This week it was revealed that mother Aly Gilardoni has put her young daughter, Corleigh, on a diet since she was two-years-old. The revelation has caused outrage amongst many and certainly split public opinion. As a recovered anorexic, I am particularly shocked and furious at Gilardoni’s wish that her daughter ‘getting an eating disorder like anorexia would be preferable’.

It is clear to all and sundry that Gilardoni’s parenting is irresponsible. She is pushing her insecurities onto her impressionable daughter; Gilardoni herself is overweight and has always hated being so. Now, her own obsession with weight has rubbed off on her daughter who, despite her young age, is ‘always looking in mirrors’. Ironically, Gilardoni says that she feels guilty about restricting her daughter’s diet to a mere 700 calories. Although the recommended calorie intake for children is less than that of adults, the brain needs 500 calories to function properly. It is vital that growing children meet their recommended calorie allowance. Anything below, over an extended period of time, can seriously damage a child’s growth and development. The consequences for Corleigh could be dire: she may never hit puberty if this continues and is susceptible to premature osteoporosis.

The effects of calorie restriction are more serious than one may think. Side effects which I have personally experienced due to anorexia have been:

• Brain shrinkage
• Bone shrinkage
• Swollen joints
• Broken bones
• Hypothermia
• Extreme fatigue
• Pallor
• Hair loss
• Muscle loss
• Weak heart
• Low blood pressure and pulse
• Loss of fertility

After my two-year battle, I have concluded that it simply isn’t worth it. Nobody has the perfect body and developing an eating disorder will never help you obtain it. Before you realise it, things spiral out of control and you find that your body will never satisfy the anorexia, no matter how deadly thin you become. The consequences are horrendous and take a painstaking amount of time to reverse.

Anorexia has the highest mortality rate for a mental illness and, unfortunately, the victims are becoming increasingly younger as girls are forced to mature quicker in a society that is superficial and, for the major part, only allows someone with a particular look to succeed. The pressures on girls are incredible. Flicking through magazines and newspapers, one wouldn’t be wrong in assuming that the only way a woman can achieve anything in this world is by flashing her body (which must be painfully thin and big-boobed). This is reiterated in this year’s list of most influential British women, which named celebrities such as Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham. Yes, they have had successful careers, but how are they positive role models for the youth of today? Shockingly, they were ranked above arguably more deserving women, such as famous philanthropists. What kind of message does this give to our generation?

Isn’t Gilardoni giving her naïve daughter the kiss of death? The girl has clearly demonstrated early signs of an eating disorder with her obsessive mirror-checking. Unfortunately, anorexia seems to be harder to fight the younger you get it because the road to recovery involves a high level of deep cognitive therapy, usually psychotherapy. This involves finding the root of the problem, ways to combat it and challenging the way that the anorexia makes a sufferer thinks, which is so much more difficult than one may think. Gilardoni’s ignorance to the problem with a 700 calorie diet is shocking and horrifying. She is not promoting a positive message to her daughter and is setting her up for a lifetime of insecurities. It seems that history will only repeat itself in this sad story of mother and daughter as Gilardoni has confessed to having a negative body image.

The highly disturbing wish of Gilardoni for Corleigh to develop anorexia is astounding. How could anyone wish such an affliction, especially upon someone they profess to care about and love? The gut-wrenching reality is that if Corleigh did develop an eating disorder, her mother would probably be proud of her and encourage her to become thinner and thinner. When will it stop? Will it take poor Corleigh to be on her deathbed before her mother finally awakes from her sick delusion?

Ok, so in my infinite wisdom I’ve noticed that alot of the articles on here, good as they are, are about politics, music and sport, which leads me to believe this: too much pontificating.

