A colourful fashion blog supporting independents & sustainable fashion in Bristol and beyond since 2011

Monday 29 January 2018

Get Social with No Debutante

Did you know you can follow No Debutante on other platforms? 

Do you follow my Facebook page, where I share what I've been up to including blog posts, articles, local events and fashion drops? 

How about No Debutante Instagram where you can take a colourful & fun look into No Debutante's world with daily photos and imagery?

What about Twitter? No Debutante loves to talk! Keep up with my daily news and views whilst I share comments & posts from inspiring people around the globe! 

You are already following? Thank you so much for your support and do keep me updated with all your fashion based news with a chance to feature up on the blog! 

You aren't following yet? What are you waiting for? Get in touch, I wanna help promote all these fantastic things you are doing! Please don't forget to comment on the posts of anyone you follow! Support & honest feedback is a great thing!


The No Debutante Facebook page includes blog posts, articles, local events and the latest fashion drops. 


No Debutante's daily Insta posts feature OOTD, fashion tips, inspiring images & moments from the No Debutante world!

No Debutante tweets about daily news & views from fashion & music to local events.



If you are having a fashion event, a new collection or fun event you would like No Debutante to promote please get in touch!

Check out my work with Bristol 24/7 magazine here under my name 
Emma Gorton-Ellicott

If you are interested in collaborating with No Debutante or getting featured on the No Debutante blog please contact me nodebutanteblog@gmail.com

Keep up with No Debutantes OOTD posts, collabs and current fashion obsessions posted daily on all of the following. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest all under the #nodebutante name. 

Thanks for checking in Fashionistas.   
ND xx


Tuesday 23 January 2018

DIY Pattern making - Part 1

Have you always liked the idea of making your own clothes but didn't know where to begin? Why go straight for an over complicated garment when deciding to give clothes making a go?? I have pattern cutting & fashion designer skills but I cannot bear ready-made sewing patterns. I find them quite complicated & confusing, eventhough I can knock up my own patterns, so I am not surprised to hear that many people are put off making their own stuff after trying to work out how those alien shapes, dotted lines & grading sizes on traditional sewing patterns work.

If you are going to start a new skill, which you may have previously struggled with before, then DIY pattern making is for you. With DIY you don't have to get it right first time, it is all about trial & error, you learn as you go. Nobody is judging you! 

Start simple, don't try to make a tailored garment with lots of plackets, pockets & darts, we don't need to see any of those things in DIY for beginners. We just need a metre or so of fabric, paper (for pattern making), some fabric shears, a ruler & a tape measure to get started.



Keep it sustainable

We can limit the amount of wasted fabric too, why not consider using an old duvet cover for your sample garment or cutting down pre-loved garments & upcycle them into something new? Buy second hand fabric & end of line cuts, make less waste whilst you experiment, you never know you might actually like the result of your duvet cover sample garm so much that you want to wear it & show the world this marvellous garm you've created.

A pattern created by measuring and adapting a ready made garment from the No Debutante wardrobe 


How to DIY?

If we are not using sewing patterns? What are we using?.........Your own clothes!
What's better than being able to recreate a garment you love & then adapting and reusing the pattern, recreating it again & again in different fabrics? 
Just imagine, you may catch the clothes making bug & start adapting your new favourite pattern to create other amazing garms. I promise, as soon as you understand the construction behind pattern cutting & making up garments you will be hooked!
Perhaps you will get so skilled you will be knocking up your own more complicated garms, who needs those sewing patterns eh?


Fashion illustrations and the finished garment by No Debutante for her fashion label Fruit Salad

Still not sure?

Give my youtube tutorial below a watch so you can get the basic ideas behind DIY pattern making. I will follow this post with step by step blog tutorials too. 
We'll have you designing, making and creating in no time! 



Youtube video below. 
Please Subscribe, follow & like my youtube channel Emma Gorton-Ellicott 





If you are having a fashion event or a have a new collection you would like No Debutante to promote please get in touch!

