411 ON INTERESTING THINGS

So far I think it’s fair to say that 2020 has not been as anyone expected. Not to seem obtuse in stating the obvious, but these times are strange and navigating them as such is strange. We’re in a limbo between normal life and the new normal. As things open in varying degrees, little freedoms arise which is as exciting as it is unnerving. 

It has been a tumultuous time that has caused many to look inwardly, reevaluate and reconsider behaviours and beliefs, educating oneself on things taken for granted and things assumed. It’s a time for development, to slow down and appreciate the little things. Whether that be acknowledging the good weather, making your favourite meal, or taking a little time for yourself to read my round up of silly, random, informative but above all else, interesting things.

To Cheer You Up

I’ve already explained that my time in lockdown has not quite been spent honing newfound skills, or reading anything more substantial than a magazine. However, I have been spending an exorbitant amount of time vegetating in front of Netflix, specifically binge watching ‘Cheer’. Before this, my knowledge of cheerleading surmounted to that of ‘Bring it On’. Which though a classic (IMO), focuses on hijacking dances, dodgey boyfriends and drama. However, ‘Cheer’ shows the athletic ability and commitment necessitated in competitive cheerleading and the inspirational characters of the team. A particular favourite being Jerry Harris, who’s infectious spirit and mood boosting ‘mat talk’ makes him the best friend we all need.

Tween Pop for you Thirties

Jerry may be a new favourite, but I took great delight in rediscovering an old favourite - JoJo. Yes, just at the mention of her name, I bet you’re humming her most memorable hit, ‘get out, right now...’. As contagious as that song was, I can’t believe that I forgot about JoJo, I guess it’s testament to the fickleness of the tween mind... However, 16 years later, here she is, new album and new blonde hair in tow, giving her story of perseverance, resilience and what releasing an album in quarantine is like. Though her new music isn’t my preference now, it was a nostalgia filled read, rediscovering an old favourite and conjuring up memories of life in the noughties.

Organised Khaos

Something about being at home for more time than usual has left me with an insatiable need to organise. Perhaps my attempts for control in amongst the chaos are endemic of the times of now? Whatever the causation, it has led me to what is one of the most satisfying articles I have ever read, divulging the glories of turntables, stackable canisters and drawer inserts. This may be considered to be facilitating my neurotic compulsions, but I prefer to think of it as educating my newfound propensity for orderliness and allowing me to do so in style, it does come Kardashian endorsed after all. 

The Price of Fashion

It wouldn’t be a true round up of interesting things if it didn’t include at least one article by Vogue - I’m consistent like that. The pandemic has thrown everything into flux, has left many reevaluating the truly important things of life and brought about a reconsideration of material impulses. The latter being a point elucidated upon, by asking ‘what is the right price of fashion?’ As a frequent purchaser of clothing who is actively renegotiating my fast fashion impulses, reading up on the business of fashion is truly interesting and raises pertinent questions over the financial implications of fast fashion (& the workers that this disproportionately affects) and the reasoning behind the pricing of designer items. Who’d have thought the mathematics of fashion could be so interesting!

Super Heroes during a not so Super Time

What better way to make use of this downtime than filling it with all the things you wish you’d done, for me that includes watching the entirety of the Marvel cinematic universe in chronological order. Yes, I have a lot of time on my hands (pandemic life). But reserve your judgement. Spending time doing all of the pointless yet deeply gratifying things you always secretly wanted to do, but didn’t think A) you could warrant spending that much time dedicated to doing so and B) not wanting to be met with the judgement of peers when asked “what did you do this weekend?”. Alas, a pandemic affords one the freedom to spend a lot of time preoccupying yourself indoors and this is where I found myself. Currently I’m a third of the way through this endeavour. Read here if you’d also like to join the Marvel marathon. 

Supporting with Pride

Not to get all my interesting things from one source, but Vogue is a trove of interest and I have found their short films documenting various LGBTQ+ groups in celebration of Pride month, to be truly inspiring and enlightening. Celebrating togetherness at this time of great separation is of the utmost importance (& should be of priority always). Having outlets exploring and elucidating upon the uniqueness of humankind regardless of differences and surpassing the geographical limitations temporarily imposed, gives a sense of camaraderie and kinship when isolation could all too easily swallow us up. What better thing than to see people being unapologetically and unabashedly their true selves. 

And for bonus interesting things (because if you can’t go off script now then when can you?) Paris Hilton is still Paris Hilton pandemic be damned, teenagers are making the best (?) of mask life and 2021 is already looking like it’s going to outdo 2020 (not that it would take much) as a Spice Girls documentary is set for release. Time to start practising your zig-a-zig-ahs.

(Photos via: Vogue.co.uk, Billboard.com, Coveteur.com & Elle.com)

WHEN DID WHITE TUBE SOCKS BECOME COOL?

