Your guide to accessible style. Finally, style within reach…of everyone.
Greetings Listeners!
Happy New Year to you all, to today in the spirit of the new year we thought we’d pay tribute to the ever popular month of Veganuary! A month where people sign up to try the Vegan lifestyle, so in the spirit of the month we thought we’d share our top Vegan and Cruelty Free beauty products that we love.
Whats your favourite Vegan beauty product?
Let us know in the comments below
Emily and Laura
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS
Festive Greetings Fashionability Followers!
Today Laura and Emily have joined forces to bring you their top gift ideas in their holiday gift guide for 2018.
What’s on your wish-list this year?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS
If you’ll pardon my hijacking of Shakespeare, then you will learn how the lovely colors of rose, white, and yellow gold are achieved. Laura shares some basic info about metalurgy, and describes a few of the more well-known properties of gold. Tune in for this second episode of the All That Glitters series. Check out part 1, called When is a carrot not a vegetable? When it’s a karat, posted previously.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS
Transcribed by Kayde Rieken
Announcer: This is Fashionability, your guide to accessible style. Finally, style within reach of everyone.
Emily Davison: Well, hello, everybody from Fashionability today. This is Emily, your co-founder; and today, I’m really, really delighted to be joined by my co-founder Laura Legendary. And today, we’re going to be talking a bit about her experience in fashion and style and some of her tips for success, as well as kind of getting under the skin of her philosophy on fashion and style and what she hopes to achieve with the launch of Fashionability. So Laura, it’s an absolute pleasure to have you here with me today.
Laura Legendary: Thanks, Emily.
ED: So Laura, the first thing we really want to know about is kind of you as a person; so do tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to be so interested in fashion in the first place.
LL: Well, I cannot claim that fashion in particular is my first love. My first love has been music and art and theater; and I come from a background of being a patron of the arts, and fashion as an art form does interest me. But my love of music has always been the inspiration of my life. However, once I discovered that technology was a wonderful way to advance one’s ambitions and to assist people in achieving their goals, I became fascinated by technology; and my first real job while in college was in a computer store. And so most of my career has been centered around technology, assistive technology, computer hardware and software. And then I became a professional speaker talking about assistive technology and how it can enable and empower people with disabilities; and I’ve been a speaker and an author and an educator most of my adult life.
ED: Wow! Fantastic. So I’m sure you know a lot about computers and, I daresay, a lot more than me. (Laughs)
LL: Well, it certainly moves faster than I’m able to keep up with some of the time. It seems that every year that goes by there are a myriad new things to learn, and I find that it’s getting harder and harder to keep up with; so becoming an entrepreneur and going off in a different direction seemed like a logical place for me to direct my energy and my skills and abilities. And so my most recent reinvention of myself has been to become an entrepreneur, and hence the genesis of Elegant Insights Braille Creations.
ED: And it is a fantastic creation at that. It’s such a wonderful, inspirational idea; and I have to say, you’re very, very talented at what you do. I mean, you say that — for you, that fashion is a creative outlet; it’s kind of an art form for you. So — I mean, when you think of fashion, what is it you actually think about? What comes to mind for you?
LL: I guess the most problematic aspect of the fashion industry for me is this notion of exclusivity. I think the fashion industry tends to focus on an ideal of beauty that doesn’t exist because people are individual, and we all come in different packages. And I think fashion emphasizes the idea of conformity, all the while advocating a pretense of individuality that I don’t see evidence of. And that bothers me because people are, as I said, of all walks of life and different shapes and sizes; and this notion that one has to aspire to look like or be like or move in the circles like other people, it’s antithetical to what I personally believe in. And for me, what I can appreciate about the fashion industry is fashion as art. I can really appreciate the creative aspect of fashion. I value the creative genius of the various designers of different fashion products; and as a person who does design myself, I know how hard it is to create a business around something as ethereal as a design or as an idea. And so I admire the fashion industry as a business and as an art form, but I find the culture of celebrity, in America in particular, to be bothersome. So I’m hoping that one of the ways in which fashion as an industry can change is to become more inclusive of all ages, all economic strata, all walks of life, all shapes and sizes and abilities.
ED: It’s definitely a really great, you know, thing to think of that fashion will — you know, can change to something that’s a bit more of an inclusive environment; and, like you say, I think fashion should be for everyone from all different walks of life. And I think the most important thing is — is that fashion is very personal to each individual. And — I mean, would you say, for you — I mean, when you go through the process of getting ready in your daily routine, you know, from start to finish, selecting clothing, anything from styling yourself — I mean, what are some of the personal things that you consider to — to be very personal to you, and what are some of the aspects of getting ready that you consider to be special or very intrinsic to the way that you — you function?
