At Year 3 non-uniform day I remember being the only one in a dress and sometimes that's exactly how I feel today! I know I'm not alone in my love of dresses, but within my peer group and town I am unusual. I was the last person I knew to get jeans and I still avoid them like the plague; it's a rare day when you'll see me in trousers. I also recall the day the entire school marched round the the playground chanting "We want trousers!", or in the case of a few boys "We want skirts!" Yet I remained resolutely sat on a bench with around four others- I simply felt no desire to wear trousers. Looking back at childhood photos I really like the things my mum chose for me and as I grew up I always wanted to dress for my own enjoyment rather than to fit in with my peers and in that way I think I'm still the same.

I've always loved a gingham print and really liked my summer school dress. In Marks & Spencers, however, I would always pine after the pale pink version and ask my mum to buy me that one for me to wear out of school. Yet she saw what I did not, that it would be a little odd to be wearing a uniform from another establishment! On a recent shopping trip to Manchester I came across some really cute vintage gingham dresses and remarked about my old love, but my friend decided it was still too school uniform like for her taste. It was a dark blue and white print and I thought that maybe a pale blue one would look less so school-y. None of the local schools in my area had used that colour but as soon as I found one in a lovely shade of pastel blue my friend said it was the exact shade she had worn as a child! In the end I decided to leave the dresses there and move on.

Then we got to T K Maxx which I knew had had an influx of Luella's ss09 collection, which I proudly proclaim to be my favourite fashion collection ever, and here was a gingham dress I can really work with:

I really should start this piece by apologising to my little sister; there are definitely going to be embarrassing photographs of the two of us in this column.  I feel kind of bad, I really do.  But it should just so happen that all the pictures I have on my hard drive of me as a young 'un happen to have my sister in them too, so it looks as though she is getting dragged down with me.

Growing up, I was a happy kind of kid.  I had a balanced childhood and was surrounded by people who loved and cared for me.  Yet I always knew I wasn't especially cool.  I think I just kind of missed that train, and instead caught the 'gawky and awkward express' instead.  No pity required, I'm all grown up now (well, just about), and  the upside of the whole thing is that the photos are that much more hilarious.  But do any of the outfits that we chose/were chosen for us as children ever stand the test of time?  Or is children's clothing just too influenced by disposable trends to look classy years later?  Let's investigate!

Ah, outdoorwear.  A tricky one to pull off at the best of times.  So, the Kag in a Bag may not be up there with the classic neutral mac or the oversized camel overcoats, but the jewel colours are still bang-on I suppose!

I know exactly what we were trying to do here.  It was the late 90s and we were MASSIVELY into the Spice Girls and All Saints.  Y'know, girl power and all that.  I remember that the All Saints girls rocked the combats and tight tshirts trend in a big way and we were clearly keen to replicate.  I remember how much I loved those khaki trousers, and you know what?  Add a fabric tie-belt and nip the leg-length at the ankle and you pretty much have the cropped trousers that I am starting to see popping up everywhere for spring and summer.  I'm less sold on the high-necked cropped tank-top, but would kill to still have a stomach that flat!

Well, my outfit here truly is something to behold.  I mean sure, patterned leggings are big right now, but I get the feeling the trend isn't going to last forever.  I'd quite fancy that print on a pair of harem pants though.  But what about Lucy's cute hand-knitted cardigan?  Chunky knits never go out of style, and the cute 'little lady' cut would look fabulous with a pair of skinnies and ballet pumps, wouldn't it?!

Alright, so maybe my previous attempts have been clutching at straws a little, but I genuinely believe in this last one.  Lucy and I were always dressed the same when we were younger, but it was sheer coincidence that Great Gran turned up to this particular family occasion in the same frock.  The Peter-Pan collars, the classic black and white spots, it's all there.  And I'm pretty sure that this photograph is a textbook lesson in how to handle the "she's wearing the same dress as me!" situation: throw your arms around each other and laugh it off.  Now that kind of thing certainly is timeless.

Guest post by Sara Delaney

Image: HERE

The age-old saying that if you remember a trend the first time round you should not be attempting it the second time will be hitting hard this season. What with 70’s inspired floppy hats and flares, 80’s inspired shoulder pads and 90’s inspired post punk minimalism, it doesn’t really matter which generation you are – you’re probably going to be faced with re-working a trend 2011 stylie.

