zoo - landers

Picture the scene if you can, leopard kitty at the zoo. What could the fashionista be doing there? Trying to find identity in her own natural habitat? This is not the place to spot the latest trends, or is it?

Ha! You would be surprised how much people dress to become like an animal. If you think about fashion across the ages, can you think of any defining moment which does not feature animal print? Leopard print is a lasting style not a passing phase, think Bianca Jagger, Debbie Harry, Lauren Laverne and of course Juliette Arquette's character in True Romance. Leopard can obviously go terribly wrong e.g. barmaid in Coronation Street chic. I think Bret's character in Flight of the Concords is heavily responsible for the animal on t-shirts, so very cute. Recently, when I was visiting the zoo there were so many people who were wearing an item of clothing that reflected their surroundings: hello kitty t-shirts, jumpers with guinea pigs emblazoned across the chest, scarfs with bears on, snakeskin bags, cow print shoes, faux fur jackets and of course penguin suits (okay I made that one up).

So why this human obsession with looking like creatures? A lot can be said for the appeal of fabric. We love the feel of fur next to our skin especially in the winter months, but also the idea of it appealing to our baser instincts. In animal prints we act just like that, an animal. Playboy bunnies, anyone? No matter whether it be the svelte and supple tigress tight bodycon dress or the finch fluttering across your maxi the animal print says a lot about your personality. I am off now to sport my leopard print wedges at zoo nights. It's the place to be. Naturally.

looking betsey and yes I am well jell

Betsey Johnson will always reserve a special place in my heart (and we now all know that this post is going to peppered with references to her prints and designs). It is true, she manages to incapsulate the fifties era whilst bringing the wearer all the feelings and emotions of the prom night. This is the time when a girl can get away with dressing like a princess and not being classed as OTT (and dare I say it her wedding day) but the prom night happens to all of female kind. Johnson celebrates the dress up box rumage; a homage to layers of pink taffeta and silver sparkly shoes.

Johnson allows us to feel loud and proud; we can be outlandish and garish without shame. These tendencies should never be buckled up and surpressed (groan) or adorned in studs, in patent cerise pinks, neon yellows and clashing animal prints in pencil case highlighter palettes. Of course this is why the girls from TOWIE have managed to capture the public's attention. They are unabashed in their desire to want to make every occasion capture the magic of the prom dress night.

A leopard never changes her spots (sozza) so why should she stop wanting to enter back into dress up fantasy land? I remember when Deyn wore the Betsey Johnson prom dress it sparked a flurry of high street imitations (I immediately purchased mine from warehouse). Alexa Chung was then photographed wearing a shorter sexier more eighties version of the prom dress by Luella. The fact that it was these fashionistas wearing the prom dress made it even more enthralling as they not look fit into the stereotypical dress up girl type. The cool model/fashionista wearing girly bubblegum pink and ankle length socks? It proved that lurking beneath every girl is a dressing up box princess and that means Betsey Johnson is our Queen.