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Location:
Copeland Park Peckham, London, SE15 4ST.
Time & Date:
Thursday 14th March (1-6pm)
Friday 15th March (10am - 5pm)
Saturday 16th March (10am - 5pm)
Sunday 17th March (10am - 5pm)
The time for another (Im)perfect Yaks Sale has come!
We’re coming to London! After (incredibly) popular demand, we're packing our bags and heading just up the road to London, bringing lots of perfectly (Im)perfect Yaks with us. These are Yaks with minor issues or defects that are still totally wearable (and loveable!). You’ll find exclusive samples, old favourites and a few bargains. All while keeping clothes in circulation – not 100% perfect but still 100% fab.
Can’t make it for day one? No problem! We’ll restock the sale every day so there’s no need to worry about missing out on the best bits.
Venue Accessibility
The venue is fully accessible with step free access and an accessible toilet. We will have a larger changing room, with step free access available. Please note that this changing room will not have mobility rails, but that there will be stools/chairs in each of the changing rooms for extra support.
Our (Im)perfect Yaks sales are popular and queues at the door can be expected. For anyone who has accessibility needs, we will have a separate accessible queue. Please speak to our team on the door who can assist you and we’ll support you as best we can inside the sale.
Top tips for a sample sale
• If you’re planning to arrive early and join the queue, make sure you dress warm (don’t forget a brolly), download a podcast or two, grab a coffee en route and be prepared for a bit of a wait. If you prefer a more chilled experience, mid afternoon or towards closing time will be the quieter times of day to visit.
• Wear something you can try things on top of easily- we will have fitting rooms but being able to pop on a t-shirt rather than queuing is a great hack to avoid changing room queues. Leggings and thin layers are ideal, along with comfy shoes you can slip off easily. A cross body bag or small back pack is ideal for hands free shopping.
• Bring a friend - they can be an extra pair of eyes and hands, and you can take it in turns to save your spot in a queue.
• Do make use of our chill out space if you need a break- that’s what it’s there for.
•Keep an eye on our socials for some sneak peeks in the run up and most importantly be kind to your fellow humans.
Important Bits:
• The (Im)perfect Yak sale will be cashless.
• (Im)perfect Yak sale items cannot be returned, refunded or exchanged.
• No NHS/Student discounts can be used, but Yak gift cards are accepted.
• There will be no cloakroom
• No pets are allowed, apart from support animals
• There will be limited storage space, so please don't bring large items (like big suitcases or buggies) unless you can take them with you around the sale
• We’ll be charging £1 for each organic cotton Lucy & Yak tote bag or feel free to bring your own bag(s) to carry your lovely new Yaks home in.
• We will have individual changing rooms, but this time we'll also be offering a communal changing room for those people who want to try things on, but don't want to queue.
How To Get There
The (Im)perfect Yaks Sale is taking place at Unit 8, Copeland Park Peckham,
133 Rye Lane, SE15 4ST.
You can find the sale just over the road from Peckham Rye Station, in the heart of Peckham’s creative area. The main pedestrian entrance is at 133 Rye Lane, SE15 4ST.
Arriving On Foot
The main pedestrian entrance is at 133 Rye Lane, SE15 4ST.
Arriving By Bike
For the cyclists amongst you, Copeland Park does have a number of cycle racks. Please bring your own lock to lock your bike nearby the venue.
Arriving By Bus
Closest bus stops: Clayton Road (J); Peckham Rye Station (V); Peckham Rye; Blenheim Grove (Y); Peckham Bus Station (E); New Cross.
Arriving By Train
Overground and National Rail services to Peckham Rye station, just over the road from Copeland Park.
Peckham Rye National Rail and Overground
Leading to London:
London Victoria - 13 mins
Canada Water - 11 mins
Shoreditch Highstreet - 21 mins
Dalston Junction - 27 mins
Clapham Junction - 15 mins
Elephant and Castle - 10 mins
London Blackfriars - 14 mins
Arriving By Car/Taxi
Limited parking is available nearby.
If arriving by car please use the Copeland Park gate
Copeland Park, 133 Copeland Road, Peckham, London, SE15 3SN.
By Dr Carolina Are
Dr Carolina Are is the pole dancing academic, activist and content creator behind the @bloggeronpole social media accounts and blog. A platform governance researcher with a PhD in online abuse and conspiracy theories, she is currently working as Innovation Fellow at Northumbria University’s Centre for Digital Citizens, where she focuses on the way platforms govern bodies and sex. Following her experiences of online censorship, she has been researching on algorithmic bias against nudity and sexuality on social media, and has published the first peer-reviewed study on the shadowbanning of pole dancing in Feminist Media Studies. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Guardian, The Conversation, the BBC, Wired, the MIT Technology Review.
Although it may seem unlikely now that most of my breasts have been eaten up by muscle, I used to be known for my big boobs when I was younger. I was the first in my class to get breasts, and while I liked them - they made me feel ‘grown up’ - I was just 11 years old, more interested in games and magic than in dating. Suddenly, I began struggling with boys’ change of attitude towards me: I wasn’t a friend anymore – I was a slut, a name I was called every day at school. Years later, ‘sluts’ would become my inspiration in activism, research and work, and by baring what I used to hide under giant metal band t-shirts through pole dance shows and social media posts I would somehow mend that complicated relationship with my breasts and my body. Unfortunately, social media platforms had other plans. If social networks’ community guidelines are anything to go by, ‘female-presenting nipples’ (their words, not mine) represent the source of all online harms – and I’ve experienced different levels of censorship for showing even less than that, inspiring me to become a platform governance researcher. Meanwhile, as the world descends into a pit of hate, with barely avoided coups, misinformation and conspiracy theories galore, platforms seem to prefer targeting breasts than violence. How did we get here?
Far from being mere spaces for us to connect, social media platforms are now where we learn about the world and keep up to date with news, as well as a site of expression, work, organising and self-promotion. Because of the crucial role this handful of private companies now plays in our everyday and public life, and due to the exponential growth of their user base and of the content they host, they had to begin governing their spaces. Without content moderation - or the practice of deleting and/or censoring online content – platforms would be unusable, full of spam, harmful content and just… chaos. What’s interesting however is the content they choose to censor.
To moderate content, platforms rely on a blend of algorithmic and underpaid, outsourced, overwhelmed human moderators largely based in the Global South, who have to make split-second decisions over posts they’re not always familiar with. In my research, I have found that platforms’ content moderation systems are far from equal or efficient. They have so far disproportionately targeted marginalised users, over-focusing on nudity and sexuality instead of on violence – and the fact that the online groups and content used to coordinate the 2021 attack on the United States Congress were left up, while a mere nipple is immediately deleted is a case in point. The 2018 US law known as FOSTA/SESTA—the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA) and the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA) - is a large part of the reason behind this moderation discrepancy.
FOSTA/SESTA is an exception to the Section 230 of the US Telecommunications Act which ruled social media companies were communication intermediaries, not speakers or publishers - and therefore not legally liable for what was posted on them. FOSTA/SESTA made an exception to this, meaning that Section 230 still protects platforms, bar for one type of content: anything that may facilitate sex trafficking. Great, right? Not so much. Sex trafficking and online child sexual abuse were already illegal. Instead, the new exception lumped sex trafficking (a crime) in with sex work (a job), making sex workers – who found working online improved their safety and autonomy – the demographic most affected by censorship. But it didn’t stop there: as FOSTA/SESTA was pushed into Congress by anti-sex, far-right evangelical groups aiming to banish sex from the internet, its successful trickle-down effect has been worldwide censorship of anything related to sex and bodies.
FOSTA/SESTA broke the internet - and not in a good way. A flawed new law generated shambolic platform attempts to moderate bodies at scale to avoid being accused of facilitating trafficking. They left this task to algorithms, and that hasn’t gone well: due to shadowbanning – aka hiding or not recommending content from Explore or For You pages – and de-platforming, or outright content and/or account removal, online sex and bodies are becoming increasingly invisible. As a result of the law, social media platforms now over-censor posts by athletes, lingerie, sexual health brands, sex educators, and activists, applying this flawed US law to content worldwide. After facilitating the creation of spaces that busted taboos, social media platforms are now making bodies and sex even more taboo: enter the use of ‘seggs,’ ‘vajayvjay’ and so on to prevent algorithms from censoring any sex and bodies related content.
This censorship isn’t applied equally. In 2023, a Guardian investigation found that artificial intelligence (AI) tools used by most tech companies rate women’s images as ‘racy’ by default - even in everyday situations depicting pregnancy, health check-ups or fitness scenarios. In my research, I found that users’ accounts were deleted for ‘nudity and sexual activity’ or for ‘sexual solicitation’ even when they were fully clothed, posing with their families, talking about legal and safe abortions or sharing their sexual assault survivor stories. Meanwhile, online violence and harassment against those same users is left online to go viral. Because of Big Tech’s disproportionately male, white, cisgender, heterosexual and able-bodied workforce, the way tech platforms write and apply rules, and the way they use their algorithms, inevitably views anything related to bodies, pleasure, women and LGBTQIA+ and especially breasts and nipples as sexual - which means worthy of censorship. And if you’re wondering why celebrities are able to post almost fully nude images, it’s because celebs and public figures have a preferential route in content moderation compared to the rest of us, preventing the almost immediate algorithmic take-down posts showing skin would normally face.
When Tumblr introduced a ban on ‘female-presenting nipples’ (something most social networks have since implemented), it became clear that platforms have crowned themselves rulers not just of our bodies, but of deciding what is ok to be seen and what isn’t – and who has and hasn’t got ‘female-presenting nipples,’ something incredibly upsetting for trans and gender non-conforming folks whose gender identity ends up being determined by an algorithm.
Platforms are fully aware that this is an issue. Last year, after examining a series of content take-downs, even Meta’s independent oversight body, the Oversight Board, found that the company’s current adult nudity and sexual activity rules "reflect a default notion of the sexually suggestive nature of women's breasts," over-sexualising our bodies and resulting in inconsistent and overly enforced censorship that violates users’ human rights.
We cannot let private companies demonise bodies and specific user demographics, dictate what can and cannot be seen, who can and can’t work, what is and what isn’t harmful. If we leave them to it, they will inevitably prioritise their companies’ interests as they already doing, hiding content they deem unsavoury to avoid alienating advertisers. So I am going to leave you with some further reading to keep up the fight, and with a quote from the Manifesto for Sex Positive Social Media:
“Social media rules around what can and can’t be posted shape broader attitudes towards sex and nudity, which in turn directly impact on all of our safety and wellbeing. We believe that we’re healthiest and happiest when sex is not a source of shame but accepted as part of human experience.”
Further reading:
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Research also shows that the amount of card material (from packaging and greeting cards) used at Christmas would stretch between London and Lapland (and back again) over 100 times*.
*Check out more facts, tips and information around holiday waste at https://www.gwp.co.uk/guides/christmas-packaging-facts/
With all this in mind, we decided to put our heads together at Lucy & Yak HQ to share a few tips and tricks to help you cut down on festive waste, for a happy holiday that’s kinder to our planet:
Doing Black Friday differently since 2018.
For the sixth year in a row, this Black Friday we will be donating to the Fior Di Loto Foundation.
We started working with FDL back in 2018, after we were introduced to them and saw the incredible work they do to better the lives of so many people. Not only does the foundation provide life-changing education for girls living in the villages surrounding Pushkar in Northwest India, but it continues to support them throughout university and beyond.
As this is our sixth year supporting Fior Di Loto, we wanted to do something extra special. And so we asked the girls to share some drawings with us of things that make them happy. Our design team then took these sketches and turned them into the Fior Di Loto Original Dungaree which is available now in GOTs Certified Organic Cotton Twill. 100% of the profits from our Fior Di Loto dungaree will go to the Fior Di Loto Foundation. Plus, between 21st and 27th November, a HALF of our profit across all of our products, will be donated to the Fior Di Loto foundation.
This is more than just a dungaree to us, but is a symbol of the power of education and how important it is that as many people as possible, all around the world, have access to it.
Fior Di Loto doesn’t wait for the girls to come to them. They go out villages in the area to find girls who aren’t in school and speak to their parents (who often worry about paying for school uniform, lunches etc).
From primary school to high school and beyond, Fior Di Loto support their students and help them with everything from getting their first job, moving to another city, and even paying their college fees.
A lot of the teachers at Fior Di Loto used to be students themselves! It means the foundation is run by people who really get it and care about the school and the students.
Fior Di Loto aren’t just helping girls in the area. They support widowed women who can’t remarry, rebuild houses and support women with sewing machines - as part of International Women’s Day.
We welcome feedback, if you have any feedback please email positivechange@lucyandyak.com
At Lucy & Yak our mission is to create joyful clothing which is kinder to people and planet. We strive to make products for every body and so we’re thrilled to introduce our latest sizing range, Tall.
Launching this autumn, Tall sizing will be available across a number of products including our Original Cotton and Corduroy Dungarees and our Ragan Jumpsuits, with the aim to expand the range further in the future.
What is Tall?
Tall is a fit that is offered to people of 5’10’ (177cm) and above, with our products proportioned to fit their taller height This means that we have adapted the length through the torso, rises, sleeve lengths and leg length. Importantly, no width incremental increases have been made, the only adjustments are to the length of the product, meaning that you will remain the same size you would usually shop in L&Y but with the added benefit of the longer proportions.
Which products are launching this Autumn/Winter23?
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Black
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Leo
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Orion
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Posy Green
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Sailor Blue
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC COTTON - Dark Olive
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC TWILL - Retro Rainbow
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC TWILL - Sunflower
Ragan Boilersuit: ORGANIC COTTON - Black
Ragan Boilersuit: ORGANIC COTTON - Leo
Ragan Boilersuit: ORGANIC COTTON - Maria
Ragan Boilersuit: ORGANIC DENIM - Mid Wash Blue
FAQs
Will this be available in more styles soon?
It will! This is just the first step in our Tall journey with the aim to expand across more of our range in the future. As with all our new products, we start small to gauge demand before investing in a wider offering. This ensures we minimise waste by limiting overproduction.
Is this available in shops too?
Not at the moment, but we hope to introduce Tall into our shops in the future.
Why is Tall not available across the whole range?
We hope to expand the range in the future, but as with all new items we have to measure demand first.
What is the leg length for Tall?
‘Tall’ is 35 inches, ‘Long’ (available in selected styles) is 32 inches and ‘Regular’ is 30 inches.
What’s the difference between ‘long leg’ and ‘Tall’?
We offer a ‘long’ leg across selected styles which is 2 inches longer than our ‘regular’ fit. Our new Tall range takes this a step further, adapting the length through the torso, rises, sleeve lengths and adding a further 3 inches to the leg. Importantly, no width incremental increases have been made, the only adjustments are to the length of the product, meaning that you will remain the same size you would usually shop in L&Y, but with the added benefit of the longer proportions.
We’re always learning and your feedback is so important for us to keep working on the fit of our products. You can reach us as hello@lucyandyak.com
At Lucy & Yak our mission is to create joyful clothing which is kinder to people and planet. We strive to make products for every body and so we’re thrilled to introduce our latest sizing range, Tall.
Launching this autumn, Tall sizing will be available across a number of products including our Original Cotton and Corduroy Dungarees and our Ragan Jumpsuits, with the aim to expand the range further in the future.
What is Tall?
Tall is a fit that is offered to people of 5’10’ (177cm) and above, with our products proportioned to fit their taller height This means that we have adapted the length through the torso, rises, sleeve lengths and leg length. Importantly, no width incremental increases have been made, the only adjustments are to the length of the product, meaning that you will remain the same size you would usually shop in L&Y but with the added benefit of the longer proportions.
Which products are launching this Autumn/Winter23?
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Black
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Leo
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Orion
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Posy Green
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Sailor Blue
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC COTTON - Dark Olive
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC TWILL - Retro Rainbow
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC TWILL - Sunflower
Ragan Boilersuit: ORGANIC COTTON - Black
Ragan Boilersuit: ORGANIC COTTON - Leo
Ragan Boilersuit: ORGANIC COTTON - Maria
Ragan Boilersuit: ORGANIC DENIM - Mid Wash Blue
FAQs
Will this be available in more styles soon?
It will! This is just the first step in our Tall journey with the aim to expand across more of our range in the future. As with all our new products, we start small to gauge demand before investing in a wider offering. This ensures we minimise waste by limiting overproduction.
Is this available in shops too?
Not at the moment, but we hope to introduce Tall into our shops in the future.
Why is Tall not available across the whole range?
We hope to expand the range in the future, but as with all new items we have to measure demand first.
What is the leg length for Tall?
‘Tall’ is 35 inches, ‘Long’ (available in selected styles) is 32 inches and ‘Regular’ is 30 inches.
