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Fashion industry requires government support

2010-09-16T02:33:00.000-07:00

The UK fashion industry is calling for Government support after a study showed it's now worth 21 billion pounds to the economy.

The industry directly employs over 800-thousand people, similar in size to the food and beverage and telecommunications sectors.

And on the eve of London Fashion Week, the chairman of the British Fashion Council Harold Tillman, says it deserves proper recognition.

The Wright Stuff Student Journalist Awards

2010-06-06T13:46:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Wright Stuff student journalist awards took place in Glasgow City Chambers. Speeches on the night came from a variation of inspiring characters including The Principle of Cardonald College- who started the awards over 10 years ago.

The Lord Provost Bill Winter attended The Right Stuff student journalist awards at Glasgow City Chambers on Wednesday 26th May 2010.

Mark from The Scottish Sun presented Cardonald College HND journalism student, Victoria Irvine with her award for her Paloma Faith interview in the entertainment-writing category.

Rosemary Lowne, an HND journalism student at Cardonald College stole the show winning in the news writing category and scooping the prestigious awards “scoop of the year” and “journalist of the year.”

Senior Lecturer at Cardonald College, Martin Boyle stood tall next to University of Stirling winner in the sports writing category.

Cardonad brings glamour and talent to Student Press Awards 2010

2010-05-28T09:44:00.001-07:00

Award Winners! From Left to Right: Rosemary Lowne, Hazel McMaster, Iain Smith, Nadine Walker, Martin Boyle, Nicola Hamilton, Lesley Quin

The student newspaper of Cardonald College Glasgow's HND Journalism students was named best college publication at the 14th Herald Student Press Awards last night.

Cardonald has beaten Glasgow's Metropolitan College for the 5th consecutive year with their diverse, strong and professional news, features, entertainment and sports stories.

The Cardonald Courier editor, Rosemary Lowne said: "I would like to say a big thank you to our lecturer Martin Boyle who has been absolutely brilliant. Thanks so much, each and every one of us have put in so much effort everyone really deserve this.

Cardonald Representatives Rosemary Lowne, Nadine Walker, Iain Smith, Hazel McMaster, Nicola Hamilton and Lesley Quinn took to the stage to collect the prestigious award with smiles from ear to ear.

Senior Lecturer, Martin Boyle said: “It has been another very successful year for the course. We continue to attract some of the very best in Scotland's journalistic talent, our NCTJ results continue to rise, and now all of the students' hard work has been rewarded.

"This award is particularly appreciated because it rewards their work as a team, and they all take away a lot of credit for their time, efforts and energy."

The Herald Student Press Awards were held in The Centre for Contemporary Arts in Glasgow and were attended by students from Glasgow University, Edinburgh University, Napier University to name a few.

The awards celebrated inspiring journalists of the past by dedicating the “Best News Writing Award”- sponsored by BT Scotland- in memory of Calum Macdonald, a journalist with The Herald who died of cancer two years ago.

Anna Steven, BT Scotland’s senior manager for media and corporate relations, said: “We are totally committed to continuous improvement in our workforce, encouraging people to strive for excellence and recognising success.

“The Herald’s Scottish Student Press Awards share this ethos, fostering a sense of optimism and confidence in our media industry.”

The best college publication award ended a successful week for the students at Cardonald College Glasgow. Editor Rosemary Lowne won ‘Journalist of the year’ and ‘Scoop of the year’ at The Right Stuff Awards the night before.

Covering Glasgow

2010-05-06T02:19:00.000-07:00

Their feel good gig’s are fast turning them into Glasgow’s new favourite cover’s band.

The Raybandos have a popular live act to be proud of; taking to the stage of live music venue Box once a month and with a red stripe in hand, the 5 piece Kev, Steph, Mark, Cheeky and David are guaranteed to get the crowd dancing.

‘Rock n roll and shades of soul’ is The Raybandos promise, as they treat Glasgow with their ‘Stones’, ‘Otis Redding’ and ‘Faces’ covers.

Stephen McKellar, base player, said: “We play good time rock and roll, soul and rhythm blues! We want people to get up of their arse and enjoy themselves!”

A set including ‘Happy’ by the Rolling Stones to ‘heatwave’ by Marth n Vandellas- their soulful rock n roll interpretations, smooth guitar plucking and fashion sense are sending them on the road to rack in a strong Glasgow following.

Like local friends Figure 5- fresh faced, unsigned and playing packed Mchuill’s with little arrogance- the gigs and beers is all part of the lads weekend.

You can check them out by going along to their monthly gig, the last Friday of the month in Box and keep up-to-date with shows by searching for “The Raybandos” on facebook and bebo.

Virtual Swap Shop

2010-05-05T05:21:00.000-07:00

Saturday mornings as a kid were exciting; “Swap Shop” inflicted on us a magical world of swapping old toys that had lost their sparkle for other kids’ treasure. Jump forward thirty-odd years and the fashionably interactive generation are treated to the world of an online vintage swapping community in the form of covertcandy.com.

