Ethical fashion vs fast fashion

This post is a part of a series, you can find the next part here.

Can fast fashion be ethical? Ever?

I have a constant battle with myself over my desire to shop ethically and yet still stick to a pretty tight budget. I am a bargain hunter at heart and nothing makes me smile more than a fantastic and stylish steal. But how ethical are my bargains and at what cost to others do I get that rush of the bargain?

Charity shop shopping or second-hand shopping is often cited as a good option for those who wish to shop ethically on a budget. Whilst it might not be the most PC position to take I feel I should admit, I personally find charity shop shopping a little dull – I like to shop for the thrill of the “find”, more probably than the “chase”. So unless I find something within the first half an hour of a shopping trip, I usually give up and go home. That presents a bit of a problem when shopping in charity shops as it takes time and patience to find the prize piece. Indeed, there is one piece in my wardrobe that was a charity shop find that I wear nearly every day to work – an old Marks and Spencer blazer. But this was found by my mother who, I admit, has a lot more patience than me. Maybe I have been brought up in an age of instant gratification which doesn’t allow me the patience needed to trawl the rails of my local charity shops. But it doesn’t stop me reading blogs, like Jazzabelle’s Diary, and coveting their rather fabulous charity shop finds.

For those of us who, instead, shop the high street, the lure of fast fashion is all often too great to resist. I know that fast fashion is a vicious circle of, often/sometimes, poorly constructed clothes that loose their shape/bobble quickly and encourage one to go out and buy another. I have tried over the years to tame my love of the very cheap fast fashion that I favoured as a student and to add higher end, or better quality “fast” fashion to my wardrobe that will last longer. My style tends towards more classic pieces, so I know that for the most part, they will last from season to season in terms of trend, however what is often less sure, is that the quality will not allow them to last quite so well.

In spite of this, however, while I respect those who take the decision to “go ethical”, I’m not sure that I could ever completely give up my addiction to the thrill of the bargain hunt. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t try to make ethical decisions regarding my shopping habit when I can.

“Every little helps” – as the slogan goes, and so it does. I hope.

One ethical brand that has really captured my attention recently is Made. I had been aware of the brand for a while but only recently really got to know them better when I won a recent Twitter competition to win this ring. 

The Made website tells the story and ethos behind the brand:

“All made products are designed by influential designers, then sourced and created within disadvantaged communities across East Africa.

Following the principles of fair trade we train local artisans in new skills, providing fair wages and support at every level. Via this 'trade not aid' ethos we believe we can help break the cycle of poverty and empower the people who create our products.”

These are my top picks from the Made online shop:

Alexa Chung Skull Necklace

Tiwi Friendship Bracelet

Twisted Brass Loop Bracelet

Do you strive to shop ethically? Are you a fast fashion addict like myself with a guilty conscious each time you are seduced into buy another cheap top? Are you proud of your bargain hunting ways? How do you try to resolve this dilemma? How do you suggest I try to resolve the dilemma?

This post will undoubtedly be expounded upon over time but for now, these are the most coherent of my thoughts.


PS:

Have you entered my giveaway to win a fabulous pair of Oasis New Vintage earrings? If not, make sure you do so right away!! You can’t win, if you don’t enter! 

AND, if you have already voted for me in the Filofax Facebook Blogger Style Off, thank you. If you haven’t voted for me yet, please do go and vote for me and will be forever grateful.

Christina Hendricks: curvy role model or another unattainable ideal?

Source

Last week the UK government's Equalities Minister, Lynne Featherstone MP, caused controversy when she suggested that Christina Hendricks - who plays sexy secretary Joan Holloway in the TV series, Mad Men, and wears a size 14 - is a perfect role model.

The controversy surrounding the comments was, I admit, more of the media's own making than anything that Featherstone herself had said. Yes, she had said that Hendricks was a good role model but she did not decree that she was a good role model for every women or that there should only be one such role model. She was merely making the point that curvy women should be celebrated and that it is potentially dangerous for young women and girls to aspire to the size zero models that often grace the front pages of magazines, such as GQ. In fact, what the Equalities Minister said was, “There is such a sensation when there is a curvy role model. It shouldn’t be unusual.”

I agree. To a point. And that point is that each and every woman is different. Certainly curves shouldn't be frowned upon and those women lucky enough to have hips and a fuller chest should be celebrated rather than feel the need to diet. But we aren't all that lucky to look like Christina Hendricks.

