Ever since I was little, I’ve adored the colours pink and purple. I was obsessed with keyrings, dolls, clothes, flowers in those colours and wore them often. My eyes felt happy when I looked at them. They made everything look perfect.

Then I grew up and became a teenager and everything went black. For years. Black hair, black clothes, black stuff. It was slimming I told myself. I looked unassuming. I didn’t want to be noticed. Maybe I wanted to disappear into my own shadow.

Then I became a hippy. Hung out in hippy communities, thought hippy things, sang and danced in a hippy way and was at one with everything. And my pink and purple re-emerged again, as bright as ever and I was thrilled about it. I could be a rainbow fairy again. I spent the next ten years tripping everyone out with my clothing choices. What colour would I wear today (it was always coordinated, I couldn’t bare colour clashes)? Would I have sparkles on my face? It made everyone happy, especially the kids in the school where I worked.

Now I’m enjoying a more simplistic appearance after my shift last year. I cut my hair, I gave my sparkles away, I welcomed in trousers and went minimal with black and grey tones - completely the opposite colours to what I used wear (I would once have screwed my nose up at wearing grey). I was inspired by Charlize Theron’s character as the bad-ass spy in Atomic Blonde. She was smart, sassy and sexy (and fought very well too). Colour is still there, I just can’t see me in a purple fairy outfit anytime soon.

I love these changes. I love not being stuck in certain patterns of behaviour. I love shaking things up. It’s good to remember that nothing lasts so enjoy it while it’s there. Go crazy, make wild choices, make people smile. Hide if you need to, enjoy the attention if you don’t.

I still love pink and purple. Now I admire their hues in flowers and it makes the bees look even more beautiful. 🐝🐝🌺🌺🌸🌸