Dreamy Amsterdam (I'm Back Blogging!)

Hey cuties,

So it feels as though I haven't blogged in forever, with sitting on my laptop, putting together fashion posts and typing up my latest adventures in my pastel decorated bedroom, a distant memory of the past. 

Of course looking back at my old posts was going to make me feel nostalgic (and inspired) so here I find myself back on my blog itching to publish more art, fashion looks and stories stories stories! Yes, I've been seriously adventuring since my last blog post (March 2016?) which means I have so much exciting stuff to share with you! 

First thing I am going to kick the return to my blog off with is a series of somewhat rushed photos from my weekend in Amsterdam, my latest travels (WOOHOO), and the reason for how blurry my photos look is because my parents forbid me from packing my beloved SLR camera *cry*. 

Day #1 

 

When walking around Jordaan, I gush over how beautiful everything is, even the houses and streets are tumblr worthy

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Me posing on my balcony of our apartment/ Top- Thrifted Skirt- Zara Socks- ?? Shoes- Zara

 

 

We visit a cute clothes market on the way to the canal ride

 

THE CANAAAL!!

 

Day #2 

 

 

My Matcha Soy Latte! It's so beautiful and so yummy! I got way too excited about this

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Captivated by the canal?

The one and only Vondelpark! Omg!

 

The Rijksmuseum from the outside! *O* so huge

 

I can't believe I saw an original Van Gogh portrait, he is definitely my favourite artist I had to take a photo!

I wandered round. the museum is so massive with 3 floors but I wouldn't be complaining if I got lost amongst all this beautiful art.

 

 

 

Even the ceiling was art itself

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After wandering around every floor and not missing a single painting, we came across a room where you can sketch out a famous artwork and pin it up on this massive wall of drawings, so I pinned up my messy attempt. (My sketchy pencil drawing is above the watercolour chair) 

 

 

We then walked around the museum garden which had a waterfall people could step inside, although I somehow didn't get soaked 

 

Drawing class in the garden?

 

Me, trying not to look terrified on top of the massive 'Amsterdam' sculpture people were climbing on.

 

 

Here is my outfit for nighttime/ Top- Topshop Trousers- Topshop Cardigan- Thrifted Bag- stedelijk museum.

Looking pretty at night 

Day #3 

 

I was enjoying my makeup look for the last day. even though I was sad to be leaving, good makeup should always be captured (ignore the messy hair)

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It was really sunny on the last day and the sky looked surreal

 

We visited a banksy exhibition and this is me next to my favourite artwork!

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His art is so controversial yet still amazing!

 

 

Here is another painting that I liked.

 

After the Banksy exhibition, which was so incredible, we headed into the city centre for some shopping!

Cuteness overload & bathbomb galore in Amsterdam!!Can I buy all of them please?

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I came across a cute, Urban Outfitters type shop where I bought some adorable temporary tattoos!

 

 

This was me looking super happy, as we then found a vintage shop on the way to central station and I immediately felt at home! 

 

 

I couldn't resist buying an utterly perfect, bright pink Adidas t-shirt I found! Expect a sporty-girly lookbook post coming up soon!

I ended the most divine weekend with the prettiest cup of mint tea.

 

The sunset from the plane on the journey home was a dreamy tangerine colour, I took countless photos of the sky.

-Rachel Xoxo

Woman's Day 2016

Hey cuties,

So to all you girls or woman out there reading, Happy Woman's Day! Weather you know about what today means or not, no matter what country your from, language you speak or your ambitions,  it's  time for us to be strong, celebrate and love ourselves. If there is a time we should show how powerful and important us girls are, its now. Today's commemorations remind us how far we've come from a time when we couldn't even vote to now- when we can show our independence and speak our minds. To those that feel self- doubting or down, today we can remember that every one of us is perfect and being real is so much more important than tearing ourselves down to achieve a fantasy- it wont make us happy. No matter who we are we all deserve to feel like a queen. 
I hope that wherever you are you feel rad & confident
So, here i have some self-positive, powerful girl art for you:

-not drawn by me-

-Rachel

xoxo

More than a Soap

Hey cuties,

So as promised, here today I'll be showing you some wonderful Lush soaps! I can't get enough of the earthy and bold vibes from lush, not to mention the fabulously fruity scents that hit you from just walking into the store - its almost impossible to leave. I will be forever excited about their bath bombs, shower jellies and insta-worthy store deco but in my latest visit, last weekend with Becca, i discovered there's much more to the new soaps. 

After me and Becca;s spontaneous photo shoot outside the art museum- on Saturday, we headed to get bubble tea which only made the day cuter as I "oooohh" and"aahh'd" over the Japanese candy and pastel sticky notes that covered the kitsch interior. And of course the ay wouldn't have been complete if we didn't take a trip to lush for updates on the heavenly new products and the classic bath bomb smelling sessions. And that's when i stumbled on their out of the ordinary new body lotion- Charity Pot!Not only does it smell amazing but 100% of the money payed to buy it goes to either helping the environment, animal protection or human rights. Awesome charities like Art not Oil- "A fund for art activists to buy tickets and props for interventions about oil company sponsorship of art institutions", Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern- "Providing moral and legal support for refused asylum seekers" and Vegan Approach- "A Vegan Pledge in Calderdale, lasting one month, with a full day’s free course to include cookery demonstrations, films, talks and discussion". Whats not to love about a lotion that feels heavenly but also acts on saving the enviroment and is of course against animal testing, its super important that animals are treated kindly and that we still have the chance to see pretty nature and beautiful plants before they are cruelly killed. So I fell in love with the new body lotion.

