Stuck at sixteen

This was actually something I wrote a while ago, I'm so ready to leave so much in 2015, so here's one I made early, it's so 2015 and you know what? There's only 9 days left....

I recently started having a much needed, alcohol induced, conversation with a friend of mine. Our friendship got complicated, we’ve lost a lot of time and it’s so unnecessarily awkward for us; I used to be able to talk to them about everything, and more important nothing, for hours. We started talking, and I finally got my long anticipated apology. And, for that, I am so grateful.

I think people thoroughly underestimate the power of a meaningful apology. After everything I had to put up with, and what I am still having to endure, due to their actions and a lot of his inactions; I value that apology so much. It will never really make anything better; but, it does mean they recognised they spoilt it, they ruined it, they regrets hurting me, and I can undoubtedly forgive them for that.

When we were talking, he stated he wished I had someone like he does. He wished I was in love.

This left me perplexed. It actually irritated me a little too. The problem with us, as a generation, is that we are so busy trying to find someone, something to complete us. We are completely addicted to the concept of love.  We thrive on thinking we’re in love. We’re obsessed with wanting to be in love, wanting to find it, wanting to really feel it. Because, for us the real question is; what is life if you’re not in love?

Well, how can I put this? I call bullshit.

I grabbed his arm and told him that if what him and his girlfriend have is love, I would rather NEVER be in it.

I don’t mean to be dramatic. And, it’s not particularly personal to their relationship; but, as someone who isn’t even 20 yet, I am in absolutely no rush to attach myself to another person when I’ve barely lived. I want to be able to live a life where I can tell my own stories, learn my own life lessons, be young, dumb and reckless without it being a consequence to anyone else.

What I'm saying is, we’ve just stopped being in school. We have just moved out. A lot of us are experiencing independence for the FIRST time. There are so many things I haven’t yet done, there’s so many things I didn’t even know I hadn’t done.

These kids in serious relationship are attaching so much meaning to a person that they lose who they are without that person. They rather hold onto something mediocre and comfortable than risk being alone for a while and going into the unknown. The fear of the unknown is so real. It scares them more to be alone than it does to be unhappy for the foreseeable future. Isn’t that a true tragedy?

If you got into a relationship when you were 16, it’s highly likely that you are still stuck in that sixteen-year-old mind set. You probably do love your partner, but does that mean you're IN love with them?

Never having been in a relationship, I don’t know. I have never been in a relationship by choice, I assure you. Not in a vain way, but I get attention, but how can I commit to a person when I can barley commit to myself? One day I will love who I am: my body, my hair, my laugh, every part of myself; then the next I will be unhappy with my weight, think my hair is boring, hate a little gap in my teeth. I can’t even commit to loving me, how can I guarantee someone else I will love them?

If I look at the people around me, I have two friends who have loved their partners since they were about 16. When they’re with their girlfriends they change, it feels like they regress. I don’t think anyone works hard to change, to then be with someone who doesn’t add to your life and even takes you back to a time where you are your former self. These boys seem to be growing so much when they came to university. Obviously, I didn’t know them before, but even from the beginning of our first year till the end they changed SO much. They became confident, more themselves, more assertive, more daring and just happier. When I see them with their girlfriends, or even when they are more involved with their girlfriends, they become children once again.

Being stuck at 16 is what we should really fear. They fear being alone. These people in serious relationships at sixteen are more afraid of being alone than being just content. How can we live in a generation where instead of striving for happiness, true ecstasy, living in bliss, we’re perfectly satisfied living with what’s comfortable rather than try something new?

Potentially something to reflect on?

Well that was a thought from 2015 I'm glad to have shared. To be honest, a new year genuinely means it's time to leave all of those thoughts, feelings, and negative people in the past and make the BEST of a hopefully brilliant new year!

Until next time, remember I've said it so it must be true....

Chantelle₇


The Fear

I think we tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves to find the one or someone. It kind of sucks. We try and find people we want to spend a lifetime with; but in all honest, I don’t even know what I want to eat for dinner tonight and I can’t decide between Bob’s Burgers or QI. How do I know what I want for the rest of my life?

People keep saying “you'll just know” but, I really don’t think that’s the case. Especially, these people who are either serial daters, or those who think they’re going to marry their childhood sweetheart. How do you know tomorrow that you wont get bored of his incessant babbling about the Man Utd match, or the way he shakes his knees when he’s sitting at the table for dinner? How could you possibly know that all the things that are sweet and congenial right now won’t be the most displeasing traits he possesses in just a matter of years?

What is truly frightening is giving yourself to someone. Giving all of you to someone for them to just leave you. Making all these memories, going to all these places, doing all these firsts with someone you can’t imagine yourself functioning adequately without, then in no time at all, they decide to leave you. What then? How do you recover from that? Surely, all those things would haunt you. Every time you go to those places how do you prevent all those, once so happy, memories surfacing? For me, it’s genuinely incomprehensible. I'm pretty sure it’s a large part of why being so involved with someone is a daunting concept for me.

I can’t imagine creating something supposedly magical with someone could later cause me to turn all those rose-tinted memories to black ash. How is it okay that something at one point in time could cause you to be the happiest person in the world, to then later cause you nothing but overwhelming pain?