Now lets think, what is really interesting for girls who aren’t up for the challenge of being “one of the boys”? The answer, good women, is clothes and make-up. So here’s my stab at a fashion blog :

I’m sure most of you have noticed that the aviator has been absolutely everywhere this season. They’ve been selling out in seconds online, and when I went into Primarni to get my knock-off on Saturday, they’d completely vanished. Luckily, I’m not a grown-up, so I managed to aquire what the French call “la perfecto” (the perfect little leather jacket. yes, they have a word for it) with the aid of mother-dearest.
For those of you who haven’t got one yet, I’ve done some digging and found a few of my favourites at the moment:

£110 ASOS

I adore the colour on this, it’s kind of tan/camel, which means its still quite high-fashion, but my favourite bit is the elasticated jersey sleevy-bits. It makes the whole thing look really authentic. This will set you back £110 mind, so be careful: are you willing to spend that much on a singular trend?

£58 Topshop

Ok, so it’s not technically leather, but how else are you going to get it cheaper? And anyway, how can you say no to that cut? It’s more of a smart take on the aviator, so you can probably get away with it for slightly posher occasions than you would with the one from ASOS.

£30 Matalan

Aha! look at that, it’s almost exactly like the one in Topshop and it’s only £30, I knew it would be possible, you just have to pray to the Fashion Gods and they send you a lovely knock-off. I recommend this one if you’re anything like me and can’t bear the though of spending loads on a trend that might not last till next season.

and of course, for the chic among us…

£1895 Burberry

The Burberry original, worn at fashion week with feminine florals, tea-dresses and the like. Beautiful isn’t it?

I recently acquired a pair of Vivienne Westwood ‘Pirate Boots’ and have practically lived my life in them since I got them. They are the comfiest shoes I own but also the most striking. From the moment I put them on I knew that these boots would open my mind to express itself through fashion and so ever since then I have been dressing myself in more and more interesting and individual outfits.  Ever since my life has become more interesting, I feel happier and it has reignited my passion for clothes.

To some people who want to break away from convention to show their true selves, it may seem frightening as it is not always easy to do. People worry whether they will still be accepted since we all wear the same things and do pretty much the same things. However, I have discovered that by taking this leap it is not only the relieving decision that you will make but also the most fun. By dressing who you are, you will get so much more respect and confidence. As your real friends will be revealed and those people are all you need and everyone else will be totally SHOCKED!! By showing your true colours people take you more seriously and they watch as you walk past, you effectively show the world you feeling, your soul.  Since you are also dressing yourself on the outside you will almost always look amazing as the clothes will always fit your personality which is what takes fashion to the next level.

This may sound serious but in reality it isn’t, it is sooo much fun as you see who looks at you, and you then see the true power of fashion and how it shocks people into awe and amazement. Fashion is there to make you feel happy and empowered so you shouldn’t feel scared, let you inhibitions run wild and the clothes will take care of the rest.

Trust me it is worth showing yourself to the world. Look at Johnny Depp, Lady Gaga, Rihanna (except her fashion is not crazy enough to get the look she wants, at least she tries and she get points for that (she does need a new stylist though!!)) or even Carla Bruni. They all use fashion to set the world on fire, to show the world that they are fearless and amazingly sexy. Give it a try, see what happens, see if you make waves.

Top Tips.

1)      Use everything. I often wear fags on my boots, or as tops (under hoodies). I also use belts as bracelets. Nothing is off limits. Saftey pins are an easy and quick way to add punk to an outfit.

2)      Turn things inside out!! I regularly wear one of my tops inside out because the lining is so much nicer and more of a statement.

3)      Time your unveiling. Don’t do it in the middle of term, do it after a holiday so you have the outfits ready to go.

4)      It is worth saving up for designer goods. They are far more interesting and will almost always have a detail that is different and interesting.  They will also be more versatile and give you more flexibility for your outfits.

5)      Second-hand can be better, they can be from a different decade so they may give you a vintage edge or after being worn have an edgy look.

Good Luck and Happy Being Yourself-ing.

The acclaimed British fashion designer Julien Macdonald has recently labelled plus-size models as ‘a joke’ to the fashion industry and has also asserted that supermodels should be no more than a size 8. His remarks surfaced as he commented on the new series of Britain’s Next Top Model, which itself has seen a reshuffling in presenters, from the curvaceous Lisa Snowdon to the pencil-like Elle MacPherson. Macdonald’s remarks have obviously caused outrage in both the fashion industry and amongst the public, not only because of their offensive demeanour but because of his hypocrisy – his clothing range caters for women up to a size 20. He seems, in fact, to have conceded an own goal, as many of his previous, larger clientele have begun boycotting his range in protest.

