Dedicated follower of fashion...

It's only in recent times that I've become interested in clothes and fashion

And my appearance in general

Growing up I was a bit of a Tomboy

And lived in jeans and trainers

I can remember when I was a teenager

Me and my friends would go in to town on a Saturday 

I used to spend about ten minutes getting ready

And would then call over to my friend 

For her

Getting ready was a military operation

Her hair 

Her clothes 

Her make up

I can remember sitting in her bathroom watching her deftly apply eye liner

And lipstick

But I felt no urge to do it myself 

I've always worn minimal make up

Mascara and foundation is about as far as I go

As a teenager 

I experimented with different styles of clothes 

But I could never find one that I felt both comfortable and fashionable

I can remember my fifteenth birthday

My parents brought me in to town to buy me some clothes as a present

I couldn't find anything that I liked

And I remember buying a few items

Just got the sake of buying them 

I didn't know what I wanted to look like 

I just knew what've didn't want to looking 

Most of my friends wore very feminine and girly clothes

But I knew that wasn't me

But I also couldn't find any thing that was 'me'

Fast forward 

And I turn 18

I've been dabbling in drugs throughout my teens 

And shortly after my 18th birthday

I take heroin for the first time

And my world spins out of control

The drug was number one 

Everything else paled into insignificance 

My family 

My friends 

My education

Clothes were just not a priority any more 

Any money that I had went on the drug 

Every single penny 

And any clothes that I did have were in tatters 

Handy tip

Never wear good clothes while smoking heroin 

You will inevitable drop the cigarettes many times 

And burn holes in said clothes

I had zero interest in clothes throughout the drug years

Or the ED years 

Having to find teeny tiny clothes could be a problem 

And anything that I did find just looked ridiculous on my skinny frame 

It's really only in the last year that I have found a look that I like

A look that suits me 

And I feel comfortable and put together 

In recent weeks 

I've had a lot of comments on my look

It has changed 

I now wear glasses

And I have my nose pierced 

Breda noticed it on Monday

I was able to tell her that this is the look I've always liked 

But never had the confidence to wear

Also my clothes 

I have now found that I am most comfortable in surfer type clothes

Hoodies 

Jeans or chinos 

And trainers or high tops 

I feel like myself in these clothes

I feel confident

And most importantly 

I feel comfortable 

I tend to have two sets of clothes

One for the house 

And one for outside 

At home 

I am down on the floor with the dogs

Cleaning

Doing housework 

And generally pottering around 

So for that I wear a tracksuit

Or leggings 

And a hoody 

Still feeling like myself 

But not any clothes that I want to keep good

When I am out and about

I wear jeans and a top

Or chinos 

With a good hoody

And good trainers 

And yes 

I do have 'good' clothes

I can remember times when I've been out and about

And I will see someone whose style that I love 

I have often tried to replicate that outfit 

But it never looked the same on me

So now I go for pieces that I know are me

I know straight away when I see an item of clothing 

Whether it's me or not 

I now know what suits me

And what doesn't 

And I feel confident in choosing clothes for myself 

I guess during the last year

I have been finding myself 

Who I am

My likes and dislikes

My style 

My opinions 

My views 

My personality 

It's really exciting finding out who Ruby is 

I guess I'm doing now 

What people usually do in their twenties 

Experimenting 

And finding themselves

I'm not conventional in any sense of the word 

I spent my whole teenage years trying to fit in

But now I like to be different 

I like to stand out 

The world would be an extremely boring place if we were all the same 

I'm not that alternative either 

But I like to be a little quirky if I can 

Nowadays 

I like to take pride in my appearance 

I do my hair

Wear a little make up 

And try to look presentable when I'm out 

Of course there are days when I can't face anything more than a tracksuit 

But that's ok too 

No one is perfect 

With all that said 

I was wondering about you 

What is your style?

What kind of clothes do you like to wear?

Do you have a style icon?

Who influences you?

Has your style changed over the years? 

I would love to know....