It’s not that I don’t want someone to create amazing memories with; believe me I do, I just can not imagine that person knowing me and being the reason for my smile whilst simultaneously being the sole reason for my tears. How can you walk away from the person who knows you better than you know yourself?

I get why people do it. You grow. You change. You aren’t those teenagers who fell in loved when you were 15 anymore. You’ve both changed. Your goals aren’t compatible. You want different things. The list of reasons is never ending. It must be so devastating. It is possible to die of a broken heart. It is possible to break a heart string.

That’s what I’m really afraid of. No, not the dying. That, as Peter Pan stated “would be an awfully big adventure” but, the fact someone I LOVE could be the reason for my sadness. And from what I can see, heartbreak sounds like one of the deepest kind of sad. I don’t think I'm ready to surrender to the possibility.

Remember, I've never been in a relationship, so what do I know?!

Until next time, remember I've said it so it must be true....

Chantelle₇


The Victoria Fashion Show 2015

It’s one of fashions most loved times of the year…. THE VICTORIA’S SECRET FASHION SHOW 2015!

For every lover of lingerie, everyone who enjoys seeing beautiful specimens of the human planet dressed in the prettiest pieces run the walk walk then it’s soon time to get your fashion fix on CBS. It was also he 20th anniversary of the event which took place in New York last night, so be hyped for some magical moments.

If you missed the event, and I'm not entirely sure how that’s possible, here’s a quick breakdown:

We said hello one again to our much loved angel line up….

Well, of course, first up we have the fabulous fifteen official angels:

First up, the original five:

Adriana Lima stunned as usual. The Brazilian mother of two is flawless. Her Instagram shows her “training like an angel”. Adriana will always be one of my favourite people on the planet, but check out her Instagram to see a tiny glimpse into her life; she even looks FLAWLESS after a hard gym sesh. (Not that I know what that’s like, but still!)

Alessandra Ambrosio

Behatio Prinsloo - this amazing woman always seems to have an I N C R E D I B L E time. The model, married to Adam Levine later posted a photo of flowers given to her by Levine. AWWWWW!

Candice Swanepoel - one of the most recgnised faces on the runway. 

Lily Aldridge wore the special bra. It’s called the Firework Fantasy bra and costs a stunning £1.3 million. Its totally bejewelled and super fun! *swoon*

Followed by the newly announced top ten:

Elsa Hosk posted cheeky instagram pictures before the show to give her fans a little glimpse of her assetts and showcase what she was bringing to the show

Jac Jagaciak

Jasmine Stookes shared a backstage snap with Romee.

Kate Grigorieva

Lais Ribeiro wore the prettiest pink butterfly wings. Sharing a photo calling them "the most AMAZING wings." I think I'm inclined to agree. 

Martha Hunt

Romee Strijd

Sara Sampaio

Stella Maxwell this Brit also shared cute pre-show snaps with her Instagram followers. 

Taylor Hill one of my favourite angles. She's so cute. (GIRL CRUSHHHHH) (Feat. Sara Sampaio)

Finally, we had a range of familiar and pretty perfect faces:

Yumi Lambert

Joan Smalls, this familiar face looked dazzling in EVERY outfit she wore.

Shanina Shaik

Sui He

Bridget Malcom

Leila Nda

Megan Puleri

Sanne Vloet

Valery Kaufman

Vita Sidorkina

Josephine Skriver

Lily Donaldson

Devon Windsor, can she be my american girl? WOW!

Magdalena Frackowiak

Maria Borges

Maud Welzen

Ming Xi sahred a cute pouty photo with SelGo

Rachel Hibert

Pauline Hoarau

Barbara Fialho

Cindy Bruna

Constance Jablonski

Jacquelyn Jablonski

Daniela Braga

Gracie Cavalho

Izabel Goulart cute pics in her VSFS 2015 robe

And, of course the young and highly anticipated models of the moment: 

Kendall Jenner, with both her parents there to support her K I L L E D it on the runway.

Gigi Hadid, again supported by her family, looked as though she was born with angel wings.  

The musical line up SMASHED it! Performances by Selena Gomez, The Weeknd and Ellie Goulding. 

Although Bad Gal RiRi was meant to preform she pulled out last week due to album commitments and therefore Ellie Goulding was added to the line up. Although the British singer stated she was “not replacing her”, instead she was simply an “additional performer.”

As a fan of the luxury brand, and having previously worked there, I love the fashion show! It's amazing, but by using younger and widely know celebrity profile models such as; Kendall, Gigi and having performances from Selena, I really do feel this year the show will, without a doubt, have a younger demographic. So, as much as I love watching these beautiful women strut their stuff down the catwalk it takes a LOT of hard work to become an angel and it should not necessarily be something children aspire to be, rather something kids enjoy watching and can appreciate. Body image is such an important thing for young people, and with social media blowing up with images of "the perfect body" "must have lifestyles" we should be aware of the images we give to the world; the images we put out. 

So, girls and boy, I encourage you to check out the E P I C show, but be sensible, these women aren't effortless, aspire to be like the best bits of them, and make sure you ALWAYS put your health and well-being first. 

Remember, we can all be angels....or at least we can all buy the robes from this years show!

Until next time, remember I've said it so it must be true....

Chantelle₇