Have you ever looked back at Past You and cringed? Maybe you found an old photograph and wondered what possessed you to buy, let alone wear, that hideous outfit. Perhaps Facebook showed you a post you wrote nearly a decade ago and you couldn't quite believe you were that naive back then. You might have... Continue Reading →
The power of glamour
I grew up in the 80s and, looking back, it's really easy to see how I fell for glamour. After all, it was everywhere. Was there such a thing as a low key dressed down 80s look? If there was, I paid it no attention to it whatsoever because what I wanted was to be... Continue Reading →
When summer comes…
I don't care if you exercised. If you got a personal trainer and toned up, trimmed down, fitted back into the clothes you wore before the pandemic hit. I don't care that you got moving, went from couch to 5k, or beat your personal best. I don't care that you want to be a "better... Continue Reading →
Beauty standards, ageing and confidence
I've spent more years than I care to imagine working out how to love my reflection. It might sound strange to anyone who doesn't identify as a woman, or wasn't raised as female, but the constant stream of messages we receive about how our appearance is the most important thing about us takes a certain... Continue Reading →
Wonderful websites that changed my reading habits forever
When I gave up reading women's glossy magazines in my 20s, it was partly because I found very little of interest to read in them any more, and it was partly because I was erroneously beginning to think that so-called "women's things" were unimportant (thanks for that patriarchy!). I thought that reading about superficial stuff... Continue Reading →
Ovation: Challenging the lack of gender diversity and inclusivity in theatre
I like hearing about creative projects, especially ones by women for women. Having recently discovered Ovation - a new forum for women and female identifying creatives in British theatre, aiming to provide opportunities for networking and skills development - I thought I'd help them spread the word with a quick blog post. The Ovation website... Continue Reading →
Review: House of Burlesque Revue at the Underbelly Festival
I've had a fondness for burlesque for a decade now. The costumes, movements, and facial expressions all help to tell a story, and the best acts are often the ones that do something the audience doesn't expect. I've always preferred a little subversion to a lot of 'glitter tits', and thankfully there are plenty of... Continue Reading →
How a corset told the tale of Westworld
[SPOILER ALERT] This article contains mild spoilers for Westworld season 2, mostly in the form of discussion of costumes. I recently finished watching season 2 of Westworld and am still processing the clever storytelling, the visual brilliance, and the excellent performances from a delightfully diverse cast. Despite being set in a 'wild west' theme park,... Continue Reading →
On marriage and name changes
I started planning this post months ago, when I was first writing about getting married, but it somehow slipped off my To Do list until something reminded me last week. A colleague who I don't see all that often (I work for a very large organisation) asked me for my email address, "because you've changed... Continue Reading →
Taboo Week: Fat bodies, uneven skin, and the courage to disrupt
The number of more positive articles on fat bodies is finally starting to increase, in the wake of the popularity of 'plus size' (ugh I hate that term) models like Ashley Graham, Audrey Ritchie and Tess Holliday. It seems like culture (and capitalism) has finally accepted that we're getting bigger, and that there's a lot... Continue Reading →