Introduction All my life I have looked for inspiration in the world and nothing inspires me more than women. Women are kind, beautiful, powerful, brave, and hard- working. They deal with the controversy and difficulties that life serves them and cope every single day. After reading a book called “Women in clothes”, which focuses on different women, showing their stories and different points of view on fashion and style, I decided that this is what I want to focus my work on – inspirational women. I want this fanzine to be empowering for my readers and hopefully provide some inspiration of its own. Another inspiration was the city I am currently living in during my last year at university – Nottingham. This is where I first came when I moved to the UK and I fell in love in the city from at first sight. I have always adored the architecture, street style, people, and variety of places to spend time. For me, this town has a soul. During the 19th century and the Industrial Revolution, much of Nottingham’s prosperity was founded on the textile industry, in particular, Nottingham was an internationally important centre of lace manufacturing. Nottingham has an amazing history of fashion and I think it has been forgotten. Through this project, I want to remind people about the city and its greatness.
This fanzine will focus on my passion and biggest inspiration which is women, fashion, photography, street style and the city I love – Nottingham. This piece of work will showcase seven amazing women (and myself) that I have met during the last two months and I am really pleased to share their stories with you. I have met such incredible women, some of who have moved to a foreign country and had to deal with the different challenges that brings such as: learning a new language, getting to grips with a new culture, struggles with meeting new people and adjusting to a different environment. Aneta, Marga, Christina and myself came to the UK to learn the language and go to University, Tammy came to study at college, Evelina and Catalina moved here with their families and Helena came to follow love. Each of their stories are unique and interesting. However, something that all these women share is a passion for fashion and this is what I have tried to capture in my fanzine - their differing opinions on fashion and exploring their style.
Margalida GarcĂa Munar 21 years old from Palma, Spain
How would you desribe your style? My style is based on creating, I like to create and plan my outfits. Do you tend to notice women on the street? I do notice women on the street if I like how they dress. I like to get some ideas and inspiration for my outfits from the women I pass by. Do women dress differently in your country than in England? Of course they do! In my country everyone enjoyes the sun and ability to wear sandals almost all the year through. Here, because of the cold weather women dress diferently. Since I moved to England my winter closet has put on a bit on weight and I have finally started buying sweaters! Is there something you want to achieve though the way you dress? I want to definitely feel comfortable with myself. What does the word beautiful mean to you? Bright colours! Ugly? Places with no charm.
“What I truly admire about women is their confidence above all.�
Do you remember the first time you were keen for fashion? Yes, I was quite young, I really liked Zara.I think my love for fashion came from contantly going shopping with my older sister. Are you influenced by your friends or family, do you borrow or steal some ideas for outfits? No, I am not influenced. Well let’s say I used to, I don’t do it anymore. It used to be when I was really ifluenced by my friends and I used to borrow their clothes. Have you ever dressed differently from how you do now? Yes, my style was quite ‘hippy’ when I was young. I think at this point of my life I was influenced by my friends When we went to different universities and I was far away from all of them I finally found myslef. My style didn’t change dramatically but progresively.
Did your mother influence you on how you are dressing now? Yes definitely she did! She is a person I look at everyday since I was a baby. She taught me how to wear simple and elegant garments but mix it with a pinch of a hippy style. However quite often she actually doesn’t like what I wear. Is there anything you would like to change about your style? I don’t think so, I am trying to be myself at the moment and I think I am good at it.
Helena Scarlett 29 years old from Naples, Italy
How would you describe your style? I would describe my style as simple, classic but sophisticated. I like simple pieces with bright accessories. Are you trying to achieve something when you dress? I like to feel comfortable and classy at the same time. I love feeling like a woman. What do you love to wear? Classic cuts and beatufil jewellery. What do you usually never wear? I never wear mini skirts, I don’t appreciate showing too much of the body, basically I don’t think lots of flesh on show is classy. When do you feel most attractive? When I am in a dress and heels. Do you tend notice women on the street? Yes. Normally when I want to steal their style! Particularly those with a European twist on British style. I adore women who dress with confidence. I do however also notice bad style choices and wonder what made women put those clothes together.