Not only does this spark interest for the aforementioned television show, it scratches old scars. Is there really any hope for plus-sized models? And what of the rakishly-thin ones who currently prowl the catwalks?

Sadly, a large majority of the fashion industry is against the use of plus-size models and continually use dangerously thin models to promote their clothing, perhaps because of habit or because of the general attitude that models are there to show the clothes, not themselves. They act as portable clothes hangers. The issue with using plus-size models is that they have shape, curves and not every masterpiece is going to sit well on them due to their individual characteristics. Therefore, designers hide behind this argument and defend the employment of barely-there beauties to parade around in their frocks.

The lack of ‘real-sized women’ in fashion is highly detrimental to the passing public. It causes us to put ourselves down and construct a sinister, bitter perception of ourselves. Subconsciously, we tell ourselves, ‘the only way to look good is to be thin’. Is this really the message that we want to send out to young, impressionable girls today? Don’t the irresponsible comments of Macdonald only contribute to the potent problem of eating disorders caused by pressure to conform to a certain image? And isn’t that all it is down to: conformity? Unfortunately, we live in a society dominated by unnerving rules which constantly harangue us into doing this or that. To be successful in life, it seems that you have to have certain characteristics and traits. You have to fit a certain mould. If you don’t, you’re not worth the time or the space. This sense of having to be a specific way doesn’t just occur in the fashion industry – it’s everywhere. It’s obviously most conspicuous in the media, but it seems to have infiltrated our quotidian lives too. We are all guilty of passing by a stranger in the street and immediately reacting to the way they look in a negative manner. We are trapped in a society of negativity and it is the media and the companies around us which seem to be most at fault as, due to the exposure that we have to them, we are greatly influenced by them in this negative way.

In respects to the models themselves, it is vital to remember the immense pressure and despair they must feel. They are restricted to having a specific physical demeanour or they are ostracised, as Macdonald’s comments clearly demonstrate. What is, however, a promising hope for the future, is how former top models such as Tyra Banks are desperately trying to change the attitude of the industry by promoting plus-sized models and real beauty, sporting various campaigns to try and alter the hard-line views of those at the apex of the industry.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being thin. Or overweight. Or any shape. What matters is how you feel inside about your exterior. If you can accept who you are – a size zero or a size with a number as large as your age – what does it matter? The important thing is to learn to accept yourself the way you are. Of course, we’d always like to be a little thinner, or have a bigger chest, perhaps more of a button nose or those sexy, pouty lips. But some things can’t be changed. Perfection can never be achieved. Stop focusing on what will only hold you back. The fact of the matter is that there will always be careless people such as Macdonald, constantly picking flaws in everyone that they interact with. What is important is how you deal with these doubters. Don’t let them hold you back. Flourish and be free!

Photo by Jens Mortensen (NYTimes)

A reproduction based on designs from Horrockses Fashions, for the V&A

Oversized Tees, as made popular by Flashdance

From Esquire ; On Stanislas Nève de Mévergnies, thirty-three, corporate communications consultant: Two-button cotton seersucker jacket and vest (part of three-piece suit, $1,395), cotton shirt ($165), and silk tie ($75), Polo by Ralph Lauren; cotton trousers ($165) by Dunhill.

I was instantly attracted to that sweater when I saw it in the Times, in a section called Timeless. It not only looks beautiful, offering, as Tommy Hilfiger puts it, ‘easy elegance’, but also conjures a sense of pride, even in a non-American. The powerful colours hark back to sporting pride, and the days in which national kits were not optimised for performance but for beauty and pride. It’s a far cry from the designer clothing we see now, that seeks to push boundaries without looking at the beauty that’s already in the things we possess. Thank god then, for Ralph Lauren, who consistently sells a similar range of sweaters, and for Tommy Hilfiger who now displays the jumper prominently in his flagship store on Fifth Avenue.
IN STYLE : 40s -60s, but still worn today.

