The sLayo Chronicles

This blog post has been made in the efforts of a) reminding myself what I liked from this past year and b) incentivising me to do better in 2024. No worst repeats please and thank you.

We will be partitioning each category into segments. Of course, starting with acquisitions.

Best acquisitions 2023:

• Salvatore Ferragamo kitten heels. I cannot believe that kitten heels have made this list, but I got these from my mama, and I wore them SOOO much in the summer. They fit nicely, with some space, because my mama is a size 41, and they just add a nice pop to any of my outfits. They’re also incredibly comfortable, I spent entire days out in London in them, and they didn’t get really uncomfortable.
• My dark wash Zara jeans. It truly pains me to shout out Zara on this list because of their a) fast fashion nature and b) their Zionist affiliations but alas, I must give credit where credit is due. Zara jeans are amazing. 2024 will be my year of finding a substitute (of similar quality and price). These jeans don’t have the perfect fit because my waist to hip ratio makes that difficult, but I love the length and wash of these jeans. The cuff is fetch, and the quality has held up phenomenally. For reference, my jeans are pretty exclusively either from designer brands or Zara, and the quality is comparable in terms of how well they hold up after multiple washes. This is NOT me advocating for you to go and buy Zara anything, though. consider this – at best – an aesthetic entry. I’m going to throw in my wide leg, low rise, dark wash jeans here, too, just so you get the point. I bought those in March and have probably worn them once a week since. sigh
• De La Vali black top. This tiny little top has filled big boots. It’s simple enough to be dressed down, but also interesting enough for me to dress up. I wore it to parties and casual meals alike during the summer. It also helps that it fits me like a glove. I don’t have too many clothes that have done that straight out of the store; without tailoring, that is. I also am biased to anything that shows my back, as I think it’s a nice way to give sensual but not sexy (I wouldn’t say I have an affinity to sexy dressing).
• Navy Armani jacket. I put this on my birthday list and one of my girls got it for me. I wore it the week after receiving it and haven’t stopped reaching for it since. I love the shape of it; how it curves at the hem. Receiving this jacket made me realise that my time of oversized blazers/ jackets is quite over. I’m all about fitted and sculptural right now.
• Weekday Extend jeans. These are my only Weekday jeans, but boy are they a banger. I needed to (still need to actually) readjust the hook and eye placements so the extension piece can hang in a way that I like, but I really liked this jeans and wore them more than I thought I would. My only gripe with them as a tall babe is that I wish they were a touch longer. I even went 2 inches up on the waist for them to sit lower waisted and they still don’t exactly hit where I like on my shoes.
• All the pyjama sets of 2023. My mama really caused this because in 2022 I was a mismatched pyjama girlie. This year she got me a few sets and then it spiralled from there. Just chef’s kiss, I like silk and cotton, and now will always accept a nice pyjama sets as a gift.

Worst acquisitions 2023:

• Adidas Gazelles (Adidas ones, not Gucci). These are, quite possibly, the most uncomfortable trainers I’ve ever put on my feet (excluding trainers that simply didn’t fit). I got my regular size, which is a size 6, and yet they pinch slightly on the toes whilst simultaneously sliding off the heel every step? Rubbing everywhere, I’m just glad I didn’t get a blister. I do not regret the colourway, but they’re so bloody uncomfortable and thus I’ve only worn them twice. Boo. Not for high arch-footed babes.
• My JPG x Melissa Heels. These simply don’t fit in a way I like. They’re so cute, though, and vintage so I’ve been trying to hold on to them. when I say they don’t fit, they’re a 39, but a 39.5 would’ve been perfect (for them to fit the way I like). I’m going to sell them and try and see if I can find a 6.5 or 7.
• Diesel pink jeans. I don’t dislike these by any means, but I haven’t worn them. I got them to match the jacket (as a set), but I didn’t ever intend to wear it as a set. Regardless, they’re a worst purchase because I’m usually very good with wearing my clothes after buying them. Will need to force myself the wear them this year.
• Pink graphic tee. I thrifted this, in East London for a pretty penny mind you, and have worn it once. I also hated it when I wore it, so now I’m going to sell it. It just isn’t me, and that’s okay. I tried the graphic thing, and will not be trying it again x

