The Pot Of Gold

I remember the first time I glimpsed Katharine Hepburn's style. It was in an illustrated book of classic film costumes that I was given as a child, in which she was depicted in the white and gold embellished evening dress she wears in the 1940 film The Philadelphia Story. However it wasn't until fairly recently that I recognised her as the true style icon she was. Hepburn was something of a fashion revolutionary, famously insisting on wearing trousers to be on equal footing with her male counterparts, when actresses at the time were often highly sexualised. In 1951, when told in Claridge's Hotel that women were not permitted to wear trousers in the lobby, Hepburn simply chose to use the staff entrance instead, refusing to adhere to the patriarchal diktat of the 20th century. Over the years Hepburn made so many stunning sartorial choices that it is hard to pick which ones to talk about. However, the oversized, wide-collared men's shirts teamed with blazers and h...

The Cathedral Exeter Quay Spring flowers Topsham Enjoying an ice cream Topsham church By the riverside Riverside views and a sunny stroll More Topsham views In the town

I have been thinking a lot about the changing role of fashion and beauty in a world where women are increasingly becoming more powerful, having been driven to consider this topic by the Daily Mail front page last month that presented a picture of Nicola Sturgeon and Theresa May with the question, ‘Never mind Brexit, who won Legs-it?’ If you haven’t by now seen the piece, it went on to analyse both women’s outfits, as well as how ‘flirty’ their body language was. However, most shockingly, at no point in the article was the reason for the ladies’ meeting or the content of their discussion mentioned, leading me to ask why, at such a turbulent time in British politics, is the media still focusing more on the looks and femininity of the two most important politicians in Britain? In Western society, women are increasingly finding their voices and making an impact on the world stage. It’s been nearly 100 years since female suffrage was granted here in Britain, yet today we can proudl...

I decided to write this post in order to share with you a recent purchase I've made from Primark, these gorgeous white loafers. Having become somewhat obsessed with the infamous Gucci loafers , when I saw these at a fraction of the price, £8, I just had to pick them up. Being Primark, I'm obviously aware that the quality isn't going to be brilliant, but the material feels remarkably soft, and styled right, I reckon they will look pretty expensive. I've worn them out once already, with blue skinny jeans for the perfect relaxed spring time look, and I must admit that they did rub a bit on the back of my foot, which was disappointing. However I'm hoping that they will be more comfortable after a few wears (it was always likely that I would have a few problems returning to more summer suitable shoes after months of wearing thick winter boots as well anyway!) Being white, they're probably not the most practical of shoes but I'm hoping that they will be perfect fo...

It may be a bit premature to be quoting Lovin' Spoonful lyrics, but the glimpse of sun that London has witnessed recently has made even me, the most ardent winter enthusiast, excited for summer. I was inspired to write this post after spending the day in Camden with my friend recently, and unbelievably not having to lug round my thickest winter coat with me after months of wrapping myself up excessively in layers before I left the door. Camden is a great place to spend a sunny day, whether you're a tourist or a born and bred Londoner. There's a whole host of clothes stalls, vintage shops, antiques stores and street food on offer, so much so that it is easy to just spend hours getting lost in the labyrinthine paths of the market. I had such a lovely day out, and it has made me even more excited for exams to be over and summer to arrive so I can hopefully plan more day trips in my wonderful city. I'm also planning a trip to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with my frien...

I’m always grateful to live in a city as culturally rich as London, with its multitude of galleries, arts centres and theatres. This week I got the chance to see Ellen McDougall’s production of Othello , a play I am studying for my English Literature A-Level, at the Globe’s candlelit indoor theatre, the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. For anyone that doesn’t know the play, it tells the story of Othello, a black soldier who, with his military achievements, is generally accepted in Venetian society despite his race. However that all changes when he marries Desdemona, a young white noblewoman, and his ‘loyal’ ensign Iago begins to plant seeds of doubt in his friend’s mind about Desdemona’s relationship with Othello’s lieutenant Cassio. Exploring the destructive power of jealousy, as well as the racial and gender stereotypes of the Jacobean era when Shakespeare was writing, the tragedy is still as relevant now as it was 400 years ago, as was highlighted in McDougall’s adaption. This updated v...

Some of my favourite things to talk about are books, hence why I attended a reading group for eight years of my life and why I now intend to (hopefully!) study English Literature at university from September this year. For that reason, I thought I would use this post as chance to discuss a couple of the books that I have read most recently, the first being Inside Vogue: A Diary Of My 100th Year by the Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman. I'm not usually one for non-fiction reads, preferring to throw myself into a good story rather than a biography, but this was one which really intrigued me so I was excited when I received it from my cousin for Christmas. I'd highly recommend this to anybody who caught the Richard Macer documentary last year, which saw the filmmaker head inside the offices of the legendary magazine during its centenary year, as the diary reveals Shulman's true feelings about all the goings-on that we saw on screen, although the book would be app...