Think Pink

a. burst into tears at your reflection and search for a paper bag to put over your head

b. pull your hair back, dab on some lip gloss and smile

You’re watching MTV when they introduce a new girl group do you:

a. instantly compare yourself to them and realise they’ve got skinnier legs, a smaller tummy and glossier hair than you

b. turn your nose up at the music but love the cut-off denim skirt the lead singer is wearing

You’re at a party throwing some serious shapes on the dance floor when you notice a group of girls looking over, do you:

a. stop immediately and blush with embarrassment

b. smile at them safe in the knowledge that they’re lovin’ the moves that you’re bustin’

When you get home, you can hardly contain your yawns do you:

a. lay awake thinking about how great everyone else looked

b. clean off your make up and fall straight to sleep, you’re so tired after all that dancing!

Mostly a’s:

Too much time spent comparing yourself to others and worrying about what other people think of you means that life becomes all sorts of dull. Try not to compare yourselves to anyone, you’re YOU-nique. Next time you look in the mirror, I dare you to find at least one thing you like about yourself, it can be your oh-so-long eyelashes that don’t need mascara, the way your favourite jeans hug your bum, the sprinkling of freckles across your nose, just something that when you look in the mirror turns your frown upside down!

Mostly b’s:

You know that nobody is perfect so instead of getting hung up on the bits you don’t like, you celebrate and enhance the good stuff. There are even times when you embrace the not-so-good bits anyway, because you know that when it all comes together, it makes a super cool version of YOU and that’s such a good thing.

No Comparison

My very cool and prettilicious friend, Sadie, thinks that her life would be infinitely more fabulous if she had bigger lady bumps. She obsesses about her 34A bra fillers on a daily basis, expressing the need and necessity for plastic surgery as soon as she turns 16, to anyone who will listen. Today is no exception.

‘It’s not fair,’ she says, with her hands on her T-shirt covered chest, standing in front of my full-length, fairy light-lit, bedroom mirror. ‘Why haven’t I got boobs like Eva Satine?’

While others may pick up glossy magazines and go green with envy at images of models, actresses and celeb types, the object of obsession at our school is Evil Eva. She’s that girl. The one who’s beautifully packaged but has nasty, knotted insides that make her very rude and terribly unpretty.

Despite this, Sadie wants to be her, a lot.

Not because she gets good grades (which she does), or because she’s got teeth like a girt out of a toothpaste commercial (which she has), no, it’s because she has, according to Sadie, the perfect cleavage.

‘They’re just so round and, you know, there,’ gestures Sadie pushing her own lady bumps together and upwards.

I sigh a big sigh. I’ve never wanted big boobs but I did used to wonder what it would be like to be a size 10 or to have a walk-in wardrobe like Eva, but when I saw the world through pink-tinted shades I realised how super-boring it would be if we were all the same. We’d be like a teen version of The Stepford Wives, all glossy hair and robot-like with false smiles and no personality. That would most definitely not rock.

I give Sadie the hugest hug, and tell her that she is the most scrumptiously gorgeous girl and that having a small chest is cool because she gets to wear those to-die-for tight tees from the kids department that cost £2.99. She nudges me playfully in the ribs, before breaking into a fit of giggles. She agrees that this is most deffo a good reason and one that she hadn’t previously thought of. I then tell her how much the average bra costs and she is even more than thankful that she doesn’t have to wear one yet.

Change what you see

Take a look in the mirror, I know it might sound a bit scary but for every so-called imperfection you find, instead of feeling bad and sad about it, change it into a positively smile-worthy thing. It’s simple…

BEFORE: ‘I’ve got so many freckles, I hate them.’

AFTER: ‘Having freckles will always mean I look younger than I am, which will be very helpful when I’m 84.’

BEFORE: ‘I have to wear glasses all the time’

AFTER: ‘Wearing glasses will mean I no longer miss out on a buff-beauty stealing glances – I will also look super smart!’

Your turn!

This girl will rock your world…

The lovely Lauren Laverne – radio DJ, TV presenter, guitar strumming goddess, queen of cool – rock on!

She says: ‘IT’S REALLY TOUGH BEING A TEENAGER AND GIRLS ARE SO HARD ON THEMSELVES, BUT IT DOES GET BETTER. JUST BE NICE TO YOURSELF. YOU’RE THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN YOUR LIFE SO BE HAPPY AND ENJOY YOURSELF.’

Dare to be different

I rip up any rulebook that tells me what I should or shouldn’t wear because life is far too short to conform. We all have different sides to our personalities – that’s what makes us so distinctive and interesting. So what if one day you want to be all 1950s glam girl and the next you want to be a retro punk princess?