If I wrench my addled brain way back to the day when I was a kid, sporting turquoise hot pants and embroidered jeans in the late 70’s, followed by equally death defying shoulder padded outfits in the 80’s. I can only recall with a wince the time I tried to sneak into a club with my big sisters birth certificate decked out in something inspired by The Smiths or Echo and the Bunnymen. (Surely it’s only the blissful ignorance of youth that makes you figure you can pass for a 22 year old when you’re 5’2 and 15…)

What’s great about fashion though, is that even if you do see trends from way back when hitting the runways and storefronts, there’s always a twist. You wouldn’t catch Marc Jacobs using polyester to create his awesome high waisted flares this Spring/Summer. I doubt that Diane Von Furstenburg is still contemplating the same rayon/viscose mix she might have used back in the day to create those wrap dresses that always fly off the shelves.

Fashion has come a long way in terms of innovative fabrics, textures and production, and with that in mind I’m feeling quite bullish about sticking my toe in the water of the platform sandal/Farah Fawcett flare vibe…. If you see me on the street though, and you think I’m having a mutton dressed as lamb moment, feel free to slap me & send me home to re-think my style.

'Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves'

J. M. Barrie

When I first discovered that this month’s theme was to be ‘childhood’, my mind instantly wandered back a few months, to the lazy Sunday afternoon when I had the huge pleasure of seeing Finding Neverland for the first time.

This film, starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet, is inspired by the life of Scottish playwright J. M. Barrie, most famous for being the creator of that eternal spirit of childhood, Peter Pan. Finding Neverland is a wonderful ode to the power of imagination; with beautiful cinematography and great dramatic performances, but what had most resonance to me personally was how the film dealt with the theme of childhood.

It features a group of four boys forced to grow up frighteningly early after the death of their father, and throughout the film, they begin to learn the merits of “a bit of silliness”, and, through use of their creativity, start to recapture a sense of magic and fantasy in their lives. Barrie fills their days with colours, flowers, fairies, pirates, and hope, and even for those of us who have forgotten our childhood, perhaps becoming caught up in the stresses of the modern adult world, these values should never be forgotten.

It’s often all too easy to grow up and become fixated on being the best in life, the most successful, wealthy, intelligent… but sometimes we all forget to concentrate on having pure, unadulterated fun. I’d recommend that tomorrow, we all try, like Peter Pan and his creator, to recover the sheer joy and delight of our youth. Think of your favourite childhood sport or hobby and see if you can still have a go! Wear odd socks, stroll in the park on your lunch break, eat a slice of cake without worrying about the calorie content! Just for one day, be a little eccentric; believe in fairies, and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks.

Of course, remember that there are huge benefits to adulthood too – for example, no one will tell you off for your escapades – but childhood doesn’t have to end on turning eighteen. It can exist, inside of you, every day! We’re never too old to learn new things, and we need to retain our sense of wonder and admiration for the world around us, because after all, it can be a beautiful place, if we just use a little imagination to transform it into what we want it to be!

One of my favourite movies when I was younger was Peter Pan. I loved how he was able to stay a kid forever and this was exactly what I wanted. Watching adults around me deal with the responsibilities and stresses for adult life, nothing seemed more appealing to me than staying a kid forever.

But Peter Pan was just a story. Obviously I had to eventually grow up and become the person I am today. But I do, ocassionally, do little quirks that remind me of my childhood and let me believe that I'm not as grown up as I think I am.

Photo Source

1) Pulling funny faces, especially in photos. This was definitely one of my favourite things to do as a child, and I still love doing this everynow and then. I like to, last minute, change from a smile, and instead, stick out my tongue and cross my eyes. It's something that everyone finds funny and is great if you're a little awkward in front of the camera!

2) Watch Disney movies. One of my goals, as a child, was to grow up and be a princess. The Disney princesses (Belle was my favourite) were all so pretty and glamorous and I wanted to be them. I still do. I like to watch old Disney movies, sing along to all the songs and envy the princesses. As a Fashion blogger, I'm much more receptive to what they wear now then ever before, so I'm so jealous of some the pretty cartoon dresses.

3) Sneak a sweet. As a kid, my mum would tell me never to ruin my appetite before a meal with junk food. She used to keep a close eye on me and I would hide a small chocolate and eat it quickly, before she noticed. Although my mum no longer keeps that eye on me, I still know that I'm not meant to eat junk before a meal. I still like to sneak a little something sweet though and I definitely still get that satisfaction that I did back when I was a child.

