#acceptance (no.5, part 2)

No. 5 | Part 2

Letter from the Editor

It is finally here; the second part to issue five. After a year of long waiting, we’ve managed to finish our fifth issue altogether. It’s been an exciting journey, a pretty bumpy one too, but I’m glad to have had the time to know the people I’ve worked with when creating this. It’s been hard juggling personal stuff as well as getting motivation to come up with creating ideas for content but taking a year to pull together fresh, thoughtful stuff was much needed.

This made me realise that even if I’m doing the things I love, perseverance will always have to come hand in hand if you want to succeed. And that’s the hardest thing. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, as long as you’re getting near the end of the finishing line you should keep going.

You should be proud you got here, you’re at the stage where you might not want to be but you’re getting closer to that goal or dream. Accept it and embrace it.

This second half addresses the importance of acceptance but in a wider, broader perspective. I’ve been inspired by these ethical and sustainable brands and sometimes I don’t even know so many exist which is why I wanted to bring but a few to light so that you wonderful readers may come to know them and what they do. Our aim is to bring awareness about social, political affairs that affect all of us and the environment. It’s about time that we talk about the significance of conscious living, how we can contribute to solutions to a bigger problem and not read about the latest shallow celebrity life stories bogging our minds and intellect (no shade to those who watch Love Island though, just all those £1 trashy issues).

For now, we thank you and hope you do enjoy this half issue.

With love, Priscilla

Contents

6

10 The Life of

Fashion Through

20

22

34

Entry

The Secret Armour in Shopping Bags

38

a Performer

Life On Mars

40

The Complexities

48

62

In Conversation with Stella Heng

My Eyes

Materialism:

Remember Me For My Stuff

Giving Up on Your Dreams

14

Of Devotion

Accepting Anxieties

44

Ethical Fashion

64

Contributors

ENTRY

Excerpt From ‘The City In The Clouds’

By Oluwaseun Olowo-Ake

“It’s the tale of loneliness underneath all that drama; even a blind person could see that.”

Ian and I were at the museum for our monthly “best friends’ trip”.

We made this up when we found out we were going to different Universities so that we stayed close. It was just as well because as much as I hated to admit it, he was my only friend.

“Yeah, I don’t see it.”

Ian had his chin in his hand, pretending like he was in deep thought.

“Look!” I pointed out, “There’s a group of people around a dinner table, chatting away to each other.”

Ian nodded, “That, I can make out.

What does it have to do with loneliness?”

“Everyone is talking to at least one other

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person,” I continued, “except this guy.” I pointed at the guy in the picture. “And he’s the person with the most food on his plate and a fork in his mouth. He has nothing to do- no one to talk to, hence he resorts to food; which could be a metaphor for money, jobs, even things like sleeping.

Trying to fill the void that can only be filled by companionship.”

“And here, I thought the guy was eating because he was hungry,” Ian said sarcastically, “how foolish of me to have missed such an obvious point.”

“Art always has a meaning behind it,” I said, “Kind of like behaviour.”

“Look at you,” Ian joked, “When did you get so deep?”

I shrugged, “When you spend a lot of time

observing people, these things come to you.”

Ian stared at me for a while and then said, “You’re such a nerd.”

“Sorry, Mr. Social life, but we’ve been to some sort of football game twice now and I thought it would be nice for us to learn something today.”

He chuckled, “That’s what classes are for.

Today, I wanted to hang out with my best friend.”

“Which is exactly what you’re doing,” I said.

“No, no,” Ian started, “This is you going ‘look how smart I am’.”

I rolled my eyes, “Don’t be childish.”

We were walking now, into a different room with a different collection of paintings. I opened my journal and made a note.

“So why the museum?” Ian asked.

“What?”

“Why did you pick a museum?” he asked again.

“Why did you pick this museum?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re not a huge fan of art,” Ian continued, “so why? C’mon, I’m trying to understand the ‘meaning behind’ your behaviour.”

I understood the meaning behind his behaviour.

Larry loved art; that’s why he volunteered to help me draw up flyers for the city.

Ian wanted me to admit that I decided to go to the museum because of him, consciously or subconsciously. So, I said “Oh, I’m a pretty transparent person; what you see is what you get.”

“I’ll have to disagree with you on that,” Ian said.

“Really?” I asked, but only jokingly because I knew he was telling the truth.

“Yeah,” he continued, “the only thing that understands you is that journal you always carry around.” He pointed to it as I turned away from him, shielding it.

“I wasn’t going to take it Dri.”

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“I know.”

“What’s in it anyway?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“Cos it probably knows more about you than I do and that’s weird considering we grew up together.”

“No, it’s not,” I argued.

“A girl just needs space sometimes.”

Ian stopped walking and turned to face me. “You know you can tell me anything right?”

“I know.”

He lowered his voice, “I mean I know you had to deal with a little more than me with your grandma getting cancer; but I’m still here to talk to.”

Ian had to bring it up.

The day after Larry was buried, I found an open doctor’s letter in the kitchen.

My parents must have left it there when they read it. Now I’m not in the habit of reading what’s not mine, but as I moved it away from the counter, a word popped out at me. I picked the note up

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and skimmed through it and just as I was near the end, my mother came downstairs.

“I didn’t hear you come in sweetie,” she said, “how was school?”

“What’s this?” I asked.

My mum had walked over to the fridge and opened it. “I don’t know honey; it’s in your hands.”

“Why does this say Gran has cancer?” I rephrased, this time getting her attention.

She turned and looked at me, tears welling in her eyes.

“Dri-“ “That’s what you wanted to tell me the day Larry died,” I reasoned. “Why didn’t you?”

“How could I tell you your grandmother has a terminal illness when you just lost your best friend?”

“I don’t know but I can handle it!” I said, “You can’t just keep something like this from me!”

“We were going to tell you-“ Gran came down the

stairs. “Why are you yelling Dri?” She noticed my mother crying and seemed to understand because she paused and then said “It’s going to be fine honey.”

“Sure,” I said, “That’s what they said about Larry.”

I left the kitchen and ran up the stairs to my bedroom; and even though the knife was doing its 360 degree turn here, I still didn’t cry.

Ian didn’t find out about this until two weeks after and even then, it wasn’t from me.

“My dad told me your grandma has cancer,” he said when he saw me packing my bag after school, “is it true?”

I kept shoving books in my bag.

“I’m sorry to hear that Dri.” I zipped the bag up and pulled it over my shoulder.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

I snapped, “What? Did you want me to come up to you and say ‘hey Ian,

my best friend just died and now I’ve found out that my grandma will too really soon’?”

He was taken aback, “Sorry, I just thought-” “Can we just not talk about it?” I said as we walked out of the school building.

“You know, that guy in the painting reminds me of you,” Ian was saying, “You’re lonely and your food is that journal; but it’s just like you said, the void can only be filled by companionship; and I’m here anytime Dri.” I was in shock; reading people was my thing.

