"Living in Hythe is like Training to be Old."

Cecil Beaton's iconic 1934 'Hat Box'.

"Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace or the slaves of the ordinary!" (CECIL BEATON). In simple words, don't be afraid to be brave.

As Beaton had a great interest in fashion photography, i can only believe that this aspiring message was directed to style and how the world should embrace individuality and unconventionality in dress, rather than being hesitant to contradict the generalisations in fashion. I am very much a fashion enthusiast; i love reading about it, learning about it, looking at it, buying into it..the list goes on. However, there have been many occasions when i visit a store and i rule off certain outfits due to their outlandish appearance. I truly admire the people who flaunt their fashion extravagance with no concern if others dislike or sneer at the unusual style, although I'm not sure that my little home-town would be ready for 'underwear as outerwear' or see-through fabrics! With a town oozing with OAPs, tearooms and charity shops, walking down the high-street in a maxi dress may cause multiple strokes! I was recently enjoying a nice hot chocolate and a pot of tea with a few friends, the conversation lead onto the excitement of Hythe. Jon gave the perfect definition to our stale home-town: "Living in Hythe is like training to be old." That quote has stuck in my mind ever since. I might as well hobble down the high-street in a woolly jumper and beige flats!

However, as i have quite a quirky and girlish dress sense, i feel i can avoid appearing too flamboyant and inordinate whilst walking past all the Betty's and Albert's shuffling through town. However, recently i have had a desire to delve into the delicious land of jumpsuits! Although I'm only 5'3 and not exactly model height for this unlikely new trend, i can't resist the urge to splurge! There are so many colours and styles that i simply adore, but there is that one fraction that keeps the purse glued inside my satchel...Hythe. I can only dream that one day I'll live in an area like London or Brighton, where the excitement in fashion is far from hidden and is in-fact celebrated. Hythe is camouflaging my passion for fashion! So to take note of Beaton's wise words, screw all the Betty's and Albert's, if we want to strut down the high-street in a cheeky jumpsuit and some delectable brogues..we shall!! No longer will we play it safe; Coco Channel stated: "In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different." So Hythe, get ready for bras over tees and high waisted hot pants.. :)

Soccer Vs Speidi..

As the world cup kicks off and is in full swing, i thought I'd tune in to the celebratory opening; but after watching hours of African dancing and colourful parades, i decided to divert my attention to a programme of far more importance than the footy!! And that is of course..The Hills :)

The series that follows the drama-injected lives of fabulously superficial Americans has never been so gripping. With Stephanie Pratt's jail sentence for drink driving, Kristin Cavallari's alleged drug problems, Spencer Pratt's obsession with his 'psychic' crystals, Audrina Partridge's constant love affairs, and of course not forgetting Heidi Pratt's outrageous surgery addiction. However, i then began to wonder if your place of residence truly does have a significant impact on the person we become; such as the clothes we purchase or the personalities we adopt.

In the very first few seasons of The Hills, i would go as far as to say that Heidi was a rather normal being! I feel that her once grounded personality simply must have been a reflection of her childhood up-bringing and home-town; the snowy, isolated land of Colorado, as it is far removed from the suffocating world of plastic pressures. Therefore, Heidi was a confident and happy young women, but as she moved to LA the temptations arose as she began to mold her body into society's version of 'perfection.' Watching the rapid deterioration of these characters mental health seems a tad wrong, but the voyeuristic incentives to watch the show is a guilty pleasure that i simply can't resist!

However, regarding the infamous World Cup, i have to confess that i do adore the way in which Britain suddenly turns immensely passionate and patriotic throughout the period. So to show my support for the England boys, i will be momentarily forgetting the lives of Audrina and Speidi as i cheer on the lads! But as soon as the season has come to a conclusion..i can't wait to snatch the remote and escape into the frivolous lives of the Hollywood theatricals that is of course The Hills!!