LL: Due to the particular nature of my vision loss, I find that planning and organization are key to putting myself together. I am blind as the result of an eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa, which causes a slow, progressive vision loss over time; and one of the ways in which I found myself becoming more frustrated as I began to lose my eyesight was the fact that I was less able to find things quickly and efficiently. And the time I would waste searching for things would drive me crazy, and it would add to my level of stress. And I have found that I am not a person who thrives on chaos; so I began to realize that the best way for me to function in my life in general was by way of planning and organization. So to get ready, if I plan to attend an event or if I need to go someplace or do something — even if it’s relatively spontaneous — I find that getting ready for me involves planning and organization. Everything in my life is very well-organized — my cosmetics, my bath and body products, my closet. I cannot stand having to go somewhere and frantically searching for the other shoe or the blouse that I wanted to wear with this jacket or some accessory that I knew would be the perfect fashion touch for the outfit that I want to wear. I can’t stand rummaging through drawers or my closet or whatever it may be in trying to find that one thing I want. I can’t stand being late. So for me, I have to plan what I’m going to wear in advance, and I actually set up … (Laughs) This may be silly to some people, but I actually set up what I would call a staging area; and I will literally choose the cosmetics that I’m going to wear, the lipstick color that I’m going to wear, the shoes, all the accessories to the outfit that I’m going to wear; and I set it all up in one particular place in advance so when it’s time for me to get ready, I can systematically and methodically go through my routine, find everything I need to find, everything is in its place. I need to do what I need to do to get ready and be on time because people who are disabled and who rely on alternative forms of transportation know that there can be a thousand things that may go wrong between the time you step out of the house and arrive at your destination. Any one of those things could cause you to go the wrong way, make a wrong turn, arrive late. And since I like to be on time, one of the ways in which I like to mitigate those variables — (Laughs) — that can be a barrier to my on-time arrival is to be very organized and systematic in the way I put myself together. So that is one particular aspect of getting ready that is unique to me; and I would say, if you’re talking about a particular fashion aspect in specific, I would definitely say jewelry is my accessory of choice, as you might imagine. Being the owner of a jewelry business, jewelry has been a lifelong interest of mine; and so adding jewelry to the end of my getting ready routine is one thing that would be my specific fashion signature, you might say.
ED: I love it, absolutely love it. A staging area where you get ready in advance. I think that’s such a brilliant idea, and especially needed with the whole aspect of transport and relying on public transport when you have a disability. Now — I mean, you mentioned the process that you take to get ready and kind of how you do it. And — I mean, I think, for a lot of the readers and a lot of the listeners on Fashionability, something that might be very useful is to understand kind of you — kind of your personal appearance and the way that you choose clothing because of the way you are, and to understand where you’re coming from with some of the things that you talk about on Fashionability. So would you care to kind of reveal to us your personal appearance and some of the aspects that affect kind of how you choose clothes and how you actually shop and buy for clothes?
LL: Well, one fashion challenge that I have had throughout my life is that I’m taller than average. I’m five foot eight inches, probably, and a little more, which is several inches taller than the average American woman. I’m very long-limbed; and therefore, finding clothes that fit me has always been problematic. I find that I have a very difficult time finding blouses where the sleeves are long enough to go down to my wrist if it’s a long-sleeved blouse; and often, I find I have to size up in order to get something to fit my arms. And it’s not always easy to find tall-sized pants for ladies; and so if I’m going to wear a pair of dress slacks, or even a pair of jeans, it’s not always easy to find a pair of pants that are long enough for my long legs. And if I’m going to wear heels with it, then that’s even more problematic if you want to wear pants that are a little bit longer. So finding clothes that fit my tall-drink-of-water self is a bit of an issue at times. I’m extremely pale. You expressed that you are, too; and I’m sure you can relate to how difficult it can be sometimes to find colors that are flattering to someone who is extremely pale. I would describe my hair as a copper color. It’s a reddish brown; it’s straight; and my eyes are brown. I would say that there’s no particular ethnicity to my features. I have a very soft look about me. I’m very young looking. I look much, much younger than my age, which I will not reveal; but I’m very young looking. And I would say that, generally speaking, my preferred attire is that of classic, understated elegance. I choose natural fabrics. There isn’t a strand of polyester or any other synthetic fabric in my wardrobe; I’m a bit of a textiles snob in that regard — all natural fabrics, always. And most of my clothes are classic to the degree that, if you were to walk into my closet — my very well-organized closet, as mentioned before — (Laughs) — you would not be able to pull out a suit or other garment and point to it and say, “Oh, my gosh, that is so 2004.” Everything that I own is very generic with regard to style or year or trend, and I believe that great tailoring is one of the best accessories to any fashion look. And so my clothes fit well; they’re made of beautiful fabrics with classic styling; and that’s generally my sensibility. If I’m going to add some sort of fad or trend to my look, I’m going to do it by way of an accessory. It’s going to be a handbag; it’s going to be a pair of shoes; it’s going to be some jewelry; but it’s not going to be in one of my garments.
ED: Wow. Well, you sound absolutely stunning. And I really love your whole ethos on having classic pieces but teaming it with things that are more adhering to trends and new fashions that we’ve got coming in because I think that’s the best way to be, to be honest. I mean, especially with, you know, new trends coming in and having, you know, new trends going out. And, I mean, for you personally, would you say that having things that are classics but incorporating them with things that salute a trend but are not kind of, you know, full out there — would you say that makes it easier for you in terms of, you know, accessing fashion with your sight loss and making your life easier to actually, you know, keep in with fashion but not in a way that it would be out of budget or kind of be too quick-paced to follow?
LL: I think that, for people who are visually impaired, it can be difficult to keep up on what’s trending; and again, I am averse to the notion that one must keep up to begin with because, again, there’s the suggestion of exclusivity there, that if you’re not “in the know,” if you’re not “in,” then you’re “out.” And I dislike that world view. I believe in individuality, and I believe that people, as long as you are being the best version of you that you can be, your most authentic self, I believe that that is the key to being at your best in any situation, being comfortable in your own skin. And let’s be honest, Emily: we’re not solving world peace here. We’re not curing the world’s hunger problems. This is fashion. There are certainly more substantive issues to which we could devote our time and attention. But what appeals to me about the notion of Fashionability and what we’re doing is that, by enabling people to reach to be their best, most authentic self, they can gain the confidence and the enhanced self-esteem to enjoy a better quality of life by giving more of themselves to others. And I think the more we give of ourselves, the closer we get to solving world hunger and world peace and climate change, or pick whatever issue is close to your heart. Does that make sense?
ED: Oh definitely. I think, you know, having kind of something, an ethos that you believe in, to improve the way that you feel about yourself can only be transmitted to others. I mean, I’m a strong believer in the notion that confidence is very infectious, but also self-esteem and self-belief is very infectious; and I think fashion is one way to achieving that and, too, kind of promoting happiness within the world that can, in turn, affect other issues, like you say. And I think that’s a really great philosophy to have on the world. I mean, you speak a lot about success. What do you personally think are the keys to success in your mind, being a successful businesswoman?
