Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Artist Date 19/04/18



Inspired by Lavendaire, I took myself on an artist date.
I went on my usual daily walk but instead of listening to music or a podcast, I grabbed my camera and starting noticing and appreciating what was around me.



I saw so much beauty while observing my surroundings and it brought me so much peace. I saw life, I saw death, I saw colour and I saw mother nature and how wild she can be.



As I traced my walk, I saw things I have never noticed before and saw how beautiful and courageous life is. I saw plants growing through stern rock and finding a way to blossom; something I have decided to take with me into my life. When I feel weighed down by horrible feelings, I will persevere and push through and bloom.



I decided these photos needed to be printed so I can put them in an album and can look back at it and notice what I saw, how I was feeling and feel inspired by the life around me.

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Eye See You



Crop - Cotton On Body. Shorts - Cotton On Body. Shoes - Adidas.

Last month Cyren and I went to Hanmer Springs to do some walking. We wanted to do the waterfall work but we took the wrong track and ended up doing Conical Hill which was amazing! At the top there is a full 360º view so we decided it was perfect for a photoshoot. I love this set from Cotton On Body, as soon as I saw it I KNEW I needed it because I like my workout clothes to be bright and colourful and weird and this set ticks all those boxes. If you would like to check out more photos from Conical Hill check out my instagram post here

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

How To Stay On Top Of Your Mental Health

Greetings all!
As some of you may know, I struggle with mental illness. Recently I had a bit of a relapse and realised that I need to take some steps to start my journey to recovery. In this post I will be sharing my tips and advice for staying on top of your game. Just so you know, I am not a doctor and this is not medial advice. What I am sharing are steps you can take that I have discovered from both professionals and from within myself.

Routine Routine Routine:
I have heard this over and over again and I stand by it, have a routine and stick to it! Having a plan helps take the pressure off you and makes you feel more composed. Somedays it’s going to be hard to stick to your routine but every time you say no to your illness and continue on your day is a small victory and baby steps are the way to go when improving your wellbeing. Now, when I was making my daily plan I was quite anal and rigid about it because well, that’s just who I am but once I feel more settled I will give myself some leeway so I can be flexible. In my plan I have set a time to wake up and go to bed, meal times, time slots to be creative and active and free time so I don’t go mad. As well as this, I have scheduled in time for self care. I have also allocated times to express gratitude and say daily positive affirmations but I’ll talk about those later. Have a think about what brings you joy and makes you feel calm and then create a routine based around that.

Get Support:
I would highly recommend getting some form of professional support on your journey to wellness. Whether that be a social worker or a whole team of psychiatrists and psychologists. Don’t be afraid to speak up and look for help, no one can do this on their own and this could be the very thing you need to get you up and running again. Depending on where you live, specialist mental health care is generally free unless you go to a private clinic. Most universities and polytechs have some sort of arrangement where you can get a certain amount of sessions with a social worker or psychologist for free so if you are studying go to the health centre and find out what they can offer you.

Diet:
Eating clean can make a huge impact on your mental health. Myself personally, I follow a mostly vegan, whole foods diet and it makes me feel amazing. Unfortunately, in order to get the best results with your diet, you’re going to have to do some trial and error. Not everyone reacts to different foods that same way and you may find some foods make you feel worse instead of better. So pay attention to what you’re eating and try a find some correlation between food and your mood.

Exercise:
Get active people! Endorphins are a wonderful thing. In New Zealand doctors are now recommending exercise before attempting to be treated by medication, how amazing is that? You don’t have to run 10km a day to be active, even a 20 minutes walk is enough to get the heart pumping and the endorphins running. If exercise really isn’t your thing, try exercising with a friend, you’ll be talking so much you won’t even notice your exercising. If you can’t bear the thought of going to the gym, why not join a sports team? It’s social, fun and a great way to stay active. My personal favourite forms of exercise are hiking, rock climbing and yoga. I love walking out in nature, getting some sun on my skin (important for Vitamin D) and breathing in clean, fresh air, makes a world of different. Yoga is another great option for exercise as you can practice at any level. There are yin classes which are very slow through to power vinyasa which are intense. I love doing these classes in extreme heat, my favourite class being at 40ºC. Rock climbing for me holds a very special place in my heart, it’s one of the only activities where I don’t beat myself up when things go wrong and I am building myself up and absolutely crushing it! What I’m trying to say is, exercise shouldn’t be a chore or dreaded, experiment a bit until you find something you love.