What is your favorite piece of clothing you own? A red jumpsuit with cullotte legs. Do you have anything in your wardobe that you never wear? I have this really pretty dress I loved but it is too small for me at the moment however I still hope that one day I will fit it again! Is there any item of clothing you once owned but still wish you had? Yes! A beautiful pair of heeled boots – they were amazing but I wore them out and the store where I got them from stopped selling them. What was your first investment piece of clothing you bought? A camel coat. It is perfect for winer and also spring and autumn. It goes with every outfit, I can wear it with jeans but also elegant dress and heels.
Have you ever dressed differently from how you do now? Yes. As a teenager I really liked very tight clothes, I really wanted to show my body features and I thought the best way to do it is wearing tight clothes. Thank God I have changed my mind. Was there a moment in your life when you suddenly started loving fashion? Yeah there was actually! I was at age 8 and I have worn this floral 1950’s style dress - I fell in love with it and it was the first time I felt really beautiful. Is there any fashion trend you could never follow? Many but most recently probably the cropped trousers with frilled hems - not flattering - you should never wear something just because it’s on trend. It should flatter you and make you feel good, not wear it because it is a recent trend. Did your mother influence you on how you are dressing now? Not really, my mother and I have very different taste and style perhaps because she is very tall and I am petite so I could never steal her shoes or clothes growing up .
“Wearing high heels make me feel attractive and feminine, this is why I wear them very often.�
Do you dream about something special you wish to own? Oh it is an easy question! Chanel 2.55 handbag. One day!
Tammy Harris 18 years old from Cardiff, Wales
Do you think you have a style? My style is fairly relaxed and comfortable, although I still try to fit in with the popular trends. Does anything inspire you in terms of the way you dress? In terms of how I’m dressed; I tend to be inspired by the latest trends and what is currently favourable to wear amongst my area and age group. Depending on where I am, when I dress, I attempt to achieve a trendy but comfortable look. What would you say you feel best in and what you don’t really feel like wearing? What I consider as ‘me’ is trainers and jeans, but what I consider as ‘not me’ is extremely vibrant outfits that will attract a lot of attention. Do you remember the moment in your life when you started loving fashion? A moment when fashion clicked for me was when I was about 14. I could show off my slim and tall physique via tight clothing that was skin hugging.
Did your style ever change? My style dramatically changed when I went to college. I felt more reserved and didn’t feel the need to impress my peers as much & therefore took a more relaxed approach towards my outfits. What is your favorite piece of clothing that you own? My favourite piece of clothing to own is my leather jacket; it looks good with every outfit, is comfortable and never goes out of trend. Do you own any piece of clothing that you never wear? In my closet I have a bright pink top that is summery and pretty, although I always lack confidence to wear it as it is too vibrant! Is there any item of clothing you once owned and still wish you had? Yes! I wish I still owned my old leather jacket. The fit and style was perfect, but the seem ripped and the shop stopped stocking them so couldn’t buy another.
Do you tend to notice women on the street? I notice women on the street if they have attractive facial features such as dark hair and bright blue eyes! I also look at women who wear expressive and bold clothing as it makes me want to dress like them. If there was one country or culture or era that you could live in, fashion-wise, what would it be? One era I would like to live in in terms of fashion would be the 1960’s. I admired the skirts, makeup and hairstyles the women wore. Do you consider yourself photogenic? Do you like being photographed? I would and wouldn’t consider myself as photogenic. Sometimes I absolutely hate a picture of me and then other times I like how I appear. When do you feel most attractive? Is there anyone you trying to attract when you dress? I feel most attractive when I go out to bars/ nightclubs/party’s as I full on dress up in order to revive male attention.