The concept is simple- upload items of your clothing you no longer want onto the site and pass them onto other like minded users for credits. You then search the virtual wardrobes of other users, purchasing items that take your fancy with the credits you have earned. This innovative approach to online clothing exchange means that you can get the clothes that you want for free.

Since the launch in January 2009, CovertCandy now has a strong community of 3500 fashion obsessed members. CovertCandy- the proud to be British network- was selected as a top 20 webstart up in Europe by Seedcam. The 4 brain children behind the idea combined to create a simple design for their peers. Business graduate Harry Follett said:

“We felt there was a gap in the market. There was nothing out there that appealed to young creative people like us, who wanted an alternative way to get their clothes online.

“CovertCandy does something about this. It was absolutely the right time economically to launch a concept like this.”

CovertCandy ticks all the green boxes, helping the strain put upon the planet from the thriving cheap throwaway fashion industry. By swapping with one another around the UK; the hippies, rock chicks and Topshop princess’ amongst us find a revolutionary way of getting hold of one another’s clothes while counteractively helping our environment and wallets in a fashionable manner.

Visit CovertCandy!

Fashionably great

2010-03-02T03:21:00.003-08:00

Weddings and fashion go hand in hand, as do the words “bridal” and “fair”. Edinburgh Wedding and fashion show on the other hand, has a nice little ring to it.

The Edinburgh Wedding & Fashion Show features an exclusive collection of Scotland’s leading bridal wear. Show casting the very best in bridal dresses, kilts, hair and makeup set in Edinburgh’s premier events venue Edinburgh Corn Exchange, the show boasts the east of Scotland’s largest Wedding event.

A fashion show with a virginal difference, The Edinburgh Wedding & Fashion Show celebrates all things white and lace by offering brides and grooms free entry when signing up on http://www.ece.uk.com/weddingform.php and completing the online form. Taking place on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th March, the glamorous event is a chance to discover the wedding world in a unique way through the catwalk show.

A glass on bubbly on arrival, mouth watering canapes to drool over and with over 80 exhibitors at the Corn Exchange event it’s betable every taste and need will be catered for, fashionably.
For non online form application ticket information call 0844 249 4529 or email amy@ece.uk.com tickets £5.00 pp on the door. 11 am 5 pm.

Photos via here

Perth does fashion

2010-03-02T03:21:00.001-08:00

A ladies day fundraiser is showcasing a fashion show with Italian designers, striking Celtic designs, new spring collections not yet in stores and above all model talent from Mr Scotland.

Perth Rugby Club is bringing some glamour to Mothers day on Sunday 14th March hosting a benefit 2 course lunch with shopping opportunities, live entertainment and a fashion show.
All the clothes featured in the fashion show are of the new Spring / Summer 2010 lines. Local Perth Boutiques such as Indigo and Eva Lucia are also being celebrated at the event.

The professional models featured in the fashion show are of Scotland’s finest. Mr Scotland and Dave McCall from Glasgow Warriors Rugby Team will take to the catwalk on the day.
Stylish Italian designer jewellery from Migilo and Celtic designs from the award winning Slanj will be showcased to add an original zest to the day.

High energy live entertainment will be provided by a partnership from African Drummers and Scottish Pipers who join to play together.

The event will take place at The Hangar in Scone from 1 pm to 6 pm, proving to be one of the best ways to celebrate Mothers Day. Tickets cost £30 each, for more information please contact Jo Hood at jo@synergyeventsolutions.com.

"Hallo-wean"

2010-03-02T03:20:00.001-08:00

Dramatic screaming, fake blood, masked faces and stuck on tails. The town is swarming in various Michael Jackson “tributes” and suddenly I feel even guiltier that my hatred for Halloween is so rife. Really, what is wrong with me?

There must be some fun in losing your identity for the evening? Countless trips to packed fancy dress shops in search of that “original” costume must be fun, right? As fun as walking into a pub and finding 5 other girls wearing your exact same outfit, and I’d imagine that sticking a tail to your backside and giving yourself a headache from tight bunny ears strapped onto your head isn’t quite what I’d have in mind in a quest of losing my identity for the night.

So what is this fascination with Halloween, is it simply a commercial filler in between the festive period, or should my cynical self expand my narrow mind for this fascinating festival?

Upon understanding the amazing history of this festival, girls dressed in pants in the cold winter night doesn’t seem so fitting. The festival dates back 2,000 years ago when the Celts (residents of Ireland, UK and Northern France) celebrated their new year at the start of November in the cold, dark winter at a time that was also associated with human death.

Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred.2,000 years on and scantily clad teenagers use the festival for their vision to get blurred.