LL: To be honest, I hardly think of myself as qualified to identify the keys to success because I think success is very individual to everyone; and I think that my version of success might not hold up to close scrutiny by others. It depends upon how you define success. If you define success by financial freedom, then you might not think of me as a success. If you think of success as a person who is able to live life on their own terms and call their own shots, to be autonomous, then you might think of me as a success. But to most people, I think the trappings of success are noticeably absent from my existence. (Laughs) And therefore, they might not think of me as a success. However, I am on my own; I have no one in my life who can catch me if I fall; I am single-handedly paying a mortgage and running a business; and I’m paying my employees. And I cannot stop, and I cannot rest; I have to take care of everything on my own. And if you think of that as success, well then perhaps I’m successful, unless you think of the fact that running your own business and being an entrepreneur means that there are no days off; and, in reality, what I’ve essentially done is simply create a job for myself that never ends. You might not think of that as a success. So if anyone wanted to be their own boss, to be an entrepreneur, to go into business for themselves, I think that my best advice would be to trust your instincts, don’t take no for an answer, and be open-minded. Listen more than you talk, and realize that the world will not reward you for withholding your gifts. Whatever those gifts are, give them. Give it all; give it hard; and give with all your heart.
ED: Wow. That is a truly amazing philosophy. And I think a lot of people would think you a success, Laura, because you are a very inspirational person. You have, certainly, a lot of great things to say, and you’ve got a lot of experience in advocacy of disability and equality. Now, I mean, in terms of equality — getting back to Fashionability — what are some of your personal things that you would love to see change in the fashion industry within the next — I don’t know, say, ten years — and how do you personally hope Fashionability is going to help achieve that?
LL: I’ve never really thought of the fashion industry as an industry that requires change, or I’m certainly not arrogant enough to think that there’s anything I could do to change an industry. However, I can change me. I am always in control of myself, and I would say that my great passion has always been to live my life in the service of others, to the degree that I can use my strengths — the gifts I’ve been given — to help other people reach for more, then that is a wax in which I hope to effect change, simply by sharing myself and my skills and abilities with other people. I hope that I can inspire other people to choose to make any changes that they might believe they want to make; and if we all choose ourselves as an agent of change, then things in the larger picture can become changed. So with regard to Fashionability, I hope to communicate some of the aspects of fashion that have been missing from the landscape of accessible information. I think that one of my strengths is communication. I think that is one of my gifts that I can share with other people; and I think that, for anyone who wants to embark on a journey of self-improvement, if I can help them on that journey by communicating some aspects of fashion to them that have previously been inaccessible, then that is something I hope to be able to do for other people. Beyond that, I hope that Fashionability can become a place that people can turn to for the information they need to effect those changes in their own life, and therefore be happier, feel more confident as I was expressing before, have an elevated sense of self-esteem so that they’re able to then be a better version of themselves, a more authentic version of themselves, so as to effect change elsewhere so that other people can use their strengths, their gifts, their skills and abilities to make the world a better place. So by empowering individuals, I hope that we can then, therefore, all effect greater change.
ED: I really love that view of how kind of empowering other people can effect change; and I suppose that’s the whole crux of it, is giving people the tools and the knowledge to be able to live a more independent and confident life and to be able to show the public that people with disabilities do not need to be stereotyped and do not warrant to be stereotyped. Now, you took a lot about philosophies and, you know, your own personal beliefs on life and style and confidence and the world in general; and, I mean, for yourself, as a co-founder, what do you think are some of your key philosophies on culture, identity, life, fashion, all that kind of thing; and how do you think you’re going to bring them to Fashionability?
LL: I really think that all I have to offer is my ability to communicate. I think that I cannot honestly set myself up as some sort of fashion icon. I’m certainly not an influencer; I’m not a celebrity; I’m not a mover and a shaker in any industry. And I think that all I can do is live the example about which I speak; and that is that you can live the life you want to live, and you can have all that you desire to have. And by setting the example, I can be evidence of all of the claims that I make about what is possible. So for me, I just want to be the bridge between all of the information that’s available and accessible to the mainstream and all of the information that’s unavailable and inaccessible to people who have disabilities. And if I can bridge that gap by way of my gift of communication, then I hope that, in some small way, I’m enabling someone else to pay it forward, so to speak, so that they can then go out into the workplace; they can find gainful employment; they might be able to embark upon their own speaking career or write a book or teach something to someone else. I recently read a quote that went something like, What we leave behind is not that which is engraved into stone monuments but what we weave into the lives of others. And so I want to weave a fabric of knowledge and empowerment and inspiration and enlightenment into other people so that they can weave that thread into the lives of still others.
ED: Wow. What a metaphor that is, weaving a fabric of knowledge and empowerment. I absolutely love that, and I think that’s a truly beautiful quote. It is pure genius, and still keeping in with the textile fabric theme. I love it; it’s brilliant. (Laughs)
LL: (Laughs)
LL: You just — you can’t buy that kind of — what can I say, you know?
ED: Oh, God, totally. Totally, absolutely, one hundred percent. So, I mean, is there anything you’d like to add, any kind of quotes or things that you would like to add and tell the Fashionability audience that I haven’t mentioned or I haven’t brought up or that we haven’t had the chance to talk about yet?
