teen fashion designer

~ LOST SHAPES X TOLLY DOLLY POSH ~
Shop the ethical t-shirts collection

I’m so excited to announce that I have officially launched my own ethical and sustainable t-shirts with Lost Shapes! For a large portion of this year, I’ve been working closely with Lost Shapes to bring you something that we’re both incredibly proud to be sharing with you all. A lot of projects like this often don’t seem like much on the surface but I can tell you now that a lot of love and hard work went into making these t-shirts possible, so I hope you appreciate them as much as we do!

In case you aren’t aware, Lost Shapes are an independent clothing brand from back home in the UK. The wonderful owner, Anna, has built her brand upon ethical and sustainable values to go along side her traditionally hand-printed designs. You might recognise Lost Shapes from my ethical directory.

I couldn’t release my first sustainable pieces without making them all about what I believe in. In this post, not only can you scroll through and get a taste of the lookbook, you can also find out the inspirations behind each piece and why they ended up looking like they do.

However, if you’re ready to shop already, click the link above. I can’t wait to see you all wearing your Lost Shapes x Tolly Dolly Posh pieces!

Make sure to tweet @TollyDollyPosh and @LostShapes with the hashtag #LSxTDP so we can see how you style them.

~ MANY QUESTIONS T-SHIRT ~
100% Organic Cotton with 90% Reduced Carbon Footprint

This design is inspired quite simply by the idea of questioning the supply chains across the fashion industry. It’s a bold inspiration which might not come across to just anyone but it started to be put across from the very first pages of my sketchbook. The question marks are linked like a chain and if you look very closely, the colours cross over each other with slight transparency – that of course was very intentional.

As the name suggests, there are so many questions that need answering when it comes to our clothes, so this is like wearing all of them on a t-shirt which supports answering them. The racer style makes it all the more striking and looks rather good against the backdrop of the lookbook (it’s a Keith Haring mural, open and on display in Pisa, Italy).

I styled both t-shirts with a denim skirt (second-hand, of course), as there are definite yet subtle 80s vibes in each design. Although the bright pink and orange may seem rather summery, there’s no reason these t-shirts can’t be worn throughout the colder seasons. I’m ready and set to pair this design with a biker jacket.

~ KEEP ON ASKING T-SHIRT ~
Fair Trade 100% Organic Cotton with workers premium

The other t-shirt in my little collection took a while longer to perfect (well, both of them did – a lot of time goes into making colours perfect when they’re being hand-printed), simply because slogans of course have a lot to shout about.

We want these t-shirts to be open for everyone to wear (man or woman, they’re unisex!), hence why the ‘Many Questions’ design is a symbolic pattern and hence why the phrase ‘Keep on Asking’ hopefully, applies to a lot of other things.

Of course, the ‘Keep on Asking’ I’m referring to within my designs, is the idea of asking those who are in charge and capable of real change, to answer questions. This stems back to great initiatives like Fashion Revolution and #WhoMadeMyClothes, as well as just conscious consumerism in general. In order to become more transparent, we need questions to be answered. Once again, the transparent layering is intentional and I’m really happy with the outcome, especially with the 80s style, bubble font.

I’ve already worn this t-shirt a dozen ways with different skirts and bottoms (it may or may not be my favourite design of the two, with the Fair Trade cotton being the cherry on top) and I think the versatility definitely comes down to the shirt being grey.

~ WHO MADE MY T-SHIRTS? ~
Every Lost Shapes item is sourced sustainably before being hand-printed by Anna Brindle, the creator of Lost Shapes, with each design in the collaboration designed lovingly by Tolly Dolly Posh.

I’m really proud to have worked with Anna on this little collection. It took a lot of back and forth work but I believe the overall outcome was most definitely worth it. I really hope to see some of you wearing them in the near future, or at least to hear you have them on your wishlist! All the important links can be found below… happy Lost Shapes x Tolly Dolly Posh shopping!

