Day 5: bovver boots, innit

 

Today I’m wearing:

• The Dress;
• tights on tights;
• homemade DIY Couture skirt that you’ve seen here and here;
• a collar type necklace of some hammered metal that I’d love to say came from a flea market but it’s actually from Topshop;
• my beautiful shiny patent Dr Martens.

I’ve got a new bruise on my shin. This is hardly news- I’m a fast and loose cyclist and regularly bash my legs- but this one was a new kind of self-inflicted.

I kicked myself with my DMs.

These shoes mean business; I can see why they were favoured among punks and skinheads. I found myself walking to work in an oddly emphatic way, as if the shoes were teaching me how to, and what I can only describe as ‘stomping’ on the way home. And you know what? It was really satisfying.

I had DMs when I was at primary school; the extra bones in my feet meant I needed sensible supportive shoes, and my ex-punk mother preferred Dr Martens to Clarks. I’m only just realising how cool that made me now, and if I ever have kids, they will have DMs too and they will appreciate how cool they are. I will make them appreciate.

Isn’t it funny how things come full circle? I chose patent because I really like shiny shoes and I wasn’t allowed patent ones 20 years ago, and the shoe-y DMs because I’m far too impatient for long laces.

I nearly put on a black skirt this morning, but held back. This red one I made about 3 years ago and is getting rather tatty, but short notice and bright colour trumps neatness. I’ll just have to make another one. At some point. When I have more time.

Not much has happened today. I stomped by the Perky Peacock on the way to work to see my lovely friend Abi- excellent cappuccino, by the way, Abi- and then went to work. Yes, that’s right, my life really is that exciting. My sister M took these pics after work; we’ve spent the evening sewing together the skirt bits I cut out the other day. She makes an ace Sous Seamtress.

We’ve raised £80! And it’s only day 5! The speediness of the fundraising makes me think I should raise my target, but I don’t want to be over-optimistic. Why don’t you donate a little bit each and hit the first target, then I’ll raise it? I think that’s a really good idea.

Womankind do an amazing job. They not only help women, but they help women to help themselves. By donating the cost of, say, a magazine and a coffee (probably a fiver, unless you read some really obscure magazine) you can help women around the world.

Every day, women around the world face violence, discrimination and hardship just because they’re female; we can end this.

justgiving.com/caitlinsdress or text ODOM50 and the amount to 70070. Like this:

Please, please, please.

Cx