Fashion Week and Fur Protests

Sourced from PETA 

 PETA has become renowned for their anti-fur protests at fashion weeks over the last couple of decades, from the disruption of Oscar de la Renta's fur show in 1991 to meetings with Calvin Klein in 1994, right up to this year's protests in London. For me at least there is no doubt about the effectiveness of PETA's fur protests, more and more designers are rejecting fur and other materials sourced from animals in favour of more ethical options, but there can be no doubt that these protest will continue until the abuse of animals to create clothing has stopped.
From @chloekoffman 

 There definitely is a slower move to more ethical and environmentally friendly options by luxury brands because by nature they are slower to enact change due to long production times and small client bases. As well as this their products are generally not to be thrown away and are made to last. This definitely a case of waiting for designer brands to move towards a blending of ethics and environmentally conscious choices while maintaining the aesthetic that the brand represents.

 I think this slow change is the reason that the PETA protests have become so prolific in recent years during fashion month (made up of fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris). It is during fashion month that these designers take the world stage and set the trends for the upcoming year, not only this but there is an incredible amount of press coverage and social media discussion about the events. Thus making the protest reach as many people as possible, and therefore more effective at creating change within the industry. These protests are not the only thing demanding change, even surveys conducted by the RSPCA in 2011 found that 95% of Brits wouldn't wear real fur, which begs the question why are fur and other animal materials still produced so openly?

 Now personally I was never always against fur and other animal-based materials, I still own leather shoes from before I went vegan, I used to have a goose down duvet for most of my life. Fundamentally the reason I was never against all of these things was because I never questioned the way they were produced I allowed them to be disconnected from the violence and abuse that is required to create them. But the protests this year at London fashion week opened my eyes to something new, the detrimental environmental and heath effects of the production of real fur and leather etc. 
Please don't wear real fur or leather or any other material from an animal! Because if for no other reason no one wants to be like Cruella de Vil 
XO, Miriam 
P.S. Here are some resources that I used to inform this post and that have more info on other protests both physical and online: 
Anne (2016) Why are these models at London fashion week wearing gas masks? | PETA UK. Available at: http://www.peta.org.uk/blog/models-london-fashion-week-gas-masks-fur-protest/

Gamble, I. and Dazed (2016) Anti-fur protesters storm London fashion week opening. Available at: http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/29922/1/anti-fur-protesters-storm-london-fashion-week-opening 
Gonsalves, R. (2015) Fashion’s faux and sustainable options: How designers are redefining luxury with ethical substitutes. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/fashion-s-faux-and-sustainable-options-how-designers-are-redefining-luxury-with-ethical-substitutes-a6736671.html
Kretzer, M. (2016) PETA’s New York fashion week ads would fool even fashion editors. Available at: http://www.peta.org/blog/petas-new-york-fashion-week-ads-would-fool-even-fashion-editors/ 
opinion, S. (2016) Second opinion doctor. Available at: http://www.second-opinion-doc.com/the-history-of-petas-anti-fur-campaign.html


The environmental costs and health risks of fur (2010) Available a; http://www.furfreealliance.com/environment-and-health/  




The Book Club| The China Study


//The China Study// 2.5/5 //

Let start with this I wanted to love this book, I wanted to be educated further through scientific evidence about the benefits of a vegan diet, I wanted to have something to refer people to when I am asked questions about my lifestyle choice. Instead, I have conflicting views about this incredibly popular non-fiction book within the vegan community.

For me, the best thing about this book was the writing style, it allowed the scientific bits more accessible to someone who hasn't read a scientific report or review for 3 or so years. By allowing the science to be more accessible it made it possible for me to form my own views on the evidence presented and whether it could help in explaining my lifestyle choice, and in working out how I should eat as a vegan to remain healthy.

This for me is where the problems lie, I felt as though some of the information was being manipulated or not included in order for the authors to further their own viewpoints. While I believe this book was in part written for this reason it felt forced, everything seemed to add up in their favour which for me at least felt a little bit off. I have since read other reviews of the book and I'm not the only one who has felt this way, by no means am I trying to say that the evidence that the book puts forward is wrong or has been misinterpreted but it does leave out some possible counter-arguments which I believe should have been considered. Having said that I don't know all that much about science and the way it should be conveyed to the public.