LL: I don’t think so. I just want to let people know that I make myself available by way of a number of different platforms. If you’re interested in Elegant Insights Braille Creations — that is my jewelry business — you can find me on Twitter at @ElegantInsights, all one word. If you’re interested in my accessibility and assistive technology information, I’m also on Twitter as @accessible_info. And I write a blog pertaining to all aspects of advocacy, accessibility, and assistive technology; and you can find my blog at AccessibleInsights.info/blog. So AccessibleInsights — make sure it’s plural because I’d like to think I have more than one — .info — it’s not .com; it’s .info — /blog. And there you can read many articles that I’ve written throughout a handful of years regarding products and services and insights into all things accessibility.
ED: Well, that is absolutely fantastic, and I do hope that many of our listeners will check out your wonderful collection of jewelry — particularly the autumn range because it’s my favorite — and, you know, check out all the great advice and tips and information and services that you have to offer as a writer and as an entrepreneur. So it’s been an absolute pleasure talking to you today, Laura. And don’t forget, guys, to check out all of the things we’ve got going up over the next few weeks on Fashionability. And if you want to ask either of us a question, you can find out all of our information, which will be linked in the downbar of this subscription. And from me and Laura, we want to thank you so much for listening to us today
Laura Legendary Interviews Co Founder Emily Davison
Transcribed by Kayde Rieken
Announcer: This is Fashionability, your guide to accessible style. Finally, style within reach of everyone.
Laura Legendary: This is Laura Legendary for Fashionability, and you’re about to hear an interview with co-founder Emily Davison.
In thinking about how we wanted to roll out the first few episodes of the Fashionability channel, Emily and I thought it might be a good idea to present some introductory content so that you can learn more about the founders of Fashionability, guests, and regular contributors. We also realized that not everyone was going to discover us the same way, nor is everyone going to discover us at the same time. If you’re hearing my voice a year from now, you might be wondering, Who are the founders of the Fashionability channel? What is their background or experience in the fashion industry? What inspires them, and what do they hope to achieve with the Fashionability channel? Well, sit back, relax, and learn more about co-founder Emily Davison.
Okay, Emily. I’m very excited to have an opportunity to interview you so that the Fashionability audience can learn something about you personally. So why don’t we begin with you sharing with the Fashionability listeners something about you. Tell us about your background and how you became fascinated by fashion and style and anything personal you’d care to share.
Emily Davison: Well, I think really my fashion background kind of started from a very early age because I grew up in a very fashion-orientated household. My mother worked for a cosmetics company for many years, and some of my earliest memories of seeing her when she was getting ready for work — and, you know, it was very much an industry where she needed to look good and feel good about herself. So for me, it was always something I grew up around. My — both my nans were very into fashion. My aunt used to do a lot of stage acting when she was younger, so she always liked her fashion and her makeup and her cosmetics; and I suppose, for me, it was just something I loved and always had done. and I was always fascinated with old Hollywood films and the style icons like Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. And it was just — for me, I always saw fashion as a way to express yourself and to discover something about yourself that you loved; and for me, that was always the most important thing about it. Fashion has, for me, always been about the individual, and it’s a process that we go through and it’s something very special because we all have the ability to find out who we are through fashion, whether we know it or not. And fashion is very much like a language; and when someone actually finds something that they love, it shows that they can speak their mind through what they’re wearing. So I was always taught to see the beauty in it and to see fashion as a way of being creative and allowing a part of yourself to, you know, come through. And that’s obviously where the — that’s the main ethos of my blog because it’s about self-discovery and promoting being artistic and being creative and doing what you love.
And yeah, I mean, I think, for me, probably a fact about me that — about fashion is that I really, really, really am a big advocate of a lot of kind of things that are not just trend but are also kind of classic styles. So when there’s a certain trend that comes in and it is advocating a classic style or something that will be quite enduring, I’m a massive fan of it. I love vintage fashion. My favorite fashion decade is the ’60s with the — with the Go Go Girl dresses and the really short dresses and A-line skirts and all that kind of thing because it represents an era where things were starting to look up for — for women; but also, it was an age where things like scientific discoveries were being born. And I kind of see that, for me, as my — my era because it speaks about my personality and the fact that I’m a big advocate of lots of kind of, you know, new movements and an advocate of people having equal rights; and a lot of things that happened during the ’60s, like, you know, the emergence of great musicians and bands is kind of — for me, it’s — it speaks a bit about my personality, I think. On one hand, I like the whole beehive look and the very kind of English [unintelligible 4:06]; but then, on the other hand, I do really, really like the sort of — the very Bohemian, very sort of, like, hippified look. I’m also a bit of a hippy. I do love that kind of thing, and I’m very much that sort of person who likes to put a bit of Cecil spray in and wear some kind of, you know, flowers in my hair when I’m not doing anything, you know, where I need to look a certain way. So I think, yeah, for me, I’m kind of — I do have two different sides to my personality, and I think that those show with my fashion because sometimes I’m very laid-back, but other times I dress in a way that suggests that I kind of — I have a bit more of an understanding of kind of what my society demands and kind of what fashion is. But I think it’s always good to experiment with style, and I think fashion is really good, as it enables you to do that; and fashion trends are very good because it shows you what you like and what you don’t like about fashion.
LL: Would you care to share any information about the nature of your disability? I don’t know if that’s too personal a question to ask, but maybe our listeners might want to know how you identify with the disability community in general.
