How looking outside the box can inspire creativity

 

My goodness, why is everything so hard at the moment???

I started the day so positively, I had planned today's vlog and was mentally ready to smash it! Then the first of many home distractions and interruptions happened (watch the vlog to find out some of them), right in the middle of my 'record in one take' weekly vlog! 

Despite the chaos of home-life, I really want to keep posting a weekly vlog and blog as I actually enjoy it, so I refuse to be beaten by a few home distractions! 

By the time I did finally get back to recording the vlog, I was stressed out but wired and decided to just go for it and you know what? I think I got away with it! Find the link at the end of this post and make your own mind up! 

This week's topic is actually about looking outside the box to inspire creativity, so let's ignore the lockdown home-life madness for now and get stuff done! 

A rare, calm family moment! 

Adapting to change

The main inspiration that led to this weeks topic was actually stock, or a lack of it.

For the past month I have been having problems trying to get stock (beautiful pastel beanies for Fruit Salad) in from my local suppliers due to a mix of both Brexit and covid issues. It's been super frustrating and, to be honest, as a new business, I hadn't really given a thought to how Brexit may personally affect my business. 

In hindsight, I wished I had ordered lots more beanies in, not just because of Brexit, it's also the best time of year to sell beanies so there's a little note to myself for next winter! But hey! You live and learn.

On a positive note it has actually made me reconsider other ideas that I had in the pipeline for the future of a more sustainable Fruit Salad Beanie, that may now come into plan. Which can only be a good thing! 

However, I am now also getting very low on my stockpile of pre-loved garments and fabrics that I use to create my Fruit Salad REWORK collections, despite doing a massive charity shop haul back in October.

I long to be back in the charity shops sourcing new fabrics to rework but, due to current lockdown rules, that will have to wait until at least March! 

It's time to scrape the barrel and see what I can create with what I currently have in stock, which is also pretty sustainable too! It's a challenge, but I'm up for it. 

Repurposed Shapes and Spheres jewellery collection
by Elin Horgan

Repurposing and Recycling

Inspired by many of the amazing designers that I interviewed in my Indies in Lockdown blog series, I have learnt that working with what you already have IS possible!

During lockdown one, I spoke to jewellery designer Elin Horgan who found herself in a similar situation. Unable to get the components she needed from her suppliers, Elin decided to challenge herself and work with the stock she already had. 

By repurposing and recycling her scrap silver, Elin created a bold and beautiful collection of one off pieces named Shapes and Spheres, a totally unique way to keep her productivity and creativity flowing through a difficult time. Which I think is just amazing and super inspiring! 

Another creative who completely smashed lockdown one and adapted to the new change to her work and homelife was artist Emotional Waterfall, who, after realising she couldn't get to her studio, ended up turning a corner of her kitchen into her new creative space. 

By embracing her new set up Emotional Waterfall (aka Jemma Burnsnell) was posting daily inspirations and creations, even encouraging us to adorn glass jars and tins (basically the recycling) with amazing prints and colours. It was truly a joy to see her latest creations pop up on instagram! 

These two (of many) brilliant creatives have inspired me to rethink the way I work when life throws us (an albeit massive) curveball, to not dwell on what I can't do and focus on what I can accomplish. It's actually a really exciting thought! I literally want to start creating right now! Lets get the blog finished first...

Amazing upcycled tins and jars
by Emotional Waterfall

Using media outlets to share your creativity

You may not realise it but, if you used lockdown as a creative window and turned your hobby into a side-hustle or a small business you have already started to look outside the box! You are selling on your own little online platform and for many of you  - due to bricks and mortar shops not being open right now - you have created your own little shop! Well done you! 

We are not just talking about creative makers here...As a multi-disciplinary creative, I am also a musician and a DJ. The music industry has suffered so much this past year and I have (we all have) completely missed experiencing live music as performers, creators and music lovers. 

I'm also saddened that my club night Bang turns 18 years old (I know, 18!!) this month and we cannot throw a big banging party to celebrate! 

However, I am really grateful to have been able to continue sharing music that I love via my radio show - This is Radio Bang. It has been a perfect (and the only) outlet for me to continue with Bang in one guise or another. I am also hoping to do an insta live DJ set too. 

