MY FRIENDS and colleagues will testify that as a general rule, fashion isn t high on my priority list, but this week I ve found myself getting quite irate about current trends. Specifically, I m a bit wound up about skinny jeans. For those of you unfamili

MY FRIENDS and colleagues will testify that as a general rule, fashion isn't high on my priority list, but this week I've found myself getting quite irate about current trends.

Specifically, I'm a bit wound up about skinny jeans.

For those of you unfamiliar with this current abomination of the lovely jean, they are essentially denim leggings.

They start tight at the top and stay that way all they way down, taking in every lump and bump and highlighting just about every fault imaginable (for me it's the big feet - I'll look like Coco the Clown with those tapered bottoms).

Kate Moss is a big fan and so that gives you an idea of the kind of figure you have to have to be able to successfully pull this horrible look off - they really will only suit people with legs that go up to their eyes and figures the shape of pipe cleaners.

But apparently, they're going to be everywhere this year and my old, trusty, reliable bootcut jeans, which forgive a multitude of sins, are going to be SOOOO last season.

Sure, I don't have to buy the skinny jean, or any other fashion item, and the issue of denim legwear is nothing compared to disease, famine, or poverty in Africa, but I'm sick of fashion making us girls feel bad.

Why can't clothes be designed for real women, who are, after all, the ones who are going to buy them?

I'm very much of the school of thought that clothes aren't about us all having perfect bodies, but about making the best of what we've got, yet fashion always seems to go against that.

Why are we constantly made to feel like we should be buying tight, short, stretchy, bright coloured clothes when we know that's not what suits us?

Why do women's magazines - the very places where surely we should find an ally - perpetuate this fashion fascism?

These are age-old questions I guess, as fashion is always about what is perceived as beautiful in a particular culture at a particular time, and because we're not all identical, there are always going to be people who don't match up to the ideal, and are left feeling rotten about it.

I suppose all we can do as individuals is keep doing what makes us feel best.

In this case, it's either wearing a skinny jean regardless of our shape or size because being trendy makes us feel good, or sticking to our guns and wearing what we know we look nice in, regardless of fashion.

I personally will be doing the latter, and proudly wearing my bootcuts.

I'll probably look hideously out of date but will feel just about OK in my own skin (and my jeans!) none the less.