Music To My Ears | Slam Dunk 2018 Announcement

Hey everyone!

Welcome to a brand new blog post! Today, I thought that I would talk to you about the new bands that will be at the Slam Dunk Festival this year.

If you saw my post within the last few months of 20`7, then you will know about Slam Dunk 2018, and the first few artists that were announced. Slam Dunk have announced a plethora of amazing artists, to the already amazing line up.

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes.

The first band that have been added to the Slam Dunk festival, are, Frank Carter and The Rattlesnakes. are an English punk rock band formed in 2015 by former Pure Love frontman Frank Carter. They've had two albums out which include Modern Love which came out in 2017. Check out their songs via Spotify including the well known Juggernaut.

PVRIS

Alt rock trio PVRIS were formied in 2012 by the singer, Lynn Gunn. If you're wondering how to pronounce PVRIS, then, the answer to your question is to pronounce it just like Paris. The band originate from Massachusetts within the States. The best way to sum the genre of music, that they play is, dreamy electronica with dark, beat-heavy rock, which is weird in writing but in sound sounds amazing. Check out their latest album All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell.

Knuckle Puck

Chicago-based pop-punk unit Knuckle Puck formed in 2011. The best way to sum up the music that Knuckle Puck create is, to say that it's old-school punk rock and emo in one. If you like bands such as, The Wonder Years, Rise Against and The Story So Far, then you will love these. Check out their latest album, Shapeshifter.

Roam

British pop-punk band, Roam, formed in Eastbourne in 2012. The best way to sum up Roam is to say that they're high energy and pop punk. I saw them a couple of years ago, and I absolutely loved them. The atmosphere of the gig was amazing. If you love bands such as, Blink 182, Paramore, As It Is and New Found Glory, then you will love these! Check out their album, Great Heights & Nosedives.

Reel Big Fish 

Reel Big Fish will be returning to the festival after a series of raucous Slam Dunk performances, always guaranteed to unite festival fans in unbridled and enthusiastic singalongs. Armed with an arsenal of anthems such as ‘Sell Out’, ‘Cheer Up’ and ‘Beer’, the Californian trumpet troupe will no doubt bring the party atmosphere

Reel Big Fish are a Southern California ska-punk band. They are well known for their high energy performances. Even though, Reel Big Fish were known for being an underground/niche based band, they slowly gained a mainstream following, especially as they were slowly getting played more and more on MTV. Check out their album, Candy Coated Fury.

The Audition (Worldwide Reunion Exclusive)

, Chicago based The Audition will be gracing the Slam Dunk stages in a worldwide reunion exclusive. In a highly-teased and highly-anticipated return, The Audition will be making their first live appearance in 6 years at the U.K.’s Slam Dunk Festival in May. The original line up consisting of Danny Stevens (vocals), Seth Johnson (guitar), Ryan O’Connor (drums), Joe Lussa (bass) and Tim Klepek (guitar) will all be on stage together for the first time together in nearly 10 years - a sight fans will be desperate to witness. Danny Stevens of The Audition says;“We couldn’t more excited to be coming back to Slam Dunk Festival. We were part of the festival in the early years and the Slam Dunk shows and club nights in Leeds before that. To have our first show together as this group in nearly 10 years is really something special.”

Have you listened to any of the artists mentioned above? Have you been to Slam Dunk Festival before? Let me know down below!

Buy tickets for Slam Dunk 2018 North, Midlands and South.

Thanks for reading this music based blog post, and I hope that you come back next time for another blog post!

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x 

Strutting Into Spring | Female SS18 Fashion Trends

Hey everyone!

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I thought that today, I would talk to you all about the female fashion trends that are at the centre of the fashion world right now.

Gelato Shades 

Why are we using the term, gelato shades, and what does it mean, you ask? Well gelato shades is simply just another term for pastel shades of clothing. So, shades like pastel yellow, or Lemon Sorbet, oastel pink, or Strawberry Ice Cream and so forth. We've seen them all over the runway within 2018 alreadt, via brands such as Victoria Beckham, Tom Ford and Michael Kors, featuring them on the catwalk at Fashion Week. The best way to pull this trend off, is to wear anything with a pastel colour to it. I think that it is best to, attempt to wear items of clothing with a matching or similar pastel shade, but you could just, pile the pastel colours on, and imagine that you are a triple scoop ice cream.

Tailored Denim 

Remember when dark, tailored denim ruled the world, around 2000? Well, its back with a bang! 2018 is all about tailored denim, instead of the punk inspired ripped style of denim jeans, thanks to designers such as, Kenzo and Nina Ricci. Team them with a smart structed blazer to keep it smart, or, olay it down with a tank top and an oversized jumper.

Trench Coats 

Spring is all about, taking a staple wardrobe item and updating ti slightly, so this year is all about, pimping up the trench coat. This has been done via, embroidery and flashy colours. Brands such as Alexander McQueen have done this in their own quirky way. I think that, the best way to style this is to wear simple items underneath so that the trench coat takes centre stage.