FOLLOW LOST SHAPES:
Twitter // Facebook // Instagram

DOWNLOAD:
Press Release // Lookbook

Special thanks to Kayleigh Adams Photography for capturing the t-shirts in all of their glory. Follow Kayleigh on Instagram for more photography and visit her website if you’re interested in using her for your own project. 

A couple of months ago I shared a behind the scenes picture of a project I was asked to be a part of, and today, I am super excited to be able to share with you what exactly it is! Now launched, you can take a look at Take Part’s newest Big Issue – 16 in 16…

Watch my #16in16 video here. 

Turning 16, to most girls, means becoming a young woman and exploring oneself. It’s an exciting time, but it’s also full of challenges, especially for those in far-flung corners of the Earth. For some teens, being 16 means starting to drive and experiencing love and dating, but for others, it can mean taking on inequality and conflicts in everyday life.

So, to learn a little more about what it’s like to be 16 years old in 2016, Take Part asked myself and 15 other girls what it’s like to be as a young woman, whether they might be, in the hopes of sharing why teen girls should have access to education, economic opportunity and basic human rights. It was all quite exciting to be a part of, but now I look at it all put together with the other girls’ stories, I’ve started to realise why it’s such an important message.

The feature is a small video series which highlights certain topics like relationships, family life, future careers and ambitions, and what struggles 16 year olds have to face. Some of the stories are genuinely, truly inspiring, so I feel very honoured to have played my part the best I could! I spoke a bit about why home education gives me more freedom than traditional schooling, but there’s a small bit more when you click through to my personal segment.

Watch all #16in16 videos here. 

Some of the other girls include Monica from Nairobi in Kenya, who’s ambition is to become a journalist; Emma from Pennsylvania who’s an aspiring writer working hard for equality and the LGBTQ community; Haiana, a Syrian refugee now living in Germany, and Savannah, who’s an aspiring marine biologist who’s been coping with her mother’s drug addiction most of her life. All of the girls have such inspiring messages and are obviously destined for great things!

You can take a look at my feature, as well as the other videos and other girls, at the link above. Please do take a look and give it a share if you can! Take Part (part of Participant Media) will be rolling out the campaign for the months ahead, so I’m sure you’ll see the link floating around for a while too.

Thanks so much to the team for this opportunity, and for creating a project with such a strong message. Here’s to being 16 in 16!

Images taken from the 16 in 16 videos.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted some designs on here. I’m pretty much a perfectionist so I only ever like to share things that I’m genuinely happy with or I at least think are worth sharing. After fiddling around and practicing my watercolour painting techniques and watercolour repeat patterns, I doodled up a quick one and was set a small brief to draw up some rough ideas to make them come to life… and they’re worth sharing, I suppose! Plus, it was totally an excuse to try out the illustrative style I’ve fallen in love with…

© Original designs by Tolly Dolly Posh. More info here. 

~ LOOSE V-NECK CAMI & JERSEY PRINTED SKIRT ~

The brief was to sketch up some simple items that could be easily cut and put together, and my first thought was loose and unfitted. I personally love layering, so most of the low-cut v-neck items in this blog post are ideally meant for that purpose. A ditsy floral print would work really well, especially if layered over a contrast blouse or shirt. It genuinely would be a straight up and down cami with the only detailing being the deep neckline, making it a simple throw on and throw away piece (by throw away I mean, into your drawers).

The skirt would be a thicker jersey material, in a simple circle skirt/A-line fit. Stretchy and comfortable, but thicker than the more silk like cami to match. I love experimenting with different colour ways and print scales, hence why the skirt and top mismatch. The addition of the ruffled arm cuffs and collar are based around the seasonal trends at the moment, which are also in a mixmatched colour way.

~ LOOSE V-NECK MAXI DRESS ~

Another flowing v-neck design in a powder purple. Similar in shape to the cami already mentioned, it’s simply straight up and down and due to it’s extremely relaxed and loose nature, has no zips or buttons as it can be taken on and off with ease. I understand that it looks like a rather daring neckline, but once again, it’s intended for layering, but for these sketches I didn’t want to take away from the main idea.