My overall conclusion on this book is to dip in and out of it, and only read the sections that interest you and affect your life personally and will help you educate those around you about a plant based diet.

XO, Miriam



What I Eat In A Day #3| Vegan


Breakfast: 

So I have recently rediscovered cereal, nothing special I know but you can definitely blame on watching too much Bonny Rebecca and Steph (AKA HappyHealthy96) lately. I mixed several different types of cereal together firstly to bulk up my more expensive cereal and secondly to get a bunch of different textures. Today I mixed up cornflakes, puffed rice and strawberry granola. And of course I have to get my fruit in, in the morning so I topped it with passionfruit and blueberries as well as the normal chia seeds, cacao nibs and coconut. I ate this all with rice milk today, but I normally prefer almond milk in the morning because it is sweeter.



Lunch: 

My flatmate and I made a small stir-fry using some leftover mix and bulked it out a bit using Thai rice crackers, and some veggie sausages. We used a pre-made sweet chilli sauce and I added some sriracha.  I don't eat that much for lunch because it doesn't normally suit my schedule very well, so I generally eat more in the mornings and the evenings. 


Dinner: 

This photo isn't actually from today but basically had the same thing. I made a bean chilli using kidney beans, black beans and sweetcorn. The recipe I used is here... I ate it with potatoes baked with no oil or salt and some mixed salad with a lil' olive oil on. You may have noticed quite a lot of carbs in my diet which is just how I feel good, I mean don't get me wrong I love vegan ice cream and avocados but on most days eating a lot of starchy carbs is the most practical way for me to eat and to feel good. More on that in a later post. 


XO, Miriam 

A Toast to Knitwear




//Jumper - My flatmates//Jeans- Jack Wills//Glasses -Aluminium//

I was going back through my photos looking for a set of shots I took for a recipe post and while I couldn't find them I did find these random shots from when I went back to Devon back in March... But moving on from my useless blog organisation skills over the last 6 months. 

While I wore this outfit back in March it is perfect for the beginning of Autumn, this might be because I am a huge advocate of the oversized items of knitwear than can be dressed up or down. Knitwear for me is not optional, take this jumper for example dressed down here with old jeans, messy slept in hair and what I like to call my 70's specs. But add a pair of pumps in my case probably black, blacker than black skinny jeans ( can you see a theme forming yet?). Maybe a white button-down with the collar showing and my black framed glasses and you are ready for cocktails. 

So this is a toast to knitwear, for taking us from day to night effortlessly, for keeping us hella warm, and for making us look like we didn't roll out of bed and spill coffee before those 9am lectures. So thank you once again knitwear you are my saviour. 


XO, Miriam  




Vegan Bean Chilli



Since going vegan back in January there have been a few meals that I have missed, the main one being chilli as my mum always used to make with Quorn or I would have it with turkey mince when cooking for myself at uni last year. And because I can't even imagine eating meat anymore let alone believe the idea that it is 'healthy' I decided to make a less processed version using whole plant based foods and fresh ingredients that my body will thrive on.





Ingredients:
1/2 cup of canned or soaked kidney beans
1/2 cup of canned or soaked black beans
1/4 cup pearl barley (optional)
1 small can of sweetcorn
2 cups of whole cherry tomatoes
1 can of canned tomatoes
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
2 pieces of dark chocolate
1 onion finely chopped
1 bell pepper
1 clove of garlic crushed

Method:

1. Heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat, and soften the onion and garlic in a small amount of water.

2. Add the bell pepper and the cherry tomatoes, allow to heat up for about 5mins.

3. Stir in the chilli powder and cumin powder.

4. Pop the now soft cherry tomatoes and stir in the beans and canned tomatoes.

5. Leave to simmer for about 5 minutes, then stir in the dark chocolate (I used dark chilli chocolate this time but it doesn't make much of a difference) and add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Turn down to a low heat and stir in the pearl barley if you are using any.

