don't hold back...

i noticed juan straight away at the sketchbook pop up shop

on wedensday. he was sitting in the front row at the stylesight

talk and he was pretty unmissable. the red skulls on his jumper stared back at me while i sat in the row behind him and i couldn't help but be captivated by all the quirky elements of his outfit. red skulls, plaid, cuffed jeans, purple socks and the funkiest lace up brogues i have ever seen.

so afterwards when i was standing around on my own gazing at the beautifully decorated walls of the sketchbook pop up shop and he sped past me to go outside i couldn't resist following him out and asking if i could snap his photo. it turns out studied political science during his undergraduate, went on to do a masters in journalism, worked for the united nations... and now is based in london as a trend-forecaster for stylesight. obviously i was totally mesmerized by this as i too did politics in my undergraduate, am now doing a masters in political theory, am planning some work experience with a think-tank... but at the same time have my finger firmly wedged in the fashion blogging pie. juan told me that i shouldn't hold back, that i didn't have to be all or nothing or fit into only one category. you can have it all, and you should pursue what interests you... even if you can't see how it is all directly related (yet). not only was juan's infectious smile instantly uplifting but his story was too.