Moving on to the flowery patterned dress, which I discovered only last week at the Victoria & Albert Museum, I’m prepared to make a confession. I don’t like it. Having seen it from a distance, with my impaired eyesight, my brain removed the lines that proliferate this dress, replaced them with a beautiful blue, made the colours far more vibrant and powerful, and thought back to the classics that one could just as easily use for a tablecloth as a dress. Dresses like these have been popular since the 30s, and to me have always been truly beautiful, and thankfully have remained popular, though not without some horrific variations which I’ll leave you to discover for yourself.
IN STYLE : 40s-60s, but never out of out fashion really!

Where do we see oversized tees anymore? They seem to have departed from our stores and shops, but continue to exist in a few forms. So-called ‘boyfriend’ shirts and t-shirts are as popular as ever, if not more so, and many t-shirts or shirts have been lengthened so as to be worn as dresses, like those sold on Coco De Coeur. But to be honest none of them really come close to the style and elegance of those original tees. The new variations lack the iconic status that came with their presence in the movie Flashdance, and many of them are simply awful. It’s sad to hear that such a film only gets a rating of 5.6 on IMDb, despite being a film that was loved by a generation. If anything, it speaks volumes about the power of time to change the impact of the things we once held dear.
IN STYLE : 80s

Finally, we come to the preppie look. It used to signify being middle or upper class, and sometimes even popular, and originated in the Ivy League schools. What I find interesting about it as a style is the fusion of casual and formal. The amusing thing perhaps about preppie fashion, is that nowadays designer clothing is often so expensive that the same people who would once have been preppie are its market, despite the completely outrageous clothes that they now produce. For more information about Preppie fashion look here. As a style it represents the idea of a clean-cut, all american man, which differs only slightly from the working class perspective of an ideal man in America, as their dress would be less formal, though the rugby tops and similar which are staples would remain.
IN STYLE : 50s, 80s, 00s

From the top,  (I believe) a Skane jumper selected by Tommy Hilfiger in an article in the Times last year. Next, a Daisy and Rose dress, designed using patterns from Horrockses Fashions, currently on sale at the Victoria & Albert Museum Shop. Below, an oversized tee, as worn by  Jennifer Beals. Further below, a vintage style – preppie, with modern clothes, Stanislas Nève de Mévergnies models Ralph Lauren and Dunhill.

I’ll also shortly be adding a little sectionette on another timeless piece of clothing within the next day, so keep checking back for updates.

Comment below, and tell me what you think of the dog as my Column’s signpost!

And now for something that didn’t make it. At all. Leopard print jeans. No comment neccessary.

IN STYLE : Never.

Leopard Print trousers from Dolce & Gabbana

Fresh from the Coroner’s court today Alexander McQueen’s suicide is now being linked to depression, which caused him to hang himself. He had taken cocaine and a set of tranquilizers, before proceeding to hang himself with his ‘favourite’ brown belt. Dr Pereria, speaking at the coroner’s court, reported that “I certainly think where his private life was concerned, he was quite confused. He had been terribly let down by long-standing close relationships.” He also felt that after his mothers death “there was nothing left to live for.”

According to the doctor he lived a live of extreme highs, and depressing lows. Having begun as a Saville Row tailor, he worked hard his entire life to reach the international stardom which he obtained.  Ever since his death a great number of tributes have been offered by the fashion industry, including a forthcoming memorial window in the Saks Fifth Avenue store, owned by Boitano, who described his last collection as “gorgeous, just gorgeous; the most beautiful cocktail and evening gowns. We were planning to do a series of special ‘trunk’ shows in the store for special customers, but that won’t happen now.”

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Another makeover tutorial from AllThatGlitters21 over on youtube!
Please comment below! We’re interested in knowing whether more of this kind of stuff should be appearing on our pages! For now, this is just an experiment, but please tell us your thoughts and views in the comment section below!