Bright Colours 

Bright colours are still here for SS18. Primary colours have decided to take focus during Fashion Week this year, and designers such as Aalto and Versace have been been including them into their collections. I think the best way to style this, is to either wear a full outfit using one colour or, maybe have one statement piece that speaks for the full outfit.

What fashion trends are you loving at the moment? Tell me down below! 

I hope that you have enjoyed this fashion based blog post and I hope that you come back next time for another blog post.

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x

Thoughts On Dressing Against The Norm

Hey everyone!
Welcome to today's post. I thought that I would write something different today, about dressing against the norm, within life and social situations, eg work which relates more to the picture below.

Dressing against the norm — what does it say about you? From eccentric socks, to dressing against our gendered expectations, many people push the limits of social norms when it comes to fashion. Research has shown that non-conformists can be viewed as being of a higher status and more competent than those who follow the rules of fashion. Let's take a look at what different clothing says about the wearer…

Against gendered expectations. The line is becoming increasingly blurred between male and female clothing. Many people are speaking up, opposing the ideas that men and women should be dressed according to their sex. But, are you presenting yourself in a different way when you dress against the gendered expectations? Although fashionistas are saying that they don’t agree with gender rules, some research suggests that we’re still stuck in our old ways. Psychologists in New Jersey found that attitudes towards gender stereotypes hadn’t changed much between 1983 and 2014.

There is an argument that shows that it’s favourable for women to cross the gender barrier but perhaps not men. Back in 1990, it was found that despite the sex of the applicant, if the clothing that they wore was more masculine, they were more likely to be hired. When men dressed in pink however (a colour commonly associated with females, which I think is a very false conception, as most men wear pink), they were seen as less intelligent than women who were wearing the same colour.

Eccentric wear,which is seen as another way of going against the grain, when it comes to style it through eccentric clothing. When we think of outrageous outfits we may think of people with brightly coloured hair, patterned clothing and over the top jewellery. But, there are other ways to express freedom through dress. For example, people who wear unconventional socks are viewed as being rebellious and expressive. One of these people is Justin Trudeau, the current Prime Minister of Canada, who shows off his fun side by wearing funky socks with a traditional suit. You can make your own subtle ‘eccentric’ changes through patterned socks by CT shirts, online retailers of men’s formal shirts and accessories. Or make yourself stand out from the crowd through bright scarves and other extras.

By dressing against the norms, studies have shown that you build a brand of being ‘gutsy’. And in fact, people have the potential to see you as more brilliant, creative and successful. One study, published in 2014, found that those who go against conformity can be viewed as of a higher status than those who don’t. They were also considered to be more competent — potentially influencing the impression that they give off in the workplace.

Not only does it affect people’s perceptions of you but it can also affect the way you think, feel and act — this is through ‘embodied cognition’. Since eccentric dress gives you greater potential to express your individuality, it’s possible that it can make you feel more confident and comfortable in different situations. This could then go on to improve your performance at work or in challenges where you want to push yourself.

I love wearing bright coloured clothes, as mentioned slightly above, it helps me to stand out from the crowd, but I also think that in today's world of social media, its amazing to express your personality and creativity via bright coloured clothing, because if someone scrolls past your photo of the said outfit on social media, then they will talk about it and want to know more about it.

Going against the dress code. In some situations, for a job interview perhaps, it can be argued that dressing in accordance with expectations is the best thing to do. Under some circumstances, we think that people with extraordinary appearances are more successful, which can be reinforced, via social media and other forms of new media such as digital television and the internet as a whole.

Men who wear smart, fitted suits as they are often expected to wear in a formal situation, were perceived as being more confident, successful and thought to be earning a higher wage. This was compared to men who weren’t dressed as smartly in a loosely fitted suit. I believe, that this is the case sometimes as I have felt more confident when walking into an interview or formal event whilst wearing a suit. A brand of suits that I absolutely adore, is Charles Tyrwhitt. I wish that I could try out more of their items.  If I wore one of their suits to an interview, or work, per se then I would definitely feel more confident, and therefore feel more successful due to the confidence.

In one study that looked at the effects of clothing, it was found that senior managers were rated less favourably if they were dressed more ‘provocative’. This was a skirt slightly above the knee and one button on the blouse undone. It’s clear to see that it is important to consider our dress style carefully as people can make many assumptions without any evidence.

As we can see, dressing against societies expectations can have many effects on the opinion of others and your own performance. Although it’s important to express yourself through dress, you don’t want to hinder your work or your impression on others in formal situations. Wear a pair of crazy socks underneath your day-to-day outfit instead… 

What's your opinions on this? Let me know down below. 

I hope that you've enjoyed this interesting post about fashion. I hope that you come back next time for another post.

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x 

This post was in collaboration with Charles Tyrwhitt. If you want to find out more about then click here. All views and opinions are my own. 

Reading Your Way Into A Great Weekend | Follow Friday

Hey everyone!