My petite frame and flat chest mean that no matter how many corsets I put on, I will never look like Hendricks' alter ego, Joan Holloway:

Source

Lynne Featherstone's comments come as she discusses the Liberal Deomcrat Campaign for Body Confidence which she launched in March this year and which follows on from the Lib Dem's Real Women Campaign.

Sepaking in an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Featherstone said, “I am very keen that children and young women should be informed about airbrushing so they don’t fall victim to looking at an image and thinking that anyone can have a 12in waist."

“Advertisers and magazine editors have a right to publish what they choose, but women and girls also have the right to be comfortable in their own bodies. At the moment they are being denied that.”

She said she was planning to hold a series of meetings with the fashion industry later this year to tackle issues including airbrushing.

The issue of airbrushing in the fashion industry is not new. It seems that once a year or so one magazine makes a stand and features a cover photograph of a star who hasn't been airbrushed or a "real woman". To be honest though, I don't think there are many women who, given the chance, would opt not to be airbrushed, be they a size 6 or a size 14. We all spend time - sometimes hours - making ourselves up each morning and before we go out for an evening. I don't think it's all that different: we're all trying to portray the best possible image of ourselves to the world.

What are your thoughts on this thorny issue? Who is your role model?

Words: source

Delivery costs: fair enough or enough's enough?

Internet shopping has come into its own in recent years. I remember just a few years back, I'd never have dreamed of shopping online and now it's become second nature. Of course, I'd never completely give up the thrill of a little "real" retail therapy but online shopping is always there as a back-up.


The one thing that has always put me off shopping online is the delivery charges. Sure, I understand that it costs money to send the clothes and that I'd normally have to pay bus fare/train fare/petrol and parking to get to my favourite high street stores but it does make you wonder when one shop charges £4 for your clothes to arrive in what is little more than a plastic bag and another charges you nothing for their clothes to arrive with you in double quick time and beautifully presented in tissue paper and a box. The latter is All Saints. Their clothes might be more expensive but their presentation makes it worth it.


Asos.com recently introduced the option of FREE standard delivery, whilst still providing a faster, paid service. I think this is the perfect way to do it. If you need something quickly and efficiently then we're all willing to pay the price but when it's a £2 ring that caught our eye in the sale, we're not to prepared to make that £6 with the postage.


I know that I am much more likely to make an impulse buy on line if the postage if free and that if I have to pay for it, I am often a lot more sensible about where I spend my pennies.


I asked some fellow bloggers for their opinions on the subject. The consensus was that "the cost [of delivery] often doesn't make clicking "buy" worthwhile". My feeling that impulse buying was less likely: "when I only want one, inexpensive item, and the delivery charge gets added on, it's not worth the purchase". I was also interested by the opinion of one blogger that "I am always put off when there is a delivery charge, because it adds to the expense of the item you are buying - especially if it's on sale".


What are your thoughts on shipping charges for online shopping? How much are you prepared to pay?


Special thanks to those fabulous bloggers who shared their thoughts on this subject with me: Connie of Sogni e Sorrisi; Maria of Frills 'n' Spills; Leia of Leia's Delights; Sherin of HiFashion and Laura of Side Street Style. 

Hello Mulberry!!

The debate about bloggers receiving samples and freebies has been at the centre of some controversy for quite a while now. In the US bloggers have had to disclose if something has been gifted, although the rules surrounding this have been a little difficult to decipher at times: there are a couple of interesting posts about this very subject on IFB, here and here. In the UK it is not quite so clear cut but the debate still rages.


There are those bloggers who refuse to receive or review freebies (and extend this to advertising) on the grounds of credibility. There are others who take every freebie offered to them with no real thought to whether or not they are the sort of thing that their readers might want to read about. And then there are still others who take the time to consider any offers that come their way and consider the audience for whom they write and then make a measured decision. This last group will also give an honest opinion about any freebie or sample.


I read an interesting post by the British Beauty Blogger which raised a different question: that of the relationship between PRs and bloggers. It seems that for a long time bloggers have strived to be taken seriously by PRs and that they - we - have worked hard to earn their respect but the British Beauty Blogger points out that whilst gaining this respect it needs to be returned. Bloggers can't expect that they are entitled to freebies. Many of us work hard to create blogs that are credible. The respect has to work both ways.


