FASHION & STYLE: Its Colleen!

Everyone does it. You know where you raise your hand to wave for a fleeting moment at someone you recognize before the split second it takes you to realise were you actually know them from? I practically did that about 10 minutes ago before I realised it was in fact Coleen Rooney I'd sighted and not someone who actually knew who I was. It took me a moment to take in and then let out a high pitched scream combined with a more scouse then usual tone of voice shouting something along the lines of "THAT WAS COOLEEENNNNNN, AHHHHHHHH!".

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not some big celeb spotter who really cares but I loved Coleen. Yes, note that use of the past tense verb, " to love".

Half an hour ago I would have cringed to admit this but sighting the lady herself has seemingly removed that embarrassment. Lets do a flashback to a Jess Corcoran at around 11....

Use you imagination if you can ladies and gentlemen, picture a girl around 5'5, hair favoured up in a high pony that exposed her fatness to its full glory. And that was me. If you had have asked me who my style icon was (not that I had a clue about Style back then, Tammy was my favourite shop) I would have said with a somewhat bold confidence that my style icon was in fact Coleen.

Hard to believe I know, but true. Coleen had that likability factor about her; she was young, sometimes naive and not afraid even under all the media attention to make a few mistakes. The 11 year old in me loved that about her, as well as the fact that she was scouse. Okay, I know now, the scouse look may all too often involve ingredients of fake tan and slug eyebrows but while Colleen was in her late teens she really ticked key fashion boxes and appeared on many best dressed lists.

Don't forget her sponsorships with George at Asda and Coca Cola. Then there's the books...yes I've read them both and coincidentally can I see 'Real Style' as I type. The girl made a success of herself and dressed to show it.

The question probably forming in your mind now my readers, will be something regarding why I know longer love Coleen? and honestly, I'm really struggling to find an awnser that holds any depth. Expect a pretty obvious one held in the fact that I'm not 11 year old Jess Corcoran anymore. I'm 16, and in the five years since I considered her my style icon have I transformed myself many times over.

 At 11 admittedly I held chav tendencies, meaning a tracky top and pink fluffy fake ugg's to a year 7 non uniform day. By 12 I had developed a certain love for black and eyeliner though the long winded Emo phase itself didn't kick in till about 13, *hot pink tutu's to a birthday meal* - lets never speak of it again. Approaching 14 had I somehow moved on to a Scene look, big backcombed hair, more eyeliner and jeans in almost every colour. (Red, Pink, Green, Blue, Black, Purple) But hey, I just did colour blocking two years early. By the later months of 14 you could call me indie wannabe, and 15? I guess I was more into vintage and including more key season pieces in my wardrobe.

Here I am now, Just turned 16 and not able to tell you what on earth I dress like at this present moment in time. But I've realised while writing this not be ashamed of all my phases and previous style icon's. I wouldn't be who I am now, without who I was then. Its taken 3 years to fully remove the eyeliner and too swap messy hair for a more regularly brushed mane. And it will take many more to refine my style fully, but I'm looking forward to and openly accepting the challenge.

So I thank you Colleen, I owe to you some of my original fashion awaking, and in your plain blue jeans, Black T-shirt and quite possibly your black and white skull scarf, McQueen if I'm not mistaken, I just might owe to you my fashion re awaking.  I can move away from it but its dawned on me the fashion is truly a part of me, and it makes me who I am.

And of that alone, I am proud.