So 2014 was an interesting year to say the least. I finally got the motivation to develop Style Division from a visual blog (which you can still access here) to what it is today. I also made the big move to London which was a relatively scary prospect but it has been paying off dividends in my personal and professional life. Now that I've had time to recover from my Christmas travels and New Year shenanigans I sat down and really thought where I want Style Division to go in 2015 and beyond.
Style Division has now been operating as a fully-fledged blog for over a year and it has given me unrepeatable memories, experiences and friends for which I want to thank all you readers and part-time visitors. I've had the opportunity to attend fashion shows, undertake backstage photography, collate lookbooks and go to private events with excessive amounts of champagne yet it feels like I've only scratched the surface. Style Division has always been a personal hobby and I’m solely responsible for its operation so rest assured any articles or products that make an appearance on here get my seal of approval. Although saying that menswear and fashion are just some of the topics that interest me so moving forward I want to write about other areas and hopefully make it interesting in the process.
I’ve always been interested in photography, to a point of constructing a makeshift darkroom in my basement and developing film the old fashioned way during one of my years at university. This year I've started experimenting with mobile photography and utilising apps like Instagram and VSCOCam to really showcase my photos. Back in September I also purchased a Fuji XE-1 digital camera which has given me a new headache because of it's steep learning curve that I'm slowly getting to grips with; hopefully my photography game improves as the year goes on.
The second area I want to focus on in 2015 is technology / futurology which is something I've been interested in ever since I was a teenager. Ray Kurzweil's book 'The Singularity Is Near' sparked my interest in the future, the impact of technology on our world and how computers through AI and machine learning will improve our lives in ways we cannot imagine. I started a small Tumblr blog (Futurology Division) to post any interesting material I came across and through general curiosity found out more about the internet of things, virtual reality and cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.
The technology section will be an area for me to let my geeky side out although there will still be relevance to fashion and menswear with an explosion of wearable technology poised to happen over the next 2/3 years. We have already seen things like 3D printed dresses and Google Glass but these are mere teasers in terms of whats to come and I cannot wait to tell you guys about it.
The 4 Collections
I've made attempts at visual collections in the past with little Photography, Retro Photogaphy and Visual Inspiration posts but I want to make them a more regular feature. I've become a bit of a digital hoarder recently, what I mean by that is anytime I see something I wish to write about in the future I add it to my list in Pocket or Evernote. These lists have grown considerably large and the time at my disposal has all but disappeared.
To ensure I still cover everything that tickles my fancy I will be putting together 4 regular inspiration collections (hopefully) every month that concentrate on:
1 - Style Division Menswear Roundup
The menswear roundup will include latest mens style images, lookbooks, street styles, moodboards, news or products. The Style Division menswear roundup will also include updates about Style Division such as some of my latests looks, London events or guest posts.
2 - Photography / Visual Inspiration Collection
A collection of photos and photographers that have a really unique vision for their craft. I use these for my own inspiration so the styles may be all over the place at first but if you feel your work is good enough to get featured just send me an email on anton@thestyledivision.com
Art & design visuals will also be added to the collection although it's not limited to just these two categories. Lifestyle, architecture and other images I find appealing are sure to make an appearance.
3 – Technology / Futurology Collection
Time to let out my geeky side and cover a number of topics you don’t usually see covered in a blog. If the sound of machine learning, virtual reality, wearables, cryptocurrencies or space exploration tickle you fancy this collection is for you. As mentioned above the future tech section will develop slowly, most of the emphasis will be on wearables but it's still good practice to write about your interests.
4 - Music Playlists
My obsession with music has grown considerably over the last year although my tastes have solidified around a handful of genres and bands I want you to know more about. Because of the nature of the music I listen to numerous tracks cannot be found on Spotify or Soundcloud so I've been forced to rely on YouTube links which isn't ideal although over the course of the year I hope to stick with just one platform.
Please leave me a comment below or tweet me @StyleDivision with the platform that you prefer.
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Most Read Articles of 2014
It's been a long year but I also had time to write a few articles about menswear and lifestyle that really interested me. Here are the Top 5 most read articles on Style Division in 2014.
1 - Race Day Fashion for Men
2 - Nick Wooster's New York City Apartment
3 - Autumn / Winter Expert Roundup
4 - Treviso Backpack from A Kind of Guise
5 - Spencer Hart Suits
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2014 Guest Posts
From time to time I get asked to write guest posts on other sites and blogs, here are some of my favourites from last year.
1 - MNSWR - Etiquette and Dress Code for Black and White Tie Events
2 - Luxury Barber - Daily Skincare Routine for Men
3 - The Gentlemanual - 16 Menswear Style Rules Broken by the Experts
2014 StyleGram
Here are some of my favourite pictures from last year. After the Edward Snowden revelations I decided to delete my Facebook and use Twitter / Instagram to digitise my life. Although I lost a number of photos and long distance friends getting rid of Facebook has really freed up my time and allowed me to enjoy the little moments without constantly checking my phone.
Dubai Mall Lake
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