For my part, I know that I would only ever accept something that I genuinely might think about buying myself. Or that I would lust after - as I'm not saying I would turn down something just because I couldn't actually afford it in real-life (Hello Mulberry!!). My blog is about me and the things that I like and if other people like them too, then that is a bonus. When I was offered the chance to trial Reebok's EasyTone Trainers - for example - I jumped at the chance. If I had been approached to trial running trainers I would have had to say no because - frankly - I don't run. But - as I found out after a little research - the EasyTones are specifically designed for walking, which I do a lot of, right? Ok, maybe not a lot of, but you get the picture!


The debate will no doubt continue to rage but I thought that I would add my two-penneth. And maybe give you a little insight into my thought process behind any offers I get - both for my readers and for any prospective PRs (Again, Hello Mulberry!!).


More soon. Love, SG

I write a fashion blog... And I'm proud of it.

Source: Cupcakes and Cashmere

Over the months that I have been blogging, I have read a fair few posts about the dilemma over whether or not to tell close friends and acquaintances about your blog. I completely get this dilemma and have had to deal with it on a number of ocassions. But it feels so silly to be embarassed about writing a blog, particularly one that is relatively well received, as I hope mine is!


I guess my embarassment comes from a notion that writing a blog is a little geeky. I also feel that many of my friends have been privy to some of my worst fashion fauz pas and therefore wonder how they will react to the idea of me writing about fashion!


Of those who I have told, most have been supportive and particularly those who have taken the time to read this blog. They know who they are and I just want to take a moment to thank them! I'm not sure how many of my real-life friends are regular readers as, despite attracting readers, my blog doesn't seem to generate many commentators. So readers, real-life friends and blogging friends, say hi, if you're about!!


I think there is also a little bit of an underlying worry that *other* people will view writing a fashion blog as a little frivolous. I work in an office where I feel I would be seen as a bit of an airhead if they knew I wrote a fashion blog on the side. But I think this is wrong. So many of the blogs that I read on a day-to-day basis are written by strong intelligent women whose careers and studies are as far removed from fashion as is possible - Polka Dot Style makes this point here too.


Writing a fashion blog is just one part of my life, in which I am also a politics post grad student (I graduate next month - eek!), a PA for a politician, a girlfriend, a sister, a daughter, a friend, someone who enjoys to travel and to speak other languages, someone who enjoys reading old classics and historical novels, someone who loves to cook and enjoys eating even more, someone who has terrible taste in music but still enjoys going to gigs with the boyf to watch bands she's never heard of! Fashion doesn't rule my life but it is a part of who I am, I enjoy shopping (a little too much) and love to get dressed (most of the time!) and love to explore my style. I don't think this is soemthing I should be ashamed of or embarassed about.


So there it is. I write a fashion blog, of sorts. And I am proud of it. And if someone doesn't like it, that is not my fault. I hope that doesn't sound conceited.

A Bit Of A Bummer!

I was going to post my thoughts on Sex and the City 2 today but that has been put on hold for a little rant. 


After a weekend of relaxing with family and friends I thought I should catch up on what's been happening in the world of twitter this morning and was intrigued by ReebokToning's tweet: 

News of the World thought it was v silly too...http://bit.ly/aOsvbm. 

So, naturally, I clicked through to the link:

Council ban is a bit of a bummer

I understand that there are some women out there who think the EasyTone advert is sexist but I'd have to disagree. Sorry. In advance. 

I'm not sure there are many women who don't dream of a firmer, more toned bum (and legs, let's not forget the legs!) and wouldn't want to achieve said dream bum in the easiest way possible. I mean, who has time for the gym these days? EasyTones promise just that - and so far, mine seem to be delivering on their promise! A toned bum - and legs - as you walk. What could be better than that?

I admit that I am a little in awe of the image of those perfect pins and that dream bum that are displayed in the ad but that is the point - every time I see that picture I am motivated to put my EasyTones on and go shopping!! It doesn't make me feel demeaned just a little bit flabby!

The ladies of Glasgow decided to show their councillors that not everyone feels the way they do. You can read Transatlantic Blonde's post here.

What are your thoughts on the ad ban?

Watch out for my SATC2 post later today (or tomorrow!) and a proper review of the EasyTones coming very very soon!

More soon. Love, SG

Men-fluence

Source: The Sartorialist

It is only recently that I have begun to realise that I am often influenced by men's clothing and fashion choices in what I wear, just as much as I am by what women put on.

