My Fashionable Life!

A family friend once predicted that he would see my name up in lights. At the time I was eight years old and heavily into music and drama, and similar to many of my peers I dreamed of superstardom. Several years on, as I sat typing my first article for a student newspaper, I saw that my life was literally at the tips of my fingers. From that moment on, my love of writing dominated my ambitions, and like legendary English novelist, Rosamond Lehmann, I felt ‘destined’ to write. So I informed my family friend that he would indeed see my name, though contrary to his earlier prophecy it would be in print.



Having overcome the now prerequisite of childhood, divorce, I used it to my advantage - instead of dwelling on the unfortunate circumstances, I acknowledged the subsequent strength that it had instilled in me. This, together with my mother’s advice to be assertive, pushed me to pursue my goals. And so, armed with an extensive list of numbers and email addresses, I embarked on my mission to conquer the journalistic Holy Grail of “work experience”. I arrived at one of my first placements, Executive Woman magazine, to find a tiny, cluttered office; a place that would turn out to be a fundamental stepping-stone for my career, as three weeks turned into an ongoing freelance position. I devoured every morsel of advice that my editor offered up and let myself loose on the world to question a veritable array of important matters, such as, why the way you dress can determine your vocation and how to enliven your car using the principles of feng-shui! I was sent on press trips and encountered pampering at luxury spas in Denmark, nouveau cuisine in London and was introduced to designers and front row seating at fashion shows in France.

Realising my obsession with fashion was more than a girlie rite of passage into sophisticated womanhood; I applied to do a course in Fashion Journalism at the London College of Fashion. (Proximity to Bond Street - a definite bonus!) I look to life experience to fuel my writing. On July 7, 2005 - I was en route to an exhibition of diamonds at the Natural History Museum and found myself caught up in an event, which rocked London and realigned my perspectives. My train stopped short of the city and was evacuated of all passengers. My boyfriend (now husband) was in Birmingham at the time and all he could think of was getting to me as quickly as possible.

Reunited that evening we assessed the vulnerable and fallible state of the world and took comfort in the solidity of one another. It is important to know that you are heading towards a definite place, and this is what encourages me in my determination to succeed. I secured a place at the London College of Printing to do a Masters in Journalism. But, this was not before I left an indelible impression on an interview panel at another London University, who were left speechless after I handed them my portfolio cuttings, together with a stray condom from my bag - courtesy of the fresher’s pack I had been handed on my arrival! I eagerly anticipate the challenges that await me and just as I defied my vertigo with a terrifying yet exhilarating bungee jump off a New Zealand canyon, likewise, I will meet every future obstacle head on. That jump, has taught me that I hold the power to determine my fate. Sometimes, you just have to take a leap of faith.