PUBLICATION by Northumbria University

post pandemic extravagance | fashion and wellness publication | winter 2020

Sunday Best is a safe space for female creatives who are looking for all forms o f p o s i t i v i ty p o s t pandemic. It is a cosy corner to sip iced coffee and not care if i t s p i l l s . I t’ s a n o p e n house for women who know their worth and who only ever wanted a simple fairytale. For women who follow the trends but don’t always abide by them. No rules allowed.

Editor’s Letter

Hitting Resume on Life

Feeling Some Type of Way

Wellness

Less Is More

Out With the Old and in With the New

Romanticise Your Life

CONTENTS 24

Post Pandemic Extravagance

Love Letter to the Future 40

2020

Message of Peace

P h oto v i a P i nte re st

EDITOR’S LETTER

When I thought ‘Post Pandemic Positivity’, I thought: Individualism; the freedom to wear what you want when you want and using clothing as a means to do so, escape the mundanities of working life and the new alien ways of navigating it; embracing the idea of getting up getting dressed going out and looking FABULOUS albeit to the supermarket. Not keeping our Sunday best for best because simply: life is too short. In which I encourage you to wear the dress to the supermarket.

et’s start with: I don’t know what happened this year, but it has been a lot. The world feels upside down. As we near the end of the year, it is fair to say this year has been a washout. A year that was bursting with potential and opportunity slowly got rained on and ruined. When I started working on a concept for this issue back in the summer of 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the idea of a new reality was, or could be, was unknown. This certainly isn’t how I envisaged my Editor’s Letter to be. But with that said I am extremely proud of what the team has curated on the pages that follow. The publication is dedicated to fashion in all of its glory, with its ability to empower as we celebrate the beautiful art of getting dressed up. I read something recently by Bill Cunningham which said: ‘Fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life.’ I don’t know about you, but I felt that, and that’s certainly been me probably unknowingly for the last few months as I change between 3 and 4 outfits a day. Sunday Best wanted to wave a flag for topics that don’t always get spoken about sadly, such as mental health and the things we can do to help and try to make ourselves feel better, now more than ever. It felt like these areas had already taken steps to transition into a better place but found themselves at a crossroad between staying safe with what you already know or taking that leap of faith into the unknown. At this point, the change felt imminent, and with that, we started to envisage the future.

Fast forward five months, these thoughts felt ever more prevalent. The world has simply gone mad. Amid a year full of both challenges and, shall we say a few, contradictions it means we’ve been forced to slow down. The universe has heard us. I couldn’t help but wonder maybe things are more ‘normal’ than they’ve ever been right now. As we find ourselves adjusting to WFH but often with only the company of a regular Monday afternoon ZOOM call, or a brief conversation with the postman who I now know is called Peter (at a distance). With that like so many, I’m now someone who exercises daily, mediates, and bakes. Lockdown in some ways allowing us to appreciate these simpler homebound pleasures within this new time. The brief suddenly became apparent: let’s dream again and start romanticising our lives. It’s important to remember as we enter lockdown 2.0 – this isn’t our first rodeo. We’re ready to adjust and thrive in this next stage of ‘normal’ and do it together.

LUCY DAVIS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 7

LET’S HIT RESUME ON LIFE AFTER A GLOBAL PANDEMIC THAT CHEWED US UP AND SPAT US BACK OUT

FEELING SOME TYPE OF WAY

Lipstick on a night out

Seats in the cinema

Eyeshadow

Iced coffee

Laughter

The nail salon

A bouquet of peonies

A new moon in Cancer

Peppermint tea

Walks in the park

Turning on the Christmas lights

Bottega Veneta teddy coat

FEELING SOME TYPE OF WAY

The rain on the window

Morning dip in the sea

Milky soya hot chocolate

A glass of Whispering Angel rosé

Deep sea bathbomb

Returning in early hours

New woolly hat

Blue skies

Banana bread

Aperol Spritz

Subtle hints of Hermès

6AM sunrises

As we approach the New Year, naturally we tend to reflect on what the year has brought us and what we have learned. It seems 2020 has brought us a pandemic with lockdowns and quarantine. Then thinking about what we can do to fully optimise 2021 to the best of our abilities. In which I encourage you to let go of all the things that no longer contribute to your overall happiness. Put yourself first, you will be happier with so much more to give to others. Remain present. No amount of anxiety can change the future and no depressing thoughts can change the past. Journal and practice gratitude every day. Your overall happiness in life depends on the quality of your thoughts. Count your blessings. Rest when required. Step out of your comfort zone. It is where good things happen (or so I hear). Stay inspired and have fun. Nurture your mind, body and soul. Smile, laugh and love often. Make kindness your priority. And most importantly, appreciate how far you’ve come.

