Vivienne Westwood

Hi humans, thank you for coming back.

Following my recent post where I shared my adoration for people that inspire me, today I want to talk about the one and only, the real queen Vivienne Westwood. 

Where do I begin about this woman that inspires me so, so much. She is a rebel, I love her spirit. 

When I was a kid I wanted to be a punk. But then I learned that most punks would live in abandoned buildings, all sharing the same space and I was like “I’m tapping out”. Nhaaa, I really hated my life but I could not let go of having a safe, secure bedroom. I love my bed.

I’ve spent years thinking on how I could express my rebel punk spirit, without falling for the cliches of  mohawks and leather jackets? How could I express my desire to change the world, without being a homeless girl travelling around with a pack of dogs. How could I, by myself, actually change the world, by begging for money and cigarettes in the street? Do have in mind that I grew up in a small rural town in Portugal, my knowledge of the movement at this point was very limited. 

Bit by bit I have learned more about the punk movement and I appreciate it’s contribution to the world and how it influenced so many artists, culture, society, etc. But I also learned that you can be a punk at heart but express your angst and desire for change, in a more productive way. 

Obviously during my researches I had to come across Dame Vivienne Westwood.

In her early years she studdied jewellery and silversmith. In the 70’s she met Malcolm McLaren and started creating clothes he designed. They went on to open their first store in London, called SEX. They eventually separated and Vivienne carried out by herself.

The best description of her design style is this one I read from The Slits Viv Albertine “Vivienne and Malcolm use clothes to shock, irritate and provoke a reaction but also to inspire change. Mohair jumpers, knitted on big needles, so loosely that you can see all the way through them, T-shirts slashed and written on by hand, seams and labels on the outside, showing the construction of the piece; these attitudes are reflected in the music we make. It’s OK to not be perfect, to show the workings of your life and your mind in your songs and your clothes.”

I can write and write about how Dame Vivienne inspires me, but in this post I just want to highlight her spirit, how she has surpassed so many obstacles on her personal and business life. How in her 80’s she still rebels and she instigates change (she is a fierce environmental activist) and how unique her design style is. She definitely makes me think “when I grow up I want to be like her!” . 

If you want to know her a bit more check out the online exhibition at the V&A Museum in London:

https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/vivienne-westwood-punk-new-romantic-and-beyond

Definitely buy her book titled Get A Life!

https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/books/vivienne-westwood/get-a-life/9781781254981?gclid=CjwKCAjw-qeFBhAsEiwA2G7Nly19rMbVIPO4w42bgc3xH9B4Jxu4wKVEaugKfM3D89rWzGkhsxvyShoCkCMQAvD_BwE

 And watch the documentary:

God Save The Queen Vivienne.

My name is Franca and this is personal!

Franca Sozzani

Hi humans, welcome back.

On these series of sharing with you people that inspire me, I want to share Franca Sozzani.

This woman inspired me so much, to the point of influencing me on the name of this blog! The blog name is inspiration drawn from her name and word play with my native language, Portuguese.

Franca Sozzani started working at Vogue in 1976 and she grew inside the magazine, taking so many different job positions. 

She was know for including difficult topics in a fashion magazine such has domestic violence, drug abuse, climate change, etc.  She was in the frontline of people reshaping fashion publications by introducing these difficult topics, along side with colour palettes and season trends.  Because surprise, surprise the same person who likes nail polish is also interested in reading an article about domestic violence or drug abuse. Humans are complex beings.

Who doesn’t remember the oil spill photo editorial? 

Either you are pro or against it, you have to at least acknowledge that it woke people up, it made people talk about the issue of the oil spills. So this reaction, just by itself, shows how successful the editorial was. 

Unfortunately Franca Sozzani December 2016, at the young age of 66. 

Franca had a amazing personal style, she was quiet and calm. She carried herself with such elegance and refinement, that observing her was a delight. The biggest style statement for me was the fact that she carried her long hair, when we know that usually ladies tend to cut their hair short, after a certain age gap.

