My weekly inspiration posts are having a little re-brand for the new year, and I’m going to be posting a weekly life update, a few photos that have caught my eye, as well as a concept I’ve seen done many times on TikTok: a weekly R.E.P.O.R.T sharing what I’m reading, eating, playing, obsessing over, recommending and treating myself to. It will be so nice to watch what I’m interested in change and develop over the course of the year, as well as sharing a bit more about my weekly adventures here on the blog.
We’re kicking off this week’s post with not only a brand new week, but also a brand new year – hello 2024! 2023 was such a phenomenal and transformative year for me that I am actually slightly heartbroken to say goodbye to it; it was a year so full of travel, in 2023 alone I travelled to Ireland, Greece, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, as well as exploring parts of England that I hadn’t been to before: the Lake District and Cornwall, but it was also a year overflowing with joy, gratitude and adventure. In a way I hope that it has set a precedent for every year going forward.
WHAT’S INSPIRED ME THIS WEEK
As a fashion designer, and general creative type, I am constantly seeking inspiration wherever I am, and these posts are a way to document what has ignited something within me this past week. Whether its artwork I’ve seen online, photography that moved me, or a collection of colour in nature that kick-started a creative idea in my head, I’ll be sharing four ideas that have brought me joy in the past seven days.
R. READING
I have just finished Lights Out in Lincolnwood by Geoff Rodkey, a book about the apocalypse; such joyful new year reading! All jokes aside, it was actually a really interesting book; despite it being quite a slow, and almost uneventful plot, which was unexpected with the circumstances of it being a post-apocalyptic novel, I loved how this book sparked conversation with my family. The moment that I put forward the concept of a world where none of our electronic devices worked, we didn’t have access to running water, and there was no form of transport, my dad and sister began devising what our ‘end-of-days’ plan would be (it involved hitting up Costco, to which we don’t actually have a membership, and building a fire to cook on… I’d give us a week).
E. EATING
After struggling with anorexia for many years, and being in recovery for over four years, I’m naturally a big advocate for eating what you want when you want, and that definitely means staying away from the intense diet culture of January. So, with that in mind, I’ve put absolutely no restraints on what I should, or should not, be eating as we transition into the new year.
A culinary highlight of the past week definitely has to be the dinner party that my friends Danielle and Lauren hosted for new year’s eve. I rang in the new year after a delicious three-course meal, complete with cheese board, freshly baked bread from one of the dinner guests, George, a creamy chicken and leek pie, and home-made tiramisu. Sitting around the table, all sharing in food and conversation, I felt blessed to have such a lovely way to bring a close to a wonderful year, and it makes me want to add more dinner parties to my diary in the year ahead.
P. PLAYING
The album that I currently have on repeat is Angel Face by Stephen Sanchez; I am a big lover of old school love songs from the 50s and 60s, and this album captures the magic of that on a modern record. I am going to see Stephen’s tour in London in February, which I am incredibly excited for, and this album will definitely be on repeat until then!
O. OBSESSING OVER
My current obsession is my red mary-janes; oh what joy a new (to me) pair of shoes can bring! I shared how I’ve been styling them in this post, and they honestly haven’t left my feet this entire festive season. I can’t wait to see how I style them in the next few months, especially as we transition towards spring.
R. RECOMMENDING
I got a lovely book for Christmas, which I’d really recommend to anyone interested in cooking seasonally, and making the best use of fresh British ingredients. I’ve followed the author, Julius Roberts, online for many years now, and love the content he puts out, so when he announced that he was publishing a book it went straight on my Christmas list!
T. TREATING MYSELF TO
In all honesty, after coming home from a long stretch of travelling my bank account is crying, so there’s not much treating going on, at least not in a physical sense. However, one thing I’ve definitely been indulging in over Christmas, which I wait all year for, is Christmas cake. It truly feels like a treat after every meal, especially after waiting so long for that delicious sweet taste; I know it’s controversial to say but out of all of the food at Christmas I’d swap it all to save Christmas cake (yes, even my Christmas dinner!), so allowing myself to enjoy it at any chance I get is what I’m treating myself to.
Love Chloe x
