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 🌼

Moving Out (Fran & Matt)

Moving out; a concept that was once so foreign to me but now seems to be slowly but surely creeping into reality. It won't be long before Ben and myself make that decision to leave home and it's terrifying but so bloody exciting. We've both decided that in the very near future our priorities will revolve around travel, travelling as much and as far as we can. But, moving into our own place or living with friends is definitely on the horizon. Even more so now that two of our favourite people have officially made that leap together! Yes-Fran and Matt are back on the blog (I do have other friends, I promise).

It's only been a few weeks in their new place, but Fran and Matt have moved in together and have already had to deal with adult things like locksmiths and washing machines! We visited their new place after they'd settled in and it was crazy to see two people's lives melded together within a small space. But I loved it! We played board games, went on a drive and ate butter chicken and it felt very grown-up (strangely).

Last week Fran, Matt and I went on a tiki tour in Matt's car to find some new and exciting photo spots in Wellington. This involved a lot of Fran and I squealing when we saw something we liked and Matt (the chauffeur) pulling over as fast as possible. It was interesting how many people looked at us strangely for simply taking photos in a suburban area. It's always been that way, but it's still funny to me that people found it so peculiar, it's 2019, c'mon!

We ended up stumbling across some incredible orange-tinted glass that we were practically drooling over and a couple of amazing little mid-century houses, one with an impressive succulent garden out front. I'm so pleased with how these photos turned out, I love the colours and the suburban feel of the houses and streets we were shooting. I never really have a plan for how my photos will turn out, especially when we're literally picking locations as we go. But after editing these images, I immediately got American suburbia vibes, or a young couple buying their first home?? Especially those photos of Fran and Matt outside the mid-century house, it looks like they've just been handed the keys!

If you follow me on Instagram (here), then you've probably seen my extensive photoshoots of Ben's waffles every time he makes them. I'm not usually a big fan of sweet breakfast foods like pancakes and waffles, but Ben does make a darn good one. For some reason, I find them so aesthetically pleasing and can't help but take hundreds of photos of them, super strange. But, I love how the waffle image melds with these shots in the final edit, it was a super random decision but I really like the way that the colours and unique texture complement the final images. I also love chopping things in Photoshop, such good fun!

As we're nearing December and the beginning of a new year, I find myself thinking more about what my future will look like. I truly can't wait for the day I have my own house (or pokey little apartment), for me, my space is my sanctuary and I'm bursting at the seams in my teenage bedroom, give me a kitchen to decorate!! But for now, I'll live vicariously through Fran and Matt's new exciting adult lives and hopefully learn a lot about paying bills and taking out the rubbish on time. Fran also took some super fun photos of me on this shoot, which I'll be posting soon...along with a very exciting announcement! Stay tuned!

See Fran here
See Matt here

Bella 🌼