Sleep:
Ahh sleep, my one true love. Having good sleep hygiene makes a HUGE difference in your mood and the way you cope with stress. Going back to what I said about routine earlier, choose a time you want to go to sleep and then wake up 7-8 hours after that, or vice versa, choose the time you want to wake up and calculate what time you need to go to sleep to get 7-8 hours. Have some wind down time before going to sleep. Try and avoid stimulants like screens, coffee, tea and cigarettes and instead having warm shower or bath, have a cup of chamomile tea and just chill. If you like reading, try reading a book although that is a double edged sword because I’ve said to myself, “I’m going to read for 30 minutes” and BAM it’s 4am. If you wake up in the night and find you can’t go back to sleep, don’t jump straight on your phone or pop out for a smoke. Instead, try lying in bed with your eyes closed or if you’re really restless, read the phonebook, it’s so boring you will probably doze off.

Mindfulness:
This is a bit of a touchy topic but there have been lots of studies showing how practicing mindfulness and meditation dramatically reduces stress and boosts your mood. Mindfulness is the practice of concentrating on only what is happening at that very second, here and now and blocking out worries from the past or concerns for the future. Most mindfulness exercises are done through meditation however there are some other ways to do it. I was once walked through an exercise where you squeeze your hands really tight for 5 - 10 seconds and then release noticing how your hands feel after your release them. If you are new to meditation, I would highly recommend starting with a guided meditation. There are plenty of apps, podcasts and youtube videos that can help you

Positive thinking:
Now I struggle with this a lot! I am definitely a pessimist and although that may never change, taking my negative thoughts and making them positive is a great skill to have. The ways in which I am applying some positive thoughts into my life are by having a gratitude journal and saying daily affirmations. Expressing gratitude is a great way to introduce some positivity into your life. Grab a journal and everyday write down 10, or as many as you like, things you are grateful for. Daily affirmations are something I have literally just started and although they are not a quick fix, eventually you will start believing them and thus begins the journey of self love.

Aromatherapy:
So you want a more natural approach to bettering your mental health? Try aromatherapy. You can do this by either burning a candle or incense or you can by an oil diffuser (I want one SO bad) and add some drops of essentials oils to fill your room. I admit, oil diffusers are pretty pricey so if that doesn’t work for you mix some essential oils with a carrier oil and apply to the inside of your wrist, sniffing throughout the day.
Scents for depression: rose, ylang ylang, jasmine, clary sage, bergamot, grapefruit, lemon
Scents for relaxation/sleep: lavender, chamomile
Scents for anxiety: lavender, rose, ylang ylang, chamomile
Scents for anger: ylang ylang
Scents for irritability: sandalwood (my personal favourite)

Have an outlet:
Having an outlet to release all of those built up feelings and emotions is super helpful for your overall wellbeing. The best outlets are either creative outlets or physical outlets, such as exercise. I like to combine the two for the best results. Everyday I go for a walk or do some yoga as well as exercising my creativity by doing some writing, playing piano or making clothes. For me it is very important to express myself as I find I understand myself more when I do this and the more I understand myself, the more I can begin to find ways to support myself.

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Spring 2018 Trends: How to make them work for Autumn

Hey everyone!
A new season is upon us. Up in the Northern Hemisphere flowers are blooming, baby animals are being born left, right and centre and it is getting warmer. Down in the Southern Hemisphere leaves are dying, it’s getting colder and we’re preparing ourselves for winter. So how does this affect fashion? Fashion week is over and all the new trends for Spring are appearing but for us folks in the Southern Hemisphere these Spring trends don’t seem to apply to us. So how do you stay on trend? Well look no further because I have the post for you, I am going to share how I take Spring trends and apply them to Autumn fashion. I am including pieces that I have found that I think work with this and will include both a luxury/high end piece and a high street/budget piece to cater for all!

Colours:

The easiest way to take a trend from season to season is to apply different hues of the colours that are being featured.

