#tricolour t-shirts | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

unprofessional-bard · 5 years ago

Text

Chapter 1 - Small Beginnings

Losing My Religion Series Masterlist

Unprofessional Bard's Masterlist

Previous Chapter • Next Chapter

Pairing: Joel Miller × Female!Reader/OC

Summary: Joel, Ellie and the reader start their month long journey to Jackson. Although it takes time for the reader and Joel to get to trust one another, things develop quicker with Ellie.

Word Count: 5.668

Warnings: Canon typical violence, detailed description of bloodshed/gore and death; PTSD related events and some sexual tension ;)

Author's Note: Here goes another part of the series! There's this one bit where the reader and Ellie are sleeping, I was kind of inspired by that one scene in the beginning of Lady Bird where Christine and her mom are sleeping, so... Anyways I hope y'all like it 🥰

Enjoy!

Moving out of Carmel and Indiana altogether to Illinois was quite the challenge but it didn't take you all too long to reach a city named Peoria. The route Joel had picked was crawling with infected and you had to take detours to avoid them, barely having any time to rest; but when you reached the city in question, it turned out to be awfully quiet there. Although Joel knew you were special forces, he was impressed with your precision and combat discipline - but of course he kept it to himself.

"The weather is getting colder," Ellie commented when you all settled down on a secure, empty house- the sun was beginning to set.

Before you left the building in Carmel a few days ago, Ellie had fetched Kurt's backpack while Joel and her were collecting some ammo from the room he was held in. You couldn't look at your teammates' dead or infected bodies, you couldn't dare - it would've been too much to take in all at once. All you had asked of Joel and Ellie was to close their eyes if they were possibly open, and waited for them at the other end of the hall, crying quietly. Joel gave you your rifle (it had your name on it and it was left on the same table as Kurt's backpack) and Ellie handed you Kurt's bag with his stuff in it.

"I thought you might want to have this," she had said with melancholic eyes.

You smiled and thanked her. She clearly wasn't aware of who Kurt was and what he meant to you. He had his famous jacket and blade rolled up in the bag, a few supplies and ammo and finally, a picture of both of you on the front pocket. He was like a teacher and guardian to you, you wouldn't have survived this long if it weren't for him and knowing he was no longer with you destroyed you, stabbed you in the guts and made you feel sick. Of course you had to swallow it all down and wait until either you reached Jackson or met your maker on the way.

"Hey, why don't you wear this," you took Kurt's jacket off and tossed it to her. "It should keep you warm at night."

"What about you? You're more exposed than I am," Ellie objected as you were still in your undershirt. It had more blood on it than it had while you were in Carmel.

"I saw a clothing shop around the corner," you smiled and grabbed your rifle from the table in the living room. "I'll swing by quickly, see if it still has some clothes in it and I'll get us all something warm."

"You're not going now," Joel entered the room. "The sun is setting."

"It hasn't yet and I'll be quick, don't worry." You turned to leave but Joel stopped you. "It's right around the corner, you saw it. We need new clothes, Joel."

He hesitated for a moment, then moved out of the way. He often forgot you were as quick as a snake in grass.

You cleared out the single runner in the store, which had no legs and had his spine following it around like a tail. The store was quite empty at first, but you checked a couple of rooms in the back and found a lot of clothing from the "autumn collection". There was a tricolour raincoat that could fit Ellie, you also grabbed a black blouse for her and moved to the women's section. You quickly started feeling the texture of every blouse you came across (your options were more limited comparing to the kids section) and eventually grabbed a dark brown blouse, then searched through a bag of jeans. There were only two left, one your size and the other significantly bigger. It felt weird, finally getting your hands on normal clothes.

Just before you moved onto men's clothing, your eyes landed on the underwear section for women. You began digging through it but there was no normal underwear left. What you had was dark coloured thong's and brazilian's and matching bra's.

"Yeah... Who'd wear these in the middle of the apocalypse..." you muttered to yourself and groaned. You had no other choice but to take them and you hated how fancy they were, with their laces and everything.

You made sure to grab Ellie some underwear too and you wished you were as small as she was, for children's underwear looked more comfortable and normal. You felt odd at first, wondering how she'd react, but she needed clean clothing as much as you did.

You moved to another room, dug through men's section which was also quite empty. The only things left were plaid, lumberjack shirts and a sack of black t-shirts, so you immediately grabbed one of each.

You quickly sneaked back to the house, praying that you wouldn't get into trouble as your cargo was quite heavy.

"That was quick," Ellie told you as you set your rifle aside once more, making Joel wait outside the room as you handed Ellie the clothing you got for her.

"Told ya," you smiled. "These are for you... I uh, I hope you don't mind that I got this too."

You showed her the underwear and her eyes widened: "Oh, um- thank you."

Although it was a bit awkward, Ellie was grateful nevertheless. While she got dressed, you went to the room Joel was in.

"I got something for you too," You announced as you walked in. "It's not much, the shop was completely ransacked, but it should do."

"Oh," Joel, surprised, took the clothing and studied it before quietly saying: "Thanks."

You smiled shortly and moved to leave, but his voice stopped you: "Uh, I don't wear XXL..."

You turned around and smirked: "Oh, my apologies, did you really think I was focusing on the size while looking for something to wear?"

Joel sighed and nodded: "Right... you got yourself some stuff?"

"Of course I did," you rolled your eyes. "Finally, kissing this nasty thing goodbye."

Joel's lips turned upwards slightly, then you walked out. He actually appreciated the way your undershirt hugged your frame. You were built quite well, body resembling one of an athlete's - thanks to the torture like training you'd gone through pre and post outbreak. Joel shook his head, what the hell am I thinking, and began changing.

You walked into a bedroom with a mirror and sat down on the bed, slowly removing your undershirt. It used to be white and decorated with different stains, now it was completely red.

You froze at the sight of your body - it was almost completely covered with dried blood and bruises, your mind immediately reminding you of the events that happened dayss ago.

----

"Well, well, well; if it isn't our fish out of water lads..." you heard the all too familiar British accented voice behind you as two hunters pressed you down to the floor along with your teammates. "You really are hard to kill, eh? Well, well done Gabe."

You struggled against the men who were holding you down, spitting blood on the floor.

"Gabe! You son of a whore!" Maxim, the teams sniper, yelled and earned himself a punch in the gut. You breathed furiously against the floor, anxiety rising as you had a few ideas on what you were going to face, watching Gabe walk over and greet the leader of the group.

"Move them upstairs," the leader commanded and the hunters dragged you off the floor to your feet. You tried to escape but they were built like an ox - you doubled over when one of them punched you in the gut, blood coming out of your mouth. "Put them in the room to the right, except for this one..."

He walked over to you slowly and grabbed your jaw tightly, making you growl and spit on his face: "This one goes to the room on the left... She'll be my special guest after I gut all of her teammates."

And with that, he wiped the blood off his face and sucker punched you, making your vision go black.

----

"(Y/N)?" You heard Ellie knocking on the door. "Can I come in? I have your jacket."

You quickly walked to the door and hid behind it before opening it: "Thanks Ellie."

You closed the door once more and muttered to yourself: "I can't wear these before I get cleaned..."

The only thing you missed about the Boston QZ was the showers. They were cold and you didn't have any soap, but in the end you still got cleaned.

You quickly walked into the bathroom connected to the bedroom and digged through the cupboards to find something - anything to help you get rid of the blood. When you couldn't, you tried for the bath aimlessly. You were caught completely off guard when water hit your face, so you shrieked.