I loved her eyes, her smile and her golden locks, she seemed so sweet. But what made me really fall in love with her and it resonated deep inside of me was that she was this polite, introvert lady. But deep inside she was fierce and courageous. Humblingly I see a little of myself in her. 

If you want to fall in love with her like I did, you must watch the Netflix document her son produced.

My name is Franca and this is Personal!

Iris Apfel

Hi humans, welcome back.

On these series of sharing with you people that inspire me, I want to share Iris Apfel. I love this lady, she is so OTT but at the same time so genuine. This dichotomy really fascinates me.

Iris started a business with her husband in 1950 and she has worked most of her life as an interior designer. She has travelled a lot, she has seeked inspiration throughout the entire world and she has developed the most genuine personal style.

She is so unique that at around the year 2000 she started to get attention from social media platforms, with so many people taking photos of/with her.

She is so known and famous, that at the age of 90 years old she started modeling, she has been part of adverts, brands fight to have her as their “face”. Who would have thought a lady in her 90’s would become a brand’s spokesperson. This comes to show, we really never know what life will bring for us in the future. All we have to do is not shut ourselves off from the world.

I admire Iris  because in this age we live right now where everyone “follows” instagram influences, plastic surgery keeps on the rise, everyone wants to look unhealthily younger, people like Iris show that you don’t have to go with the flock, you can do your thing at any age.

I also like to seek inspiration from people older than me, not 16 year olds on Tik-Tok wearing crop tops. I want to know people that travelled more than me, know more than me, have more life experience than me. Where did we lose the habit of learning from our elders? It doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive, we can learn from younger people and we can definitely  learn from older people too.

Anyhow, I think Iris is living her best life, she has so much joy and that transpires in her style.

Another thing I love about Iris is that she is definitely NOT A MINIMALIST. She has a lot of clothes & accessories, she wears a lot of them at the same time. Yet, it doesn’t feel the clothes are wearing her, she is wearing the clothes. She doesn’t exude being overwhelmed by clothing, she exudes security on her taste.

Iris proudly states she has many designer clothes but she loves to find a bargain and mix everything together. She is so creative, I love it. 

Iris has written a book titled Accidental Icon. Along with other books, I’ve recently bought a 2nd hand copy but in excellent condition. I leave you with a link:

https://wordery.com/iris-apfel-iris-apfel-9780062405081/GB?currency=GBP&gtrck=true&gclid=CjwKCAjw-qeFBhAsEiwA2G7NlzfebUQVSKftWTrLolA1JSYdg6RLs7fY_yeo0KqfoxAAmbtzpPLQRxoC89EQAvD_BwE

You can find Iris Apfel across social media platforms https://www.instagram.com/iris.apfel/

What if we aim to be inspirational to the world, even at the approximate age of 100!?!?

My name is Franca and this is Personal.

Grace Coddington

Hello humans,

Thank you for coming back to my blog.

Recently I have been feeling a bit down. When I feel like this I like to reach out for inspiration. I seek people that can lift my spirits with their creativity and tenacity. Somehow when I see how other people dealt with their obstacles and thrived, it gives me hope. It shows me this episode I am going through now, it is temporary and therefore there is hope in the future. I may need a moment to recoup, but I will be fine.

I decided to share with you some of the people that inspire me. These people inspire me in many different levels, but overall they do inspire my fashion choices, to seek my unique personal style and be more genuine.

The first person I want to share with you is Grace Coddington. This lady started by being a fashion model and later in life she became the creative directlor of American Vogue. I got to know her at this stage of her life.

This woman has created the most amazing fashion editorials and you can see that she is so cultured and seeks inspiration herself from great painters, other artists. Yes, it is photography and yes, it is just clothes, but she has created pieces of art herself. I leave you in a few examples.

She has written her memoir titled Grace, was published in November 2012. I bought it recently, I can’t wait to dive into her life story. I am sure I will like it, because every time I have heard her giving interviews, she sounds amazing, so educated, secure, everything I hope to achieve myself one day.

As per usual I found a 2nd hand memoir online, to save money but the book is in excellent condition.