“Thanks,” I managed to say. Ian gave a small smile and we continued walking. He was wrong about the journal knowing more about me than he did. How did I know? Because I wrote the entries in the journal and at that moment, and some more after that, I was pretty sure that Ian understood me more than I understood myself.

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THE LIFE OF A PERFORMER

Seperation Between Fiction & Reality

By Kristin

A story about the choice of a character’s journey in their hidden world. The multiple masks that a performer chooses to reveal. The reality remains hidden.

In a world of bright fiction, I am holding the treads of what my performance is, leading to the accent on the mask, I have in my hands. Shining for the stage. A mask glamorous and bright. One of my many performances.

Which face am I going to choose today?

There is something unfamiliar about the possession.

Who owns the mask and what is the story behind it? I want to know the experience of being the performer.

What is there behind the mirror? Is it a face I don’t recognize or is it just a reflection? I see the face of a woman with a catch of contemplation.

The boundary between reality and fiction is subtle, who has the control?

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13

FASHION THROUGH MY EYES Nanna Talvitie

Living in a country where fashion is a relatively foreign and new concept, there aren’t too many options as to where I could study it. I live in Finland, and the opportunities to study fashion there is quite minimal. There are a few universities and schools that offer a degree in fashion design, but there really isn’t anything for those who want to study fashion marketing. And if you do decide to apply, the competition is brutal. It could take years to get in, if even that. This is why I decided to apply elsewhere, pack my bags and head to the UK. Looking through different universities and their programmes I found it unbelievable how many universities offered fashion marketing, and other fashion courses. You could basically study anything.

I am currently studying Fashion: Image and Communication at the Arts University Bournemouth.

When I started my course, I was terrified.

Before university, I didn’t have any previous education on fashion. Just stuff I had taught my self and seen in magazines and television. There were students who had started to study fashion in college and had been sewing for years. I felt like I was years behind everyone else, and 16

even wondered why I was accepted into Uni in the first place. I guess they saw a potential in me, a potential I didn’t see in myself.

Let’s hope so.

I’ve just finished my second year of my bachelor’s degree, and I have learnt so much. This year we focused more on creating an identity, entrepreneurship and even fashion films! I must say, the more I learn, and the more passionate I grow towards fashion.

I love creating publication layouts, planning photo shoots and styling new outfits. The fact that everyday is a new day and I get to do something different is an amazing feeling. Working on projects and collaborating with people gives me such inspiration and energy.

This spring I started my first internship. I decided to try and get an internship from back home in Helsinki, so I could spend my spring and summer trying to create a network. I worked at an active wear brand called Népra. Even though my placement wasn’t with a fashion brand, I still got to do most of the things I would have like to do. I was in charge of the photo shoots, which meant planning, styling and shooting them. I created a lookbook, which consisted mostly of photos I had shot and learnt a lot about the marketing side of

making a career? I have plans to take a short course in commercial photography, and maybe in styling, but other than that, I am taking

upholding a brand.

I was given a lot of responsibility and got to do so much cool work, work I might’ve not had the chance to do elsewhere.

All in all, my internship was a great experience and stepping stone in my career.

I’m not quite sure what I want to do after I graduate. Will I want to continue on to do a Masters degree, or just focus on

quite a relaxed attitude towards my future. I believe that in this industry, anything is possible, and time will tell what’s in store for me. What I do know is that I want to continue expanding a network and keep on meeting new interesting people. People I can collaborate with and work on projects together.

People might think a fashion degree is easy and that the students are not as educated as those in other fields. Sure, I’m not the brightest bulb in the tanning bed, but I do see myself intelligent enough to study whatever I’d want. I just decided to study fashion.

A degree in fashion is vicious.

The competition is like no other.

Everyone wants to be the best.

And that’s what you have to be to succeed. I get so intimidated by other peoples work, and 17

constantly compare myself to others. I have never felt so stressed in my life.

Whatever I create, it never seems to be good enough. Your work is never complete. This I find really stressful.

And working in the art industry, there is a constant struggle to create something completely original.

The fashion industry is not for everybody.

The days are long and the stress can easily take over your life.

I have seen students break down and cry during a lecture because the pressure is too much. Hell, even I cried once because I couldn’t get my stitches straight (hence why I study marketing instead of design). I’m not saying that it’s the survival of the fittest, but there can be quite a bit uncertainty in landing jobs and making a living. There 18

are so many people trying to strive, that not everyone can get there. Some of us will be left behind. And that thought scares me shitless.

So here’s my little rant about my experiences on the fashion industry, and I haven’t even landed a job yet. When I return to Uni in the fall, it will be my final year before I become a proper adult.

I will be writing my dissertation, working more on my identity and hopefully creating a website for myself.

Exciting times!

At least I have a few more months of freedom (A.K.A working) until Uni will take over my life once again. I’m sure next year will be more stressful yet, but the most rewarding.

If I remember to give it my all, everything might turn out just fine.

THE SECRET ARMOUR IN SHOPPING BAGS Jordan Wake

We have all experienced the many elements of this at some point or another. It’s something that is so current in our day to day life without being outrageously obvious. It’s a word we are all familiar with yet naively unfamiliar with the silent control it has on us, that word is acceptance.

Whether it’s accepting certain circumstances in our lives, seeking acceptance from another individual around us or simply just trying to accept ourselves in our most truest form.

From a young age I remember craving acceptance in all areas of my life, I desperately wanted to feel included and to just be like everyone else. It was something I never felt I had growing up which led me to believe I was

misunderstood by others or perhaps didn’t really fit into the category of ‘societies norm’. Not only did it make me feel confused about who I was as a person but also made me question my place within the world, not a feeling that combines well with the many other struggles of being a hormonal teenager. It wasn’t until I had left high school, matured and met a variety of different people that I began to become aware of the invisible barrier I had unknowingly designed for myself which was stopping me from accepting who I was. Looking back now I can say that my sexuality was a part of me which I never EVER wanted to accept, it was an uncontrollable aspect of myself I hated and did everything I possibly could to shadow

away from. Once I’d come to terms with the fact that I was gay and had come out to my extremely supportive family and friends I felt like I was able to really live my life that was free of worry or self judgment, which I’m sure most of those in the LGBT community experience.

Through all of this there was one piece that remained consistent and reliable, fashion!

Clothing has this unique ability to make us feel invincible even when we are at our most vulnerable, a seriously powerful tool which can sometimes be underestimated.

Especially in todays society where human contact is so quick that what you’re wearing is instant language.

I think in many ways fashion was like my

secret armour and worked as a coping mechanism to help me portray myself to the world even when I wasn’t comfortable in my own skin. Whether there was an emotion I refused to deal with or a personality trait I would try my absolute hardest to covert, fashion was my escape from it all and still continues to embrace my identity which over time I have learned to love.

I can safely say that that I still completely adore fashion just as much as I did being in the closet as much as I now do out, literally!

