Somewhere between lamb and mutton...

I suppose i'd like to think that i'm a seasoned fashionista, but in truth I am nothing of the sort. Its easy to read magazines and fashion supplements and its almost impossible to keep up with it all. I end up being bombarded with photos of clothes that I can't wait to own, and am left with a feeling that what I do own hasn't got any sort of flare or originality.

So many people stick to what they know, they stay within their comfort zone rather than experimenting with something different. Its easy to go to Urban Outfitters or Topshop and to feel like an alien, these shops lay it all out for us - you can look different and funky by copying what the mannequins are wearing, but when you get home with your bags of purchases it doesn't look like it did in the changing room. I want to look classic and elegant, and yet when I do venture onto oxford street wearing high heels, I long to be the teenager in plimsols and leggings. It is a conundrum that I partially blame on my indecisive nature, and also the fact that I am so often confused for a 17 year old that I think that I still have the right to dress like one. At what point is a girl (woman?/young lady?) supposed to dress her age?

Nobody wants to be mutton dressed like lamb, although I think I am probably still a few years shy of being the former, I still envy those who have their own very individual sense of style and aren't afraid of what people think. This particular point hit home yesterday as I wandered through Zara and wasn't sure if I should be shopping on the Ground floor (Womens) or -1 (TRF Teenage Fashions). What struck me about the womens collection was how old it feels, everything is in muted colours: beige, navy, coral and far too tailored for someone who isn't over 30. Go down one floor and I feel almost octogenarian as I get blinded by the sweetshop colours and ogle the teeny tiny denim skirts I once felt so comfortable wearing.

Where do twenty somethings fit into this mess? I think it comes down to confidence and individual style. In our twenties we have the freedom of experimentation without the teenage hangups and insecurities. Rather than worry about which box or bracket I belong to I intend to enjoy freedom of style while I can. Until of course inevitably the twin set and pearls catches up with me and i'm forced to grow up gracefully.

My two cents on London style

Teenagers thrive on feeling like individuals. When I was younger this meant that while we were all wearing identical ensembles from Tammy Girl the few who dared to be different were Goths. They wore dog collars and were head to toe in black, but in doing this they achieved exactly what they wanted to, they stood out and were seen as different. Teenagers are all insecure creatures, but none more so than those who see being Londoners and therefore knowing how to dress as a birth right. Topshop has been around for decades, and yet despite being a high street staple never really stood out from the rest. Then they did something amazing, and ironically highly original, they started selling individuality. Teenagers in London can dress as though they’ve been trawling the Brick Lane or Portobello markets without going further than Oxford Circus. The Topshop generation are identifiable at a glance, bright colours, casual layering, bleached hair, plenty of eyeliner and of course drainpipe jeans are de rigueur. They are cool, or at least they act as though they are, like members of a club where only a few know the secret password. They sit in bars, coffee shops, parks and talk loudly about anything they want with authority; people need to hear their opinions. But I always observe them with a wry smile because at the end of the day production line individuality is nothing more than your average run of the mill conformity, dressing to belong.