Real and authentic connection in a world of filters
By Regina Martin We live in a world that every day feels more and more curated. AI writes our emails, filters smooth our flaws, and social media shouts louder than real conversations so it can be so hard to filter out what’s real. For me, it’s simple: human connection. This picture signifies what matters in […]
My foster brother is real to me
By Caleb Hupfield This is a photograph of my foster brother, who has only recently joined my family, just a handful of months ago. Despite this, he is now a permanent addition to our house. I know it is real because I can remember how he asked me to take pictures of him while he […]
What is real to me?
By Emma Redfern Nature is an escape for me; away from built up, urban environments. Being in a town or city feels exhausting, nothing around me is natural or meant to be there. Going on walks and experiencing nature how it should be is relaxing. I enjoy watching the birds fly past, the clouds dancing […]
ACCESSIBLE STYLE
BY Erica Crompton Whether it’s a button-free T-shirt or a velcro fastening shoe, dressing with a disability often needs a little thought. Laces are too fiddly for a single hand, buttons are too. So, I recently handed over my Amazon account to Paul, my wheelchair-wonder boi, and he was impressed with the inexpensive clothes on […]
MY NON-BINARY STYLE By Lindy Giusta
I did not start expressing myself through clothing or hairstyle until my 20s. My religious upbringing meant lacy dresses on Sundays and presenting myself with delicate, long blonde hair. When I recognized the effect of clothing style on gender expression, I gravitated towards cheap, second-hand shirts that nearly posed as vintage with their blocky scripts […]
LEARNING TO DRESS FOR A HAPPIER ME
By Katrina Robinson Style isn’t the same as fashion. The day you look in the mirror and think, ‘Actually, this top would look better on me if I wore it loose instead of tucking it into my waistband,’ is a style milestone. It is the day you stop being brainwashed by fashion and take your […]
DRESSING DOWN TO DRESSING GOWN
By Erica Crompton I used to walk from Stafford College to my parental home in Acton Trussell in spray-on Armani jeans and 5-inch heals. It took two hours and I never compromised comfort over style (if that is indeed what you’d call it in 1996 middle-England). Soon after I went to study in London, where […]
STYLE BAROMETRE By Patience M. Chigodora
5 Things I Love: 1. Heart & Key Necklace – A gift to myself on my 26th birthday, this necklace symbolizes my commitment to holding the key to my heart, opportunities, and life journey. 2. Dhuku/Headwrap – Wearing a dhuku, or headwrap, makes me feel like a queen, connected to my mother, grandmother, and the […]
HOW I MERGED A CLOWN AND ROBOT INTO ONE
By Lavanda Contrabanda When I told my dad I was designing a robot and clown costume, his response was, “So, you’re making a CLOBOT?” And that, dear reader, is how the name for my most experimental costume to date was born. This is the story of how I brought it to life. As a conceptual designer, I thrive on […]
Winter 24/5 Hopezine is here!