This photo on The Sartorialist instantly popped out at me. I love the proportions and the juxtaposition of the green jacket over the blazer and the jeans. Somehow it works even though it most definitely shouldn't! But a look like that could quite easily translate into a female outfit too...

I never thought of myself as a tomboy. I certainly am a girl when it comes to anything physical or out of doors. But I love to live in jeans and flat shoes. With a very large dose of accessories - cocktail rings, pendants, pearls, chandelier earrings - thrown in for good measure. So I guess my style could be described as a girly tomboy.

How would you describe your sense of style? Are you influenced by men's fashion?

In Vogue?

Everywhere you turn in the UK at the moment someone is talking about the impending General Election.


Indeed, the Guardian have been running a Fashion Election Special series, including the Westminter location shoot below. As well as a Sarah vs Samantha article, which is very similar to the one I did last autumn which you can read and compare here!

Source: Guardian online


No ones knows yet when it will be called but that hasn't stopped anyone and everyone talking about it. Suddenly it is fashionable to talk about politics. Politics in the UK has never been fashionable. Really. In the United States on the other hand, everyone from film stars to designers jumped on the Obama-McCain bandwagon. US Vogue Editor, Anna Wintour and Sarah Jessica Parker co-hosted a fundraiser for Barack Obama during his campaign in 2008. Now here too, everyone wants to be seen cozying up to Brown, Cameron or Clegg.


Yesterday I opened my post box and happily found my copy of Vogue magazine inside. (In case I haven't made it clear before; I love post! Any post. Except bills, of course!)


So yesterday evening, after a day of cleaning, washing, tidying and general housework - plus a little shopping - I sat down with a glass of wine and my Vogue to indulge in some frivolous day dreaming over the beautiful photos of beautiful people wearing beautiful clothes. And there, right in front of me, is an article about who will be supporting whom in the up-coming General Election. Seriously?! This is supposed to be fashion.


So when exactly did it become fashionable to be interested in politics?


As a politics graduate I was under the impression that the subject was distinctly unfashionable. An impression garnered from years of people looking blankly at me when I told them what I studied. (And, of course, my own opinion from years - literally, years - of attending politics lectures!)


But things, they are a-changing.


For me, this will be the first General Election that I will have voted in. I could have voted in 2005 but I was living in Italy and didn't register in time for a postal vote! Oops! Over drinks recently the group I was with started to discuss the first General Election that we had any real recollection of. I have a vague recollection of John Major's win in 1992 when I was eight years old but my first real memories are of Tony Blair's victory at the polls in 1997. Since I was 13 I have lived under a Labour government. For others at the table, Margaret Thatcher's win in 1979 was their first memory of a General Election and they spent their formative years living under a Conservative government. I don't know if this makes any difference to which party people are likely to vote for at the next General Election.


Today, many people seem to switch political allegiance every five years. Throughout much of the twentieth century most voters stuck with one party or another with few so-called swing voters but in our current political climate and with the three main parties seemingly so similar voting intentions are more fluid.


Much has been made in recent years about the throw-away culture of current society, in particular with the rise in popularity of cheap and disposable fashion. Perhaps our political leanings have been influenced by this and perhaps political views are now seen as disposable as our clothes.
 
I'd love to hear your views on this subject.


Of course, if you're fed up with all the politics talk why not check out the fashions of politics' first ladies in my weekly Style Icon series?

How to... shop till you drop and still "be green":

Clearly I was ahead of the times...


Earlier this month Dame Vivienne Westwood urged BBC Radio London listeners to stop shopping for six months in order to avoid unnecessary waste.


London Mayor Boris Johnson has launched his climate change for London campaign with a number of stars, including Westwood, lending their voices and support to the cause.


Well, Dame Vivienne and Mr Johnson, I'm one step ahead of you - I already gave up shopping for six months! It was not easy. But it is certainly possible. You can read about how I got on here.


If you don't think you can manage six months, or, like me, have done your six months of no shopping, what next? It's all very well not buying anything for half a year but what about the other half of the year. Do you suddenly forget all of those noble 'green' reasons you gave up shopping in the first place? (NB - not sure my reasons were ever very noble or green but whatever - I did it!)


Well, you can still shop and "be green". I think.


Dame Vivienne Westwood advises that people shouldn't buy clothes unless they absolutely had to and that then that shoppers should only invest in quality pieces that would last.


