Believe in better...

It's been yet another busy week for me; I've started working for my new client, met some more great people and caught up with a few friends who all seem to be unhappy with various aspects of their life mainly because they don't believe nor do they enjoy what they're doing. 

Naturally this made me start thinking about my own situation....

When I decided to become self-employed it was a decision which I'd thought about for years and until I was brave enough to take the first step I would think of lots of reasons why I shouldn't do it; security, what if it all goes wrong?, when will I get paid?, where do I start? what if I fail? etc
...Although these were important considerations, I was ultimately led by what felt right and whether I believed in what I was doing (the answer to both of these questions was yes by the way) I surrounded myself with positive people and everything else seems to have fallen into place. 

I was looking for some fitting images and videos to include with this post and really struggled until I came across this quote which for me summed it all up and made it much more easier.

"What ever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve"  
Napoleon Hill (1883-1970) American speaker and motivational writer.

My idol, inspiration and someone who I've always believed in
A beautifully directed Pepsi Commercial (1992)
Michael Jackson

Jessica Cox: The first pilot with no arms proving you don't need 'wings' to fly

1969 Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon

The youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial
segregation, and discrimination using non-violent methods in 1964
Martin Luther King

 Arguably the most inspirational boxer of all time
Mohammed Ali

Only with pure belief would you ever be able to perform like this. 
Edison "Edson" Arantes do Nascimento (better known as Pelé) 

Hope that wasn't too somber for a Thursday evening. 

Happy Friday and have a great weekend.

xoxo

Top Picks from New York

It's been yet another interesting and productive week, I have met with lots of great creative agencies, visited some great galleries and museums and had some funny lunches.  I've also bought some great vintage stock which will soon be showcased on the Tubberfly Vintage website - hoping to get the website live by May. 


I've also had my eyes on the trends, styling and inspiration of designers throughout New York Fashion week and of course the excitement is brewing for London Fashion Week.  I was absolutely loving the style of some of the celebs attending the shows and have picked a few of my favourites below: 



Anna Sui Fall 2011




Diane Von Furstenberg Fall 2011




Hannah Bronfman VMAN Launch Party




Jason Wu Fall 2011




Joanna Hillman Backstage at Yigal Azrouel




Karl Lagerfield Fall 2011




Keris Hilson VMAN 21 Launch Party




Gwen Steffani L.A.M.B




Morchesa Fall 2011





Morchesa Fall 2011

 Have a lovely weekend
xoxo

Dedicated follower of fashion!

I'm sure many of you have been browsing through pictures of glamorous models and actors attending the various awards ceremonies in the past couple of weeks, it's difficult not too.  While flicking through websites of designer gowns, shoes and amazing accessories I wondered how many of these celebrities actually chose their own outfits without being pressured by a PA, stylist or designer - I would imagine very few of them. 

I am no designer but I do work in an industry full of creative people who often express their personality through fashion.  Since working for various advertising agencies I have come across extremely talented creatives, designers, media buyers, digital wizards and artworkers who all have their own working style that is often portrayed through their personal style. 

I echo the thoughts of many designers when they say fashion is a personal statement and something you have to be comfortable with not something which you should follow.  A perfect example of this is Street Style which is formally described as offbeat fashion inspired by contemporary culture.  To me it's about real people setting their own trend, something the homogenous High Street may find difficult to contend with and something which designers find inspiration from. 

Take a look at my favourite street style photos from around the world on this very miserable Tuesday afternoon.  Enjoy xoxo

New York

 



Vintage Italy

 




Paris




Oslo

Spain

Bangkok

China



Forever 21 Buzz or Confusion!!

I made my first visit to a UK Forever 21 store this week.  Having only visited the store in an upmarket american mall on a few occasions I was eager to see how it compared.  Firstly,  I was overwhelmed with the sheer volume of clothes over the huge store which spanned 3 large floors.  There were clothes for as far as the eyes could see and although they were categorised very well by colour, style and theme it all became a little confusing.  I found myself walking in different directions and constantly looking ahead to see what I was missing out on instead of taking a systematic approach and browsing section by section.    

Having worked for various retail clients in the past where my main objectives were to increase footfall, visitor dwell time and promote retailers within a shopping destination had me wondering whether Forever 21 was one of those red herrings which fulfilled these objectives paired with the fact that for the next few months or years visitors would be interacting with the brand for the first time creating an organic buzz - something most retailors now crave for!! 

Personally I found it all a little overwhelming and it probably didn't help that before my visit I was sat in my friends gorgeous vintage boutique for 2 hours browsing through rails of couture.  I did manage to purchase a few items from both places but found the former much more enjoyable - this could very well be reflecting my age and passion for all things vintage.

I'll leave you to browse through some great photo's I found of shoppers in the 60's - have a great weekend.
xoxo

   

Snickers Super Bowl Commercial 2010 with Betty White (LotsOfSecrets.com)

Diet Pepsi Max Superbowl Commercial 2008 - "What is Love?"

Banned Commercials - Budweiser 2003 Super Bowl

Superbowl Retro Magic!!!

This morning I've been reading about the collosal spend of advertising during the US Superbowl XLV on Sunday - an estimate $100,000 per second.  I am not a fan of the NFL nor do I fully understand the sport, but what I do enjoy is the healthy competition of advertising before, during and after the game. 

For me the Superbowl encompasses the 'American Dream', obviously when you remove the multimillion pound sponsorships, plugs, licence fees, gambling revenues, celebrity endorsements and merchandise you're left with a fraction of the 90 million viewers who actually want to enjoy watching the game and not Christina Aguilera apparently fluffing the lines of the national anthem. 

The representation of hope, history, magic, unity, teamwork, belief, success, vision, winning and triumph would have probably been the main focus of most advertising creative briefs when thinking about brands during the Superbowl.  I was interested to know how these representations could change over time so I've picked a few of my favourites from the past 20 years - please see following video posts.

xoxo

My first post!!!!

Today was a great day for 2 reasons - I'm officially self employed and I have the support of great people around me.  Hmmm yes I am aware of how cheesy that sounds but all in all it was a day of true realisation. 

I am now a freelance advertising consultant and the proud owner of a young company called Tubberfly Vintage (A brand specialising in vintage and retro jewellery & accessories). 

I set up this blog initially to talk about my love for fashion, music and life in advertising.  I'm 26, I'm ambitious, a little self absorbed and have absolutely nothing to lose so I invite you to follow me on this journey of being my own boss and the trials and tribulations that await me.

Enjoy
xoxo