ED: Well, yeah, of course. I think, for me, my disability started from birth. So I was born with a condition called Septo-optic Dysplasia; and amongst many things, it affected my sight. So it affects the optic nerves connecting the eye to the brain, and it means that a lot of them are severed, so I’ve only got very limited vision in one eye. So in my left eye, I have ten percent remaining vision; and in my right eye, I’m completely blind. Amongst other things, it also meant that I had hypoglycemia, so I suffer from very severe low blood sugar levels. I had to go for a lot of tests and kind of examinations when I was younger because people didn’t really know what the condition entailed because it affects one in 10,000 infants in kind of the U.K. alone, and it’s quite a rare condition to have. And at the time, people didn’t really know how it was going to affect me. I mean, people used to say that — my doctors and my consultants, when I was first diagnosed — that they didn’t know whether I’d be able to ride a bike, whether or not I’d be able to pass an exam, because they didn’t know whether it would affect my — kind of my cognitive abilities or kind of my learning abilities, so they weren’t really sure. And there was not a great expectation of what I could do, and people weren’t too sure whether or not I would be able to achieve anything because of my disability. But as I grew up and I started to learn more about myself, and with the support of my family, I proved them wrong. So — I don’t ride a bike, alas; I have rode a quad bike, if that counts. But I am happy to say that I have got a scholarship to study at [unintelligible 6:38] University, and I am very happy with what I’m doing. And I think, for me, my disability was very tough when I was growing up; but then, as I learned to cope with it and I learned what it was and how it affected me, I was able to overcome it and live a relatively normal life, which now that I am completely, a hundred percent happy in.
LL: Wow. That’s incredible. You are obviously very accomplished. Would you mind sharing with the Fashionability listeners a little bit about some of your personal achievements?
ED: Well, I think one of the ones that I’m very proud of is the fact that I was the first visually impaired person to get a GTC in astronomy at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich; and that kind of, for me, has been something that I’m really proud of because it was something I loved since I was young, and I was able to get a GTC in it and do observations and actually get a very good qualification in it. Of course, my scholarship has also been a massive achievement for me because it was a whole [inaudible 7:37] scholarship, so it meant that my whole three years of studying at university have been paid for; and that’s a massive achievement for me. I also really think that having a guide dog, for me, was a massive achievement because it’s meant that I’ve been able to live my life and have a totally new perspective on the way I want to live it. My blog, of course, is one massive achievement to me as well because it’s meant that I’ve been able to meet so many inspirational people, one of which is now talking to me. (Laughs) And it’s just — for me, I think I — there’s so many things that I’ve achieved that I wouldn’t have dreamed of, and one of the most recent ones is that I’ve actually been nominated — shortlisted for an award by the Guide Dogs Association in the U.K. And it’s for the Inspirational Young Persons Achiever’s Award, which I’m going to find out if I’ve won or not in December at the award ceremony. So I think, you know — I’ve just — because I’ve been a writer and because I’ve allowed my writing to progress and I’ve not let my disability stop me, it’s allowed me to just meet people and have a great perspective on life. And I think that’s how I’ve achieved so much because I’ve been quite open-minded and allowed myself to open up to the world.
LL: I can’t wait to find out when you win the award. We’ll have to have an award watch countdown, and you’ll have to tell all of our listeners that you’ve won. That’s spectacular.
ED: To be fair, I’m up against one very worthy candidate. I don’t know who the other person is, but the person I know, he’s fantastic. So I think we’re winners because we’ve got guide dogs; but plus, you know, we’ve all — we’re all finalists of this award. So if I don’t win, that doesn’t matter because I’m going to be going to an event which I get to wear a really nice dress to, and I get to meet some amazing people.
LL: (Laughs)
ED: So I’m happy whatever way. I’m a winner, for me personally, regardless whether I win the award or not. It’s just so wonderful to be recognized for doing the fashion blog, to be honest. (Laughs)
LL: And you get to dress up. You get to wear a beautiful dress, and you know, it’s an excuse to indulge in your fashion sensibility and then talk about it to the Fashionability Channel listeners, right?
ED: Great. Win-win situation, whatever way you want to look at it. (Laughs)
LL: I love it; that’s fantastic. Well, since we are talking about fashion and style and you talked about your personal sense of style, would you care to provide a bit of a physical description of yourself so our listeners can have some idea of perhaps where you’re coming from in terms of the choices that you make or any challenges that you may have when you’re putting yourself together every day or when you’re shopping?
ED: Yeah, sure. So I think, for me, I am very, very, very short; I’m classed as petite. So for me, that means that I have to select clothing quite carefully for my — for my shape and my size. I’m quite a small build; I’ve got quite a small, delicate frame, hence why I usually get IDed a lot at bars and IDed a lot when I’m going out, so — just because I’ve got a very small frame. I have got a very fair complexion. I am a redhead, so I’ve got naturally red hair; and that means that I’m very pale and have the occasional freckle, although not as many as some other people do. I have very light blue eyes, so I think, for me, I like to wear things that complement my coloring. So I wear lots of light blues or light pastel colors or things that will really complement my hair color. I also wear a lot of amber colors. And I love autumn seasons because I think it particularly suits my skin type and my hair color because they’re very rich colors that I’m able to wear, very jewel-like colors; and I love this sort of season because I’m able to really, you know, find things that really enhance my coloring, and that’s why I love autumn so much. I also kind of — you know, my hair’s quite long. It’s — you know, I’m growing it at the moment still, but it’s kind of — it’s below waist-length. So — and I usually either wear it very long and straight or I curl it, depending on what mood I’m in. I have quite a small, thin nose. It’s quite sharp in look; it’s quite a — you know, some — I usually would describe my nose as being quite evil-looking because it probably could slice someone because it’s so, like, it’s so narrow. (Laughs) But yeah. And, you know, I think I’m quite classic in style, so I — because I’m quite small in frame, I like to wear a lot of kind of like very classic vintage-inspired looks or very, like, you know, things that are very classical Bohemian looks. I love sort of folklore and fairytale trends that we’re seeing quite a lot of at the moment because they’re very pretty. You know, I also wear things like jeans and quite casual numbers or, like, loafers and things or [inaudible 12:27] loafers because I am a university student as well, so I try to dress for comfort some days but also have a bit of style, depending on what mood I’m in. And yeah, I mean, some people would probably call me quite classic and quite kind of English-looking because I do have that fair complexion and, you know, the colorings that would suggest that I’m a Brit from the U.K. where we get no sun whatsoever. So yeah, I hope that kind of gives you a bit of an insight as to why I choose the certain colors that I do and why I have to get a lot of clothing that is on the small side or that enhances my — my curves or my figure because I’m quite a petite person.
