended up not being of nature at all. He incorporated cubism and reduction into his paintings, which led to them appearing almost as blocks on the piece of paper. Abstracting nature was a thing of the past and it was at this point that he decided to add a touch of colour to his paintings. His artwork became sharper, colour became dominant and elements of repetition made his work recognisable. His artwork put forward the idea of colour blocking, which like most things, has been inspired by designers all over the world.
As the spring/summer catwalks have been revealed, there is no doubt that within weeks everyone will be head to toe in colour, last year’s sunglasses will make an appearance and the world will seem a better place again. However, despite looking effortless, this trend does come with a few basic rules. The first is to avoid the ‘Rubik Cube’ effect by using too many colours. Sticking to three or less colours is the perfect way to work the colour block this season, meaning those who aren’t so daring as to brave all three, can keep it simple and sophisticated with just the one. The next rule is to keep accessories to a minimum. Keep it simple and let the clothes do the talking, too much jewellery will overdo it. If you’re not so keen on multiple colour blocks, you could accessorise a neutral outfit with a bold bracelet or scarf. Lastly, no prints. Animal prints and colour blocks are not complementary of each other and will take you from colour block to colour flop in seconds.
This mix and match style is inspired by the 1970’s, ‘80’s and ‘90’s where it was used in everyday wear, as well as sportswear. The late ‘70’s saw diversity in the range and style of clothing that was being worn by both sexes. Men were more confident to follow the trends and wear everything from sequins to velvet, meaning a dash of colour was nothing too daring. Being known as an era of disco, it is no surprise that colour played a huge part in the fashion. Bright coloured leg warmers and crop tops were often worn by the likes of Madonna and the Spice Girls in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, fashionably two of the biggest inspirations to the youth of these time periods and the fashion timeline being as it is, it’s about time for a revival. This year it is back and brighter than ever and I cannot wait to start updating my wardrobe.
Jil Sander and Max Mara have inspired us to ditch the fears of clashing with their spring/summer 2011 runway collections as we yearn for this cold winter to be over. As we step away from those dull, neutral tones of autumn and winter, we welcome this season with open arms, and its set to form the pathway for a year of colour.
However, colour blocking did not start with fashion designers. Although being in the fashion world for many years now, it was Piet Mondrian, a famous painter born in 1872 in the Netherlands, that we have to thank for this craze. His childhood led him towards abstract painting, and from an early age he painted his view of nature. As his career developed, the images he had of nature became simplified on the page; so much so, it ended up not being of nature at all. He incorporated cubism and reduction into his paintings, which led to them appearing almost as blocks on the piece of paper. Abstracting nature was a thing of the past and it was at this point that he decided to add a touch of colour to his paintings. His artwork became sharper, colour became dominant and elements of repetition made his work recognisable. His artwork put forward the idea of colour blocking, which like most things, has been inspired by designers all over the world.
As the spring/summer catwalks have been revealed, there is no doubt that within weeks everyone will be head to toe in colour, last year’s sunglasses will make an appearance and the world will seem a better place again. However, despite looking effortless, this trend does come with a few basic rules. The first is to avoid the ‘Rubik Cube’ effect by using too many colours. Sticking to three or less colours is the perfect way to work the colour block this season, meaning those who aren’t so daring as to brave all three, can keep it simple and sophisticated with just the one. The next rule is to keep accessories to a minimum. Keep it simple and let the clothes do the talking, too much jewellery will overdo it. If you’re not so keen on multiple colour blocks, you could accessorise a neutral outfit with a bold bracelet or scarf. Lastly, no prints. Animal prints and colour blocks are not complementary of each other and will take you from colour block to colour flop in seconds.
Here are some colour block inspired photographs i took myself:
Profile - The Holiday
Expecting a six o’clock start, I walked up the steps overwhelmed by the silence around me. With just five minutes until what I thought was the start of the show, it was extremely quiet with just a few twenty something men walking around. I took up pitch on a step outside, hoping that people would soon turn up. A man confidently stuck his head out the door, still dressing himself in a shirt and tie, and told me that the sound check was about to start, which would make them sound ‘really bad’, suggesting I go to the bar for an hour.