"Holy shit," you breathed heavily, too surprised at the water streaming out to hear Joel's footsteps bursting in through the room.

"(Y/N)?!" Joel called for you when he walked in and saw your discarded undershirt. "Are you-"

"I'm fine, there's water here!" You spoke excitedly, but suddenly the water almost stopped pouring. "Oh no."

"What?"

"The water's stuck, I think?" You tried to pull the shower head out but it didn't work. "Quick, pass me my knife!"

"Where is it?"

"In my bag!" You pulled harder on the showerhead as he went through your bag, only to come across your new set of underwear. He froze at the sight, but immediately grabbed the knife after you shouted Quickly Joel! His eyes widened even more when he saw your half naked state, but didn't stop from going in and giving you the knife. You got into the tub and cut the showerhead off, water immediately coming out and pouring onto your body.

"Ah! Shit-" you gasped at the cold touch of the water and stumbled out, body completely soaked.

"Son of a bitch," Joel stared at the bathtub in awe before turning to you and looking you up and down. "I guess you, uh, you should go first. Keep it short."

"Yes sir," you rolled your eyes.

Joel quickly walked out, his stomach doing a flip, almost bumping into Ellie.

"What happened?"

"(Y/N) found some water in the bath..."

"Shit, really?"

"Yeah."

"Fuck yeah!" Ellie exclaimed. "Our luck seems to be turning ever since she joined us, huh?"

Joel didn't make a comment even though, when he looked at it, you really did bring some luck with you.

You quickly washed your hair and cleaned the blood off with your fingers as fast as you could - your arms, chest, lower body, legs...

"You've got to be kidding me..." You smiled when you got out and came across towels in a cupboard in the bedroom. You dried off and called Ellie once you were dressed up, letting her know it was her turn.

While you waited on her to finish, you went over to Joel: "Do we have any bandages left?" You showed him your arms and wrists: "They're not quite healed yet."

Joel looked at you from where he was seated - you looked so different in normal clothing and with your hair down and wet, he almost thought you looked real pretty.

"Yup," he cleared his throat and proceeded to bring some out of his bag. "Sit here."

You sat across him on a leather couch as he applied the new bandage: "This place is so weird, it's almost untouched. I found some towels and more clothing you might wanna see in the wardrobes."

"M-hm," he hummed, then moved onto your other arm.

"It's feels so good to be out of those clothes," you smiled, trying to make conversation. "If only there were some socks, I'd be complete."

"Yeah... like the little set you got for yourself?" Joel (actually) teased, making you blush.

"How did you- Oh, right..." You remembered he had to rummage through your bag to find your knife. "They were the only ones left!"

"Right..."

"I mean it! Do you think I'm in the position to impress someone in the middle of an apocalypse?"

"I'm just messin' with ya," Joel smirked slightly and looked at your face once he was done. "Did you by any chance come across jeans or something in those wardrobes?"

"Pants, shoes, underwear- as I said, this place is untouched." You replied and pulled your sleeves down as he got up and left.

The journey from Peoria to the outskirts of Omaha, Nebraska was mostly uneventful. Every day you gained more strength, keeping watch more than Ellie and Joel as Joel seemed to trust you a little more now. You had also discovered that Joel's brother, Tommy, was waiting for them in Jackson. He used to be a Firefly that you helped here and there - you used to send aid whenever you could to the Fireflies, as you thought they served a better cause, but that vision got destroyed once Tommy and a few others quit. You worked with him quite often and were surprised to find out that him and Joel were brothers - for multiple reasons.

"Uh, was Tommy by any chance a Firefly?" You had asked one day, cutting through a shady looking buding in Bloomfield.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"I used to help them get around FEDRA a few years ago- how come you ended up separately?"

"Wait, what-" Joel began, but the sounds of clickers interrupted him. "Shit."

You immediately raised your rifle and got into position in front of Ellie: "Stay behind me."

It was just two clickers on the entire floor - you made it out without breaking any sweat. You decided not to ask about Tommy again, not getting to hear the rest of the story until you reached Jackson.

It had been approximately two weeks ever since you left Carmel, now you were in Omaha, clearing out yet another apartment to rest in. You hated breaks in buildings, you preferred lakesides, where the water was calm. What you liked about the country and the route was the abundance of lakes and rivers. You got to clean yourself more often, wild life was mostly around it so you didn't starve and it was safer around water - unless it was a stream. You always walked far away from streams, it earned you a few questions but you always managed to avoid them.

Joel was less grumpy with you each passing day. What Ellie had said about luck when you found water in the shower stuck with him, as the road was mostly clear for the three of you; not encountering large groups of Hunters or any herds for a couple of days made things a lot easier. Comparing to his journey from Boston to Carmel, Joel had to agree you were like a good luck charm.

There were a few clickers on the floor that needed to be sweeped. You and Joel moved side by side through the corridors, quietly taking out the abomination. You slowly walked through a door and swept the room with your eyes quickly.

"Clear- through here," You whispered. Just as you were inspecting a crack on the ceiling, a deafening shriek filled your ears and two clickers fell through the crack, bringing half of the ceiling down with them. You jumped backwards to where Joel and Ellie stood, tripping and falling on your back, grunting as quietly as you could. Suddenly, you felt Joel's hands under your arms, dragging you up and away from the wreck. He backed the both of you up to the corner of the room as the clickers slowly got up. Ellie quickly hid under the desk on the other side of the room, but you couldn't get a hold of your footing while trying to keep an eye on her and bumped right into Joel, pushing him into the corner completely with your back pressed tightly against his body. You were breathing too heavily, Joel had to put his hand over your mouth. The closer the clicker got to you, the more you pressed yourself against him. You bit your lip and slowly took out your knife.

The clicker, after making its distressing and obnoxious noises inches away from your face, turned around and walked over to the other one.

You sighed as best as you could with Joel's hand over your mouth, his breath coming down hot on your neck and ear, making you shiver involuntarily. This situation could've been better if our lives weren't at risk, you thought as Joel slowly removed his hands from your waist and mouth. You immediately went for the kill, decided it was too risky to stay here, then moved to another floor.

"Phew," Ellie had said once it was safe. "That was way too close."

"Yeah," you replied, slightly shivering at the memory. However you weren't sure if it were your closeness to Joel or the clickers almost falling on top of you that made you shiver this time.

Days later, somewhere near the Wyoming border, you found an empty cabin in the forest. You'd just escaped a herd and decided to hide there until it passed entirely. Luckily, they were coming from Wyoming; you would've had real shitty luck if it were the other way around.

You had been keeping watch for the past two days so you barely got any sleep, you were restless and tired, so Joel took watch and gave you and Ellie some time to rest.

The cabin was very small, it had only one double bed in the only other room connected to it. You both laid down and just as your eyes were about to close, Ellie started asking a variety of questions which were unrelated to each other, eventually putting you to sleep with her hushed voice. Ellie had really grown on you and you could tell she liked you too. You cared a big deal for her and, as you'd grown older and spent every day with her, she really brought out a motherly side to you; which wasn't entirely bad but it wasn't too good either.

A few hours later you woke up for a brief moment, out of the blue. You were facing Ellie: She was asleep, her body rising and falling slowly. She looked so adorable and at peace like this, it made you smile. You carefully brushed a strand of hair out of her face and watched her for a while, slowly slipping back to sleep.

----

"Please... let her go!" you whined.

"Shut her up!" The man growled and one of the men who were holding you punched your side, making you cry.