While these contradictions might be confusing to others, they are the things that make you individual so make sure you hug them up because, where style is concerned, there really are no rules. It doesn’t matter what size or shape you are, it’s about having your own YOU-nique style and being true to yourself. Think Pink, princess, and set your own trends. Work on the principle that whether it’s this season or football season, style is not about rules, it’s about the endless possibilities.

Of course there is a chance this can lead to serious fashion faux pas territory, like the time I thought it would be super cool to let trainee hairdresser and guitar playing pink lady, Bella, cut my fringe with her Hello Kitty scissors. I ended up with an oh-so-short, asymmetric ‘thing’. As you can imagine, it wasn’t my finest fashion moment but, with a few v. cute sparkly hair slides I managed to flip it into a moment to shine, because the next day people were commenting on how cool it looked!

This proves you never know unless you give it a go, with a little imagination I managed to transform what was just a wonky fringe into a look that was too-cool-for-school!

Be Experimental

Don’t be afraid to experiment and find out what works for you. Experimenting with my appearance is my absolute favourite thing to do. Whether it’s trying out the latest fluro-green eyeshadow or adding a whole lot of sequin-sparkle to an old pair of jeans, experimenting is my playground! Vintage finds, homemade punk-trash trinkets and oh-so-kitsch ensembles scatter every corner of my room making it a sparkly-gorgeous treasure chest for any would-be customising queen.

Customising is the coolest, there’s no better way to express yourself and show what you’re all about than by making your clothes and accessories a reflection of your personality. Prettify your belongings by letting your imagination run wild. If your creativity needs a kickstart, take a look inside the Think Pink vanity case to find all you need to run riot with your wardrobe…

Custom-made

What you need:

A case/box: I use a mini pink vanity case to keep my customising kit all in one place

Fabric glue: If sewing doesn’t float your boat then this is a great way of sticking material like too cute patches on your jeans

Fabric paints: Simply the coolest way of creating super fun designs on tiny tees

Scissors: Embroidery scissors are most deffo the way forward for chopping material, but if you can’t get your hands on any, then kitchen scissors will do.

Superglue: If you’re making jewellery or sticking pieces that can’t be sewn this is super strong. Just be sure not to stick your manicured fingers together in the process!

Sewing stuff: An assortment of needles and threads because stitchin’ is officially bitchin’!

Start simple with designing a cute tee, then as you begin to gain confidence and have endless ideas, let your imagination run wild. My favourite thing is to go round charity shops searching for cool one-offs, don’t just look for clothes, I like to find sparkly buttons that I could add to a plain old shirt – the possibilities are endless, chica!

Prettify your belongings by letting your imagination run wild.

This girl will rock your world…

Leona Baker, queen of super cool label, Lady Luck – pop art jewellery for music-junkie-fashion-freaks, has made customising her living and is now receiving major press coverage from here to LA.

She says…

“I WORKED AS AN ASSISTANT STYLIST ON POP VIDEOS AND FASHION SHOOTS AND SOLD CUTE FINDS AT PORTOBELLO MARKET ON SATURDAYS. I DISLIKED THE FASHION HIERARCHY AND WANTED TO DO MY OWN THING. AS I ENJOYED SOURCING AND MAKING STUFF TO SELL ON MY STALL SO MUCH, I TURNED IT INTO A FULL TIME THING AND BOUGHT MY PITCH AT PORTOBELLO MARKET, LONDON.

I LIKE SEEING KOOKY GIRLS DO THE HOLLYWOOD THING, LIKE CHLOE SEVIGNY, MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL AND KIRSTEN DUNST.

Leona’s tips for would-be customisers:

“…HAVE AN OPEN MIND WHEN LOOKING FOR STUFF TO CUSTOMISE WITH. YOUR LOCAL CRAFT SHOP MIGHT LOOK LIKE IT’S FOR GRANNIES, BUT THERE’S ALWAYS A CHANCE THEY’LL HAVE A STASH OF 1980’S PATCHES IN THE BASEMENT. LEARN THE NAMES OF THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN YOUR LOCAL CHARITY SHOP, TELL THEM WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR AND THEY MIGHT START PUTTING THINGS ASIDE FOR YOU! IF YOU DON’T LIKE EARLY MORNINGS (I’M ALWAYS THE FIRST TO TURN UP AT A CAR BOOT SALE!), EBAY IS A GREAT WAY TO THRIFT IN YOUR ARM CHAIR. LOG YOUR DETAILS INTO ‘MY EBAY’ AND YOU CAN TYPE IN ALL YOUR FAVE SEARCH WORDS AND THEY WILL E-MAIL YOU WHEN SOMETHING IS LISTED THAT MATCHES YOUR DESCRIPTION. SOME OF MY KEYWORDS ARE ‘80’S CHARMS’, ‘BAMBI’ AND ‘BLONDIE BADGES’! GOOD LUCK FELLOW CUSTOMISING QUEENS!…”

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