LL: Well, that does definitely help the audience to get a sense of what you look like and therefore how you might need to shop for something specific to accommodate your particular needs, which in your particular case would be that of a very petite person. And did I hear you correctly that your hair is below your waist?
ED: Yes, it is. Yeah. (Laughs)
LL: Wow. Well, that is a bit hippy, if you think about it. It’s a bit “flower child” and ’60s hippy, so yes, I can definitely imagine that look. I can’t wait to see you and your long red hair. Wow.
ED: (Laughs) I curl it or I sometimes have it wavy, so it — and it’s still — I’m still growing it. I’ve still not finished with it yet. (Laughs)
LL: Tell the listeners something about your vision for Fashionability and how you plan to tie together your background, your experience, and your world view to bring the Fashionability listeners information they can really use that will help them to formulate their own style statement or maybe change their look or to help someone else who is trying to establish their own sense of style.
ED: I think, for me, Fashionability is something that I want to appeal to everyone, whether it be the person who is in a wheelchair who wants to find out what is the perfect dress to wear for an occasion, whether it be the person who is visually impaired and wants to kind of understand a few more aspects to fashion and trends that they might be struggling with, or whether it be a person who just simply wants to find an environment where they feel included and, like — you know, everyone is different, but everyone can enjoy fashion and access it in the same way as any other person. Because, like I said earlier, fashion is a unique process. It’s very special, and for me, it’s very magical because it allows you to go on a journey and find out what you like about yourself, what you dislike about yourself, what you feel about creativity and the visual culture or, you know, what you — how you feel about wearing certain things and how it, you know, helps you emotionally; and I think everyone should feel that same sensation when they access fashion. But I think sometimes, the fashion industry kind of puts a burden on us that it is a fantasy for only certain people and that only certain people can access it; and, you know, it’s very much a narrow perspective on who can enjoy it and who can’t enjoy it, and that there’s only a certain kind of person who can enjoy it. But regardless of your age or disability, your budget, you know, where you’re from in the world, it doesn’t matter because fashion is something that we all have to use. You know, we all have to wear clothing, but it’s a choice that we make of how we want to present ourselves; and I want to remind people of that because I really want Fashionability to be a place where everyone can be happy and everyone can socialize and enjoy fashion and remember what it’s about. And really, it’s a place that I want to be kind of very much something that will grow, and there’s something for everyone. I think that’s the fun thing. I think it will be like, you know, a department store, like Harrods in London. Everyone loves Harrods because there is, you know, a food section; there’s a massive, amazing jewelry section; there’s a clothing section; there’s a section for children; there’s something for everyone. It caters to all ages; and no matter how old you get or how young you are, there’s always a certain kind of feeling when you go in there or a department shop like it, and it’s always something that you can look forward to and enjoy and know that it’s going to be something that will always be there, and you can always find something that will suit you. And that’s what I want Fashionability to be. I want it to be like a department store that everyone can come in, enjoy themselves, feel like they’re being accommodated to, and that they’re being pampered and treated like anyone else and have a really good experience and just enjoy the luxuries of fashion and really have some fun and just allow themselves to, you know, be free and liberal and find out who they are as a person and why they love fashion and what it is, exactly, they love about it.
LL: That is a great answer. I love the idea of an enormous, inclusive department store. That’s fantastic. Do you have any personal causes? I guess you would say, any work you’ve done in the area of advocacy that in some way relates to your background and experience in fashion?
ED: Yeah. So I probably would say that one of my biggest advocacies is for accessibility in a lot of cosmetics products. So at the moment, I’m running a campaign to try and get Braille on products for people with sight loss because I feel that it’s something that is not being accommodated as much as it could be for people with sight loss. And so — I mean, on my blog, whenever you go on there, you will always see that I always describe everything I’m wearing, describe the details, describe where you can get it from, how kind of accessible it is, some of its pros and cons. And [inaudible 18:23] advocacy of trying to give people an educated decision and to promote people being able to access fashion equally and have all the knowledge they need to assess whether or not it’s going to suit them. You know, so I would not want any of my readers to feel like, because they’ve got a sight impairment, they can’t understand what’s in front of them; so I’m a massive campaigner in advocacy of that. I’m also a really big advocate of having more models with disabilities on the catwalks and high-street stores and kind of brand campaigns; and one of the things I’m doing at the moment is I’m campaigning alongside Models of Diversity. I’m one of their campaigners to try and get brands to have more disabled models in their high-street campaigns so that it kind of raises the profile of disabled models to the public but also kind of breaks down some of these barriers that faces disability, and that’s something I’m a massive believer in. But what’s more — one of the other things I’m a massive advocate of is trying to promote brands that are cruelty-free and do not test on animals and that try to be as fair-trade as possible. I am a massive kind of animal rights advocate. I’m a massive kind of fan of using products that are not tested on animals and that promote products that are — have alternative methods or use products that don’t need to be tested. And on my blog, I don’t believe in forcing opinion on anyone. If — whether or — if you want to, you know, take up my advice, that’s up to you; but I think what I am a believer in is giving people an education and a choice into what they want to put their money in towards. So I will not review products that are tested on animals, but I — you know, I don’t try and preach to other people; I just try and tell you how it is, and then you can assess whether or not it’s for you. And if it’s not, then that’s fine; but if it is, then great. And then there’s the information that you need to find out more about it and more about how to kind of get involved and what to do and how to stop buying products that are cruelty — not cruelty-free and that are tested on animals.