All in all there are a few benefits. I enjoy the attractive Jack Sparrow pouring my “Halloween inspired” cocktail with cobwebs thrown in for good measure. There is also the appreciation of the “bob slayers” running down Sauchiehall Street with a shopping trolley as a bob slay substitute. Respect.

photo via here

Go to....

2010-03-02T03:19:00.001-08:00

Holidays don't always mean a hop skip and a jump into the far unknown. Sometimes, a wee train equals a big delight. I present you Edinburgh.

You know that place 50 minutes on a train east? The one where they say “ken” and put sauce on their chips instead of vinegar? Seems so very foreign doesn't it? It's home to a thousand delights with wondrous bars and caves acting as nightclubs just waiting to be discovered by adventurers alike.

A five star hostel in the heart of the city is a far cry from squalor living. Playing host to students and travellers a far at just £19 a night, it's the perfect way to enjoy a central location whilst saving some pennies.

On the £15 a night saved by opting for a central hostel over a central hotel, Princess Street is a perfect place to splurge. Playing host to half a mile of shops, this unique shopping experience is not to be missed.

Educational and beautiful, Edinburgh Castle offers an interesting venue to learn all things Scottish. Avoid the gift shops selling ginger wigs for £15 and enjoy a 3 course meal and a drink for around £20 in The Basement on Broughton Street to rest your tired legs. With the waiters all fashioning hideous Hawaiian shifts, the food still manages to be the main attraction.
If you like your music live and raw, The Voodoo Rooms on West Chamber street offers a loud yet tranquil setting if you excuse the irony.

Dancing the night away in a cave doesn't have to mean travelling to Ibiza. Cabaret Voltaire nightclub features a cat walk in a stoned arching cave , Boyz Noize and Kate Nash have both made appearances over the years. The drink ain't bad either!So for a £2.20 return bus or a £11 return train ticket, explore Edinburgh. It's a bit like Glasgow, but with cobbly streets and a bit of a weird accent.

Photo via here

Fashion Lent

2010-03-02T03:18:00.000-08:00

For some it’s chocolate. Others choose cigarettes. Many pledge to give up alcohol for the weeks of lent. Last year saw a rise in the number of self confessed social networking addicts promising to give up online sites such as facebook for their religious conscious. With the credit crunch still biting, many fashion obsessed ladies with expensive reading, dressing and socialising habits are saying goodbye to fashion.

Lent, this year starting on 17th February going right through until 3rd April, is a time for Prada purse strings to be pulled tighter as expensive magazines, shoes, nail and other beauty treatments are all giving the elbow in the name of religion. Miles more interesting than the common chocolate pledge that is likely to end up in 3am cravings and consumption of twice as much chocolate than one would usually consume.

A glossy magazine habit can set you back twenty odd quid a week, add in the weekly trips to the high street with all the new lines being pulled into the front of stores as Spring approaches and you have yourself a costly hobby. Surely 6 weeks in the year to de-cleanse yourself of Chanel cravings and comparing your size 12 frame to that off a fitness goddess in the glossy pages can only be a good thing?

These statement Chanel's can set you back more than a months rent!

The Glasgow Vintage Co

2010-03-02T03:17:00.000-08:00

Space, amazing lighting features, suitcases and a vintage bike certainly can't be overlooked in the latest vintage shop in Glasgow's West End.

The Glasgow Vintage Co is giving the title "just another vintage shop" a right old beating with this one-of-a-kind, two floored vintage heaven.
Children, women and men are all fashionably catered for in spacious, authentically rustic surroundings.

From the owners of the popular West End vintage store Watermelon, The Glasgow Vintage Co really does have that special sparkle.

From furs to sequins, Barbours to Harringtons; Shop owner Gavin O'Brien and his wife Mari sure know the tastes of Glasgow's in crowd inside out. The shop enjoys the luxury of being a stone's throw away from Kelvinbridge Underground with a window display to ensure it stands out from the rest.

Dressed head to toe in 'melon inspired clobber, co-owner Gavin tells us: "There was a space in the West End for us. We started looking for a place about four months ago, and we really have opened in a fantastic location. We have some very good sources for filling the shop with our vintage offerings."

With fur coats for the wee ones and a floor dedicated to the girls, then the guys, The Glasgow Vintage Co is a quirky and different take on vintage shopping in Glasgow.

If you like authentic and enjoy ironic surroundings, then The Glasgow Vintage Co is ready to open its closet to you and is sure to be one of the best and most original vintage hunting grounds around.

Photo via Marina @ Style Scanner

Link to article from the skinny

The fashion playground

2010-03-02T03:16:00.000-08:00

On the Saturday 27 February the St Andrews Charity Fashion Show (FS:X) will celebrate its 18th year in style, with around 1300 people set to attend the event. The 2010 show theme is the fashion playground, and will be housed in the Guardbridge Paper Mill on the outskirts of the historic sea side town. As well as the event itself, the creators tell us that the concept of the FS:X fashion playground extends to an online magazine and a playful lighthearted blog for the public to enjoy.