~ LOOSE V-NECK PLAYSUIT ~

Almost identical to the maxi dress, this playsuit is again just straight up and down and simple; the fabric being loose enough for a no-zip access. It’s a rather ‘boyish’ fit, with lots of room in the legs and body for movement not only for the wearer, but also for the fabric. A slightly bigger print scale allows the green to contrast against the darker greens within the print, and adds for a more camouflage, botanical feel.

~ MOCK-UP DESIGN (Original item via People Tree) ~

I also wanted to do a quick mock-up using an ‘already in production’ item as it gives you a real sense of how the print would work with certain fabrics. You an also see the print a little closer up here. It’s a combination of large flowers and foliage, with scattered leaves and small daisy like flowers. The colours could easily be adapted for a more autumnal feel, but with the blues included, I could see this piece going into winter too.

I hope you liked this quick little insight into some recent rough designs! You guys requested for me to post some more of these illustrations, so I thought I’d give you just that! I put a quick poll out on Twitter (closed now, I’m afraid) to see if you’d be interested in seeing daily illustrations over fashion week instead of general reviews, and the answer was definitely a yes to illustrations! I’ll let you know how that goes and if I stick to it!

(Reference images)

Would you wear any of these designs? Which is your favourite? Let me know in the comments!

Today’s post is just a quick one! So… you may have noticed recently, that there’s been a bit of a change in terms of my banners up there beneath my header? Well, there’s been a bit of a change elsewhere too because my very own collection of socks is now just that… my own! The (originally known as) #MooiEnLiefbyTDP collection is now underneath the Tolly Dolly Posh name! Exciting 🙂

The shop is now back open and you can have a quick purchase of your favourite pairs! But be quick as this is the last stock of them before they’re gone. Who knows, there may just be another product in the pipeline sometime in the future. I really hope you enjoy picking up your socks again! Make sure to give a tweet with “#TDPSocks” this time, so I can see who’s been buying pairs.

~ SHOP THE COLLECTION ~

Let me know if you like the new shop or if you’ve made an order, in the comments!

The winner of the “Blue Bootin” give-away was… Nyah M!

And here we have it… the final give-away for my Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh collection! It’s been really awesome being able to hand out some pairs to you guys and I hope you’ve had fun entering. Don’t be too saddened as the collection is not going anywhere… you can pick up some direct from the Mooi en Lief shop. Ooh and I should be giving away some of the lookbooks soon so you can stay tuned for that over on Twitter!

SHOP “CAMP BLANC” HERE

“Camp Blanc” was one of my very first designs that I sketched up. It’s inspired by the wild flowers that grow in summer time and the colours that I saw across France when I was there (blue skies, yellow fields)… as well as a mix of the seventies vibes that are across the whole collection.

They’re perfect for zipping through fields and having a happy time whether that’s in summer or autumn. This was also the most 70s outfit that I put together for the lookbook and I think they work really well. You could pair them with suede or a tan mini skirt (like I have here) or even a denim skirt and a pair of leather heels. They have a really cool aesthetic to them and I hope you appreciate it too!

Top (New Look) // Skirt (Missguided) // Socks (Mooi en Lief by TDP) // Sunglasses (New Look) // Shoes (Vagabond) // Wellington Boots (Mooi en Lief)*

You could of course also style your socks up with some boots from Mooi en Lief’s range… they actually match really well and would look awesome on some muddy autumn walks. So, if you want to win the socks to match, scroll on down…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules + T&Cs: The give-away is open worldwide. The prize will be delivered by Mooi en Lief on behalf of Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh. You must be have permission from a guardian/parent (if you’re 13 or younger) as you will have to email your postal address. The prize is one pair of the “Camp Blanc” design. The give-away closes on 27th September 2015.

The winner of the “Homo Superior” give-away was… Rachel B!

