What's Happening This Summer / 2019 Reflections

Welcome to 2020! I know everyone says it but I truly can't believe that 2019 is over, it's been a crazy whirlwind of lessons, mistakes and massive achievements for me. At the beginning of the year, I made the decision to officially drop out of high school a year early and ever since I've been riding the sometimes tumultuous wave of freelancing and self-employment. But overall, 2019 has been pretty kind to me, so here are some of my highlights and plans for the near future.

Since leaving school I started my Depop store which after some serious photoshoots, lots of promotion and hard work kind of took off! I plan to write up a separate post entirely on this topic with some stats on my sales for anyone that's interested. But, I'm extremely proud of how much my business has grown in 2019, with over 300 items sold across Depop, Instagram and Facebook. It also enabled me to interact with so many new people, push the boundaries of my creativity and do what I love best as my job; thrifting! This year I hit the op shops so many times I lost count and I scored so many incredible pieces for myself and the store. I plan to continue on this way right into 2020!

The first big plan for my business is to give it a name, the one thing that my store is really lacking is a unique identity. So, I've spent the latter part of this year doing some major brainstorming and trying to find the perfect name for my store. I'll be announcing more on this soon, but I'm super excited about it. I'd also love to set up a website where you can buy pieces directly through PayPal or Apple Pay etc. That way I can really work on churning out more frequent lookbooks and extra bits and bobs along with the regular clothing drops. I've also been looking into trialling a little 'lifestyle collection' with a focus on 1960s/1970s home decor and kitchenware pieces. This would be a branch off my Depop store and something I would advertise more on my Instagram or potential website, but I think it could be a fun idea.

Then, of course, I'll be picking up some incredible thrifted pieces over in Los Angeles, where I'll be travelling by myself for two weeks in March. If you want to read more about this, see my separate post with all the details here. This will be my first international thrifting trip ever and I can't wait to source some truly incredible and unique pieces for you all!

I'll also be travelling and thrifting a little more locally, with an upcoming trip to Dunedin and Alexandra planned! This will be a great opportunity to see my Grandparents over in Alex and spend some time in their incredible mid-century house. I'll also get a ton of op-shopping time, with all of Dunedin to explore too. My travel plans will eventually take me to Perth later this year to visit my uncle, aunt and baby cousin, Mia Bella. I really just want to spend as much time with Mia as possible as she is growing up and if I can get a little thrifting done while I'm over there that's a bonus!

One of the great things about working for myself is that I can really plan trips whenever I feel like it and hopefully fund them by selling clothes and prints that I shoot along the way. Speaking of which, I'll be exhibiting in the 2020 NZ Art Show, along with plenty of other incredible artists. This is something I've done for several years now and it's a great way to get my art out there and make a little extra money too. I'm still in the process of finding some new places to exhibit and lockdown dates to really get going again. Selling art is probably one of the more difficult and confusing branches of my freelance work and something that can be relatively unpredictable. Art is so subjective, so it's really about finding someone who appreciates what I create and wants to help me grow.

For now, I'm trying to sort through my muddled half-holiday brain that's not quite ready to get into things again. But, for me, it's about constantly being stimulated with new and exciting projects that will keep my creative juices flowing! I leave for Dunedin on Monday, so I'll be dropping a ton of new clothes on my store before then and keeping everyone up to date with my travels over on Instagram (here). Here's to a (hopefully) fantastic new decade!

Bella 🌼

Wanganui Colour Study

If you read this blog then you're probably well and truly sick of seeing colour study posts, again and again. I'm sorry, I just love them! This one has to be my favourite yet, I'm obsessed with all of the different colour and texture combinations and I hope that as I slowly educate myself on the workings of Photoshop you don't judge my cutting and pasting too harshly!

After the celebrations of my eighteenth birthday, which spanned across several joyful days, I made the familiar trip up to Wanganui with my grandmother for a few nights. As you may possibly know, I have a beautiful, inspirational and very glamorous 97-year-old great grandmother living on her own in Wanganui. We don't get to visit her nearly as much as we want to, so I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to get some quality time with her and my grandmother before Christmas. We embarked on our journey early Thursday morning, stopping off at op shops and Savemarts along the way. I found a ton of great stuff for the store, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

As we drove through Otaki on the way there, we both spotted the cutest little yellow caravan for sale, parked just off the road. Obviously, I was quick to whip out my phone and start snapping away, but under closer examination, we realised that it was actually for sale. Although I literally do not have anywhere near enough money to actually buy it, I would've sold my soul. This 1967 beauty had been fully renovated, with a new yellow and brown paint job, orange glass windows and an interior completely fitting with its original era. It was so dang cute.

I did quickly discover that I hadn't packed appropriately with my giant denim jacket and multiple pairs of long pants as it was so bloody hot. But I'm not complaining, bring on Summer! Our trip to Wanganui consisted of many games of Scrabble and somewhat confusing hands at poker. We ate tasty food, drank gin and tonic, visited many op shops and I even got a chance to take some photos with my camera for the first time in ages. As you may have seen on my Insta story, I was completely amazed and so impressed by the amount of vintage stock at the Wanganui Savemart. If you're an avid Savemart visitor then you've probably noticed their usually small and abysmal 'retro' section, where you'd be lucky to find something that isn't crazy overpriced and covered in stains. But Wanganui was the exception. There I found an entire isle, the length of the Savemart absolutely brimming with beautiful vintage and retro pieces and it was cheap!! So, you can bet I picked up so many stunning bits for the store that you're all going to love!