What’s the difference between ‘long leg’ and ‘Tall’?
We offer a ‘long’ leg across selected styles which is 2 inches longer than our ‘regular’ fit. Our new Tall range takes this a step further, adapting the length through the torso, rises, sleeve lengths and adding a further 3 inches to the leg. Importantly, no width incremental increases have been made, the only adjustments are to the length of the product, meaning that you will remain the same size you would usually shop in L&Y, but with the added benefit of the longer proportions.
We’re always learning and your feedback is so important for us to keep working on the fit of our products. You can reach us as hello@lucyandyak.com
At Lucy & Yak our mission is to create joyful clothing which is kinder to people and planet. We strive to make products for every body and so we’re thrilled to introduce our latest sizing range, Tall.
Launching this autumn, Tall sizing will be available across a number of products including our Original Cotton and Corduroy Dungarees and our Ragan Jumpsuits, with the aim to expand the range further in the future.
What is Tall?
Tall is a fit that is offered to people of 5’10’ (177cm) and above, with our products proportioned to fit their taller height This means that we have adapted the length through the torso, rises, sleeve lengths and leg length. Importantly, no width incremental increases have been made, the only adjustments are to the length of the product, meaning that you will remain the same size you would usually shop in L&Y but with the added benefit of the longer proportions.
Which products are launching this Autumn/Winter23?
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Black
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Leo
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Orion
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Posy Green
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Sailor Blue
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC COTTON - Dark Olive
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC TWILL - Retro Rainbow
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC TWILL - Sunflower
Ragan Boilersuit: ORGANIC COTTON - Black
Ragan Boilersuit: ORGANIC COTTON - Leo
Ragan Boilersuit: ORGANIC COTTON - Maria
Ragan Boilersuit: ORGANIC DENIM - Mid Wash Blue
FAQs
Will this be available in more styles soon?
It will! This is just the first step in our Tall journey with the aim to expand across more of our range in the future. As with all our new products, we start small to gauge demand before investing in a wider offering. This ensures we minimise waste by limiting overproduction.
Is this available in shops too?
Not at the moment, but we hope to introduce Tall into our shops in the future.
Why is Tall not available across the whole range?
We hope to expand the range in the future, but as with all new items we have to measure demand first.
What is the leg length for Tall?
‘Tall’ is 35 inches, ‘Long’ (available in selected styles) is 32 inches and ‘Regular’ is 30 inches.
What’s the difference between ‘long leg’ and ‘Tall’?
We offer a ‘long’ leg across selected styles which is 2 inches longer than our ‘regular’ fit. Our new Tall range takes this a step further, adapting the length through the torso, rises, sleeve lengths and adding a further 3 inches to the leg. Importantly, no width incremental increases have been made, the only adjustments are to the length of the product, meaning that you will remain the same size you would usually shop in L&Y, but with the added benefit of the longer proportions.
We’re always learning and your feedback is so important for us to keep working on the fit of our products. You can reach us as hello@lucyandyak.com
Hi! I'm Lucy Jane Wood. I'm a writer, reader and internet friend who you may have watched have various existential crisis over on YouTube, alongside my cat and Princess of Genovia, Flo.
You’ll probably find me talking about books, styling cosy outfits, or attempting some very unwise DIY. I always try to provide a feeling of comforting nostalgia, along with some really bad impressions and a little sprinkle of magic wherever possible.
I’m not sure when it happened, but at some point I stopped caring about anything trend-related and decided I mostly just wanted my wardrobe to be a mix of Miss Honey from Matilda and Chessy from The Parent Trap. Maybe some early 90’s Meg Ryan thrown in for good measure.
Any combo of cute dungarees, giant bows, easy t-shirts and slouchy jumpers is a winner in my book. I appreciate classic, good quality basics that look effortless and cosy. I always try to hunt down clothes that I know are good quality made to last, never going out of style (we never go out. of. style.) and that can be worn in a ton of different lazy-but-lovely ways.
I was about to write that autumn is the very best season, but what I think I really mean is that the Pinterest/Instagram version of autumn in my head is the very best season. The reality is mostly just soggy and sweaty. I’m currently writing this overlooking an extremely grey but weirdly hot London, and it’s not giving me the yellow, orange and red Gilmore Girls life that I’m delusional enough to hope for. At least it’s a good excuse to stay inside with a book, a coffee and an episode of Buffy.
Autumn style is the ultimate, though. If I write the ‘c’ word one more time (cosy, duh) I’m going to seem unhinged but… COSY ALL THE WAY. Turtlenecks, jumpers, cardigans, checked shirts, plaid skirts… I love it so much that I’m rhyming. Doc Martens, high waisted trousers, warm tones on warm tones. You can’t tell me the vibes aren’t immaculate.
I’m not a complicated dresser so ‘styling’ always sounds much too accomplished for what I actually do, which is ‘get dressed’.
The embroidery on the dungarees is just the perfect detail for me, so keeping it simple with a black turtleneck for a bit of warmth and cosiness seemed the best bet. Let the pumpkins do the talking with these ones. I tied a brown checked shirt around my waist to look like I belonged on the Halloween special of my life.
I am absolutely obsessed with the maroon colour of the Ida blouse. Teamed with the big collar it gave me a bit of an 80’s, Saved By The Bell kinda feeling (all my fashion references are from TV I watched at my Nan’s after school), so I fully embraced the All-American vibe with high waisted straight blue jeans, a buckle belt and my trusty white Converse.
It was weirdly hot on the day that we shot these outfits - again, UK autumn lying to us. I wanted to team the Maggie jumpsuit (coming later this week!) with a striped turtleneck for the best 70’s high school combo, but I couldn’t face the sweat levels. I’ll definitely be doing that in the future, though. It’s the coolest combo with the mustard colour, jazzy pointed collar and flared legs.
Never has there been anything more adorable and girly than the floral Mini Pini. I will be adding a pink tshirt and a velvet hair bow on warmer days, but it had to be a cream roll-neck jumper this time. Add in some sheer tights (a cool Gen Z friend told me that anything over 20 denier is ‘giving Year 7’ and now I’m paranoid), chunky Doc Martens and a Pumpkin Spice Latte to be autumn personified.
These four pieces have already become some of my most reached for wardrobe items because they are just perfectly me. Pumpkin dungarees, are you kidding me? My little autumn heart is crying bright orange, chai-spiced tears of joy just thinking about them.
I am particularly excited to whack them all in my suitcase and take them on an upcoming trip to Boston and New England at the end of October. They’re going to be the perfect colour palette to match the changing leaves and to eat ten thousand apple cider donuts at the same time.
I reach for my Lucy & Yak’s whenever I want to feel like the main character, ideally in a 90’s autumn New York romcom about a girl who likes coffee and books too much (that’s every day). They’re such a comfort outfit - not only because they’re literally the comfiest things in my wardrobe, but because they feel like they were made for me. The oversized fits and endless outfit possibilities means I reach for them all over and over.
Of course, I really love that @lucyandyak clothing is sustainable, made from organic, recycled or deadstock fabrics, and I just really appreciate the emphasis on quality because it means the clothes last a really long time.
Plus, the fact that all the labels have my name on… A great bonus for Lucys everywhere.
Hi! I'm Lucy Jane Wood. I'm a writer, reader and internet friend who you may have watched have various existential crisis over on YouTube, alongside my cat and Princess of Genovia, Flo.
You’ll probably find me talking about books, styling cosy outfits, or attempting some very unwise DIY. I always try to provide a feeling of comforting nostalgia, along with some really bad impressions and a little sprinkle of magic wherever possible.
I’m not sure when it happened, but at some point I stopped caring about anything trend-related and decided I mostly just wanted my wardrobe to be a mix of Miss Honey from Matilda and Chessy from The Parent Trap. Maybe some early 90’s Meg Ryan thrown in for good measure.
Any combo of cute dungarees, giant bows, easy t-shirts and slouchy jumpers is a winner in my book. I appreciate classic, good quality basics that look effortless and cosy. I always try to hunt down clothes that I know are good quality made to last, never going out of style (we never go out. of. style.) and that can be worn in a ton of different lazy-but-lovely ways.
I was about to write that autumn is the very best season, but what I think I really mean is that the Pinterest/Instagram version of autumn in my head is the very best season. The reality is mostly just soggy and sweaty. I’m currently writing this overlooking an extremely grey but weirdly hot London, and it’s not giving me the yellow, orange and red Gilmore Girls life that I’m delusional enough to hope for. At least it’s a good excuse to stay inside with a book, a coffee and an episode of Buffy.
Autumn style is the ultimate, though. If I write the ‘c’ word one more time (cosy, duh) I’m going to seem unhinged but… COSY ALL THE WAY. Turtlenecks, jumpers, cardigans, checked shirts, plaid skirts… I love it so much that I’m rhyming. Doc Martens, high waisted trousers, warm tones on warm tones. You can’t tell me the vibes aren’t immaculate.
I’m not a complicated dresser so ‘styling’ always sounds much too accomplished for what I actually do, which is ‘get dressed’.
The embroidery on the dungarees is just the perfect detail for me, so keeping it simple with a black turtleneck for a bit of warmth and cosiness seemed the best bet. Let the pumpkins do the talking with these ones. I tied a brown checked shirt around my waist to look like I belonged on the Halloween special of my life.
I am absolutely obsessed with the maroon colour of the Ida blouse. Teamed with the big collar it gave me a bit of an 80’s, Saved By The Bell kinda feeling (all my fashion references are from TV I watched at my Nan’s after school), so I fully embraced the All-American vibe with high waisted straight blue jeans, a buckle belt and my trusty white Converse.
It was weirdly hot on the day that we shot these outfits - again, UK autumn lying to us. I wanted to team the Maggie jumpsuit (coming later this week!) with a striped turtleneck for the best 70’s high school combo, but I couldn’t face the sweat levels. I’ll definitely be doing that in the future, though. It’s the coolest combo with the mustard colour, jazzy pointed collar and flared legs.
Never has there been anything more adorable and girly than the floral Mini Pini. I will be adding a pink tshirt and a velvet hair bow on warmer days, but it had to be a cream roll-neck jumper this time. Add in some sheer tights (a cool Gen Z friend told me that anything over 20 denier is ‘giving Year 7’ and now I’m paranoid), chunky Doc Martens and a Pumpkin Spice Latte to be autumn personified.
These four pieces have already become some of my most reached for wardrobe items because they are just perfectly me. Pumpkin dungarees, are you kidding me? My little autumn heart is crying bright orange, chai-spiced tears of joy just thinking about them.
I am particularly excited to whack them all in my suitcase and take them on an upcoming trip to Boston and New England at the end of October. They’re going to be the perfect colour palette to match the changing leaves and to eat ten thousand apple cider donuts at the same time.
I reach for my Lucy & Yak’s whenever I want to feel like the main character, ideally in a 90’s autumn New York romcom about a girl who likes coffee and books too much (that’s every day). They’re such a comfort outfit - not only because they’re literally the comfiest things in my wardrobe, but because they feel like they were made for me. The oversized fits and endless outfit possibilities means I reach for them all over and over.
Of course, I really love that @lucyandyak clothing is sustainable, made from organic, recycled or deadstock fabrics, and I just really appreciate the emphasis on quality because it means the clothes last a really long time.
Plus, the fact that all the labels have my name on… A great bonus for Lucys everywhere.
Hi! I'm Lucy Jane Wood. I'm a writer, reader and internet friend who you may have watched have various existential crisis over on YouTube, alongside my cat and Princess of Genovia, Flo.
You’ll probably find me talking about books, styling cosy outfits, or attempting some very unwise DIY. I always try to provide a feeling of comforting nostalgia, along with some really bad impressions and a little sprinkle of magic wherever possible.
I’m not sure when it happened, but at some point I stopped caring about anything trend-related and decided I mostly just wanted my wardrobe to be a mix of Miss Honey from Matilda and Chessy from The Parent Trap. Maybe some early 90’s Meg Ryan thrown in for good measure.
Any combo of cute dungarees, giant bows, easy t-shirts and slouchy jumpers is a winner in my book. I appreciate classic, good quality basics that look effortless and cosy. I always try to hunt down clothes that I know are good quality made to last, never going out of style (we never go out. of. style.) and that can be worn in a ton of different lazy-but-lovely ways.
I was about to write that autumn is the very best season, but what I think I really mean is that the Pinterest/Instagram version of autumn in my head is the very best season. The reality is mostly just soggy and sweaty. I’m currently writing this overlooking an extremely grey but weirdly hot London, and it’s not giving me the yellow, orange and red Gilmore Girls life that I’m delusional enough to hope for. At least it’s a good excuse to stay inside with a book, a coffee and an episode of Buffy.
Autumn style is the ultimate, though. If I write the ‘c’ word one more time (cosy, duh) I’m going to seem unhinged but… COSY ALL THE WAY. Turtlenecks, jumpers, cardigans, checked shirts, plaid skirts… I love it so much that I’m rhyming. Doc Martens, high waisted trousers, warm tones on warm tones. You can’t tell me the vibes aren’t immaculate.
I’m not a complicated dresser so ‘styling’ always sounds much too accomplished for what I actually do, which is ‘get dressed’.
The embroidery on the dungarees is just the perfect detail for me, so keeping it simple with a black turtleneck for a bit of warmth and cosiness seemed the best bet. Let the pumpkins do the talking with these ones. I tied a brown checked shirt around my waist to look like I belonged on the Halloween special of my life.
I am absolutely obsessed with the maroon colour of the Ida blouse. Teamed with the big collar it gave me a bit of an 80’s, Saved By The Bell kinda feeling (all my fashion references are from TV I watched at my Nan’s after school), so I fully embraced the All-American vibe with high waisted straight blue jeans, a buckle belt and my trusty white Converse.
It was weirdly hot on the day that we shot these outfits - again, UK autumn lying to us. I wanted to team the Maggie jumpsuit (coming later this week!) with a striped turtleneck for the best 70’s high school combo, but I couldn’t face the sweat levels. I’ll definitely be doing that in the future, though. It’s the coolest combo with the mustard colour, jazzy pointed collar and flared legs.
Never has there been anything more adorable and girly than the floral Mini Pini. I will be adding a pink tshirt and a velvet hair bow on warmer days, but it had to be a cream roll-neck jumper this time. Add in some sheer tights (a cool Gen Z friend told me that anything over 20 denier is ‘giving Year 7’ and now I’m paranoid), chunky Doc Martens and a Pumpkin Spice Latte to be autumn personified.
These four pieces have already become some of my most reached for wardrobe items because they are just perfectly me. Pumpkin dungarees, are you kidding me? My little autumn heart is crying bright orange, chai-spiced tears of joy just thinking about them.
I am particularly excited to whack them all in my suitcase and take them on an upcoming trip to Boston and New England at the end of October. They’re going to be the perfect colour palette to match the changing leaves and to eat ten thousand apple cider donuts at the same time.
I reach for my Lucy & Yak’s whenever I want to feel like the main character, ideally in a 90’s autumn New York romcom about a girl who likes coffee and books too much (that’s every day). They’re such a comfort outfit - not only because they’re literally the comfiest things in my wardrobe, but because they feel like they were made for me. The oversized fits and endless outfit possibilities means I reach for them all over and over.
Of course, I really love that @lucyandyak clothing is sustainable, made from organic, recycled or deadstock fabrics, and I just really appreciate the emphasis on quality because it means the clothes last a really long time.
Plus, the fact that all the labels have my name on… A great bonus for Lucys everywhere.
Hi! I'm Lucy Jane Wood. I'm a writer, reader and internet friend who you may have watched have various existential crisis over on YouTube, alongside my cat and Princess of Genovia, Flo.
You’ll probably find me talking about books, styling cosy outfits, or attempting some very unwise DIY. I always try to provide a feeling of comforting nostalgia, along with some really bad impressions and a little sprinkle of magic wherever possible.
I’m not sure when it happened, but at some point I stopped caring about anything trend-related and decided I mostly just wanted my wardrobe to be a mix of Miss Honey from Matilda and Chessy from The Parent Trap. Maybe some early 90’s Meg Ryan thrown in for good measure.
Any combo of cute dungarees, giant bows, easy t-shirts and slouchy jumpers is a winner in my book. I appreciate classic, good quality basics that look effortless and cosy. I always try to hunt down clothes that I know are good quality made to last, never going out of style (we never go out. of. style.) and that can be worn in a ton of different lazy-but-lovely ways.
I was about to write that autumn is the very best season, but what I think I really mean is that the Pinterest/Instagram version of autumn in my head is the very best season. The reality is mostly just soggy and sweaty. I’m currently writing this overlooking an extremely grey but weirdly hot London, and it’s not giving me the yellow, orange and red Gilmore Girls life that I’m delusional enough to hope for. At least it’s a good excuse to stay inside with a book, a coffee and an episode of Buffy.