7. Allow to cook for about 30 mins on a low heat.

8. Serve with rice and tortillas or potatoes.

9. Eat.

I also add nutritional yeast and sriracha to mine because I add them to everything...

XO, Miriam

The Texts I Never Sent You

Forever out of focus.

have debated writing this post, so many times now, I have written it out and deleted it more times than I can count. So the thing is after someone very close to me left my life I kept going to talk to them, say things I know from experience I shouldn't so I started typing all the texts and wanted to send out on the notes section of my phone. This is the result of a couple of months of trying not to talk to someone I used to talk to every day.


10th March:

I miss you

Can I talk to you? 

I love you, I don't think I will ever stop

Why? 

11th March: 

Good morning

I just want to cuddle with you and escape this life

I wish you were still someone I could talk to about everything, I don't have anyone like that anymore and that scares me

Come back? 

12th March: 

I missed your face this morning, I wanted to make breakfast with you and watch anime

I decided to get some professional help today, hope you are doing okay. 

Why?! God damn it why?! I can't do this, it's killing me, please talk to me, please come back 

17th March: 

This isn't okay, I should have fought and I know that I should've fought for you for us because God damn it I miss you. I would do anything to have you back right now, I know you won't take me but I need you. I love you. I really hope you remember that because I don't know how much longer I can do this. 

Sorry. 

20th March: 

I think I lied the other night when we spoke on the phone. I'm not sure I will ask you to consider. Maybe, the only thing I know is I miss having a friend who would do anything for me, who would look after me at my worst and at my best. I miss being able to be there for you when you hit rock bottom or when you are on a high. So I guess thank you for all of that. 

7th April: 

How are you? 

18th April: 

I thought I was done grieving over what we lost, and looking forward to friendship and everything else. But I'm not sure I am, you're still always there in the back of my mind, you're the one I want to talk to if I feel down. I miss the way you used to hold me until I was okay again, the way we could talk for hours or feel comfortable not talking at all in the same room. A friend of ours asked me if I was over you if I was talking to anyone else yet if I was okay. My answers were yes, no, yes respectively. Every 'yes' was a lie. 

19th April: 

I miss talking to you.

21st April: 

Last night was strange and I want to tell you about it, it was one of this best nights I have had in a while. And everything in me is telling me what I did was wrong, that I am cheating on you by kissing someone else, but I look at the reality and I'm not. I probably shouldn't tell you this but I think I will be okay without you. So what if he wasn't my type... So what if he wasn't the best-looking guy there, it was the confidence boost I needed to prove that I can move on from needing to talk to you. And finally, I think I am over this grief. 

Thank you for teaching me that I am stronger than the loss of you, stronger than you want me to be, that I can do me without your validation of my actions. I'm sorry but I no longer think I'm in love with you. 

23rd April:

And what if I told you I lied. What if I told you I still love you. Would it change things?

24th April:

I miss you, I miss everything about us, and I hate this, I hate that we wanted different things from ourselves. There is nothing I can do but scream 'what if' after 'what if' from the top of my lungs into my unflinching pillow before I sleep at night. 

26th April: 

Today I saw your name light up my phone, and everything in me is willing me not to fucking ring you. Cause God damn it I wish it didn't hurt that you don't reply when I ask how you are, I wish I could forget everything that happened between us, and I wish I could hate you but I fucking can't.

Please pick up.

9th May: 

Thank you.

*disclaimer, texts have been edited to create this post, and some texts are missing due to the use of the person's name or reference to personal details I do not wish to discuss*


A Closer Look| BANA

I am starting a new lil' series over here on the blog to help celebrate my favourite smaller designers.
And I'm starting with BANA a sunglasses brand created in 2014 the French/ Lebanese designer Tanya Hayek. They showed the Spring So Cute Collection at the show I saw, and I want a pair of all of them. I have seen sunglasses like this before with the floral embellishments but none with this amount of attention to detail. The brand doesn't just use the cliché roses, they have picked different flowers, with different shades, and for me what really makes them stand out is the use of different tints on the lenses to either contrast or compliment the floral designs. Now, of course, the best way to get to know a brand is to talk to the owner, and that is what I have done. So here begins an interview with Tanya Hayek the owner of BANA. 