With a combination of garments selected from talented student designers and also bigger names such as Nicole Fahri, Luella and Bordelle; FS:X holds the title of the biggest fashion event of its type in the UK.

All the proceeds of the evening will go to the charity Watoto, an organisation set up to help orphaned children in Uganda. Through the dedication of everyone involved in the show, FS:X can potentially enable Watoto to achieve their aim of rescuing, housing and educating 10,000 children by 2023.

The St Andrews 18th Charity Fashion Show is set yet again to be a professional and entertaining event, whilst also making a substantial difference to the life of Ugandan children.

Photo via the skinny

Went to see Lily Allen's closet

2010-03-02T03:14:00.000-08:00

Hair scraped back, glittering makeup and 3 outfit changes; Lilly Allen strutted across the stage at Glasgow’s SECC giggling and treating the crowd to pints of Guinness in between her swearing, sexual gestures and hits.

Opening up with “Everyone’s at it”, Lily looked amazing in a black and white leotard she’s been seen wearing at previous shows. 'Littlest Things' and 'He Wasn't There' were sang sweetly, embarking on irony.

With heals and legs to die for, the crowd were treated to a cover of The Kooks 'Naive' early on in her set, which also marked her first costume change of the night. Turning her sassy self into a romantic pixie in a bejewelled baby pink dress. Hair still disappointingly scraped back, face still glittering.

Covers of Kaiser Chiefs 'Oh My God' and Britney's 'Womanizer' were well received, while rapper Professor Green helped out on a version of 'Just Be Good To Me' as Lily illegally smoked a fag while laughing.

Smile was treated to a drum and base mix exciting the un-expecting crowd.

The final outfit was much like the first, figure hugging, sexy and leaving little to the imagination; Lily clearly felt the eyes on her bum as she told the crowd; “I don’t know how I feel about this outfit…. I just dunno!” Then laughing, “Does my bum look big in this?” as she began her number one hit “The Fear.”

'Fuck you very much' was interrupted by Lily shouting at boys in the crowd to stop pushing saying, “Stop fucking pushing her, boys don’t push girls, fucking stop it.” Lily waving her middle finger, and everyone in the crowd too, proving just what kind of role model Lily chooses to be. This was the only time in the gig she actually looked amused.

The lyrics of the encore 'Not fair' invited Lily to use the microphone to demonstrate “I’ve spent ages giving….” as she sang about an ex who wasn’t very good in bed. The crowd seemed to relate and she left the stage to cheers of thanks from the happy Glaswegians.

Alternative Contraception

2010-03-02T03:13:00.000-08:00

Longer lasting contraception is reliable, convenient and above all raising in popularity in young adults thanks to a recent campaign to raise awareness. Young woman are changing their perceptions and opinions about alternative methods following the “Giving You More Choice” campaign that was launched on 19 July this year.

The campaign ‘Giving you more choice’ has the social marketing principle of behaviour change at its core. The campaign aims to; encourage woman aged 18 to 44 to explore their contraceptive options, promote the three most effective methods of longer-lasting contraception, improve the overall knowledge and awareness of longer-lasting methods and ultimately reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and repeat terminations.

Research conducted by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland into the needs and behaviors of sexually active woman found women wanted reliability, convenience and flexibility from their contraception. They wanted contraception that took care of itself. It was also important to have a measure of control over contraception. A main concern raised by women about contraception was whether it would affect their long-term fertility. With these longer-lasting methods, fertility returns a few days after removal.

Jane Hoeflich, Communications Manager from NHS Health Scotland told The Cardonald Courier: “The campaign promotes the convenience of longer-lasting contraception fitting into busy lifestyles while providing protection against pregnancy. Simply by exploring the other methods of contraception available women may find that longer-lasting contraception would suit them better.

“‘Giving you more choice’ aims to open the channels of communication between women and their contraception provider by raising awareness of the contraceptive choices available.”
With communication channels opened and information readily available, woman should be able to make informative decisions. However with migraines, nausea and depression all hefty side affects the up take may possibly be just as high as the removal. Lilly-Jane Scott from Pollockshaws spoke to The Courier about her experience:

“I had the implant fitted in August after being attracted to the idea from the posters dotted around bars and clubs in Glasgow.”

“I began suffering from migraines and was being sick. I got the implant removed last week. If I had known more about the side effects I wouldn’t have been so hasty in having it inserted. These alternative contraception’s are cheaper for the government, but girl’s health and wellbeing shouldn’t be affected at the cost of saving the government a few bob.”

The review of the success of the campaign at meeting their aims to improve the sexual health and wellbeing of woman in Scotland is currently underway. The results however, won’t be known until February next year.