Your vision was blurry, but not blurry enough to keep you from seeing the scarring images of your teammate being tied to a tree next to a stream by her ankle. She was passed out, beaten by the group of Hunters who held you captive, so she couldn't do anything but let them throw her unconscious self into the water.

"No! No! Please!" You sobbed, blood pouring from your mouth.

You watched her drown in the stream, crying helplessly. Your only hope was Kurt's tracking skills finding you before she drowned completely - however minutes passed, which felt like eternity, but Kurt didn't show up. You cried and begged, but they didn't listen.

"My, my. What a devoted leader you are... But don't worry darling," that annoying, triggering British accent laughed. "You'll be joining your girlfriend very soon."

You watched as they cut the rope around Felicity's ankle, and watched as her body brutally hit the rocks and fall down the waterfall; making you scream: "NO!"

----

"(Y/N)," you woke up again to the hushed voice of Joel.

"Hm, what's wrong?" You whispered sleepily.

"Your turn to keep watch, c'mon."

Ellie greeted you when you got up and left the bed for Joel to rest, commenting on how much you slept. After awhile of hesitation and silence, she asked about who Felicity was.

You tensed at the mention of Felicity, you must've talked in your sleep.

Felicity was your best friend. You knew her since forever -ever since you were children in kindergarten- and you both enlisted after school was finished. You went through everything together, you survived for twenty years in this mess; until one day you two were ambushed while scouting a new area. It was your first encounter with the same group of Hunters that ambushed you out in Carmel. Felicity's death was the reason why the new recruit, Gabe, was brought to Alpha One.

"Maybe some other time, Ellie," you said weakly. You felt sick to your stomach, like you did when you stepped outside and saw a glimpse of one of your teammate's corpse.

"Are you alright?" Ellie asked. "You're very pale."

"Yeah, I just... I just need to lie down, I think." You ran your fingers through your hair, feeling dizzy.

"Why don't you go lie back down? I can keep watch." Ellie offered. "I'll come wake you up if something happens, I swear!"

"No, Ellie," you gave her an apologetic smile. "I'll stay for a bit, if I feel worse I'll go, okay?"

"Fine," she huffed and settled on the edge of a window across you.

Nausea hit you like a tidal wave after only 10 minutes and you launched yourself out of the cabin, Ellie hot on your heels. Kneeling under a tree and getting what little food you had in you out, you doubled over to the ground after you finished vomiting, which was overdue. Ellie helped you back inside, brought you your water and walked you into the bedroom where Joel was long passed out.

"Call for me if you need anything."

"Alright, you too." You replied after reluctantly lying down next to Joel. "Hey Ellie?"

"Thank you sweetheart." You smiled as best as you could when she turned around, then returned the gesture.

----

"The legendary Alpha One leader, (Y/N) (L/N)..." the man walked around you as his goons tied your ankle around the tree like they did to Felicity. You barely had any power to fight back with your beaten up state, but the shock of your best friend's death and your fate being decided by a bunch of Hunters had adrenaline pumping through your veins. "Look at 'er still kickin' lads! Ha ha! Like the dead fish she is!"

"Fuck you! Fuck- I'll fucking get you, you son of a bitch, you hear me?!" You struggled against the pairs of arms holding you down, right above the stream. "You'll fucking die! I'll kill you for this!"

"Don't be funny lass," the man laughed. "Last time I checked, I wasn't the one with a rope around my neck- or my ankle, if you prefer. Show her what we do to people who try to interfere with our business, lads!"

And with that, you were thrown into the water.

You held your breath at first contact, but the water kept going against your nostrils. You tried to swim to the surface, but you realised you couldn't really move your arm. You groaned and let out some of the air you'd been holding at the realisation that your arm may be broken. Was this really how you were going to die? Was this really it? Your body felt like it was going to explode with the amount of adrenaline and shock and the rest of the emotions you were going through, ready to give up. Just as you were indeed ready to give out, however, you felt yourself being dragged by the ankle. Were they cutting the rope or-

With one hard pull, you flew out of the stream with a loud gasp, choking on water as you landed on your back.

"She's alive! My god she's alive!" You heard Kurt yell and rush to your side. Guess this wasn't how you were going to die after all. "I got you darling, I got you."

You gasped for air, looked around for hunters only to find the rest of Alpha One slowly approaching your position. Knowing you were safe, you relaxed and began sobbing violently: "It's okay (Y/N), I'm here, you're safe."

----

Your eyes slowly fluttered open at the sudden overheat. Your body was turned to the left, but with more weight on it. Something hot was blowing against your face and something else was pressing down on your waist. You slowly got grip of reality, only to notice that it was Joel partly cuddled up against you. Your eyes widened but you couldn't really move - his arm was loose around your waist but you didn't want to wake him up

This is nice, having some sort of physical contact which didn't pose a threat-

Stop... you thought to yourself, but then realized how your forheads almost touched.

Shit shit shit...

Your face scrunched up at your situation, cursing yourself internally for being so weak and getting yourself almost ill to end up sharing a bed with a man you'd only known for, what, two weeks?

And he was somewhat cuddling you in his sleep. How did he even know you were next to him?

He suddenly shifted a little, getting impossibly close to you, his hand almost touching your rear and making you feel uneasy. Your teeth were going to crush and your jaw was going to lock up if you stayed like this any longer - this made your imagination run wild, involuntarily of course.

It had been somewhere near 15 years since you got involved with any type of romantic and sexual activity, you were touch starved and Joel was incredibly attractive -impossibly so- with his deep voice, handsome face; all the muscles hidden under that green shirt of his... He was rough; he had this air of dominance to him which got you flustered from time to time. But what also attracted you to him was the possibility of a soft side, hidden deep beneath tough layers of walls built over the past 20 years.

You were involuntarily getting turned on when his hand was practically on your ass so you cleared your throat, more quietly than you had intended, to which he didn't respond. God fucking dammit-

"Look at you lovebirds! Ew..." Ellie's comment woke him up instead, you acting like you were sleeping as well so neither of them suspected a thing.

"Oh god," you moved away as Joel mumbled an apology, retreating to his own side.

"I'd say get a room, but-" Ellie continued but Joel interfered.

"Just-" Joel gave that one impatient glare of his you got so used to, making Ellie immediately stop talking.

"Okay, okay!" She raised her hands defensively. "Well, I thought you should know, I think the herd passed."

"You think?" Joel and Ellie went outside quickly, but you stayed exactly where you were, sat on the edge of the bed.

You were disciplined and certainly had self-control, but you never had had the time to grieve anyone properly. You just pushed it away and stayed strong for everyone in Alpha One, you realized how you never made grieving an option for yourself. It wasn't the first time you had lost someone of course. Your parents, friends, people you were acquainted with in a variety of places... but Feliciy drew the line and Alpha One crossed it with it's entirety. You really needed to get to Jackson, you didn't know when you would slip and lose your composure altogether.

Joel walked back in to tell you that it was time to move, but halted when he saw you still sitting at the edge of the bed. He felt embarrassed, he felt like he probably triggered a bad memory.

"Hey... You alright?"

"Yeah yeah, just, gimme a second," you said, swallowing back the urge to cry.

"Look, I'm sorry, I- I wasn't doing it knowingly," he tried to explain without tumbling over his words.

"No it's fine, really," you spoke and turned to face him. It was more than fine, in fact. As awkward as it was, it made you feel a type of warmth in you which you hadn't felt in quite some time. "I um, I shouldn't have invaded your space-"

"Nonsense," Joel interrupted immediately, taking a step toward his side of the bed. "Ellie told me you got sick, you had every right to rest."

