Finding light in the smallest things
By Omorogieva Sylvester Ihonwa Some days, it only takes a cup of tea to save you. There was nothing special about that Tuesday. The Lagos sky was steel-grey, and my neighbour’s generator rattled like a grumpy beast. I’d been counting my sober days on a scrap of receipt tapes to the fridge, making little tally […]
From the Pit to Freedom
By Derek Slayter I didn’t wake up one day and decide to destroy my life. It started small—just smoking pot with friends in high school. It felt harmless, like just being part of the group. But small compromises became a pattern, and that pattern grew into a path I never meant to walk. Pills came […]
Gates of Heaven (reimagined from Dante’s Gates of Hell)
Cuore di Dante (Dante’s Heart), drawn by Iluá Hauck da Silva, on the day/night of the 700th anniversary of his death. Through me you go to the healthy city Through me to everlasting wellbeing you go Through me you go and pass among saved souls Justice inspired my exalted Creator. I am a creature of the […]
“We found Scotland’s most accessible night out on our wheelchair-friendly Pitlochry escape!”
Hopezine’s Founding Editor, ERICA CROMPTON, falls under The Enchanted Forest’s spell… As the sun sets over Scotland’s Pitlochry village, with its silver stone cottages and independent shops and cafes, the nearby Faskally forest lights up at the Enchanted Forest. I’ve just returned here with my wheelchair-tooting partner – it’s Scotland’s biggest annual attraction for all […]
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 […]