Having wavered between minimalism and maximalism in the years since I’ve had free reign over my own outfit choices - my predilection for stuff usually having won out - I carved out a niche that embraced the both, I coined it faux minimalism. Briefly defined as favouring wearing layers like those of a choux pastry over those of a sponge cake (read here for a less abstract analogy). Despite my yoyoing between stripped back and piled on, the one constant has always been my affinity for adding socks to an outfit.

For most, getting dressed involves some form of top and bottoms, or for even more linear thinking, a dress; shoes, a jacket/coat and accessories. A basic formula to live and dress by. However, the umbrella of ‘accessories’ is pretty broad: bags, belts, hats, jewellery. Yet there is one accessory that is oft overlooked; the socks. 

I know that to most, socks are not an accessory, they are a necessity, much like underwear. However, following my recent reconsideration of the attention deserved of my undergarments, it has caused me to rethink the appreciation given to my socks. As Marie Kondo posits “your feet bear your weight and help you live your life, and it is your socks that cradle those feet”. Despite the cushioned barrier that they provide between us and the world, socks are often disregarded completely, balled up and ravaged with those pesky little holes that plague the fabric at the toe and ankle. 

As often as they’re stuffed in a drawer, socks are also regarded as a quintessential last minute gift, a gift of the panicked and received by the disappointed. However, socks should no longer incite indifference and feigned reactions of gratitude. Rather, one should evermore look upon socks with glee. After all, they are an opportunity to make a sartorial statement that is as subtle or as bold as the wearer desires and involves little effort. There are few other areas of such small square meterage that can create quite as much impact, or divide opinion as much as a pair of socks. For example, socks and sandals; trademark of the uber chic, or hallmark of dads on holiday?

I have often used my socks as a point of difference for even the most basic of looks. However, being predominantly home bound, has meant that my shoes have been retired for the time being, while I slide along floors enacting my very own ‘Home Alone’ montage, as an unexpected synergy between Kevin and I, continues to develop: I am in fact home alone and I apparently like white tube socks now.

Whilst I may have just admitted that socks have long factored consciously into my overall look, they have always done so to add something to my outfit, whether that be a pop of colour or for some quirk. I’m unapologetic about my penchant for socks with any and all footwear and I favour particularly fluffy socks for bed. 

Yet, despite this collection, I own very few pairs of your plain, average, nondescript, basic, buy from anywhere, white tube sock. My first memory of discovering that white socks were undesirable was when my 15 year old self went on work experience and I was expressly told to ditch the white socks in favour of professional black. From then on, white socks were reserved for P.E classes only.

However, recently my tastes have become more favourable towards the classic white tube socks. As we take comfort in our homes and seek comfort from our clothing, we should be especially mindful of our sock choices. Kondo advises one to “choose [socks] that will make the time you spend [at home] more enjoyable”. As we all kit ourselves out for this lockdown in varying means, one common thread unites the material fancies of the masses - socks. 

Many have chosen to remain in a uniform of head-to-toe loungewear, from their baseball caps right down to their thick tube socks. And beyond the sweatpants, tube socks have been unexpectedly paired with feminine dresses and dramatically contrasted with structural stilettos. Tube socks have quickly become emblematic of the time when the world stayed at home, a mini trend grown out of the pandemic. 

Though this year I decided to focus future purchases on timelessness, forgoing trends in an attempt to be more ethically and environmentally conscious. The fact that socks straddle practicality and popularity makes dipping a literal toe into the trend, a decision that doesn’t compromise on my commitment to mindful shopping. And so I found myself on an online hunt for a pair of white socks. Full disclosure, I ended up deciding upon a three pack, in which only one pair was white (the other pairs being orange and pink). I guess old habits die hard...

There were some styling issues initially, with the tube socks being too thick to fit under skinnier variations of jeans and not knowing how to temper the blatant athleticism that the socks communicated with my other items. However, I realised that cuffing trousers at the ankle and favouring clothing that was innately casual, melded my usual brand of personal style quite nicely with my new socks of choice. Turning my trouser cuffs up meant that the socks needn’t be overbearing, so in the case of my pink and orange versions, they could offer a pleasant pop of colour. Whereas, when paired with a loose fit mini dress, the white socks kept the look from veering too girly. And that is just the beginning of my sartorial rendezvous with tube socks. 

As socks become my predominant footwear of choice with WFH my new reality and mandated by a strict ‘no shoes in the house’ policy, I plan to further indulge my sock habit. Kondo said that choosing to rewear old socks is like “declaring today doesn’t really matter”. Socks may be the minutiae of an outfit, but they have an impact far outreaching the ankles they encircle. By taking time and putting care into the seemingly innocuous decisions of life, it slowly translates into the bigger considerations. It would seem that much can be accomplished, when you put your best (tube socked) foot forward.

(Images via: popsugar.com, teenvogue.com, @mathildadjerf, @hoskelsa, @shhtephs & stylecaster.com 

Quotes via: Buzzfeed.com)