You were expecting him to be angry with you for leaving Ellie by herself with a herd passing only miles away, but you reckoned he was more embarrassed than angry. You couldn't blame him, he never acted soft, ever, this must be truly awkward for him.

"We gotta move," Joel cleared his throat and reached for his bag on the floor. "You feelin' alright?"

"Yup," you partly lied. "Let's go."

And so continued your journey, onward to Jackson which was at the other end of Wyoming. Joel and you had very few chats after what happened in the cabin, only really talking when Ellie started up conversation.

One night, days later while you were in Casper, getting sidetracked for the umpteenth time, Joel joined you in watch while Ellie slept.

"Y'know, you sometimes talk in your sleep," he started conversation as he sat across you.

"So I'm told." You pursed your lips, memories of Felicity starting to resurface in your mind.

"You kept mumbling a woman's name," Joel tried. "Was she your..."

"I don't wanna talk about it," you snapped, more because you were scared rather than you were angry. You were scared, because you knew it would hurt once you started talking.

"Okay," Joel looked away. Ever since you started travelling with them you'd been nothing but nice and caring toward him. Even though you were ex-military. You felt so human to him, as if you weren't in an apocalypse. Most people lost themselves and their humanities in the past 20 years. He'd seen god awful things, including the slaughter of your team, but a piece of human still remained in you. He'd seen how you were with Ellie and he really appreciated how you treated her like a little sister... or even like a daughter from time to time. He knew from the beginning, deep down, that he could somewhat trust you when Ellie first told him your stories at the QZ... but one can never be too careful.

"So," you felt bad for snapping at him, so you tried to change the subject. "You and Tess smuggled her outside the QZ, for what?"

Joel visibly got tense at the mention of Tess' name, so you backed off. "Nevermind."

Joel didn't say a word but he thought about you. Once you were in Jackson he had to tell Tommy, that meant you were going to find out why him and Ellie were out in road sooner or later anyway, but he picked later for now.

"I, uh..." you tried again, cringing internally. "I want to ask you a few things, but they all might connect to something in your past, so..."

"Yeah," Joel nodded. He was both surprised and amused at your honesty.

You stared at him for a while as he stared at the small fire in front of you. You really did want to get to know him a little, but getting to know people have been like walking through a minefield for the past twenty or so years.

"I reckon you were a soldier before all this?" He asked out of nowhere.

"Yup- spec ops." You nodded. "What about you?"

"I, uh, I was a carpenter."

"Really?" You asked in disbelief.

"What?" He looked offended.

"No, I mean it's just that- you're this big rough guy and- shit, I dunno, I expected something else?"

"Rough guy, huh?" Joel chuckled. "What did you expect?"

"Anything but a carpenter... though I can see it now, with the shirt and everything."

You both chuckled. Joel bit his lip and stared at the ground for a while before giving into his curiosity: "I can't help but ask... how old are you?"

"Now that's not a very ideal question to ask a lady, isn't it, Mr. Miller?" You smirked.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry ma'am." He mocked and rolled his eyes.

"I'd say... around my late thirties?" You had no clue about precisely how many years it had been since the outbreak. "I was twenty when I joined special forces, six months later everything went downhill."

"I'd hate to break it to ya, but I think you're either forty or forty one."

You gasped: "Shit, already? What about you?"

"That'd make me around... God damn..."

"What, fifty?" You laughed.

"Something around that..."

You immediately stopped laughing, cheeks heating up a little. He can't be fifty!

"Forty eight," he mumbled.

"Well, if it's gonna make you feel better, you look a lot younger." You smiled.

"I can say the same for you. I thought you were no older than thirty-five..."

That was the first time you'd had a conversation other than the route. A genuine conversation about each other's personal lives- on some level anyway. It felt nice. Conversations like this with Joel, although brief, took your mind off things. Ellie's too of course, but sometimes she got a little too curious for your liking, but you weren't rude about it in anyway. And that's basically how it went until you reached Jackson: Watching each other's backs, small talk about the stuff that didn't relate to his and your background and slight teasing here and there. You became more comfortable around him after that night and he seemed to be getting more comfortable and trusting as well. You knew you shouldn't be getting too attached, as you knew you wouldn't be seeing them again after they left you in Jackson, but you couldn't deny the fact that they kept you going - that they kept you safe.

#joel miller #joel x reader #joel miller x reader #joel miller imagine #tlou x reader #the last of us #the last of us x reader #tlou fanfic #the last of us fanfiction

260 notes · View notes

soemthingsparkly · 4 years ago

Note

so what i'm hearing is conrad was manipulated into hating reggie from a young age by parents who are, i assume, not much better than reggie's himself, has learned behaviors from his parents (smoking, probably the littering and lewd comments too), and doesn't have a support system of good friends like reggie does (smokes alone under the bleachers, only still on the team because he's a good shot) hmmm.. is that possible character development that i smell?

Okay,

1. I cannot believe you guys are encouraging this.

and

2. Let’s say Conrad moved a lot when he was a kid - there’s a reason he's just come back into Reggie’s life.

Let’s say, unlike Reggie’s parents - who decided it was better to fight than separate - Conrad’s mother has a tight knit relationship with divorce.

He was seven when his father walked out (these sisters never had very good luck with men). His mom was dating again by the time he turned eight. The next one brought him candy whenever he came by to pick up his mom for a date. When he was nine, he had a step-father.

At eleven, his mom shakes him awake in the middle of the night.

“Is it time for school?” Conrad asks, rubbing at his eyes. His white bedroom walls are grey in the light, and when he glances to the window, he sees the penny-shaped moon sitting high in the sky, peering in between the half-shuttered blinds. “Mom, what time is it?”

But she’s stuffing clothes from his wardrobe into a duffel bag. She yanks open his underwear drawer and shoves fistfuls of boxers and socks inside. She tells him to stop talking and get dressed.

“Mom?” Conrad asks again. “Mom, what are you doing? Where are we going? Where’s dad–?”

And then his cheek is stinging and his mother pointed finger in mere inches away from his nose. “Listen to me when I’m talking to you,” she says, before she dips her eyes. “Pack your things, baby, we’re not coming back here.”

Conrad sits upright in his bed, hold a cool hand to his warm cheek. The shock of the pain is gone, but his mother looks different somehow. As she rummages through the second drawer, a t-shirt slips from between her fingers. It’s the Ducktales shirt Reggie sent him last Christmas.

On the front was graphic of Scrooge and the tricoloured triplets: Louie, Dewey, and Huey, riding in a mine cart.

Woo-hoo! I miss you little cuz. Mom got me the Ducktales boxset for my birthday. I can't wait to show it to you!

Conrad had stuffed it far in the back of the drawer, having recently decided that his cousin was a no-good name thief.

But something twinges in his stomach when his mom kicks it out of her way.

"Conrad,” she clicks her fingers at him, he snaps up. “If you don’t get up and get on with it, right now, you will be very sorry. Now get up.”

Conrad shoves his quilt back and the air is cold. He pulls on a pair of socks and puts a jacket over his pyjamas. He darts to the corner, where his shirt was kicked and stuffs in down the back of his sweats.

His mom pulls a cap over his head and he lifts it out of his eyes. She holds and out her hand and he slips his small fingers into hers. “Let’s go, baby.”

They spend a month sleeping in a motel. His mom doesn’t talk about his step-dad, but he hears her crying and yelling in the bathroom and he knows she’s on the phone to him. He starts hanging out in the reception and get’s to know the big kid, Daniel, behind the desk. He lets him watch late-night adult cartoons with him on a small box-shaped TV tucked into the corner of the counter.