I’m back with another Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh give-away! Hooray! Congratulations to the winners so far 🙂 If you haven’t been as lucky as them though, there’s still chance as today I’m bringing you the penultimate prize of the “Blue Bootin” sock design! Good luck…

SHOP “BLUE BOOTIN’” HERE

“Blue Bootin” is a mish-mash of both 60s and 70s styles. With discos and partying slowly creeping into the lives of late-70s youngsters, and the block-colour styles still lingering from the 60s, it seemed like a perfect combination for the collection… plus, I do love a bit of blue!

The checks are actually mix-matched and don’t all flow in unison which is inspired by the sparkling colours of a disco ball. The bold simplicity of the design makes for a statement which is also very versatile too. The hint of pastel and white also allows it to be worn in not only summer and spring, but winter with the snowy themes coming through!

These could actually look really cute with the Mooi en Lief “BUCKLE Pink” Wellington boots for a different kinda’ look!

Dress (ASOS) // Socks (Mooi en Lief by TDP) // Hat (ASOS) // Shoes (Vagabond)

I’m not going to lie, I personally really like this design. I feel like they’re a very ‘Marmite’ pair of socks… so do leave a comment letting me know what you think, as well as how you’d style them (as that’s a give-away entry anyway)! Speaking of the give-away, if you want to win a pair of these lovely socks, scroll on down!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules + T&Cs: The give-away is open worldwide. The prize will be delivered by Mooi en Lief on behalf of Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh. You must be have permission from a guardian/parent (if you’re 13 or younger) as you will have to email your postal address. The prize is one pair of the “Blue Bootin” design. The give-away closes on 23rd September 2015.

The winner of the “Electric Blue” give-away was… Adele P!

I’m back today with a give-away of the “Homo Superior” sock design from my very own Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh collection. Congratulations if you were the winner of the “Electric Blue” pair! If you didn’t win though, there’s still chance to grab a different design, or shop the whole collection here! Good luck and happy shopping 🙂

SHOP “HOMO SUPERIOR” HERE

“Homo Superior” was inspired by the record cover of David Bowie’s ‘Hunky Dory’ album, and the song ‘Oh You Pretty Things’ which features the line of lyrics… ‘You gotta’ make way for the Homo Superior’. Homo Superior basically means somebody of supernatural powers, so a bit like a super hero. In my opinion socks are a very big part of a super hero’s costume so it fits well, right?

This pair of socks looks awesome with suede and could totally work with a biker jacket too. Throw on a worn out pair of Converse or of course, Mooi en Lief’s very own “Black Buckle” wellington boots and “Feather Festival Style Kit”! As an entry to this give-away, leave a comment letting me know how you’d style up this pair of socks!

Top (ASOS) // Skirt (Missguided) // Socks (Mooi en Lief by TDP) // Shoes (Vagabond)

I think you guys are loving this pair of socks! There simple and perfect for the upcoming A/W season. I’ve already worn them out with some boots and they look super cute! I hope you enjoy wearing them as much as I do. Want to win a pair? Scroll down for the give-away…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules + T&Cs: The give-away is open worldwide. The prize will be delivered by Mooi en Lief on behalf of Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh. You must be have permission from a guardian/parent (if you’re 13 or younger) as you will have to email your postal address. The prize is one pair of the “Homo Superior” design. The give-away closes on 17th September 2015.

It’s a very exciting day because I have my very first Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh sock give-away! If you didn’t already know, 4 days ago I launched my co-branded collection of socks with Mooi en Lief. So today, I’m going to be giving away 1 pair of my “Electric Blue” design. Scroll on down for styling inspiration from the lookbook and how to win!

SHOP “ELECTRIC BLUE” HERE

“Electric Blue” was inspired by the roller skating vibes of the 1970s. With blue being one of my favourite colours, and also a hit trend in 2015, it seemed like a perfect combination for mixing with sporty stripes. Along with the whole collection, this pair have a little hidden detail of having the option of being over-the-knee or under-the-knee, with or without the stripes.

