the normanything but

no longer shy be curious and pry

meet hanna

The hippy at heart with a love of vintage fashion

Grace: Hi Hanna, Thank you for inviting us into your lovely home. Tell us a little bit about yourself?Hanna: Erm, I’m 21 and I work in the catering industry, erm I live at home with my parents as well as my brother, sister and little pup. I love collecting clothes such as vintage items and charity shop bargains. I love being creative with art and photography. I love listening to music and reading.....Oh and travelling.

G: So would you say that travelling is pretty important to you?H: Yeah!

G: Whereabouts in the world have you travelled to?H: I’ve been to Europe, the Caribbean, Cuba, Australia, China, America, India....

G: Wow you’re certainly well travelled, is there anywhere that you are still dying to journey to?H: I would love to see South America, California and South East Asia.

G: So, you mentioned that you love collecting vintage clothing and rummag-ing through charity shops. What is it about clothes that you find so attractive and engaging? H: Erm, I hate looking like anybody else. I’ve never been in a situation where I’ve been wearing something the same as anyone else EVER! I just don’t have anything the same as other people and I think that’s what is most important. My worst nightmare would be to turn up at a party wearing the same dress as some girl.

G: (Giggles) Yeah I get that! H: (Laughs) I would FREAK OUT! I mean yeah, sometimes I shop at Top-shop and that.

G: Is there something special about vintage items that entice you in?H: I love that every piece of vintage clothing has a story. I feel kind of strange putting on something new. I mean I love H&M and I love their quirky stuff but the fact that it’s manufactured and new makes it feel a bit strange. Erm, I’m also passionate about where the clothes have come from. I love fair-trade fashion and all the eco fashion stuff but generally it’s charityshops and vintage. The fact that it’s had a life before is fascinating to me.

G: Have you got any favourite designers?H: Well, erm I don’t own anything designer I can’t afford stuff like that but I love Missoni, they’re all about seventies crochet and as a family they are incredible, they all design together.

G: Have you ever met anyone who has inspired you or impressed you in any way?H: (long pause) I’ve not really met a certain person but I read a lot of blogs everyday and they inspire me massively.

G: What blogs are you the loyalist to?H: Oh, every day I would check Oracle Fox erm Fash-ion Toast, Where Did You Get That? And Knight Cat.I love a bit of Swedish fashion as well because the Swedes dress really, not at all like me, sort of very monochrome, black and white, very straight, cut and lacy style. I love Angelica Blick, she’s amazing.

G: Okay so have you got a specific piece from your wardrobe that you adore? Be it vintage or found in the bottom of a bin in a charity shop? H: I can’t name just one but I defiantly have some main pieces found in charity shops that were the biggest bargains. I have a tasselled, black, real suede waistcoat that is probably worth a fortune but I got it for a fiver.

G: That’s incredible. You have such an amazing ward-robe yet it hasn’t burnt a hole in your purse.

H: (Smiles) Thank you. I also have a seventies col-lared dress which has flared sleeves, erm, that was probably not so much of a bargain (giggles) but it was special.

G: Well, if it was special then why not? (Laughs)H: Exactly. I also love my vintage coats, they are to die for.

G: They certainly are. Now if you could describe your own fashion style in one word, what would it be?H: Unpredictable.

G: Brilliant! And what is your favourite thing to wear right now?H: I would say my high waist Wrangler jeans.

G: You’re wearing them right now aren’t you? They’re lovelyH: I love just wearing them slouchy, with a casual top and probably my Toms, I live in my Toms.

G: Well by the sounds of it, fashion seems to play an important role in your life. Is this true?H: (Nods)

G: Yes? (Laughs)H: Everyday

G: So, tell us about your love life. Have you got a special someone?H: Yeah, I’ve been with my boyfriend Liam for eight years in January.

G: Aw that’s great. What’s the story behind you guys meeting? H: Erm, well we met at a music concert when I was fourteen and we both looked completely different.I had long black hair and dressed kind of punk and ‘emo’ styled (Laughs). He was wearing a hoodie and drainpipes which everyone wore back then. He’s more into his tweed and heritage trends now.

G: Oh I remember the ‘Emo’ trend (laughs) all those safety pins and cut off tights with converse, brilliant but very American. Would you say American fashion has more influence on you rather than English?H: Yeah defiantly more American, I don’t really count myself as an Eng-lish fashion follower.

G: So at this music gig, did you make the first move? (Winks)H: Yeah, I went up to him and prodded him in the tummy and said hey. But he kind of ignored me... he eventually then came back later to find me.

G: Teenage dreams eh? And you guys have been together eight years, that’s great.H: Yeah he’s my best friend (Smiles).

G: Cool. So you say that English fashion isn’t really for you but you’re a Northern girl, since you live in the heart of Yorkshire. How would you describe it up here? H: It’s gorgeous for the countryside and scenery but it is a very slow pace of life, quiet and calm. It isn’t really fashion central, at all. I mean there are some cities in the North that are quite fashionable like Leeds and Manchester but they aren’t as quirky and fashion forward as London. Manchester has got great vintage shopping like Afflecks Palace. The charity shops in the North are amazing and so cheap. I don’t think I’ve ever been into a charity shop up here and not found something.

G: Big up to the North! (Being a Northern bird myself...) So you mentioned you work in the catering business, and you ac-tually run your own business at the moment. How did this come about?H: Erm, about three or four years ago my Mum opened up a fair-trade, organic café called ‘O’Crumbs’ and that was also the central base for our catering company which we ran as a family. It was in in-between doing a fashion course that I worked there. I started working there full time when I finished the course so that I could save money to travel and do whatever I wanted. But then my Mum sold the café so I decided to take on the catering business myself.

G: Nice one! And is it going well?H: Yeah, it’s good I enjoy it.