Other soaps, I bought from lush that day were mothers day gifts, wrapped in vibrant yellow wrapping paper, inside the soaps included were: Beautiful- shower gel, this bold and zesty smelling shower gel is perfect for a burst of confidence! Sunrise soap, which not only is my all time favorite scent- orange (and shaped like the fruit, what's not to love) but also shimmers when in water! And lastly African Paradise, the body conditioner that will make you long for colorful sunsets and hotter days!
Here's a pic:

Sunrise soap

Hope you enjoyed!

-Rachel xoxo

Not Fashion, Its Culture

 So its festivval season soon, and searching through the most fabulous high street stores seems so fun, in preparation for new summer styles but whats this you notice? A bindi being sold as accessories? Well it must be a vogue worthy trend upcoming. well...NO! Just Because it sits on the shelves of oh so popular fashion stores doesn't mean it should be worn. Actually it's a cultural or religious tradition with meaning behind wearing it, which (NoOOWAY!) is important to a lot of people. 

So my feminists rant for today is shining a light on why we shouldn't use culture to move a level up the fashion rank.

What is cultural appropriation you may wonder? Well it's usually when jewellery, clothes or traditions from a culture gets adopted by people who don't have any origins from the culture but feel they are being style savy. Like wearing cultural makeup for Halloween or to festivals.  

Then why can't we share the trends, isn't that how they became cultures anyway? Somehow it's not that simple and it's not about other cultures just seeing something they find trendy (like a bindi or headdress) and wearing it. Because; like some hairstyles, it was a way of people keeping certain types of hair clean. It was never a trend to them. Like music styles were a way of expressing themselves when being discriminated. We should know before wearing someone else's way of survival to a party so you look fab.

But then wouldn't that be showing respect for the culture? Well judging by some music videos, certain cultural appearances were being used mockingly, and people of certain cultures being used as props. There is a bigger separation between showing respect and stereotyping when taking on jewellery or hairstyles ( people finding them interesting or cute) because the cultures are already being put down by society, telling us to dismiss them. If, all cultures were treated equally (which I wish was the truth) they could exchange hairstyles and clothes. 

But here's a creative solution: let's make our own culture, original fashion and lifestyle. Let's not follow fashions guidelines and take other cultures! We can make out own style look however we want (no rules!) We can be our own culture, but love other ones too and know the origins before adopting!

Beach Wanderlust + Performing Again

This week had been somewhat traumatic yet beautiful, the traumatic part, last night spent Practicing for a last minute acoustic gig, which I nearly missed, (big thumbs up to me)  but preforming is super exhilarating weather it's in front of 1,000 people or 3 and the more gigs, the better it gets. Advice to anyone nervous about going on stage; imagine how you'll feel after and the rush of energy which makes you grin when your dancing underneath the glowing lights, and all the faces smiling back at you. Also remember to find confidence inside yourself and be comfortable in your own skin, it'll be sure to inspire others too! 

Recently I've been so anticipating of summer and the idea of travel, sunshine, exploring new countries and the awaiting adventures. I've already started on my beloved list of adventures for the summer despite how long Away summer is (which is yet to be finnished)

Powder paint fight

Field photo shoot

Palm reading 

Glitter fight

Make hairbands

Make a dress 

Colour run 

Rope swing 

So here are some photos that make me long for summer even more (if that's possible) that I took on the beach! Some are from random summer times or winter beach wanderings, enjoy:

I Moved House + Performing & Adventures

So lately I've been having a super eventful and wonderful January, although I feel like I've been turned upside down with constant changes, I'm smiling and making awesome memories and I hope you are too! Here's what I've been up to

On the night of moving, I looked at my neighborhood from my old bedroom (which was, then, a sea Of boxes) and self-consciously screamed a half hearted goodbye out the window. Before I set off and Left the tons of childhood memories behind. Like sunset cycles through the photogenic streets, lighting sparklers outside in the summer, inviting my friends round for a photo shoot and wandering sesh. So of course the next morning was Alice-in-wonderland-confusing. If your going through the same thing, seriously, take something you love with you, I only survived because I had my art supplies.  The countryside seemed like Mars but I still wandered round. And ended up inspired by the roller-coaster that is moving so i created some collages: 

The next weekend, me, Becca, Rachel (Becca's twin) and Ruby-Jane, in the January rain, walked down to the local train station, as Becca captures the laughs and arty moments while I make cringey selfie faces in front of the lens. We walked through town, still pretty with the Christmas lights up, and headed into Cass Art, a super fab art store, where we browsed through all colors of paints, watercolor pens, cute notebooks until it was time for our art class where we learnt to carve linoleum to make crazy animal ink prints. Mine- an ace half lion, cat half unicorn and Beccas creation was part dog, part butterfly, so cute!

Last of my adventures, Yesterday had been something ive been excited for and raving about for months. My band were playing at an iconic, concert ballroom, I only freaked more after finding out that David Bowie, Arcade Fire and more super cool bands have played there. It was an event for singers who are under 18 to play on a huge (and slightly daunting) stage for a big crowd. The first thing we did was run for the dressing room (after getting our pics taken with the other bands) in awe of the retro decor and lightbulb mirrors which just made us more ecstatic and i couldn't refrain from jumping around and grinning. After the first act, we were called out, which is when my nerves got stronger and my heartbeat louder. But being on stage, dancing around and having fun, underneath the coloured lighting made me forget about time. I then joined my friends and did some more dancing around and laughing. The night ended in me and a smaller group getting pizza, adventuring round my new neighbourhood, resulting in us taking creepy pictures in a graveyard, joyfully finding a local play-park to joke around on the swings and slides in, then running back through the mud. I wore a dress from Urban Outfitters, and deep blue lipstick. 

Hope you enjoyed the post. 
What have you been up to this winter, comment below

-Rachel xoxo