W E L L N ES S

P h oto v i a Pe r n i l l e R o s e n k i l d e

LESS IS M O RE 16

ONLY WHEN

MORE MUCH IS TOO 17

OUT

WITH

THE

OLD

WITH

THE

NEW

OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW With the absence of anything to do in lockdown, I decided it was time to take on that job everyone hates. That time consuming, inconvenient, could do without it wardrobe clear out. Something I do not take lightly as I have a hoarding problem in the form of clothes. Sorry, not sorry. In an attempt to stop me from climbing the walls I decided it was time to rescue my soul from a life of boredom… and tackle the wardrobe. Folding up those summer tops and leaving them in the past (at the back) whilst cradling them in the process was quite therapeutic. There’s always next summer and new deliveries will be on their way. Coming across pieces I have never worn but still must keep because well I believe there will soon be an occasion where I can wear it with pride. The fact is, I enjoy walking into a ridiculously packed room full of clothes. There is a history, a story to tell from each garment, and to be honest I find it hard to part with them. They act as a treasury for not only what they are but when they were worn and poignant places they attended like parties or birthdays and who with – reminiscent of human contact. Nostalgia is something deep-rooted within them as they accompany us on our journey of finding out who we are and who we want to be. Clothes affect my mood it’s as simple as that. I sat on the bed staring into the abyss, that £100 cocktail dress I bought for the Christmas party 3 years ago and wore that one time, I might wear it again - I tell myself. My first pair of expensive trainers that were massively overpriced, but I was convinced I had to have and cost me practically a full month’s salary stood proud on the floor. No, I’m keeping them! The dreaded job took just as much time as I thought - if not longer. Each item of clothing had a story to tell. I’ve now got at least ten new outfits that I forgot existed. New clothes but not. The memory of the first few days of lockdown was hazy and I spent long days in pj’s or the worst possible clothes I could find to save my best for best. Two weeks in my mindset changed. Enough was enough. I needed to put a stop to dressing like I was ill or like the character Colin from The Secret Garden who was bedridden and spent his days and nights in nightwear. I wanted to dress up in my Sunday best even though it wasn’t Sunday. It felt good, like an instant metamorphosis. Never underestimate the power clothes have over us. Something that has become ever more prevalent to me is how I dress for myself and not for the gratification of others. 20

romanticize your life 22

Let's start by giving every tiny detail of your life, love and intention. Focus on remaining present and romanticise the little things that make up your day (even if it doesn't seem romantic). Be the radiator of positivity in seeing the BEAUTIFUL in all.

Giving purpose to your day helps make it special. So simply, wear what you want and dress for how you feel. Believe every cup of coffee you drink is the worlds best, basically be the elf from the Christmas film everyone loves, that the most boring activities are fun and exciting.

POST PANDEMIC EXTRAVAGANCE If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we should dress how we see fit. Why should we keep our Sunday Best for best? Exactly right, we shouldn’t. Every day is special. Aforementioned about romanticising our lives, practising gratitude and self-care - dressing up is an extension of these tools that help us daily.

P H OTO G R A P H S BY R E E C E JA M ES M O R R I S O N ST Y L I N G BY LU CY DAV I S M O D E LS : N ATAS H A T H O M P S O N A N D C H R I ST I N A E L L I OT

R OTAT E B I R G E R C H R I ST E N S E N s i l ve r m i n i d re s s , £ 2 1 0 . Pa te nt l e a t h e r h e e l s , £ 3 0 , To p s h o p. N i ke s o c ks , £ 1 0 . 9 5 , N i ke

R OTAT E B I R G E R C H R I ST E N S E N s i l ve r m i n i d re s s , £ 2 1 0 . Pa te nt l e a t h e r h e e l s , £ 3 0 , To p s h o p. N i ke s o c ks , £ 1 0 . 9 5 , N i ke , Te d d y c o a t , £ 6 0

hen things eventually return back to what we know as ‘normal’ and we’re allowed to atte to attend social gatherings and face to face work meetings, the ideal is that the opportunity to dress up will be constant. And for those people pre-pandemic who never dressed up, they will use this as an occasion for dressing up albeit for the daily grind. It’s scientifically proven, that the way we dress directly lifts our mood. Moving forward; let’s make this our morning mantra when getting dressed for the day and choose pieces that strike the right feeling. Consider your mindset and how you want your day to unfold. Bold prints or bright colours are an easy pick me up. Now let’s make this mundane daily task more exciting she says.

