Winning at (Blogging) Life

Nearly a year since I won Best Work Blog at the House 21 Awards in Bristol for Home Learning: The Reboot, and I’m just about OK with showing off about it. I was gutted to see House 21 come to an end this year but glad it was because Melanie and Donna were moving into other exciting adventures.

Any other year perhaps I’d have rinsed the Award-Winning Blog thing, I’d have stayed in touch properly with the other Welsh bloggers I met, I’d have made an effort to build up the blog. But I’ve not had the brain space, time or emotional capacity to really give it a chance in 2022.

I was shocked to win as I’d been the absolute opposite of prolific, but the post was zeitgeisty enough to cut through. Which is nice. I’d not won anything since the Sixth Form Cup in school (yes, I was a massive geeky loser, and what?). I work in an industry where there are awards but not for people like me, the administrators, the officers, the planners, and coordinators, so it was a bit of a surprise to receive the nomination, let alone win the category.

The award was a personal boost, a feeling of maybe legitimising my stream of consciousness, the typing on my laptop on those rare evenings or weekend mornings when I feel compelled to churn out some words. The event was a lush excuse to get dolled up and head to a bar in Bristol with a bestie in tow, and it was a perfect opportunity to meet more people who I’ve only really stumbled across online. House 21 was a lovely female-led blogging community, and the happy part of the story is that the awards connected me with other bloggers who I’m looking forward to seeing again very soon.

I used to do an analogue version of blogging as a teenager before all this was a thing. I’d write in my diary then read passages out loud over the landline phone to my best friends. Until I had to hang up so my Mum could call my Grandma. Writing was a way of processing what was going on in my life, of reflecting and bitching, obsessing over schoolgirl crushes (one of whom is now my husband) and being generally cringey AF.

The real winner is blogging. She typed with her tongue firmly in her cheek.

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Fast Fashion Slow Blogging

Back in September I took the 30 day pledge and didn’t buy any new clothes for myself through the whole of the month. Oxfam’s Second Hand September campaign was about addressing fast fashion, reusing, rewearing and recycling rather than sending piles of clothes to landfill. I didn’t actually end up buy any clothes at all, second hand or not, and my main challenge with my own wardrobe is much loved stuff just not fitting anymore.

Why am I only blogging about this now? Two months late is a bit much even by my usual delayed standards. I did an Instagram post about it at the time but was reminded of it by the fabulous exhibition at National Museum Wales in Cardiff that’s been curated by their Youth Forum to run alongside Dippy on Tour, the UK’s most famous diplodocus skeleton cast. It’s in the temporary exhibitions space next to the gift shop until Dippy leaves at the en of January so you’ve got plenty of time to go and have a look. Not only have they curated a collection of items belonging to museum staff but they’ve also created some amazing creatures and scenes out of recycled clothes and bags with a focus on the impact of fast fashion on our precious planet. The dinosaurs didn’t see the end coming but we can do something about our own destruction of Earth. My boys loved the umbrella pterodactyl and I was blown away by the colour, quality and creativity. A big shout out to the lovely volunteer who showed some cool bones and fossils to us.

One of the displays at the museum of the impact of fast fashion on our planet.

So back to the whole fast fashion thing. I have been guilty of stocking up in Primark, buying new for a treat but I’m also a big fan of buying second hand gear on eBay, there are some astonishing bargains to be found. I’ve bought from Oxfam’s online shop too (yes, that’s a thing). I’m a hoarder and I’ll rewear my old favourites on repeat. Some going out gear has been downgraded to day wear or work wear. If anything, I need to Konmari the heck out of my clothes. Yes, I still have cocktail dresses from uni (all found in the sales). When do they become vintage?!

Oxfam has shedloads of stats on the environmental impact of fast fashion, the exhibition at the museum is full of little nuggets of knowledge about it all too. I’ve cringed in the past reading some Instagram blurbs from fashion or mum blog influencers who spend obscene amounts of money on clothes under the guise of quality over quantity. I can’t afford to shop beyond the high street and even that’s a bit of a push for things like jeans and bras. What I’ve tried to do is think about versatility and timelessness, whether it sparks joy and fits me properly rather than because it’s the latest thing. I’ve never been into the throwaway bit of throwaway fashion because I can’t bear to part with clothes that I’m sentimental about.

Maybe it’s part of getting older but I don’t care if I’m not dressed like everyone else and I’ll keep on wearing it until it gets holes (and even then, if I really love it I’ll still wear it, who am I trying to kid?).

There were some pretty judgey comments on posts about the 30 day campaign, from people who couldn’t believe it was a struggle to avoid buying new for a month. I can’t afford to buy new every week but if I’m going out out there’s every chance tat I’ll have a trawl through ASOS. I have bought a ew dress this month but it’s not a one off outfit, I know I can use it for weddings or christenings as well as drinks out or a posh meal. I didn’t buy new shoes or bag to go with it, I know it’ll go with what I already have.

One of my old Primark hauls. In my defence, these were bought in the summer of 2018 ,
they’re still regulars in my wardrobe and all are still in good condition.