With side affects sometimes taking a few months to rear their ugly head, anticipation into the results of the review is rife. Naive and haphazard decisions into the use of these alternative methods could result in less than positive findings.

Student festive safety

2010-03-02T03:12:00.000-08:00

The party life style that many students embrace can have it's consequences.....

1 in 3 students become the victim of crime every single year, with burglaries, muggings and assault being rife against the student population. Ipods, vodka and halls of residence all play a hand at turning the student lifestyle into a risk fuelled nightmare.

Students widely suffer from the ill effects of alcohol and put themselves at greater risk of fire-related injuries and sexually transmitted infections from having unprotected sex. The festive period creates an increased risk of falling victim to crime.

There are some very simple steps you take can to help keep yourself safe in the winter months. Not using MP3 players late at night and getting your keys out your bag before you reach your door could help you avoid being another statistic.

Strathclyde Police is working closely with Glasgow Community and Safety Services (GCSS) as it gears up to extend the city’s “Nite Zone” services over the festive period.
Nite Zones, which operate around Central Station and Sauchiehall Street on Friday and Saturday nights, is a strategy led by GCSS and aims to reduce violence, disorder and antisocial behaviour. “Nite Zones” benefit from increased police patrols, lighting, taxi and bus marshals and, to date, the number of serious crimes - including robbery and serious assault incidents – in these areas have reduced.

Chief Superintendent Bernard Higgins for Glasgow City Centre and West Division said: ““By getting our safety message across by using the latest technology, and the more traditional methods like posters and radio adverts, we hope to encourage people to plan ahead for their nights out and show that by taking a few simple steps, they can stay safe and remember their time for all the right reasons.”

The student festival

2010-03-02T03:11:00.000-08:00

February; still felt is the Christmas overload in our belt buckles and purse strings, but the sale of festival tickets opens up summer day dreaming of hippie tent times.

A festival no longer means getting muddy in a field for a weekend, the popularity in far-a-way events such as Exit and Bennicassim are on the rise offering sun and sea on top of festival fun.

Student friendly ticket prices, and free accommodation in the form of a tent means festivals and holidays can be combined to aid minimum impact on a students bank balance.

Typical sunny festivals would set you back £350 on a budget which includes flights, trains and ticket. Pricey it may be, but the experience is priceless.

If your more of a home bird, or if your passport is nonexistent our own festivals boast culture and adverse weather conditions in equal amounts.

Glastonbury opens up sale of the remainder of the unsold tickets this month, but registration on the Glastonbury website (www.glastonburyfestival.co.uk) is vital to secure a ticket. Hippie love and peace all around, Glastonbury is celebrating it’s 40th year with U2 already confirmed as headliners, this festival is not to be missed.

T in the Park won the “cleanest festival toilets” award last year which is an award to be proud of. Festival toilets are always the hardest to endure. The Scottish festival, held in Balerno, secures top headliners to bring in the hundreds of thousands, and almost always guarantees rain and puddles.

All in all, combining a festival and a holiday halves the costs, doubles the experience and uniquely includes communal fun. Wellies, a tent, some baby wipes and an open mind all that be required.

Life's not fair but my knicker are

2010-03-02T03:10:00.000-08:00

The first fairtrade season of the new decade kicks off on 23 February for 2 weeks. Fairtrade Fortnight is the annual nationwide campaign to promote awareness of Fairtrade and encourage people to buy products which carry the Fairtrade Mark in order to help farmers in developing countries.

Getting involved in fairtrade in Glasgow is easy. Look out for fairtrade products in your local supermarket, cafes and high street shops. You can also go along to “The Fairtrade Experience” at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall where Hind Hashem El Arabi of the Palestinian Fair Trade Association joins the line-up of producers from India and Chile for the eighth Fairtrade fair in Glasgow. As well as stalls with free tastings and products to buy, there is live music, a VJ fashion show, theatre from Hopscotch, comedy from Tony Vino and children's craft activities from Woodcraft Folk all for the price of £1.

You can even get involved by wearing “Life’s not fair but my knickers are” knickers. Hannah Reed, Campaigns Managers for Fairtrade Towns at the Fairtrade Foundation is encouraging all kinds of swaps: We want everyone to get busy swapping for Fairtrade. Swap your usual bananas for Fairtrade bananas, your usual socks for Fairtrade socks and your usual cuppa for a Fairtrade cuppa. Each swap will help producers in the developing world to get a fairer deal. So, for Fairtrade Fortnight 2010, let’s get swapping.’

You can purchase Fairtrade fashion from http://www.asos.com/, http://www.topshop.com/ and Tesco’s.

The Power of The Glasgow Bloggers

2010-03-02T03:09:00.001-08:00

A new digital journal age is upon us, creeping into our curiosity and becoming more powerful and localised by the day.