How would you sum up your brand? 

 I would say that every pair of sunglasses has a personality so by wearing them you are adopting that personality. And with the flowers, I believe that everyone is so beautiful and so everyone deserves to have a bouquet of flowers to match their personality.

 If you could only wear one pair of your sunglasses for the rest of your life which pair would it be? 

 I could never wear one pair of sunglasses for the rest of my life I'm always changing which ones are my favourite about every three months or so depending on the season. But if I had to choose right now I would go for the Ceaser pair because they are so different from the normal flowers and pastels I normally work with. That  and I am currently in Cannes  ready to release my new collection near the time of the film festival, so this pair makes me feel like I am dressed to the standard of everyone else living and staying here. 


Tea or coffee and how do you like it? 

 I love both but prefer tea because you can get so many different flavours so I always have a new favourite type. I also prefer it because it is healthier.

 If you could live and work in any city in the world where would it be? 

 Not really a city but I would love to live in Hawaii!


How did you create the Spring So Cute collection? 

 The basic concept was based on going to the beach, and that I was bored of seeing the same sunglasses everywhere. So I made customised an old pair of my own, then a few compliments later and a push from a friend I starting selling them as a business. 

 Do you think this sort of embellishment could work for normal glasses/would you ever design normal glasses frames? 

 Yes totally! I take private orders in the town where I live, and people give me either a pair of sunglasses or normal specs for me to customise. I don't think I would create a glasses frames collection just yet because you can play around with sunglasses so much more. 


Who are your favourite designers or artists to draw inspiration from?

 Most of my sunglasses draw inspiration from the people I see around me, and the round shape comes from the iconic John Lennon glasses.

What are your favourite colours to work with?

I love to work with the colours of the sunset, I currently have a paint that goes from orange to yellow depending on the light you're under which has been really fun to work with.



A massive thank you to Tanya for letting me interview her, and if you want a pair of glasses by her  ready for the summer and festival season head over to the BANA website!

XO, Miriam


*disclaimer, I am in no way sponsored to do this post.


Beautiful Liar


//Top - People Tree//Skirt - UO//Cardigan - BooHoo// Pleather Sandals - New Look//

Oxford is still in that weird in-between phase of spring where it's not quite warm enough to go without tights, but it is too warm to wear more than two layers after midday. So here is my compromise between some of my summer staples and so of my leftover autumn and winter pieces before I put them away. I am still trying to experiment a bit more with my look so today I tried out some pieces that vary in length, and I am pretty happy with the result.



This is probably something I would wear out for dinner with friends or if I had a class presentation at uni, basically any time when you need to be a little smarter than your average jeans and a tee combo... Which if you know anything about me you is my go to thing to wear.



Have a wonderful day!

XO, MIRIAM



A Very Late #LFW Post with Oxford Fashion Studio

Hannh Sykes

Bana

Noora Pajari


Sabina Saga
Emanuela Giannelli Design

Hooray for in ability to blog at all for far to long, if I told you how long I have had this post pretty much ready to post you would fee embarrassed for me. So I will try to make this short. Now you may have seen that last season that I attended the  OFS shows in Oxford, but while they were enchanting and showed me the wonderful mayhem that is pre-runway show it pales in comparison to the LFW shows. There was more of a buzz surrounding these shows, as well as an incredible location, Devonshire Square anyone?!

I am going to do a more in-depth post on one or two of the designers because I couldn't get over how much i loved their designs. But for now these are some of my favourite shots and looks from the shows. If you want to see more obviously head over to the OFS website (here) to take a closer look and find out about tickets for next season.

Sorry this post is oh so short, but I have so much to say about some of the designers that they need their own post or maybe a video I don't know yet. But it is coming I promise.


XO, Miriam



Taking Time To Breathe


With so much going on in my life right now I'm struggling to find the space to just breathe. 

In, out, in, out, in, out

And even when I do catch some time it is like watching time fall through my fingers like the way the sea moves past my body as I walk out into the surf. Where do you begin to look for the space to breathe? 