Up until now I have been reluctant to DJ (or speak) on an insta live, despite presenting my own radio show and putting on club nights, ridiculous really! It's the same with performing with my band, I will stand up in front of a crowd of people at a gig and absolutely love it.

DJing at Bang and loving life 
 Photo credit Ania Shrimpton for Nitelife

So, why does an insta live performance somehow seem to expose us more? 

Well, quite frankly, it doesn't! If anything people get to see the real, completely natural, endearing and lovable you! So just do it! 

Stepping out of your comfort zone is another way to look outside of that box and try something new. I completely encourage it! 

As I've said before it's all about video on social media right now and we need to be confident to use it. Never before has there been such exposure, so pick your medium, find out what works best for you and go with it. 

Since covid hit, we have all now become experts at adapting to change so let's use this new super ability to benefit ourselves, promote and inspire creativity! 

Whether it's looking outside the box to create something new from old or stepping outside your comfort zone and performing on insta live, I really hope I have inspired you to keep your creativity flowing! It takes some muscle but I promise you it will be worth it. 

In my next blog post I shall be encouraging us all to Share the love! With a look into how we can support each other more, in life as well as on instagram and in business. 

I am really interested in hearing from anyone who has any tips or stories on any of the topics discussed in todays blog post, so please do get in touch, get involved and share the love! 

Watch the IGTV Vlog that goes with this blog post and covers literally everything and more in-between in 11 minutes! Have a great week x 

How I became a slow fashion blogger

The No Debutante blog has been going for nearly 8 years in July! It has progressed from a pregnancy fashion blog to a lifestyle and fashion blog that supports independent designers, sustainable and slow fashion. 

There are no more shopping hauls or 'top 5 faves from the high street' posts as I am just not consuming fashion the way I used to and that's a good thing!

June's purchase a pair of mens leopard print trousers from the Urban Outfitters sale

At the most I figure I am buying one fashion item a month and that item is always considered on whether I need it and will I really wear it and most importantly, does it support slow fashion? 

Don't get me wrong. I love fashion, I love design, colour and print! I just don't follow trends anymore or dedicate myself to big fashion designers, which is maybe the wrong way to go for a fashion blogger and journalist, but I'm just being honest with myself and my ethics. 

Layering up in three independent designers creations including earrings by Kashaya Makes, Jacket by Kuccia & Duvet Days trousers

I am not a saint in supporting slow and sustainable fashion either. I love trainers and I am not completely against buying from the high street, I just don't buy that often and I don't crave for the next big thing, not even with trainers! 

I buy fashion items when I love them and limiting yourself helps you to see more clearly, which in turn stops that fast, random purchase, that you just had to buy, but never wore....

The importance is to get the balance right, in these images alone, featuring six of my outfits from the past couple of months, 10 items are from independent designers, 4 items from the high street, one was a present (and was handmade), one item was fashion salvaged and one item is vintage. This includes accessories and footwear too! I am happy that only a quarter of the things I have worn, originally came from the high street! I am going in the right direction! Small changes mean a lot! 

Print clashing in a fashion salvaged jumpsuit and Balulu jacket (upcycled from bedsheets). 

The way I blog has changed too. I used to beat myself about not blogging enough from my style posts to the latest trends and shows. When instagram came along it changed the way I shared my style forever. It's much easier to share one image a day or a week, it expresses your style perfectly whilst reaching a wider audience.

I could have given the whole blogging malarkey up but I still loved writing and wanted to encourage people over to my blog. Things changed again once I started supporting independent designers as this was a new edge on what I had previously been doing (the same as all the other fashion bloggers....yawn), it felt good to support and promote independents and they were also kind enough to share the love and direct their followers to my blog too! 

The No Debutante blog also got me the job as fashion editor at Bristol 24/7 magazine. It's done me proud! 

Vintage meets leopard print (left) my amazing new Bikini Kill t-shirt bought for me for my birthday by Phil (right)

I am not sure about the future of blogging but I will continue to blog at my own pace and hope you enjoy my little posts and that they inspire you in some way!

Do follow what I am up to on my social media platforms too - Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, all under the @nodebutante name 

Big Love & slow fashion xx

Independent women in fashion

Hey fashionistas! It's been a month (or so) of repping independent designers, and mostly Bristol ones too! From upcycled vintage fabrics from Balulu and Duvet Days to having a bash at a zip front fleece for my own slow fashion brand Fruit Salad, it's all about the independents, and independent women at that! 