The hour soon past after a couple of drinks at the bar and I made my way back upstairs, soon greeted by a crowd of girls all fighting to be near the front. Finally, the band came to the stage, five smartly dressed preppy looking guys, with jeans so tight I’m surprised they could even move. “We’re The Holiday and we’re from Southampton” was the opening line from lead singer Jamie Smart, who then went on to introduce the band, with a charming “big cheer for the big guy” when it came to drummer Jonathan, followed by a short spurt of nervous conversation he promptly led into the first song with “Enough of that shit, lets play some music”. This gave me an instant impression that these guys are real and know how to have a good time and as the gig came to an end, it was time for the interview.
The band is made up of five men. Jamie, the slightly arrogant lead singer, Jonathan, the far from quiet, drummer, Daniel, the comedian guitarist, James H, the awkwardly quiet bass player and singer and James B, the extremely quiet guitar player.
They are an unsigned band who all appear to be working extremely hard to make there dreams come true. “Our aim is to get signed by Universal. A major label would be good because it would give us the means to quit our jobs and just do it” said Jonathan.
The interview was in full swing and it wasn’t long before Dan had referred to it as “like being on Loose Women”.
A band that admitted to starting in Wetherspoons, Table 28 to be precise, they are still on their way to reaching their full potential by breaking into the music industry with strong beliefs that there is a gap in the market for a band like them. Jonathan made it clear that the plan was to start on a smaller scale when he said: “First we’re going to take over Southampton; we want to build everything here at the moment, so everyone who knows us gets the first dibs on shows and music. It’s a unique thing until were ready to take over the world”. They have managed to keep themselves very private only doing small gigs around Southampton and nearby areas and putting a halt on any internet coverage. This makes them extremely hard to find. But it’s not to worry as it’s only for the time being. Being a small unsigned band gives them the freedom to write what they want at their pace without the demands of a huge fan base and label. “We like the idea of bands being hard to find. We don’t want to give too much away and it takes the pressure off us, there are no deadlines and no one’s expecting anything” admitted James Harding.
Matching the bands fresh outlook on the future, it’s quite simple to see where a name as uplifting as The Holiday came from. Dan revealed: “To be in a band you have to have more than just music, you have to have an image and know what the band is about. The Holiday links with our song lyrics, it helps bring the band together. It’s all about escaping”. This links in with bands general image. For tonight’s performance, they all came out wearing a shirt, tie and plimsolls with different jackets over the top and similar style trousers and jeans. This gives them the indie rock band look while still keeping some similarity throughout. “We’re bound together by a basic look. I walk past a lot of business people and think hey you could be in our band. We look like those guys that where there trainers to work” said Jonathan. Jamie confidently went on to admit: “We want free clothes. It’ll be better when we get endorsements”.
Along with their image comes their sound. Inspired by The Beatles, they have created their own style mixing pop, indie and rock music into one. On stage, they look like your typical The Who style band, jumping around and taking foot tapping to a whole new level. “The song writing process is really organic. Me and Dan will start an idea and everyone will add a sound. An idea will start, everyone will put something in, its like a melting pot of ideas. We like to think that were a fresh sound” admitted Jonathan.
Although they have a very positive attitude and seem to have all the cliché ‘right’ answers, it’s far from serious watching them together with typical banter flying in each direction. A few embarrassing confessions from the guys included being mistaken for a girl on a train earlier that day, being part of a boy band called ‘Anal Dave’, being part of one of the heaviest sets of twins in England, having Michael Buble as a ringtone, pissing themselves twice on a three day bender and lastly, a McFly obsession. It’s easy to see how strong the friendships are between them and how real it is, especially as Dan and Jonathan live together.
The most recent track to be written is one of the bands favourites so far, The Weekend so join their mailing list for updates on what’s happening, new songs, gigs and exclusive previews. They’re definitely one to watch.