“What I admire about how other women are able to represent themselves is their diversity in their appearance and different preferences in fashion.�
Aneta Marinho 30 years old from Wrocław, Poland
Tell me about your style. I could say my style is casual and colouful. The way I dress depends mostly on the weather. I love colours and feeling comfortable. Did you ever change the way you dress? When I was younger I tried really hard to look as colourful as I could. I love colours and I thought I always should look like a rainbow. Now, even though I still love wearing strong colours I remember that less means more and I try to focus only on one strong colour for my outfits and also I think casual style is really what suits me.
What does the word beautiful mean to you? Life is beautiful! And summer is beautiful, I think because it is so vibrant, colourful and magical. What is ugly? People talkng behind friend’s back. Tell me about something in your closet that you never wear. As I have mentioned before my style was like a rainbow few years ago, so as you could already guess I kept all the colourful clothes just because they mean so much to me. They kinda define half of my entire life. Is there any item of clothing you once owned and still wish you had? Yes! I had this beautiful bag, I bought it in vintage shop and it wasn’t any famous brand or anything like that, it was really unique. I had it stolen unfortunatelly.
“I love colours and that’s how I express myslef!”
Did living aboard change the way you dress? Definitely did. Seeing women dressed a bit differently than in my country like for example having colourful hair, goth massive shoes etc. made me realise there is no need to think what other people feel about the way you dress. In my country I used to be the one who people laugh at due to my ‘too much colours’ outfits. Here I can walk naked and nobody will care. I love it! Is there anything you would want to change in terms of how you dress? Definitely be more clever with mixing the colours for my every day outfits. Is there any fashion trend you could never follow? I think big glasses that cover your whole face, it is totally wrong.
Chrisitna Emmanouil 27 years old from Thessaloniki, Greece
Does anything inspire you in terms of the way you dress? Trends inspire me but I don’t follow anything that doesn’t suit my body shape or personality. Can you describe your style? Everybody has a unique style and taste. Despite the trends I think that all of us add a personal element to our looks. Are you trying to achieve something when you dress? I want to express myself and my identity, make a statement about who I am through my personal taste and style. What would you say you feel best in and what you really don’t like wearing? A total black look is my favorite. Definitely a big piece of jewelry is something I don’t tend to wear.
What do you find beautiful in fashion? Beautiful items in fashion are those that flatter the human body. When do you feel the most attractive? When I am wearing red lipstick. Is there any fashion trend you could never follow? I say a big NO to high heel sneakers. I just find them wrong and not elegant. What are some things you admire about how other women present themselves? I particularly admire women who are confident with themselves. Do you tend to notice women on the street? Yes, I enjoy seeing stylish women, I like seeing women who wear high heels. I find heels very elegant even with jeans.
“I wear heels, all day, everyday!”
Is there any item of clothing or accessorize that you can’t go a day without? Watches – I never leave the house without one on. What is your favorite piece of clothing you own? A 55 year old fur that my grandmother used to wear when she was young, which she gave to my mum and now my mum has passed it to me. Is there anything in your wardorbe that you keep but you never wear? A long black dress which I wore once in Cannes in France. It’s very feminine, goes perfeclty with high heels and a tan but it is too formal for most occasions. What was your first investment piece of clothing you boought? A designer tote bag. Do you remember the biggest waste of money you ever made on item of clothing, pair of shoes or jewellery? A pair of Italian leather boots I bouhght on my first trip to Milan, They were incredibly pretty but really hurt my feet.
Did living aboard change the way you dress? No, I have never changed the way I dressed when I moved to England. My style is the same, no matter where I am. Obviously when I am home in Greece I feel more free about wearing summery dresses, sandals etc. But apart from that I always try to fit my style into any place im in now.