Perhaps this is a part of the reason why the majority of us find shopping so addictive, we build a pile of fake flaws we imagine for ourselves and find reassurance for them in an even bigger pile of shopping bags. I’m not saying that everyone who’s enjoys divulging into Selfridge’s has unconfessed insecurities but it is undeniable from a consumers mind set that if we don’t like something about ourselves then you can be 99% sure that going down Oxford Street will help you find something to make you feel better about it.....but the question is how long does the materialistic happiness last? As I mentioned from my own perspective that fashion has helped me through a

point of accepting who I was there can also be a false mentality side to this.

Are we in a day and age now where we have conceived the ideology that those who are carrying an object such as a designer handbag are just automatically accepted? Is the price tag or the item itself becoming more important than the person who possess it? Once you look beyond all off of this you begin to discover that acceptance and happiness doesn’t consist in a new outfit but instead from the person wearing it, true acceptance lies from within. When you finally get to a stage where you can fully accept yourself for you, then the acceptance from others becomes less of a priority and start to realise that you’re the priority.

When you take a step back and look at fashion as an industry that has a responsibility to be an ambassador for positive change and equality, it then in turn creates unconditional acceptance for anyone who desires it. This is exactly what makes us an industry that allows anyone the opportunity to be whoever and whatever they want without the fear of stereotype influences and social boundaries.

It’s a practice where gender clothing labels are becoming a thing of the past, the future is female and fashion now has the power to impact political turbulence.

I don’t believe our industry is the only one that encourages this but I do believe the world of fashion is very much collaborating with this topic and paves a path for others to follow in the footsteps of in order to help future generation.

In a time where diversity is such a crucial factor on peoples minds I find that designers have now taken responsibility for this and projected a strong message of unity through those who are modelling the clothes.

With another fashion month having finished over a month ago now we have seen across the four fashion capitals that people from all walks of life no matter the colour of their skin, shape or size are being accepted on the catwalk. It goes without saying that fashion should be an inclusive platform for everyone and not only inspire but also captivate a wider audience which is something the designers have heard loud and clear through their work.

The world is changing and fashion is moving with it.

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Photographed by Jack Oxenbury

Modelled by Devon Faye Squires Assisted by Grace Rushworth

Stranded, lost and alone, she

needs to come to terms with her new environment as she explores her surroundings.

MATERIALISM: REMEMBER ME FOR MY STUFF Ruby Baldry

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I wonder how many times I have bought something because I’m told to. I don’t mean someone physically saying, “Ruby, you need to buy these shoes”; I mean the subconscious voice that has been embedded into my brain convincing me that if I don’t buy the 6-inch fuchsia heels, it will be fatal. When actually the truth is that I will look like a baby giraffe walking in them, take them off after twenty minutes and end up with blisters for a week. I have been guilty of impulse buying, much more than I am proud of admitting.

Tim Kasser, a psychology professor at Knox College, Illinois, notes that if you love material objects, the less likely you are to love people and consequently, the planet. Where does this materialistic need stem from?

In one fascinating study, people were asked to imagine a hypothetical water shortage; those described, as “consumers” were less likely to share the hypothetical water than those described as “individuals”.

We see this pattern throughout our society, with advertising playing a key role in developing a culture led by materialism. (Gold, 2014) 35

I am guilty of being brainwashed by what I’m fed in magazines, television adverts and radio. During my day to day life I am constantly consuming adverts of women being whisked away on the back of a Vespa in a little Italian village by a handsome man, all because she sprayed 3 dashes of perfume on her neck. I am reminded time and time again that if I use three coats of this mascara I will have gorgeous full lashes, when in reality it takes eight or nine coats to even get somewhere close to what is being portrayed. My question to myself is why do I buy into an industry that is constantly telling me I need something to allow myself to meet a standard of beauty that has been set for me?

Tanya Gold, a journalistic writer for The Guardian wrote in her article, ‘How materialism makes us sad’; “Advertising ratchets up the stress, and places us in imagined competition with each other. It encourages yet more materialism, which follows the paths of drug addiction: it offers a false promise of ecstasy, and it does not work. The more we spend on unnecessary material goods, the less happy we are. Mental illness, narcissism and dissatisfaction instead follow.”

Fashion has become a mystic siren whispering in our ear, seducing us into a closet full of debt, depression and delusion. Taking out store cards, maxing up credit cards and sacrificing being broke until the end of the month, all down to our want and need to buy into this world of glamour and acceptance. In reality, what we are buying into is a false sense of security and community. The waves of acceptance come when hearing the sound of YSL shoes click across the tiled shop floor, getting giddy is a familiar feeling when we see our favourite shop assistant getting new pieces out for our arrival and we almost leap with joy when our card

gets accepted. However, the marketing doesn’t’t follow us home.

When our product is whisked away from the shiny department store counter, the fragrance of Chanel no5 is no longer wafting around our nostrils and the sales assistant’s pearly white smile is no longer sweetly egging us on. It sits on the sofa, having been torn out of a bag engulfed in tissue paper and ribbon. It has never looked more miserable, and neither have we.

It’s just you and the £150 shoes you will never wear.

I for one am all too familiar with that quick fix better known as retail therapy. Collins English Dictionary defines retail therapy as this; “the action of shopping for clothes, etc., in order to cheer oneself up” I have been known to go through a hard time, and take comfort in spending hours wandering around stores spending money I don’t have. The result? Not a lot of anything. It made me feel good at the time, perhaps even a little empowered. However soon after, that euphoria came down like a ton of bricks. This is because it’s not just someone’s emotional state alone that matters when purchasing something, but also their level of certainty about their emotions. When somebody is feeling low, they are likely to feel more uncertain and therefore more likely to indulge, because they think they’ll be able to change or improve how they feel.

On the other hand, is retail therapy always a bad thing? Women haven’t historically had a vast range of ways to enjoy themselves, but fashion has always been one of them. In the modern day and Western world, the idea of a woman being restricted to her home wouldn’t ever cross our mind. We have female CEO’s, athletes and politicians, but this hasn’t always been the case. For the most part of human history, some of our

biggest problems came from scarcity, experienced through poverty, hunger and deprivation. The urge to stretch beyond meeting ones basic needs was a survival instinct, part of our human nature. Although our modern way of living doesn’t demand us to ration like this, there still seems to be a fear of that scarcity hovering over us like a bad fog.

Although brands profess that they are all selling us different things, ultimately they are all selling us one idea; the more we consume, the better our lives will be. It creates a compulsive shopaholic mentality, which in return contributes to mass consumption. As consumers we don’t always know the cost of what we’re buying but every little act of consumption is linked to a much bigger picture. Our love of shopping quite literally threatens our world as we know it today. Greenhouse gases are higher now than at least the last 650,000 years, along with the fact that ice caps are melting, glaciers disappearing and sea levels rising. We have become so obsessed and attached to the material objects in our lives that we’ve lost sight of our creativity, individuality and compassion for planet earth. For a majority of people, the way to break the mold of a consumerist world hasn’t been discovered. Material objects have somehow managed to define whom we are as human beings, giving way for the “Mine not yours” mentality.