Check out my work with Bristol 24/7 magazine here under my name 
Emma Gorton-Ellicott

If you are interested in collaborating with No Debutante or getting featured on the No Debutante blog please contact me nodebutanteblog@gmail.com

Keep up with No Debutantes OOTD posts, collabs and current fashion obsessions posted daily on all of the following. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr,  Pinterest all under the #nodebutante name.

Thanks for checking in Fashionistas.   
ND xx


Thursday 18 January 2018

Female Empowerment at the NME 2018 Awards

Here's a brief look at the NME awards for 2018. NME seem to be proud of themselves (or just surprised) that this year they have the most females nominations on the list EVER. 

For each category six bands and artists are chosen, below is a list I have compiled of all the women nominated, this ranges from solo artists to female fronted bands, let's see how female friendly the list really is...


The list starts off a bit flat with only one female artist / female fronted band nominated in each of the categories for Best Band, Best Live Artist and Best Mixtape awards which includes

Wolf Alice Best Band
Lorde Best Live artist
Charli XCX Pop 2 Best Mixtape

Wolf Alice, Lorde, Charli XCX & Haim


Things start to get better in the Best International Band, Best British Solo Artist and Best Album categories where females are nominated for two awards in each category which included nominations for

Haim - Best International Band
Paramore - Best International Band
Dua Lipa- Best British Solo Artist
Charli XCX- Best British Solo Artist
Lorde 'Melodrama'-Best Album
Wolf Alice 'Visions of Life'-Best Album

Paramore, Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift & St Vincent


This is followed by the equilibrium evening up nicely with half of all nominees for Best International Solo Artist, Best New Artist & Best Track being females.

Taylor swift - Best International Solo Artist
Lorde - Best International Solo Artist
St Vincent-Best International Solo Artist
Stefflon Don - Best New Artist
Sigrid Best New Artist
SZA Best New Artist
Lorde 'Green Light'-Best track
Dua Lipa 'New Rules'-Best Track
Charli XCX 'Boys'-Best Track

Stefflon Don, Courtney Barnett, Sigrid & SZA


Things take a massive down turn as no females or female fronted bands are nominated for the Best Festival Headliner award but just as you are beginning to lose hope Female start to take over with four nominations in the Best Collaboration category!

Stefflon Don and Skepta Ding-A-Ling -Best collaboration track
Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile Continental Breakfast - Best Collaboration 
Gorillaz and Jehnny Beth We got the power - Best Collaboration
Lily Allen and Giggs Trigger Bang-Best Collaboration

Jehnny Beth, Pale Waves, The Big Moon & Lily Allen

Finally females take over the show with all Best Video nominations going to females in an all girl line up! Whoop!

The Big Moon, ‘Sucker’-Best Video
Charli XCX, ‘Boys’ -Best Video
St Vincent, ‘Los Ageless’ -Best Video
Taylor Swift, ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ - Best Video
Dua Lipa, ‘New Rules’- Best Video
Pale Waves, ‘Television Romance’- Best Video 

The nominations end with the Hero of the Year category which celebrates some fantastic women including
Ariana Grande
Rose McGowan
Elie Rowsell

Ariana Grande & Rose Macgowen


We still have a long way to go ladies but looking at these nominations it looks like females are really starting to get the recognition they deserve in the music industry, with perhaps a few more female and female fronted bands getting a bit more recognition in the future. It will be really interesting to see how many women actually win! 

All winners will be revealed at the ceremony at London's O2 Academy Brixton on February 14

Vote for you winners here! 






No Debutante supports independents in the creative and music industry with a focus on female empowerment and sustainabilty and the DIY lifestyle, especially those from her hometown Bristol, UK.

If you are having a fashion, Music or Female empowerment event or a have a new collection, music or anything creative you would like No Debutante to promote please get in touch!

Check out my work with Bristol 24/7 magazine here under my name 
Emma Gorton-Ellicott

If you are interested in collaborating with No Debutante or getting featured on the No Debutante blog please contact me nodebutanteblog@gmail.com

Keep up with No Debutantes OOTD posts, collabs and current fashion obsessions posted daily on all of the following. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr,  Pinterest all under the #nodebutante name.