LL: Well, all of that sounds amazing. You obviously are very active in many areas — your personal life with regard to your ongoing education, advocacy, and the fashion industry — and I am so thrilled that you are my partner on Fashionability. And you talked about describing things and how you would like to see more products accessible to people with sight loss in particular. To that end, I was hoping you might take just a couple of seconds for the benefit of our audience and describe for them what the Fashionability web property look is, how you have branded Fashionability. Maybe you can describe for our audience who cannot see it a bit about the website, our logo, and what you came up with, and let them in on a little bit of the branding that you worked up.
ED: Of course. Definitely. That would be a great idea. So I think, for Fashionability, what we wanted to go for was something quite symbolic, liberating, and that represented kind of a metamorphosis — like, a transition from one state to another. And kind of something that presented, like, movement and freedom and that kind of thing, and beauty. So in the end, Laura and I came up with the idea of a butterfly. So the butterfly is kind of — it symbols — for us, it symbols transition, it symbols change, movement, everything that we wanted to kind of portray. Well, also nature and the fact that nature is something that’s always changing and it’s very diverse; and that’s what we wanted to get across. So the actual banner of Fashionability is an [inaudible 22:13] effect green and white background, so it goes from green at the top to a very kind of lighter color, whitish, sort of — even a bluish at the bottom. And then what we have is, in bold black text, we have “Fashionability” in this kind of nice delicate scroll handwriting; and then what we have around it is all these beautiful butterflies. So we have ones that are — we’ve got one that’s yellow, and it’s kind of resting on the F, having a little rest, and kind of like — it symbolizes, you know, one of our main ones for Fashionability. We’ve got ones that are purple with very delicate tipped wings; we’ve got ones that are red, that are blue, very kind of a light blue; we’ve also got ones that are kind of a very deep sort of emerald green. And they’re all kind of very different in shape and size, and they’re kind of just scattered around the banner. So there’s ones going kind of in more of a diagonal direction and ones going more up straight, to left, to right. And they’re all different in size and kind of the wingspan and the wing kind of shape; but they all represent how fashion is diverse and how these butterflies are like people that we cater to and how they all have something different to say, but yet they all have something to say nonetheless when it comes to fashion. And then our logo that we designed was — it is kind of a light blue-green background, and then it’s got this lovely butterfly kind of with outstretched wings in the middle. And the butterfly has got multi-color wings, so it goes in the order of the color spectrum. So if any of you have been remembering your science lessons, it goes red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet; and that’s kind of the direction that our — kind of our butterfly’s wings go in. So it goes in all the different colors of the rainbow, right down from kind of the brightest red to very — to the deep blue to a very lovely violet. And then we have sort of gray-colored tips at the bottom, going down to white. And they’ve also got a black kind of outline around the wings; but that represents, you know — again, the color idea came — comes from the fact that we want to represent diversity and difference and, you know, we want to cater to everyone; so that’s why we chose to go with a color spectrum that was like that. And then our blog is very kind of simplistic; it’s very easy to use. It’s kind of got all of our contact details easily displayed, as well as our RSS feed; and it’s in a very light sort of pink color. And then, on the top right-hand corner of the blog, we have our little toggle; so on there we’ve got some of our icons where you can follow on Facebook, Twitter, and our RSS feed. And it’s also got the banner going along the top; and then, as you go down, you’ve got all of our — kind of our latest content, including our transcripts that we do, as well as our content like our audio that we offer. And it’s — the blog is very much a simplistic layout so you can navigate it easily. And then we’ve also got along — going along the banner — so kind of the bottom hand of that — we have all of our kind of menu options, so — including our “contact us” details and information that we’re going to have about us, so our bio lines and kind of that sort of thing. So it’s very easy for you to navigate and very easy for you to find out where we’re based and what we do and more information, should you require it.
LL: Well, there’s plenty of information to be had about Fashionability Channel because we are on AudioBoo; obviously, that’s where we began. However, we are also on iTunes; we’re available through our website RSS feed; and we are also now on iBlink Radio, thanks to the fine folks at Serotek. Is there anything else that you would like to tell the Fashionability Channel listeners about you, maybe something I didn’t ask or anything in particular you would like for them to know about you?
ED: I would have to say that, for me, I just want to say to people that I am very much a person that approves of classical liberalism, and I like people to have, you know, the ability to choose what they will and have a very kind of free life. So I’m a very sort of autonomous person; and I think that kind of [inaudible 26:07] with the fact that I’m a little bit of a hippy at heart. So I think, you know, I always approve of kind of freedom of speech. And don’t forget, if any of you ever want to, you know, ask me any questions, I’m also on my blog; and you can find more details about me via that. And I just want to say to people that — don’t forget that you all deserve the right to be happy, and we really hope that Fashionability helps you to achieve that in some small way.
LL: And finally, I just want to point out that both Emily and I have written blog posts about each other; and you will be able to find additional information about Emily and I on our blog page for Fashionability. So Emily, would you mind telling everyone where they can find the actual Fashionability blog and maybe some other information about our social links?
ED: Sure. So you can find our blog which is on WordPress; and all you have to do is type in the Fashionability WordPress blog, which is Fashionabilitychannel.wordpress.com. AND that will be linked in the downbar of this description. You can also find us on Facebook by searching Fashionability, and that’s our Facebook page. We also have a Facebook group for any potential contributors or anyone who wants to chat for more about getting involved with the channel; and that is the Fashionability group. And you can also find us on Twitter by searching @inclusivestyle; and again, that will be also linked in the downbar of this description. And finally, you can email us: fashionabilitychannel@gmail.com; and you should be able to find us and get in touch with any queries or any questions you might have.