Evelina Kusmierz 22 years old from Bielsko,Poland
Did your style ever change? When I was in my early teenage years I dressed differently, I think it was influenced by certain subcultures that I found interesting. With time, I became interested in different things, grew up, and I think that was the reason for a change. Did living aboard change the way you dress? Yes, definitely. I think mostly because of the cultural mix that exists in England. There is so much inspiration, you just have to look for it. Are you influenced by your friends or family, do you borrow or steal some ideas for outfits? Me and my sister always advise each other on what looks best on us, I wouldn’t call it stealing or borrowing, we just like to give each other tips. When do you feel most attractive? In the sun, when I don’t have to wear make up, and I can enjoy my natural self. Do you ever dress for somebody? Only myself.
What are some things you admire about how other women present themselves? I like seeing women put effort into their appearance. It doesn’t have to be excessive, as long as you can see they take care of themselves, I think that increases their personal appeal. Do you tend to notice women on the streett? When I’m in town I don’t normally have time to look around and think about these things. Sometimes I do see interesting people, and I do admire their style but that’s about it. What is really beautiful to you? Many things. It’s difficult to answer this question with a short answer. To me, the most beautiful is nature. What is ugly? I don’t like that word, and tend not to describe things/people with it. Is there any fashion trend you could never follow? Animal skin/fur clothing, because of how cruel it is.
Tell me about something in your closet that you keep but never wear. A skirt that is a little too small, I’m hoping to be able to get in it one day! Is there any item of clothing you once owned but still wish you had? No, I don’t get attached to material things. If you had to pick only one favourite thing from your wardrobe what would that be? Assuming I’d be living somewhere warm, it’d be my favourite dress. If there was one country or culture or era that you had to live in, fashion-wise, what would it be? I love Latin America, I adore the brown skin, brown hair, and beautifully colorful clothes.
Marta Tomalik 24 years old from Tychowo, Poland
Do I think I have style? 6 years ago (when I moved to England) I definitely changed the way I think about style and taste. My style has been changing over the years and it still does, but I think the one word that could describe it is feminine. I believe a woman should be classy and feminine and that’s what I think and hope my style is. Am I trying to achieve something when I dress? I am not sure if I am actually trying to achieve something. I love fashion and clothes and I just like to look my best every day. What would I say is totally me and what is not? Wearing pink, flowery clothes is so me and what is not? Not going abroad and exploring! When do you I feel most attractive? When I have done run and workout in a morning. Also I love being tanned and I think I feel more atractive when I have one. Is there anyone I try to attract when I dress? No, I don’t, I dress for myself.
What are some things I adore about how other women look? I love the fact that every woman I see on the street is different, and kind of tells a different story. I love that each one of them has a different style and taste and different way of thinking about fashion. As I am a keen traveler, I love exploring different culutres and seeing how women dress in different countries. Do I tend to notice women on the street? Oh yes I am obsessed! Women on the street inspire me every day. I mostly adore women who look feminine, wear heels, have a good taste. Does anything inspire me in terms of the way I dress? My style is one big inspiration. I wouldn’t dress the way I do without being inspired. Women are my biggest inspiration, and what I mean by that is women I see every day on the street, women in my favorite TV programs like Carrie Bradshaw, Blair Waldorf or Baby from Dirty Dancing. I love reading magazines, street style and style books as they are full of inspirations: they are full of women dressed differently and with different taste. Sometimes I just look for ideas for an outfit, I just see exactly the same shoes I own but I didn’t have a clue what to wear them with and the books help me to fix some of the outfit problems.
What is my favorite piece of clothing I own? I think it is all my heeled shoes. I am truly obsessed with them. I love them. Do I keep something in my wardrobe that I never wear? I actually have lots of things I keep and never wear. Why I don’t wear them? Because they don’t fit me properly but they still beautiful that’s why I keep them. If I will have to keep only one thing from my wardrobe, what would that be? This is really hard question as I love every single thing in my wardrobe but I think my black Dune high heels that you can tie up your leg would be the ones I would choose. They are really femnine and go with any outfit, either with a dress or jeans. What was my first investment I bought? My first investment was a pair of Italian black heeled boots which I bought so many years ago and still have them in a perfect condition. Is there any item of clothing I once owned and still wish I had? Yesss! The most beautiful ballerina shoes my sister bought for me in South of France They were brown with a little heels and gorgeous flower at the side.