I've found it in strange places: the utility room, on the swings, talking to the loveliest homeless woman on the way home from work, while sat drinking flat whites and green tea, just inside the front door. All of these places aren't new to me, they just happen to be the places I find the most peace. Where nothing reminds me of him, where I can breathe freely for a moment before my brain begins to start again. 

XO, Miriam 




Moving Forward| A Late Night Ramble


There is so much I want to do right now, there are so many things I'm looking forward to doing. But there are also parts of me that don't want to do those things because if I do I leave things behind. Things I love, people I love and lost, memories I don't want to give up. 

*listens to Audrey Hepburn sing Moonriver*

The thing is moving forward when there is so much to let go of is hard, harder than I expected. It means asking for help in unlikely places, and from unlikely people. It means cutting off, burning bridges, and not turning back. For me I know I need to move forward, and not once consider the alternative future that could've been. 

*lets housemate into the house* 

The problem with losing someone you care about is that you need to find you again. A you that doesn't co-exist alongside their values all the time any more, a you that stands alone to face the world and everything in it. A you that is the truest for of yourself in that moment. 

Moving forward is as scary as it is freeing,  as exciting as it is painful. Cause damn this will be hard, but I'm going to do my best. 

XO, Miriam 




Simple Green Breakfast Smoothie



The addiction to smoothies continues forever... And the simpler the better in my eyes! 

So grab these things from your fridge/freezer/cupboard or wherever else you may keep your food.

4-6 super spotty bananas
1 cup of baby spinach 
1 cup of mixed tropical fruit 
1 cup rice milk 
1-2 cups of ice cold water 

Blend the spinach with the coconut milk into a paste first, then add all the fruit and the water and blend blend blend. 

*and the vegans are going to blend blend blend* 

Drink up and be happy. 

XO, Miriam





What I Eat In A Day #2| VEGAN

Tah-dah! Another 'What I Eat In A Day' post, I wanted to do these more often than I have but I don't always have my camera near by when I'm eating... 


Breakfast: As always I started the day with a big bottle of water, and on this day I had marmite on brown toast (get that B12 in people) and a bowl of oranges.


Snack: You guessed it more oranges, I happened to have loads of really juicy rip oranges so why wait to eat them!


Lunch: *please excuse the over exposed photo* *cringes* Can we all raise our hand to me finally putting blueberries in salads because this is the best! I made this salad with a mix salad bag, falafel, thai crackers, sesame seeds, tahini, chai seeds and moron hummus. I had two bowls of this, because second helpings are important to me okay...



Dinner: PIZZA! I bought some remade bases from the supermarket and put loads of veggies on top of some tomato sauce. The veggies included onions, potatoes, spinach, peppers, and mushrooms, all topped with siracha.


So there you have it what I eat in a day.

XO, Miriam

The Book Club| By The Stars


By the Stars by Jessica Marie Baumgartner 3.5/5

Not long after New Years, European Geeks Publishing & Eleventh Hour Literary Press sent me this lovely little e-book to review. I have always been fond of Sci-fi and anything to do with space but i haven't made time to read any over the past year favouring historical fiction... So naturally when I saw that this book was about 100 pages long, how could I say no! 

 I had no idea what to expect from this book, I might have gone in with slightly high-expectations hence the 3.5/5 star rating. But hey do you know what I connected with the book, I could relate with all of the characters on some level be it the irritation of not being independent to the wanting to stay the same and not have to adapt. There definitely was an addictive quality to the story, you want to know what happens, and why everything is the way it is, I personally would have loved some more detail in terms of flashbacks etc but I would assume that comes later in the series when it is released. And even though at times I felt the language was quite simple, the story was one of the more compelling sci-fi novels I have read in my time (oh great now I sound old...). I'm not sure if I will continue with the series as they are released, but do you know what it makes a nice little stand alone. 

 XO, Miriam 

 Follow me over on GoodReads to keep up with all the books I read. 






Criss-Cross | OOTD





 //Shirt - Thrifted//Dress - Topshop//Tights - TU//Boots - Ted&Muffy//

I'm not one to wear dresses all that often so when I buy one I have to be completely in love with it, and with this dress I wasn't sure until I put it on. I was one of those things I tried on for a joke and now can't stop wearing it.

