INTERN (noun)

1.

A STUDENT OR RECENT GRADUATE UNDERGOING SUPERVISED PRACTICAL TRAINING.

2.

A STUDENT OR RECENT GRADUATE, WHO LIVES ON MOTIVATION NOT MONEY, WHO HAS A DREAM NOT A JOB, WHO IS PASSIONATE NOT PRACTICAL, WHO CHOOSES LIFE OVER LEISURE.  

SYNONYMS: LUCKY, HAPPY, THANKFUL, EXCITED, APPRECIATIVE, WILLING, POOR.

YES, THE LATTER DEFINITION PERHAPS OFFERS MORE ACCURACY. I NO LONGER FEEL LIKE A STUDENT, I FEEL LIKE AN EXPLORER. I'M DOING WHAT I WANT TO BE DOING, WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING, AND EXACTLY WHAT I LOVE TO BE DOING. DECIDING TO PACK UP ALL OF MY POSSESSIONS A FEW MONTHS BACK IN JUNE, TO GET ON A PLANE AND WAVE GOODBYE TO MY FRIENDS, AND TO LAND IN NEW YORK WITH ONLY AN ADDRESS AND A SUITCASE SHOULD HAVE SEEMED SCARY, I'M SURE IT SHOULD HAVE. 8 WEEKS LATER, LIFE COULDN'T BE SWEETER. INTERNING AT NYLON, YOU COULD ARGUE I WORK FOR NOTHING. INSTEAD I ARGUE I WORK FOR EVERYTHING- EXPERIENCE, EXCITEMENT, PASSION, AMBITION. MONEY HAS A WAY OF SEEMING RATHER FUTILE WHEN YOU WEIGH IT UP.

THAT SAID, A GIRL NEEDS CLOTHES. AND CLOTHES COST MONEY. BACK AT HOME, SUPPORTED BY A STUDENT LOAN WHICH WAS GIVEN OUT ON THE PROVISO OF 'WHAT'S NOT SPENT ON ALCOHOL IS TO BE SPENT IN TOPSHOP', £30 HERE AND £40 THERE WAS A MERE AFTER-SEMINAR, PRE-PARTY TREAT. HERE, $30 IS TO LAST ME A WEEK, AND IN A LAND WHERE TOPSHOP IS NO LONGER AFFORDABLE, SHOPPING HAS HAD TO BE PUT ON A BACK SEAT.

FEELING UNINSPIRED AND UNSATISFIED BY MY CAPSULE SUITCASE WARDROBE (HELPED NO WHAT BY AN ABUNDANCE OF BOTTOMS TOO HOT TO BEAR AND UNACCEPTABLY CREASED SILK SHIRTS), I THANK MY GENEROUS MOTHER AND THE ADVANCES IN ONLINE BANKING FOR ALLOWING ME TO SUCCESSFULLY REVIVE MY SHOPPING ADDICTION. ON THE LOOK OUT FOR ANYTHING BREEZY AND DESERT TONED, INSPIRED BY PERUVIANS AND THE ANDEAN TUNIC EXHIBITION AT THE MET, I FOUND A FEW PIECES TO SATISFY MY NEEDS. 

A VERY KIND MUMMY, A HAPPIER ONLINE BANK ACCOUNT AND A WARMER LOOKING WARDROBE. 100 DEGREES IN NEW YORK THIS WEEK AND ONE  HAPPY, HAPPY DAUGHTER.  

preposterous greed

PERHAPS CONSIDERED GLUTTONOUS TO ORDER £80 OF ACCESSORIES ON CHRISTMAS EVE.

PERSONALLY CONSIDERED IT FOOLISH TO PUT URBAN OUTFITTERS AND 50% ON THE SAME PAGE.

boxing-day joy. For you, a guide.

THERE’S NO DENYING IT, WE ALL LOVE THE SALES (OR LOVE TO HATE THE SALES…) AND THERE’S NO BIGGER EUPHORIA THAN FINDING THE JACKET-THAT-YOU-COULDN’T-JUSTIFY WITH A JOLLY HALF OFF; I CAN CONFESS TO HAVING LITERALLY SHRIEKED OUT WITH JOY IN TOPSHOP BEFORE...