Do I dream about something special I wish to own? Yes! I have got lots of fashion dreams to come true. One did last year when I finally got myself Victoria Beckham’s skirt. It is perfect, simple and exactly the way I imagined it to be. What is my biggest wish now is to own a pair of Christian Louboutin’s Pigalle in nude colour.
Did my mum influence me on how I am dressing now? Oh yes, definitely she did. My mum is my biggest inspiration. Since I was a kid I had high interest in fashion and I think it is because of her. I was constantly watching her when I was young and wished that in a future I can be the same stylish as she is. I remember trying her million pairs of high heels and wishing to fit them one day when I grow up. For me she always looks good in everything she wears and this is because she is confident with the way she presents herself. And yes I do still her clothes when she is not looking! Did living aboard change the way I dress? Definitely did. When I was living in Poland I wasn’t really feeling free to wear what I wanted. People are really judgmental in my country so I always picked what everyone wore instead what I really liked and would love to wear. Moving to England and seeing people with pink or blue hair made me realise the fact that finally I am in a place where I can wear what I always wanted to wear - dresses, fancy shoes, flowers!
Catalina Rodriguez 21 years old from Porto, Portugal
Can you describe your style? I would say that my taste is personal, I don’t always follow fashion trends. My style is based on the products/ clothing that I buy when abroad, in variety of local shops. I must admit my wardrobe is a mixture of different culture. Are you trying to achive something when you dress? I try to achieve looking outstanding from others around me. I like looking different than other people. Is there something you adore about women you seeing every day? Do you look at women on the street? Of course, they are a part of my inspiration. I admire bravery and confidence, for someone to wear what they want and stand out. Does anything inspire you in terms of the way you dress? I travel very often to different countries around Europe. I meet different cultures and different people. Travelling is a big part of what I wear.
Did your style ever change? Yes, I feel like the way I dress is constantly changing. Couple of years ago I was all about flowers and pastel colors, heels. Now I am more about street fashion. Do women dress differently in your country than in England? Oh yes, completely, in Portugal the woman are always more about buying clothes that are comfortable rather than fashionable. In England everyone seems to be following the basic trends of all the shops. Did living aboard change the way you dress? Yes it always affects the way I dress, also Whenever I am in another country, I try to adjust my fashion style to fit in more with the locals. That’s where my multicultural wardrobe come from! Was there a point of your life when your style dramatically changed? I wouldn’t say dramatically, it a slow process of wardrobe changing from one preference to another. Are you influenced by your friends or family in the way you dress? Yes, I would say that by spending time with my friends I adapt a similar touch of style as they have.
Do you think you are photogenic? As a photographer I prefer to be behind the camera rather than in front of it, I think depends on who is taking my photo I can be photogenic. When you see yourself in photographs, what do you think? First when I look at the photograph it is a bit of a shock in both good and bad way! When do you feel most attractive? When I’m tanned after a vacation and rested.
Do you ever feel conscious about what you are wearing? Having to wear a top/dress without a bra is something I always feel conscious about, doesn’t feel right. Is there anything in your wardorbe that you keep but you never wear? I have an Traditional Indian dress, it’s beautiful with sequins everywhere and gold threads, beautiful pink color with flower patterns… it fits perfectly but I don’t think I would ever wear it in public, at the same time I hope that one day I will have an occasion to wear it finally! . Is there any item of clothing you once owned and still wish you had? My black Doctor Martins.
“I love the 50’s, the red lipstick, beige colors, big dresses, skirts, hats! What’s not to love! “
Do I dream about something special I wish to own? I travel quite often and I love meeting new people, getting to know new culture, being isnpired what I see when I travel to different places.I just dream to own as many multicultural garments as I possibly can.
What is your favorite piece of clothing you own? My silver jacket from Zara, I just love it! It goes well with every out t and it is vey comfortable and keeps me warm.