As children we were always taught to share our toys, let our friends have our snacks and never snatch something another child was playing with. So when did this rule suddenly fly out of the window? As adults it has been replaced with things such as “Be the only girl in the office wearing this” and magazine articles such as “Who wore it better?” We are no longer distributing our possessions among the masses, rather claiming and owning them instead, killing traits

of love and kindness; which in turn hinders our ability to become the best possible version of ourselves.

My intention with this isn’t to strike you with a steel rod of fear, but rather to inform and encourage a simpler way of living.

Chuck Palahniuk once said, “The more things you own, the more they own you.” Of course society wouldn’t function without a certain level of consumption, we are all consumers in some roundabout way. Whilst it can be used for good on a global mass scale, it can also be something that stops us from becoming the best we can possibly be. It is causing us to worship things that look nice and are physically beautiful, whilst distracting us from the changes the world needs that we are more than capable of participating in.

We are creatures of the eye so it is natural to look at things and think they look pleasing and attractive, but one day it will all just be dust. Every house you’ve ever lived in, every car you’ve ever owned, every designer handbag you’ve ever collected. It will all rot away a few hundred years after we do. Are we living for things, or for the people, animals and future generations we’re sharing our massive planet with?

We all deserve to live the life we want, but the level to which we are worshipping materialism is terrifying.

Reassess how you’re living, what you’re living for and what you’re serving on this planet.

Change can be hard, but it isn’t nearly as bad as what we’re doing to ourselves right now and the affect we’re having on humanity as a whole.

We can choose change and we can choose what we give our attention to and why. Let’s not be controlled by what we see because that isn’t worth living for. Live simply so that others may simply live.

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GIVING GIVINGUP UP ON ONYOUR YOUR DREAMS DREAMS Jenny Novitzky

‘You don’t have to have a dream … I never really had one of these big dreams. And so I advocate passionate dedication to the pursuit of shortterm goals. Be micro-ambitious. Put your head down and work with pride on whatever is in front of you… you never know where you might end up.

Just be aware that the next worthy pursuit will probably appear in your periphery. Which is why you should be careful of long-term dreams. If you focus too far in front of you, you won’t see the shiny thing out the corner of your eye.’ Tim Minchin It’s a trope that’s repeated again and again in Hollywood films. Don’t give up on your dream, particularly if that dream is to be an actor, singer or anything else that is particularly difficult and soul-destroying to achieve. 8 Mile, Rocky, La La Land.

They all show the struggle to make it, but also reiterate that you WILL make it, if only you stick out the hard times. This is because you, of course, are one of the special ones.

I first wanted to be an actor at the age of eleven. I’d never been allowed to act in a school play before, because as a gymnast you were needed elsewhere to be a tumbling snowflake or cartwheeling Spice Girl (it was the nineties). But in Year 5 we started our first foray into the world of Shakespeare, by reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I loved fairies and desperately wanted to play Puck - don’t even talk to me about PeaseBlossom, Cobweb and Moth, they’re total non-starters.

But there was a snag, our teacher said she was looking for someone with an air of naughtiness; I was the ultimate good girl who, moments previously, had trotted out the term ‘iambic pentameter’ to impress her.

But goddammit, I wanted that part.

So I decided to trick her. I pulled my best cheeky-with-a-heart-of-gold expression and was astounded when she chose me over legitimate bad boy (and heartthrob of the Peak District Primary School system) Jamie Wilde.

I’d convinced the teacher I was

something that she knew I was not, and my acting career was off.

Acting for me was always more of an escape than a chance to show off.

Sure, it’s nice to be applauded and the centre of attention, but I was always bad at the drama kidz life of loud games, jazz hands and talking over one another. I was a big daydreamer - still am - and acting gave me a chance to create and inhabit an imagined world. It also gave me space to leave my anxieties about myself behind, pretending to be someone else with different fears and worries for a while.

After a year of failed drama school auditions, I went to university in Manchester to study academic drama. It made me into the curious, analytical and wonderfully cynical person I am now, with a splattering of bonkers interests and a host of friends that aren’t drama-types at all. It gave me a much more centred, normal outlook on life and introduced me to varying tolerance-levels of musical theatre.

The decision not to hold out for drama school probably held me back from acting, but it also made me who I am. Equally, I have scores of friends that did go to drama school and haven’t particularly found the road to fame and fortune easier to climb.

After university, I struggled to crack the acting world. I invited reems of (mostly crappy) agents to plays I’d spent hours and most of my income putting on. Of course, they never came. Even after I had an agent and I was being (gasp) paid to act in theatre tours, it wasn’t what I’d always dreamt of. It was a magical but lonely life, of transience and fleeting encounters. But this was My Dream. ‘Actor’ was the very essence of me, as integral to my being as my name. It wasn’t a job I’d chosen, but an overriding raison d’etre that

could never be relinquished.

I’ve done lots of performance work I’m proud of, and I’m particularly proud of the work I’ve created myself. But I’ve done work that isn’t acting that I’m equally proud of. My writing was initially meant to be a side-gig that was only to pay the bills. But it’s become one of the parts of my work with the most freedom of creative expression.

I also run a pop-up restaurant, and the feeling of camaraderie I get from that is equivalent to any play, but has the benefit of being an ongoing relationship that grows with time.

And yet, I still get jealous of actor friends who are doing well, and of film stars who I find out are a decade younger than me. Social media perpetuates the sense that everyone is doing better than you - having more holidays, bossing their career, with a prettier house and a betterlooking cat. But when I actually speak to actor friends of mine, they are swamped with the same feelings of inadequacy as all of us. This isn’t exclusive to actors, of course, it’s a problem of modern life. But I do think the pressure of having and sticking to Your Dream when you work in a creative field is colossal and, in many ways, colossally unhelpful.

This isn’t to shit on acting or to say that because I’m not (yet) Keira Knightley that we should all simply give up. My point is not that you should give up on your dreams, but accept the life you are living.

Reach for achievements and goals, but do it step-by-step from where you’re already standing.

Seize opportunities that are offered and allow yourself to enjoy the jobs that you’re actually doing. Don’t put your life next to somebody else’s and point out the differences, live inside your own life and enjoy the yummy bits.

THE COMPLEXITIES OF DEVOTION Caz McKinnon

“The very relationship with the other is the relationship with the future.”

Emmanuelle Levinas, a philosopher whose focus was on ethics and morality in the 20th century wrote the above quote in his work ‘Alterity and Transcendence’. His central argument in this text is that reckoning with other people’s lived experience is the

Franklyn Rodgers, Mrs Victoria Lewis, 2013 Courtesy the artist

foundation for healthy morality.

I open with this because this sentiment behind Levinas’ body of work was of central inspiration to artist and photographer Franklyn Rodger’s most recent gallery show at Autograph Gallery in London this month entitled Devotion: A Portrait of Loretta.

The exhibition is a

series of photographs taken by Rodgers over several years.

The central character in the photographs is his mother, Loretta, who makes up five out of the twelve shots comprised of her close friends and people important to her.

