First Impressions

To me, how you look is everything. First impressions always count. I couldn't say it better than Oscar Wilde!

My Bouffant

So, my hair has been something ever since I was 13 years old that is recognisable. I currently have long blonde hair... When I was at boarding school I remember getting up at 6am (school didn't start till 8.45am), washing my hair and curling it every day. I loved having BIG hair. (Below is what I used to always do my hair like)

As I've got older, I don't have much time in the morning (I try and get in every wink of sleep I can!) and so the normal hair style is down and clipped to the side in its natural state (straight) or in a big doughnut on the top of my head (which is the only way I can have it out of my face!) Or a messy bun.

The time has come where my hair needs a revamp, my layers aren't as nice as they used to be and to be honest I am getting bored of my hair. However, long hair means I can do whatever with it... But no, I've booked a hair appointment tomorrow after work. And all I'm going to say to the stylist is... cut off as much as needs cutting off for it to look nice and new again. I know I'm going to lose about 5 inches... I know that sounds like nothing, but I've always had long hair. Apart from when I was like 6 and I had the classic Mother choice of hair cut of a short bob and a full fringe (WHY do our mothers do that to us?!)

I'm already nervous to see all my hair be cut off... but at the end of the day, it will grow back, it might just take more than a day!
I'll keep you posted in the next few days on what it looks like, and how I cope!

Change of Name

Okay, so I went to long way round of trying to find my blog, so I typed in the original name 'Polish & Silk"... well you could image what google threw at me... So hence the new blog name!

I've now challenged myself to blog every day. I'm doing well so far, but its early days yet!!

Scents

Now I used to have a perfume that I would continuously buy and was known for for wearing. That changed when I was bought expensive perfumes. I love perfumes but I love the expensive ones like Chanel and Jimmy Choo.

Recently when running out of my nice perfumes I thought I needed to find something at a reasonable price. So I came across Gilly Hicks whilst out shopping in Stratford the other day. It's fresh and fruity and last ages too. (Something I hate about perfumes is that some smell great but don't last long.) At only £26 this perfume was a must! 

Gilly Hicks Perfume £26

Prints

Today's colours and prints are orange, blue, brown and black. River islands "R" print mixes with leopard print. All matching to my orange jeans from Zara and my chiffon navy top from Topshop.

Scarf From River Island

Commuting

Ah here I am again traveling. Most people commute to London. Well I live in London and commute out of it weekly! 

People used to say to me 'I hate living in London' or 'people in London are so grumpy and rude!' Well, I just used to think those people were being sensitive. But after four or five weeks of commuting I can now understand what they mean. I have also become one of those grumpy and rude people! London traveling is horrid. Peak times are horrendous (more so when it's hot, my patience isn't great when I'm hot). I become a pushy person getting to the places I need to be. 

It's made me think. I don't have an identity when traveling through London. There are so many people. And I'm just one of many. I don't talk to anyone, only the barista at Liverpool Street at Costa when he serves me my caramel latte to go. I travel with music playing and march on to where I need to be. I hate traveling alone, especially in busy places and music seems to comfort me. 

I best get used to it as I'll be doing this for the rest of the summer. 

London Liverpool Street Train Station

Diamonds are a girls best friend... as are shoes!

You wouldn't dream about walking out of your house without a pair of shoes on...

Shoes can make an outfit, they can be just for comfort, they could just be worn because you need to wear them outside the house.

No word of a lie, I own over 100 pairs of shoes!! You can say I'm a little obsessed.

However, I do have a reason, which to me, makes it more acceptable to own so many pairs! However, in the recent heat wave this past month, I've discovered I don't own many sandals/nice flip flops... they'll be next on the shopping list! But anyway, my reason is...
Well shoes for me are my job as well as passion, as well as a daily necessity.

For around a year and a half now I have worked in an independent shoe boutique, in my hometown Bury St Edmunds. It is called 'Nicola Sexton'. I have absolutely loved working here, not is it a woman's heaven, but Nicola and Amanda are so easy and great to work with.

Picture of the outside of Nicola Sexton Boutique, Bury St Edmunds

The shop isn't a shop for people who want something quick, easy, and pocket friendly. This isn't because the shoes are expensive but, the shop is like a treasure trove! You can't go in without seeing something that you instantly fall in love with, not only shoes, but beautiful jewellery, accessories and bags and much more.

Nicola Sexton's boutique is named after its owner. Nicola decided to open up her own business 3 years ago when she was continuously being complimented on her Luciano Padovans shoes, (which are to die for!) She knew with all these compliments that she had to do something about it.