Primary Colours:

Think reds, blues and yellows. Balenciaga featured all yellow outfits while we saw bright red at Givenchy. Luckily for us, these colours are easy to transition into Autumn. With reds go for a more crimson, deeper red. Gold and burnt oranges are a great replacement for yellow or if you want to stick with yellow, look for a more mustard yellow than canary. In my opinion, blues are a safe option year round however if you want to scream Autumn try a navy or steel blue. Don’t be afraid to experiment with other colours too, forest greens are great and aubergine is a stunning combination of red and blue perfect for Autumn. For a striking look, try dressing head to toe in these colours or if you are more subtle add these colours into your accessories.

Left: Cotton On - NZD$44.99
Right: Splendid, available at net-a-porter - USD$330

Pastels:

There is nothing wrong with wearing pastels during Autumn or even Winter by choosing the colour palette correctly and featuring these colours on soft fabrics. Céline featured combinations of pastel colours and Chanel showed a more harmonious look sticking with single colours for the whole outfit.

Left: Country Road - NZD$179
Right: Paul & Joe, available at net-a-porter - USD$453

Check prints:

Checks were a big hit for SS18 with Burberry featuring checked trench coats and Fendi going head-to-toe in this print. In my mind, checks are a great print year round however when wearing them for Autumn, opt for warmer or neutral tones.

Left: Witchery - NZD$299.90
Right: Sacai, available at net-a-porter - USD$1,354

Puff sleeves:

Whether it be regal, puff sleeves as shown by Jill Stuart or a more tailored, masculine square shoulder like at Givenchy, over the top sleeves are in! When going for volume, you can either go soft and feminine with puff or edgy and striking with square. If the feminine puff is what you look for, try looking for shirts and dresses in Autumn colours, this way you are keeping with the Spring fashion but making it work for Autumn. Looking for a more androgynous look? Try the square shoulders to make a bold statement. I personally think shoulder pads look great with a check print, and you’ll be ticking off two trends in one garment.

Left: Witchery - NZD$109.90
Right: Zimmermann, available at net-a-porter - USD$618

Wet look clothes:

Ah, wet look garments. I have a pair of wet look tights which I wear all the time and my love for them will never diminish. Luckily for me, they are now trending and I can bust them out of my wardrobe and not feel like I’m a time traveller from the 80s, not that that has ever stopped me. Now, I find that a lot of wet look garments are typically in black but why not try and inject some colour in it? Red, blue, any colour you like really! Mary Katrantzou featured colour blocking plastic clothes with quirky puff sleeves while Balmain stuck with traditional black in their jumpsuit creating a bold and sexy look.

Left: Isabel Marant, available at net-a-porter - USD$663
Right: H&M - NZD$29.99


Suit shorts:

Want to show off your legs but still look like you can take on the world? Well may I introduce to you, the power short! Balmain ticked two boxes by combining their suit shorts with a check print. While Saint Laurent stuck with classic black while having a glossy, wet look finish, another SS18 trend. These suit shorts are perfect for Autumn as the weather is still warm, although as winter approaches you might find yourself reaching for the full length trousers.

Left: Country Road - NZD$109
Right: Alice & Olivia, available at net-a-porter - USD$383

Rain jackets:

Yay! Functionality meets trendy. Anoraks were featured in a lot of designers collections this season, in both full colour and even clear. Nothing is better than when a fabulous garment serves a purpose other than looking good. Oscar de La Renta showed a shocking pink rain coat while Valentino had clear coats with detailed trim. Now, do you go for block colours in navy, deep reds and mustard yellow? Or do you opt for clear, adding flair to your outfit while still showing off the pieces underneath? The choice is yours.

Left: Vetements, available at net-a-porter - USD$854
Right: Cotton On - NZD$95


Floral dresses:
Nothing yells “Spring” like a pretty, floral dress. But can you make it work for Autumn? I think so. Investing in floral pieces that stay within the Autumn colour palette is a great way to add some spring into your step. Try small, floral prints for a more girly look while larger, bolder prints are great for edge.

Left: Witchery - NZD$179.90
Right: Borgo De Nor, available at net-a-porter - USD$1,837

I hope you enjoyed this post and maybe found some inspiration.
Thanks for stopping by.
Until next time,
Cya!