Autumn style is the ultimate, though. If I write the ‘c’ word one more time (cosy, duh) I’m going to seem unhinged but… COSY ALL THE WAY. Turtlenecks, jumpers, cardigans, checked shirts, plaid skirts… I love it so much that I’m rhyming. Doc Martens, high waisted trousers, warm tones on warm tones. You can’t tell me the vibes aren’t immaculate.
I’m not a complicated dresser so ‘styling’ always sounds much too accomplished for what I actually do, which is ‘get dressed’.
The embroidery on the dungarees is just the perfect detail for me, so keeping it simple with a black turtleneck for a bit of warmth and cosiness seemed the best bet. Let the pumpkins do the talking with these ones. I tied a brown checked shirt around my waist to look like I belonged on the Halloween special of my life.
I am absolutely obsessed with the maroon colour of the Ida blouse. Teamed with the big collar it gave me a bit of an 80’s, Saved By The Bell kinda feeling (all my fashion references are from TV I watched at my Nan’s after school), so I fully embraced the All-American vibe with high waisted straight blue jeans, a buckle belt and my trusty white Converse.
It was weirdly hot on the day that we shot these outfits - again, UK autumn lying to us. I wanted to team the Maggie jumpsuit (coming later this week!) with a striped turtleneck for the best 70’s high school combo, but I couldn’t face the sweat levels. I’ll definitely be doing that in the future, though. It’s the coolest combo with the mustard colour, jazzy pointed collar and flared legs.
Never has there been anything more adorable and girly than the floral Mini Pini. I will be adding a pink tshirt and a velvet hair bow on warmer days, but it had to be a cream roll-neck jumper this time. Add in some sheer tights (a cool Gen Z friend told me that anything over 20 denier is ‘giving Year 7’ and now I’m paranoid), chunky Doc Martens and a Pumpkin Spice Latte to be autumn personified.
These four pieces have already become some of my most reached for wardrobe items because they are just perfectly me. Pumpkin dungarees, are you kidding me? My little autumn heart is crying bright orange, chai-spiced tears of joy just thinking about them.
I am particularly excited to whack them all in my suitcase and take them on an upcoming trip to Boston and New England at the end of October. They’re going to be the perfect colour palette to match the changing leaves and to eat ten thousand apple cider donuts at the same time.
I reach for my Lucy & Yak’s whenever I want to feel like the main character, ideally in a 90’s autumn New York romcom about a girl who likes coffee and books too much (that’s every day). They’re such a comfort outfit - not only because they’re literally the comfiest things in my wardrobe, but because they feel like they were made for me. The oversized fits and endless outfit possibilities means I reach for them all over and over.
Of course, I really love that @lucyandyak clothing is sustainable, made from organic, recycled or deadstock fabrics, and I just really appreciate the emphasis on quality because it means the clothes last a really long time.
Plus, the fact that all the labels have my name on… A great bonus for Lucys everywhere.
HALLOWEEN IS A SCARY TIME OF YEAR
Halloween is a scary time of year. Not only because of the clocks going back and the impending darkness. Not only because of the horror films shown on TV which this writer personally hates. But because of the sheer amount of waste generated around this one day holiday.
From the sweet treats at Halloween parties and for trick or treaters, to the costumes we wear once and the pumpkins we toss into the bin.
Don’t get me wrong, at Lucy & Yak we absolutely love a costume party and the opportunity to turn yourself into someone completely different, but it doesn’t have to come with such an environmental cost.
In 2023 and in the UK alone, it’s predicted that seven million costumes will be worn once this year and then thrown away, most likely ending up in landfill. In the US, this number rises to around 35 million - truly horrifying stuff.
Additionally, the sweets consumed at Halloween are more often than not individually wrapped in plastic. In the US, it’s estimated that around half a kilo of waste is generated per trick or treater; when you think about how many are trick or treating globally, that’s a frightening amount of waste.
But what about the pumpkins we all love getting creative with? While it’s great fun carving out spooky scenes on them, usually they are thrown away into general landfill where they are left to rot and then release methane, a gas more harmful to our environment than carbon dioxide.
But it’s not all doom and gloom as there are so many ways we can enjoy what’s great about Halloween without so much waste.
Halloween is a scary time of year. Not only because of the clocks going back and the impending darkness. Not only because of the horror films shown on TV which this writer personally hates. But because of the sheer amount of waste generated around this one day holiday.
From the sweet treats at Halloween parties and for trick or treaters, to the costumes we wear once and the pumpkins we toss into the bin.
Don’t get me wrong, at Lucy & Yak we absolutely love a costume party and the opportunity to turn yourself into someone completely different, but it doesn’t have to come with such an environmental cost.
In 2023 and in the UK alone, it’s predicted that seven million costumes will be worn once this year and then thrown away, most likely ending up in landfill. In the US, this number rises to around 35 million - truly horrifying stuff.
Additionally, the sweets consumed at Halloween are more often than not individually wrapped in plastic. In the US, it’s estimated that around half a kilo of waste is generated per trick or treater; when you think about how many are trick or treating globally, that’s a frightening amount of waste.
But what about the pumpkins we all love getting creative with? While it’s great fun carving out spooky scenes on them, usually they are thrown away into general landfill where they are left to rot and then release methane, a gas more harmful to our environment than carbon dioxide.
But it’s not all doom and gloom as there are so many ways we can enjoy what’s great about Halloween without so much waste.
1. Get creative with your costume! Have a rummage through your wardrobe to find something that you can recreate your favourite characters in. We have loved seeing how our community reinvents their Yaks every year, and this one will be no different. Why not channel your inner Wednesday Addams with your trusty Black Ragan? Or terrify your friends when you rock up as Chucky in your Rainbow Rey?
2. Rethink your sweet treats. Throwing a Halloween party at work? Why not hold a Halloween bake off to encourage everyone to create their home-made goods, limiting the use of too much plastic. Plus, throw in a game of apple bobbing for good measure and nostalgic fun.
3. Pumpkins are for eating, not just for carving. When you’re carving your pumpkin masterpiece, keep the pulp to one side and use the rest of the pumpkin once Halloween is over, so that you can use it to create something delicious. Here at Lucy & Yak we are big Bake Off fans, so why not try out these pumpkin rolls which look tasty and incredibly cute, all the while reducing the pumpkins going to waste. Enjoy!
Source: https://www.wastemanaged.co.uk/halloween-waste/
Fashion Beyond the Binary
By Paff Evara (they/them)
Three years ago my style was relatively straight forward. I was a powerlifter, living in sunny Australia and I identified as a bisexual woman. I didn’t put a lot of thought into my fashion - I’d usually wear some variation of “tight top, loose pants” at work and outside of that I’d live in my activewear. Yeah, I was that girl. At the time I was very dedicated to my training, about five years into my powerlifting ‘career’ and the strongest I’d been. Powerlifting was pretty central to my identity, and so my style really exemplified that. There was a thought, partly conscious, partly not, that I wanted to look like a lifter. I wanted to look strong. I wanted to show off my toned legs and defined arms. And, underpinning it all, I didn’t want anyone to mistake my muscles for being “big”.
I hated wearing t-shirts, thinking they’d “hide my gains” and looking back I clearly had an overwhelming dysphoria that anyone could even think I was big in the first place. I was a size 8-10, super fit, but was still viewing myself through the harshest, most critical eyes. Eyes had been with me my entire life. I thought, mistakenly, that by focusing on strength over aesthetics, as powerlifting does (versus say, bodybuilding), that I had cured my relationship with food, that I was finally free from that mindset that had plagued me ever since I was fourteen and going on crash-carb-free diets.
However, it wasn’t until years later, when I started to reevaluate my relationship with gender that I felt this internalised fatphobia rear its ugly head. Kind of like a dragon in slumber or a dormant volcano, momentarily subdued but devastatingly dangerous at any given time.
And it all started with coming out.
I first came out in 2020 as a lesbian and a year after that I “came out” as non-binary. Or rather, I started playing around with the pronouns in my bio, because that’s how it was for me.
Coming out as gay was gradual but a fairly loud thing - I told everyone in arms distance about my incredible [then-long distance] girlfriend, I wore bright rainbow socks, button-up ‘party shirts’ and you could find me in a beanie at any time, even at the gym in 35+ degree weather because #gay. I was THAT baby-gay, after 27 years I finally knew who I was and needed everyone around me to know, too.
On the flip side, coming out as non-binary was a much more subtle, slow and arduous process. Over the course of 6 months I changed my bio from ‘she/her’ to ‘she/they’, to ‘they/she’ and finally, to ‘they/them’. Interesting how subtle these changes are - a few letters in a social media profile - compared to how huge the changes felt inside of me. You know how people say they have two wolves inside them, fighting each other? Well, my wolves weren’t fighting each other, they were fighting me.
Before I knew it, I was deep in this process of what felt like everyday learning, and unlearning. For instance, I learned that binary gender was a construct, something that was spread across the globe as the world was colonised. I learned many Indigenous cultures, from the First Nations people of Australia, the Māori of Aotearoa (New Zealand) and Native American people had a much more free-flowing understanding of gender. I started to wonder, as a Papua New Guinean person, what this could mean for me?
While there wasn’t any specific documentation that I’d found about pre-colonialist Papua New Guinean culture, I felt empowered by other Indigenous and people of colour that had rejected the gender binary, along with other Western beauty standards that I was defined by my entire life. So bit by bit, I started to actively rebel against and unlearn this colonialist view of gender, eventually landing on the label ‘gender non-conforming’. Even now, over two years on, I like that terminology the best, because after three decades of masking, morphing, assimilating - I relish in the concept of not conforming.
As my understanding and relationship with gender evolved, my style evolved with me.
I began gravitating towards looser clothing. I swapped my millennial skinny jeans for baggy mom-jeans and layered on baggy t-shirts. I found Lucy & Yak, and immediately HAD to purchase (and live in) the Rainbow Dungarees - making it my personality trait for an entire season. My makeup also changed drastically, and I started to play with a tonne of colour - buying neon eyeshadow palettes with names like Orange Soda and Frosted Lime and creating new, bold looks almost daily.
I cut off my hair, my 11 year old black and red locs, and embraced my natural curly hair - a BIG ‘homecoming’ moment for me. Another act of rebellion. With each change, each experiment, I felt like I was unlearning the male gaze. After 27 years of conforming to heteronormative beauty standards I finally felt unapologetically queer. And mostly importantly - unapologetically ME.
I had a good 6 months feeling like my insides matched my outsides… until something started to shift.
I had begun using ‘they/them’ pronouns exclusively, and with that came a certain rigidness. This caused me to be misgendered on almost a daily basis.
At the time I had started a new role as Managing Director at a digital agency, and I spent hours everyday either talking to existing clients or pitching for new ones. Each zoom meeting presented a new, unique opportunity for me to be misgendered. I found myself in an impossible situation.
Do I 1) correct them and open up an entire conversation about my gender which, as a gender-non-conforming person the whole point is ‘fuck gender’? Or, 2) I let them she/her me the entire time, each one feeling like a small stab at my side. I went with the latter, death by a thousand cuts.
With the stress of the role taking up my entire being and brain space - I found myself falling out of training completely and falling back into poor eating habits. As I gained weight, that aforementioned dragon/volcano situation [my internalised fatphobia] really came out to play. The clothes I previously found solace and comfort in started to fit differently and I hated that for a couple reasons:
Every representation I had seen of non-binary people was thin, androgynous and (mostly) white. I started to feel like I wasn’t being “non-binary enough”. Eventually, my clothes began to feel like a trap rather than a playful, fun experiment. Getting changed everyday, like my daily misgenderings, was a painful process, and I began to hide myself away under baggy tracksuits and hoodies. Defaulting to ‘dog walking clothes’ without much effort or intention. And, as my work took over my life, I completely lost my sense of style and self…
This went on for far too long, until my wife finally pulled me out of it. She reminded me of what truly mattered, and made me realise how so many aspects of my life, romantic, social, self expression, self worth, health and nutrition were coming second - or being neglected completely - because of my job. Fighting against all of society's expectations of success, and without a backup plan, I quit.
It’s been a year since I quit my toxic career and the subsequent healing has been profound. While I haven’t figured it all out, my relationship to gender, my body and my style has come a long way.
I am no longer as rigid with my pronouns and instead like to operate from a place of ‘holding it lightly’. That is: understanding that the multitudes and fullness of my being cannot be captured by the English language, let alone in pronouns. If someone I don’t know sees me and thinks “woman” or calls me she/her - that’s OK. I’m no longer giving other people the power over my personhood. [I recognise the great privilege I have that being misgendered as a non-binary AFAB person won’t often result in inner/external violence, unlike many of my GNC and trans siblings].
This flexibility and fluidity around my gender identity has opened up my world again when it comes to my presentation, and how I perceive my body. I’ve started to ‘de-gender’ curves in my consciousness, not seeing curves as feminine and a lack of curves as androgyny or masculinity. I’m constantly inspired by Black butch women and lesbians - some fat, some muscular, some skinny - all completely badass and immensely powerful.
And finally, as part of my healing journey, I’m re-prioritising self expression. Whether it’s going through a guy-liner phase and luxe streetwear fits, discovering a love for waistcoats with Steve Madden sneakers or rocking the brightest boldest party shirt I can find at the thrift shop with neon green, alien earrings. I seamlessly weave in traditionally masculine and feminine clothes, deciding day by day how I feel, and how I want to present. My style feels like a playground again. My fashion is finally beyond the binary.
Paff (they/them) is a Black, queer & neurodivergent creator, speaker and activist. A natural storyteller, Paff went viral on TikTok during lockdown, building an audience of over 110K people by empowering them to take up more space. Alongside their wife Han (@iamhanpeacock), Paff created Take Up Space (@takeupspacehq), a community and media company for change-makers.
Three years ago my style was relatively straight forward. I was a powerlifter, living in sunny Australia and I identified as a bisexual woman. I didn’t put a lot of thought into my fashion - I’d usually wear some variation of “tight top, loose pants” at work and outside of that I’d live in my activewear. Yeah, I was that girl. At the time I was very dedicated to my training, about five years into my powerlifting ‘career’ and the strongest I’d been. Powerlifting was pretty central to my identity, and so my style really exemplified that. There was a thought, partly conscious, partly not, that I wanted to look like a lifter. I wanted to look strong. I wanted to show off my toned legs and defined arms. And, underpinning it all, I didn’t want anyone to mistake my muscles for being “big”.
I hated wearing t-shirts, thinking they’d “hide my gains” and looking back I clearly had an overwhelming dysphoria that anyone could even think I was big in the first place. I was a size 8-10, super fit, but was still viewing myself through the harshest, most critical eyes. Eyes had been with me my entire life. I thought, mistakenly, that by focusing on strength over aesthetics, as powerlifting does (versus say, bodybuilding), that I had cured my relationship with food, that I was finally free from that mindset that had plagued me ever since I was fourteen and going on crash-carb-free diets.
However, it wasn’t until years later, when I started to reevaluate my relationship with gender that I felt this internalised fatphobia rear its ugly head. Kind of like a dragon in slumber or a dormant volcano, momentarily subdued but devastatingly dangerous at any given time.
And it all started with coming out.
I first came out in 2020 as a lesbian and a year after that I “came out” as non-binary. Or rather, I started playing around with the pronouns in my bio, because that’s how it was for me.
Coming out as gay was gradual but a fairly loud thing - I told everyone in arms distance about my incredible [then-long distance] girlfriend, I wore bright rainbow socks, button-up ‘party shirts’ and you could find me in a beanie at any time, even at the gym in 35+ degree weather because #gay. I was THAT baby-gay, after 27 years I finally knew who I was and needed everyone around me to know, too.
On the flip side, coming out as non-binary was a much more subtle, slow and arduous process. Over the course of 6 months I changed my bio from ‘she/her’ to ‘she/they’, to ‘they/she’ and finally, to ‘they/them’. Interesting how subtle these changes are - a few letters in a social media profile - compared to how huge the changes felt inside of me. You know how people say they have two wolves inside them, fighting each other? Well, my wolves weren’t fighting each other, they were fighting me.
Before I knew it, I was deep in this process of what felt like everyday learning, and unlearning. For instance, I learned that binary gender was a construct, something that was spread across the globe as the world was colonised. I learned many Indigenous cultures, from the First Nations people of Australia, the Māori of Aotearoa (New Zealand) and Native American people had a much more free-flowing understanding of gender. I started to wonder, as a Papua New Guinean person, what this could mean for me?
