Welcome back to my regular series with suggestions of awesome people and things to check out, read, participate in and follow. Today’s post is an eclectic mix but I couldn’t resist any of these! There’s some ideal Sunday morning listening. As is common, there’s some fashion and beauty. There are also two links showcasing two very different women’s lives as well as a heartwarming example of community resistance from the New York subway. Finally, because I’ve realised I like to end with a funny video, there’s a great clip of a little girl and an Irish dancer. Enjoy!
- Listen: Boat To Row
Boat To Row are an awesome band from my home town. They have a modern folksy town, with great instrumentation and lovely lyrics. Handily for this blog post, they are ideal Sunday morning listening. You can listen to them here.
- Read: Different perspectives on fashion & beauty
Like so much good stuff in life, fashion and beauty are paradoxes: we should take them both less seriously and more seriously. Here are some links from both perspectives…
Sali Hughes’ new beauty book, Pretty Iconic, was the first item on my Christmas list this year. Writing for The Pool this week, she nails the pleasure and camaraderie that getting ready for a night out can give us. I especially love this because there’s a tendency to talk about beauty very seriously, forgetting that it can be a huge source of playfulness, fun and bonding between women too. There’s even academic research on this very topic.
At the other genuinely serious end of the fashion and beauty spectrum, I’ve spotted a couple of articles this week about ethical consumption: one on cruelty free beauty brands and the other (again from The Pool) on sustainable approaches to Christmas shopping.
And because who can resist a listicle, here are two that have caught my eye recently:
Ten fashion bloggers who are also journalists (I guess I fall under this heading too, although haven’t quite made it into this round up!).
12 of the most fashionable films (my partner and I have decided to make Sunday night a film night so this has given me some examples that I definitely want to follow up).
- Inspiration: two different women’s lives & a tale from the NYC subway
Last Sunday I spent the cold and grey afternoon curled up on the sofa watching the snooker (is there anything else on TV as relaxing? Even the commentary is whispered). I was excited to notice that the umpire of one of the matches was a woman. It’s always great to spot women at the top echelons of sport in any capacity, but it seemed particularly noteworthy because this was in a high level match between two men. I can’t imagine a woman referee at a Premier League football match or Six Nations rugby game. I looked her up and her name is Tatiana Woollaston. You can read her story here.
Another inspiring woman is my new friend Shona Macpherson, who bravely and openly shares about her coming to terms with a life she hadn’t imagined. Definitely one to make you think.
From two individuals to a moment of community: one woman shares how a group of strangers came together on the New York City subway to resist the current climate of political fear and hatred. It’s a Facebook post but you should be able to see this page even if you don’t have an account. It’ll make you want to carry an eyeliner even if you don’t wear it!
- Finally…
I doubt you’ll see a sweeter video this week than this clip showing the moment a little girl spotted an Irish dancer in the street. I especially love the bond that forms between them, with the dancer neither getting annoyed with the child or simply laughing at her but instead engaging her. I just love it!
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