It will be up for free viewing at Autograph until the 7th of July 2018.

Over

the

Franklyn Rodgers, Mrs Joyce Reed, 22 July 2017 Courtesy the artist

course

of

Franklyn Rodgers, Mrs Loretta Rodge Courtesy the arti

his career Franklyn Rodgers has explored the delicate intimacy between the subject and the camera. In the last thirty years he has worked as an independent photographer, as well as for organizations like Nesta, The National Portrait Gallery and Heart n Soul Magazine.

His style of photography has a meticulous attention to detail; in Devotion this is no

different. The subjects are placed the perfect amount of distance between their background and the lens. The image is razor sharp, so every character trait of the subject is amplified, each wrinkle and freckle visible. The use of shadow, light and color correction brightens his subject’s eyes, forcing you to make eye contact. The effect is striking, captivating.

, Franklyn Rodgers, ers – Crown, 2013 Loretta Rodgers, 31 January 2006 ist Courtesy the artist

His portraits are a mixture of unique introspection and also startling in their exploration of race, modernity and gender.

So it should come as no surprise that his latest work encompasses all of these concepts. It is abundantly clear to the viewer after reading the press release and the artist’s statement that the exhibition is in large part a loving

Franklyn Rodgers, Mrs Iris Simms, 2013 Courtesy the artist

tribute to Rodgers’ mother and her friends.

It also seems to be a tribute to close bonds.

Due to the relationships the people in the photographs have, it is also a testament to friendship, adversity, community and love.

Similarly to his entire body of work this collection of stark portraits highlights the gaze and the expression of the subject. Rodgers has spoken about being inspired to create work that forces the spectator to see the truth in the subject and to recognize their humanity. The austere gaze of Loretta in the series of photographs evoke feelings of severity paired with a compassion. Her soft eyes look out into the camera under a crop of silver hair. The light emitting from the camera reflects off of her black skin. She looks like a strong woman, a proud 42

woman; a reflection of a woman who has had the experience of being a mother.

In 2015 Rodgers was quoted as saying in relation to an exhibition he’d been involved in that his work “is about people sharing stories, pictures and possibilities.

It’s equally about getting people to be open to the idea of difference.”

When one familiarizes themselves with Rodgers’ work it is clear to see that as much as it is a tribute, Devotion is just as much an exercise in representation. By investigating what it means to really look into the human face, the gaze changes to one of trying to examine who someone really is.

I believe what this exhibition accomplishes above all else is the success in highlighting the importance of tight knit communities within

marginalized groups and how we can better understand ourselves and other people. Once you truly look into a person’s face, you are given an avenue into that person.

Rodgers’ work is political because it creates a dialogue through eye contact, through human connection; acceptance.

Acceptance of what we look like, what kind of people we are, what things we’re capable of.

In the portraits the camera is at a slightly low perpendicular angle in relation to the subject. Due to the large scale of the portraits, the gaze is forced to look upwards to make eye contact with the subject. The result of this closeness makes one think of the rigorous method behind Rodger’s attempt at capturing not just the individuality of each subject, but this over

arching intention of highlighting intimacy and trust mirroring those exact things within the community.

It’s an activist piece of work.

His photographs examine the relationship between two people looking at each other. The curation of the exhibition is such that the portraits are in contrast with one another in terms of location.

While the majority of the photographs are aligned with one another there are a few that are isolated, so much so that you can only see a fraction of their face before moving closer. This approach to the curation seems to leave one slightly disoriented, almost making you afraid that you’ll miss something.

Rodgers’ collection brings about other thoughts too.

There is a well documented

discourse dedicated to explicating the nuances of the relationship between mother and son.

There is equally a long history documenting the complexities of this dynamic within black communities. The nuance comes to fruition in a specific way with these large scale portraits.

This is achieved solely because of the trail of thought the photographs conjured for meI went from thinking about the details in the individual faces, to the complexity of communal narrative to the marginalization of black men and women, to the white gaze (in this case mine) and finally to the connection I felt to the people in the portraits after just simply staring at their face.

This narrative was all achieved simply through Rodgers’ meticulous technical ability as well as his solid conceptual development.

Hashtag’s editorial this month’s theme is acceptance. Acceptance an all of its shape shifting forms.

The political density of this piece, while palpable to the viewer, didn’t hit me as hard as the deep rooted feeling of wanting to understand the people in these haunted snapshots.

The portraits not only highlight the complexity of human identity, what they do more powerfully is encourage the viewer to examine themselves.

This accomplishment is, perhaps, the most political result of all.

To put it simply: go see Devotion : A Portrait of Loretta at Autograph in the next month before it closes. It’s truly a fantastic collection, one with nuance, beauty and love.

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Zaynab Ansari

ETHICAL FASHION

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You’d think after the incident in Bangladesh of the Rana Plaza factory collapsing and killing over 1,100 people we’d come to our senses right?

Not quite.

So lets talk everything ethical fashion. What is ethical fashion you ask?

Ethical fashion is an expression used to define ethical fashion design, production, retail and sales. This covers a variety of issues from working conditions, exploitation of workers, fair trade, production, the environment and animal well-being.

So, what are the issues?

Fast Fashion – Fast fashion is mainly described as ‘low cost clothing’ fast fashion has a quick turn around to stay up to date with current fashion trends, what this means is, an enormous volume of textile waste.

Fast fashion has a huge effect on our environment, ‘For a t-shirt, it takes 2,700 litres of water to make just one – that’s the amount of water an average person drinks over the course of 900 days!’ (Green Peace, 2016) Exploitation -do we really know who makes our clothes? Is it a child or an adult? Are they treated fairly?

Do they get paid for their work?

And we’ll never know if we continue to take ethical fashion lightly.

90% of the time labours are forced to work overtime in uncivilized and unhygienic surroundings along with stale food and little paid wages. Did you know, the cheaper your clothes

means less money for the labourers?

This is so unfair.

Chemicals – Most fabric/textiles are treated with chemicals to either dye them or soften/harden them. Most of the time these chemicals can be toxic to the environment and can also be transferred on to our skin whilst wearing them. Made you think huh? Hopefully next time you’ll ask yourself 10 times before buying cheap and non-sustainable clothing.

Animals -you think you love animals?

No you don’t. It was recently found that the high street store Missguided ‘fake’ fur shoes were not actually ‘fake’ but seems to be actual cat fur. How have we let this get so far? Why can’t we just accept that animals are not supposed to be worn?

Production of cotton-the production of cotton uses large amounts of pesticides (a substance mainly used for harming insects) that are harmful to the environment and to people, causing many different types of cancer.

Is this not enough information for us to stop buying inexpensive and nonsustainable clothing? Can we just accept there are people out there making clothes for us, in conditions that are life threatening? There are animals out there being killed for no apparent reason. There are kids who aren’t living the normal lives children should be living. Working in repulsive conditions that shouldn’t be acceptable. As a nation we should be disappointed with ourselves and how we have let this happen.