Conrad doesn’t get the jokes, but he laughs whenever Daniel does, and learns the words, ‘bitch,’ and ‘whore.’

When he’s thirteen his mom gets married again. This time it’s to a dentist with two kids of his own, both daughters, aged sixteen and eighteen. She says it’s their new start, that this one was going to be the last.

“Till death do us part, Conrad,” she says, nuzzling his shoulder as she hugs him from behind. He’s trying to do homework, but the faint hairs on her lip tickle his skin and he shivers.

His older sister, Katie, starts teaching him how to play lacrosse. She’s the goal keeper on her high school team and made captain last semester. she’s about to go to college on a scholarship, but he doesn't want her to go.

“Hey, Con, send me ball. I wanna get in some practice before tomorrow’s game.”

So he starts shooting with her, taking the offence position. Katie is a good goal keeper and she goads him like no other. He starts practicing when she’s not around, so that he can kick her ass when they next play.

The first time he scores, Katie throws up her arms. “Shit, dude! Good job!”

“Yeah,” Conrad grins. “Take that you stupid whore.”

Katie’s face falls. “What did you just call me?”

Conrad swallows and makes a decision, either he apologises or stands his ground.

“You heard me.”

At sixteen, they move to New York. His mom is dating a low-level drug dealer. The guy keeps his stash in their bathroom. The boyfriend is out with his friends the night the police raid the flat.

Conrad’s mother takes the fall.

He doesn’t know why.

He can’t work out why.

She is sentenced, but Conrad’s eyes don’t water. He is taken in by child protective services.

“What are we supposed to do with him?”

“He has an aunt and cousin in LA. I’ve just got off the phone with the woman. She says they’ll take him in until other arrangements are made.”

Conrad grits his teeth and realises he’s about to board a flight to California, 2000 miles away from where his mom is being held.

When they put the offer on the table, Conrad is quiet for a moment.

Until he says, “Sounds good to me.”

Sigh.

I got invested you guys.

#jatp #Julie and the phantoms #Reggie Peters #Conrad reggie #concept reggie #jaz answers #jaz answers jatp #jaz writes jatp #jatp au #this is still dumb #and yet

59 notes · View notes

deshprem · 15 days ago

Text

Top 10 Occasions to Flaunt Your Indian Flag Badge with Pride

Whether it’s a national festival, a school function, or a public rally, wearing an Indian flag badge is more than just a tradition — it’s a proud expression of your love for the nation. From Indian flag lapel pins to tricolour t-shirts, patriotic accessories have become a powerful part of how we celebrate our identity as Indians.

The Indian flag, with its deep saffron, white, and green hues and the Ashoka Chakra at its heart, symbolizes unity in diversity, courage, peace, and progress. When you wear a badge bearing the Tiranga, you're not just decorating your attire — you're making a bold statement of solidarity and pride. It's a simple, yet impactful, way to connect with your roots and express gratitude toward those who fought for the nation's freedom.

In this blog, we’ll explore the top 10 occasions where flaunting your Indian flag badge adds meaning, style, and spirit to the moment.

1. Independence Day (15th August)

This is the most celebrated patriotic occasion across India. Every street corner, school ground, office building, and public space comes alive with tricolour flags, banners, and badges. People of all ages proudly pin the Indian flag on their chests and attend flag-hoisting ceremonies and cultural performances.

Wearing an Indian flag badge on Independence Day is a heartfelt gesture that shows your respect for the country’s freedom fighters and your pride in being Indian. Whether it's a classic paper badge, a glossy metal pin, or an eco-friendly variant, it's a tradition that unites people across cities and villages.

Style Tip: Pair your badge with an Indian flag t-shirt or ethnic kurta for a look that's both fashionable and patriotic.

2. Republic Day (26th January)

Republic Day commemorates the adoption of India's Constitution and celebrates the ideals of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity. It's another powerful occasion to sport your Indian flag badge with pride.

From early morning Republic Day parades to cultural programs at schools and televised ceremonies from the capital, this day is filled with patriotic energy. An Indian flag badge placed neatly on your blazer or jacket lapel is a respectful way to mark the day. Especially if you're attending formal events or watching the parade at a gathering, the badge elevates your look while keeping the spirit of the day alive.

Quick Fact: Many corporates and educational institutions distribute Indian flag lapel pins to employees and students on this day.

3. School and College Functions

Educational institutions play a huge role in instilling patriotic values. Be it Independence Day, Republic Day, Gandhi Jayanti, or Shaheed Diwas, schools and colleges often organize special assemblies, dances, songs, and drama performances.

During these celebrations, wearing an Indian flag badge has become a tradition. It gives students a sense of pride and belonging. Often, these badges are distributed at the entry gate or included as part of the dress code. Many institutions even pair them with Indian flag t-shirts to enhance the visual appeal of group performances.

Tip for Educators: Opt for eco-friendly paper badges that can be recycled or reused.

4. Corporate Events & CSR Activities

Today, even corporate India actively participates in national celebrations. On special days, companies organize themed events, blood donation drives, flag hoisting, and charity initiatives. These events are opportunities for professionals to engage in acts of patriotism beyond their desks.

Wearing an Indian flag lapel pin on your formal blazer or ID card adds a touch of elegance and sincerity. It subtly showcases your commitment to national values, even in a corporate setting. Some companies also use these badges as part of employee welcome kits or event giveaways.

Pro Tip: Choose high-quality metal pins for formal or executive-level gifting.

5. Public Rallies and Parades

From freedom marches and tribute rallies to political campaigns and community parades, Indian flag badges are often worn to visually unify a crowd. They signify purpose, belonging, and a collective voice.

Wearing a badge in such settings not only connects you to the cause but also displays a peaceful yet powerful show of nationalism. Whether it’s a protest for change or a march to honor martyrs, the tricolour badge silently conveys your dedication to India’s ideals.

Did You Know? Organizers often use custom-designed badges with slogans or dates for specific movements.

6. Cultural Programs and Stage Performances

Indian flag badges have found their place on stage too! In patriotic performances, especially those during national festivals, participants often wear the flag as part of their costume.

Whether you're performing a dance on "Vande Mataram" or singing "Maa Tujhe Salaam," an Indian flag badge on your chest adds authenticity and emotional value to your act. It makes the performance not just about art, but about devotion and pride too.

Styling Tip: Use stick-on flag badges or magnet-backed pins for quick costume changes.

7. Community and Society Events

In housing societies, local clubs, or community halls, flag hoisting and cultural events bring residents together. On days like Independence Day or Republic Day, Indian flag badges are often distributed to everyone in attendance.

These events foster a strong sense of local unity. Wearing a flag badge shows you're part of a community that cares about its country and celebrates together. It's also a great way for children and the elderly alike to participate and feel connected.

Organizers Note: Customizing badges with society names or dates can add a special touch.

8. Influencer Content and Social Media Reels

In today’s digital age, many creators and influencers use their platforms to spread patriotic vibes through reels, videos, and posts. Wearing an Indian flag badge while recording content on national days enhances authenticity and viewer connection.

Whether you're doing a fashion reel, makeup tutorial, or educational video, adding the badge or an Indian flag t-shirt immediately sets the mood and theme. This also improves engagement, especially around trending hashtags like #IndependenceDay or #RepublicDay.

Social Hack: Combine your badge with trending audio to increase reach.

9. Travel and International Events

Traveling abroad? Whether you're attending a business conference, NRI event, or cultural showcase, an Indian flag lapel pin on your jacket or shirt can be a subtle nod to your roots.

