WE NOW DO SIZE 16! :O

A topic most of us feel very strongly about – the media’s portrayal of how women should look. There has always been pressure from the media for women to be the slim, cellulite free, perfect woman. The truth is these catwalk models are that skinny because that is their life- their job is to be skinny. New incredible photos of Victoria Beckham have recently been released advertising the new women’s range of Emporio Armani underwear. She ran nine miles a day for six months to slim down for the sexy lingerie shoot. The 34-year-old former Spice Girl - who is frequently criticized for being too thin - reportedly embarked on a strict exercise regime in preparation- something busy mums and career women simply do not have the time or money for, so although Vic looks flawless, it is unrealistic.




I have never really given a great deal of thought about this topic as I am a natural size 8 and there are always a million size 8s when I go shopping so have never felt the frustration of not being able to find something in my size. However, I went shopping with a friend recently who is a beautifully perfect and happy size 16-18. We were shopping for something for her to wear and hit Topshop on Oxford Street. We saw so many lovely clothes that would have looked amazing on her but we did not find one item of clothing above size 14- even to find a 14 was rare. I thought it was a disgrace and it made me so angry that curvy women should be made to feel like this.


The average size for a woman in the UK is a size 14-16 yet high street shops order a greater amount of size 8-10s leaving larger healthy girls feeling as though they are abnormal thus feeling the pressure to lose weight. I work part time in a very well known high street shop and know from first hand that their clothes are not designed for girls over size 14. There is sometimes the odd size 16 and have signs everywhere saying, “We now do size 16!” Err hello?! They should be doing it anyway! The high street need to think of all body shapes giving everyone the chance to look fashionable and feel as fabulous as they are. As Gok Wan would say, girlfriend you are fierce just the way you are!

"Are You Screwing Me!?"

“There was an attempt to recapture a sense of working class solidarity and identity in the face of a tide of social change”. Bill Osgerby.


Forget the swinging, glamorous sixties it was more swinging for each other on the council estates of England. For the working class, thanks to “Lady” Margret Thatcher, life was tough and people became tough. Skinheads were looked upon as the modern day “chav”. Shorter hair also meant shorter tempers. The Ben Sherman shirt was the Burberry of the time. Levis jeans, small turn ups, doc martin boots, Ben Sherman shirt with braces was the uniform and the shirt you wore symbolised your status. This trend represented something only you and your mates knew about- you were part of a gang, you belonged.

Skinhead culture emerged in the early/mid 1960s as a result of two changes in British culture and society at the time. Firstly, the Mod scene which had begun to split into the middle class Mods who were able to carry on buying the latest Carnaby Street clothes and fashionable haircuts, whereas the working class Mods could not afford to - so they became creative. The "hard Mods" emerged with shaved hair, tight jeans, braces, and work boots - based on the typical style of British workingmen at the time. At the same time, there was an influx of Jamaican immigration to London bringing with them rude boy culture, reggae and ska. Many of them went to work in London’s docks and lived in the working class communities of London’s East End.


Skinhead attire lives on with Marc Jacobs incorporating braces into his S/S 07 collection. Raf Simons now collaborates with Fred Perry producing clothes inspiring a whole new generation. Neil Barrett’s S/S 07 collection combined elements from the city of London, with skinhead attitude. Fashion in London today anything goes, if you saw a “skinhead” it most probably wouldn’t conjure up the same feeling as it would have in the sixties, speaking stereotypically we have our very own modern day skinhead nowadays – the ‘hoodie’....well, at least their heads are warm.