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It’s time we took ethical fashion seriously.

Edun – with production and trade in Africa Edun always thinks about manufacturers, exploit and the environment. Who doesn’t love a caring brand? Along with this Edun produce natural classy clothing.

Winning.

People tree – even though this brand is mostly slow fashion this means it stands up against exploitation, child labour and pollution. Only made with organic cotton and sustainable materials (isn’t that remarkable?).

Not only would you look attractive in People Tree clothing but you’d also feel great after knowing how they produce their clothes and how the people behind production were treated with great respect and equality.

“I don’t want to wear something on my body that hurts the environment or the people in it. It’s hard to

know what is good and what is bad on the high street and equally hard to find fashionable or youthful ethical clothing. It shocks me that even today only 1% of cotton produced in the world is Fair Trade and organic.

I decided to work with People Tree to put together a collection I could be proud of in terms of both ethics and design.” — Emma Watson for People Tree These are our top 6 most favourite ethical and fashionable brands. It’s important to always consider where your clothes are from and how they have been made as well as who has made them. Your clothes may look great, but the inside process isn’t always as easy as what we think. So, next time you go shopping ask yourself, was the person who made this treated justly?

It’s time ethical fashion takes a stand.

So here are a few of our favourite ethical fashion brands.

H&M Conscious collection – concentrating purely on environmentally friendly and ethical fashion by reducing, recycling and reusing, you can drop off your old clothes in pretty much any H&M store. Not only fashionable clothing but also safe for the world and its people. Could we ask for anything better?

Matt & Nat – Standing for material and nature (how refreshing is the name!) Matt & Nat only use 100% vegan and sustainable materials. May we say their bags are to-die-for, exceptionally chic, but so good for our environment, right?

Stella McCartney – The queen of sustainable fashion to say the least.

This was the first luxury brand to be anti fur and anti leather. With clothing not only ethically made

it is also effortlessly stylish.

‘Depending on the season, between 20 to 30 percent of my collections contain some sort of eco or sustainable element, whether it’s a beautiful organic fabric or a natural dye. And obviously I don’t use animal skins or fur of any kind.’ – Stella McCartney Monsoon – who would have known?

Using organic vegetable dyes and absolutely no animal testing within their products, as well as encouraging customers to up cycle their old monsoon clothing makes us feel pretty satisfied to buy from here. If that wasn’t good enough, Monsoon also have their own charity called the Monsoon Accessorize Trust that helps over 10,000 disadvantaged women to build a bright, promising future for themselves and their daughters in Asia. Way to go Monsoon!

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Photographed by Thierry Caro Make-Up by Bethan Benfield Modelled by Winona O’Dell Dewayne Gross

Hair accessories by Scrunchie Queen

IN CONVERSATION WITH STELLA HENG Founder of Sports Philosophy

Stella and I met at one of Fashion Revolution’s event a few months ago this year. Here is the conversation we had last month about what Sports Philosophy is, our views on environmental and social issues and a bit more about Stella.

Behind every great brand starts with an idea. I’d love to know the story of what sparked Sports Philosophy and how it started.

Stella Heng: Sure, Sports Philosophy came from our ‘philosophy’ that companies should be more responsible for the communities/ environments that they directly or indirectly impact, and that we wanted to create a business that was both for-profit and not-forprofit. Child labour is a huge problem that we have encountered first hand travelling around the world, and one that plagues the fashion

industry amongst many others. So we decided that our charity, the Freedom for Children Foundation, would be focused on finding long term solutions to child labour which we feel was not being addressed.

And this was after you and your partner both worked in corporate jobs?

SH: Correct, I trained as a Barrister, and Matthias was in investment banking. And we both wanted to do something for ourselves and something with a real purpose.

Wow and how many years have you been in that industry before you realised you wanted to do something more and pursue Sports Philosophy?

SH: I was in legal publishing for over 2 years, and Matthias in banking for longer. I

don’t know specifically how long haha.

Haha that’s fine. And how did you both know each other?

SH: We met through one of my best friends and we’re getting married next year! So we know each other quite well, have complimentary skills and love working together - although we drive each other mad sometimes haha.

Ohh congrats!

Hope you’re not too frazzled by the wedding planning.

Sounds very exciting SH: I’m pretty relaxed about it - maybe too relaxed?

That’s really good! I’m guessing you mutually found interested in doing SP together?

SH: Yeah, it was actually his idea first and I loved it, so jumped in and now I’ve taken over. And we

both knew I would be the better half leading the designs. And he’s the financials maestro Such have you each

a good pairing! Who would’ve known. And it always helps when work together well, encourage other to keep going.

SH: Exactly, and we can be really honest with each other. It’s not always easy working with your partner so it’s important to get the right balance between work life and private life.

Definitely! Were you nervous at all in starting up a business and going into a new venture?

SH: Absolutely! It was completely new territory for the both of us, having come from very different industries but also an advantage as we could see things and manage things from a different perspective. It was definitely a steep learning curve but an exciting one.

Yeah I’m sure it was a bit like a rollercoaster to begin with, so many things to learn on the way not only about business but each other too. When was the brand officially launched?

SH: It was officially launched in the summer of 2015.

And since then, what would you say was/still is the hardest aspect of running a brand/business?

SH: So many! Haha Haha! Can’t choose one?

SH: But one of the toughest hurdles was/is educating the customer as to the importance of supporting ethical and sustainable brands, alongside raising awareness of the issues of child labour. As well as production, finding the right partners and

building relationships with them, which takes time. And finally, as a start-up, having a limited budget makes everything that much harder.

Hmm do you think when customers buy your product, they feel like they’re contributing to the solution of child labour? I understand it’s hard to grasp on the daily as a consumer myself, I don’t always think ethically or sustainably when I want to buy a piece of clothing.

“As long as it looks nice/good on me” or good for its price. Maybe this is something we all can change in our way of thinking.

SH: We hope that customers buying our products feel like they’re contributing to the solution of child labour and that we are raising that awareness. With the rise of fast fashion, most people, including myself before i started the business, would barely think of the ethical and sustainability of our purchases.

And fast fashion is so readily available and so cheap, that people have become so used to it - so when ethical and sustainable fashion is a bit more expensive, that becomes a barrier. But the customer needs to understand why that is - and it comes down to cost structures and the research and development that goes into running a more sustainable and ethical brand With plastics and the environment being a real talking point at the moment, it is raising more awareness in fashion - but more needs to be done in relation to the people that are involved in the whole supply chain.

Yes! Maybe they are aware, but they just don’t know how? Sometimes we think, oh it’s going to be hard to change a lifestyle but really, it’s more than just helping the business - it’s helping everyone else around

the world and our earth.

SH: Absolutely - by supporting businesses that are making a change, they are helping save the world and people around the world.

I agree with you. Even if one person changes and lets people know, and their friends know the impact that the person’s lifestyle has made to the world and everything in it, it can encourage change. But it’s going to take a long time before people get on board with this and it makes a huge difference.

