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.

BEST DRESSED OF 2008 (according to me!)

1. KATY PERRY -without a dout would go on my top spot. Her dress sense is what fashion is all about- creative, fun and daring.


























2. CHERYL COLE- Matthew Williamsons new best friend, XFactor for me this year became less about the singers and more about what Cheryl would be wearing that week. She consistantly looked effortlessly stunning with her princess smile and pulling off just about every trend going from leopard print to PVC and gorgeous LBDs...grrrr jealous?..me?...DEFINATLY!!

























3. SARAH JESSICA PARKER/CARRIE BRADSHAW ofcorse! No best dressed list is complete without our American friend. We waited patiently for the Sex in the City movie and we certainly wern't dissapointed with her giant scrunchie dress, sensational wedding dress every girl dreams of and who could forget the giant flower and Alexander McQueen dress on the red carpet..shes not one to do things by half!

























4. SARAH HARDING an usual choice maybe but everything she wears I love! I think her style is quirky and edgy and whenever shes pictured she always looks like shes having fun with it..my kind of girl!


















5. DAVID BECKHAM in those Emporio Armani pants..*drools* enough said.





















6. BETH DITTO its not about what you wear but how you wear it and she certainly prooves that. Beth has fun with what she wears and doesn't take herself too seriously. She wowed the crowds at the Brits in her snazzy Lycra jumpsuit.

























7. AGYNESS DEYN you knew it was coming, I tried to avoid being so predictable but she is just amazing! She brought punk fashion back into Vogue and her quirky style won me over.





















8. RACHEL ZOE stylist to the stars but also knows how to dress pretty damn good herself!

The Streets are your Catwalk

I have always been inspired by street style and for a while now I’ve been looking more into what people wear in on the streets of the major cities around the world. Call me a little bias but I have to say London street style is by far the most innovative, inspirational and colourful. The definition of fashion to the people of London tends to be individualism, shopping vintage to find something different that no one else has. They use a mish-mash of trends to create their own individual style. With the London College of Fashion based in Oxford Street, Vogue House on Hanover square and shops for all budgets from Prada to Primark, it is hardly surprising the world looks to London for fashion.

SEX SELLS

Sex sells. Dov Charney the founder of American Apparel has quickly worked this out and incorporated it into his advertising campaigns with American Apparel fast making millions becoming a fashionista’s essential stop off whilst shopping in Oxford Street. But have you stopped to this about the man behind the fashion? What he stands for and what his morals are?

If you take a look on the American apparel website it is easy to see why this man is causing controversy that is giving his business the advertisement it once needed. With girls looking as young as 16 modelling in the clothes in very provocative ways wearing sometimes just a pair of the American apparel leggings.

Dov Charney has faced five sexual harassment lawsuits; four were dismissed while the fifth is still pending. He has also admitted that his office features photographs of nude models. During a series of interviews with reporter Claudine Ko, Charney masturbated on a number of occasions in front of the writer and engaged in a sexual encounter with an American apparel employee.

Claudine responded to the controversy by saying; “whenever I see a picture of Dov I can’t help but smile and think fondly of him. That reporting experience was fun engaging stimulating and interesting. Dov Charney is a mad man and I like that”.

The question is, is it pornography or just smart advertising?

VINTAGE STYLEFINDER

With the credit crunch hitting our purses our shopping habits are simultaneously being affected. Girls, instead of religiously following fashion fads why not bag yourself a vintage find sleeping well in the knowledge that you’re doing your bit to save the planet?!

The top tip for charity shop rummaging would be to hunt it out in rich areas such as Sloane square and Banstead. Brick Lane is a vintage shoppers dream with quirky shops such as Absolute Vintage; awarded ‘The Best Vintage Shop in London 2008’ by InStyle magazine.

For a charity shop alternative why not try Agyness Deyn’s favourite place to shop- Beyond Retro. Their large-scale stores are packed full of thousands of one-of-a-kind garments, carefully chosen from all over the globe, and spanning the decades from the 1900s through to the 1990s. With a century’s worth of vintage clothing to rummage through, you’re guaranteed to find a bargain!

Designers such as Dolce and Gabbana at Milan fashion week sported the vintage royal look, so if D&G can do it…