LL: Emily, thank you so much for taking the time to sit for an interview with me. I really wanted our listeners to get to know you a little bit better and to hear some of that which you hold dear to be spoken from your very own lips. And I hope that our listeners now feel that they know enough about you to recognize that you have plenty to say on any given topic related to fashion and style and how motivated you are and how inspired you are and how passionate you are in pursuit of accessible information. And I can’t wait to hear what you have to offer. I know your segments are going to be interesting as well as entertaining. And thank you so much for taking the time to sit with me for this interview.
ED: It’s been an absolute pleasure.
LL: All right, everyone. Until Next time!
Special Thanks to Kayde Rieken!
Follow her on Twitter @kd213
Posted in Special Posts, and Transcripts
Em: Hi there, everyone. This is Emily Davison, co-founder with Laura Legendary, of the Fashionability Channel, here to share with you more about what you can expect to hear from us.
LL: And this is Laura, to invite you to help us grow the Fashionability Channel by telling your friends and followers about what we have to offer. So, Emily, why don’t you start…tell everyone about some of our fun ideas for the channel!
Em: One of the many segments you can look forward to will be called Changing Perceptions. It will feature interviews with inspirational people who are revolutionizing the fashion industry and making it an inclusive place for people with disabilities.
LL: “In The Loop,” will be a segment featuring the Fit Loop fitness guru marana Weber, who will discuss steps to achieving fitness for anyone, at any level, but especially for people who are blind or visually impaired. We’ll also add some nutritional insights for anyone who wants to ensure optimal health through better food choices.
Em: “The Tricks of the Trade” will be a series in which cosmetics and make up experts and enthusiasts will explore and explain some of the key tricks and tips for how you can achieve great looks with your make up.
LL: In a segment we’re calling, “Bad-ass Abilities,”Alan Chaulet, owner of BadAss Ability, will discuss wheelchair accessories and wheelchair sports apparel.
Em: “Fashionability Life Hacks” will be a series aimed at focusing on giving people with different disabilities advice and guidance on how to access fashion, from shopping to choosing the right clothing. This is a series aimed at explaining everything you need to know about making fashion accessible for your individual needs.
LL: In my segment called, “On The Job – Careerwear that works,” I’ll be discussing what to wear while on the job…or looking for one.
Em: “The Language of Fashion” will be a series that looks into what style means and how peoples dress sense can articulate something about them. The series will discuss different cultural perspectives of fashion with guest speakers for each episode.
LL: In “Fashionability 101,” Both Emily and I, along with special guests, will offer up some education as to some really basic aspects of fashion and style, with accessibility in mind. Thorough descriptions of basic shapes, necklines, sleeve lengths, textiles, skirt lengths, vocabulary and entry-level terminology associated with apparel, makeup, haircare, skincare, accessories, and so on. Learn along with us.
EM: Are you “Loving The Skin You’re In?” This will be a series that talks about body confidence and how to make the most of your body with guest speakers to add some 411.
LL: “Shoe be do be do,” Will feature various experts who will tread softly on the topic of footwear.
Em: “Skincare S O S” Have a rather bad bout of acne? Your skin is feeling rather worse for wear this Autumn? You want to know how to make your skin look and feel amazing? Well never fear for the Skincare S OS series is here. This will be a series that looks at how you can achieve perfect skin for your skin type with the help of the series that will look at different aspects of skin conditions from aging skin, to troublesome spots to environmentally triggered skin problems.
If your skin is in need of some TLC, this is the series for you.
LL: Finally, no list of topics would be complete without a discussion of “All That Glitters.” We’ll talk about jewelry and gems, tips on how to buy, how to wear, and how to care for your beautiful collection. We’ll review how to identify all types of metals, stones, components, settings, styles and trends.
Em: These are just examples of the type of content we are currently planning to air on Fashionability. However, as we evolve, grow and change as a result of listener feedback, you might hear many other topics.
LL: Remember, if you have a suggestion, topic idea, or just want to show us some love, please send us an email at fashionability channel at gmail.com.
Em: Stay tuned! Bye for now!
Em: Hello, everyone! Welcome to the very first post of the brand-new Fashionability channel! I’m Emily Davison, founder of Fashioneyesta.com.
LL: And I’m Laura Legendary, owner of Elegant Insights Braille Creations. We invite you to join our very stylish partnership as we launch our new venture.
Em: Fashionability is your guide to accessible style.
LL: Finally, style within reach…of everyone.
Em: first, let’s talk about what you will find here on the Fashionability channel. We plan to share tips and information that you need to look and feel your best, with the core focus on inclusion.
LL: You can expect to hear segments on all aspects of fashion, beauty, fitness and nutrition, jewelry and accessories.
Em: We have lots of guests lined up who will help us all to learn how to take better care of ourselves, put our best face forward, find the right look for lifestyle or career, and even some insights into basic vocabulary that will help you when shopping or putting your look together.
LL: The Fashionability channel will include tips and info for both men and women, all shapes and sizes, all ages and all abilities.
Em: If you have friends or loved ones who you know will benefit from Fashionability, please spread the word! Tweet, like, share, and follow us! All of the Fashionability social links are on the Audioboo Fashionability Channel page.
LL: Have a segment idea, a guest to suggest, a topic to request? Write us! We’re at fashionability channel at gmail.com.
EM: So, we hope you love all you discover on the Fashionability Channel. We plan to cover a lot of ground, and have a lot of fun.
LL: So stay tuned and check out our next few posts, where Emily and I interview each other so as to introduce ourselves and share more about our plans. We’ll talk about our own businesses, our backgrounds in fashion, and our own personal sense of style.
Em: Also, please read our respective blogs, where we have both posted more information on the Fashionability channel, and each other. Read about Laura on my blog, www.fashioneyesta.com.
LL: And you can read about Emily on my blog, www.accessibleinsights.info/blog.
Em: So, bye for now!
LL: thanks for listening.