For me, family time is so important. Especially at this time in my life where I have no idea how much longer I'll be in Wellington for. So it was lovely to get some quality time with my grandmother's and a great bonus to pick up bags and bags of thrifted clothing to sell! I'm also super pleased with these photos, several pairings in particular that I think work really well and it was so fun to edit and create. I'd love to hear your thoughts, which edit is your favourite?
As always, thanks for stopping by :))

Bella 🌼

Birthday Colour Study

It's official...I'm finally eighteen! It feels like I've waited so long to be the same age as my closet friends (and Ben) and to actually be considered a legal adult. Landing on a Sunday this year, my birthday was on the 24th of November. I spent my day surrounded by my favourite people, opening presents, playing card games and eating my all-time favourite meals. It was a lovely day and I'm super grateful to have so many amazing people in my life that made it so special. But, after the excitement was over I found (like most years) a new age didn't really make much of a difference to how I felt.

We decided to go out the night before my birthday hit, so as the clock struck midnight I'd be an official (legal) adult. But, I found that the novelty wore off pretty quickly when I witnessed the horrors of Courtenay Place on a Saturday night. I had been so excited to experience this foreign thing that was so often discussed within my friend circle. But, I didn't even make it to the door of the first club before giving up and deciding it just wasn't for me. It was also a case of eating some crazy fried chicken and then being stuck in a sweaty, overcrowded line of drunk teenagers that did it. Ben and I walked home, feeling a little defeated and not very 'eighteen' at all.

I've now been eighteen for just over a week and I can honestly say it feels just like seventeen. I haven't even taken my ID out for a night yet, and I really don't have any desire to. I guess those 'right of passage' things just aren't for everyone and maybe I'll always prefer the tamer things in life. I did feel a little disappointed when I woke on the morning of my birthday. It was as if I'd failed at being a true teenager and I simply couldn't understand why I disliked it so much. Maybe it was the copious amounts of vomit all over the pavement or the testosterone-filled groups of sweaty boys that put me off. Or are we meant to enjoy that at eighteen??

Hopefully, I'm not the only one that feels this way, but I think I've finally accepted that I don't have to enjoy clubbing or gross bars to be eighteen. There are plenty of things that I do in my day to day life that bring me so much more joy than those experiences ever could. For me, eighteen is going to be an age of independence and growing up. I'm super excited to tell you all (very soon) about my plan for next year and how I plan to grow my business and this blog in the future. With every new age and new year that goes by I learn so much more, especially about myself, and this year has been no exception. So, happy birthday to me! :))

Bella 🌼

Playschool - A Depop Lookbook

It's about time I shot another Depop Lookbook and once again this one features my beautiful friends Taara and Stella! As we head into Summer and my Depop store begins transitioning into shorts, skirts and dresses I wanted to show you some different ways of styling Summer looks and how each piece looks on different body types too! This Summer you'll find groovy coloured shorts on the store, along with matching tanks and tie-up cardigans. I also scored an incredible vintage matching set that you're gonna love! So, keep your eyes peeled...

As always, I love the blend of retro style with contemporary trends and details from 90s and early 2000s fashion. I don't like pigeonholing the style of my store too much and I don't think there are any rules as to how many or few styles you can mix into your closet. I've been loving knee-length shorts at the moment and already have a few for sale on the store (see here and here). I also adore the way they look with some chunky boots or better yet-cowboy boots! Stella wears the slime green knee-length shorts coming to the store soon, paired with some groovy white boots that will also be available in the next few weeks. It's such an unlikely combination but I love it, especially with the black and white contrast stitch tank!

Something you'll be seeing a lot of on the store (in any season) is bright, vibrant colours. I love the way that Stella wears the bright yellow vest with the yellow plaid cotton shorts. That clashy look is so fun and perfect for warmer weather. You'll find plenty of yellow, as well as orange, red, purple and of course, green! Taara wears my favourite lil slime green crop (coming soon), with the green Paul Frank slide belt available on the store now. Even though it's Summer, I always like to have funky pairs of pants in rotation, they always come in handy. Taara also wears the 1970s cream flares, which will be coming to the store later this month.

I try to stock as many items on my Depop store that can be mixed and matched to create multiple different looks. Everything you see on Taara and Stella can be switched around to create completely different outfits with unique colour schemes! I love a good statement piece, but it's made even better when you can pair it with multiple different bits in your existing closet. Taara wears the vintage red plaid shorts, which I'm so obsessed with! These shorts look great with a simple shirt, or a milkmaid style top like the one see in this look. I would also style these plaid shorts with some knee-high boots for a more retro look.

I'm super excited for Summer and all of the fun new pieces that will be coming your way! I'd love to style some more shoots over the Summer too, showcasing my clothes on different body types and with outfits to (hopefully) inspire you. So, if you're a Wellington gal who wants some free shots in some funky second-hand clothing (+ a lil discount on the store) then reach out to me and we'll set something up! You'll be seeing plenty more of these gorgeous humans, Stella and Taara too!
Read below for individual items and Depop links.





(All images belong to Bella Foster Depop and you can find original listings here)

Groovy 90s Does 70s White Boots - coming soon
Retro Lemon Yellow Vest - $35 nzd
Slime Green Vintage Shorts - coming soon
Fluffy Orange Bucket Hat - $38 nzd
True Vintage 1970s Red Plaid Shorts - $52 nzd
Lemon Yellow Puffed Sleeve Milkmaid Top - $42 nzd
1970s Cream Flares - coming soon
Green Paul Frank Canvas Slide Belt - $32 nzd
White Knit Vest w Black Contrast Stitch - $22 nzd
Vintage Yellow & Blue Cotton Shorts - $49 nzd
Slime Green Crop Cardigan - coming soon

Bella 🌼