#1 A Not Pink welcome

Sunday has arrived and this is the very first entry to Not Pink, a taster in to the many postings to follow, and so to begin with, I'd love to share with you all the meaning behind Not Pink - maybe it'll make sense to you, maybe it won't, maybe you'll be able to find some relatability in what I am saying, sh*t sorry writing, or perhaps none at all. Regardless, Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to Not Pink.

...

Sunday 31st July, 2022

For the first time in forever, maybe a slight exaggeration, I've stayed in all weekend, quite literally, I think I have ventured outside twice in the last three days <edit: maybe a little worrying to some readers, remove>, nonetheless, I have really enjoyed it. It's Mike's (my boyfriend) birthday on Tuesday and I love a celebration, especially when it's to do with your favourite person in the whole world, so best believe I have gone above and beyond for that. Wholesome tasks like birthday planning, blogging and pottering are what Sunday's are for, or perhaps what I want them to look like going forward. What did you get up to today?. Not Pink's first three rules remain in their truest form <mental tick if completed>, have we got clean pyjamas to get in to?, face mask/skincare ready to be applied? and bonus point if you have fresh bedding on ... happy Sunday :).

...

<google search> Define Not Pink.

no results found .

Let me help you.

I have been siting on this name, term, brand, idea, inspiration, vision ... for about 2 years and it first came to me when I was driving back down to University <what else does one do with a spare 4 hours to themselves? this just so happened to be what I did>. I remember typing in to Spotify,

'business podcasts'

'how to be a successful business person'

'how to start a clothing brand'

& the list did continue for precisely 5 more searches, and I couldn't find any fitting with what I wanted to learn from and listen to, and so, I sat in silence. I thought about myself, who I was, who I wanted to be and what I thought I was good at. The silence at this point was loud ha ha, very very loud, but bless me for having that sudden urge of motivation and determination to become something bigger than who I already was. The thought was there at least, but back to my typical car ride routine.

Step 1: Podcast on or playlist so good you don't have to press skip.

Step 2: Comfort, no jeans or tight clothing allowed in the drivers seat, joggers solely permitted.

Step 3: Drive.

It was a very easy to follow routine, you couldn't really ever muck it up.

Routine in action, accelerator pressed, yet I still couldn't budge this name, term, brand, idea, inspiration, vision from my mind. I don't really recall how it went from silence, brain fog and nothingness to eureka, but it did. If I was to imagine how eureka had come about, I imagine it occurred exactly as this moment did in my car <this is quite clearly yet another exaggeration from myself>. It's not about the way it happened anyway, it's about what it means.

Activity

If you think of the word pink and all of its connotations, what does it mean to you? (Answer on the dotted lines below)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5 marks

<Activity over>

I don't know how you answered that question, but when I think of the colour pink, I actually think of my sister first, she just resembles the colour pink to a T (if you know my sister, I assume you understand). As for me, I am the furthest individual away from the colour pink, I believe.

<sidenote> You know when people, and by people I mean me, say Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are even numbers and Monday, Wednesday and Friday are odd numbers. This is how I associate the colour pink with Sophie (my sister). Is this stereotyping? Maybe a little but it's just my thoughts. <end sidenote>

When I think pink, I think blonde, I have black hair.

When I think pink, I think cutesy, no just no.

When I think pink, I think tight, bright and fun outfits, 99% of my clothes are approx 3 times too big for me, by choice!.

I just don't relate to that colour, I never have, and I don't think I ever will. And so, I said out loud to myself in my car, I am just the most un pink person ever, it's giving vanilla. And there, Not Pink was birthed and I have loved the name since. I remember telling Mike as soon as I next saw him, and he instantly got it, I think we may have even jumped up and down with excitement in his room because the name was just so fitting for me.

But Not Pink is not just for people who wear oversized and dark clothing or even those with black hair, but for those who want to feel apart of something. Even if you are the pinkest person to have ever walked planet earth, this blog excludes no one. I mentioned, in the 'About' section of this blog, repeatedly the word lifestyle, as well as many others, but Not Pink is a lifestyle, <which may or may not have been the cringiest sentence I have ever typed> but to me, this is the lifestyle I want to belong to, and I hope someone else feels the same. Just know that if you have read this far and felt an ounce of comfort, relatability and joy then you too belong here. Perhaps, you are still a bit unsure what this blog is all about, which is totally fine, but maybe in a few entries time you'll relate to something too. After all this is the blog spot which all the characters from The Devil Wears Prada come to for their fashion tips and lifestyle insights, or at least that's how I imagine it.

The Not Pink World ; A Digital handbook, forever a lifestyle.

What are your thoughts on following a lifestyle?, does it keep your mind and body feeling organised, focused and occupied?, do we just follow them because we see others doing it? - what is gen z's obsession with following and maintaining an admirable lifestyle ?, I'm not sure. We see lifestyle choices, if you will, imploded all over social media, TikTok and Instagram mainly, daily, if not every time we open the app. Perhaps you've seen a few. <mental tick if aware of the following>, the 9-5 lifestyle ? the 'it girl' routine ? and that bloody gut health regime. There's a fine line existing here between demonstrating productivity versus actually being productive. In all honesty, these 'lifestyles' bother me. But let's not confuse it, I am sucker for an aesthetic video, there's something so wholesome and hearty about them, would you say so? but my tip, don't be convinced by them, just admire them from a far.

It's crazy to think that in today's day and age, our lifestyles are influenced by what social media shows us via apps, videos and pictures. I do think sometimes that without it, what would all of our lives look like? would we be happier? fewer people to compare ourselves to?, I think we all probably would be happier and live very different lifestyles in comparison to the ones we already do ... but would I prefer it, I'm not sure I would, would you?.

I would definitely say in the last 3 years, since the beginning of covid-19, I have become increasingly influenced by social media. Is that my age,? acting blissfully unaware as to what the rest of my life will look like beyond my days of education, perhaps it is. Is it a boredom thing? or is it because I have a better understanding, relationship and appreciation for social media? I think so. I think we all do.

Pushing 'follow', 'like' and 'share' are all buttons which frame my lifestyle, to an extent, now. Nowadays, following someone on social media is a BIG thing, as soon as I choose to make the button turn blue to clear on Instagram or red to clear on TikTok, it's because I enjoy that persons content and lifestyle, not because everyone else does. I find it's way more personal now. Perhaps that's because social media platforms are no longer the stomping ground for celebrities to exist upon, but instead a home for people like you and I too. I like how I can share someone I've recently found on Instagram with Mike or my friends, it gives off the same feeling as showing a new song, that's sooooo good, to your friends and claiming the title of finding theeeee song of the summer.

Pushing 'like' is the same, especially on TikTok, because as you like videos on TikTok, the app will collate them all in one spot for you to refer back, and this is what I love.

<side note> I don't remember the last time I used a cookbook to make a delicious meal, I don't remember the last time I used google to find the best spots in a new place I've never visited before - why?, because TikTok does it all for you and its quick and simple. <end side note>.

Not Pink reminds you all at this point that your lifestyle is tailored to how you enjoy living. Perhaps your lifestyle consists of working a 9-5 job, coming home, making an easy dinner, watching some random TV and scrolling your phone whilst tucked up on the best seat in the living room. Perhaps your lifestyle thrives on routine, structure and movement or maybe going with the flow, being relaxed and seeing what happens is your vibe. ALL are lifestyles. And as long as you are happy, living YOUR lifestyle, then that counts.

WELCOME TO MY NOT PINK WORLD, A DIGITAL HANDBOOK, FORVER A LIFESTYLE.

SEE YOU NEXT SUNDAY

NOT PINK X

<end of entry one>