The Difference Between Me And You...

London is every bit as wild as the Amazon; it is literally a concrete jungle and that rat race for public transport every morning means that only the fittest survive. Accordingly everything is set to camouflage, that is to say everyone around you seems to dress the same way; you can’t remember the last time you looked completely distinct from your social circle. The truth is you can’t always have a unique look about you because as soon as you do develop an appealing combination that is quite different the forces of fashion will catch up with you as people begin to imitate your creation- the trend will spread and spread until you see it on the cover of a third rate fashion magazine.

The only thing you can do to distinguish yourself is find one item of clothing you can pass off as your own, one distinct item that when seen repeatedly on you will become a unique addition to your clothing. Of course the masses will mock it initially, but in the long run it becomes a part of you.

Affordable Autumn

You feel you’ve finally completed your summer wardrobe, flip flops, shorts and t-shirts are fully stocked up and ready to go; you get dressed and leave your house only to be greeted by October showers, a greying sky and shorter days. You spent away your savings over summer and the seasonal change has caused a need for a shift in wardrobe orientation. We aren't all able to buy a fox fur simply because it's a bit nippy outside and people generally don't splash out on Louis Vuitton couture very often. High street fashion can always cater to your needs at a relatively low(ish) price.

For guys I recommend shops like River Island, Topman and Burton- don't hesitate to dip into Primark now and again for plain jumpers or vests. Wooly checks are a good Autumn provision, wear these in deep reds, browns, golds and yellows- Autumn colours (though this will have to come to an end as we move into deep winter). Topman and Zara are good for a pound stretch because these shops always have sale racks; the clothes on sale are from the previous season but there are always pieces that can be used in all seasons like chinos, corduroys and jeans. Personally I wouldn't recommend H&M for mens fashion; although they make an effort their range of menswear simply isn't cutting it and cannot compete with the other high street stores. The hoodie is a timeless piece that could make the difference between surviving the winter and freezing your tonsils off though a sweater, scarf and beanie would be a more fashionable choice this season.

Ladies, this autumn is NOT the one to freeze yourself to a block for the sake of looking a degree better than you would have had you worn socks; for toes sakes, please wear socks- chunky socks will work perfectly with a pair of heels or bunched up over a pair of boots- look good whilst avoiding frostbite- double score. Do check into COW vintage or any other vintage stores for your thick wools and other comeback pieces, vintage saves lives. Pair your dungarees with stomping worker boots or a pair of brogues for a either a fierce look or semi-casual look respectively. Boots do not need to be designer, instead of splashing £40 or more on a pair of boots in River Island why not pay half the price in New Look or even less in Shoezone?

This season keep your P strong by keeping a vigilant eye on your wallets and pocket-books, real fashion has no price tag on it and as long as you carry yourself with confidence in your clothes you will never be questioned. It’ll be our little secret.

Black History Year.

Today being the start of black history month I felt obliged to kick things off with an edition based on being black; blackness is far from skin deep, it’s something that manifests within you and changes the way you think and act. Hundreds of years of oppression may have made a lot of black people bitter, I like to think it has made them stronger and resilient to failure; to think that after persecution by western society the majority of Africans LIVING in America have managed to integrate into these societies and take them by storm, dominating their sports and politics (halfway there, Obama is mixed raced).

Black history is not merely a record the hundreds of years of oppression, slavery, apartheid and colonial rape the black people have suffered, black history month is not a time to mourn the losses of the black people but rather a time to celebrate greatness among them: the unsung glories of the various Western African empires, the castles of "Great Zimbabwe" and the might of the Northern African educational systems. Don't settle for a black history month, live to succeed so that you may add to the glories of the black community.

Black history Month, Black history years;

Black history, Black present, Black future.