These pins often draw attention and spark conversations. They're also perfect for events like Pravasi Bharatiya Divas or Independence Day celebrations hosted by Indian embassies. For many NRIs, these small symbols of India evoke a deep emotional connection.

Gift Idea: Carry a few extra lapel pins or badges to share with fellow Indians or new friends overseas.

10. Gifting and Giveaway Ideas

Patriotic accessories like Indian flag badges make for thoughtful, low-cost yet meaningful gifts. Whether you’re organizing a school event, a corporate gathering, or a community celebration, they make excellent giveaways that people actually keep and use.

From eco-friendly paper badges to elegant metal lapel pins, there are options to suit all budgets and styles. You can even find premium variants that double up as brooches or keepsakes.

Tip: Add these to your gift hampers during August and January for a patriotic touch.

Types of Indian Flag Badges You Can Choose From

Metal Lapel Pins – Durable, elegant, and perfect for blazers or formal wear.

Plastic or Paper Badges – Ideal for schools and mass distribution.

Eco-Friendly Badges – Made from seed paper, wood, or recycled materials.

Magnetic or Pin-Type – Easy to attach without damaging your clothes.

Conclusion

From stage shows to street rallies, offices to online spaces, the humble Indian flag badge continues to be a powerful symbol of pride and unity. It connects generations, transcends languages, and reminds us that despite our diversity, we are one nation under one flag.

So this year, don’t miss a single opportunity. Whether you choose a classic badge or a sleek Indian flag lapel pin, wear it with your heart on your sleeve — literally. Let every occasion become a moment to celebrate the spirit of India.

Shop the Look

Explore Deshprem's collection of Indian flag badges, lapel pins, and Independence Day t-shirts — perfect for every event listed above. Make your celebrations stylish and soulful!

#Indian flag lapel pins #tricolour t-shirts #Indian flag t-shirt #elegant metal lapel pins

0 notes

elleharperbcu · 4 years ago

Text

Lifestyle

Critical thinking lectures:

How has lifestyle, industrial & social changes impacted fashion & textiles?

In today’s lecture we gained understanding of what has influenced and impacted fashion and textiles in the past, in order to predict what will happen to the fashion and textiles industries in the future.

We started by exploring historical aspects that have driven these changes, to start to interpret the significance that these influential factors will play on the future of the fashion & textile industries.

We watched a video on YouTube called “100 years of fashion: women” Published on 3 jun 2015. Were we discussed as a group what drives these changes.

The growth of the fashion industry, caused by the industrial revolution (1870-1900s) enabled the suffragettes to use fashion as a form of branding to help promote their cause.

“They are, of course, only following in the honourable tradition set over a century ago by the suffragettes, who harnessed fashion, and the meaning of colour, as methods of communication in the early days of photography. In 1908 Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence devised the scheme of purple for dignity, white for purity and green for hope - branding for the cause, which triggered Liberty and Selfridges to start selling ranges of tricolour ribbon, underwear, bags and soap. Christina Broom…documented marches of thousands of suffragists and suffragettes wearing white dresses designed to prove to the country the dignity of their cause.”

The Guardian Cally Blackman 8.10.15 How the Suffragettes used fashion to further the cause.

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/oct/08/suffragette-style-movement-embraced-fashion-branding

1940’s

Utility Clothing Scheme: aimed to save fabric by using economical designs, eliminating laborious technical details and limiting the choice of fabrics - all to save costs.

BBC News 5.3.2015 How did WW2 change the way people dressed?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-31719704

1942

“Make Do and Mend was a pamphlet issued by the British Ministry of Information in the midst of WWII. It was intended to provide housewives with useful tips on how to be both frugal and stylish in times of harsh rationing. With its thrifty design ideas and advice on reusing old clothing, the pamphlet was an indispensable guide for households. Readers were advised to create pretty ‘decorative patches’ to cover holes in warm garments; unpick old jumpers to re-knit chic alternatives; turn men’s clothes into women’s; as well as darn, alter and protect against the ‘moth menace’.

Manage with and repair the possessions one already has rather than buying replacements. "the austerity of the war years taught her to make do and mend" British Library, Learning resources https://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/item106365.html

Examples of “make do and mend” women’s suit made out of a man’s pin stripe suit, a child’s cloak made from an old blanket.

BBC News 5.3.2015 How did WW2 change the way people dressed? Fashion on the Ration is at the Imperial War Museum, London, until 31 August 2015.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-31719704

The “New Look” exploded in Paris in 1947 (in contrast to the utilitarian approach adopted in the war) lead by the pioneering designer Christian Dior, who empowered women through fashion.

“Throughout the war, cloth and labour shortages had limited the amount of fabric and trimming that could be used… jackets had been masculine, shoulders square and skirts short and straight… belts, seams, collars and trouser turn-ups had to conform to certain restrictions …” Yet, only two years after the end of the war, here were ankle-length skirts whose hems measured up to 40 metres in circumference. Here was a fashion that emphasised femininity, with rounded shoulders, waists nipped in tight, and hips and busts exaggerated by bodices and padding.

The New Looks striking stylistic legacy lived on well into the 1960s.

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/news/the-look-that-shocked-the-world-1278048.html

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/events/how-haute-couture-rescued-war-torn-paris/

”Women, with their sure instincts, realized that my intention was to make not just more beautiful but also happier,” said Dior: A businessman as well as a poet, he made fashion responsible for expressing society's desires, and showed it how to communicate…” ref book Dior

My weakness ... is architecture. I think of my work as ephemeral architecture, dedicated to the beauty of the female body.

http://www.catwalkyourself.com/fashion-history/1950s-1960s/

Assouline publishing 2004 Dior Marie - France Pochna

Working in groups based on the following decades: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. In our group we researched fashion in the 2000s. We made a mind map that considered the above influencing factors that have impacted on the fashion designers from this decade. We recorded the effect of these causes and how they have driven the design, materials and production at this time.

2000s Fashion:

Casual clothing and leisurewear were big trends in the early 2000s, a casual look for women would have been, crop tops, hoodies, low-rise flared jeans, cargo pants, daisy dukes, jean skirts, off the shoulder tops, ribbed sweaters, with platform sandals, ugg boots, or sneakers.

After researching I found technology and Y2K bug (problem in the coding of computerized systems that was projected to create havoc in computers and computer networks around the world at the beginning of the year 2000) had a huge impact on fashion in the early 2000s. The colour palette was full of shiny black tones and reflective metallics. The Y2K trend was worn on a daily but mainly reserved for going out. Popular outfits for women included mesh or handkerchief tops, box-pleated or leather skirts, shiny pants, and sparkly shoes. Britney Spears was a trendsetter for this type of style. For men, Y2K looks involved leather jackets, a statement dress shirt, and chunky shoes.

Mid 2000s fashion - Fashion started to take cues from 1960s bohemian looks. Yoga pants, low-rise jeans, cowl-neck shirts, peasant tops, capri pants, cropped jackets, and dresses over jeans was a popular outfit choice for women. These outfits were paired with accessories, such as, chunky belts, aviator sunglasses, jelly bracelets, ties worn around the neck or as belts, ballet flats, and platform boots. The 1960s revival looks were also popular with men. Including light wash bootcut jeans, cargo shorts, classic rock t-shirt, fitted cowboy shirts, henleys, polos with popped collars, and seersucker suits.