While there wasn’t any specific documentation that I’d found about pre-colonialist Papua New Guinean culture, I felt empowered by other Indigenous and people of colour that had rejected the gender binary, along with other Western beauty standards that I was defined by my entire life. So bit by bit, I started to actively rebel against and unlearn this colonialist view of gender, eventually landing on the label ‘gender non-conforming’. Even now, over two years on, I like that terminology the best, because after three decades of masking, morphing, assimilating - I relish in the concept of not conforming.
As my understanding and relationship with gender evolved, my style evolved with me.
I began gravitating towards looser clothing. I swapped my millennial skinny jeans for baggy mom-jeans and layered on baggy t-shirts. I found Lucy & Yak, and immediately HAD to purchase (and live in) the Rainbow Dungarees - making it my personality trait for an entire season. My makeup also changed drastically, and I started to play with a tonne of colour - buying neon eyeshadow palettes with names like Orange Soda and Frosted Lime and creating new, bold looks almost daily.
I cut off my hair, my 11 year old black and red locs, and embraced my natural curly hair - a BIG ‘homecoming’ moment for me. Another act of rebellion. With each change, each experiment, I felt like I was unlearning the male gaze. After 27 years of conforming to heteronormative beauty standards I finally felt unapologetically queer. And mostly importantly - unapologetically ME.
I had a good 6 months feeling like my insides matched my outsides… until something started to shift.
I had begun using ‘they/them’ pronouns exclusively, and with that came a certain rigidness. This caused me to be misgendered on almost a daily basis.
At the time I had started a new role as Managing Director at a digital agency, and I spent hours everyday either talking to existing clients or pitching for new ones. Each zoom meeting presented a new, unique opportunity for me to be misgendered. I found myself in an impossible situation.
Do I 1) correct them and open up an entire conversation about my gender which, as a gender-non-conforming person the whole point is ‘fuck gender’? Or, 2) I let them she/her me the entire time, each one feeling like a small stab at my side. I went with the latter, death by a thousand cuts.
With the stress of the role taking up my entire being and brain space - I found myself falling out of training completely and falling back into poor eating habits. As I gained weight, that aforementioned dragon/volcano situation [my internalised fatphobia] really came out to play. The clothes I previously found solace and comfort in started to fit differently and I hated that for a couple reasons:
Every representation I had seen of non-binary people was thin, androgynous and (mostly) white. I started to feel like I wasn’t being “non-binary enough”. Eventually, my clothes began to feel like a trap rather than a playful, fun experiment. Getting changed everyday, like my daily misgenderings, was a painful process, and I began to hide myself away under baggy tracksuits and hoodies. Defaulting to ‘dog walking clothes’ without much effort or intention. And, as my work took over my life, I completely lost my sense of style and self…
This went on for far too long, until my wife finally pulled me out of it. She reminded me of what truly mattered, and made me realise how so many aspects of my life, romantic, social, self expression, self worth, health and nutrition were coming second - or being neglected completely - because of my job. Fighting against all of society's expectations of success, and without a backup plan, I quit.
It’s been a year since I quit my toxic career and the subsequent healing has been profound. While I haven’t figured it all out, my relationship to gender, my body and my style has come a long way.
I am no longer as rigid with my pronouns and instead like to operate from a place of ‘holding it lightly’. That is: understanding that the multitudes and fullness of my being cannot be captured by the English language, let alone in pronouns. If someone I don’t know sees me and thinks “woman” or calls me she/her - that’s OK. I’m no longer giving other people the power over my personhood. [I recognise the great privilege I have that being misgendered as a non-binary AFAB person won’t often result in inner/external violence, unlike many of my GNC and trans siblings].
This flexibility and fluidity around my gender identity has opened up my world again when it comes to my presentation, and how I perceive my body. I’ve started to ‘de-gender’ curves in my consciousness, not seeing curves as feminine and a lack of curves as androgyny or masculinity. I’m constantly inspired by Black butch women and lesbians - some fat, some muscular, some skinny - all completely badass and immensely powerful.
And finally, as part of my healing journey, I’m re-prioritising self expression. Whether it’s going through a guy-liner phase and luxe streetwear fits, discovering a love for waistcoats with Steve Madden sneakers or rocking the brightest boldest party shirt I can find at the thrift shop with neon green, alien earrings. I seamlessly weave in traditionally masculine and feminine clothes, deciding day by day how I feel, and how I want to present. My style feels like a playground again. My fashion is finally beyond the binary.
Paff (they/them) is a Black, queer & neurodivergent creator, speaker and activist. A natural storyteller, Paff went viral on TikTok during lockdown, building an audience of over 110K people by empowering them to take up more space. Alongside their wife Han (@iamhanpeacock), Paff created Take Up Space (@takeupspacehq), a community and media company for change-makers.
A Brief History of Queer Fashion
By Sam Godley (They/Them)
Queer fashion is everywhere, that is a fact. From leather and handkerchiefs to socks and sandals, the queer experience is vast and couldn’t possibly be summed up in a single blog post. So instead, let’s take a very, very brief look at just a few elements of the joy that is queer fashion history.
Where better to start than with dungarees? It’s no secret that dungas are beloved among the queer community. Did you know that dungaree was initially used to refer to the thick cotton-twill cloth used for hardwearing work clothes? The word itself was first used in the 17th century and is thought to have originated from the small village of Dongri, near Mumbai. By the 19th century, the word ‘dungaree’ was used (in the plural) to describe the garment we know and love today! So where am I going with this?
Well, flash forward to the 70s and 80s. Although this blog post was intended to be about fashion, let’s think for a second about anti-fashion. The lesbian feminist movement sought to subvert the notions of fashion, femininity and prettiness. What better way to do that than by adorning their bodies with heavy, traditionally shapeless workwear, originally designed for men? Enter, the dungarees! Paired with a sturdy work boot, sourced from a local army surplus shop (looking at you Doc Martens), dungarees became synonymous with lesbianism. Of course, dungarees are worn by a huge variety of people today, regardless of their gender and sexuality but there’s something to be said for the gender-free, comfortable hug of a pair of dungas. In fact, Xtra magazine even declared them ‘the non-binary uniform’ in 2020.
Did you know that lavender, and shades of purple in general, have a long-standing link to the LGBTQIA+ community?
Sappho wrote of women adorned with wreaths of violets. During his time in Rome, Oscar Wilde described ‘purple hours one can snatch from that grey slowly-moving thing we call Time!’ and Sylvia Beach famously pinned a sprig of violets to her jacket lapel. Throughout history, queer people have used shades of purple as a symbol of their identities. Through times when it has been necessary to conceal one's identity, queerness has still existed and queer people have found ways to demonstrate their existence, in quiet protest of oppressive systems.
In an attempt to stigmatise and ostracise gay men of the 1950s, American senator Everett Dirksen coined the term ‘lavender lads’. This mid-20th century period of fearmongering and anti-LGBT+ rhetoric in the USA has since been referred to as ‘the lavender scare’. In 1970, Betty Friedan reportedly referred to lesbians as the ‘lavender menace’, when expressing disdain at the association between lesbianism and feminism.
Despite being used against them, queer people throughout history have found ways to reclaim these beautiful symbols. In response to Friedan’s attempt to discredit them, in true queer fashion, a group of lesbian feminists dubbed themselves the lavender menace and used this momentum to fuel their activism! To this day, the colour purple, in all its glorious hues, is still used as a celebration of queer identity (hello, Hamish Bowles at the 2019 Met Gala) and even for queer-coded fictional characters (looking at you, Ursula).
So, when you’re planning your Pride outfit this year, why not don a pair of lavender dungarees in celebration of our queer predecessors?
Sam Godley is a queer artist living in Brighton. They have an interest in fashion and you may recognise them (and their little dog, Baby!) from our Brighton shop!
Sources:
Xtra Magazine. 2020
https://xtramagazine.com/power/non-binary-overalls-uniform-184876
Dressing Dykes. 2021
https://dressingdykes.com/2021/08/20/from-lavender-to-violet
https://dressingdykes.com/2021/07/30/lesbian-feminist-dress-codes/
https://dressingdykes.com/2021/02/19/was-the-1920s-monocle-really-a-lesbian-symbol/
Mood Fabrics. 2022
https://www.moodfabrics.com/blog/influential-queer-fashion-icons-to-know-now/
Them. 2021
https://www.them.us/story/queer-fashion-chromat-aaron-potts-elliot-page-willy-chavarria
West Yorkshire Queer Stories. 2019
https://wyqs.co.uk/stories/dungarees-and-docs/
A Brief History of Queer Fashion
By Sam Godley (They/Them)
Queer fashion is everywhere, that is a fact. From leather and handkerchiefs to socks and sandals, the queer experience is vast and couldn’t possibly be summed up in a single blog post. So instead, let’s take a very very brief look at just a few elements of the joy that is queer fashion history.
Where better to start than with dungarees? It’s no secret that dungas are beloved among the queer community. Did you know that dungaree was initially used to refer to the thick cotton-twill cloth used for hardwearing work clothes? The word itself was first used in the 17th century and is thought to have originated from the small village of Dongri, near Mumbai. By the 19th century, the word ‘dungaree’ was used (in the plural) to describe the garment we know and love today! So where am I going with this?
Well, flash forward to the 70s and 80s. Although this blog post was intended to be about fashion, let’s think for a second about anti-fashion. The lesbian feminist movement sought to subvert the notions of fashion, femininity and prettiness. What better way to do that than by adorning their bodies with heavy, traditionally shapeless workwear, originally designed for men? Enter, the dungarees! Paired with a sturdy work boot, sourced from a local army surplus shop (looking at you Doc Martens), dungarees became synonymous with lesbianism. Of course, dungarees are worn by a huge variety of people today, regardless of their gender and sexuality but there’s something to be said for the gender-free, comfortable hug of a pair of dungas. In fact, Xtra magazine even declared them ‘the non-binary uniform’ in 2020.
Did you know that lavender, and shades of purple in general, have a long-standing link to the LGBTQIA+ community?
Sappho wrote of women adorned with wreaths of violets. During his time in Rome, Oscar Wilde described ‘purple hours one can snatch from that grey slowly-moving thing we call Time!’ and Sylvia Beach famously pinned a sprig of violets to her jacket lapel. Throughout history, queer people have used shades of purple as a symbol of their identities. Through times when it has been necessary to conceal one's identity, queerness has still existed and queer people have found ways to demonstrate their existence, in quiet protest of oppressive systems.
In an attempt to stigmatise and ostracise gay men of the 1950s, American senator Everett Dirksen coined the term ‘lavender lads’. This mid-20th century period of fearmongering and anti-LGBT+ rhetoric in the USA has since been referred to as ‘the lavender scare’. In 1970, Betty Friedan reportedly referred to lesbians as the ‘lavender menace’, when expressing disdain at the association between lesbianism and feminism.
Despite being used against them, queer people throughout history have found ways to reclaim these beautiful symbols. In response to Friedan’s attempt to discredit them, in true queer fashion, a group of lesbian feminists dubbed themselves the lavender menace and used this momentum to fuel their activism! To this day, the colour purple, in all its glorious hues, is still used as a celebration of queer identity (hello, Hamish Bowles at the 2019 Met Gala) and even for queer-coded fictional characters (looking at you, Ursula).
So, when you’re planning your Pride outfit this year, why not don a pair of lavender dungarees in celebration of our queer predecessors?
Sam Godley
Sources:
Xtra Magazine. 2020
Buckle up: Overalls are the non-binary uniform
Dressing Dykes. 2021
From Lavender To Violet: The Lesbian Obsession With Purple
Was The 1920s Monocle Really A Lesbian Symbol?
Mood Fabrics. 2022
Influential Queer Fashion Icons To Know Now
Them. 2021
What Is Queer Fashion, Anyway?
West Yorkshire Queer Stories. 2019
'Wear Your Happy and Live Your Life!'
By Karen Arthur (She/Her)
My name is Karen and I’m sixty one and it’s great. I like it better than 30, definitely better than 40 and as for 50? Heaps! I saw a slogan recently that read ‘I’m old but I’m happy’. The ‘but’ irked me. Let’s stop change the Ageing = BAD narrative shall we? I’m old AND I’m happy. Full stop.
I’m mother to two grown daughters and a grandma to an energetic three year old.
In 2015 I had a breakdown I prefer to call a breakthrough and left my teaching career after 28 years in the game. A month later my aunt Monica died. Grief led me to wear her clothing to help bring her closer to me and to feel better. I called it Wear Your Happy. I started to talk about it to anyone who’d listen. And slowly I began to heal.
I believe wholeheartedly in the positive power of fashion and mental well-being. There’s a world of difference between what I wore a decade ago to the way I show up in the world now. These days I dress intentionally in clothing that lifts my mood o a daily basis. I dress for me.
Try this:
Choose an item of clothing you LOVE. You might associate it with a memory or a feeling, it might have been gifted to you by someone you love. It may be your favourite colour. It might be softly textured, it might be warm, it might be vintage. It might remind you of places you’ve been to and had fun or a beautiful childhood memory. Clothing that sparkles or rustles or is light and airy. All that matters is that you love it. Pay attention to how you feel when you wear it. Hold that thought and step outside.
Dress how you want to.
Live the way you want to.
We’re not on this tiny rock for long enough to live for someone else’s opinion.
If you show up everyday for you first, you give others the strength and encouragement to do the same.
It starts with you.
I’ve been pondering on a question I was asked…
’What do I love most about midlife, growing older, menopause, aging, all of the above’.
What do I love most is that there’s so much to choose from. I love myself more as I age than any other time in my life. I love the person I’m growing into. I love that I don't really care about what people think of what I wear, what I do or who I am. Because the only person's opinion that actually matters is mine because it's my life. I believe that ageing is a privilege. I am so thrilled to still be here enjoying as many moments as I can. I’m learning to put things in perspective so that even when I do feel down I know that it will move through me. No two days are the same. The older I become the freer, lighter and more joyful I feel.
My mission is to show up in this world and live my life as truthfully as possible.
I intentionally seek joy. I try to do no harm.
Good mental well-being is my first priority and I urge people, especially those socialised as women, to embrace ageing as joyfully as possible, to rest and to listen to your body before you’re left with no choice.
I'm just here to say that it gets better. Ageing isn’t to be feared. Its to be embraced.
Age is literally just a number.
All the things I thought I’d do or be by 30, 40 or 50 either didn’t happen at all or in those time frames. So much more opened up when I stopped living by someone else’s perception of what I should have achieved. In my sixties my world is still opening up! Not by others standards of whatever they think success is, but by my own. Because that’s ALL that matters.
There’s no right time. There’s just THIS time. YOUR time.
Do the thing, take a break or draw the line.
Start where you are.
Because doING is better than NOthing.
I am learning to let go. I am learning to trust my gut and try to align with my values. It’s a daily practice. It isn’t always easy. (Don’t let anyone try to tell you otherwise).
I haven’t always felt this way. It’s taken time to embrace this stage of my life. It’s also worth sharing that every day doesn’t feel the same but that the pluses far outweigh the shitty meh bits.
But the whole false notions of ‘I need to look at certain/act/feel a certain way to fit in’ are the bottom of the bin and every day I work at keeping the lid on, mostly successfully. I could say I wish I’d done it a long time ago but then I wouldn’t have walked the path I have walked and you would be seeing this now would you?
All this to say, just do you. All that stuff you’ve been told you have to do or be? Honestly it’s a crock of sh*te deliberately designed to keep you small and fearful of sharing your gifts and unique voice with the world.
Some of the above realisations only arrived after the fact. Words I wouldn’t have listened to when I might have needed to because I was too scared or I thought I knew better. I’m saying them now because they’re still important and they may be words you need to hear today.
No one has the blueprint for your life. Don’t watch the should’ve-by-thirty crew or the Do-it-my-way gang if it doesn’t fundamentally align with your circumstance or situation.
You can only do the best you can with what you have in that moment. One tiny move forward. Or even sideways. Some days more fluid than others.
Life isn’t as carefully curated as it seems on social media. But if it was…how would you tell the difference between the downs and the ups?
Here are my Wear Your Happy tips for confident dressing at any age:
How will you Wear Your Happy today?
Karen. L. Arthur
Instagram @thekarenarthur | @menopausewhilstblack.
Founder of Wear Your Happy®, Menopause Whilst Black the Podcast and The Joy Retreat Barbados®
Website www.thekarenarthur.com
'Wear Your Happy and Live Your Life!'
By Karen Arthur (She/Her)
My name is Karen and I’m sixty one and it’s great. I like it better than 30, definitely better than 40 and as for 50? Heaps! I saw a slogan recently that read ‘I’m old but I’m happy’. The ‘but’ irked me. Let’s stop change the Ageing = BAD narrative shall we? I’m old AND I’m happy. Full stop.
