What *is* she wearing?

Yesterday I left the comfort of my bed and went across to Manchester to see my friend Bex, her sister Vix, and go see a movie. Okay, so it doesn't sound that thrilling - But considering I haven't had that much of a social life lately it is a semi big deal.

The movie we saw - Back In Business, I'll talk about later in a review attempt but for now I'd like to concentrate on something that was the topic of conversation for most of yesterday afternoon while we were looking round the shops:

Fashion.

It seems to have become a huge part of our culture, without us (or at least me) even realising it. But I'm notso sure if that's such a good thing. Everyone being obsessed about what they are wearing. Sure there's supposedly clothes to suit everyone, but how easy is it to get them when they all have +£50 price tags on?

I personally like a range of stuff - from Soho type cult clothes to Next and Monsoon, but my tastes don't particually stray too far into goth land or the girly-girl type stuff. I have a balance. Technically though most of my clothes are just plain jeans, baggy tops and arty shirts - Mostly because the clothes I would like to have more of are just so expensive.

Bad fashion is also very popular right now, but I suppose this is getting into an opinion thing. Honestly though, those grey stripy hot pant things or tiny skirts with lycra leggings/tights, then those tube type grey smocks and tiny jackets that end roughly at the same line as your bra does - Why do people even want to wear them?

Because it's cool apparently. And why is it cool? Because fashion models and companies tell us it is I suppose. I don't actually know if I'd suit clothes like those I described in the previous paragraph - One thing's for certain though. You'll never catch me finding out...

However I don't kow if I suit some of the styles I do like either. Because when I'm looking round the shops I feel like such a fraud as I know I can't afford them, so I chicken out of trying them on.

My mum wants to have a girly day out in Manchester soon, just me and her - Go see a movie, show her the clothes I like then maybe treat me to a couple of things, make note of other styles then come back and design/make my own.

Though that sounds cheap, making my own clothes the way I want them does preserve originality. Which a lot of people seem to have lost since everybody is buying the same things. Yesterday I saw at least half a dozen people wearing the same black and white coat, and hundreds in the smocks, leggings and hot pants - And it wasn't exactly a boiling hot day so it's a wonder everyone wasn't freezing...Unless the blue hypothermia look is in this year and I've just not being told.

Now I wouldn't say I'm fat - I mean, I'm 5ft 1, weigh just over 7 stone, and my shoe size is about 3.5. So I'm a size 8, sometimes a 6 and very occasionally a 10. But when I do have the courage to try some clothes on, I still feel semi ugly and wrong. But that's not me - It's the fault of the designers who just seem to be making clothes to fit their 5 ft 9 models who are the perfect size 0 - So in other words people who are anorexic, bulimic or freaks of nature the celebrity way.

I just wish that I could walk into a shop to buy some trousers or jeans and not have to have them turned up when I get home, or I look at a really nice and for a change affordable top, and not have to leave it on the rack because the designer has stupidly decided that someone my shape is going to have a natural bust that will fit into their otherwise gorgeous top. Is that so much to ask?

I think not. But then I'm just a normal customer with a natural figure and not a lot of money - What on earth would I know about fashion?