Thanks for checking in Fashionistas.   
ND xx


Tuesday 16 January 2018

My first youtube tutorial - Basic Pattern Cutting Tutorial - DIY skills

Find out how No Debutante creates super cute garms by using DIY patterns constructed by measuring my own clothing, so the garm is a perfect fit. Yes, it's unconventional but what is conventional about my style? There is nothing more rewarding than experimenting and designing your own patterns and guess what? It's easier than you think.

Please give the tutorial a watch and let me know if you were inspired to start creating and pattern making. If you would like to see more No Debutante tutorials then get in touch! 





Youtube Tutorial by No Debutante

Red cropped hoodie designed by No Debutante for Fruit Salad


If you are having a fashion event or a have a new collection you would like No Debutante to promote please get in touch!

Check out my work with Bristol 24/7 magazine here under my name 
Emma Gorton-Ellicott

If you are interested in collaborating with No Debutante or getting featured on the No Debutante blog please contact me nodebutanteblog@gmail.com

Keep up with No Debutantes OOTD posts, collabs and current fashion obsessions posted daily on all of the following. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr,  Pinterest all under the #nodebutante name.

Thanks for checking in Fashionistas.   
ND xx

Monday 15 January 2018

SISTERWORKS - A female revolution

Wow! What an amazing experience it was being part of the first EVER Sisterworks Workshops event! I am so proud of what SisterWorks have achieved in the five months we have been together.
It was so inspiring to see so many different women get together & stand up for female empowerment against male corporate oppression!

We stood together to share our skills, our experiences & most importantly our self love through skills workshops, empowering talks, with motivational speakers, lots of networking & collaborating, coming together to start a female revolution in Bristol & beyond. Where are the women? Here we are!

The SisterWorks Crew




Panel discussions featuring producer Liz Horsman (worked with Emeli Sande & Rudimental) & Liz Ellis (Lizz.E vocalist with Fresh 4)



Hip Hop DJ Workshop





Fashion Illustration Workshop with Fran Moon May




How to set up turntables tutorial

Drumming Workshop


All photography by No Debutante

If you are interested in joining SisterWorks, running a skills sharing workshop or would like to attend one of the SisterWorks events. Please follow us on Facebook  Twitter  & Instagram 




If you are having a fashion event or a have a new collection you would like No Debutante to promote please get in touch!

Check out my work with Bristol 24/7 magazine here under my name 
Emma Gorton-Ellicott

If you are interested in collaborating with No Debutante or getting featured on the No Debutante blog please contact me nodebutanteblog@gmail.com

Keep up with No Debutantes OOTD posts, collabs and current fashion obsessions posted daily on all of the following. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr,  Pinterest all under the #nodebutante name.

Thanks for checking in Fashionistas.   
ND xx





Tuesday 9 January 2018

You go girl!

It's a new year fashionisas, there is always room for learning a new skill, meeting new people & getting creative, so let's get inspired and learn something new for 2018! It's never too late to start a new project or learn new skills so if there is something you have always wanted to try then just go for it.


Here at the No Debutante blog, I am always pushing myself to write more, add more content & share as much information & advice that my brain can throw at you. I also have many mini projects on the go, a family & two day jobs, which seem impossible to fit in but I now feel happy with what I manage to achieve each week. It took a long time to get to this point & try to plan what I can or can't achieve each week. I have found the more I do, the more productive I become and the more people I meet, the more inspired I am.


I have never shared a blog post on everything that I do before. Yes, I am proud of all of these things but I am now wanting to share it with you & show you how adding just one more skill, club, meet up into your life can open your eyes to so much more!





Let's start here at the 
No Debutante Blog.






