Well, I've now accepted that due to becoming an adult, years are set to fly past at an alarming rate and I will be 30 before you know it. Sheesh. 2013 sounds alarming enough but imagine 2014, 15, 16 and beyond. It's almost beyond comprehension; I still think that films from 2007 are not that ancient and crave a 90s R&B night with a few Aayliah tunes. Anyways, back to the recap. At the end of every year I like to provide a handy compendium of the posts I've written and the outfits I've worn. I've combed my Flickr archives, iPhoto and depths of my brain to give you this visual rundown on how 2012 was for me. It's not brief by any means, maybe a tad indulgent but definitely accurate so have a few clicks if you're looking for something to read this New Year's Eve or in a potential hungover state tomorrow. Happy New Year in advance!
A special shout-out to all of the people who took these photos; Lucy, Olivia, Claire, Camilla, Stella, Jen, Jazmine, Abi and my little sister! Here's to more varied expressions and less pigeon toe for 2013!
When I first started blogging and one of my early commenters asked me to show how my Angel's sale purchases looked on, I didn't think much of it. I took a few dodgy pictures (click to see how far I've come) that seem miles away from what you see on here, all whilst wearing purple tights. I only really started to document my style properly two years ago and it's since become an accurate record of what I wear on a daily basis. I've documented the first time I wore a playsuit, tried a denim shirt and discovered Dr Martens, all of which have become staple items in my wardrobe. I think that this year I've really indulged my girly side, with Swedish Hasbeens, plenty of pastels and even more denim combinations. I've invested in a Mulberry bag, COS trench coat and even my first suit. For 2013, I want to continue to introduce more androgynous elements into what I wear and work out my own way of effortless style with a dash of the unexpected. I hope to save for more investment pieces, perfect my sale stalking methods and control my High Street spending (COS and Topshop are exempt of course).
One of my first posts from this year also involved the V&A, when I went to see the Postmodernism exhibition with Jazmine, so I like to think I've come full circle after my most recent visit. I've occupied my days off wisely with a few familiar outings, I saw Berlin from a local's perspective, found some bargains at Battersea Boot Fair and popped to Brighton on two occasions. I rediscovered Portobello market, finally went to Blitz vintage, took a day trip to Birmingham and ventured further up the Kings Road to see what I could find. One of my resolutions was to attempt some far flung travel, I didn't make it to New York but I did visit Fiona in Copenhagen before returning for some Olympic fun. Music became a new priority after discovering some new songs to download at Bestival and the joys of Kindness at Festival Number 6. My cottage stay confirmed that the only way is glamping. I also anticipated the festive season with a trip to Borough Market, dodging the Santas to make our way along the Southbank.
I love having days where I know I have something exciting planned for after work and I've been spoilt for choice with events this year. Bread and Butter in January got me planning my Autumn wardrobe from the off, I discovered the delightful dresses of Darling and celebrated the launch of Wish magazine with at least five different kinds of cake. Please make another one! I had my tea leaves read at a namesake event, fell in love with some heeled Dr Martens and got to meet the woman behind Me & Zena in their colourful studio. Animal-themed accessories suddenly became all the rage, firstly with Rob Pruitt's pandas for Jimmy Choo and then courtesy of the Hello Kitty and Zatchels collaboration. Which did you prefer? Finally after years of hoping, I finally got to see Chloë Sevigny in the flesh at the Opening Ceremony book signing and added approximately 85% of the store to my wishlist. Tatty Devine invited me to make one of their trademark dinosaur necklaces with them and I'm eagerly awaiting its return from Tatty Hospital as I somehow managed to undo all of my newly found jewellery-making skills!
So many exhibitions this year appealed to me, primarily because there was a focus on subject matter featuring eclectic pattern and plenty of colour contrasts. In February I got to meet crochet expert Olek who lived in a gallery and created a piece of art around it, literally. Print was next on the list, with polka dot perfection courtesy of Yayoi Kusama, digital inventions with Mary Katrantzou and some cleaner Post War British Textiles after hours. In sharp contrast to my usual attire, glamour became the focus with Ballgowns at the V&A and the Valentino exhibition at Somerset House. I made the most of my Copenhagen trip with a visit to the breathtaking Louisiana Modern Art Museum, situated by the sea with views of Sweden. Tim Walker's Somerset House takeover was much appreciated by my inquisitive side, as I wondered how long the giant doll would have taken to fully construct. Although I wasn't around during Biba's heyday, I was transported there through the exhibition at the Brighton museum and became attached to anything with a collar. I also discovered the numerous ways a Chanel jacket could be worn, with jeans, as a cape or combined with numerous other designer items as Daphne Guinness demonstrated. Now how to obtain one of my own...
Fashion is probably best enjoyed as a moving 3D extravaganza and most of my pictures came courtesy of London Fashion Week. Earlier this year I was in scallop heaven at Spijkers en Spijkers and attended a perfectly orchestrated Orla Kiely tea party. I discovered my favourite place to watch a show (on my knees crouched down by the side of the stage, of course) and got some great detail shots during the Holly Fulton and PPQ shows. Graduate Fashion Week made me realise how quickly time had gone by since my own show and how my portfolio is in urgent need of an update. The Craig Lawrence Fashion In Motion retrospective was a brilliant record of how his collections have progressed within a short space of time. I only spent a day at fashion week back in September but still managed to pack a lot in, with the Ashish and Tata Naka shows being personal highlights. I still have a few pictures I haven't shared yet so hopefully they will find their way on here before the madness starts again in February!
This has been the year of the meal out with trips to Meat Liquor, Burger & Lobster and Jade Garden becoming some of my favourite places for a decent meal. Next on the list is Wishbone, Duck & Waffle and return visits to tasty Pitt Cue and Mama Lan. It's been far too long.
Sometimes I like to post a little something unexpected every so often and use blogging as a way to empty out my brain. I shared a few street-style stars I'm obsessed with, highlighted a few inventive ways to wear prints and started the search for the perfect pair of baggy jeans. This year I've become obsessed with blogs that fit more into the lifestyle category, creating highly Pin-able content and sharing the beauty in the everyday. My own attempt at this kind of sharing included a peek into my jewellery collection, my favourite bits of the Diana Vreeland book and my long-awaited discovery of hair extensions. My five months of saving paid off with the perfectly coloured Mulberry bag and I potentially cancelled out all of that self control with my picks of the J.W Anderson for Topshop collaboration. Notable mentions included becoming a street style hunter for the day with Grazia and sharing a few of my favourite things with H&M Life. Phew!
One of my secret 2012 resolutions was to post more often and I've actually achieved that with 113 being the magic number in this case. Bravo! I also tried to become more organised in relation to my blogging life, so behind the scenes I have spreadsheets, complex folder systems and various spider diagrams, all to make sure things keep ticking over. I tend to prefer odd-numbered years, so I'm hoping that 2013 is a time for decisive action and that I can put off any grown-up eventualities for a little longer.
Thanks for reading and I'll see you on the other side!
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