Blogs allow online access all areas and their popularity is rising as the curiosity in other people's worlds remains. A few clicks on a mouse allows a candid entry to others lives, and the power that bloggers have in influencing is becoming more and more baffling.

Glasgow bloggers are in their thousands, specialising in their niche and collecting regular readers by the day.

Fashion blogs are fast becoming friends with Vogue, securing front row seats at Fashion Shows and featuring in publications such as Elle and Cosmopolitan on a regular basis.

The Glasgow Night Bus blog turned into a bestselling book, with a weegie bus driver describing the frightening sights during his gruelling night shift through the buckfast city. The Courier spoke to Glasgow's finest in the digital world uncovering the mind of these influential bloggers.

Marina is a Glasgow designer and is the brains and creativity behind “Style Scanner” the Glasgow based fashion scanner. “Over the last few years, I’d see all these amazingly dressed people in Glasgow and always lamented not being able to record their “look”. I kind of wanted to say “Hey, world, Glasgow has cool people too!”, so a blog seemed worth a short. It’s a pretty time consuming hobby but it feels rewarding being able to share whatever interesting stuff comes into my radar.”

“I don’t know if anyone is quite able to quantify the power bloggers have in influencing the public, however a bloggers self portrait is typically more naturally posed than the usual fashion industry image and my be perceived to be more authentic and less cynical. I’ve recently seen press packs from designers with models striking very similar poses to those of some well known fashion bloggers!”

“I choose reading blogs over buying magazines now, a magazine is perhaps perceived to require more commitment. I don’t think it’s the end of print journalism but bloggers, some of whom can write pretty well, are tweeting from the front row of Chanel, while magazine journalists have to endure a lead time of up to 6 months.”

More accessible, candid and couldn’t be further from bias, blogs are saved in the internet favourites of people all over the world. Just another branch of the internet’s diverse and interactive community. Long may the growth in these diverse internet blogs continue.

Disney Inspirations

2010-03-02T03:07:00.000-08:00

Bright hair colours, long flowing dresses and men to die for; The Disney characters we grew up with are embedded in our fashion souls forever without us even realising it.

At the age of 5 we are terrible little souls. I remember screaming and having a tantrum Super Nanny would cringe at because my mum refused to by me another pair of plastic shoes that had glitter and jewels on them and ripped your feet apart. I couldn’t see her point back then, I thought she was nasty and didn’t want me to wear nicer shoes than her. I now see that these Cinderella inspired plastic slippers were an embarrassment for my mother and a health risk for her five year old.

“Snow White would wear this dress” and “Eric would love this skirt” flows through the mind of a 5 year old when dressing. The glamorous, beautiful images of Disney characters really are more perfect than the celebrities that you see today. No spots or cellulite. Their husbands don’t cheat on them with Essex girls. Nor are their dresses available from Topshop. Mice and birds make their outfits.

Kirsty Gallagher, 19 from Glasgow is an online fashion blogger. She studies fashion textiles and her inspiration comes solely from Disney girls, “I think the magical world of Disney is a perfect place to take fashion inspiration from. The morals and values of Disney girls is a stark contrast to that of the celebrity world many other young women idolise. Girls falling out of night clubs in scantily clad clobber is less desirable than a Disney princess.”

So if you really had to go into the deepest core of your mind and ask yourself who you really would love to look like, I think we can all agree that Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Pocahontas would win over Cheryl Cole every time.

My Style Fixation

2009-10-29T13:38:00.000-07:00

Could it be that effortless bed head, the Luella dresses, DJ sets at Fendi, or the lyrical genius boyfriend holding her hand? The girl about town is the envy of many and obsessively- for want of a better word- idolised by me. With her slender pins and a penny or two in her pocket in two in her pocket, British indie kid Alexa Chung is the style guru. State side living and quirky twittering come hand in hand when the world becomes your little oyster.

The simplicity of her boyish dressing highlights her coolness in lights. While others may pass her by in her denims and stripes I simply marvel in her exasperated simplicity. Cat bags, ripped leathers and oversized Smiths tees drape elegantly against her model frame. The fashion girls linked on her arm at gigs look like “try hards” in comparison to Alexa’s laid back stance. Could it then be her knack of looking amazing and like she’s just rolled out of bed into her boyfriends clothes all at the same time? Alas I ponder.

We all like the girl next door. The one who you could imagine singing into your fish supper with after a long night dancing. The one who is wearing the skirt you had on last week. The thing with Alexa is, she looks better in your skirt but you still want to know where her shoes are from. The love affair began a few years back, Eddie Sedgewick no longer inspiring me, my attention turned to a blazer, grey skirt and a pair of brogues. My how it excited me that this could look so cool. A few vintage tees, gold chains and countless internet years of following gone by and I’d say I pretty much idolise the chick.