The blog started life as a pregnancy fashion & lifestyle blog, I would share my pregnancy fashion dilemmas & write sweet little posts about the latest fashion trends & people who inspired me. The blog slowly changed from a lifestyle fashion blog to just fashion, I started attending a few blogger based fashion events, which I found were not really for me. As the new blogger on the block, other bloggers I met, at the time, seemed unencouraging,uninspiring & sadly a bit fake. I decided to go it alone, no brands, no bloggers. 
I began to focus on Bristol, I realised there was so much creativity & inspirational fashion right here on my doorstep, I wrote about the Bristol fashion independents & sustainable fashion designers, it was more rewarding meeting these creatives & to help promote them rather than writing about a brand that everyone else is blogging about, as H&M launched their next designer collection, yawn!! 
I love independent fashion designers like Typical Freaks, Lazy Oaf & Kuccia & Bristol based designers including Tezla, That Thing & Laa Woof. They all have unique elements as designers & brands & that's what I am interested in.


The No Debutante blog started as a diary, anyone can do this. Write about what you love, what you know, don't try to be anyone else & don't obsess over likes and followers, it will cloud your creativity, make you sad & uninspired! Get creative and start a blog today, it's fun, it's a new skill & it may pay off in the end.......






Fashion Editor at Bristol 24/7








I got the job as fashion editor for the brilliant Bristol 24/7 magazine from writing my blog. I was so excited when I was asked to be fashion editor (a dream job for a fashion blogger) that I beamed all day! As the name suggests, the magazine is all about Bristol and what's happening in our amazing city. As fashion editor I get to meet so many brilliant designers, creatives & start up fashion labels, with sustainable, festival and streetwear fashion being the most popular. I love researching brands, interviewing interesting people & creating articles about them, imagery is very important in fashion too, so I love sourcing the best images to go with my articles to make the whole piece standout, not just the writing. It's the whole package with me. It makes me real happy to see my work in print & to promote these local independents, who work so hard & get hardly any recognition outside of Bristol, I am hoping to help change that.
bristol247.com/lifestyle/fashion/







Youtube Channel





I am obsessed with social media as well as writing, I love Instagram, as I am a big lover of imagery.I pretty much use Pinterest as my life coach, arranging images on my boards of how I want my home to look, what to cook, graphic design, fashion, creative skills, what to wear, hairstyles, camping lists, blog ideas, tattoo inspiration, cleaning rotas, social media planners, health, my gosh, you name it, it's on there! Facebook is a great tool for your business pages (especially if you have a few things on the go like me) but my latest social media tool is youtube. I am quite a late comer to the youtube party, my kids have been youtubers for years! I really wasn't confident enough to talk on a video until about a year ago, my kids chat away whilst gaming or whatever it is they are filming, my mind would just go blank. My first videos came from interviews I had done for Bristol 24/7 magazine, I found it easier to film the interview to keep the mood of the interview, which I would later write into an article. Some of these interviews were really interesting & fun, so I started turning the interviews into edited vlogs. I have since attended festivals, asking people about their outfits in mini interview vlogs & have just finished a youtube tutorial on Basic pattern cutting. I had made the mistake of filming portrait instead of landscape, yeah, I'm still learning but overall I'm really happy with the finished result. My confidence improves as it goes on too, which makes me happy to see. Hopefully the tutorial will inspire someone to give it a go and try an new skill.
Youtube






SisterWorks





I am part of a female empowerment organisation named SisterWorks that started up in August 2017. Our aim is to help encourage more women into the (currently male dominated) music & creative industries by sharing skills with them, in a safe environment with lots of other women! 
I personally joined SisterWorks to meet other creatives, DJs & inspiring females in Bristol, I have always wanted be in a girl collective so I jumped at joining the group. We have gone from strength to strength in past few months, from weekly meet ups, launching a crowdfunder, a launch party event, where many of the Sisters got the opportunity to DJ'd together, show off their skills & inspire others. We are about to host our first set of workshops run by women for women. I am hosting my own little workshop on Fashion blogging & Journalism, I am so excited as the event has sold out! Watch this space to find out what happened on the day! 
SisterWorks have encouraged me to be proud of what I do, which is one of the reasons for this post, I want you all to know that talking about your achievements is a positive thing, be proud, be confident & use this to encourage others to try something new, share your skills & most importantly love yourself! 
www.facebook.com/sisterworks.co/