You can find Grace on social media platforms, even though she is not a great fan of these https://www.instagram.com/therealgracecoddington/?hl=en

My name is Franca and this is personal !

Happy purchase

Hello humans, welcome back.

Today I wanted to share with you a happy purchase.

Purchasing something new for me, it needs to have a meaning, a hope. I hope to love the item, to wear it a lot so it serves its purpose. It is a happy purchase when I am super glad with the item, either because of the price I’ve paid, or the item suits me perfectly, or it is something I end up wearing A LOT, or it is something I’ve searching for a long time. Something about that item makes me super duper happy.

A happy purchase I made was a dress from And Other Stories brand. The dress was a collab they did with another brand called Rodarte and it is just an amazing piece. It is fully beaded and elevates a simple wrap dress into a beautiful garment.

As soon as I laid my eye on the piece I had no doubts I wanted to bid on it. I won the bid and only after I decided to investigate what was the  recommended retail price. I rejoiced in finding out the RRP was around £200, when I had paid less than £25 for it.

I love the dress, it fits me perfectly, I can wear it on so many different occasions and it was super cheap.

I hope this post will show you that buying second hand is nothing to be ashamed of, that you can find amazing pre-loved items and that you can save a lot of money.

I am Franca and this is personal!

Silk Scarfs

Hello Humans!

So happy you are back to my blog.

Today I wanted to address an item that I feel is very underrated, which is silky scarfs.

When I was a kid, I thought silk scarfs was something old ladies wore to church 😀

I have been wearing scarfs for many years myself, but I don’t see a lot of people wearing them. I see people wearing wool scarfs and pashminas because of the cold, of course, but I don’t see people wearing silky types of scarfs as an accessory that much.

The main reason I wear them is because it uplifts the look, if you choose a silky scarf with a bold pattern or bold colour. It protects my coats and jackets collars from make-up stains and it can gives a flowy vibe to the look.

I personally enjoy wrapping it around my neck and invent different knots. A cool silky scarf can refresh your look and elongate your neck.

Plus you can wear them around the neck, or you can use them on your head.

I ask you to consider adding a couple of silky scarfs to your wardrobe.

My name is Franca and this is personal!

Key pieces that you should have on your wardrobe

Hi humans,

Thanks for joining me once again. I hope you are doing well.

I wanted to share my ideas about key pieces everyone should have on their wardrobe. I find lists and posts of trends, color pallets, etc but none of these posts talk about functionality, comfort, safety, things that are important for me.

As  you understood in my first paragraph, I am not going to suggest colour palettes, patterns or heel sizes for this season. I am going to suggest comfort and functionality, because I honestly believe that if we don’t have these, we won’t enjoy wearing our clothes and we won’t enjoy the experience we’re having at that moment in time. 

Winter Coat:

The first item on my list is a winter coat. Everyone should invest good money in a good winter coat that is wind/snow proof, water resistant, with good pockets and ideally with a hoodie.

This should be that coat, where you can be wearing a nightgown underneath and still not be cold. It should be big enough for you to be able to wear a suit underneath, if you are going to work but not look slouchy.

It should have good size pockets, or several pockets spread around the garment so you have space to keep your things close at hand. If it is cold and/or rainy, no one wants to open their coat to reach their pant pockets, or struggle to push their bag to the front, to get the bus  travel card. The things you will use in your commute or on your errands, should be easily accessible to you.

The hoodie obviously is good to protect your head, for when the weather is cold or rainy and you forgot to bring  a hat and/or an umbrella. 

When choosing your winter coat I would choose a neutral colour or pattern. Reason for this is because a good winter coat can cost a lot of money and you want to get your monies’ worth. and wear it a lot. The objective is for this garment to be versatile, as you will want to wear it for work, taking care of the family or just go grocery shopping. The more neutral it is, the less it will clash with what you are wearing that day.

Winter Boots:

The second item on my list and following the winter coat, I am going to suggest a good pair of winter boots. Style doesn’t matter, but they need to keep your feet warm, protected you from bad weather and have a good grip to avoid falls and injuries. 