Welcome to a brand new blog post! Follow Friday is back! If you're not used to the concept of Follow Friday, then just like the beloved version on the social media platform, Twitter, I promote a few bloggers, that I think you should all be following!

Lifestyle By Jennie

Lifestyle By Jennie is a Swedish lifestyle blogger who likes to speak her mind, whether thats about where to check out in the heart of Leeds, why you should be ensuring that your body is in the best health that it can be, or talking about quirky topics including symbolic meanings of colours. Lifestyle By Jennie has it all, and is an amazing blog to read first thing in the morning

Culturebean

Culturebean talks about all things well, culture. She talks about everything from travelling to new and exotic locations around the UK and the world, to trying out new places to eat, to theatre shows to check out and much more. If you're looking for some good knowledge on all things culture, then check Culturebean out.

Jorlaska

Jorlaska talks about all things lifestyle and reading. She also talks about things such as what she would change if she could go back in time, and her experiences of customers whilst working within retail. She also likes to draw from the media that surrounds us today, via TV show characters and such forth. If you want something new and a little interesting to read then check out Jorlaska.

Glasses Girl

Glasses Girl talks about everything from delicious restaurant reviews, even when hungover from a night out out the night befire, to feeling yourself, and embracing your natural curly hair, to going on holiday alone. If you're looking for an interesting yet beautiful looking blog to read then Glasses Girl is for you!

Have you checked out any of the blogs mentioned above? Do you have a particular blog that you read eveey morning? Let me know down below! 

PS: Anyone that uses a screen reader/VoiceOver or anything of that sort, to read pictures out to them, please do let me know if my alt text is okay/helping you to understand the photo. All comments would be helpful. 

Thanks for reading this loving post. I hope that you come back next time for another amazing blog post.

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x 

Let's Talk About Retinitis Pigmentosa

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! Today, I thought that I would talk to you all about Retinitis Pigmentosa.

The definition that first comes up. when you type Retinitis Pigmentosa into Google says, a chronic hereditary eye disease characterized by black pigmentation and gradual degeneration of the retina.

This sounds like a pretty long winded definition, but basically. Retinitis Pigmentosa is an eye condition that affects the retina. The retina, which is known for responding to light, is different for those who have RP as they, well, can't see in light as well as those who don't have RP. RP is a genetic condition, which means that, it can pass down families in any way shape or form. It can skip generations if it wants. The rate of sight loss via RP can varies from person to person.

Myself and Luke, who talks about it in a lot more detail than I will throughout this post, have RP at different rates, just like mentioned above. His is at a worse rate than mine as he is severely partially sighted whereas I can still see within daytime, it's just that I have trouble in the dark. (I'll touch up more when I talk about the symptoms of RP.) Even though, myself and Luke share the same condition, as mine isn't as bad as Lukes, I guide him to the best of my ability.

The main symptoms of Retinitis Pigmentosa are:

• Loss ofnght vision. Night blindness is when you can't see anything in the dark. Your vision may be normal during the day. As you start losing night vision, it takes longer to adjust to darkness. You may stumble over objects. You might also find it hard to see in movie theaters or other dim rooms. This is the main thing that I suffer with. I can walk anywhere within the day as long as it's night, but as soon as the night sky kicks in, it's difficulat for me to see unless I know where I'm going or if there's a high amount of light. eg from a shop window etc. I avoid going to the cinema or theatre on my own for this very reason as it literally becomes a comedy sketch from myself whilst trying to get to my seat. It also means that as I've done courses at College, and still do a course at Uni, which includes a tad bit of trying to analyse a film in the dark, that it means that I either end up jusst putting my pen on a piece of paper and writing down notes and hoping that they don't overlap or end up using a laptop for the light. Weird, I know, but it works. 

• Gradual loss of pripheral (side) vision. This is known as “tunnel vision.” You may find you bump into things as you move around. This is because you are not able to see objects below and around you. This is more of a below thing for me. I'm not sure if its a height thing as well, but I normally end up kicking one or two wet floor signs over normally if I'm in a rush, or focusing on getting somewhere. I don't do it on purpose, but when the Wet Floor sign is in the middle of the place I'm walking through then theres a good 85% chance of me 

• Loss of central vision. Some people also have problems with central vision. This can make it hard to do detailed tasks such as reading or threading a needle.

• Problems with color vision. Some people may also have trouble seeing different colors.

I don't suffer from the last two. but as I said before, everyone suffers slightly different. The chance of sight loss is high with this condition, and I am pretty scared as I'm not sure if it will happen to me. If it does, then things like the cane and guide dogs can help, which is why charities such as RNIB and Guide Dogs UK deserve as much recognition and help as possible.

Check out the charities (RNIB and Guide Dogs UK) here.
Check out Luke who talks about RP in more detail.

Have you ever heard of Retinitis Pigmentosa before? Have you got any questions about it? Let me know down below. 

I hope that you have enjoyed this educational blog post and I hope that you come back next time for another blog post.

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x