Bang DJ





I started my club night Bang in 2003 & it's a lofi, underground club in Bristol, where we play vinyl not CDJs, we don't really mix but we do play Bangin'records! Bristol is known for it's drum and bass, it's a very multi cultural city and anything goes. Bang has a cult following of lovely people named Bangers who appreciate good music; we play new wave, punk, sixties garage, alternative 80s, 50's, underground indie, electro, northern soul and ska to name a few genres, people come to Bang to dance hard! 
I started DJing vinyl with my husband Phil after we bought some cheap decks, we DJ'd in a local pub for a while then decided to start Bang, alongside my brother Mike who had a car boot sale vinyl obsession at the time that we thought we'd make good use of. Phil had already been a DJ for a while & encouraged me to have a go. Things were very different 15 years ago there were barely any girl DJs & men honestly just used to stare at me or try and tell me what to do! Luckily I am a strong woman & told them where to go, which I like to think is part of my success! It's always funny (& quite sweet) when people (especially other parents) find out I'm a DJ, they often think I'm a big club DJ playing dance or techno in sold out clubs. I don't mind, it's easier than having to explain, I am just proud to be a female DJ.
www.facebook.com/bangbristol/





Mono Dots





I had always wanted to be in a band since I was a teenager, although I can't play an instrument, I can dabble on the drums but that's about it, I certainly cannot read music. The chance never came along when I was younger, until we formed a band to play Bang's fave tracks at some events including Le Tigre  - Decepticon. I loved screaming that riot grrrl/ electro track so much that it gave me confidence to think I could start a band. Move forward a few years, on a chance meet up, outside my house, a new mum friend said she liked my Gang of Four (British post punk band)t-shirt, this was unheard of in the parenting community, I never mentioned the music I liked usually, most mums I knew didn't like it! This mum turned out to be Anne, the girl I would form a band with, Anne played the guitar & with Anne's husband David on drums, we became the Mono Dots. I am the singer, I am still learning but I can wail & get my point across, I can perform. We write our own songs, most of the lyrics are written by me, I had no interest in poetry before but seem to be flowing with lyrics, mostly life experiences, first world problems & female empowerment! I am really proud of myself as I now understand music production & how to create music, whilst being encouraged & inspired by my bandmates, who have never judged me as the fraud I thought I was! 
There is something unique about Mono Dots, we have overcome a huge problem for parents who are in bands/want to start a band...Who will babysit for the kids when we rehearse? David had the ingenious idea to set us all up with headphones & plug us in together, like a silent disco, we are a silent band! David uses an electric drum kit & their kids are asleep upstairs! All they can hear is the light twanging of Anne's guitar & a low thud on David's drum-pads, they can here me singing but to them its all acoustic and not the electronic loudness that we hear on the headphones. Where are my kids when this is happening? Well, Phil is in two bands himself & likes to go skating so we tag team babysit alot to keep up our hobbies. We make sure we have certain times just for us too, it's the perfect relationship!
www.facebook.com/monodotsbristol/








Family






This leads nicely into an introduction to my kids,I am very proud of this particular project! First up is Lucian who is currently 13. This kid is the brains of the outfit, he wants to be a scientist, he swims for the county, plays the trumpet & skates (like his Dad) & is very helpful with his youngest sibling. 

Two years younger is Mika he is feisty, fast & very loving. Mika is now 11, he writes the most amazing stories, loves gaming, makes fanzines, plays football & trains with the local basketball squad. 
Sylvie came a long 5 years aftern Mika,she is now a strong 6 year old girl who knows what she wants & is very determined. Sylvie is a fantastic illustrator & artist who loves cuddly toys & watching Tim Burton films.
I continued to DJ throughout all of my pregnancies & as they have grown up, to keep a balance in my personal & social life. I would recommend trying to keep on doing as many things as you did before you had kids, especially with your partner; still have date nights, weekends away but also let each other have personal projects, socialising with friends & learning new skills separately. It will keep your relationship fresh & you will all benefit from it, as you will feel happier that you are achieving something instead of being stuck in a rut, making up excuses & not living your life! Get out there! 