Late 2000s fashion - For women, crop tops were replaced with camisoles and miniskirts, bubble skirt, and sweater dresses. There was also a 1980s and 1990s revival of neon colours, animal prints, geometric shapes, light denim jeggings, and ripped acid washed jeans that were worn with gladiator sandals, ballet flats, and headbands. The oversized look became popular, but it was more subtle than the traditional 80s fit. Men’s late 2000s fashion was a mix of 1950s and 1980s throwbacks, with letterman and black leather jackets, overcoats, slim cut jeans, Ed Hardy t-shirts, flannel shirts, and V-neck sweaters. Paired with dad hats, wayfarers or aviators, motorcycle boots, converse, vans, or sneakers.

Hip-Hop had a influence on the 2000s fashion, many rappers influenced fashion with their own clothing lines. Including Jay-Z, Diddy, Nelly, and 50 Cent. Many looks included baggy jeans, tall t-shirts, sports jerseys, velour suits, bubble jackets, and puffer vests paired with headbands, sweatshirts, Timberland boots, and sneakers like Adidas Superstars or Nike Air Force 1s.

Streetwear is brand focused casual clothing, like jeans, tees, and sneakers. In the late 2000s popular streetwear styles included distressed skinny jeans, loose fitting tops, loose or fitted tracksuits, track pants, hoodies, graphic t-shirts, vintage thrift shop tees, and Tommy Hilfiger and U.S. Polo Assn brands. Sneakers were an important part of the style, retro Nike Air Jordans and Adidas Yeezys.

Emo fashion became popular in the mid 2000s and took cues from goth and punk styles. Outfits were often all or mainly black with skinny jeans, band t-shirts, studded belts, and checkered vans. Every emo look was completed with the right hairstyle, choppy cuts with long side-swept bangs dyed black, platinum blonde, or a bright colour.

Athleisure Wear - If you wanted to be comfortable yet fashionable in the early 2000s the velor tracksuits was the go to. Britney Spears, Beyonce and Eminem to Diddy were on on the tracksuit craze. They were brightly coloured and emblazoned with rhinestone logos and phrases. It was also in to mix track pants with dress clothing and design shoes to elevate the look.

The Beatles were one of the most influential bands in history, taking their fans on a journey of fashion styles through the decades from rock to teddy boys to hippie years.

(1962-1964) - (1964-1966)

Did technology play a part in influencing this style?

During this lecture we watched a video called The Beatles Yellow Submarine.

Exaggerated shoulder pads epitomises the Power Dressing of the 1980’s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOlwwoZLoKE&feature=youtu.be

In the 1980s Power Dressing in the UK grew from a new money focused generation, in London, creating a bee style. This look was patented by shows such as Dynasty and Dallas, where actors such as Joan Collins and Linda Evans dressed as female power dresses. Shoulder-pads and sharply tailored suits ruled and has been continued to be used by women today to signify power.

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/what-is-power-dressing-1807353.html

THATCHER USED FASHION AS A POLITICAL TOOL

“With ‘power dressing’ she could tap into the image of a career woman but her reputation as a fierce leader then drove her to wear clothes that might ‘soften’ her image, which was why she wore pussy bow blouses. A symbol of the past reflecting a more conservative femininity, the pussy bow blouse clashed with the aggressive power suits. “This was the paradox of the Thatcher image: at once she sought to embody conservative values while also seeking to assert her right to power as a woman. Dr Tyan”

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/margaret-thatcher-clothes-dress-suits-power-dressing-fashion-impact-women-victoria-and-albert-museum-a7480026.html

Margaret Thatcher: Fashion as a Political Tool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qynZ0NEHH4M&feature=youtu.be

How did Margaret Thatcher change Britain:

Privatisation

London became a leading financial capital

Open all hours

The decline of the north

Lessened role of trade unions

Northern Ireland peace process

Education reforms – league tables

Home ownership

Power dressing

Prestige for armed forces (Falklands)

Transformed Labour party

Julian Coman Sun 14 Apr 2013 10.00 BST https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/apr/14/margaret-thatcher-20-changes-britain

My own research on Margaret Thatcher -

When looking at pictures of Margaret Thatcher, after the election in 1979, a well-dressed woman with her individual style is clearly shown. She began to create her image and appearance as an example of how women in power should dress. Thatcher was a confident and stern business woman however there was a clear contrast to the feminine clothing she wore. She used her clothing and style as an act of self - definition that disguised herself from others showing her individual identity as Prime Minister. Thatcher styled herself appropriately for political occasions, the most occuring colour Thatcher wore was royal blue. With her power suits and the legendary pussybow blouses, that made her a fashion icon, she was known for her haircut, her pearls, and her handbag. Her hairstyle was one of the famous features of Margaret Thatcher, as straight and precise as the lady herself.

One great example on how her style, outfits and political power were set together was before she became Prime Minister. Thatcher wore hats because not only they suited her well but were symbols of her status and class. As the leader of a major political party, her hats seemed to be a political problem. It was a problem because middle class people with conventional attitudes were prejudiced towards her. This was not the picture of a leader the party wanted to draw. Consequently, after her election to British Prime Minister she only wore hats for State ceremonies and foreign tours but not on polictail occasions anymore.

The Fashion World Supports Pussy Riot

Fashion empowered to dictate and influence world events and social changes

17th April 2015 Jamie Waters Fashion’s most iconic political statements; The fashion world supports pussy riot & we’d rather go naked than wear fur.

https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/24414/1/fashion-s-most-iconic-political-statements

https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/clothing-fashion-protest

In pairs with reference to the timeline identify another advancement in technology that has impacted on social events, which in turn has driven a change in the fashion industry?

....

Brand Report

In groups we researched information about the brand Lazy Oaf, we created a detailed report which covers each of the 8 elements that make a band pitch. These elements include: Vision & purpose, brand identity, customer, price, product, place, promotion and packaging. In our group we decided to each choose an element to research and talk about, I picked promotion.

Lazy Oaf’s Brand Identity is definitely something I would take away and incorporate into our brand. We want to create personal products that our customers love and respect. Minimize environmental hazards through being sustainable but with fair prices. We also discussed as a group giving back to charities with a percentage of money we make as a brand.

This group task gave us practice with working together, assigning roles and discussing information online. We decided to split the work fairly so that everyone had an equal amount of work to research and present. As we had to present this group task to our peers it helped us practice for when we present our brand.

13 notes · View notes

shade-without-color · 4 years ago

Text

Fatal to attractive Cuteness: Kirinmaru and Buyo Bingo Drabble

Note: This one is more of a hilarious, meet-cute slice of life drabble for @inu-mothership bingo. I saw the square of Kirinmaru and Buyo with the prompt “Photograph” I be like O.K WTF ahahahah, however it slowly streamed clearly using retail Kirinmaru (yes that one in A03 for Kirinmaru week), which he decided to sneak in for cat therapy, do mind I made some amendments as it is super rough when I typed it. As @livinginthefifthdimension said in the chat “Aww Kirinmaru is a cat person” as I based on his obession on tricolour cats on an instagrammer I follow, and I have to put JVN because they have that energy like my character Ming (and loves cats too)

Kirinmaru found himself looking at the photo of that chubby tabby at the shelter. “Well shit he looks pretty cute…” Kirinmaru found himself muttering when he read the marker writing of his name “Buyo”

Kirinmaru withheld himself a little. Usually during the sparse lunch breaks, he sometimes wander through the local shelter which has a row of enticing cats and dogs, though he is a magnet for calicos and tortoiseshell cats. “Hey Kirin…” She knew that annoying volunteer, what is her name, oh Ming.

