by Candice DeVille | Dec 31, 2014 | Community, Self
Like every year, this year seems to have taken place at warp speed. Barely a moment to pause and reflect, barely a moment to take stock of where life is taking you.
Over the last month I have stopped to ask myself one question; are you headed to where you want to be? And it seems so many of you are asking the same question.
Every day I am again on Pinterest, seeking things that excite and invigorate my creative self. It is when I see so many of the quotes I’ve pinned being liked and shared around with gusto, that I realise we are all in the same boat. The boat that is trying to stay the course, to avoid the rocks and to often even find the map in the first place.
Do you remember where you were going, or has your map become dusty and torn, missing the ‘X’ your soul so deeply needs.
How easy it is to distract ourselves from what really matters, from finding ways to express ourselves or from having the bravery to express it in the first place. This is the 2015 I want us to have. I want us to find that part of ourselves that makes us better, that inspires and changes others for the better. That energises and fulfils us. That we have silenced for fear, for insecurity or for simply not knowing how.
Maybe it seems odd to you that as a lifestyle blogger, these are the things I care about; but truly it is at the heart of it all. I blog because I need to create. I blog so I can talk to you through all these different ways, about the things I find joy in and hope to share with you. I blog to find those who can expand my understanding of the world, my perspective and my appreciation of what we have. I blog to find others who give a damn.
There is strength in numbers you see, and the more we join our thoughts and experiences across this little corner of cyber space, the braver we become.
I lost my bravery for a while there. I began to think that no one actually cared beyond a pretty picture or a nice new dress. That everything I wrote or thought would only open me up to criticisms, barbs and antagonism. I forgot about all of the times you did care, that those of you who have been here from the beginning, understood the story and it helped you to tell your own.
Here, red lipstick is not just another fashion statement; it is a red badge of courage in a sea of grey. Here, the travel story of an afternoon in a Middle Eastern souk is not just another log, it is my hearts song. Everything I write for you, photograph for you and even hope to humbly share my skills through, is an act of bravery. It comes from a place that is uniquely me; my authentic self who believes in romance, dreams and the impossible.
And this is what 2015 will be for us. It is the year of living bravely, in which we shall take this journey together and find your long buried treasure map.
by Candice DeVille | Oct 20, 2014 | Community, Self
Monday mornings can often be the hardest part of the week. Whether that means the end of a weekend, back to school or simply feeling like your time is not your own again.
My foolproof method of starting the week on the right note, is to include little luxuries in my Mondays. This morning that meant taking time to have my breakfast in the Spring sunshine outside.
Often the things we reserve for weekends or time off, little luxuries go a long way to helping create a sense of indulgence and serenity in the midst of our work a day chaos. They needn’t be expensive nor time consuming, just small treats that we often over look in our hast (or reluctance) to get the week going again.
To help you start your weeks on the right note, we’ve created a whole lot of tips and tricks to help you feel a little sense of luxury and remember how much you deserve it. Of course, luxury is subjective and often circumstantial, so we want to invite you to share your own little luxuries.
You’ll find our Little Luxury tips here on the blog every Monday, but also on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook; all with hashtag #LittleLuxuryMon. Perfect for sharing your ideas with friends, seeing how we all like to indulge, and of course, just how differently we do it the world over!
Every month we’ll be choosing a winner to receive their own little piece of luxury to help boost your spirits! It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, you too can join in. Just make sure to tag your pics, then we’ll contact the winner so we can send you a very special gift box!
It’s not a big thing, just a #LittleLuxuryMon that put that spark of decadence into your day, and remind you just how important you are.
by Candice DeVille | May 27, 2014 | Self, Vintage Shopping
I took a day off last weekend for a special occasion; the Love Vintage Show was in town and I really needed new vintage style inspiration! It is hard to explain to Mr.SKM why I need to go to another vintage shopping event when my closets are overflowing, but more often than not, these events are really about socialising for me.
Whether it is a vintage show, a music festival or even a classic car event; it is the one time I get to see friends from all over the country and catch up about our mutual obsessions. This Sunday was no exception, and I wanted to treat my styling team to a big day out of “fancy old things”.
Sometimes I head to these events with a budget and an agenda, but this time it was really about finding new inspiration for me. We all go through times when we are sick of looking at our closets, no matter how much variety there is, and I’ve been struggling with this of late. I really adore vintage everything, but occasionally it is like I’ve overdosed on it and just need to press the reset button. That has been my last few months.
With a serious lack of storage space, I’ve had to pack up the majority of my vintage collection to make more room for Miss 6’s bedroom, and I found by putting everything away and out of eye line it gave me a bit more clarity. I’ve stuck to the same few basics and gone for function over high style, to give myself the ‘no frills’ time I needed to get on top of some major projects happening at home. (By major I mean heavy machinery and no roof!)
Having this little hiatus has given me the sartorial palette cleanse I needed. It’s allowed me to look at my collection with new eyes and decide what I should part with and what I truly love. Spending time in the company of my other artistic inspirations, gives me room for new ways to interpret and mix those old favourites. As vintage lovers with the internet at our disposal, it is all to easy to live exclusively in our own style microcosm; but without keeping your inspirations fresh, things can quickly go stale. And that was how I was feeling, stale.
Fast forward to a few months later, (now) and I have a sense of enthusiasm and refreshment that you just can’t fake. The kind that keeps you up sewing frustrating vintage patterns until midnight or more. And that is why I love these vintage shows; spending time not only browsing beautiful wares, but browsing the way other people interpret their take on vintage style.
Vintage will always hold new and fresh ideas for me, but it is important to know when and how to look after your style mojo. I’d guess I’m not the only one of us who goes thorugh this, and I’d love to hear what you do to keep things fresh!
Outfit Details
Purple “Ava” dress from Pin Up Girl Clothing
Berry suede heels from Airstep
Hand bag from Prada
*Photography by Helen McLean*