I became more aware of this necessity when London  had the beast from the east storm and it snowed for about 2 months. It was so hard to navigate the city, walk around and I’ve witnessed some street falls that made me purchase a  new pair of boots with a good grip. 

A good pair of winter boots is what you need when  you have to wake up to go to work, you hear the bad weather outside and you start realising how wet you are going to get, even before reaching your car or the tube station.

When I have to face the harsh weather, it makes me feel better knowing I have a good pair of boots that will keep my feet warm and I will not slip if I have to walk fast to catch a bus. l also know that if my feet are warm, then the  rest the of the body will follow. 

If you are concerned about the boots not matching your day look or you have work style requirements, don’t worry. Carry the shoes that you want to wear on that day on your bag, when you arrive work, you switch.

Backpacks:

The third item on my list is a backpack. Ever since I moved to London I gradually put aside the tradicional womens bags/purses. They are very impractical, very hard to maneuver them in a packed train on rush hour and the tension it creates on only one side of the body is bad.

Personally, me having to drag around a big sports bag at least 3 times a week (pre-covid19 era), was enough of a challenge. Bit by bit I decided to invest in backpacks that would carry my daily essentials like: lunch, kindle, wallet, mobile, etc.

Not only the backpack allows me to split my daily essentials, I know exactly where my travel card is, where my snacks are, etc, but most importantly it splits the weight evenly on my back. This for me is very important and one should avoid carrying heavy items always on the same shoulder as this can negatively affect your posture/back.

Sports Bra:

My last suggestion is a sports bra. All women should buy good sports bras, period. We should not be cheap with our boobies, they deserve better. Doing sports is great, I love it. I have small breasts and still I find some exercises hard to complete if I am not wearing a good sport bra.

I know my cup size and since my breasts are small, I don’t need reinforced bras, I can easily find  good second hand ones. But people with bigger cups should find a good reinforced bra that provides all the support needed and be easy to put on or take off.  The struggle is real to take these babies off when you are sweaty.

A sports bra has a lot of health benefits, mainly  to the person’s back posture as it splits the boobies weight throughout a person back. It also makes the person feel more comfortable and not shy away from doing sports. Doing sports is great for our physical health and mental health. Get a good bra, do sports, now!

My name is Franca and this is personal!

Pep Talk

Hello humans! I am thrilled you are back.

My connection to style and fashion has evolved a lot throughout my life. From a rebellious skinny tomboy living in rural Portugal, to being an independent female working in the financial industry in London, it has been a good ride. Sometimes I struggled, sometimes I enjoyed it, but what I can say for sure is that it has been worth it.

When I was a kid, I knew I wasn’t like the other girls, but without role models to guide me (remember I am pre-historic and I didn’t have the internet back then) I was very lost about my style. I navigated that journey the best I knew, but overall I remembered feeling guilty about liking clothes and fashion “things” and I remember enjoying creating new looks, new things.

I thought that people involved in the fashion industry were vain, superficial, even dumb. In my little world I was told that fashion was a rich people’s thing, not essential for humankind survival and us “the real people” had bigger problems to be concerned with.

Yet, I adventured in creating a personal style and the backlash of that was family and school friends commenting on how strange I looked, or the piercing comment “why can’t you be more like your sister?” that I heard a lot and hurt a lot.

Now that I am almost 38 years old, I see how wrong I was. I now accept that at every stage of my life I do the best I can, with the tools and the knowledge I have.

Now I know that liking colors, patterns, textures is not a useless thing, that it doesn’t make me a vain or a superficial person. Now I can see how I can use these talents of mine, to improve my appearance and how this can improve my self-esteem. Consequently improving my mental state and helping me reach my goals and objectives with more joy.

Fashion, style, clothes, shoes bring me joy and that by itself it is enough for me to pursue it. I believe it was Andy Warhol that once said this when he was asked why he did the work he did? He simply replied, because he liked it. 

One of the reasons I created this blog was to show people that you can  interpret fashion/style your own way. You own it, it shouldn’t own you. Whatever you decide to wear, should make you feel happy and make you feel good. Anything that makes you happy, is valid. 