The hour soon past after a couple of drinks at the bar and I made my way back upstairs, soon greeted by a crowd of girls all fighting to be near the front. Finally, the band came to the stage, five smartly dressed preppy looking guys, with jeans so tight I’m surprised they could even move. “We’re The Holiday and we’re from Southampton” was the opening line from lead singer Jamie Smart, who then went on to introduce the band, with a charming “big cheer for the big guy” when it came to drummer Jonathan, followed by a short spurt of nervous conversation he promptly led into the first song with “Enough of that shit, lets play some music”. This gave me an instant impression that these guys are real and know how to have a good time and as the gig came to an end, it was time for the interview.
The band is made up of five men. Jamie, the slightly arrogant lead singer, Jonathan, the far from quiet, drummer, Daniel, the comedian guitarist, James H, the awkwardly quiet bass player and singer and James B, the extremely quiet guitar player.
They are an unsigned band who all appear to be working extremely hard to make there dreams come true. “Our aim is to get signed by Universal. A major label would be good because it would give us the means to quit our jobs and just do it” said Jonathan.
The interview was in full swing and it wasn’t long before Dan had referred to it as “like being on Loose Women”.
A band that admitted to starting in Wetherspoons, Table 28 to be precise, they are still on their way to reaching their full potential by breaking into the music industry with strong beliefs that there is a gap in the market for a band like them. Jonathan made it clear that the plan was to start on a smaller scale when he said: “First we’re going to take over Southampton; we want to build everything here at the moment, so everyone who knows us gets the first dibs on shows and music. It’s a unique thing until were ready to take over the world”. They have managed to keep themselves very private only doing small gigs around Southampton and nearby areas and putting a halt on any internet coverage. This makes them extremely hard to find. But it’s not to worry as it’s only for the time being. Being a small unsigned band gives them the freedom to write what they want at their pace without the demands of a huge fan base and label. “We like the idea of bands being hard to find. We don’t want to give too much away and it takes the pressure off us, there are no deadlines and no one’s expecting anything” admitted James Harding.
Matching the bands fresh outlook on the future, it’s quite simple to see where a name as uplifting as The Holiday came from. Dan revealed: “To be in a band you have to have more than just music, you have to have an image and know what the band is about. The Holiday links with our song lyrics, it helps bring the band together. It’s all about escaping”. This links in with bands general image. For tonight’s performance, they all came out wearing a shirt, tie and plimsolls with different jackets over the top and similar style trousers and jeans. This gives them the indie rock band look while still keeping some similarity throughout. “We’re bound together by a basic look. I walk past a lot of business people and think hey you could be in our band. We look like those guys that where there trainers to work” said Jonathan. Jamie confidently went on to admit: “We want free clothes. It’ll be better when we get endorsements”.
Along with their image comes their sound. Inspired by The Beatles, they have created their own style mixing pop, indie and rock music into one. On stage, they look like your typical The Who style band, jumping around and taking foot tapping to a whole new level. “The song writing process is really organic. Me and Dan will start an idea and everyone will add a sound. An idea will start, everyone will put something in, its like a melting pot of ideas. We like to think that were a fresh sound” admitted Jonathan.
Although they have a very positive attitude and seem to have all the cliché ‘right’ answers, it’s far from serious watching them together with typical banter flying in each direction. A few embarrassing confessions from the guys included being mistaken for a girl on a train earlier that day, being part of a boy band called ‘Anal Dave’, being part of one of the heaviest sets of twins in England, having Michael Buble as a ringtone, pissing themselves twice on a three day bender and lastly, a McFly obsession. It’s easy to see how strong the friendships are between them and how real it is, especially as Dan and Jonathan live together.
The most recent track to be written is one of the bands favourites so far, The Weekend so join their mailing list for updates on what’s happening, new songs, gigs and exclusive previews. They’re definitely one to watch.
Voxpop - Southampton
Shoppers in Southampton yesterday gave their views on what fashion means to them. A range of different opinions were presented and a varied knowledge of the fashion industry was noticeable.
Although the majority showed a lack of interest in the deeper side of fashion such as designers and magazine influences, the attention on the more general side, such as reading magazines, and celebrity endorsements proved to be more favourable.
Obvious knowledge of fashion became clear when designers such as Karen Millen and Ralph Lauren were mentioned as being favourites. Although the influences over fashion from magazines seemed to be insignificant, many participants mentioned that they do read magazines with Hello and Ok being the most popular.
