Ladies, When was the last time you looked in the mirror and said "wow your beautiful!" ?

*SILENCE*. Just as I suspected!

As women we spend too much of our lives focusing on the things people wont like about us and forget about the things people will. We allow our selves to belittle others in our sex, by pin-pointing their faults to higher our self-esteem. This is wrong, and as future mothers we are setting our own kids up for the heartbreak that we once felt in our adolescence days.

DONT. Dont belittle the woman on the train across from you because her hair cut is clearly to short for the shape of her face, or ignore the man next to you who clearly finds you attractive, because your afraid he is way out of your league. Be confident in the faith that was instilled into your parents to raise you as a beautiful woman and never draw on the misfortune of others to heal your self-loathing. You should know this fate you've been given is an amazing one , as with every breath you breathe there is opportunity everywhere you look, and a new found hope that some will never get to experience or even imagine in their wildest dreams.

As women in this society we spend our days sifting through magazines, praying to see a picture of angelina with the same spot we have on our chin, or giselle with a scar on her left leg just like we have. Countless times i've heard from women "I hate how I look, if only I could...", what I ask ? If only you could what ? Wake-up everyday with a family that loves and cares for you and appreciates that maybe not today, but one day you will do great things and someone will see the beauty in THAT, not just in how you look. I mean okay maybe Im not speaking for everyone, because we may not all have this wonderful family im referring to, but we all have something or someone who we cling to for that hope, support and overall protection when we fall short and become unsure of ourselves.

So ladies I ask you, no actually I beg of you, LOVE yourself. Become infatuated with the idea that you are somebodys supermodel, and the woman in your perfect mans dreams, because I assure you that you are. But until you learn to believe it, and call things as you see them your going to spend so much time focusing on whats not to like about you, you will forget exactly what is. Maybe you wont listen to my advice and you'll carry on staring at the girl who works in starbucks wishing you had "straight teeth like hers", or the lady you see on the tube everynight who has "legs to die for". Or maybe you will just listen, because maybe you have just realised that chances are, they are just like you, and are doing exactly the same thing you are. Only tomorrow, when you say "wow look at that girl", you will be standing in front of a mirror....

80.. the fashions comeback !!

"I Got Love For You If You Were Born In The ........."

Now who remembers the 80's? No stop right there, you don't need to. Anyone who's everyone, who's someone has some understanding of whom and what defined the 80's and 2009 is the year it’s officially ALL come back. The music, the clothes, the raves, the vibe and the glamour of this decade will be taking centre stage in your 2009 so listen up (cassettes only of course) ...and take note.

The tribute to the this time has been taking place for quite some-time but only now has it finally reached its peak. Nowhere in the fabulous town of LDN can you travel (brick-lane/Camden market especially) without seeing a group/GROUPS of young one's retro-ing it up with their rope chains, funk barnets and clashing rainbow garms. This dress-code is more than a retro style its the uniform the uniform paying tribute to that era that was the 80's. Now I know what some of you are thinking, "Retro and 80's definitely wasn't the same!" well no it wasn't but it is now and the kid's are fusing the two together to create an explosion of style. Now plug that cassette in and get a-listening.

It was the thug-flavour of the day when it was rocked in the old school, usually accompanying throwback buster was a ghetto-blaster in hand. The kids back then would make noise, hustle, jam to the latest greatest one-hit wonders around (plenty of those in this day) and just do ... well exactly what we do today, act a fool. This style was a symbol of something, a tribe (called quest, if you like) who bopped to the same beat and moved to all the same vibes.

Well what’s so special about this, I hear you ask? Well isn't it clear how the 80’s are simply the only decade that never left us even after it ended, its legacy still holds true. Clearly this was helped by its influence on society, I mean even today the indie kids throw on some garms and they know they're rocking the retro, hip-hop/grime skankers plaster themselves in mod-80's armour and they're good to go rocking the streets. Even in mainstream fashion brand's like House of Holland, Marc Jacobs and even Gucci are give a thumbs up to the 80's with their latest collections.

Now the clothes are merely the aftermath the music is what’s really setting the trends. Bringing back 80's pop are all sorts of artists paying homage to an era most of them weren't even around to play they're rubix cubes in. Master Shortie the number ONE retro carrier, over-all trend setter for the youth today with his tune "Rope chain" and his ever exclusive sneeks collection in a pick-and-mix assortment, he is a true pioneer to the 80's hay-day. The 80's carrier is never afraid to mix it up, as it is with the DJ's in the moment... but of the day, "TapeDeck" they mix it-up like never before throwing in the un-expected and the highly anticipated all in one, hungry for more, feel-good vibe that was THE 80'S. Even artists such as Santi-gold and VV Brown are showing us just where it’s at (or where it’s been so we can catch up) and how we can get there.

Now we all remember Calvin Harris' "Acceptable in the 80's" which was released in the not so far back days of slogan tees printed with everything from the very song title itself to "Make love, not war". But not just the music and clothes, movies have stuck with us too. The most memorable for every woman with any sense of love in her is of course Pretty Woman showing us young-un's just what we missed the first time round and bringing some old school romance back into this sex-fuelled society. The toys, the games, the films, the books, the hangouts ... these all coming back to us.

With its popularity ever-growing you have to wonder what makes it so special. There’s only one answer. Because anybody can do it. No secret club, no certain type of music, no exclusive stores in backstreets of LDN, just people setting exclusive trends before anyone else and expressing themselves, from head to retro'd out kicks. There’s no rules, just be yourself wear the colours you like and stand with some-one wearing the colours you don't, because chances are tomorrow you will be wearing them too. This celebration of individuality should be applauded with the longest rope chain you can find, to hang from your neck like a trophy as reward is given to a style set by just two words "The 80's". Who knows where it will all end, but this is definitely where it all began.....