I’m mother to two grown daughters and a grandma to an energetic three year old.
In 2015 I had a breakdown I prefer to call a breakthrough and left my teaching career after 28 years in the game. A month later my aunt Monica died. Grief led me to wear her clothing to help bring her closer to me and to feel better. I called it Wear Your Happy. I started to talk about it to anyone who’d listen. And slowly I began to heal.
I believe wholeheartedly in the positive power of fashion and mental well-being. There’s a world of difference between what I wore a decade ago to the way I show up in the world now. These days I dress intentionally in clothing that lifts my mood o a daily basis. I dress for me.
Try this:
Choose an item of clothing you LOVE. You might associate it with a memory or a feeling, it might have been gifted to you by someone you love. It may be your favourite colour. It might be softly textured, it might be warm, it might be vintage. It might remind you of places you’ve been to and had fun or a beautiful childhood memory. Clothing that sparkles or rustles or is light and airy. All that matters is that you love it. Pay attention to how you feel when you wear it. Hold that thought and step outside.
Dress how you want to.
Live the way you want to.
We’re not on this tiny rock for long enough to live for someone else’s opinion.
If you show up everyday for you first, you give others the strength and encouragement to do the same.
It starts with you.
I’ve been pondering on a question I was asked…
’What do I love most about midlife, growing older, menopause, aging, all of the above’.
What do I love most is that there’s so much to choose from. I love myself more as I age than any other time in my life. I love the person I’m growing into. I love that I don't really care about what people think of what I wear, what I do or who I am. Because the only person's opinion that actually matters is mine because it's my life. I believe that ageing is a privilege. I am so thrilled to still be here enjoying as many moments as I can. I’m learning to put things in perspective so that even when I do feel down I know that it will move through me. No two days are the same. The older I become the freer, lighter and more joyful I feel.
My mission is to show up in this world and live my life as truthfully as possible.
I intentionally seek joy. I try to do no harm.
Good mental well-being is my first priority and I urge people, especially those socialised as women, to embrace ageing as joyfully as possible, to rest and to listen to your body before you’re left with no choice.
I'm just here to say that it gets better. Ageing isn’t to be feared. Its to be embraced.
Age is literally just a number.
All the things I thought I’d do or be by 30, 40 or 50 either didn’t happen at all or in those time frames. So much more opened up when I stopped living by someone else’s perception of what I should have achieved. In my sixties my world is still opening up! Not by others standards of whatever they think success is, but by my own. Because that’s ALL that matters.
There’s no right time. There’s just THIS time. YOUR time.
Do the thing, take a break or draw the line.
Start where you are.
Because doING is better than NOthing.
I am learning to let go. I am learning to trust my gut and try to align with my values. It’s a daily practice. It isn’t always easy. (Don’t let anyone try to tell you otherwise).
I haven’t always felt this way. It’s taken time to embrace this stage of my life. It’s also worth sharing that every day doesn’t feel the same but that the pluses far outweigh the shitty meh bits.
But the whole false notions of ‘I need to look at certain/act/feel a certain way to fit in’ are the bottom of the bin and every day I work at keeping the lid on, mostly successfully. I could say I wish I’d done it a long time ago but then I wouldn’t have walked the path I have walked and you would be seeing this now would you?
All this to say, just do you. All that stuff you’ve been told you have to do or be? Honestly it’s a crock of sh*te deliberately designed to keep you small and fearful of sharing your gifts and unique voice with the world.
Some of the above realisations only arrived after the fact. Words I wouldn’t have listened to when I might have needed to because I was too scared or I thought I knew better. I’m saying them now because they’re still important and they may be words you need to hear today.
No one has the blueprint for your life. Don’t watch the should’ve-by-thirty crew or the Do-it-my-way gang if it doesn’t fundamentally align with your circumstance or situation.
You can only do the best you can with what you have in that moment. One tiny move forward. Or even sideways. Some days more fluid than others.
Life isn’t as carefully curated as it seems on social media. But if it was…how would you tell the difference between the downs and the ups?
Here are my Wear Your Happy tips for confident dressing at any age:
How will you Wear Your Happy today?
Karen. L. Arthur
Instagram @thekarenarthur | @menopausewhilstblack.
Founder of Wear Your Happy®, Menopause Whilst Black the Podcast and The Joy Retreat Barbados®
Website www.thekarenarthur.com
By Az Franco (He/Him)
@youcancallmeaz
Pride month is a celebration of queer resilience and resistance. A time for the LGBTQ+ community to collectively rejoice in self-acceptance. Pride is also a great opportunity for LGBTQ+ allies to show their encouragement and support for inclusivity.
Amongst the LGBTQ+ community, it is estimated that more than one-third identify as disabled (Respectability. 2022). This includes invisible disabilities like those with learning difficulties and those who are neurodivergent. Despite this high percentage, during Pride celebrations across the globe, “accessibility is often an afterthought” (Annie Segarra, CNN. 2019). According to a disability rights activist interviewed for Politico, 2022, accessibility is still “something we do, rather than something that is integral to who we are.” This does not align with the values of inclusivity and diversity within the LGBTQ+ community. Inaccessibility = exclusivity.
True inclusivity means making Pride accessible to all people. LGBTQ+ safe spaces in cities are already a minority (Politico, 2022). For a community who are so regularly discriminated against, these spaces are of utmost importance. “If you can’t even access those spaces, then you’re completely excluded… you’re a double minority” (Disability Activist, Politico, 2022.)
Pride celebrations are highly inaccessible to wheelchair users. Parades are lengthy and often the routes are unchanging. Many stages are inaccessible. There is a lack of seating options. Uneven ground, steep inclines and cobbled streets all create barriers for people with limited mobility (CNN, 2022). Beyond these physical factors, Pride can be an overload of sensory stimulation for people with autism or ADHD (CNN, 2022). Strobe lights and smoke machines are often used during performances. There is a lack of sign language interpretation. Uncrowded and quiet areas are hard to find. This excludes many people from enjoying the celebrations.
Beauty expectations at Pride can also create barriers for disabled and neurodivergent people. Pride is a great opportunity to showcase individuality through fashion. Yet, the expectation to dress in a certain way can be extremely challenging for those with sensory issues, or those with physical disabilities. The expectation to wear something ‘new’ or ‘different’ at Pride often causes anxiety and financial stress. Fast fashion is unsustainable and costly. “Accessibility is an LGBTQ+ issue” (Pride In Surrey). There are major changes that need to be encouraged and introduced, in order to make Pride a more comfortable experience for people all over the world.
Alternative locations where fewer people are crowded, for example picnics and street parties, offer a far less stimulating experience. Alternative and/or shorter parades are also a great option for those with limited mobility. More seating areas must be available during all Pride events. At least one smoke and strobe free tent would allow people with sensory issues to enjoy the music. Free earplugs and water should be available at all times. A free shuttle service between locations in big cities would be hugely beneficial for people with limited mobility. Sign language interpreters need to be present at all Pride events. More volunteer stewards should be available to help guide people to quiet spaces.
Fewer expectations need to be placed on what people wear during Pride celebrations. Sustainability and comfort are both fundamental. We need to normalize re-wearing outfits. We need to normalize comfort over fashion. We need to be aware of the barriers many disabled and neurodivergent people face when it comes to choosing clothing and feeling comfortable in it.
“Making these adjustments is key to acknowledging the existence - and the needs - of a minority within the LGBTQ+ community” (Politico, 2022). It is key in supporting those who already face discrimination and marginalization at a greater degree than the rest of the LGBTQ+ community. We need more understanding around invisible disabilities. We need accessible spaces.
There are ways in which we can all help, on a small scale, this Pride month.
As a neurodivergent, trans, genderqueer, bisexual person, Pride is an incredibly important time of the year for me. Yet, I find many of the celebrations overstimulating and overwhelming. I often walk a shorter version of the parade and stick to quiet areas where possible. I wear noise canceling earphones. This year I will be comfortably wearing my Yaks rather than uncomfortably struggling with tight waist bands and too many layers. Most importantly, this year I will be fighting hard for accessibility at Pride.
Inclusivity is absolutely necessary.
“No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us” - Marsha P Johnson.
Sources:
Respectability. 2022
respectability.org/2018/06/lgbt-pride-month-2018/
Annie Segarra, CNN. 2022
edition.cnn.com/travel/article/accessibility-planning-pride
Politico, 2022.
politico.eu/article/disability-rights-activist-lgbtq-pride-parade-events-accessibility-cities-epoa/
CNN. 2022
edition.cnn.com/travel/article/accessibility-planning-pride
Pride In Surrey
prideinsurrey.org/accessibility
To show our continued support and celebrate our incredible LGBTQIA+ family, we are giving you 20% off some of our most loved rainbow products this weekend, using code RAINBOW20. We will also be donating a portion of profits from our rainbow products sold in June, to three wonderful charities supporting the LGBTQIA+ community here in the UK and in India.
Az Franco (@youcancallmeaz)
Pride month is a celebration of queer resilience and resistance. A time for the LGBTQ+ community to collectively rejoice in self-acceptance. Pride is also a great opportunity for LGBTQ+ allies to show their encouragement and support for inclusivity.
Amongst the LGBTQ+ community, it is estimated that more than one-third identify as disabled (Respectability. 2022). This includes invisible disabilities like those with learning difficulties and those who are neurodivergent. Despite this high percentage, during Pride celebrations across the globe, “accessibility is often an afterthought” (Annie Segarra, CNN. 2019). According to a disability rights activist interviewed for Politico, 2022, accessibility is still “something we do, rather than something that is integral to who we are.” This does not align with the values of inclusivity and diversity within the LGBTQ+ community. Inaccessibility = exclusivity.
True inclusivity means making Pride accessible to all people. LGBTQ+ safe spaces in cities are already a minority (Politico, 2022). For a community who are so regularly discriminated against, these spaces are of utmost importance. “If you can’t even access those spaces, then you’re completely excluded… you’re a double minority” (Disability Activist, Politico, 2022.)
Pride celebrations are highly inaccessible to wheelchair users. Parades are lengthy and often the routes are unchanging. Many stages are inaccessible. There is a lack of seating options. Uneven ground, steep inclines and cobbled streets all create barriers for people with limited mobility (CNN, 2022). Beyond these physical factors, Pride can be an overload of sensory stimulation for people with autism or ADHD (CNN, 2022). Strobe lights and smoke machines are often used during performances. There is a lack of sign language interpretation. Uncrowded and quiet areas are hard to find. This excludes many people from enjoying the celebrations.
Beauty expectations at Pride can also create barriers for disabled and neurodivergent people. Pride is a great opportunity to showcase individuality through fashion. Yet, the expectation to dress in a certain way can be extremely challenging for those with sensory issues, or those with physical disabilities. The expectation to wear something ‘new’ or ‘different’ at Pride often causes anxiety and financial stress. Fast fashion is unsustainable and costly. “Accessibility is an LGBTQ+ issue” (Pride In Surrey). There are major changes that need to be encouraged and introduced, in order to make Pride a more comfortable experience for people all over the world.
Alternative locations where fewer people are crowded, for example picnics and street parties, offer a far less stimulating experience. Alternative and/or shorter parades are also a great option for those with limited mobility. More seating areas must be available during all Pride events. At least one smoke and strobe free tent would allow people with sensory issues to enjoy the music. Free earplugs and water should be available at all times. A free shuttle service between locations in big cities would be hugely beneficial for people with limited mobility. Sign language interpreters need to be present at all Pride events. More volunteer stewards should be available to help guide people to quiet spaces.
Fewer expectations need to be placed on what people wear during Pride celebrations. Sustainability and comfort are both fundamental. We need to normalize re-wearing outfits. We need to normalize comfort over fashion. We need to be aware of the barriers many disabled and neurodivergent people face when it comes to choosing clothing and feeling comfortable in it.
“Making these adjustments is key to acknowledging the existence - and the needs - of a minority within the LGBTQ+ community” (Politico, 2022). It is key in supporting those who already face discrimination and marginalization at a greater degree than the rest of the LGBTQ+ community. We need more understanding around invisible disabilities. We need accessible spaces.
There are ways in which we can all help, on a small scale, this Pride month.
As a neurodivergent, trans, genderqueer, bisexual person, Pride is an incredibly important time of the year for me. Yet, I find many of the celebrations overstimulating and overwhelming. I often walk a shorter version of the parade and stick to quiet areas where possible. I wear noise canceling earphones. This year I will be comfortably wearing my Yaks rather than uncomfortably struggling with tight waist bands and too many layers. Most importantly, this year I will be fighting hard for accessibility at Pride.
Inclusivity is absolutely necessary.
“No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us” - Marsha P Johnson.
Sources:
Respectability. 2022
respectability.org/2018/06/lgbt-pride-month-2018/
Annie Segarra, CNN. 2022
edition.cnn.com/travel/article/accessibility-planning-pride
Politico, 2022.
politico.eu/article/disability-rights-activist-lgbtq-pride-parade-events-accessibility-cities-epoa/
CNN. 2022
edition.cnn.com/travel/article/accessibility-planning-pride
Pride In Surrey
prideinsurrey.org/accessibility
To show our continued support and celebrate our incredible LGBTQIA+ family, we are giving you 20% off some of our most loved rainbow products this weekend, using code RAINBOW20. We will also be donating a portion of profits from our rainbow products sold in June, to three wonderful charities supporting the LGBTQIA+ community here in the UK and in India.
We’re super excited to launch our first crochet edit. Crochet is a brand new category for us, and we have learned a lot along the way. We want to take you on this journey with us and introduce you to the wonderful artisans who have created these beautiful pieces. The new edit includes a small number of crochet accessories, but we are hoping to increase the range as we learn more from the women behind them to create more complex pieces. All of our crochet stitched pieces are hand made, giving every single piece a unique look, which cannot be achieved by machine knitted crochet.
While we celebrate our crochet launch, we also want to draw attention to this part of the clothing industry and be completely transparent with you about how crochet is made.
THE ARTISANS WE PARTNER WITH
A lot of handmade pieces of clothing are made by people (often women) in supply chains, who work from home and often do not have bank accounts. This makes it more difficult to get the products they make certified by a third party organisation, which can lead to exploitation in the industry. We understand this problem, and want to tackle it. We do not think this should be a barrier to work with these talented artisans, however, we know we have to put in extra measures to ensure that the artisans are treated fairly.
We’re super excited to launch our first crochet edit. Crochet is a brand new category for us, and we have learned a lot along the way. We want to take you on this journey with us and introduce you to the wonderful artisans who have created these beautiful pieces. The new edit includes a small number of crochet accessories, but we are hoping to increase the range as we learn more from the women behind them to create more complex pieces. All of our crochet stitched pieces are hand made, giving every single piece a unique look, which cannot be achieved by machine knitted crochet.
While we celebrate our crochet launch, we also want to draw attention to this part of the clothing industry and be completely transparent with you about how crochet is made.
THE ARTISANS WE PARTNER WITH
A lot of handmade pieces of clothing are made by people (often women) in supply chains, who work from home and often do not have bank accounts. This makes it more difficult to get the products they make certified by a third party organisation, which can lead to exploitation in the industry. We understand this problem, and want to tackle it. We do not think this should be a barrier to work with these talented artisans, however, we know we have to put in extra measures to ensure that the artisans are treated fairly.
At Lucy & Yak, our suppliers (who employ the crochet artisans) are responsible for ensuring that they meet the requirements of our Responsible Sourcing Policy, which includes carrying out audits directly in factories. In addition to this, we support our suppliers in ensuring that conditions are good for the artisans and that they’re happy with their pay, including a recent trip to the artisans by the Lucy & Yak team personally, allowing the artisans direct access to us, which will continue to happen. We are also in the process of creating a booklet to issue to these workers to help them in their line of work. The booklet (in picture and text format) will allow them to manage their wages, understand topics like the importance of health and safety and understand our ethical policies. It’s really important to us that everyone working with and for Lucy & Yak understand what it means to be paid and treated fairly in the work they do, with the booklet helping to achieve this.
At Lucy & Yak, our suppliers (who employ the crochet artisans) are responsible for ensuring that they meet the requirements of our Responsible Sourcing Policy, which includes carrying out audits directly in factories. In addition to this, we support our suppliers in ensuring that conditions are good for the artisans and that they’re happy with their pay, including a recent trip to the artisans by the Lucy & Yak team personally, allowing the artisans direct access to us, which will continue to happen. We are also in the process of creating a booklet to issue to these workers to help them in their line of work. The booklet (in picture and text format) will allow them to manage their wages, understand topics like the importance of health and safety and understand our ethical policies. It’s really important to us that everyone working with and for Lucy & Yak understand what it means to be paid and treated fairly in the work they do, with the booklet helping to achieve this.
