Stick thin is so last year................

We were lucky enough to have the amazing Caryn Franklin of The Clothes Show fame (how I used to love Sunday nights waiting for Caryn and Jeff's latest fashion tips) do an inspirational Skype presentation to students and staff last week. Caryn is now a co-founder of All Walks beyond the Catwalk along with Deborah Bourne and Erin O'Connor. All Walks work with influential catwalk designers and top industry creatives to celebrate more diversity within the fashion industry. As a new Mum and as an educator of the future fashion creatives I know only too well how the messages we get from the media can effect the society of today. We are constantly shown ideals that are not healthy or natural. The media has blurred our perception of what beauty really is. Now most of us have been there, I certainly have; the constant dieting, thinking your not good enough, finding the first few grey hairs, the first wrinkles, I could go on. Since becoming a Mum are these things really that important? Honestly, yes and no. I'll still dye my hair and I'll still have a mini panic attack when my anti-wrinkle cream has run out but deep down I am slowly realising that those things are not the bee all and end all of my world in comparison to my little munchkin. I can only hope that I can teach my little girl to see the beauty in everyone and that one day I'll feel confident enough to ditch the expensive cream that clearly isn't working!