4) Throw a tantrum: I won't lie; I was a spoilt kid. When I didn't get my way, I would go mad and start screaming and crying. I'm not that bad, but I still do like to get what I want. So when things don't go my way, I still like to through a little (big) fuss, till something goes my way, although I'm not as extreme as I was back then. It is kind of fun in a weird way to have a shout and cry.

5) Play dress up. We all did it: take out mother's clothes, jewellery, make up etc and play dress up. My mum had some great stuff and, as a child, I loved everything pretty and sparkly. Even now, my mum's jewellery and make up is much better than mine. So I still lie to ocassionally 'borrow' her stuff and wear it as if it were my own.

So, go on and have fun! Re-live your childhood and remember the good times.

This month here on BSB is childhood month, because we think that you should never grow up and remember how much you loved life before you cared what others thought.

When I was thinking of writing this I knew clearly that I wanted to write about my career goals, alot of us have silly dreams of what we want to do (such as my sister, who may kill me for this, wanted to be a Jockey) but looking at my life now my original plans have kinda happened despite all the dips I've had. I still remember the assembly my year 2 or 3 class gave when I was seven or eight in which we all had to stand and say what we wanted to be when we grew up, though I can't remember all the details I know my answer was something along the lines of

"When I grow up I want to own a clothes and shoe shop so I can find lots of lovely things and sell them to rich ladies and my friends"

A silly childhood dream you might say and it was quickly forgotten when I realised my love of writing, and so I thought my desire to teach children. But I think in some way I have always gone back to my love of fashion. And as you all know a couple of years ago I realised that Fashion was where my heart lay and took the leap. And that's another thing that my childhood taught me- if you don't take a chance it will pass you by.  So yes while I realised that owning a clothes shop was not my lives dream, I knew that my heart lay in Fashion as it had since I was a child.

In a way I still feel the same about fashion as I did when I ws younger- my heart almost skipping a beat when I find the perfect piece, saving for a big item (even though that doesn't tend to be a clown necklace any more), seeing well made pieces and thinking how they could be recreated or perfected, planning outfits in advance and each time I get that girlish thrill like I did when I was young.

Of course I know that in some ways I will have to "grow up" eventually, and in some ways I already have. This time next year I will be living away from home in a different city to my family (it's only fourty five minutes away but still) and I am more than excited for this but I hope I never lose the imagination and dreams my childhood gave me.

I'm only at the beginning of my career but I've loved fashion since I was seven (thats fifteen years if anyone's counting), I hope that one day I can look back and say I've lived my childhood dream.

Hi everyone, before we start on this month’s theme of Childhood we had to tell you about our experience at Fashion Mavericks.

For three London Fashion Week seasons now, Fashion Mavericks has taken place at the Strand Palace Hotel for two days. The event showcases new, up and coming and below the radar designers through exhibitions and catwalk shows. As it was a lot more intimate than the massive bustle of LFW, though still vibrant, it felt as though the designers really wanted to speak to us and there were no massive egos.

Myself, editor Amy and features editor Susie on front row. Photo taken by PR head Nicole.

BSB have supported Fashion Mavericks since the very beginning so we were thrilled that the organisers went the extra mile to look after us including getting us on front row for every show- something which made us feel very important and like part of the Fash Pack! We all attended on the first day (including our new photographer Sophie; who’s mac is broken trapping the photos!), but it was left in mine and Nicole’s hands on the Monday, hence why I’m writing this now.

Our Favourites

Kiki Kamanu

Vibrant patterns in greens and oranges teamed with blacks and metalics to give a warrior like feel which was still elegant and feminine. We also received a patterned fabric bag with a convertible plain and printed and almost concertina folded scarf inside, I know Susie was very envious that she arrived late and missed out on this!

Obscure Couture (jewellery by Bonnie Bling)

By mixing items, styles and materials which don’t traditionally make great bedfellows the Glaswegian duo have created a streetwear collection with a theatrical edge. Teamed with striking knuckledusters and glow in the dark cameo necklaces by fellow Glaswegian jewellery maker Bonnie Bling. The girls were down to earth and a joy to get to know too!

We just wanted to thank Jacqueline from Fashion Mavericks for looking after us and being a joy to work with, here's to next season!

Image Credits- Gavin Thorn

And the winner (slightly belated!) is Notes from a Stylist!

Congratulations! If you could email amy@britishstylebloggers.org.uk, we'll get you sorted out with badges and such :)

AND, if you'd like to apply to be this month winner, give us your URL as a comment in this post!

Thank you xx

PS - new rules HERE