Writing this above list made me realise that I needed a separate segment for jewellery, as I really became a jewellery babe this year:

bests:

• Unsigned pearl necklace. I cannot say enough words about how much I adore this necklace. I really got into incorporating heavier jewellery into my style in 2023, and this necklace was a series regular. I actually got this necklace thrifting, so don’t know where it’s from, but the weight and quality is amazing; I’m thinking it might be real. Even if not, I’ll be wearing it a whole lot more. 2024 is going to be my year of a lot more jewellery.
• Bottega drop earrings. If you want to know how much I like these earrings, just know I have the large size in both gold and silver. And I was considering buying the smaller versions but was told to be sensible. I will say though, if you want the gold ones, buy the dupes. It’s very unserious behaviour to buy gold plated jewellery for almost £1,000.

worsts:

• There aren’t any! I wear all of my jewellery by force, I’m even wearing GOLD (a mighty feat considering I’d have literally rather thrown myself off a ledge than worn it four years ago).

Okay now to speak about media. This will be separated into looking, watching, listening, and reading.

the best things I looked at:

• My meme collection. It grew extensively this year, and I now have many memes for hyperspecific purposes. I love it
• Gabriel Moses’s Regina photography exhibition at 180 strand. I went to see this in April and it kinda started my lowkey obsession with his work. the film that 180 commisioned for the exhibition was amazing. I’d LOVE to interview him this year x
• Common Ground exhibition at Tate Modern. This is the collection that stuck with me the most, I saw it in September and have thought about the film element In Praise of Still Boys maybe every other week since. I said this on my ig story the afternoon I went to experience it, but this exhibition was phenomenally curated by Ronan Mckenzie.

worst things I looked at:

• Multiple colonial genocides. In Palestine, Congo, and Sudan. Neocolonial regimes in Hawaii and Indonesia. Basically the explicit impacts of Western capitalism in developing countries xx
• Hinge. the app. It’s since been deleted but oh my gosh men are so weird. Terrible time. Just look at one of the messages I’ve received.

best things I watched:

• Number one of 2023 was Saltburn. Might be in my top 5 of all time now, I loved it. A very ME coded film.
• S2 of The Bear. If you haven’t started or caught up, do that. Expeditiously. Thanks.
• Normal people. I watched this at the beginning of the year with someone who meant a lot to me that I can no longer speak to. So I don’t see myself watching the series again unless I feel like emotionally setting myself up. But I loved it.

worst thing I watched:

• sex/life. This is a very very insane show (derogatory). Not my cup of tea at all, literally God forgive me.
• Brokeback Mountain. This film was so… aggressive. I strongly disliked it. Also, the whole thing should’ve been set on the mountain because that was the only time either of the two men were tolerable.
• A Little Life – the filmed rendition of the play. I hate it when content-heavy media relies on the audience having previously connected with the characters. The play was made for people who had read the book prior. There is no debate about it. There was no time to connect with the four boys at the start because there was so much to get through in the three hours. It all just fell slightly flat for me because of this. But it’s taught me that I cannot watch things without reading the source material beforehand, for my own sanity.

best things I listened to:

• YEBBA! her 2021 album Dawn has been on repeat. Too many amazing songs (though it’s not an entirely unskippable album unfortunately).
• SAMPHA! Lahai is an unskippable album. I can listen to it chronologically or on shuffle and it’ll still be great. My fave song would be Dancing Circles. I went to his London show with one of my closest friends, and it was before the album had actually been released, so no one knew any of the new songs. But watching him perform Dancing Circles, Spirit 2.0, and (No One Knows Me) Like the Piano was a core memory of 2023.
• Samara Joy. 2023 was the year I truly discovered jazz and my love for it. A large part of this development I attribute to Samara Joy. Her voice is so… sumptuous. I will, indeed, Linger Awhile!

worst things I listened to:

• Tiktok songs. They’re always slower on spotify than they were on tiktok. Either give me the sped up version or represent your song accurately. thanks, management.

best things I read:

• 2023 Was the Year of the Fit Pic – José Criales-Unzueta for Vogue. I loved this, and will endeavour this year to archive my fits as effectively as possible.
• A Palestinian Poet’s Perilous Journey Out of Gaza – Motsab Abu Toha. This is actually essential reading. Needs to be in history books it was so profound.
• Secrets and Masks. This book is Dramoine fan fiction but I don’t want to hear any jibes because it actually ruined my life. I haven’t cried like that in a LONG time. Easily the best book I read last year, and I also read Manacled (a very close second).

