My Major Change and Fashion Weekend

Hello Fashionators!

Happy Thursday! I hope everyone is looking forward to the weekend! Today was one of the best days I've had since moving to London! I went to work and did some research and compile some data... on shoes. I cannot say enough how completely perfect my internship is for me. Each day there is a new project, task, or challenge, and I am beginning to see how my skills have developed from being in such a wonderful creative environment. I left work early today at 15:00 to go to Fashion Weekend. I made a tiny boo-boo when scheduling my day. I bought tickets to fashion weekend for 15:30-20:00 entry to Somerset House, but also scheduled a 15:30 meeting to change my field of study. I had to cut work a tad early to make it all work, but I pulled it off!

Fashion Weekend

Tuesday evening I published a scathing criticism of fashion week. I do not retract any of my statements, as I feel that they accurately represent my experience and the tarnishing of fashion week. In my opinion, fashion week should be limited to those who do business there or are invited to shows personally by designers. Anyone else should not be allowed- including myself!

Fashion Weekend is the glorious event in place that allows consumers of fashion into the fashion week experience. Tonight was possibly the best night I've had in London. I went to Somerset House with a clutch stuffed with everything (except cash- huge mistake) and my camera. I had already bought my tickets, so I went right through the gate and received the pass that identified I belonged there. In the middle of the courtyard was a make-shift building. This building housed the runway for trend and designer runway shows and also an area where a few designers displayed samples of their work for sale. In there I bought the Maybelline Spring Collection of Baby Lips and Nail Varnish. I explored and admired the unique creations and wandered over to Somerset House.

Each wing held different genres of collections, though I don't remember where everything was exactly. There were endless rooms with rack after rack of designer pieces. I tried on a beautiful dress that I was entirely too short for. It wasn't a matter of hemming, as the silhouette was intended for a taller woman. The high crew neckline paired with the floor-length skirt made me appear very petite. I bought myself a gorgeous Jane Carr Italian Silk scarf. It's a large square scarf with a classic blue and white pattern. I was completely sold when I realized it was not just any blue, but Carolina blue. 

I soon found the room that was the holy grail of fashion weekend- the room that held marked down luxury designer pieces. Dolce & Gabbana. Celine. Bulgari. Most major designers had pieces on these racks. I restrained myself (though with much internal conflict) and didn't purchase anything. Though many of the pieces were gorgeous, especially a number of the Celine pieces, I couldn't justify paying quite that much for pieces. I feel that I'm too young and money is too scarce a resource to invest that much in my wardrobe. My style and preferences are constantly evolving, and I need a wardrobe that reflects that. I also couldn't afford the pieces and the shipping to get them back to America. 

I stepped out onto the terrace of the first floor (for my American readers, the first floor is what we would consider the second floor; ground floor is their "first floor"). It overlooked the Thames and the southern bank, which was absolutely stunning to see as the sun set. The fresh air and breeze felt amazing after being inside for over an hour. 

I looked through nearly every rack of every room just to see all the amazing pieces. I studied all the unique jewelry and accessories and noted the latest makeup trends. I stopped in the large Sunglass Hut room and tried a pair of Miu Miu sunglasses I've been eyeing for a few months, but ultimately didn't like the bridge over the nose. 

Every time I type a bit of my shopping experience that concludes with me not purchasing something, I can hear my mom saying "Oh thank goodness" to herself. 

While going through Somerset House, I was given a free Mueller Light yoghurt, which essentially changed my life. It was a chocolate greek yoghurt and it tasted like chocolate pudding. It was only 100 calories and 2 grams of fat for the whole package and even had protein! I have found a healthy replacement for Twirl bars! While ruining my lipstick by inhaling the chocolate yoghurt-pudding from the heavens, I met a group of American girls! They were also studying abroad. It was really refreshing to talk to them knowing there were in a similar position as being young women studying and interning in London! 

After perusing a bit more, I decided it was time to see the Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore Exhibit. I strolled up to the counter with ticket in hand to be denied. I needed to take my bags to the cloak room- no problem! I got to the cloak room only to have one of the most "classic Brittany" moments to ever occur. Since my credit card arrived, I haven't pulled any cash, as I get a better exchange rate using my card. It was one pound to store my items, and I couldn't see the exhibition I'd paid 10 pounds for in advance if I didn't. Perfect. I dumped the entire contents of my wallet onto the counter and started stuffing the receipts, chap stick, cell phones, and cards back in as the attendant started collecting change. It took every coin except for three pence in my wallet to pay to store my bags. The women donning Prada bags behind me stared at me like I was crazy, which is fair. I don't know if it even came out to a full pound or if the man just felt embarrassed for me. Either way, I was ready to go through the exhibit now! 

I walked down the stairs and was met by photographs of Isabella and memorabilia about her life. There were screens from runway shows, including one from Alexander McQueen's 1996 show for Givenchy. There were also a few of McQueen and other's pieces displayed around the room. The most notable was a hand knit sweater by McQueen that had a webbed effect and a fringed bottom hem. The quality and detail was absolutely stunning, and I began reflecting on Alexander McQueen's short fashion career. I went through the exhibition in awe of the pieces, styling, and displays. I really cherished the rarity and uniqueness of McQueen's earlier work. My favourite piece in the exhibit was the light pink feather gown he created for his SS2008 collection. I marveled at the intricate detailing and how each feather was placed by hand, and not one was awry. The structural mastery demonstrated in this piece combined with his unmatched creativity was overwhelming. The photo absolutely does not do it justice. The garment cannot be fully understood without seeing it in detail in person. Those are hand laid feathers that are roughly an inch long. The train in the back was about three feet.

For the first time in my life, I cried from being overwhelmed by beauty. Looking back and writing about the experience, it sounds odd, but it did not feel odd or out of place. I believe I was actually grieving the fact that the world lost Alexander McQueen too soon. Perhaps it is selfish to believe that he had years of creating left, but he had done more in those few short years than most designers do in a lifetime. 

I was sad to leave the exhibit, but had to in order to catch my Skype meeting. I journeyed back to my flat using one train, two buses, and my feet. I stupidly wore my BCBG wedges to Somerset House, and my feet were killing me after being in heels all day. My last bus was delayed, so I ran back to my flat from the bus stop. Of course, when I mean ran, I mean stumble quickly about the street in wedges while trying to keep my dress down, because I cannot run. I flew into my flat, threw my things down, got on Skype, looked in my diary and realized my meeting was for 20:30, not 20:00. This is good, though, because it was 20:05 when I got to my flat and I had time to take of my shoes and change into more comfortable clothes. 

I met with an academic advisor from my university so I could change my field of study. I was studying Economics, but learned that my passion is not in stock, accounting, or lagrangian functions- it's fashion. My advisory was so incredibly kind! She showed me the sun shining on the quad and told me about the lovely Southern weather! For the thirty minutes I spent on Skype with her, I felt like I was transported back home to my university. She let me talk about my experiences in my internship, my journey to discovering my passions, and my reasoning for changing my major! She was so informative, kind, and encouraging! I am now an Advertising major in the Journalism School, and could not be happier! I look forward to sending my advisor a few postcards and showing her some photographs when I return! 

I hope everyone had as much good fortune in their day as I did!

xo 

BJordan