The amazing Mickey Mouse co-ord by Bristol brand Balulu

Print clashing it up in Duvet Days stripe trousers and matching reversible crop top paired with a Lazy Oaf  oversized shirt. 

More Lazy Oaf and Duvet Days Mash up!

Time for me to pair my own creations with Duvet Days stripe trousers - Pastel fleece by Fruit Salad

Streetwear styling with a That Thing beanie and joggers 

Close up of Fruit Salad zip front pastel fleece

These Duvet Days trousers just go with everything! 

A passion for fashion - Bristol 24/7

Spring has been a very busy month for No Debutante and Bristol fashion. With the fabulous Fashion Front show, fun filled Revamp Restyle Reuse and the launch of streetwear queens That Thing's Spring Summer collection and still another event with the Fashion Front Bzzaar on the horizon plus a few kick ass Bristol gigs chucked in here and there, Spring has certainly sprung big time!  

Here's quick flashback to the beginning of the year when the Creative Youth Network created and inspiring range with young Bristol creatives and No Debutante shared the Bristol fashion love as Fashion Editor for Bristol 24/7.

Young people with a passion for fashion have been taught practical skills in upcycling, visual merchandising and styling with an aim to start a fashion portfolio. Read more here

For more information on Creative Youth Network and creative careers courses in Bristol, visit www.creativeyouthnetwork.org.uk/Pages/Events/Category/creative-courses

Photography by James Pettitt and Zoe MacAfee

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

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

To The Moon In Style

As an alternative to the current, so called, Bristol Fashion week (all Malls, high street brands and celebrities) a collection of Bristol Female Fashionistas including myself, the lovely former buyer & stylist Gemma from the newly opened To The Moon Boutique/ Bar & sustainable fashion queen Helen Brown from Kecks Clothing are settling up a collaborative of Bristol based designers including, sustainable fashion label Antiform, to come together with other Bristol based fashion designers & creatives to promote all things Bristol Fashion, including sustainable fashion & streetwear to get Bristol on the Fashion map. Its not all about London after all...

Where Bristol Fashion is currently failing is not in creatively or talent, its a bubble of creativity and originality, the problem is, if we are going to compete with London as a leading city of Fashion, Bristol designers & creatives need to be supported by Bristol. London Fashion week is not all about high street fashion, it is about the independent designers themselves, London supports new and local talent, giving them a showcase to share their work and creativity with others. If Bristol Fashion designers were given the support from Bristol, the way London supports London Fashion, whether this would be through grants or independent sponsors, then it currently stands a chance at becoming a force to be reckoned with in the Fashion world.

The Independent Fashion Focus at To The Moon in Bristol is the first step in the process to getting Bristol noticed, the plan is to start up a Bristol Fashion Scene, arranging meet ups & events that's will bring everybody together & help with promotion & fashion events, which will lead up to a Bristol Fashion week that is real Bristol Fashion by Bristol Fashion designers and creatives. I think it is true to say that nothing at the current Bristol Fashion Week has anything to do with Bristol, except that it is based in a Mall in Bristol. All the garments in the Fashion show are from corporate high street brands, garments that are designed & made outside of Bristol & are massed produced to every high street around the world. Where is the creativity in that? Where is the Bristol in this fashion week???

Lizzie Harrison from Antiform is a perfect example of what is happening in the (currently secret) world of Bristol Fashion. Lizzie sources waste fabrics & off cuts from UK fabric manufacturers including lacemakers and knitwear companies, many of whom have supplied to great British Fashion institutions like Vivienne Westwood & Liberty, these are British craftsmen at their best. Some of these off cuts have been rejected by quality control for having small imperfections in them which would go to waste, luckily for Lizzie & Antiform, these manufacturers save many of their unused rolls of fabric which Lizzie then creates something new from a wasted product. The whole of the Antiform collections are made from sourced waste fabrics and trims, they are given a new lease of life, as well as being great for the environment, the nature of using small off cuts means that each garment will be unique & different, the cut of the garments will remain the same but each piece will be unique!