SH: And also by asking these questions, forcing the bigger companies to think about how they are operating. In the end, the power is with the consumer!

Yess! This is why I guess I/we both love Fashion Revolution as it brings more awareness to the consumer straight from the retailer. We need more transparency!

SH: Totally! Fashion Revolution are doing an amazing job of raising awareness and getting people to think about their fashion choices - but as you probably know, we are aware of their work, but a huge proportion of the population doesn’t. So it will take a while, but we’ve got to start somewhere!

The start is always the hardest! But the end is the most rewarding.

SH: Indeed - and this is what keeps me going. Seeing the impact that a small brand like mine can make, especially when I went to Myanmar to visit one of the projects we are supporting. And the impact we can make to improve the lives of others.

I think there is still some sort of communication barrier between western and developing countries. We are definitely more aware about this and trying to bring change but maybe

in the developing, it takes a lot harder to set that vision because they’re so used to that lifestyle?

Which is a really sad thing to mention because they’re the most affected by all this.

SH: Potentially but I don’t think it’s a communication barrier - it’s because it’s not affecting people here directly, so it creates a distance between them and the issue.

Yeah barrier wasn’t really the word I was looking for. To be honest if I can blame one thing it’d probably be our greed and corruption more than anything.

SH: And by huge proportion of people who don’t know about Fashion Revolution, I meant in the Western World. So many of my friends had never heard of Fashion Revolution before I mentioned it to them!

That is true. That’s why social media plays an important part in sharing things like this That’s great. I love how experiences can really shape your views and your passions in life and be the driving force behind something. I was actually going to go back on what you said about going travelling and seeing things that made you and your partner set up the foundation.

If you can tell me more about that?

SH: I am originally from Malaysia, so I have travelled extensively around South East Asia and seen child labour happening all around and it’s something that has always upset me. So, it’s a problem that is close to our hearts, and something that we felt not enough was being done around. Not using a factory because it has child labourers is not fixing the issue, it is just ignoring it. And we felt more needed to be understood around the root causes of the problem, as well as finding long-

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term solutions to the problem - and that is what the charity’s mission is.

Did we have a conversation about where we’re from when we met? ‘Cause I can’t remember but we’re basically neighbours haha SH: Hmmmm I don’t remember! I don’t think so as I would have remembered that.

Yeah, I’m from Indonesia.

SH: Jakarta?

Yes!!

I’ve definitely experienced this too and it’s a tough situation to be in.

Personally, sometimes I feel hopeless as there are so many children out there being exploited and not having the childhood that they deserve, like what I had when I was younger. But with brands like SP and others, it makes it less overwhelming and gives more hope that yes, we can help them by supporting these brands. And it doesn’t have to be a direct thing like volunteering abroad etc.

SH: That’s what we aim to do - it’s a complex issue and not one that can be solved overnight. As you mentioned, corruption is a real problem, especially in developing countries.

Yeah, and just understanding the problem and therefore shopping more consciously with brands trying to make a difference or demanding it from the brands who aren’t. Hopefully at some point we’ll be able to have volunteers to help with these projects and see the impact they can make.

Hmm and it really helps when someone in government actually cares for the citizen and wants to do something about. Not being another passive person in power.

SH: Yes, but not just one person in the government, it needs to be the system. Because there are many laws in these countries to protect children, but they’re just not enforced.

I’m not sure about the situation in Malaysia but in Indonesia, we have a president that’s bringing about change and trying to eradicate corruption.

SH: We’re hoping the same for Malaysia - it is one of the most corrupt countries in the world!

This is also why I’ve decided mainly to focus on talking and bringing up these brands because not a lot of people know about it, or they do but they don’t know where to look. It’s also fun to discover all these small brands just by browsing online and social media.

SH: Yes, one of the struggles for small brands like ours is the awareness we don’t have huge marketing budgets to compete with the big brands so it helps having awesome people like you with that passion!

Yeah it’s a collective, everyone has a role to play. Ahh thank you! And thank you for being one of these brands to exist, otherwise I wouldn’t have anything to write about haha.

SH: Haha!

From the day you started working on SP to now, what has been the highlights of running a brand and foundation?

What have you learned about yourself?

SH: The highlights - seeing my collections come to life and on people, especially if I spot them on people I don’t know! And, very importantly, seeing the impact our charity is making like our School Truck project in Myanmar. I’ve learned a lot about myself during this period, that when faced with

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adversity and pressure, I can dig deep and get things done. Because boy, when you run a start up, you face challenges after challenges and I’ve had a few breakdowns for sure!

Yes! I can totally relate. Running a start-up makes you understand about and desire more perseverance and persistence. I’ve had to take small breaks from it and come back to it but to always keep going, which is the main thing.

In terms of designs and collections, what have been/will be your inspirations behind them?

SH: Performance and style is always at the forefront of each collection and using prints in a flattering and sophisticated way. The new collection is inspired by nature and landscape and will be called the Vista Collection. We will be dropping some of the pieces this summer! We’re all in the same boat!

Ahh that’s great! When will we be able to see and buy them online?

SH: I am hoping beginning of July!

And you have collections for both male and female right?

SH: Yes, although the new collection is a women’s collection and we will hopefully launch more men’s products soon!

So, if a new men’s collection is in

the books, what else are you hoping to unveil for the future of Sports Philosophy? Can you give us a little spoiler alert? What do you hope to achieve in the near future for SP? SH: But we have some exciting plans for SP, including making a wider impact on our world but that’s as much as I can say for now! And the hope for the near future is for SP to expand internationally and be able to support more grassroot projects tackling child labour!

Ahh okay, keeping it hush hush for now I see haha! I’m sure whatever it is, it’ll be exciting, and we can’t hear to hear more about it soon.

SH: Yes, hopefully soon!

Amazing!

I’m sure our readers will appreciate hearing more about the work that you do and will continue to do. Sounds like a very promising future.

SH: Fingers Crossed!

It’s been so lovely talking to you about SP, yourself and even other topics that I didn’t expect to talk about. I’m so glad I went to that event and met you, you’re doing a fab job and I’m sure I’ll come back again and ask for an update.

SH: Haha it was a fun interview!!

Thanks for doing this with me!

www.thesportsphilosophy.com

ACCEPTING ANXIETIES Ellie Ricketts

I don’t remember the last time I felt relaxed, chilled-out, calm, or at peace. The last time when I was able to sit back and think “wow I am truly content”.

I suffer from anxiety.

The kind that leaves you feeling nervous, on edge and with a heart rate that feels like someone is inside your chest trying to hammer their way out. Not fun, and most definitley not something that I want to define me.

It crept up on me way back when, at university during my first year.

Even though I was having the time of my life, or so I thought, I began to experience feelings of worry that gradually worsened. I felt confused, unsure of myself, and at a loss of who to voice my concerns to.

Since then I have constantly battled with the need to find out where these feelings have stemmed from. I have always thought that there must be a root to my anxiety and have always found it frustrating that I have

been unable to pinpoint it.