All of the artisans we partner with work from home to run their households while their husbands work outside of the home. The crochet work that the women do allows them to stay at home and look after their families, while generating another stream of income. India has a large population of the workforce who have to leave their families and their villages and travel to work in the cities, which can be thousands of kilometres away. Kids might not see their parents for months and so we think it’s extremely valuable to work with these women and support them in their chosen line of work, to allow them to be there for their families and to contribute to their household income.
All of the artisans we partner with work from home to run their households while their husbands work outside of the home. The crochet work that the women do allows them to stay at home and look after their families, while generating another stream of income. India has a large population of the workforce who have to leave their families and their villages and travel to work in the cities, which can be thousands of kilometres away. Kids might not see their parents for months and so we think it’s extremely valuable to work with these women and support them in their chosen line of work, to allow them to be there for their families and to contribute to their household income.
When it comes to pay, it is extremely important to Lucy & Yak that we know the people who make our clothing are treated with respect and are paid fairly for their work. A living wage is a term that is often thrown around in the fashion industry however it’s often hard to determine what a living wage is as it changes from country to country and state to state, as is the case in India. However, our compliance teams have verified that these women have been paid fairly for their area and above the industry standard.
When it comes to pay, it is extremely important to Lucy & Yak that we know the people who make our clothing are treated with respect and are paid fairly for their work. A living wage is a term that is often thrown around in the fashion industry however it’s often hard to determine what a living wage is as it changes from country to country and state to state, as is the case in India. However, our compliance teams have verified that these women have been paid fairly for their area and above the industry standard.
As mentioned earlier, our team recently visited all of the women in Merrut in the Uttar Pradesh region who make our crochet bags and hats. They spent the day in their homes, drinking chai and eating homemade Indian food with them, making lots of wonderful memories. They saw first hand how talented, happy and passionate they are about what they do, with some of the women working in this area for 20+ years.
While we are comfortable that these artisans are being paid fairly for the work they do, we want to continue building our relationship with them. We want to find more ways of working together collaboratively and ensure that the women who make these beautiful pieces are always happy with how they are treated and paid. This is just the beginning for us and we can’t wait to take you on this journey!
Love,
Lucy
As mentioned earlier, our team recently visited all of the women in Merrut in the Uttar Pradesh region who make our crochet bags and hats. They spent the day in their homes, drinking chai and eating homemade Indian food with them, making lots of wonderful memories. They saw first hand how talented, happy and passionate they are about what they do, with some of the women working in this area for 20+ years.
While we are comfortable that these artisans are being paid fairly for the work they do, we want to continue building our relationship with them. We want to find more ways of working together collaboratively and ensure that the women who make these beautiful pieces are always happy with how they are treated and paid. This is just the beginning for us and we can’t wait to take you on this journey!
Love,
Lucy
They’re here! Your new summer companion, sunglasses to feel good in and feel good about 😎
A fellow Brighton based independent brand, we fell in love with how Pala produces their glasses and why they make them.
Pala’s founder, John, set out with a mission: to make eyecare more accessible to more people in some of the countries he had visited. He knew that spectacles were one of the most cost-effective health interventions for alleviating poverty, enabling people to read, learn and work. And so, Pala was created and the revenue from glasses sold help to provide grants directly to vision centres, dispensaries and screening and training programmes through Pala’s charity partner Vision Action. Together, Pala and Vision Action work across four countries – Zambia, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Ethiopia.
This collection is no different, with our Lucy & Yak x Pala range helping to directly fund Pala’s most ambitious project to date - to build and equip a vision centre in Sierra Leone.
THE GLASSES
Working closely with Pala, we wanted to design a range that was timeless, but bursting with character. After all, what better way to make a statement than an accessory for your face.
HOW ARE THEY MADE?
As with every Lucy & Yak product, these sunglasses have been made to last and be loved. The collection has been handmade in Italy using bio-acetate with each frame kept in a custom Lucy & Yak print recycled PET microfibre bag.
Learn more about Pala's materials here.
We hope you love these as much as we do and we really can’t wait to see how you wear them.
They’re here! Your new summer companion, sunglasses to feel good in and feel good about 😎
A fellow Brighton based independent brand, we fell in love with how Pala produces their glasses and why they make them.
Pala’s founder, John, set out with a mission: to make eyecare more accessible to more people in some of the countries he had visited. He knew that spectacles were one of the most cost-effective health interventions for alleviating poverty, enabling people to read, learn and work. And so, Pala was created and the revenue from glasses sold help to provide grants directly to vision centres, dispensaries and screening and training programmes through Pala’s charity partner Vision Action. Together, Pala and Vision Action work across four countries – Zambia, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Ethiopia.
This collection is no different, with our Lucy & Yak x Pala range helping to directly fund Pala’s most ambitious project to date - to build and equip a vision centre in Sierra Leone.
THE GLASSES
Working closely with Pala, we wanted to design a range that was timeless, but bursting with character. After all, what better way to make a statement than an accessory for your face.
HOW ARE THEY MADE?
As with every Lucy & Yak product, these sunglasses have been made to last and be loved. The collection has been handmade in Italy using bio-acetate with each frame kept in a custom Lucy & Yak print recycled PET microfibre bag.
Learn more about Pala's materials here.
We hope you love these as much as we do and we really can’t wait to see how you wear them.
At Lucy & Yak we’re committed to creating clothing for every body and so we’re thrilled to let you know that we’ve extended our sizing range further; introducing Petite.
Launching this spring, Petite sizing will be available across a number of products, including Original Cotton & Corduroy Dungarees, and our Ragan Jumpsuits.
This is just the beginning of our Petite journey, with an aim to expand to other styles and colours in the future. But that’s not all. Later on this year, we’ll be extending our range further by introducing Tall products too! We can’t say any more just yet, but we can’t wait to share it with you all and allow more people to feel amazing in their Yaks.
What is Petite?
Petite is a fit that is offered to people of 5’2’’ (158cm) and under, with our products proportioned accordingly to fit their smaller frame. This means that the products have been reduced both in height, but also in width, to accommodate.
This includes reducing: neck widths, across shoulders and across front & back, rise lengths, armhole depth, body length, leg length and sleeve length.As a fit designed for smaller frames and for people 5’2’’ and under, the Petite range will be available in sizes 4-16 only.
Which products are launching this Spring/Summer '23?
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC TWILL - Retro Rainbow
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Sailor Blue
Ragan Boilersuit: ORGANIC COTTON - Black
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Leo
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC TWILL - Sunflowers
Ragan Boilersuit: ORGANIC DENIM - Mid Wash Blue
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Black
Ragan Boilersuit: ORGANIC COTTON - Theo
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC CORDUROY - Posy Green
Original Dungaree: ORGANIC COTTON - Black
FAQs
Why isn’t this available in plus sizes?
'Petite' is a term used to describe the fit of a garment that aims to fit a smaller framed body and persons below 5’2’’. The adjustments are made from regular fit where the pattern is reduced proportionately in width and in height.
We have taken the decision to initially offer our petite styles in size 4 to 16 to gauge the demand for our new range before we offer petite past a size 16. If this is something you’d be interested in, we’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email at hello@lucyandyak.com
Will this be available in more styles soon?
It will! This is just the first step in our Petite journey with the aim to expand across more of our range in the future. As with all our new products, we start small to gauge demand before investing in a wider offering. This ensures we keep our costs down and limit over production.
Is this available in shops too?
Not at the moment, but we hope to introduce Petite into our shops in the future.
What about Tall?
Our Garment Tech Team is currently working on our ‘Tall’ range with the aim to launch later this year. Sign up to our mailing list to be the first to know.
Why isn’t there more stock of Petite?
This is the first time we’ve launched a Petite range and demand was higher than expected. We’re over the moon that you love it as much as we do, but if you missed out don’t worry as we have a restock planned soon. Sign up to restock notifications to be the first to know!
Why is Petite not available across the whole range?
We hope to expand the range in the future, but as with all new items we have to measure demand first.
What’s the difference between ‘short leg’ and ‘Petite’?
‘Short’ would be the same proportions as our standard products, with a couple of inches off the leg - just like our ‘long’ leg is 2 inches longer than our ‘regular’. Petite is all encompassing proportionately which includes reducing: neck widths, across shoulders and across front & back, rise lengths, armhole depth, body length, leg length and sleeve length. It’s also focused on persons below 5’2’’.
Will you ever introduce a ‘short leg’?
This is what we want to gauge from our customers. If this is something you would be interested in, we want to hear from you! Please email hello@lucyandyak.com
How do you grade your products?
We’re proud to stock sizes 4-32 across our range. It’s taken a long time and a lot of work from our in-house Garment Tech Team to get to this point. Our Head of Technical specialises in plus sizing and has personally created all of the specs for our extended size offering, ensuring that changes are made to standard grading rules, to ensure that they fit as many people as possible. This is so important as the industry often uses the same grade rules for all sizes, but as sizes increase, the variation in body shape also increases, and they end up not fitting well.
We’re always learning and your feedback is so important for us to keep working on the fit of our products.
When did you realise you were neurodivergent?
I've always known I was but wasn't brave enough to figure this out and seek a diagnosis until around 2 or 3 years ago!
What does being neurodivergent mean to you?
A lot! It means that who I am is not a bad label or poor judgement by somebody but more a strength and uniqueness that holds power and ability that others may not see or understand, I love to deep dive into my strengths and interests and also love to keep learning about myself and the way my mind works. Since working for Lucy and Yak I've been made to feel accepted for the first time in my life as a ND person rather than scolded and its allowed me to blossom and spread my wings and finally seek a diagnosis, take help where needed and make life changing changes to my life and surroundings to make my happiness a priority. Without the support of my manager and colleagues and the acceptance of the customer base I would not be on this path and fear I'd still be hiding away masking and in continuous burn out just to please others and feel like I fit in!
What is a special interest of yours? Feel free to tell us more about why it’s your special interest!
At the minute it's self awareness and growth so health, mentality and lifestyle is an extremely important special interest currently and I'm learning about medication and supplements that actually work, therapy that heals, foods that keep me healthy and of course fitness along with truly understanding what being ND means! My other special interest is of course Lucy and Yak – how else do you think I got this job? 🤣 but it's also The Simpsons and I have a tattoo booked next month for my birthday to celebrate this and my love of The Simpsons! Of course I will always love cats more than humans! 🤫
What is your favourite part about being neurodivergent?
That's just it isn't it? I'm Neurodivergent. I'm not strange or loud or quiet or fidgety or different. I'm uniquely me and that's OK and it's magical because look at all my strengths!
What is important for you as an ND person when it comes to clothing choices?
It has to be comfortable, nothing rolling up exposing skin, nothing too loose or tight, nothing scratchy or coarse but also has to be the perfect colour that pleases me.
Which fabrics do you find most comfortable to wear?
Fleece or jogger material and corduroy.
If you could give one piece of advice to another ND person either in or out of a work setting, what would it be?
Always believe in yourself and your mind. It's a powerful thing and you are what you want to be, not what others want you to be or say you are!
When did you realise you were neurodivergent?
Ehm.. I always knew I was a bit "different", but learned there was a name (and a diagnosis) for this back in 2020/21. I finally got diagnosed with inattentive type ADHD in 2022 and haven't looked back!
What does being neurodivergent mean to you?
That's a tricky one! Looking back, being neuro-divergent (ND) has created moments of isolation and frustration when I was younger and trying to keep up with a neuro-typical way of living.
Now that I have a better understanding of my brain and how it's wired, I have a lot more self-compassion and empathy (for myself and others). I also find a special *resonance* with other ND folks <3
What is a special interest of yours? Feel free to tell us more about why it’s your special interest!
Roller skating! It's not just for kids (although I did start as a child) - I revived this interest after moving to Sheffield in 2014 and haven't stopped since. Skating helps me to forge a mind-body connection and helps me to focus on doing one thing well (as well as providing plenty of sports-endorphins).
What is your favourite part about being neurodivergent?
My creativity! I like finding creative solutions to problems, and love to learn new skills (while the hyperfocus is *strong*).
What is important for you as an ND person when it comes to clothing choices?
Comfort is key! I find I'm most comfortable in natural, breathable fabrics. I recently took steps to remove as many synthetic fabrics from my wardrobe as possible - it's made a real difference to my mindset!
Which fabrics do you find most comfortable to wear?
Cotton / linen (very excited for our spring linens to launch this season).
If you could give one piece of advice to another ND person either in or out of a work setting, what would it be?
Be kind to yourself and your mind! It's OK to be different, just gotta embrace it.
When did you realise you were neurodivergent?
Properly about five years ago, but it had been suggested to me by friends and my doctor before that.
What does being neurodivergent mean to you?
Knowing that my brain works a bit differently from a lot of other people's, and that I have to make allowances for that sometimes, and knowing that I'm a part of an amazing community of creative thinkers.
What is a special interest of yours? Feel free to tell us more about why it’s your special interest!
Rock music and going to gigs, I used to interview bands and review shows so I feel at my most comfortable at a gig, I've met so many of my friends at festivals and shows and I love the fashion and style that comes from each subgenre too.
What is your favourite part about being neurodivergent?
So many of my friends are ND too, we can bond over shared experiences and help each other!
What is important for you as an ND person when it comes to clothing choices?
Style and comfort! I have sensory issues with some fabrics/cuts so I need to be comfy, but expressing myself and my personality through my clothing is super important to my sense of self.
Which fabrics do you find most comfortable to wear?
Cotton, always! Linen also feels nice.
If you could give one piece of advice to another ND person either in or out of a work setting, what would it be?
Be kind to yourself and keep trying until you find the best methods and routines to help your brain!
When did you realise you were neurodivergent?
3 years ago.
What does being neurodivergent mean to you?
A lot of fun strengths but also yucky challenges, and it also means interpreting this question so literally I’ve now re-read it 18 times to try and figure out what it’s asking haha.
What is a special interest of yours? Feel free to tell us more about why it’s your special interest!
Painting of course haha because it’s the only time I feel right. Painting painting painting, art, painting.
What is your favourite part about being neurodivergent?
Hyperfocus, creativity and stimming are cool and fun, also creative problem solving! The community I’ve found now, although it took ages, are super amazing and I’m glad to have found it as it’s made life make so much more sense, relatable and not like I’m an alien- so the people are my favourite they’re so interesting.
What is important for you as an ND person when it comes to clothing choices?
Elastic waistbands and loose armpits! Room to anxiety sweat 😂 comfy with jazzy colours, lots of freedom to move crazily, and no labels in sight! The colours have to match my feelings and plain things aren’t usually enough so I paint on everything I own. I also have kids and no headspace for choices, so I often end up wearing the same thing for weeks if it’s working for me.
Which fabrics do you find most comfortable to wear?
Jersey and sweatshirt material, oh and bamboo!!
If you could give one piece of advice to another ND person either in or out of a work setting, what would it be?
Do what you like (I’m bad at advice that’s a very vague question 😂) although.. I don’t know if it’s advice but… Reality is the one you believe for yourself, which can really help me when my brain is too much and I need to choose what’s best for it to focus on.
When did you realise you were neurodivergent?
I was around 16 years old at college when I started to realise that my brain worked in different ways to others around me.
What does being neurodivergent mean to you?
It means being my true colourful, silly self, I'm unique and different compared to a lot of people in the world but it doesn't make me any less valuable or important.
I think the world needs more people to be brave and authentic as we bring the sparkle and I refuse to mask who I really am to please others’ needs as the people who are meant to be in my life will love me just the way I am.
So the title Neurodivergent is me taking control of any negativity that people have tried to put on me while I was growing up being fabulous and not in a cookie cutter average person shape.
What is a special interest of yours? Feel free to tell us more about why it’s your special interest!
I have many interests! My main one is Lucy and Yak, I've been buying Yaks since the very start and I've got a good collection now which is my pride and joy as it's colourful and I know I'm going to be comfortable when I wear my Yaks and these colourful clothes show my personality on the outside and I'm lucky enough to now work here!
I absolutely love fashion and styling outfits and doing my makeup colourful and bold to match my clothes and how I'm feeling that day.
I love going to charity shops, carboot sales, jumble sales and any other second hand shopping and finding vintage treasure to wear or to make my house very funky!
I love making any sort of art, watching comfort TV, going for walks in the countryside and a new special interest at the moment is going to events such as concerts, plays, L&Y imperfect sales and Yakfest.
What is your favourite part about being neurodivergent?
My favourite part is that I'm very creative and I can do anything that I put my mind towards, I can learn so many new things and become very good at the new things that I've learnt.
I also love that I'm sensitive and compassionate, I care so much about everything and everyone at all times and I like to make other people feel loved and safe when they're around me.
