Megan Ellaby

Hey gang, how are we?
I truly hope all is good, that you had a fabulous weekend and you’ve got a fun week ahead of you. I have to be honest here, I’m writing this almost one week prior to the live date of this blogpost which isn’t something I usually like to do as I like to keep things relevant and up-to-date as much as I can as we all know how much can change in the space of a week.
But hey, this week is insanely hectic, it’s one of the most exciting weeks in a long ole while and as is with buses, it has all come at once!
I’m heading to Paris for the night with L’Oreal, something that has been booked in for ages now and a trip that was supposed to be a lot longer but unfortunately clashed with something INSANELY exciting thats is taking place on Thursday, but that will all be revealed very soon!

I’m really buzzing to have a completely jam packed, anxiety inducing yet totally exciting week ahead of me and to finally see some things I’ve been working on for absolutely AGES come to life, it’s all go go go for me right now and I’m really rather enjoying it!

But enough about me, today I thought we’d chat about something that has been playing on my mind a lot lately, something that I’m really trying to incorporate into my life but admittedly I am struggling with, but learning from every single day nonetheless. I’ve wanted to discuss this topic for a while but I’ve been a little concerned with how to approach it in all honesty as there are many opinions on the matter and admittedly I'm not all that educated thus far. But hey, seeing as I have my favourite set of images EVER to share with you today (Rosie you bloody nailed it) and seeing as we’re looking at what I imagine to be my AW18 uniform, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to finally broach the subject.

First up lets chat through said AW18 uniform which includes this rather fabulous Topshop boiler suit that I’ve worn SO much already this season. It’s made from the thickest of denim so I must admit it has always resulted in being a bit of a mistake whenever I’ve worn it as the weather isn’t quite cold enough just yet but hey, it looks absolutely freaking bad ass don’t you think?
I’m REALLY into the structure of this piece, the thick denim means it is rigid in all the right places with the contrast white stitching working to emphasise that defined silhouette whilst adding a touch of seventies meets utility goodness. Boiler suits seem to be doing the rounds this season and I’m really bloody loving it! They’re a super easy piece to wear as it’s just one stand alone piece, so not a lot of brain power is required for styling. However, throw in a high neck top or a T-shirt underneath, some fun jewellery and when it’s cold enough a faux fur jacket and you can completely mix up the look.
For this transitional period go for a pair of white boots like these absolute angels by Topshop, with it’s pointed toe, Chelsea boot black panelling and super interesting sculptured wooden heel. These boots are quite honestly my dream boots as they add a real bit of interest to all of my outfits; the pointed toe works to elongate your legs and is really, truly flattering and I can’t quite express just how INSANELY comfortable they are! They also come in black and red which I am really rather tempted by I must say.

So there we have the boiler suit, the white boots and now for my AW18 handbag that will absolutely be on repeat this season *drum roll* my vintage Dior Saddlebag!!! I simply can not get enough of it’s beauty, it’s versatility and it’s all round fabulousness, I feel that it adds something really rather special to all my outfits whilst also being seriously close to my heart as mentioned in this post here. I’ve recently had a cross body strap made for it too so I am seriously excited to style it up in some other ways throughout the colder months too.

And now for whats been on my mind lately and I think on the mind of many of us from what I’m seeing online on both my channels and the channels of those I follow; Consumerism, overspending and being a little more eco-friendly when it comes to all things fashion.

It’s a tricky subject to approach, especially with a career that I’ve built through sharing my outfits and essentially what is new in my wardrobe and new on both the catwalks and on the high street.
I started this journey into blogging almost 6 years ago now, first up sharing my first steps into the fashion industry through interning which then evolved into sharing my daily outfits that I shot on my parents driveway at 7am every morning before work. For years I worked day in and day out, to build this world for me and for you, an online space where I shared what was new in my wardrobe in the hope that it would inspire you, your wardrobe and your styling. Every last penny that I earned went back into my wardrobe and the cycle would start again: share whats new, admittedly wear only once or twice and then share the new again.
And it worked a treat, I loved it and you guys loved it and then we all grew smarter, we became more savvy with our purchases, with the damage we as consumers are doing to the environment and that kind of fresh, new-in content just didn’t have the same appeal anymore.

And whilst I still LOVE sharing whats new from my favourite brands and I know that sharing the latest trends and pieces from my wardrobe is still very much appreciated by you lot and is still the basis of what I do, I’m really trying to be better with what I spend my money on, what I add to my wardrobe and the message I pass on to you.

Whilst I still have a long way to go when it comes to educating myself on the damage the fashion industry is having on the environment I am much less frivolous with adding things to my ASOS basket willy nilly, with saying yes to kind gifts from my favourite brands and I certainly don’t wear things only once anymore.
Having spent September on a clothing spending ban and seeing how this hasn’t affected my content one bit, it’s really opened my eyes some more with how I see my content evolving from here on out. I’m of course going to share the odd new piece that really sets my soul alight, I’m going to work with brands that I love and that know you love too, whether that be purse friendly brands or more luxury brands as thats exactly what I’ve always been about, combining the high street with the odd fancier piece to make a truly versatile look and in turn a truly versatile and exciting wardrobe.
And whilst not everything I do will please everyone as we’re all on this journey together and some are a little ahead in educating ourselves on sustainable fashion please know that I am trying. I’ve always been trying, I’ve always donated no longer loved clothing, accessories, shoes and beauty products to friends and family and to charity and I’ve recently found my love for second hand and vintage fashion once more which is really rather exciting and oh so rewarding, take this vintage Dior bag for example, the buzz I felt when finding this second hand beauty was so much bigger than if I’d gone into store and bought a brand new one. So yes, I’m trying to be better and I’m trying to find the balance between the old world of style blogging and the new, more educated and more thoughtful world of style blogging. And whilst I still have a long way to go and I won’t ever be “perfect” it’s an exciting journey to be on and a journey I hope you will join me on.

Aside from the damage the fashion industry is doing to the environment another thing I struggle with is my need to people please. I’ve always been a self confessed people pleaser so when I read that something I’ve shared has upset someone on made someone a little disappointed in me then it really does hit hard, particularly as I am just doing me, just doing what I’ve always done, what you’ve told me you’ve always enjoyed and wanted to see. It’s a hard thing to get right as we all have different styles, different budgets and different stages of education when it comes to our fashion footprint but what I’m learning is to take every little bit of negativity as a way to grow and to educate myself without losing myself altogether. I know it’s impossible to please everyone particularly where personal style is involved but it’s something I’m taking into consideration with my shopping habits and with the content I create.
I love fashion, I love styling and I love mixing old with new and luxury with high street and that isn’t going to change, not now and not ever, I’m just going to be more considerate with what I buy, what I share with you guys and how I approach new seasons, occasions and day-to-day dressing in order to be a better person for our planet. Variety is the spice of life, a saying I’m always spouting for those who complain there is too much high street fast fashion or too much expensive luxury fashion across my platforms and that is true, a varied life is a happy life and likewise for a wardrobe in my humble opinion, but with a little further education and in time, I’m pretty sure I’ll have the balance sorted.