If you feel good and you feel happy, you are a better person, a better mother, sister, uncle, father, friend, employee, etc. If you are a better person and you make people feel good, this will create a snowball effect. Your self esteem will continue to improve, you will believe in yourself more and you will be more likely to follow your dreams, objectives, etc. 

So this is the reason why I like to dress up, I like the colours, the pattern combinations. I like to surprise myself and others. I like to make myself happy and others too. If a piece of clothing I’m wearing makes someone wake off of their slumber, great. I’ve showed something different to the person that day. If they like it, great. If they find it funny, great, you made someone laugh. 

With this said, you also need to develop a thick skin because people can be mean to you consciously or not. People will make  awkward or negative comments about your look, your appearance and you will learn how to shrug things off, or to say “so what?” a lot. 

Reason why people talk when they have nothing good to say? God knows! There are so many explanations for this, but don’t waste your energy on this.  There are a lot of people that don’t enjoy happiness and if  they are down, they will try to bring you down. You can park these people on the side road. 

Playing with style and fashion makes me happy, brings me joy, consequently improves my mood and self esteem. That in return makes me a more confident person and pushes me to follow my dreams and aspirations. Who would have thought that matching shoes with a dress, could help me achieve my financial objectives 😀 

Dress it up, dress for yourself, look in the mirror before you leave the house, give yourself a pep talk “You look great, you are intelligent, you are a hard worker, you deserve more, you deserve the best. You are going to get it!”. Because one thing is for sure, if you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. If you don’t chase your dreams and ambitions, no one will. 

I am Franca and this is personal.

The devil is in the details

Hey humans, happy to see you here again.

I have mentioned before, details are important for me, don’t overlook them.

It really depresses me when I see someone with a great look and then I look down and their socks are old, loose, discoloured… A tiny bit of me, dies inside.

Keep in mind that just because it isn’t on full sight, it doesn’t mean it can’t be seen or it won’t matter.

Pay attention to your underwear, socks, the lining of the coat, etc as this will polish your look. You can be wearing a super expensive suit, if the socks don’t match or are old, it will affect your appearance.

The tendency I see around a lot, is that many people think that other peoples gaze is straight forward or upwards and that people won’t look down to pay attention to your shoes or socks. This is blatantly wrong. People will look at you fully, from the bottom, up to your head level.

Regarding shoes, clean them, have them polished. This will improve your look so much.

Socks, if you are not good colour coordinating, have them at least match the colour pallete of your look that day. If they are old and can’t be repaired, throw them out or wear them solely at home.

Check the inside of your coats, is it clean? Make sure nothing is ripped .

Open your coats pockets and back vent, these are originally closed to make sure the garment keeps its shape while in store. Once it is bought you need to remove them.

Remove the lint that some pieces start to create on armpits, sleeves, waist line.

Before leaving the house, make sure you have no hair or lint on your clothes. Use a lint roller or a brush.

I assure you that once you pay attention to these details your look will improve, without having the spend money and this is always a plus for me.

My name is Franca and this is personal!

“We are going for the sleeping bag kind of look”

I have receive The North Face newsletter and one of the products that really caught my eye was this, what I call the “duvet skirt”. This is the ultimate skirt if you really don’t feel like leaving your cosy bed on a cold winter day.

I like the photoshoot, the red, black and silver juxtaposing really highlights the skirt.

Yet, personally don’t like the skirt. It looks really warm and practical, since it has several pockets but ultimately it looks like the person is wrapped on a sleeping bag.  

I did a bit more of research and I found out Maison Margiela did a collab with The North Face and this “puffer style” was a constant throughout the collection. Here is their scarf:

Obviously this scarf/skirt reminded me of Moncler puffer runway outfits that looked like The Handmaid’s Tale 😀

Old bond street Moncler store

I like to be warm, but this is way OTT even for me.

Let’s be realistic, this “puffer style” is warm and confortable, yet only suits a minority of the population, it only suits thin people. Anyone else will look as they are wrapped in a sleeping bag.

I give them 10 points for trying to inovate, but it is a no for me, thanks.

My name is Franca and this is personal. 

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