The Daily Sleeper L i g ht B l u e Pa j a m a s , £ 28 8 . 67 . N i ke x S a c a i Va p o r wa f f l e t ra i n e r s , £ 1 3 0

The Daily Sleeper L i g ht B l u e Pa j a m a s , £ 28 8 . 67 . N i ke x S a c a i Va p o r wa f f l e t ra i n e r s , £ 1 30

T h e D a i l y S l e e p e r L i g ht B l u e Pa j a m a s , £ 28 8 . 67 . N i ke x S a c a i Va p o r wa f f l e t ra i n e r s , £ 1 3 0

Just because theres a global pandemic , doesn’t mean you can’t serve a look

G G i a m b a t t i sta Va l l i x H & M t i e re d t u l l e d re s s , £ 476 . 23 . N i ke x O f f - W h i te A i r J o r d a n 4 . N i ke s o c ks , £ 1 0 . 9 5 , N i ke

G i a m b a t t i sta Va l l i x H & M t i e re d t u l l e d re s s , £ 476 . 23 . N i ke x O f f - W h i te A i r J o r d a n 4 . N i ke s o c ks , £ 1 0 . 9 5 , N i ke

S a ks Pot t s p i n k a sy m m et r i c c ro c o d i l e - e f f e ct c o a t , £ 4 5 6 . H & M Ze b ra h e e l e d b o ot s , £ 1 9 . 9 9 . W h i te l o n g l i n e Za ra s h i r t , £ 25 . 9 9

S a ks Pot t s p i n k a sy m m et r i c c ro c o d i l e e f f e ct c o a t , £ 4 5 6 . H & M Ze b ra h e e l e d b o ot s , £ 1 9 . 9 9 . W h i te l o n g l i n e Za ra s h i r t , £ 25 . 9 9

LOVE

October 29, 2020 A LETTER TO THE FUTURE

I feel so blessed and grateful to say that I couldn’t of done this year without my incredible family and friends. And what a year it’s been… If someone had told me that there was going to be a global catastrophe; that would cause the world to freeze as we know it, I wouldn’t of believed you. 2020 cancelled (she jokes). But just like every other person, I have no clue as to when these repetitive snow days will end and we will hit the resume button on life. I also don’t know what life will look like when this pandemic lets off. I live hopeful that this will surely be soon. But until then it’s a strong case of adapting to the new, hopefully non long lasting and very for now unusual, “normal”.

I wanted to write myself a letter to my future self as a sweet reminder as to what we have all endured the last few months as we all rush back to our roller-coaster of lives pre-Covid. A reminder that this virus, this unique pause on present life, has undoubtedly taught us a lot. Ultimately, it’s about togetherness, connections; deep connections with people, family friends and strangers across the street. That accompanied by both keys in any success: health and love. These are the things that are truly important. Some may even go so far to say the meaning of life.

Let’s start by appreciating each other more. Saying a simple thank you to the bus driver that’s safely delivered you from A to B and mean it. I know we all passively do. But this time mean it. I’ve came to the realisation we need to celebrate how the world is full of people with underappreciated skills doing a thousand lovely things, often unnoticed, every single day. Find different ways to show love even in more simple ways. We may not all be in the same boat but we are in the same storm. Everyone is affected.

I long for the day social distancing is a long forgotten memory. Where we can meet with friends, go for coffee and not come back until the early hours because after breakfast we slipped tripped and fell out into day drinks. We can organise gatherings, parties and dance on a actual dancefloor. We can embrace tightly those that mean the most to us, and some that we perhaps don’t. We underestimate the power of a hug – and boy, do we all need one right now.

After all of this let’s keep in mind all the lessons this pandemic has brought. For example, being mindful and finding joy in everything you do. It’s true. We’re here for a good time not a long time. Nothings guaranteed. Until then what I am saying is to trust the process. Stay connected and stay safe. Life is beautiful. And what’s to come is even more beautiful. Love, love and love,

Lucy X

P h oto v i a La M a n s o

2 0 40

2 0 41

THIS IS NOT JUST A PHOTO OF THE SKY...

THIS IS A MESSAGE OF

PEACE! 43

Lucy Davis

PUBLICATION

Articles inside

Love Letter to the Future

Editor’s Letter