That's the first step. Only buy what you absolutely need. This might be a little restricting, particularly in the beginning. So why not allow yourself one frivolous piece a month whilst you wean yourself off the shopping bug. That way you have to really think about what you buy and will hopefully choose something you really want, as opposed to something you think you want or want for that moment!


You should also - obviously - be allowed to replace items. Say your favourite, much loved and, therefore, much worn pair of jeans develops a hole in crotch, say, you have my permission to buy a new pair! But if, say, I button falls off a shirt or a dress, sew it back on! I've even been known to sew up holes in the toes of tights, particularly the pretty patterned ones I own. (I just make sure not to wear them with peep toes!!)


I don't know many women who feel that they have everything they "need" in their wardrobes. So, if this is you, make a list of the absolute essentials that you feel your wardrobe is lacking and when you go shopping, take this with you. This should then act as a guide.


Of course, charity shops and vintage shops are - technically - ethical. But that doesn't mean you should go mad. If you don't absolutely love the item, don't buy it for the sake of it or just because it is "green" to do so. It won't be if it just ends up sitting in your wardrobe until your next clear-out! Plus, there might be someone else looking for that exact piece who will love and wear it.


In summary (because I think I have waffled on a bit here!):


Ask yourself these questions when you're considering buying a "new" item:


Do I need it?


Do I love it?


Will it go with the other items in my wardrobe? (If you have to buy new shoes etc to wear it, don't buy it!)


Will it last? (I.e. is it well made and will it still work next season?)


If you answer yes to all of these - go on, treat yourself!!


For further reading, check out Style Eye's post and Vogue's article.


In other reading, for the weekend, why not check out twentyteneightyfour's post “It’s not about fashion, it’s about style.” Which might also help you to realise that it's not all about the latest fashions.

A Tan To Die For

Fashion has a lot to answer for. Once upon a time a tan was deemed common but today it is seen as the height of fashion for many young women. But at what cost?
There has been a tremendous amount of press coverage recently over the dangers of the use of sunbeds and a number of campaigns to encourage young women to think twice before stepping into the booth for a quick fix.


I am as pale as pale can be. And I never really go brown in the summer. And I hate it. Or I did. For years I wished I could tan better in the summer. I won't lie, I thought about using a sunbed on numerous ocassions but never actually had the guts to do so. (My mum would've killed me!) But I know many people who have used sunbeds. And it's an addictive habit. When I have managed to get a tan in the summer it has been a real confidence boost and the minute that it starts to fade I start to crave the colour again.


We are told again and again that "the only safe tan is the one from a bottle". Well, I have used plenty of bottles of fake tan but when you have the option of a quick fix on a bed as opposed to the labourous task of applying fake tan and running the risk of streaks, I know which one I would rather! (I have had many streak experiences!!)


According to a debate in the Welsh Assembly today (yes, I am a geek!!), the fashion industry encourages young women to aspire to a tan. I'm not so sure. I think a celebrity culture has certainly made a tan the norm and indeed the ideal for many young women but the fashion industry themselves do not use tanned models, indeed I would argue that if you look at catwalk models they are often pale skinned beauties.


Even if the fashion industry is not to blame they do perhaps hold the key to changing the trend.


It is great that Nicola - off of Girls Aloud - has joined the campaign to ban the use of sunbeds for under 18s but we need more young women in the public eye to take the lead. It's all very well for one women to stand up and say that a tan is not fashionable but magazines are still filled with photographs of bronzed beauties.


Of course, whilst the white look might not be "fashionable", surely the tangoed look is no more attractive!? I found this photo on the Daily Mail's site - which do you prefer?

Heat magazine has launched its Dazzle Don't Frazzle campaign which is suppoerted by Nicola Roberts. (Join the facebook group here). Check out Polka Dot Stripe Rachel's post on this here.


And what of fake tans? Well I admit that I do sometimes find myself slapping on the orange stuff!! Whilst I can bare with the whiteness of my arms and face, my legs - after a winter of hiding in tights - are such a bright white that you would need sunglasses to look at them!!! So I have been known to use a little fake tan on my legs in the summer months.


So this year, I will do my bit for you ladies and will in the coming months spend some time testing various fake tan brands and will let you know which work and which don't! Look out for these reviews.

Mary Portas agrees with me!!!!