No Debutante buddy Helen Brown from Kecks Clothing also did one of her eye-opening talks on upcycling and reuse. Helen works closely with Bristol Textiles Recycling (BTR) promoting reuse by showing how we can all get involved with upcycling & generally saving the planet! Helen holds talks & workshops on upcycling & presents them at sustainable fashion events & also in schools, encouraging everyone to be aware & how to get involved. On this occasion Helen brought along a case full of wasted t-shirts that she had picked up from BTR who coincidentally receive over 4000 wasted tshirts a week! Which is shocking! Helen has many ideas on how you can reuse a tshirt on this occasion she showed us how you can turn a tshirt into a ball of yarn, which was fantastic! Helen also has a fashion line of upcycled & vintage items that she has creatively upcycled & rescued from landfill. These items are currently available at Emmaus in Bristol where Helen also has her studio.

Creatively & sustainably there is a lot going on in Bristol. Help us get Bristol on that fashion map by following all Bristol fashion designers & creatives on social media under #bristol #bristolfashion #fashiondesigners and Like and Share what they are doing. You don't have to be from Bristol to support Bristol fashion! Support Bristol Fashion!

If you would like to join us, get involved or help promote Bristol Fashion or know anybody rolling in money who may wish to help us out then please do get in touch.

Thanks so much to Gemma and Chris at To The Moon for holding the event & creating awareness to all things sustainable, shipshaped & Bristol fashion!! 

 Lizzie from Antiform introducing the new collection

 

Tiny strips of unused UK sourced trim make up the pattern on this Antiform Peasant Dress

 No D in Glitter knit Antiform top & vintage trousers from To The Moon Boutique

 Party Guests styling up To The Moon items for a Fashion challenge #tothemooninstyle

Ottowin Shoes handmade in Bristol...No D wants them in a bright pink!

 Helen from Kecks Clothing draws a crowd of Bristol & Bath fashion students for an upcycling presentation

My ladeez.....Gemma & Helen

All photography by No Debutante

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 No Debutante name #nodebutante

 Thanks for checking in Fashionistas xx

ND xx

Reduce, Reuse and Upcycle

Bristols upcycling queen Helen Brown from Kecks Clothing has collaborated with  Emmaus Bristol with an aim to bring reuse to the forefront of the charity sector, preventing landfilll waste, saving money and helping you revamp your stuff and your wardrobe! On Friday 15th July ( as part of a Bristol fashion doublewhammy alongside the That Thing Festival Showcase launch to follow this post shortly) No Debutante attended the launch party for the 'Upcycling Lounge' at Emmaus Bristol to find out more about the collaboration with Kecks Clothing.

Helen from Kecks Clothing, is one of Bristols top reuse specialists whom regularly holds workshops and talks inspiring and promoting upcycling and reuse, working closely with local charities and Bristol Textiles Recyclers to help promote  the benefits of reuse and to show you what you can do to help and get upcycling yourself! Kecks Clothing itself is a fashion and textiles brand upcycling preloved clothing with hand drawn designs and stencil prints. Kecks Clothing is available to buy at the Upcycling Lounge, Emmaus, Bristol. 

 I have fond memories of upcycling, stencil printing and customising preloved clothing as over ten years ago I had my own fashion and upcycling brand named Phlem ( I agree the name isn't great but it certainly got attention!) which sadly had to come to an end due to a lack of childcare & finances for the two beautiful children I had brought into the world with my business partner (and husband) Phil! It was a different time then and collab spaces were a very new thing that didn't yet exist in Bristol, I think as a small business we would have benefited from this greatly! I am very proud of Phlem and what we achieved.

Emmaus itself is a homelessness charity with a difference, not only raising money and awareness for the charity but also finding homes, jobs and support for many homeless people. Helping them get their lives back on track.

Check out the Upcycling Lounge at Emmaus Bristol on Upper York street, Stokes Croft, Bristol for clothing, workshops and Furniture in a relaxed and modern vintage atmosphere and find yourself a bargain. Find your local Emmaus store here and get involved!

If you are having a fashion event or a have a new collection you would like No Debutante to promote please get in touch! You do not have to be from Bristol or even the UK. Fashion newbies are very welcome!

All photography by No Debutante

If you are interested in collaborating with No Debutante or getting featured on the No Debutante blog please contact me / send me a message on any of the following social networking platforms all under the No Debutante name #nodebutante

Keep up with No Debutantes OOTD posts, collabs and current fashion obsessions posted daily on all of the following. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr,  Pinterest.
Thanks for checking in Fashionistas xx
ND xx