What makes a fashion icon?

When we go shopping or look through our wardrobe we see clothes and styles of a similar pattern. The items we are drawn to make us who we are and share the sense of fashion we find enjoyable to put on. But what or who influences us on what we put on our bodies?

There are many factors that contribute this decision and it starts early on in our lives. From the moment were born to probably the age of twelve our parents and family members chose what  they put on us, they are the people to portray ourselves for who we are as people. When I was a little girl my mum and dad dressed me up in till the age were I started choosing clothes for myself. My mum would put me in pretty, girlie, light coloured dresses and cute shiny dolly shoes. On the other hand my dad would dress me in a football shirt (Arsenal to be precise), jeans and trainers. Very different styles if you ask me. But in a way this was a good thing because it allowed me to be able to dress all girlie in skirts and dresses and then very laid back in jeans and trainers the next. And even to this day at the age of twenty I still love dressing in pretty dresses and then dressing down in a pair of skinny jeans. In a way my parents were my early influences in fashion and am lucky enough to have (in my opinion a very good sense of style).  

As I started to get a little older I took to celebrities for tips and advice on fashion.My favourite pop starts at the time were Girls Aloud and Avril Lavinge. During the early naughties I wanted to look like my favourite pop starts, flicking through magazines or watching them on the TV analysing the clothes they wore, wishing I could look like them. Little did I know that most pop starts in that day had stylist picking items for them. I wanted the punk chick look of Avril and dreamed of owning a neon pink tutu skirt with a skull top and fish net tights.  

By the age of fourteen I reached out a little further and discovered on-line retailers that would change the fashion game. I found clothing websites such as Boohoo and Asos and soon discovered that there was more to shopping than going down to your local shopping centre. It opened the doors to seeing completely different styles you didn't know existed.

Nowadays it doesn't have to be a celebrity to look up to for fashion advice, it could be a fashion blogger, a family member or even someone on the streets. As I've gotten older I go for clothes that I know suit my shape and clothes that I feel good in. A fashion icon to me now would be Victoria Beckham and Kate Moss. In stead of someone else being your fashion icon you could be the person that defines who you by starting your trend and creating your own sense of style.