What is important for you as an ND person when it comes to clothing choices?
The two C's: Colour & Comfort!! They're the most important things to me when I get dressed. I need to dress looking like my personality and I need to be comfortable doing so because if I feel restricted, uncomfortable and not fabulous in the clothes on my body, I will get overstimulated and withdrawn which will automatically make me feel like I'm "masking" the same as I did when I dressed to fit in when I was younger.
Which fabrics do you find most comfortable to wear?
I feel the most comfortable in fabrics with some sort of elastane so I don't feel restricted or scratchy and I absolutely love fleece cosy fabrics so fleeces, hoodies, joggers etc! As long as they make me feel like I'm being hugged, that's good to me!
If you could give one piece of advice to another ND person either in or out of a work setting, what would it be?
Just be yourself, you're the main character in your life and you're probably going to be the only person who's going to be in your life from birth all the way to the end, so treat yourself with kindness and love because you deserve it and it will make your life a whole lot nicer!
And remember that there's only one of you in the world so embrace that.
Don't let "what if" stop you from achieving anything. You're in control, so ground yourself and carry on!
When did you realise you were neurodivergent?
I should start by adding that I am in my 30s and part of the 'missed' generation. I was diagnosed with epilepsy at 6 years old and battled through school and those early years always feeling a little bit 'different'. I struggled to make friends easily and was always considered a little bit disruptive to the way of the classroom. I was 'bossy' because I liked things being done in certain ways.
This has been an ongoing challenge for most of my life. School was difficult because it was.. boring...? I was under-stimulated. I knew I didn't fit in with the social norm so I'd spend a huge amount of time masking to try and form friendship groups that could be safe places. Throughout my life people have chucked throwaway comments like 'you're so autistic' at me but I'd never gone any further with that.
Fast forward to me at 25, sitting in a therapist's office and he says to me 'Steph, I think you're autistic. You display real traits of autism and, if you want, we should get you referred.'
Finally my life made sense - the times I'd been called difficult, blunt or rude when I'd meant no insult and would cry about what I’d done had some clarity. I was able to own this identity! After all, I'm diagnosed epileptic and the relationship between the two neurological conditions has been researched for a long time so it wasn't too surprising when the diagnosis came.
What does being neurodivergent mean to you?
I don't think about it too much in everyday life because it's just become such a part of my identity and I've managed to build a support network of people who respect me as me - even when I'm sometimes 'inappropriate' and 'heartless' with my honesty!
For me, I think it's a super power - for example, never do I have to worry about remembering my number plates or people's phone numbers because my brain just eats that stuff for fun. Need to spot a pattern in a sequence? I'm there. No-one will play Dobble or Bananagrams because my brain works too quickly for them!
Do I still mask? Sure, especially in new social situations. I think I was masking for such a long time that it has almost fused to my personality so sometimes it's hard to be myself - but we're working on it everyday!
What is a special interest of yours? Feel free to tell us more about why it’s your special interest!
Maps - I can be really 'boring' about maps but I love the process and seeing how things have changed over time but my special interest does change often. I go through phases of what I'm really interested in, which can mean starting (and not finishing) a lot of new hobbies - luckily I have a patient partner!
When I was a kid my special interest was flags - so if you ever need someone for a pub quiz team, let me know.
What is your favourite part about being neurodivergent?
It's just who I am!
What is important for you as an ND person when it comes to clothing choices?
I hate scratchy fabric but I also have some fabrics that literally make me feel sick when I touch them (velvet for example) so the material itself needs to feel right. Cotton is usually a safe bet, and I love cosy fleeces too.
Which fabrics do you find most comfortable to wear?
Probably answered above. My favourite L&Y items are Dana Jeans, Stevies, Kennys and Denvers.
If you could give one piece of advice to another ND person either in or out of a work setting, what would it be?
In work - don't try to hide who you are. Own yourself. Communication is so key to effective relationships with other co workers and helps them become better allies.
Lucy & Yak are so very lucky to have such a diverse community with so many wonderful neurodiverse folk – who say they love the brand for our comfy fits, expressive clothes and inclusive culture. You’re free to be yourself in the Yak community!
Following on from our popular 2021 campaign and ongoing work with neurodivergent creators, we wanted to keep the conversation going with a collection that resonated with our community, and a platform that inspired people to share their own stories over Neurodiversity Celebration Week and beyond.
We call it: Everybody & Everymind, a celebration of neurodivergent experiences within our community – curated, created and inspired by our neurodivergent customers, creators and staff.
The Collection
We invited the community to shape the collection with feedback on everything from the fabrics and shapes to the colours and fits of existing Yaks – to make sure the collection contained the most sensory-friendly clothes possible.
Now we had the perfect Yaks, our very own resident artist and upcycler Sarah Caulfield (who herself is neurodivergent), worked her magic, creating around 20 illustrations that each touched on a different neurodivergent experience such as overstimulation, masking and burnout.
Making sure we kept the collection a secret, Sarah compiled feedback from a few of her followers who were also in the Yak community, and was able to choose which designs resonated most with our neurodivergent audience:
Free your mind
A much-loved design used in our previous campaign championing Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2021, with a refreshed rainbow palette.
Spaced out
Inspired by the ADHD experience of ‘zoning out’. A common experience of ADHD is being pulled out of the task-at-hand as your brain needs to diverge elsewhere.
Temporarily out of service
Bringing to life the feeling of autistic burnout – a state of mental, physical and emotional exhaustion.
Oversharing
The neurodivergent mind communicates differently. It’s often known to interrupt, go quiet, monologue/info dump, over-explain, and not read some contexts. It likes to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, which can be said to anyone in any situation.
A different kind of magic
‘Different not less’. Being neurodivergent simply means thinking differently to the dominant neurotype, and despite the stigma, this difference is something to celebrate!
“We know we can’t speak to or for everyone and every experience, but we hope customers will be able to resonate with the collection, feel seen and be uplifted by it.” Sarah Caulfield
Half of the profits from the collection will be donated to ADHD Foundation, the neurodiversity charity, the UK’s leading neurodiversity charity.
The Shoot
Our collection was inspired and informed by the wonderful neurodivergent members of the Yak community, so it was only right that they were the stars of the shoot, which featured staff, customers and friends of the brand – each with their own unique neurodivergent experience.
In the buildup to the shoot, we worked closely with our neurodivergent staff to make sure we created an environment in which everyone could have the best day possible. This included:
The Yak Shopping Experience
Everybody & everymind is welcome at Lucy & Yak, so it’s up to us to make sure everyone can feel comfortable shopping with us.
We take great pride in the fact that we’ve already had lots of positive feedback around what it’s like to shop at Lucy & Yak as a neurodivergent person – whether that’s thanks to our kind shop teams or avoiding bright lighting. But we know we can go one step further!
We’re excited to be introducing sensory friendly shopping sessions across our network of shops. On the 17th of every month, each space will be adjusted to create a welcoming shopping atmosphere for neurodivergent customers, from sensory friendly lighting to more considered music choices and more.
Neurodiversity Panel & Workshops
To celebrate the launch of our collection, we’re getting out and about to celebrate neurodiversity with all you lovely people face to face!
We’re hosting our own Neurodiversity Panel discussion in our Brighton shop on March 16th, where the lovely Hannah, Max and Sandra will be sharing their own neurodivergent experiences and stories, while across our shop network on Friday 17th we’ll be hosting fidget toy and sensory cushion workshops. Of course – everybody and everymind is invited!
Eventbrite links:
Brighton (Panel Talk) - 16th March:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/583971824447
Bristol (Workshops) - 17th March:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/583977491397
Nottingham (Workshops) - 17th March: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/583999045867
]]>We remain totally committed to all our sustainable practices, so as the cost of everything from fabrics to operating costs continue to rise since we last shared this blog post, we will continue to have to increase our prices every now and again to accommodate the rising costs.
With this in mind, we’re working harder than ever to make sure there’s more ways for our community to pick up Yaks for less. Our growing network of shops across the UK means our Buyback scheme is getting more and more accessible, while our always popular (Im)perfect Yak Sales are bigger than ever (keep your eyes peeled for the next one!). You can check out all the other initiatives we’re working on below.
We’ve also made great progress in easing our need for organic cotton – expect to see a lot more linen and LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibres derived from certified renewable wood sources in future drops!
This means that our prices will be increasing slightly across some of our products by 3-5% on average, this will come into effect from the 3rd April 2023.
You know we like to keep our Yak community in the loop here, and we’ve got news that we wanted to share with you all.
We’ve always made sure that we use organic cotton to make our Yaks and so it’s been great to see more and more brands finally joining us and going organic as well!
There’s been a HUGE increase in demand for organic cotton and sustainable fibres across the world, which is definitely changing the fashion industry for the better.
It takes years to convert non-organic farm land to organic, this means It will take a few years for supply to catch up with demand, so we’ve had to adjust to make sure we can keep using the fabrics we love to use when making our Yaks.
The good news?
Your support means so much to us, and means we can keep supporting causes that are close to our hearts, from initiatives like Fior Di Loto all the way through to making sure we keep using fabrics that are kinder to our planet.
Below are a few FAQs, thank you so much for listening.
Why are prices rising?
How much will the prices rise by?
Is the price increase effective immediately?
This will be effective from the 3rd April 2023.
]]>Mable Tan is a surface designer based in sunny Melbourne, Australia. Her style is fun and joyful, drawing inspiration from kindness, self-care, nature and birds. As an all-round creative person, Mable loves devoting her time and energy to creating beautiful things, because it makes her deliriously happy!
To celebrate the launch of our tastiest prints yet, we teamed up with MOB and hosted a cook off – using ingredients inspired by each print.
You can watch the full video on our Insta to see how the team got on, or if you fancy trying them out for yourself, we’ve shared both recipes below. You can pick your fave and have the perfect dish to compliment either of our delicious new designs – YUM.
MABLE TAN & YAK
Sardines on Toast with Caramelised Tomato Oil and Minty Onion Salad
Thinly slice the red onion, or use a mandolin if you have one. Add the sliced onion into a bowl of ice water- this will help them crisp up. Set aside.
Thinly slice 2 garlic cloves and add into a small frying pan with the extra virgin olive oil. Place the pan on medium heat and let the garlic slowly cook for 2-3 mins until starting to go golden. Stir through the tomato puree and cook until it goes dark red and caramelises, 3-5 mins. Remove from the heat and add half of the red wine vinegar, light brown sugar and chilli flakes, season with salt.
Toast the bread and rub the remaining garlic clove all over. Place the sardines onto the toast and pour over the caramelised tomato and oil mixture. Pick the mint leaves and drain and pat the onions dry. Add the remaining red wine vinegar with 1 tsp of olive oil to the onions and toss together. Stir the mint through the onions and top the sardine toast with the mint and onion salad.
HAPPY HAMPER
Crispy Garlicky Mushrooms with Lemon & Burrata
Ingredients:
200g mixed mushrooms - we like a mix of oyster, shiitake and chestnut
4 garlic cloves
1 Lemon
½ tsp Chilli flakes
3 sprigs of thyme
Ball of burrata
Big big glug of olive oil
Toasted focaccia for serving
Method:
Tear or slice the mushrooms, pick thyme leaves, peel and finely slice garlic. Heat a nice big glug of oil in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms over a high heat in a single layer until really golden and starting to crisp. Add the garlic, thyme and chilli flakes and continue cooking until the garlic is really nice and golden, it won't take long!
Zest and juice lemon. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon the mushrooms over the burrata and garnish with the red oil and lemon zest.
Bon Appetit! 🍝
]]>All questions are welcome! But one question we often get is around how and why we drop new products in the way we do. We always want to be as transparent as we can with our customers, we are a fast growing brand and we are expanding our product offer each year to cater to our ever growing diverse community of Yakkers. Whilst growing into new categories (PJ’s, outwear etc), we also want to make sure we’re bringing you new and exciting colours and prints of our timeless heroes. 2023 is set to be a big year for this, with exciting developments meaning we’re changing our approach to launches for the better. Here’s everything you need to know.
Finally! We have A NEW warehouse
One of the main issues affecting how we launch products has always been the size of our warehouse. As it stands we currently don’t have the space to sit on products and launch full collections together (Yaks are sitting outside our current warehouse in shipping containers and tents!).
We design collections to be seen together to tell a story, so our current process isn’t ideal for us either, BUT, we are beyond pleased to share that we’re finally moving into a shiny new warehouse around April/May. Not only does a bigger warehouse mean we’ll have a lot more control over how we launch our Yaks, it also allows us to grow as a brand, and give more people access to Lucy & Yak!
We know it can be frustrating to buy an item, then discover a new drop a few weeks later that you would have preferred. With this in mind, moving forward we’re aiming for collections to drop within the space of a week, so you can see everything at once and pick out the items you want to spend your hard earned money on.
In Spring/Summer we’re also looking at launching categories as a whole - for example you’ll see all our new dungarees for the season around the same time (although we’ll still have some special artist collabs throughout the year launching in isolation so that we can give them the space they deserve). We’re not perfect, and Yaks do have a habit of arriving late! But we hope this will be a real improvement upon our current process.
Avoiding stress for our team
While you’ll start to see more collections being dropped together, we will still have a steady flow of stock arriving each week of new items or restocks, these will just appear on our website or in our stores without much mention from marketing. This will ensure a steady flow of work that doesn’t overload our warehouse and factory teams.
Expanding our offering and growing L&Y
We’re so lucky to have such a diverse range of customers from all ages and all walks of life so we want to offer as much as possible to our customer base.
It’s why we’re proud to keep refreshing our timeless pieces with different colours and prints – and we can’t wait to share them with you.
We want our customers to be able to come to us for anything they want to buy, so we’re super excited to be expanding our categories and what we offer. Keep an eye out for knitwear in Autumn/Winter, and we’re also looking at swimwear for next year!
Shop expansion
Our network of Lucy & Yak shops has grown massively in the past few months, and we’re not stopping there.
Smaller shops mean we can have more locations, and in turn means that more people can make use of our Re:Yak Buyback initiative take part in our events and Re:Yak workshops, and get to see, feel and try on our Yaks!
All of this means we really believe Lucy & Yak will be better than ever in 2023, and we can’t wait to take the next big step in our journey together.
As always if you have any questions or feedback on any of the above, please feel free to get in touch at hello@lucyandyak.com
]]>Everywhere we looked, people were upcycling their favourite Yaks or making the most of our recirculation partnership with vintage icons Beyond Retro.
Keeping clothes out of landfill and loved for longer – you love to see it!
So in 2023, we knew it was up to us to go bigger and better. To share more inspo, grow our network and find more ways than ever for Yakkers to give their clothes a new lease of life.
Re:Yak Studio
When it comes to upcycling, sometimes you just need a little inspiration to get you started, and that’s where our Re:Yak Studio comes in.
Yak staff and community members came together to get creative, make their mark, upcycle some Yaks, and have some fun! Whether you’re a keen painter or a total craft newbie – there’s plenty of different techniques to really make your clothes stand out.
We had a blast, and we know you will too!
(Im)Perfect Yak Sale
We kicked off the year with an always popular (Im)Perfect Yak Sale in-store, where Yakkers could find exclusive samples, old favourites and a few bargains too!
The sale allows Yak lovers to pick up new pieces for less than usual, whilst also keeping more clothes in circulation for longer.
Keep your eyes peeled for ANOTHER sale online later this month, but in the meantime why not check out the (Im)perfect Yaks on our Depop page, or in your nearest Yak shop.
Re:Yak Buyback
Launching 23rd January, we’re VERY excited about our latest Re:Yak initiative.
Customers will be able to bring back any Lucy & Yak item to a Lucy & Yak store, return it in any clean condition, and receive a Lucy & Yak voucher to spend online or in-store.
Don’t worry! Even if the clothes are too damaged to sell, we’ll handle the recycling to make sure they don't end up in landfill.
Stay tuned for more information in the next few weeks.
Re:Yak Marketplace / FB Community Group
If you’re new to the world of Lucy & Yak, we HIGHLY recommend checking out our official Re:Yak Marketplace Facebook group. Here you can buy, sell, trade and creatively upcycle Yaks with like-minded people, extending the life of each item and meeting some lovely humans while you’re at it.
Looking for more inspo? Then our amazing Facebook Community group is the place for you! The loveliest creative Yakkers are all there ready to share ideas and support your Re:Yak project, plus there’s loads of fun challenges to get involved with like the latest #ReYakRewearChallenge.
Re:Yak Workshops
Our lovely shops in Brighton, Bristol and Norwich are all hosting their very own Re:Yak workshops at the end of January, with everything from embroidery to lino printing on offer.
Fancy joining in the fun? Head to the links below to get involved.
