Spring 2011

There has been an abundance of tweets and countless articles in all my favourite 'zines this month about fashion week sweeping through Milan, Paris, New York and London. The hype on the fashion scene has proven to be unavoidable and I'm so glad that this has been the case; spring 2011 will probably be my favourite season yet.

Why? Because the key looks for Spring 2011 are right up my street. They're marching the biker drum, hailing leather as a must-have. And the punk influence is back once again dominating many designer campaigns, taking over from what was more of a clean cut 2010. Say goodbye to brogues and blazers and hello to motorcycle jackets and leather pants!

But the important thing to remember here is that punk is not a full blown trend this season. It is an influence which means mixing it up with set trends. Convenient then, that the biker look is an excellent combination with those studs and heavy boots. If that's a little too much for your taste buds do not dismay: sheer maxi dresses have also taken reign on the catwalks and look amazing with a pair of Dr Martens. Soft, minimal twists to those hardcore garms is my favourite way to deal with these key pieces, giving the impression that you've just rolled out of bed this morning and carelessly threw that outfit together.

How To Get Over A Guy In 10 days

Recently I split with my boyfriend. To be more specific it was on new year's day so it was kind of a double whammy for me. We all tend to get a bit sensitive about that sort of stuff don't we? So understandably I was quite distressed about it, sobbing on the phone to my best friend on an overly packed out transpennine express feeling all sorry for myself. With a runny nose and blood shot eyes, I must have looked terrible stalking through Manchester Picadilly with that god forsaken suitcase!

But my philosophy in life has always been to look at the bigger picture. After A LOT of wine drinking and a couple of very hard (and lonely) nights, it soon came to my attention that the timing could not have been better: a new year, a new start, a new me. I didn't see the point in dwelling on the pain when I knew that in a few months time I'd be over it. So why couldn't I be over it now? And it was quite easy really to achieve that. You just have to go about the post break-up period in the right way, of which I have a few pointers to share.

• It's OK to cry. We're only human right? So give yourself a one day to sob to your hearts content because this is healthy, no matter what your face might say (red, puffy bags around the eyes is definitely not the one!) But what isn't cool is to cry for days on end, to cry into that wine glass spoiling everyone else's night out and to cry on the phone to your lover, begging for him to take you back. No no no. Have a bit of dignity about it. You have one day and that is all!
• Have your say. Whatever the reason for your break-up, there is always two sides to the story; yours and his. You are allowed one time to tell him how you feel after you break up. This will make you feel better, he will know where he stands in your new situation and you can both move on. But whatever you do, do not over do it. Whether it's face to face or over the phone; losing your rag, throwing things, begging for mercy or doing anything else that counts as an absolute break-up faux pas is not the way forward. Say it once and walk away. *If it helps, get your mates to confiscate your phone on a night out, to avoid any embarassments.
• Be realistic. And honest with yourself. During my down time a very good friend of mine quoted me this; 'Integrity is telling yourself the truth. Honesty is telling the truth to other people'. I truly believe the word 'integrity' is the main focus in getting over any relationship. You have to be brutally honest with yourself... what's the bottom line here? There's a reason you broke up and you need to face it because there is absolutely no point in holding on to something that wasn't meant to be. Why waste time on that when you could be happy and moving on? Check yourself before you wreck yourself!
• Surround yourself with friends. These are the people who do love you and do care about you so take heed of that fact. Nothing feels better than a good old laugh with your mates.
• Keep busy. The worst thing you could do is mope around the house feeling sorry for yourself, with a string quartet ready to go in the corner. Don't pull sickys, go to work. Go to the gym, eat out with friends. Spend some quality time with family... do anything other than lay in bed watching Bridget Jones with a bottle red, unwashed for days... rotting away. Trust me, it's not a good look.
• Male attention. Now I'm not telling you to go around sleeping with everything that has a pulse. You do have a rep to protect. But harmless flirting never hurt anyone right? Allow yourself to be admired by other guys and have fun. It's OK... you're single!
• Focus on YOU. Singledom means the best opportunity to make a good relationship with yourself. So sit down and think about what you want in life. Give yourself goals and targets. Go and do all the things you've never managed to do. And try something new. You might surprise yourself at what you might find. Eventually you'll begin to realise that you're an amazing person and when you do, someone else will too; someone worthy of your attention.

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