Christmas approaching and I shudder as I walk past the Topshop window displays. Party frocks and puff balls all round, it enlightens me to know that Alexa would shudder in just the same way. Her column guides me to scissors and the Topman department, while others buy into the seasonal “must haves”, unaware of the self-cloning they begin.

There’s not much you can do with a white vest, but worn with some old necklaces and an endearing confidence, Alexa makes me do the same. Her skinniness bypassed by the friendly smile on her face, I wear my size 12 clothes with this very same smile. And all the while I know that without this style icon in my life, I may to be tottering about in that glittering puff ball on New Years Eve. By gosh am I thankful I have those scissors.

Dangerous Kicks

2009-10-28T02:51:00.000-07:00

Repetitive guitar chords and a clanging drum beat, Scantily clad teenagers embracing each other in drunken fumbles, alcohol is flowing, drugs are in abundance, girls are being sick up walls, boys are kissing each other. E4's teaser trailer for the new TV show Skins has everyone talking. The "coming soon" at the end of the 2 minute advertisement lodges an uncontrollable need and appetite for more. This is every parents worst nightmare. This is teenage rebellion. This is Skins.

We live in a world where little girls dream of being the WAGS to the footballers the little boys’ aspire to be. The number one single talks about “everything being alright as long as I am getting thinner”. And the most popular TV programme amongst teenagers shows blatant underage sex and illegal drug taking, to name but a few. When skins aired in 2007, it was a momentous occasion for British teenagers. Finally a TV programme that didn’t pussy foot around real hard hitting issues, finally a TV programme that teenagers could relate and learn from, finally something that represented British teenagers in a way that no other TV show had done before. Finally something real.

There are, however many concerns with the adult content in the TV show Skins and the percentage of underage viewers. Is the show being a little bit too shocking? Is the real and hard hitting content glamorising sex and illegal drug use amongst the youth of today? And by youth of today, we are talking as young as 13. In an independent survey 5 simple questions were posed to 100 Skins fans between the age of 13 and 16 through popular social networking; all the kids seem to do it these days. Social networking that is. The results were worrying. 46% of the teens were attracted to the show because of the sex with 43% being drawn to the drug content. 74% of the teens said that watching the sexual scenes in the show encourages them to want to have sex, with only 26% agreeing the show doesn’t influence them in this way. 76% of the teens confessed that watching the scenes of parties and seeing the cast engage in heavy drinking encourages them to want to follow suit. All pretty staggering figures to say the least. Finally the teens were asked if they thought Skins glamorises sex, illegal drug use and underage drinking; a staggering 83% agreed that it did with only a minority of 17% disagreeing. But what are the real consequences of these confessions. Is Skins just 60 minutes for teenagers to loose themselves and walk in the shoes of another’s life? Or is it glamorising and advertising illegal and dangerous activities to young and naïve teenagers that have the possibility of causing catastrophic results.

One of the teens in the survey, Sam Wood 16, declared “Unless you are tall or have good fake ID your life is over, but you can pay a man in Camden £50 to get the date changed in your passport. A mate of mine recently went to a 14 year old’s party and he said they are worse than us. They were all sitting around taking pills and drinking. Pretty much everyone I know takes pills and drinks, there’s nothing else to do. Our generation is quite hedonistic but I don’t know that we have anything to say. We have Topshop and Peaches Geldoff- they’re terrible things to have representing us.” Another teen in the statistics agreed that Skins may be exaggerated slightly, “Although I can’t relate to the show, it is a realistic if exaggerated portrayal of teenage life in Britain. The characters are sexy, the show focuses mainly on the drinking and the drugs and the party scenes are made to look glamorous. I liked the show but I can see other naive and younger teens being influenced by the sex and this is anything but good.”

The show came about when then 20 year old Jamie Brittian was giving his Dad, Bryan Estley a hard time for showing him a bland diluted TV pitch. He told his father he should be writing something real and ballsy and thus skins was born. A teenager can sit down and watch the show engaging with the characters through their TV set in a way that has never happened before. The genuine interaction is possible due to the fact that the show about teens and their life issues is written by teens! Simple as that. However the interactive website, competitions and nightclubs hosting underage Skins parties all add a layer of excitement which draws bored and confused teenagers to the show and what the show has to say. The question arises then, is it really Skins that is encouraging teens to be naughty in the noughties?

It’s not only teenagers watching the clothes being ripped off, some “cool and hip” parents who are “down with the kids” choose not to turn a blind eye. Elaine Rodgers from Essex left a message on our social networking group named “Skins makes sex, drugs and drinking look sexy” voicing her concerns with the show and the sexual content, “I am 40 year old mother of 3, my oldest is 21 and my youngest is 13. I have come to know of Skins through my kids and various media outlets and was pretty shocked at what I saw. Yes, the show does make sex look sexy I am so glad someone else agrees! I know the good looking cast and the amazing music make it so appealing to teenagers, as this is the argument my youngest has fought with me, but I am afraid of the affect it has on my younger two and the influences it can pose on them!”

