My Fashion Memory

There is no denying the fact that fashion and all the elements that encompass it are a constant influence on our everyday lives. It’s in a constant state of flux alongside the worlds of art, music and film, creating many different cultures and sub cultures along the way. It is not just in the creative world however that fashion is significant, as the industry is the second biggest business within the UK, playing a key part in the economic structure of our country. I think the interesting thing about fashion is that affects everyone differently and whether you love it or loathe it there will always be certain sartorial moments that stick out in your mind. In this feature I have grouped together a few fashion related memories from a range of bloggers and models (together with my own), highlighting the differing perceptions and experiences that this fast paced, almost other worldly industry creates.

Louisa Shanks
I can’t really pinpoint an outfit in the past few years that has stood out, I’m sure there have been plenty that made me feel amazing for those fleeting night time hours but I get bored very easily and an item that I can’t live without one week will in a fortnight be hidden in the chaos that is my bedroom and be forgotten about. However, there will always be one outfit that sticks in my mind and that is the one I wore to my 7th birthday party. It was matching blue velvet trousers and a-line long sleeved top with roses embroided around the collar and blue velvet headband. I know, sounds hideously twee and Sound of Music but let’s not forget I was only 7 years old. I thought it was amazing at the time and if I found it again I’d probably walk down the street wearing it in a bid to bring back the memories. So if you see a 19 year old girl walking the streets in a blue velvet ensemble that’s clearly too small – I’m not insane, I’m just suffering from nostalgia.

Jazzi Craddock – Model at Premier Model Management
“I will never forget my first catwalk show. Everything was so confusing at first – so much going on around me. I was trying to find the people I was to model for but there were over 100 shows happening that day and I didn’t know anyone at all. My outfit was amazing. It was an all in one knitted creation with a house – yes, a house on one shoulder and a life size cat on my bum. The shoes they gave me were far too big so I had to stuff them with something so I could walk. All I could find was cardboard so that had to do. Then I remember sitting around for about 6 hours waiting for my turn. I had no-one to talk to as everyone that day seemed to come from Russia and spoke hardly any English. I also didn’t get a chance to rehearse which was scary as I was on first and hadn’t ever walked on a catwalk before. I also remember feeling so lonely and lost, thinking that everyone else must know what they are doing where as I now realise that they probably felt the same as it may have been their first show too.”

Susanna Lau – blogger (www.stylebubble.com) and digital editor of Dazed and Confused magazine
“I have quite a few fashion memories but this one sticks out a bit... when I was 14/15, I used to hang out at arcades a lot (I was one of those sad people who loved playing the Konami Dance Dance Revolution machine...) and started hanging out with other 'gamers'... at the same time my personal style was sort of evolving and I got into a phase of wearing huge flares with floaty dresses underneath and one day, one of the gamers asked "Why are you always wearing trousers underneath the dress? It doesn't make sense!" which made everyone laugh and I said quite indignantly "It makes sense to me!" and from that point onwards, I started thinking of people in terms of those that will wear trousers under skirts/dresses and those that don't... it's quite a weird style distinction now of course since trousers underneath skirts/dresses are nothing new... but for some reason, this has really stuck with me.”

Freya Holmes – Model for Babycakes
“I once had to stand on a Perspex turn table for twenty minutes while a group of camera men filming me spinning from different angles, and if I laughed once we had to start all over again. the turntable was spinning way too fast and I was so dizzy, and after we finally finished filming it I went to step off the turntable and fell straight off and hit my head on a Kurt Geiger shoe, which indented my forehead and scarred me to this day. Another memory includes the first time I was given something to take home from a shoot. I left the shoot armed with some gorgeous AP underwear that I had been allowed to keep, and it was such a good feeling. Although the worst thing about it all, has been wearing really nice clothes, making the clothes look good, spending hours in the clothes only to watch them be sent back and id never be able to afford to buy them myself.”

Sandy Espenkrona – Blogger and T-Shirt Designer (www.cottonstyle.co.uk)
“People working in fashion, whether it's designers, models or pattern cutters (and trust me I’ve met them all), seem to think that they're saving the world. They’re not. It’s just clothes goddamnit. This is why I love to take the piss during every single fashion event I’m going to. I’m just going for the free booze, obviously, which is why I love fashion week - not because of the models posing their asses off - but for the free drinks and showing them that people working in fashion really should be less pretentious. Like when my friends and I recently went to a fashion event, had our free drinks and sat down at the floor only to blow up a condom. One of the best fashion events I’ve ever been to - because of the condom. Made my entire night to piss everyone off - "you simply don't dooo that at a fashion party!" oh piss off. People should laugh more and pose less.”

Charlie Bale – Student and Co-founder of Suzi & Charlie’s Clothes (Found via facebook)
“My favourite fashion memory is a recent one. On the way home from college I found my cream lace up boots sitting in a window of a little charity shop and I knew right there it was love.I adore the way they point up at the top, the rusted brass eyelets and the lining inside which is oh-so cosy on even the coldest winter day. I have to wear flat shoes, I have to feel my feet on the ground when I walk, so these boots are perfect for every occasion. And when I put them on, I just feel so kick ass!”