Three years down the line the shop has being doing brilliantly. Nicola started selling her own brand of shoes which were made in Italy. She designs them all herself. They do so well in fact that Nicola now wholesales her own brand of shoes (which are the stores best sellers) all over the country. She is now also just about to launch in America next month too! This is a great achievement for such a young business still. Nonetheless, Nicola has launched into it all with confidence and ambition. One of her 'great ideas' was to ask me if I'd model for her brand. As in be in her promotion banners, and be in her lookbooks, her website, her posters, her billboards... This wasn't what I expected after returning back from Uni to work for her!

Nicola is now well known around Suffolk for her shoes. People hear her name and instantly think of her shoes, it is her new formed identity in East Anglia!

I've modelled for Nic before, in a bin bag, down a catwalk. You may laugh, but there was logic behind the bin bag outfits.

Apex Charity Fashion Show 2012

So, Nic wanted the main focus to be the shoes and the accessories. So we made different styles of dresses out of bin bags. Its just something different too at the end of the day.

Anyway, the shoot Nic wanted to do for her campaigns were in London. Handy for me as I live in London, but commute across to Bury to work in the shop for Nic.

However, the day Nic chose us to do the shoot, was the hottest day of the year, it read at 35C in London. Everyone is wearing shorts and little tops, and I'm modelling in full length jeans and long sleeved tops. Nonetheless, it was a hot hot day!!

The shots were of Nicola's own brand of shoes, which range from a flat pumps, to a kitten heel, to a court shoe, to a sneaker. Here are some shots from the day....

With many more images from the day too.

These campaigns will be launched next Spring/Summer 2014 and used for Nicola to wholesale in America this coming August.

Nicola knows what women want in shoes comfort as well as style. Here she has provided what every woman needs to complete her outfit. From an everyday casual shoe, to and evening classy court shoe.

They say shoes say a lot about a person. Just like the clothes you wear. It all says something about you.

Why not check out Nicola Sexton's site: http://www.nicolasexton.co.uk/index.php

The Meaning

So what does Identity and Space actually mean?

To me, identity is who we are. What we look like, what we wear, our personality, who we are.

The definition of 'Identity' is:

i·den·ti·ty

n. pl. i·den·ti·ties

1. The collective aspect of the set of characteristics by which a thing is definitively recognizable or known: "If the broadcast group is the financial guts of the company, the news division is its public identity" (Bill Powell).

2. The set of behavioral or personal characteristics by which an individual is recognizable as a member of a group.

3. The quality or condition of being the same as something else.

4. The distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity; individuality.

5. Information, such as an identification number, used to establish or prove a person's individuality, as in providing access to a credit account.

(Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/identity)

So, this is me below. My full name is Abigail Louise Field, I am 21 years old, I'm 5ft 7, long blonde hair, blue/green eyes, set of teeth, four ear piercings, a nose... etc! This is me and this is what I look like!

But what does an onlooker see of you? Everyone has different views on things, different styles, so depending on the person will depend on what they see in you. 

For example, us fashion students just naturally look at what you are wearing, but someone who doesn't care that much about fashion probably wouldn't judge straight away on what they are wearing. 

So now we have identity sussed, lets figure out 'Space'!

To me space, is everything around me, whether its filled or not, or even if it actually exists. 

The definition of 'Space' is:

space

n.

1.

a. Mathematics A set of elements or points satisfying specified geometric postulates: non-Euclidean space.

b. The infinite extension of the three-dimensional region in which all matter exists.

2.

a. The expanse in which the solar system, stars, and galaxies exist; the universe.

b. The region of this expanse beyond Earth's atmosphere.

3.

a. An extent or expanse of a surface or three-dimensional area: Water covered a large space at the end of the valley.

b. A blank or empty area: the spaces between words.

c. An area provided for a particular purpose: a parking space.

4. Reserved or available accommodation on a public transportation vehicle.

5.

a. A period or interval of time.

b. A little while: Let's rest for a space.

(Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/space)

Space is anything and everything. It is what you make of it.

I think this project is going to be interesting, I'll show you my views and opinions on these two topics. Hopefully, you'll see Identity and Space in a different perspective. 

Identity & Space

One of my University Summer Projects was to explore these two topics. We were given a list of questions to consider, they are as follows:

- Consider what is identity and how it is constructed?

- How do you see yourself?

- Is identity constructed and interpreted by the self or the onlooker?

- What identities are drawn to you?

- How do you feel certain spaces, environments and ambiances affect the way we look and behave?

- What spaces make you behave a certain way?

- How does the aesthetics of a space, curation of its content and signage make you behave?

Not only am I going to look into these two topics, but blog about my summer, fashion and other topics.

So I think its time to explore...