emma tamsin

2016 was hands down the craziest, most stressful yet most rewarding year of my entire life. I was lucky enough to experience some amazing opportunities and grow mentally as a person. Here are a few key moments:

University

This year at University was the hardest yet, finishing up my second year in my course Fashion Promotion with Styling and entering my third and final year was daunting. The late nights, tears and copious amounts of times in the library really show my struggle. I produced some work i was extremely happy and proud to show off and collaborated with some great creatives. I grew wiser and more creative in my craft and met more and more people who inspired me and shared my mindset towards being creative. At one point in October i was working on 5 separate things, 3 photoshoots, my dissertation and a fashion show which i was privileged enough to be made head stylist for, along with other endeavours. This hard work and commitment has only made me stronger so in the end i am thankful for thinking i almost couldn't do it, because i proved myself so wrong.

Career

2016 was the year my career in fashion really started. I was lucky enough to do 2 internships in London at Harpers Bazaar and Lulu Guinness. Although terrifying this was such an insightful experience in the industry that i want to work in. Although i have loved fashion and clothing my whole life i have never really understood fully how certain parts of the industry run as i had never had an actual job in fashion. Working in the fashion cupboard at Harpers i got to handle the most phenomenal clothing. Chanel, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana and insane amounts of Jimmy Choos, Manolo Blahniks and Louboutins to name a few. Seeing brand new things that weren't even in shops yet and the most shiny, glittering jewellery was the most exciting thing for the stylist in me. Seeing the shoots i assisted in the magazine a month later made me have a little fangirl moment, seeing how it all works from shoot to print was an invaluable experience.Then at Lulu Guinness i got to experience the PR side of the industry seeing how brands get their products out in the press and create an online presence through social media which was a lot different but just as insightful and fun. Through this process i got to try two different things out and really decipher what path i want to go down once i graduate. I advise anybody who wants to get their foot in the door in the fashion industry to do internships, they are the most valuable thing to a young creative and you learn an insane amount.

A fine jewellery shoot i assisted for in my time at Harpers Bazaar (each piece of jewellery came with a guard that stayed for the entire shoot, i was shocked too)

Independence

As i mentioned i moved to London for two and a half months to do my internships. This meant leaving home and living somewhere else for the first time in my life. All through university i have lived at home as i felt i wasn't ready to move away when the time came for applying(this worked out for the best, UCLAN is a bomb university). Leaving home in the North-West and moving down to the busiest city in England was daunting to say the least. Obviously i was excited but at the same time so so scared about living on my own and being a 'real adult'. I felt like how i did when i was applying to university all over again, scared and unprepared, as the time for moving away approached i realised one very important thing. If you wait until you're ready to do these big life changing things you'll be waiting forever, you're never really ready for change, you just have to do it.

Family & Friendships

A few significant things happened in my life in 2016 regarding my family. Grief can be a difficult emotion to process when you're not used to the feeling. When you're surrounded by the people you love it becomes a lot easier and you share that pain between you all. 2016 made me really think about blessings as opposed to hardships, celebrating life over mourning it. I also met so many people who i will consider life-long friends this year, the people you surround yourself with definitely lift you higher and push you towards your goals if you find the right ones.

Self Love

I have struggled with my own feelings towards my weight and how i look for many years. People sometimes fail to realise this as i come across, and for the most part i am, a very confident person. Being plus size comes with some criticisms and judgement by people, feeling like everybody is staring at you just ain't cool. This year i let go of most of those feelings and lived my life with no apologies or concerns about how i look. Don't get me wrong, i still want to become healthier, hit the gym and loose some weight but i became more accepting of who i am right now. I carry myself with a good ora and happiness in myself which brings good vibes towards me too.

2016 was a year of learning and a la Kylie Jenner 'realising things'. Mainly that it's ok to be yourself, having a healthy mind and positive outlook is key and pushing yourself towards your goals always pays off. I hope 2017 brings more life, more blessings and more opportunities, hope you enjoyed this post and i'll see you in the next one.

Em x