Une Femme Libre

Last spring I had the good fortune of doing a week-long work experience at the big ad agency in Soho, London: Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH). During my brief time there, I had a work experience colleague, in her final year of 6th form, who was... for lack of better words, dim-witted. And as we know, the dim-witted can be source of laughter and entertainment for the slightly sharper-witted. Now, this workplace is already maxed out with brilliance. The dress-code is so laid back, I saw employees wearing 'distressed' jeans - but never without a fashionable turn up at the hem, paired with honey-oak colored Oxfords and a patterned button-up T-shirt. Free breakfast is served every day until 9:30, and Tuesdays and Thursdays are very special: bagel breakfast day. There's a free and fully equipped coffee and tea bar, complete with charming baristas, open all working day. Yoga classes are held in the mornings for those who are apt to waking up and starting their days a little earlier t...

Did you know high heels were originally invented for men? I know right. The most impractical, uncomfortable, and restrictive shoes were designed for and worn by the 'stronger sex'. In fact, contrary to the popular opinion that Europe (specifically Paris) is fashion-central, heels were brought to Europe from Persia by emissaries of the  Shāh Abbās I in the early 1600s. They actually used to serve a practical purpose. #shocker Historically, the Persian cavalry wore heeled shoes so that their feet fit into their stirrups better. After all, nobody likes falling off a horse going full gallop mid-battle. In fact, high heeled shoes have been dated as far back as 3500 B.C. when Egyptian butchers wore them to walk over the floors of their shops inevitably covered in the blood and guts of the carved up animals. And these butchers were all - you guessed it - men. (I know I know.. total badassery!!) (More on the history and development of high heels -  http://history-of-heels.we...

The effect of media on female body image and mental health: In other words, the f*cked up world that is women's magazines and other female-specific media I wanted to be blonde. Blonde girls got all the guys. Blonde girls were prettier, cuter, hotter. They had tanned skin and clear, blue eyes and perfect, straight, white teeth that shone when they flashed their Hollywood smiles. Or, at least, that's what I gathered from TV. My friend home-dyed my long brown hair for me, badly. The smell of bleach and other chemicals tainted the air in my living room, stinging my eyes and nostrils, while the dye itself was burning my scalp. The box said 'light golden blonde', but after I washed away the paste, I was left with my dark brown roots and copper hair. I was horrified. I was undeniably  not  blonde. And I stayed looking like a Weasley for almost a year, slowly letting my hair grow out, until my 17th birthday when I finally gave in and went to the hairdressers to get it dye...

She is not a prude Nor is she rude For the way she dresses we all confess is her attitude to the world she lives in The stress of it all coming down to her outfit of the day not the things we say When we say no but the dress says yes I cannot digress We must not repress These allegations Leading to accusations Of instigations through attire I tire of these stories of worries of fire in their eyes while we beg them please Stop   Stop   Stop the blaming Stop the shaming Because before we came into this world we were all innocent and the same Until we were given labels within which to frame ourselves and others   But now we shame the mothers and blame the covers we wear As our expression Fade to depression in succession It’s the definition of insanity It’s uncanny Like the Inquisition overwhelmed with interrogation But never of this big corporation Rather a fixation on placation of urbanity   H...