“The main point in my objection to the show is the fact that it promotes teenager rebellion
and it promotes unhealthy lifestyle choices. The drugs, the excessive drinking to the point of vomiting; and not down the toilet I would like to add. I understand the excitement surrounding the show and I am extremely open with my children. We have always asked them to speak to us about anything in their lives including their relationships with the opposite sex and things that as parents we might not necessarily agree on. The glamour of the programme does nothing to promote and celebrate teen culture, I could even go as far as calling the show a danger to teen culture!”

Skins glamorises teenage promiscuity. No matter how one tries to excuse this fact, the youth of today are far beyond their years in terms of sexual beings compared to 30 years ago and the influential content of the show only further proves this. One of the many appealing characteristics of the show SKINS is the beauty and charisma of the characters in the show. The British teen actors real life age reflects that of the characters on the show, as does their perfectly formed frames and pearly whites.

When the TV bosses announced a brand new cast for series three, the gust of horror amongst series 1 and 2 heart throb Tony Stonem’s fans was overwhelming. A strong desire burned amongst the female fans for a equally as fit replacement and on first glance of broody Freddie played by Luke Pasqualino in episode 1 of the new series, it seemed that all their dreams had come true.

In the quest to undress the sex from Skins and de-glitter the blood shot eyes to reveal a slightly less glam reality to what we have on our screens the broody, moody, sexy 19 year old Luke Pasqualino answered questions regarding this “glamorisation” and shared his opinion on the affect the shows has on the dominant underage audience.

"I was a huge Skins fan, I watched the first series religiously and I originally auditioned for the part of Tony but was unlucky and didn’t get the part. I think there was a massive void for a show like Skins and the popularity with the show only proves this. “

“The partying and the drugs doesn't reflect my teenage years so much as I am not a big drinker but it definitely resembles the stories from other kids on a Monday morning at my school! I don't think Skins glorifies sex and drugs. I think it does make it look glamorous which makes for easy on the eye viewing, but I believe that it's an accurate picture of teenager’s lives and shows it how it is. There’s no bull shit. Teenagers do have sex, they do drink and they do take drugs."

“At the end of the day we all make our own choices and even the internet in bedrooms makes adult content so readily available to teenagers. What I do think is, Skins tackles real hard hitting issues in a way that can only help the viewers who are going through the same things, are feeling the same way and at the end of the day a party’s a party! We're not rapping about killing each other! (Laughs)"

"I have been to a few house parties where things get smashed but teenagers were having wild and out of control parties well before Skins came about, they just theme them around Skins now that's the only difference.”

“My Mum was a bit concerned about the sex and drugs on the show and had a few “chats” with me but my Dad just thought it was a really cool show and looked amazing. And it does. It’s a great show for our country to be proud of and an amazing thing for our generation.”

“My character Freddie does like a joint now and again, I haven’t had any run ins with drugs. I stayed clear. For me, I wanted to keep a clear head and get through school with the best grades I could and then make my informed choices as a young adult! Sounds very sensible don’t it!?”

Sensible or just normal? Perhaps the majority of teens out there don’t want to drink their school days away, or touch any illegal substances. The problem is, watching attractive adolescents getting off and puking up is hardly role model material. The interactive online Skins website is interestingly wearing a sexy lipstick mark over the warning that the content is not suitable for under 18’s. So where do the responsibilities lie?

Yvonne Taylor, Deputy Head of Press & Publicity at Channel 4 wasn’t up for taking the responsibility, “We have been very aware of the reaction Skins has provoked over the years, like anything of it’s nature it is going to be heavily criticised. The major criticism of Skins has been the adult content and the affects this content will have on the viewers, however the influences for the show have come from real people. Skins is representing teen culture, OK a glamorised version.”

Teenage pregnancies are on the rise and STD’s are steadily growing, shows like Skins do not help the situation. A pretty negative picture of British teens exists, however there are groups that add a spanner in the works. Cool and intelligent, the Generation No-Sex is a splinter group of youngsters who reckon sex and marriage go hand in hand. In the last four years, 25,000 young Brits have joined a growing abstinence movement for reasons not just related to religion. This purified movement is surely proof that a TV show about rebellious teens isn’t the one solid factor for rebellious teens. We should perhaps not be so arrogant to think that teens won’t make their own minds up on what they wish to do with their lives and who they wish to idolise. Their inspiration can come from places other than the world of Skins.

The sex obsessed, drug addicted, out of control cast of skins is what most parents would consider a grotesque parody of modern British youth. Is this what their children's lives are really like: rampant sexuality, incessant swearing, scoring drugs, waking up to walls covered in sick? You would be surprised. A simple portrayal may not be what this is. A fantastic glorified drama with some amazing talent on the other hand is. But not for the eyes of under 18’s.