2016 || BLOGMAS

2016 has almost come too an end and well to say the least, it has been eventful. Personally, this year has been kinda insane in both good and bad ways, but I believe that what has happened/is happening is all part of a journey in self-discovery. To anyone reading this I just want to remind you going in to the new year, that you are loved. You are loved immensely and you never should have to prove your worth to anybody. Don't let anyone have the ability to control your mind and happiness. 

Here are some of my favourite parts of 2016 in photos

Drama

I performed in a drama production with the seniors of my school. Not only did the cast perform an extremely moving war themed play, but I got to dress up as Father Christmas! I also received my Grade 6 LAMDA with a distinction, which of course I was ecstatic about! I have begun rehearsing for 'West Side Story' where I am playing Graziella, a Marilyn Monroe figure and it will be performed in the new year. My family and I also took the opportunity to go see so many great productions, Mamma Mia being my favourite.

Became At One With Nature

I mean can we just have a moment to appreciate the beautiful sunsets that we have been blessed with this year. Those colours, woah man *begins to hyperventilate*.

CUT MY HAIR!! 

Possibly the highlight of 2016 for me. I have always sworn to never cut my hair short, but in March the tables turned and I was in the mood for change. Cutting 6 inches off was such a big deal to me and I do not regret going for the cut, in fact I wish I could cut more off!

Saw Art, Made Art, Became Art 

I visited multiple galleries this year such as; The Tate Britain, The Tate Modern, The Saatchi, The Victoria & Albert Museum, The National Gallery and The Royal Academy Of Art. I also 'completed' (the perfectionist in me will never be happy) three out of four art sectors for my GCSE and was asked to be interviewed for an art scholarship!! Those psychotic photos of me, yeah those were for my friend's art project...I do kinda love the insanity pictured in the photos though.

Explored Berlin

As I take GCSE German, I was lucky enough to explore the bustling city with my school friends. It was such a great experience and I was forced out of my comfort zone speaking German all day, every day for a week - my German did improve though.

Brighton

Over the summer, my closest friends and I headed down to Brighton where we got lost on trains and in some of the blinding coloured vintage stores.

Took A Few Weeks Off Holidaying 

Soul Survivor

I hope to talk about this further in a post one day as it was one of the biggest life changing events that I have experienced. For a quick low down it is a Christian Festival where 26,000 young people gather and "worship God, learn what it means to live for Jesus, to pray for one another, and to have loads of fun!" Though to some it sounds dull and not their thing, trust me it is not what you think it's gonna be like. It's definitely not your average 'Bible camp'.

Became The Self-Appointed Head Of Prom Committee

Already got the team intact and the meetings have started! I just don't know what I'm going to wear yet...

BOHEMIAN DISCOS || BLOGMAS

With their bright, bold, and beautiful attire, the 70s has to be my favourite era. I just wish I was tall enough to rock a pair of flared jeans!

It's no lie that 1970 trends have made a huge comeback that began around a year ago, but even so I have always admired with wide eyes the glammed hippie chic days that were framed in orange tinged photographs. Not only were the icons of the century performing, but the Saturday Night Fever was spreading! 

Of course we have the legendary Bowie, Cher and Joni Mitchell, but there's no way that this post would end without a mention to Vivienne Westwood. The Queen Of Punk is powerfully outrageous and is never afraid of shying away from any boundaries, my respect for her is truly immense. However, my favourite trend that I regularly suit up in is the 'Denim on Denim' dare, set by Debbie Harry. If only going to the supermarket in only denim, and killer platforms was acceptable.

On an inspired shopping trip, I bought a bell sleeved, cropped, chiffon blouse and oh my goodness, it is beautiful. It has an orange and yellow floral design printed onto it, stamped with a 70s trademark! 

A shop that I find really captures the boho chic of the 70s is Glamorous: 

"Inspired by high fashion, contemporary night culture and vintage; with fabrics sourced from across the globe Glamorous will have a design to suit any mood or occasion ... We believe fashion should be individual, accessible and most of all affordable". 

GOLDEN EYES || BLOGMAS

There's no denying that I am an eyeshadow fanatic.

Recently, I counted how many eyeshadow palettes I actually possess and I'm too embarrassed to admit the number! I have such a great love for experimenting with different looks and colours and unfortunately have grown a tendency to not be able to stop once I start!

This eye look has been a favourite of mine for the festive season with the gold highlight in the inner corner and inner lid, and the toasted burgundy blended over the lid and into the crease. I find the gold eyeshadow brightens the eye and makes the look more of a statement. I have also lined my lid with a subtle cat eye, defining the eye further.

Girl, I have also started curling my eyelashes! And let me tell you, the difference it makes to my mascara is incredible. As well as opening up the eye, mascara application is a whole load easier and less time consuming. To settle any worries you may have, curlers do NOT rip out your lashes. Honestly. Yes, some have occasionally come off with the curlers, but eyelashes do fall out and that is totally normal. The only advice I would give to newbies in the curling wold is:

1. Curl then apply mascara 2. Clean the curler regularly, to remove any mascara remains 3. BE CAREFUL, though they are safe tools don't get too curler happy!