Named after David Bowie’s “Sound and Vision” song (Blue, blue, electric blue, that’s the colour of my room) they’re a big flashback to the laid back era. You can wear them with a denim skirt, or a pair of high waisted shorts, or even with a long floaty skirt… but most importantly, pair them with some Mooi en Lief Black Buckle wellies if you’re hitting some muddy (festival) fields!

Top (New Look) // Skirt (Jumble Sale) // Socks (Mooi en Lief by TDP) // Shoes (Vagabond)

This pair are probably the most simple in the collection by I still love them just as much. They look perfect with Mooi en Lief’s wellies or a pair of chunky platforms like I’m wearing above! If you like them as much as I do, here’s the give-away…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules + T&Cs: The give-away is open worldwide. The prize will be delivered by Mooi en Lief on behalf of Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh. You must be have permission from a guardian/parent (if you’re 13 or younger) as you will have to email your postal address. The prize is one pair of the “Electric Blue” design.

Good Luck! Eeep 😀 

Eeeeep! How crazy?! After a good year of work, my co-branded collection of socks is finally here. I don’t want to ramble too much, so I’ll leave the thank you’s to the end, so for now, please get excited as #MooiEnLiefbyTDP is NOW AVAILABLE! Say, what?!

SHOP “CAMP BLANC” HERE

SHOP “ELECTRIC BLUE” HERE

SHOP “BLUE BOOTIN'” HERE

SHOP “HOMO SUPERIOR” HERE

Aaah! How crazy, huh?! After a long time of working hard, the collection of co-branded socks with the amazing brand that is, Mooi en Lief, is finally here! I can now introduce to you, Mooi en Lief by Tolly Dolly Posh! It’s pretty darn weird to look at it now, because all of these designs were just once scribbles on a piece of paper. I honestly can’t thank Mooi en Lief enough for the amazing experience and opportunity I have been given; thank you! 

As you can probably tell from the lookbook images above, the collection is very 70s inspired. I’m actually a really big fan of the aesthetic from the decade, and it just so happened that it fit in nicely with this years popular trend. A big shoutout to Papa Posh for his patience on the shoot day! It was ridiculously hot and I’m pretty sure we both started melting half way through. You did good! 

Also, every order comes with a FREE “Dare To Be Different” iron-on patch, and a copy of the full look book!

Blue Bootin // Camp Blanc // Homo Superior // Electric Blue
Worldwide delivery is available, get in touch for more info!

I wanted to make sure the designs were simple, wearable but of course a little bit different, so there are some hidden smaller details throughout each pair. I’m not quite sure I could pick a favourite as altogether, they look pretty awesome (if I do say so myself!). Also, I hope you like the names, I had a lot of fun thinking them up, and I’m sure I’ll discuss them further in my next few blog posts.

Speaking of those posts, I will be doing 1 seperate post per sock so you can get an even better feel for the collection as well as an opportunity to WIN yourself a pair! So stick around, okay? I’m going to stop rambling now so you can go and buy yourself a pair! It would be highly appreciated and you know, if I ever did get super mega amazingly famous (hehe), you’ll always have a piece of TDP history… *wink*

Which pair will you be buying? Or will you buy all of them? Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to hear your thoughts! 

So, how ridiculous is this… after all this time, it’s only 3 DAYS until my co-branded collection of socks goes live with Mooi en Lief. 3 DAYS! Crazy. So, to celebrate the fact that it’s so soon until the launch, I’m going to entice you with a give-away of 50% off the socks! All of the details and information is below, it’s super simple, and there is nothing to lose! (There’s 3 winners too… so go, go, go!)

~ 50% OFF GIVE-AWAY ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules and T&Cs: This give-away is open worldwide and will have 3 winners. Once the winners have been randomly chosen through Rafflecopter itself, I will email the winners and explain how to claim their 50% off discount. The prize has been awarded by Mooi en Lief and is valid for the whole Mooi en Lief online shop!

Good Luck! I shall see you on Saturday when Mooi en Lief and myself will have officially launched the collection. CRAZY! 🙂