Ok, so she hasn't read my blog or my most recent column on British Style Bloggers but she did say in an interview in the Times at the weekend,


"Our shopping habits have been transformed and they will transform again. We have always bought what we wanted, when we wanted it and for the price we wanted it. This is how it has been for the past 15 years. But it has to change. Now it’s not just about commercialism but community."


She went on to claim that,


"Fast fashion is rather vulgar now".


I couldn't agree more.

Are you intelligent shopping?

For 15 weeks I have been on a self-imposed shopping ban – no new clothes, shoes or accessories. The aim is to refrain for 6 months. So far, I am succeeding.


The main driving force behind the ban when it started was money; a lack of it due to my over-indulgence in shops like Topshop and a desire to pay off my student overdraft and to maybe start putting together some meaningful savings.


However, while my bank balance at the end of each month is looking decidedly healthier, the ban has also made me think about why and how I shop in the first place. It is certainly true that shopping can be a form of therapy; there have been countless occasions when, after a bad day at work or a difficult test at university, I have found myself trudging home from town hours later with a few shopping bags in tow. And I would be lying if I said that I hadn’t felt compelled to dash to the shops after a long and stressful day in the office in the past 15 weeks and make myself feel better. But I have resisted. Nearly always, after such a trip in the past, something, if not all of what, I have bought has been taken back once I have felt better anyway.


The ban has also made me question the way in which I shop.


In recent years cheaper and cheaper clothes available on the high street have fuelled a trend for “throw-away fashion”. Despite the obvious ethical questions behind how a t-shirt can possibly only cost £2 or a pair of shoes only £5, the price tag is often too tempting for many people to dwell on these for too long. But who wants a wardrobe full of cheap clothes that will not only age quickly but likely fall apart after just a few wears. It might be boring to hear it, but spending more on essentials and basics that you will return to again and again really does pay off. With no new clothes to inject something fresh into my looks for over 3 months now I have had to really stretch my wardrobe to stop my outfits looking tired too quickly and I have found that it is those items on which I spent a little more that continue to look good.


Likewise, I have also begun to realise that I shouldn’t always buy something just because I love it; it needs to be able to fill a gap in my wardrobe. There is no point in buying a skirt for which I know I have no shoes and, in the same vain, there is no point in buying items which are essentially the same as others I already own; unless to replace something. This is particularly true of accessories; I have discovered an absolute treasure trove of earrings and necklaces, most forgotten and bags for every occasion. Sure, it is always nice to have something new for a special occasion but going without means that you appreciate it so much more.


As the recession has hit and people are thinking more carefully about what they spend their money on, so-called “intelligent shopping” certainly seems to be a trend that has come to stay. Fashion lovers everywhere are more conscious and well informed of where their clothes come from and so have sparked a trend of greener, wallet-friendlier and more intelligent shopping.


Make-do-and-mend – of the post-war era – has made a comeback. Indeed, the credit crunch has made some people look to new ways to acquire a new outfit without spending too much money. Swap parties have become THE place to “shop”, while many women are learning to customise old or tired or charity shop finds.


Tell me how your shopping habits have changed – or not – as a result of the credit crunch?


Happy shopping ladies. More soon. Love, SG

First Fashion Memories

As seen in the photo posted on Wednesday (9 September) I have bought Vogue Italia. In the supplement - Vogue Talents - which identifies up and coming fashion talents from Italy and further afield - they have interviewed a number of fashion students at Italian design schools; one of the questions asked is, "what is your first memory linked to fashion?" It got me thinking about my first memory linked to fashion.


I think it must be of the beautiful party dresses my grandma used to buy me and my sister for our birthdays. I remember two in particular, both made from a chiffon type material. Both with under skirts. Both cream. Both with blue flowers. One had a wide royal blue satin ribbon around the waist; the other, a length of the floral material from which the dress was made. They were quite possibly the most beautiful dresses I had ever owned at whatever age I was at the time (at a guess, somewhere between 6 and 9). But it wasn't so much what the dresses looked like - beautiful as they were - but how I felt when I wore them that remains in my memory. This is possibly my first experience of the impact clothes can have on how you feel and behave. I felt like a princess in those dresses and found myself behaving more like one too - avoiding outdoor games and eating birthday cake with extra special care. This respect for beautiful clothes has remained with me ever since. As well as that feeling I still get when I put on a particularly beautiful dress; I think these memories are also the root of my love affair with dresses in general.