worst things I read:

• Stray – Daisy Jane. I DNFd this book, it was treacherous. The very embodiment of trying too hard.
• Contractual Obligations – Elle Rivers. This was my entire 2-star review on Goodreads: “Need to stop reading books on tiktok posted by the authors that wrote them” and I stand by that. Lots of misrepresentation of books on that app, especially by the authors. Booo, tomato tomato.
• Note: 2023 was not a year of notably GREAT reading. At all. Everything was very mediocre, I literally did not give any traditionally published books more than 4 stars.

keeping it in line with the senses, let’s mention food. I love food, particularly good food.

the best I had:

• House of Koko Paccheri pasta. They serve this only at the rooftop resto, and I force everyone I take there to try it because I love it.
• The 22 Pasta al Limone. I didn’t ever think that I would like lemon pasta because I typically don’t love lemon flavoured food, but this pasta is a must every time I eat upstairs. Sadly, they don’t serve it downstairs (I checked).
• Lake Road Kitchen. The whole tasting menu was amazing for me (my parents didn’t love every course), I went with my family when we went to the Lake District in this summer and oh my gosh I still think about that jalapeno chicken dish. It was actually 9.5/10 chicken, will definitely go back.
• Carousel. A restaurant in Soho that has a carousel of guest chefs run a tasting menu. It’s a really cool concept and means you can go back multiple times without getting the same thing every time. I went on one of the nights that Julie Lin was the guest chef. If you’re ever in Glasgow, you can go to her restaurant Gaga and experience some of the dishes I did.

worst:

• Christopher’s. This was a scam. Not even that it was expensive per say but it was just bad. I got the French toast and felt like they wanted to suffocate me in sickly sweet chocolate (and I like chocolate)! An incredibly underwhelming experience, do not recommend. Service wasn’t bad though.

now skills!

best:

• Backgammon! My new fave board game to play and pass the time with. Thank you Tara, I’ve always been a chess girl before this year x
• How to braid my own hair. A game changer!! A skill that will never leave me, and it saves me so much money (even though it takes forever and there is nothing therapeutic about it for me). Once I learn how to do patewo and shuku on my own hair it’ll actually be over for everyone. That’s a goal for this year
• Pilates. Yes, I categorise pilates as a skill; it is so deceptively difficult.
• Baking. I discovered a love (and proficiency) for baking in 2023. Mastered my banana bread recipe, and in 2024 I have two recipes on my mind to perfect to such levels this year.

worst:

• Vinted selling. Don’t get me wrong, I love vinted, and if you’d like to buy from me here’s my account HA. However, we’re doing no unneccesary spending until July and so it’s just a lot of temptation. So many good vintage pieces and so little space in my closet for them 😦
• Undersharing. Upon reflection, I’ve realised that I genuinely do not tell people about my life unprompted. Which in my head is good, but also I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not conducive with wanting to cultivate meaningful relationships. Being an independent, mysterious babe at all times isn’t all that; it gets tiring tbh.

my final category is risks. I took a lot of risks this year, some paid off and others.. sha we learned from them.

best:

• The blog. I love this thing, it gives me a lot of space to express myself, and I didn’t want to start something like a substack because you have less autonomy on what it looks like and such. There will probably be a slight refurb to the blog layout coming soon, but rest assured, I won’t be stopping anytime soon.
• Saying yes even at times when I didn’t want to. You make lots of good memories, and it can also open up a LOT of doors for you, especially in fashion.

worst:

• Romantic involvement when I told myself it was a romance-free year. There was only one. He was lovely, amazing even, but wow I really should have just minded my business.
• Oltimeya. Now, the only reason this is in the worsts is because its original format was just very poorly thought through. It simply doesn’t work (for me) in its current format, but the idea itself is great and is staying. Oltimeya will be back in 2024, and it will be featured on here as a monthly curation, rather than a magazine.

Overall, 2023 was a good year. I met some people who have been vital to my development, and worked in ways that further developed me vocationally. I was happy more times that I wasn’t, which is always a plus. Let’s see what 2024 gives us.

That’s all.