Desklodge Bristol





To keep many of my hobbies going & provide for my family I need to have money! Most creatives have day jobs,for many, it's the only way to keep the creativity flowing & the food on the table. I chose to work in a place that was unusual, full of interesting people that was a home from home. My day job is at DeskLodge in Bristol, a non corporate coworking space in the centre of the city. I write their blog posts, newsletters, run events & social media, I am also a host, everyone who works there is, we all muck in, tour new joiners, fill up the coffee machines & get to network with some amazing people. Our offices are themed, quirky & fun, we even have a Tardis & an indoor garden. We work hard but play hard too, our monthly socials are legendary! I know it's easier said then done but if you hate your job, find a new one, change your lifestyle, be confident & add some self love.


Fruit Salad



Fashion blogging was a way to keep me involved with the fashion industry whilst my children were young. I have degree in Fashion Design, worked in the fashion industry as a designer & then started my own fashion label. Sadly the label had to come to an end due to a lack of childcare & funds, there was less help & coworking spaces for start ups & independents in the mid noughties, so I think it is amazing that there is now more a sense of communty than going it alone. I really enjoyed designing & missed it terribly when I stopped, but to be honest, I was tired, uninspired & needed a break.
When I started blogging about local designers, I became inspired to start making again. I came to the conclusion that a designer is not a failure if they aren't getting mentioned in Vogue or aren't selling thousands of garments. I realised my previous fashion label had been pretty successful,that I could do it again. I started creating a brand style & designing again, I felt really inspired, I would design when I could, there was no pressure, this is just a project that may or may not take off. The label is Fruit Salad, name after the colour Phil told me my hair went when the pink was washing out.(It's a retro sweet thats yellow & pink for those who have no idea what I am referring too!). I loved the name & I wanted some fun graphics & after playing with outdoor chalks with Sylvie, I randomly created the Fruit Salad Monsters, a mix of kawaii cute & Matisse style sea-creatures. I have a colourful & fun kawaii-punk design style, much like my own style, I guess, colourful, big prints & shapes, mixing streetwear with punk. The shapes for the garments came naturally, I look at fashion imagery every day so there is always inspiration. I have basic stencil printing skills from my last fashion design venture & just got creative. 
My youtube pattern cutting tutorial was based on one of my Fruit Salad garments (a cropped batwing hoodie), which I plan to recreate in many different prints, fabrics & styles. Watch this space for the official Fruit Salad launch in 2018.
www.facebook.com/fruitsaladbristol/









That's me, all out there! I am not saying you need to do as much as me, I'm clearly an 'I can do this' addict, just do what makes you happy! I hope this post will inspire you or just encourage you to love yourself & live your life. It's not a cliche. I am not a life coach. This is real. Don't waste any time. Go! 





ND xx




Thursday 4 January 2018

SisterWorks Workshop newsflash!

No Debutante is very excited to announce I am hosting a Fashion Blogging & Journalism workshop at the first ever SisterWorks Women Empowering Women event at dBs Music in Bristol.

Do you wanna learn fashion blogging basics, how to take the best fashion photos, create your own blog, become a super stylist & get inspired to write fabulous content? Then join me & get inspired, but please hurry tickets are selling out very fast now! Tickets available from Crack Magazine




Wanna know more? Move your eyes this way....

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at putting on a killer DJ set, write your own banger, or create a piece of graffiti art, but felt you didn’t have the confidence, tools or knowledge to give it a go. If so SisterWorks is for you.

Calling all Sisters!

The SisterWorks line up continues to heat up! Top industry women are coming to Bristol to teach you skills in Music Production, DJing, Fashion, Song Writing, Illustration, Dance, Turntablism, Graffiti and more!

Tickets are just £20 for this full day and includes access to the studios, equipment and the talented team, panel discussion Q&A and networking. All you need to do is bring yourself and an open mind!

Women account for only 30% of senior executive roles in the Music Industry in the UK, despite making up more than half of entry-level positions, and only 11% of senior managers come from a minority background. (UK Music Diversity Survey, 2016)

SisterWorks want to change that and believe the first step is to demystify entry processes and give visibility to those leading lights in their chosen fields to inspire you to follow your dreams!




SisterWorks........Where are all the women?



ND x



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