WITH THE SALES GETTING BIGGER, CHEAPER AND EARLIER EACH YEAR, IT’S DIFFICULT TO AVOID THE WHOLE “BUT IT’S IN THE SALE” BUYING-ESCAPADE, OR EVEN THE “IT’S ONLY…” SAGA, WHICH RELIABLY RESULTS IN YOU RETURNING HOME WITH FAR TOO MANY PARTY DRESSES, 3 TOO MANY PAIRS OF SHOES  AND ACCESSORIES THAT ARE VILE BUT “A BARGAIN”. IT IS DIFFICULT (for us girls especially) TO RESIST FRIVOLITY-SPENDING, WHEN FACED WITH RACKS AND RACKS OF DISCOUNTED CLOTHES AND TRENDS THAT WE ONCE YEARNED FOR BUT OUR BANK ACCOUNTS WOULDN’T STRETCH TO. WHAT’S MORE, POSITIONING US AMONG THE OTHER AMBITIOUS SALE SHOPPERS WHO ARE ATTEMPTING TO SPEND EVERY LAST DIME OF THEIR LIFE SAVINGS BEFORE THE DAY’S END IS LIKE THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST.

IT’S STILL ICY, YES, AND YOU’RE LIKELY TO BE SHOPPING SWATHED IN SCARVES AND GLOVES AND NUMEROUS LAYERS OF THERMALS, BUT YOU’RE GONNA HAVE TO FORGET ALL THAT. THINK OF BABY LAMBS, AND FLORAL BLOOMS AND THE SWEETEST HARMONIES OF BIRDSONG AS SPRING WARDROBE BUILDING HAS FINALLY ARRIVED.  

FIRST THING‘S FIRST, AND LETS GET THIS CLEAR; DO NOT CLING ONTO WINTER’S TRENDS AS HONEY, YOU’VE MISSED THEM. HENCE SPENDING HUNDREDS (FEWER HUNDREDS, BUT STILL) ON SHEARLING BOOTS AND JACKETS IS SILLY, BECAUSE BY FEBRUARY, THEY’LL MEAN NOTHING. SIMILARLY, DON’T BUY NEXT YEAR’S CHRISTMAS DRESS NOW; TRUST ME YOU’LL SEE A BETTER ONE WHEN THE TIME COMES AND THIS WILL ONLY CAUSE SELF-INFLICTED IRRITATION AT A LATER DATE. INSTEAD, BUY ONLY INTO THE TRENDS THAT ARE CARRYING OVER TO SPRING. AND CLASSIC PIECES WHICH WILL REMAIN, WELL, CLASSIC. THE RESULT: THE FOUNDATIONS OF AN ON-TREND SPRING WARDROBE, AT A SNIP OF THE PRICE.

I HOPE YOU’VE ALL STARTED YOUR SALE-SHOPPING-PREPARATIONS, AS TRUST ME GOING WITHOUT A GAMEPLAN IS A LOSER’S GAME. I’VE COMPILED A LIST OF TRICKS, AS WELL AS A WHAT TO LOOK FOR LOWDOWN TO HELP YOU SUCCEED IN THAT WILD, WEARY WORLD OF SALE SHOPPING.

SO, HAPPY SHOPPING PEOPLE. I’LL BE AT HOME WAITING ON MY URBAN OUTFITTERS VAN TO ARRIVE AS I DID MINE ONLINE CHRISTMAS EVE!

TIPS:

-IF IT’S REDUCED FROM £75 TO £3, THERE’S PROBABLY A GOOD REASON FOR IT.

-DON’T GO WITH ANY CASH, IT MAY PREVENT NUMEROUS “THEY’RE ONLY A POUND” DEALS, WHICH 20-POUNDS COINS LIGHTER, YOU’RE REGRETTING.

-IF IT DOESN’T REALLY FIT, DON’T BOTHER. YOU SAY YOU’LL TAKE IT IN/ UP/ OUT; YOU WON’T.

-DON’T FORGET TO BARTER STUDENT DISCOUNT OFF THOSE £4.50 EARRINGS. SCREW DIGNITY, THAT’S £4.05 THANKS.

-DO NOT TAKE YOUR FAVOURITE OVER-SIZED TOTEBAG, OR YOU’LL BE THE ONE WE’RE ALL SCOWLING AT AS YOU WRIGGLE DOWN THE TINY ISLES. LADIES, OPT FOR YOUR SMALLEST, MOST CONCISE OVER-THE-BODY BAG. KEEP THOSE ELBOWS FREE FOR PROTECTING THAT LAST SIZE 8 YOU’RE FIGHTING FOR.

-DON’T DILLY-DALLY. BUY IT OR DON’T. THERE’S NO QUESTION OF “SHALL I GET IT LATER?” YOU WON’T.

-OR, BE SENSIBLE AND DO IT ALL ONLINE LIKE ME.

SPRING TRENDS (THAT MEANS BUY IT NOW.) 

WHITES- purity, minimalism, powerfully simple.

LEATHER- black leather t-shirts, worked leather trousers, mix with lace and splash out on real leather.

CAMEL TONES- tonal varieties, ultra-luxe, multi-textures, super-chic

 

LACE- opt for paler colours and soft patterns, mix different weights and try full-on lace like Erdem

 

COLOUR POP- bright separates, clashing hues, bold accessories and statement pieces.