Stylist Live - Meeting Moran

Stylist Live, Where to begin?

I’ll start by saying it’s a blast, Islington Business Centre gets chock full of interesting stalls and wonderful lady people.  We had scent free peel off nail varnish, shoes you can design yourself, catwalks, talks by those I would definitely be stalking were I bit more touched in the head as well as a great deal more merriment.  I’ll expand on the catwalk and how totally cool I was when I met my idol Caitlin Moran, in a bit.  But first an organisers tip for next time.

Pet Peeve 1: Bad Planning.

If you have an event with talks due to begin at 2.30pm and all the above merriment starting at 2pm you have to get your paying customers in on time.  So when the queue wasn’t going down at 10 past the hour and the line snaked round the building we sensed a problem.  Dud QR codes seemed to be holding entry up and though I asked a security guard if those of us with Moran tickets could jump to the front (as this was due to start in a few minutes*) he said no.  A little disgruntled but cheerful enough we trundled back to our place in the queue.  So when 5 minutes later the same guard called out ‘Anyone for the Caitlin Moran talk make your way to the front’ we became a little concerned about the common sense of those in charge.

But finally we got in and after being directed to the wrong place by another stylist worker bee(!) we made it to our seats.  Where we spent a good half an hour listening to Moran and Sali Hughes on wonderful topics including:
Tights with a well-marked front and back
Women who don’t look to have enough female friendships (#WhereAreHerGirls!) 
How working class people who are successful DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY BECOME MIDDLE CLASS**  

The late start meant we missed out on a few precious minutes with these two ladies but we cheered ourselves by popping round a few stalls and then meandered our way to the catwalk where we had (very kindly) been given FROW tickets.  

Lovin' the 'tude on this chicks face!

The trends were as expected with 'Velvet Goldmine' being a bit to ‘The Little Princess’ for my personal tastes and it took me a while to work out what ‘Intergalactic’ reminded me of…

But then I realised – Babylon Zoo!***

If you’ve ever read any of my Caitlin Moran posts you’ll know I’m not just a total fan girl, I have a whole fantasy world worked out where I truly believe we are great friends… Anyway this meant that faced with the prospect of meeting her in the flesh I bricked it.  Luckily I had someone with me who knew how much I would regret this and insisted on getting her book and queuing for an autograph.

Another queue but this time I didn’t mind, it was like a grown up version of waiting to chat with Father Christmas.  Just as exciting but less patriarchal and much more eyeshadow.  And we got to see just what a poppet Moran is when faced with her fans.  Literally hugging and kissing every person that came up to her, saying hello beautiful, commenting on something about their person and generally being life affirming. 

I love ALL the people in this photo - Image supplied by @GirlRunningLate

@GirlRunningLate warned me to ‘be cool’ adding that I’ll never get her as a real friend if I geek out… quite right to. 

Que literally zebedeeing my way across to my new BFF when it was my turn for a meet and greet, babbling on about something I have no memory of.  Cooler than cool.  Nailed it!  I regret that when she apologised for making us wait I didn’t tell her that it’s fine and that I’ve waited longer for a burger.  I’m sure she would have questioned that and I could have advised it was for a van called Steak and Honor and that if she was ever in the area she should let me know.  It would have been friendship cemented!

… She’s not a vegetarian right?

After this encounter everything else paled.  We wandered the stalls picking up beautiful candles, handmade cards and constellation necklaces.  It’s at this point I did notice, and feel the need to comment on, another issue Stylist really need to get on.

Pet Peeve 2: Water Stations.

Humans are like 90% water and we need to replenish this stuff. More so if we’ve been hyperventilating about meeting those we hold in goddess-like status however there were NO water station available! OK a small lie, there was one but it was feck all use as it had no cups, not even those weird triangle things that are about as useful as a sieve.  I don’t carry a cup around with me, in fact the only cup I have considered having on my person for an elongated amount of time is a mooncup and let’s face it, not too hygienic to drink out of!  

This needs to be fixed before next time or I may actually dehydrate and end up being carted away in the middle of your, otherwise wonderful, event. 

Stylist Live is on until 16^th October, are you going?

* and for me to get my yearly Caitlyn fix. 

** as all that leaves for working class to be defined by is successful.  We are successful Working Class not Middle Class - If the caps hadn’t clued you in please note it’s something I feel really quite strongly about!

*** This is not a slight, calm yourself!