After Christmas 2017, it got to the point where something needed to change. I quit my job in London and went back to work locally.

Admittedly it is a job I had had previously, but also one that I had loved. The opportunity arose at the perfect time and I haven’t looked back since.

I know that it was the right thing for me to do, and although some might say it was a step in the wrong direction, career wise, it was a step in the right direction where my happiness was concerned. And at the end of the day, that is what’s most important for all of us. Your health is your wealth afterall!

In some ways the decision I made has helped, in others not so much. I still find things to worry about on a daily basis.

Whether it’s that I’m not where I should be in terms of my career, or about my drive to work, there is always something niggling away in my mind. But it’s

given me time and the opportunity to take a step back and slow down a bit. Something that I really hadn’t realised I had needed so much.

Now I wake up without dreading my commute to work, instead I can drive 20 minutes down the road and enjoy my work day with people I can call friends rather than colleagues. You should evaluate how happy you are in the workplace, as this is somewhere that you spend the majority of your time.

Over the years I’ve tried various coping methods, including counselling, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), meditation, and exercise. Although these methods can help temporarily, I am yet to find a method that helps on a more permanent basis.

What I do find helpful is breathing - simple but effective. Just taking five minutes out of your day is crucial. This is a technique I personally find helpful, and believe that it has a lot to do with Mindfulness. Allow time for, and take care

of yourself.

Mindfulness, although not a cure, is so essential in day to day life. It is widely talked about now and will help you on your journey to accepting your anxiety. Noticing your surroundings on your walk to work or listening to the sounds of the birds in the morning, are both examples of how you can make a difference. We get so wrapped up in our lives that we forget the little things, things that can be so vital to our happiness.

I’ve come to realise though, that maybe it isn’t ever going to go away entirely, and maybe it is something that I have just got to learn to cope with. So that’s why I’ve decided it’s time to begin to accept my anxiety; embrace it almost.

By accepting it, you can help yourself reduce symptoms when they arise. You may have heard of the ‘fight-or-flight’ response. Don’t fight it, accept these emotions and tell yourself that you can handle this.

You are in control of your emotions, and you will get through this.

There may be times when it doesn’t feel like it, but we are all a lot stronger than we think we are.

So here I am taking a step in the right direction in accepting my anxiety, and sharing my experience with it, with you. It is not something to be ashamed of, and in fact, far more people than you think are suffering with it.

Including those closest to you.

My favourite quote is “treat others as you would like to be treated” and it resonates well here. The way someone is feeling isn’t always obvious. I know that I feel better knowing that I have family and friends who I can lean on when I’m not feeling great, and this works both ways. We need to look out for each other and be there in times of need.

I would encourage anyone suffering from anxiety and low mood to speak out. It’s okay not to feel okay but you should

always be able to talk to someone about it, whether it’s a friend, family member, or a counsellor.

Although the thought of this isn’t easy at first, you wont regret it once it becomes easier to talk about your thoughts and feelings.

I can not stress enough how important it is not to bottle up those feelings, because if you do, it’s only going to get worse - you aren’t alone and there are people you can talk to.

Try this and you might just find that accepting your anxiety and being open about it, could lead you to peace.

I leave you with this quote.

“Forgive yourself for not being at peace. The moment you completely accept your non-peace, your nonpeace is transmitted into peace. Anything you accept fully will get you there, will take you into peace. This is the miracle of surrender.”

- Eckhart Tolle.

CONTRIBUTORS

Olawaseun – I met Seun through church, I think, or was it Christian Union?

No, I think it was church back in Bournemouth a few years ago. I was studying there for my second year at uni, starting my degree and happened to bump into this lovely Nigerian girl studying Media at Bournemouth University.

I’m glad to have met her, I hope she felt at home while her family were away and now that she’s graduated, I’m sure she’ll go places.

You’re awesome!

Nanna – I met Nanna at the Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), we were both starting our degrees together in Fashion and decided to meet up before uni officially began.

We went on a night out; remembering how tired she was so she left another friend and I

to have the rest of our fun. She’s one of the bubbliest persons I know, so kind and eager to learn new things.

For the small time I’ve known her, I’m sure her enthusiasm will take her far in her fashion career.

Keep being fab! P.S. she’s also graduated this year.

Jordan – I met Jordan through an app called Shapr where you can meet likeminded business people that you can work with, mentor or be mentored by, chat and share your experiences in business. If you’re a start-up who need people, this is the best place to start. Also from Norwich, Jordan is a fashion blogger by day and night and I’m so amazed by how much he’s achieved without a degree or formal higher education. What a great example of showing the things you can do

when you’re passionate without having to follow the grain. I can’t wait to work more with you!

Ruby – Another Bourney matey and fashion student-now-graduatewell-a-year-ago.

We didn’t talk much while I was there, she was in the year above, but it’s incredible to hear and see her life transformed by knowing Christ in her years of uni through her best friend and course mate. I’m not sure what you’re doing now but I know you’re doing great things. God bless you!

Jenny – I was looking for a writer who has experience and had to whittle it down to one or two writers out of the 50 odd applications that we received. Jenny is a lifestyle writer for several clients so it was great to have a different perspective when it comes to

articles. I hope you’re doing well and I’m looking forward to working more with you!

Caz – I also met Caz on Shapr.

She’s a talented videographer and storyteller who has worked for several clients before and still do. If you’ve seen some of the recent LFW photos on our Instagram, they were probably shot by her. You’ll be seeing more of her work in writing and images soon.

Zaynab – Zaynab was the second marketing/PR intern for TheHashtag last year and I loved having her write for us for a month. It’s funny how she went to my current uni, University for the Creative Arts, studying fashion journalism. I’m glad you enjoyed the short internship, I hope you find your field and keep writing!

Jack – where to start with

you… I’m joking. Jack is a talented photographer in Bournemouth or Weymouth, I can never tell, and is working in a vape shop. He’s like a little brother to me, literally small but so full of energy and cynicism. I was looking for a photographer for my first unit of my fashion degree, posted it on the AUB creatives page, he messaged me (he didn’t go to AUB at the time, cheeky), loved his photography and we met in Costa later. We went location scouting on that day to look for a decent church, found one together and just started shooting a few days after that. The result was incredible. He’s 100% loyal to photography, and alcohol. But mostly photography, right?

Sabrina – Sabrina was our graphic design intern from Falmouth University. She loves to

experiment in different media and she’s made the logo for our magazine as well as a few layouts on our Instagram page. I hope you’re doing well at uni and pursue your passions. I also hope you enjoyed the small time that you interned with us. All the best for the future!

Ellie – Ellie is our inhouse graphic designer.

She loves to travel in weird transports like a hot air balloon just to gain new experiences and see the world in a higher, broader perspective.

I’m super glad that she’s enthusiastic in joining our small but dedicated team, while I was worried initially that I’m not able to get together content for this second half due to work. You will definitely be seeing more of her work on our blog and Instagram. We love you Ellie!

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