Because she is the first one to approach him, wearing that grey NASA logo t-shirt and bleached french braid locks. And of course Ming is carrying the cat in the photo. “So you want to hold him, you seem pretty stressed…” and of course Buyo gave a meow Kirinmaru forced himself to bite his lip.

He should not be adopting another one. Samara is a handful He should not be adopting another one. He should not.

However he is so pudgy and cute like a shokupan.

Kirinmaru found himself shrugging his shoulders and holding the cat. The volunteer quickly took her phone and quickly snapped a picture, of course with Kirinmaru sheepishly grinning at the cat pulling his perfectly coiled hair. “I think he loves you…” Kirinmaru raised an eyebrow. “Huh?” The volunteer gave a playful wink to him. “Buyo, I would said he is a diva like Jonathan Van Ness, and he will give all your loving hunnnnyyy….” Kirinmaru rolled his eyes a little as he continuously scrunched Buyo’s neck. The floof eases him a little from the retail stress.

“You know, Kirin, I know about your work- been there and done that.”

“Maybe you should spend your off days volunteering with us?” Kirinmaru remained silent. He has none to offer, he only know is to how to sell a book and that is all. “I think it would be cute to bring the adoptable cats to your book shop…who knows it may boost the mood of the customers, of course you have to be mindful that some may be allergic.” The volunteer come over to squish Buyo’s cheeks playfully. “Buyo would make a great mascot for you guys!” The cat replied with a playful meow “aren’t you Buyo? Aren’t you? See mr Kirin’s face!! Is he the cutest?”

He is confused.

Is she talking about the cat or him.

“Is Buyo charming like JVN, the gay Jesus! “ Shit I am lost over the queer eye references. Kirinmaru thought bleakly. If I need to wind down from the bullshit, gonna check what is Ming referring to.

#writing #writers on tumblr #spilled ink #comedy #Kirinmaru #inuyasha #drabble #fanfic #fanfiction

1 note · View note

bts0715 · 5 years ago

Photo

200310 | Jin : Run BTS! - EP.95 Thom Browne - Tri-stripe detail t-shirt // (x) Thom Browne - Tricolour sole sneakers // (x)

Follow on twitter -> bts07151

#bts #bangtan #bts fashion #request*#over100 #s:2020 #s:jn #s:mots:7 #s:vid #s:tops #s:shoes #thom browne

57 notes · View notes

miaswetnambcu · 4 years ago

Text

Critical Lecture 1 - How has lifestyle, industrial and social changes impacted fashion and textiles

This lecture was set to explore historical aspects that have driven changes in the fashion industry and to start to interpret the significance that influential factors will play in the future of the fashion industry.

The first thing we looked at was a YouTube video that highlighted how fashion has evolved over the last 100 years. The video started from 1915 and went up in units of 10 to illustrate the different fashion trends all the way through until 2015. The video displayed how fashion changed drastically between the span of 10 years, let alone 100 years. This raises the question as to what exactly drives these drastic changes in the fashion industry.

Some factors that can change the fashion industry would be Industry and technology, world events and social change. Social change is when social structure is altered through “changes in cultural symbols, rules of behaviour, social organisations or value systems”, (Wilterdink, N., 2020). World events can lead to a significant social change.

One example given in the lecture was the growth of the fashion industry, which was caused by the Industrial Revolution (1870-1900′s). The enabled the Suffragettes to use fashion as a form of branding to promote their cause. The Suffragettes used fashion and the meaning of colour to communicate with early photography. In 1908, Emmeline Pettick-Lawrence formulated the scheme of purple for dignity, white for purity and green for hope (The Guardian, 2015). This led to Liberty and Selfridges to sell ranges of tricolour ribbon, underwear, bags and soap, (The Guardian, 2015). This link between a world event and social change shows how these factors can impact the fashion industry in many ways and can lead to a range of different things.

Another example of this is the ‘Make Do and Mend’ campaign that was published in 1942 in the midst of World War II. The pamphlet that was published about the ‘Make Do and Mend’ scheme highlighted ideas on how housewives could update their wardrobes by altering the clothes they already had. Examples given were to unpick old jumpers to knit new ones, turn men’s clothes into women’s and to add patches of fabric to cover holes in garments. The world war changed how people dressed during that time, as there were restrictions on what people could buy due to the limited resources during the war. More structured clothing, such as a women’s suit, were seen more regularly, as many women restructured their husband’s suits to create a new blazer and skirt set. Another popular item was a jumpsuit style garment, which was very convenient to pull on in a rush whilst being stylish at the same time.

A few years after the war, this more masculine approach to female clothing was disappearing, with a more feminine approach to style starting to show through. In 1947, Christian Dior came out with a collection that completely contrasted against what what seen in fashion at that time. Instead of short skirts and square shoulders, Dior brought out a collection that included knee-length skirts, with rounded shouldered blazers with a tight waist to emphasise the busts and hips of the women (Independent, 2011). The ‘New Look’ collection was a breakthrough in the fashion industry and seemed to turn it on its head, leading to the continuation of this style into the 60′s.

In this lecture, my group and I were given a task to look into the 1990′s and consider influencing factors that impacted fashion designers from that decade. To start this task, we looked into what was happening in industry and technology in this decade. The internet was gaining popularity as well as internet shopping, with the invention of Amazon and Ebay in the middle of the decade. The first smart phone was introduced in 1994, leading to the blow up in the mobile phone industry that is seen today. We also looked into world events from the 90′s and the first event we found was Princess Diana’s death. Diana’s death shocked the whole world and lead to a great period of mourning for the princess. Diana herself had an impact on the fashion industry when she was alive, with iconic outfits such as her little black dress after her divorce, or her bicycle shorts with sweatshirts that she was constantly seen wearing. The event of her death would have lead to a lot of people wanting to commemorate her and one way to do this would be to take inspiration from some of her most iconic style choices.

We looked into the most prominent fashion trends of the 90′s and try to create links to other elements of the decade. The first trend we looked into was grunge. The rise in rock music and bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam influenced the way that many people chose to dress in the 90′s. The death of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain would have impacted this community heavily as Nirvana was an integral part of the grunge music industry. People associated with the grunge trend were seen to wear plaid shirts over a band t-shirt with Dr. Martens and torn jeans. The trend originated from Seattle, which was trying to shed its ‘hippie’ style into the grunge style with the emergence of the bands that were popular at the time. Leather was another trend seen throughout the 90′s, with the infamous image of Winona Ryder in a leather jacket and graphic t-shirt circled around. This outfit would tie back to the grunge theme as well, showing how prevalent it was during the 90′s. With the rise in paparazzi in this decade, it seems as though more celebrity outfits were captured and shown in the tabloids, which led to trends spreading quicker than they previously had.

Another fashion trends was derived from the film ‘Clueless’. The trend was based on the iconic plaid blazers and skirts that were seen in the movie. Even Princess Diana herself had her own take on the fashion trend, with a grey blazer and skirt set. This trend rose from the increase in popularity of ‘pop culture’ with the high interest in the film. This was brought into the 00′s, where a pop culture was at its peak with the celebrities at the time, such as Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. Similarly, Friends was launched in the 90′s and was an integral part of the fashion and beauty industry of the time, with Jennifer Anniston being the inspiration behind many people’s style choices and even haircuts. This is once again illustrating the influence of pop culture in the 90′s and how quickly people were influenced by it.

This lecture highlighted how influential other industries are towards the fashion industry. In current times, events such as the current pandemic can have a huge impact on what is trending and how popular a product is or will be. This is something that my group and I have the take into consideration when choosing our products and to ensure it will fit with the current social changes that are happening and will continue to happen in the future.

3 notes · View notes