G: Well, word on the grapevine is that you make one damn tasty sandwich. What is your masterpiece sandwich?H: (laughs) probably, this spicy Mexican chicken one with peri peri mayo, lots of salad, a bit of mozzarella on a big brown, crusty bun.

G: Mmm that sounds too tasty. Maybe you can make me on later? (Giggles)H: If you’re lucky

G: So, tell us about your family, you said that you were working together, are you all pretty close?H: Yeah, I’m really close to my family. My Mum is probably the most important person in my life. She’s like my inspiration and my idol. She’s just the best person in the world. She’s so passionate about charity and so selfless. My passion from travel comes from my Mum and Dad because they have taken us all over the word. They travel a lot themselves. My Dad is very (sighs with a smile) laid back but a passionate kind of guy, works hard all the time. My sister is very social and she’s got her own business things going on but she’s travelling South East Asia at the moment. And my brother is... just a lazy shit.(laughs).

A lazy shit who doesn’t know what he wants to do. I think we are all like that as a family; we’re all waiting to grow up and waiting to decide what we want to do. My Mum and Dad who are forty-odd still don’t know what they want to do.

G: So what do you want to do when you grow up? Where can you see yourself in ten years time?H: Living on a beach. With a cocktail bar, with no priorities and no responsibilities at all but in ten years time we’ll see.

G: How about kids? Can you see yourself having a family?H: Yeah, I’ll have children in ten years time hopefully.

G: With your boyfriend?H: Yeah, probably (laughter)

G: Okay so, a little bit random but what would be your perfect breakfast?H: Oh my goodness by perfect breakfast would be cheesy eggs...

G: Cheesy eggs?H: And loads of pastries, poached eggs and a good, MASSIVE mug of earl grey and (long pause) some fruit juice (grins).

G: That’s quite a big breakfast for such a tiny lady. Good woman!H: (Laughs) well you know...

G: If you could suggest four songs for us. What would they be?H: My favourite song in the world is probably Dobie Gray –‘Drift away’ because it has some amazing memories with it. And then probably Ben Howard – ‘The Wolves’ that was the first song that got me into him. He’s incredible. Ed Sheeren – ‘The A Team’ be-cause he was born up here in Halifax and erm Manchester Or-chestra, any song by them because they are immense.

G: So you seem to like quite chilled out, acoustic vibes through-out music?H: Yeah I love to just put music on and chill out. I love listening to reggae. Bob Marley obviously.

A lazy shit who doesn’t know what he wants to do. I think we are all like that as a family; we’re all waiting to grow up and waiting to decide what we want to do. My Mum and Dad who are forty-odd still don’t know what they want to do.

G: So what do you want to do when you grow up? Where can you see yourself in ten years time?H: Living on a beach. With a cocktail bar, with no priorities and no responsibilities at all but in ten years time we’ll see.

G: How about kids? Can you see yourself having a family?H: Yeah, I’ll have children in ten years time hopefully.

G: With your boyfriend?H: Yeah, probably (laughter)

G: Okay so, a little bit random but what would be your perfect breakfast?H: Oh my goodness by perfect breakfast would be cheesy eggs...

G: Cheesy eggs?H: And loads of pastries, poached eggs and a good, MASSIVE mug of earl grey and (long pause) some fruit juice (grins).

G: That’s quite a big breakfast for such a tiny lady. Good woman!H: (Laughs) well you know...

G: If you could suggest four songs for us. What would they be?H: My favourite song in the world is probably Dobie Gray –‘Drift away’ because it has some amazing memories with it. And then probably Ben Howard – ‘The Wolves’ that was the first song that got me into him. He’s incredible. Ed Sheeren – ‘The A Team’ because he was born up here in Halifax and erm Manchester Orchestra, any song by them because they are immense.

G: So you seem to like quite chilled out, acoustic vibes throughout music?H: Yeah I love to just put music on and chill out. I love listening to reggae. Bob Marley obvi-ously.

G: Oh yes, Bob was an inspirational man. So Hanna, if you were a boy for one day, what on earth would you get up to?H: (long pause) If I was a boy for a day, I would probably get absolutely wasted and be really stupid with my guy friends, avoid getting arrested and into trouble because guys can get away with it. I think lads friendships are totally different to girls because it’s all about having fun and messing about.

G: (Laughs) let’s hope you wouldn’t get arrested. Going back to what you are interested in. You mentioned Art, is it big part of your life?H: Yeah, I guess it was when I was studying it at School and College and I kind of do want to get back into it but for pleasure reasons rather than business. Maybe when I’m older and retired I’ll get back into painting, I love oil painting. I think my future will defiantly be to do with art and fashion. I’d love to start a blog but it would just be too much hassle (rolls eyes). But yeah I can certainly see art in my future.

G: Is there anything that inspires you to be creative?H: The end product. That would always keep me going. I’m a very visual per-son.

G: Hanna, if you could be reincarnated into anything what would it be?H: (long pause) I would defiantly be reincarnated into a dog. I love dogs. I don’t think anything in this world is loved more than my dog, Jodie.

G: Aww that’s adorable. I love dogs too. Maybe we could come back as dogs and have our own Wolf pack? H: (Laughs) Oh for sure!

G: Name three things that you cannot live without.H: My Levi cut-offs I live in them, can’t be without them. I couldn’t live without my teddy bears and my doggy. Doggy, teddy bears and my Levi cut-offs how sad is that?

G: Not at all! I couldn’t live without some embarrassing stuff too...that I won’t mention (laughs). So Hanna, have you enjoyed modelling your extraordinary and expanding wardrobe for us today?H: It’s been fabulous, great to show it off. I’m very proud of it. It’s a collection I know I’ll keep forever.