THE LIFE OF EDIE || BLOGMAS

Who Or What Inspire Your Style?

I think my biggest inspiration in terms of my style is film and tv. I actually did a post all about that 
(which you can access here), basically saying how I get so wound up in the aesthetic and tone of a film that I seek to recreate the look of a character. That's definitely more significant for 
me than models or what I see on the high street.

If You Could Spread One Message Around The World, What Would It Be?

I honestly can't decide between veganism or sustainable and ethical fashion. Both hugely impact the environment, welfare of animals and humans, and are just very important to me. I think if everyone educated themselves and didn't shrug off the idea, we could change the world.

Your Favourite Places In London?

My new found favourite place, well, I knew it was there but not really, is a little road off brick lane. There's a cafe called The Canvas which is the sweetest place I've ever been in. It's all yellow and they do the best food, they do self esteem classes, you can sit in a beautiful garden out the back and there's a building where you can write on the walls. They encourage you to stay as long as you want and to treat it as your living room. Also across from there is an amazing, and HUGE, vintage shop called Blitz. Another one of my favourite places around that area is an underground vintage market, where you find the best things and not many people know about it. I buy most of my clothes there to be honest.

What Is Your Future Aspiration In Life? 

I'd love to be doing a number of things. I want to campaign and protest for animal and human rights, I want to pursue acting even further, I want to carry on making art every day, I want to run and meditate and do yoga every day, I want to carry on blogging, I want to work in the fashion industry (I don't know as what but I just know I need to). As long as I'm doing something that keeps me interested, that I enjoy doing and inspires me, I can't ask for any more than that.

Becoming Vegan Is Such A Big Choice, What Inspired You? And What Is Hands Down Your Favourite Meal?

I love this question, where do I even start. I get asked this a lot and it can be quite awkward to try to 
explain to an adult who's grown up eating animal products why I, as a 14 year old, have decided not 
to. Around April time I started to feel completely awful eating animals, and so, after a lot of begging and explaining, my parents let me be vegetarian. Obviously I secretly wanted to be vegan but I knew they'd explode if they found out. I actually watched a few documentaries, including Forks Over Knives (health reasons to go vegan) and Earthlings (moral reasons to go vegan), but perhaps the one that inspired me most was Cowspiracy. It's a truly amazing film about the environmental impacts of the meat and dairy industry. It doesn't have any violent images of animals being slaughtered or anything, it's just an incredibly eye-opening film that everyone needs to see. After I finished watching it I was so overwhelmed and confused as to why people where still eating animal products, that I started to cry and ran downstairs and said I needed to be vegan. It took three weeks of constant begging for my family to finally cave. 

I've been vegan for four months and I honestly couldn't me happier knowing I'm not absorbing the energy of sad dead, things, I'm not contributing to any animals being harmed and I'm healthier. I've never felt better in myself or in regards to what's around me. Wow, that was a long answer. 

Anyway, seeing as it's been such a big year for veganism and alternatives are everywhere, id say my favourite meal is the vegan pizza from Zizzi (but get it with spinach, garlic and olives - heaven). I also love to make a smoothie with 5 dates, 2 handfuls of spinach, flaxseeds, 2 bananas, 1 cup of ice and 1.5 cups of almond milk. People think vegans eat the same thing over and over but if anything, what I eat is so much more adventurous and delicious than what I ate before.

What Is Your Favourite Part Of Christmas?

My favourite part of Christmas... Christmas Eve. It's so magical. I light my Christmas Eve candle downstairs, we watch a Christmas film after a pub dinner and eat (VEGAN, they're amazing) mince pies. We put out reindeer food and a mince pie for santa and his reindeer, and we look at where santa is in the world. The excitement and joy I feel before I go to sleep is amazing, and as I've grown older 
that's never changed.

"Edie Whitehead is a 14 year old blogger from London who has been blogging about fashion and lifestyle for close to three years. Her site, thelifeofedie.com, attracts 5,000 people from all around the world per month and encourages them to wear what they want and do what they love. She posts content regularly, and as a result of this has worked with numerous brands such as TheBalm, W7, and Punky Pins. Edie has attended London Fashion Weekend, acted on BBC, and once even ridden an ostrich. She believes in colour and being carefree, plants and possibilities, fearlessness and f*cking owning it!"

Edie and I met back in the summer of 2014 at a fashion design course held at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Ever since then I have been glued to her blog, with 'The Life Of Edie' always being an open tab on my screen. Though I cannot say that I know her extremely well, I have watched her develop over these 2-3 years into a beautiful human with great love and kindness in her heart. She has definitely inspired me throughout my blogging and political journey and I know for certain that she has inspired many others too, and this opportunity to interview her has been a wish of mine for a very long time. I am very excited to see what she has planned for the coming year and I hope that she continues to grow positively in her mindset.

Thank you, Edie xxx

The Life of Edie