LBD

They say that every girl has a signature little black dress. The timeless piece of clothing that gives the perfect silhouette to any figure. There is no rule to the shape, the cut, or the length of the dress. It's all about the image that it exudes. The self-confidence that you look good. Not just that - that you look great.

But is that all it is? Is how you look the most important thing? We're constantly being confronted by the outer image. The must-have handbag, leg-lengthening killer heels, the extra-shine shampoo. It's no wonder shopping's an addiction. It's not just the thrill of hitting the shops, it's the thrill of physical improvement.

And I've gotta admit, I have bought into it too. I stare into my wardrobe, fit to bursting and what's running through my head is, 'I've got nothing to wear'. I scan my shoes with discontent and sling handbags over my shoulder with reckless abandon. My eyes linger over the glossy adverts in the magazine, careful to ignore the airbrushing and the hidden pins, and some part of my brain whispers to me, 'I could look like that'.

Of course, another part of me is full of disapproval. The angel on my shoulder tugs at my purse-strings and I remind myself that I don't need to fall into Commercialism's lap. It's what's on the inside that matters, right? 'Beauty is only skin-deep' and 'underneath it all, we're all the same'. The voice of reason is always a little bit closer to my ear and I'm thankful for that voice.

But at the same time, I can't stop my feet from slowing down when I walk past shop-windows and I can't help trying on those heels, these jeans and that dress - just to see how I look in them. And you know what? I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I always try to look past appearances and I know that the most important part of a person is their personality. At the same time, I know the importance of presentation. We all love the bows and wrapping paper just as much as the present inside. And I realise that although I don't think I've found my signature Little Black Dress yet, it's not the physical dress that we're looking for but our wrapping paper to the present within.

I guess they weren't far off when they said 'Clothes Maketh the Man'.