The last couple days all I have been seeing on social media platforms and the broad realms of the word wide web have been Black Friday sales, bloggers sharing codes and affiliate links and websites trying their best to manipulate their customers into buying things most people probably don’t even need on second thought. Consumerism has become dangerously accepted in our society and has turned people into easily impressionable buyers who have forgotten to make conscious purchasing decisions. 

Black Friday Tricks.

I am not against Black Friday sales per se, as it is an amazing opportunity to buy gifts for upcoming Christmas or splurge on new items one REALLY needs like new shoes for winter when the old ones are about to fall apart. I do love bargains myself as we all need new items every once in a while but what I highly disagree with is the ways of companies and their marketing strategists trying to convince the general public into thinking that it is essential for people to spend their money just because everything’s on sale. Especially because those apparent low prices often trick people into spending more money than they usually would and they end up regretting their purchases later on when realising that they don’t actually need what they bought. 

I think it is highly important to use inventions such as Black Friday sales to really consciously think about what we truly need and make responsible decisions when purchasing new goods. There is nothing wrong to make use of sales and maybe land a great deal as we all love to spend money every once in a while to treat ourselves or those we love. But it is essential to prioritise and inform ourselves beforehand and restrict ourselves to the items we really need. 

The Power of Combination. 

What we need to realise as well is that key and staple pieces in our wardrobe can be combined with all sorts of statement pieces such as faux fur coats or leo print jackets. One outfit can turn into three by changing up only one piece. Not long ago I figured that it doesn’t really take much to have a put together wardrobe with lots of options to choose from, simply by combining individual items. The amount of money I spend on clothes has drastically decreased ever since I came to that conclusion. 

Sustainable and Second Hand.

What I have always loved is high quality second hand fashion as well. Thrift shops and vintage stores offer sustainable fashion with a story and find a new home for pieces that have been worn before but haven’t lost their quality. 

Shopping is fun and I love doing it myself but it is important to do it with every option in mind because that’s what’s saving us time and patience and most importantly - money.

The following outfits are entirely put together by things I bought second hand, have had for a while and have spent a lot of time thinking if they were worth buying.

JACKET 1. - Tom Tailor Leo Coat

 Dress, Bag & Jacket: Zara, Shoes: Vagabond

Outfit 3: 

 

Outfit 4:

Skirt: Zara, Jumper: River Island

In the last couple years I have been to London on quite a regular basis, either for business or simply to enjoy myself in a city I have considered a second home from the first time I visited back when I was 16. Even though I dare claim that I know London rather well already, I still find myself stumbling upon the most picturesque and breathtaking spots and areas, sometimes hidden in the outskirts of central London, which only make me fall in love with Britain’s capital even more. 

I almost spent an entire week in London, visiting a dear friend of mine, catching up and reuniting with friends from my time at uni in Manchester. At this point, going to London has stopped feeling like going on holiday, it has more turned into the heartwarming feeling of returning home. 





Hampstead

Away from the city centre, further up in the North-West of London, behind Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill, when the tourists fade from the street and cute, small town houses with flower beds and colourful doors line the streets, one enters the the district of Hampstead. Independent cafés, tiny shops and independent creatives call the main streets of the area their home. Taking the Northern Line train to Edgware up north, exiting at Hampstead Station, one enters a picturesque, scenic street full of local life, seemingly far away from the rush of central London. 

A 20 minute walk away, one will find Kenwood House embedded into Hampstead Heath, which shapes the whole district. As a former stately home, the building once served as a seat for various aristocratic families and still radiates the same heroic charm of past times. 

(Notting Hill fans will recognise the building because it was featured in the iconic movie from 1999.) Nowadays one can wander around the gorgeous garden areas and enjoy coffee and cakes at the café at Kenwood House. 

Walking down the Heath you feel entirely detached from the vibrating metropolitan life surrounding the wood and grass fields, opening space for nature and its natural sound. The only reminder of the city spreading around the Heath is the stunning view from one of the hills, overlooking London, with the Shard reaching for the sky in the far distance. 

Approaching the Heath from the station Hampstead Heath, you will not only find yourself in a gorgeous street with tiny bookstores such as Daunt Books whose employees have genuine passion for the art of literature, you will also find a small pond connecting residential areas to the beauty of the Heath that unfolds up north from that point on.

After all those years of visiting London and continuously being astonished by the beauty and rich culture of Britain’s capital, I still end up being mind blown whenever exploring new areas of the city I keep dearest in my heart.