Lino Print Workshop in Brighton >>
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reyak-brighton-lino-print-workshop-tickets-510566467047
Fabric Painting Workshop in Bristol >>
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reyak-bristol-fabric-painting-tickets-510586898157
Embroidery Workshop in Norwich >>
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reyak-norwich-embroidery-workshop-tickets-510580970427
Who’s ready to wrap up 2022?!
After a whole year of festival tours, shop openings and creating new prints, shapes and styles for you lovely people –now’s the time to look back on everything we’ve achieved together.
Thank you so much for being a part of it!
Lucy, Co-Founder
If you could get one item from L&Y this holiday season, what would it be?
Blake Fleece in Archer Print I love our fleeces, they’re so snuggly and becoming one of the items I’m most excited to see each season, they look amazing with our prints on them, luckily it’s my business so I can have all of them, perks and all!
What would you buy for a L&Y newbie?
Black Ragan! Ragan’s are one of our best sellers, and everyone needs a simple black piece in their wardrobe that can be styled up for parties and can then be worn to work in the new year, I’m all about versatility!
What would you buy for a fellow Yakker?
Jenny Dungarees, these are a fairly new shape of dunga and we haven’t launched many, so I feel like anyone who already owns lots of our dungas would love to add this new shape to their collection.
Cory, Warehouse Team Leader
If you could get one item from L&Y this holiday season, what would it be?
A cushion cover would be great. My sofa could do with more cushions, and you can never have too many cushions!
What would you buy for a L&Y newbie?
One of our Cream Harper Fleeces for sure! We all love a hug right? What better way to pass on super fluffy warm hugs!
What would you buy for a fellow Yakker?
A set of Pyjamas! Everyone loves our products for the comfort, so why not take it to bed and literally sleep with the stars!
Katy, Bristol Shop Assistant
If you could get one item from L&Y this holiday season, what would it be?
I love having good quality basics in my wardrobe, so would be super chuffed to receive one of the cosy Aiden roll-necks, either in black or forest green.
What would you buy for a L&Y newbie?
Easy - a fleece! They’re unbelievably cosy (I defy anyone to wear one and not become a L&Y convert) and there’s a style/colourway/groovy pattern for everyone. Don’t tell her, but I’m planning to gift my mum the Harper fleece either in cream or the Astrid print.
What would you buy for a fellow Yakker?
If they already have everything on their wishlist, I think it’d be fun to give some Yak home adornment! Either a few cushion covers or an apron.
Justine, Bristol Shop Assistant
If you could get one item from L&Y this holiday season, what would it be?
Delores Jeans in Frida print. I love the wide leg fit of the Delores jeans and this print looks so funky!
What would you buy for a L&Y newbie?
A Brady bag. These bags are sooo practical and look great. Plus, they’re made with the off cut fabric from our dungarees - a great way of introducing the Lucy & Yak brand to a friend.
If you could get one item from L&Y this holiday season, what would it be?
Matching pyjamas for me, my partner, and ideally my dog (campaign to make dog pyjamas?).
What would you buy for a L&Y newbie?
Definitely a Brady bag. They go with every outfit and they’re small but mighty. The perfect accessory in my mind.
What would you buy for a fellow Yakker?
One of the new Travis borg hats. Such a cosy addition to anyone’s Lucy & yak wardrobe, and perfect for the upcoming chilly months!
Marcus, Facebook Community Member
If you could get one item from L&Y this holiday season, what would it be?
There are many L&Y pieces of clothing on my wishlist! Being gay, I always love the pride-themed clothes. Their fantastic bright colours and amazing patterns have allowed me to express my inner self so perfectly!
What would you buy for a L&Y newbie?
Sunflower Yaks always brighten the place up, and my friends always brighten up a room with their happiness and positivity, so I cannot find anything else so fitting for them!
What would you buy for a fellow Yakker?
I’ve already converted my mother to Lucy & Yak, as I bought her some Addison jeans for her birthday this October. However, she’s spoilt for choice when it comes to buying clothes just like I am… so I would drive her down to the Lucy & Yak Brighton store so she can pick and choose while asking the team for their recommendations, all whilst I have a look around to see what to buy for myself and my friends for Christmas!
Sonya, Facebook Community Member
If you could get one item from L&Y this holiday season, what would it be?
Original Dungas in Teal. I've seen these IRL and I didn't realise the brightness of the blue in them. A good autumn/winter season colour to wear but also nice for spring/summer season. Basically an all year round item to wear.
What would you buy for a L&Y newbie?
The Harper Fleece in black. This is a good starting point into the world of L&Y. Its super warm, super comfortable. It’s got all the pockets INCLUDING the giant inside ones. It's extremely squishy and it’s the perfect item for autumn/winter season. It's also made from sustainable materials too.
If you could get one item from L&Y this holiday season, what would it be?
Alexa Nevis trousers, I'm a proper outdoorsy girl and the mountain print on it is so lovely, and in perfect seasonal colours as well! The oversized fit and elasticated waist makes it perfect for layering over thermal base layers for winter walks.
What would you buy for a L&Y newbie?
I would go for a Stevie fleece in Navy Peony - the block colour is perfect to introduce someone into the world of Yaks without overwhelming them with all the amazing prints (they can be eased into these later!) These fleeces are also wonderfully soft and oversized, and so comfy for cold winter nights.
What would you buy for a fellow Yakker?
My sister would adore the Donna print Roxy jacket - the yellow and green floral print with the blue background is gorgeous, and these jackets go so well with so many pieces, especially any of the block colour dungarees! They're so comfy to wear and fit a jumper under just great.
Jodie, Content Creator
If you could get one item from L&Y this holiday season, what would it be?
Cole Jeans - These are GREAT for us curvy bods. They have the most beautifulest fit and are so flattering! I love to wear them, I have the black and white polka dot pair and wear them weekly!
What would you buy for a L&Y newbie?
There are so many things to choose from! Definitely the limited edition Lauren Marina & Yak T-shirt, it's super cute and would pair nicely with some dungarees, specifically the Corduroy Ediths!
What would you buy for a fellow Yakker?
Any one of the new fleeces, they are made with recycled bottles and I love that it adds a story to the item of clothing! They also give a timeless feel, it feels like it would never go out of style! My favourite colour is the Yellowstone! Hubba!
For more Yak Gift inspiration, check out our Yak Gift page.
If we could describe this year’s Fior Di Loto Friday in a word, it would have to be: WOW!
If you’re one of the lovely people who picked up a pair of Yaks and chose to do Black Friday a bit differently, thanks to you and the Yak community, there’s 223 girls heading to school for a life changing education.
Thanks again for getting involved, and we hope you get a lovely warm fuzzy feeling whenever you rock your new Yaks! We’ll be sharing updates from the school throughout the year, so make sure to check in and see the difference you’ve made.
One of the best things about our partnership with Fior Di Loto is that we get to visit and see exactly where your money goes. Our co-founder Lucy did just that this year, and saw how proactive Fior Di Loto is in the community, reaching out to girls and their families, and supporting them long after they’ve left the school!
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I met the founders of Fior DI Loto back in 2018, when Lucy & Yak was just 1 year old, and I was blown away by the incredible foundation Mara & Deepu have created. They have dedicated their lives to serve the school & local community, and I feel honoured to have been invited in to spend time with them and be a part of what they have created.
I have spoken personally to many of the students & teachers, who are all so grateful for Mara & Deepu for giving them this opportunity. Thanks to all our lovely customers we have been able to support them on their journey for 4 years now, and we plan to continue this for many years to come. Lasting change doesn’t happen overnight, we have to work hard together for many years to see the fruits and this is what we plan to do with this amazing foundation.
It costs just £250 to send a girl to school for a WHOLE year, so your donations really do go a long way!
We welcome feedback, if you have any feedback please email positivechange@lucyandyak.com
“Organic cotton drives meaningful change in the textile industry to address the interconnected climate, biodiversity, soil, and water crises we face. Organic cotton comes from a farming system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems, and people, by relying on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions.” – Textile Exchange
All of our organic cotton is GOTS certified, ensuring a responsible process right through the supply chain from seed to garment. We’ve spoken about the benefits of organic cotton a lot (refer to our fabrics and dyes page for more info) and it’s why we’ve always made sure that we use organic cotton to make our Yaks. Organic cotton has always come at a higher price tag, but to us it has been a small price to pay to ensure responsible practices are carried out throughout the supply chain.
One of the main reasons we also choose to use only GOTS certified organic cotton is due to the traceability benefits. Without this traceability, we would have no way of knowing for sure where the cotton has come from. If cotton has no traceability, then there is no guarantee of fair practices in the supply chain and there is no guarantee that it is actually organic.
In June, we wrote about the demand for organic cotton being on the up (good news!) as the fashion industry looks to improve its sustainability credentials. This, along with other factors, such as the impact of climate change affecting the world’s largest cotton growing regions, is affecting the amount of organic cotton available. At the moment, demand for organic cotton is far outstripping supply.
Lucy & Yak remain absolutely committed to not compromising on the quality of our products and our sustainable practices. But in order to do this, we needed to increase the price across all of our products.
We always want to be as transparent as possible with the Yak community and, with this in mind, we have explained further why using organic cotton is more expensive than normal, conventional cotton.
Harvesting costs / at farm level
Unlike conventional cotton, organic cotton is grown without the use of any synthetic or chemical-based products i.e. synthetic fertilisers or pesticides. This means that farmers need to take care of any weeds or insects without using harmful chemicals. This is a longer and more skilled process.
Organic cotton is normally harvested by hand, not by machine. This is also more labour intensive and takes more time and money.
Organically grown cotton produces less yield than conventionally grown cotton and requires the maintenance of healthy soil to sustain growth. Less yield means there is less organic cotton available than conventional cotton which drives up the price.
Manufacturing costs / at supplier level
GOTS certified organic cotton uses non-toxic dyes or natural dyes that are more expensive than dyes used with conventional cotton.
Organic cotton must be kept separate from conventional cotton throughout the manufacturing (and transportation) process. This includes processes such as ginning and cleaning the organic cotton, where the cost is much higher than the conventional cotton because of the smaller quantities involved.
Manufacturing processes on the whole are increasing. The rise in energy costs, labour costs and fuel/transportation mean that suppliers require a higher price for their goods.
Certification costs / all supply chain
Our GOTS certified products come from suppliers who are also GOTS certified.
Testing for compliance and certification by GOTS is an expensive process. As well as the environmental requirements, working conditions and labour standards are assessed and verified throughout.
GOTS certification needs to be renewed every year by all parties involved in the production process.
We hope this helps to explain why we have had to increase our prices, and we continue to thank you for all your support!
References:
https://cariki.co.uk/blogs/the-green-road/why-is-organic-cotton-better
]]>
As more and more people get involved in Halloween celebrations, the more demand there is for scary costumes, decorations, treats and tricks.
Research shows that a whopping 30 million people in the UK dress up for Halloween, and more than 90% of families consider buying costumes.
But the real horror story is that every year, roughly 7 million outfits are thrown away, and only a tiny proportion are recycled*.
But there is another way!
This year we’re encouraging the Yak Community and beyond to have a Re:Yak Halloween – reusing Yaks and clothes you already own for a costume that’s not only kinder to the planet, but can be used again and again for many Halloweens to come.
We’ve got PLENTY of costume inspo, ideas and general Halloween tips from now until 31st, helping you to cut down on waste while dialing up the scares!
Top tips for a Re:Yak Halloween
Create your own
What’s the cheapest, most eco-friendly costume? The one you already own!
Dive into your wardrobe and find the most ‘you’ outfit you own, using your Yaks to get creative with your costume.
You’ll be amazed, shocked and stunned at just how many costumes you can create using a pair of Yaks – keep an eye out on our socials for lots of creepy inspo to get you started!
Ditch the disposables
Hosting a Halloween party? Cut down on waste by avoiding disposable cups, plates and cutlery. Use regular dishes or buy biodegradable ones, and use a marker (or apply cute labels) to identify cups so party-goers can keep track of theirs.
DIY decorations
We know it might be a no-brainer, but it’s not just the costumes that give us a shock over Halloween. From synthetic wigs to plastic buckets and flimsy party decorations, plastic is rife!
Get crafty, get the kids involved, and find materials at home that make for fun decorations without the waste. Everything from cardboard boxes to the netting from a bag of oranges is just waiting to be turned into tombstones and spiderwebs.
]]>
In case you’re new to the Yak Community, we LOVE to collaborate with artists on new prints – bringing together distinctive personalities and styles that represent the Yak spirit while keeping things feeling fresh and exciting.
Here’s three of the latest fab creative folk we’ve just teamed up with recently:
LAUREN MARINA
Lauren Marina is a freelance artist, illustrator, and pattern designer living by the seaside in Dorset, UK. Her work is largely inspired by nature and folklore, creating a tranquil and soulful mood with her bold black and white drawings.
MADELEINE MCMICHAEL
Madeleine is a Brooklyn-based designer and illustrator. She has a vibrant and playful aesthetic and she is often inspired by vintage design and typography. With a focus on illustration and branding, Madeleine is always eager to collaborate with passionate people and brands!
EMMA HALL
Emma is a designer from Cambridge UK, living in Lisbon, Portugal. Her Mozambican side (courtesy of her Mum) inspires much of the colour and forms of her work, but she is also enamoured with the natural world – especially flowers which feature in many of her designs. One sentiment she tries to carry across in her work is honouring life with beauty, something she adopted from her African studies. Working with Lucy and Yak has been a dream for her (her words not ours!) and she can't wait to wear her designs in real life.
Fancy creating your own artist collab with Lucy & Yak?
Get in touch at artists@lucyandyak.com
]]>Nestled in Stokes Croft alongside our fellow indie businesses, this is only the second Lucy & Yak shop in the UK, joining the family alongside our beloved flagship store in Brighton.
You can find us at: 20 Stokes Croft, St Paul's, Bristol, BS1 3PR
We’ll be opening our doors Monday to Saturday from 10-6pm, and from 11-5pm every Sunday.
Come say hi! We’d love to see you there!
Lucy Greenwood, co-founder of Lucy & Yak, said:
“We are so excited to be coming to Bristol permanently, following a great pop-up earlier this year. The city is such a cultural and creative place and one we can’t wait to be a part of! It also allows us to reach even more of our amazing community, which is something we plan to do more of this year and next - keep your eyes peeled!”
]]>You’ll find exclusive samples, old faves and loads bargains too! All while keeping fab clothes in circulation – not 100% perfect but still 100% fab.
If you can, come pay us a visit! (We can’t wait to see our lovely Northern Yak community). It’s a great way to find the Yaks you love for less than usual, while helping keep perfectly wearable clothes in circulation for longer.
The Open Kitchen Cafe team located at People's History Museum will also be offering a 10% discount to anyone who’s either rocking a pair of Yaks or just bought a pair at our sale – happy days!
When:
Saturday 8th October 2022
12pm-5pm
Sunday 9th October 2022
10am-5pm
Where:
People’s History Museum
Left Bank
Spinningfields
Manchester M3 3ER
Make sure to register for your free spot via Eventbrite here.
Fingers crossed we’ll see you there!
Meet Sonia, our Head of sourcing & our supply chain based in India 🌏 We sat down with her for our latest edition of Yak Staff Selects 💚 She’ll tell you we've wanted to do a seeded tag for aaaaages (Veg AND Yaks? Yes please), so we're super happy to have a great collection of Yaks going out with our lovely tags attached.
Hi Sonia, can you tell us a little bit about yourself, what your role is at L&Y and when you started?
My name Sonia Sethi and I carry almost 23 years of experience in the apparel industry. I have been working with Lucy & Yak since 2017 and became the Head of Sourcing & Supply Chain at the company in 2019.
As head of sourcing and supply chain for L&Y, what do you most enjoy about your role?
My work is my passion and with Lucy & Yak I am living my passion freely. It is a lovely experience to work in a multi- cultural environment which helps me to work effectively with international peers and a strong supplier base.
We recently introduced products with seeded tags, can you tell us what seeded tags are?
The process of making these tags is very simple. It starts from gathering old paper to turning it into a pulp for seeding. After the plant pulp is dried to make plantable paper, it is cut and decorated as per the necessary requirements (we used tomato seeds). This process doesn’t need any special technology or equipment which is handy. By using these plantable seed tags, we demonstrate that our brand is committed to preserving the environment.
Where did the idea come from and do you have insight on how seeded tags are created?
Yes, it is a very interesting story. My son had gone for a birthday party (before COVID) and got gifted a seeded paper diary. Lucy, Chris and I were going to a factory so I showed them this booklet and we’ve been aiming to create them since then. It’s lovely to see it come to life!
What are your top tips for planting seeded tags?
There is just one thumb rule which is: do not sow the seed very deep!