Molly, an 18 year old sales assistant at Topshop admitted: “I read loads of magazines, everything like Heat, Elle, Vogue and whatever is out really but my style is more high-street so I wouldn’t be able to say a favourite designer or fashion icon, I tend to just shop in Topshop”. Whereas the older generations that were asked the same question, acknowledged a love for the style of Princess Diana, Victoria Beckham and Sienna Miller, all very influential and admired style icons.
When asked about style icons, Tom Veitch, a 19 year old student said: “I don’t really have a specific one but David Beckham is pretty cool”. He continued to admit “I spend between £100-£200 a month on clothes, which I guess will change now I have a budget but Ralph Lauren and Ted Baker are my favourite designers and there clothes aren’t exactly cheap”.
Laurie Reid, a 43 year old fireman also said: “David Beckham is probably my favourite”, when asked about style icons. This shows that no matter what age, everybody can be influenced by celebrities.
A good representation of how important fashion is in somebody’s life can be perceived by the amount of money they spend on clothes. On a monthly basis, the budgets seemed to vary, however the effects of the recession were not mentioned as reasons behind a lack of spending. Chadene Lewis, a 35 year old cleaner and mum of two said: “I only tend to spend around £30 on myself; I work full time so there isn’t much need for me to splash out on nice clothes, besides I prefer to treat the kids”. This shows the difference in attitudes between the generations, especially as Sylvia Field, a retired 72 year old from Somerset said: “I like to think that fashion still plays a big role in my life because I’ve always followed what’s going on and what is new. I would always keep an eye on what Lady Diana was wearing because she was very classy and I liked that. I read magazines like OK, Hello and Closer but I don’t really spend any money on clothes anymore, not a lot anyway”. This shows that being involved in fashion doesn’t always mean a full wardrobe.
Although the majority showed a lack of interest in the deeper side of fashion such as designers and magazine influences, the attention on the more general side, such as reading magazines, and celebrity endorsements proved to be more favourable.
Obvious knowledge of fashion became clear when designers such as Karen Millen and Ralph Lauren were mentioned as being favourites. Although the influences over fashion from magazines seemed to be insignificant, many participants mentioned that they do read magazines with Hello and Ok being the most popular.
Molly, an 18 year old sales assistant at Topshop admitted: “I read loads of magazines, everything like Heat, Elle, Vogue and whatever is out really but my style is more high-street so I wouldn’t be able to say a favourite designer or fashion icon, I tend to just shop in Topshop”. Whereas the older generations that were asked the same question, acknowledged a love for the style of Princess Diana, Victoria Beckham and Sienna Miller, all very influential and admired style icons.
When asked about style icons, Tom Veitch, a 19 year old student said: “I don’t really have a specific one but David Beckham is pretty cool”. He continued to admit “I spend between £100-£200 a month on clothes, which I guess will change now I have a budget but Ralph Lauren and Ted Baker are my favourite designers and there clothes aren’t exactly cheap”.
Laurie Reid, a 43 year old fireman also said: “David Beckham is probably my favourite”, when asked about style icons. This shows that no matter what age, everybody can be influenced by celebrities.
A good representation of how important fashion is in somebody’s life can be perceived by the amount of money they spend on clothes. On a monthly basis, the budgets seemed to vary, however the effects of the recession were not mentioned as reasons behind a lack of spending. Chadene Lewis, a 35 year old cleaner and mum of two said: “I only tend to spend around £30 on myself; I work full time so there isn’t much need for me to splash out on nice clothes, besides I prefer to treat the kids”. This shows the difference in attitudes between the generations, especially as Sylvia Field, a retired 72 year old from Somerset said: “I like to think that fashion still plays a big role in my life because I’ve always followed what’s going on and what is new. I would always keep an eye on what Lady Diana was wearing because she was very classy and I liked that. I read magazines like OK, Hello and Closer but I don’t really spend any money on clothes anymore, not a lot anyway”. This shows that being involved in fashion doesn’t always mean a full wardrobe.
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