*takes break from writing this post for 2 days to listen to The Fray*

Now where was I, oh yes this darling little dress, complete with a criss-cross lacing detail at the top, never has a dress been more perfect to take from day to night, loosen the lacing, swap in a leather jacket, and you are ready to have a great night. But for me by far the best thing about this piece is that compared to the rest of my wardrobe it is quite girly and not to mention it isn't all black...

*takes another break to eat some instant noodles*

Yes I think that will be all for this post. I promise to write something more interesting next time!

XO, Miriam




My Fave Mango and Raspberry Smoothie


If you don't already know I am obsessed with smoothies, especially for breakfast. I mean is there anything better than a massive smoothie to get you ready for the day?! Thought not! For me the best way to make smoothies is with a mix of frozen and fresh fruit because then you get that hydrated feeling that you can get from ice water...

So to make this amazing lil' (1L) smoothie you will need:

  • 1-2 large mangoes
  • 1 cup frozen raspberries
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • Cold Water
Add the ingredients into the blender, starting with the frozen raspberries, then the mango, next up is the almond milk, and finally add cold water until the fruit is covered!

XO, Miriam 



The Book Club| The Crying of Lot 49


The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon - 3/5

I wouldn't have picked this lil' book up if hadn't been required reading for one of my modules next semester, but as it was a short book I thought I could read it now and on the week we are studying it closely. The first half of the novel (novella?) gave me so much hope for the rest of it but I lost interest halfway. Now lets be clear this is a short book, and maybe its because it is required reading that I'm not enjoying it all that much but it started of with a sense of mystery and a complex storyline that could have been so good, but then. NOTHING. I mean stuff happened sure but even when everything is all concluded I felt nothing towards the characters, I didn't engage with so much of the story I just felt Meh.

Having said all of that I must admit I love the writing style here, so I might try out some of his other work in the future but this book wasn't for me. But hey at least it was short...

Now I'm of to read something I want to read rather than something I have to read!

XO, Miriam

What I Eat In A Day #1 | VEGAN

Call my nosey but I love seeing what people eat, I could easily watch 'what I eat in a day' videos on YouTube everyday... So I decided to bring that concept over to my blog to share what I'm eating. This first post is from a very lazy holiday day when I had more time to spend on making my food etc. So here we go my first 'what I eat in a day' post:



Breakfast: I nearly always start the day with juice or a smoothies, in this case it was a banana, mango and fresh orange juice smoothie, as well as a slice of toast complete with vegan butter and marmite. Yup I'm one of those people who loves marmite...


Lunch: I don't always have a smoothie at lunch but I knew I wouldn't have eaten enough calories if I didn't include it that day. So to go with my mango, raspberry, and almond milk smoothie I had fried garlic mushrooms and peppers, with little gem lettuce, and a touch of mustard all on top of toast.


Dinner: Bit of a random dinner here, I used up some homemade red thai curry paste, some mushrooms, peppers, and corn to make a spicy risotto because why not... And of course I had some orange juice with this as well.

I also drank about 2 - 3L of water during the day, as I take my bottle everywhere and sip on it as I go.

XO, Miriam



It's Not Me It's You | OOTD






//Top - H&M//Jeans - Jack Wills//Shoes - My Sisters//

I have a confession to make, it was bloody freezing when I took these photos, this top is definitely more of a spring piece or to be layered with a leather jacket. But I couldn't wait to share this top with you all, mainly because it is one of the cutest slogan tops I have owned or will ever own but it also comes with a little sass. I didn't plan on buying this but it came to my attention while I was shopping with a friend that I don't have all that much colour in my wardrobe so instead of buying a black fuzzy jumper I opted for this number. Now I know that I haven't exactly gone for anything bright or summery here but the jumper reminded my of the ballet cardigans I remember wearing when I was little, even complete with a little bow and a delicate fabric.

Now while I could have gone with something a little more girly, I felt that this top's slogan "It's not me it's you" needed something a touch tougher. So naturally I went for the black skinny jeans and some biker boots to help streamline the look. What?! I'm not going to stop wearing mostly black over night now am I...

XO, Miriam


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