It was a Saturday night. I left Somerfield (contender for the cheapest, most unflatteringly lit and depressing supermarket in the area) clad in my ancient down jacket, jeans, and my flatmate's uggboots - which are two sizes too big, messy hair shoved under a beanie and an incongruous slick of red lipstick - the last an obvious last-ditch attempt to keep my self esteem out of the gutter. I looked like Kate Moss after about 3 nights out in a row, except that my hair is now an ugly shade of brown after my hairdresser ruined her previously impeccable performance record. In my defence, I was only wearing uggs in the way they are meant to be worn, as any Australian will tell you - on a dash to the supermarket to buy alcohol, and preferably a supermarket as fluroscent and budget conscious as Somerfield.
So obviously, my only purchase from Somerfield was a bottle of Australian wine. Admittedly it is quite nice wine, but of course had been reduced by £3 which takes any dignity out of that. I had at least managed to resist buying Cosmopolitan and a microwave dinner for one.
It was cold, raining and I had turned down two birthday party invitations as I was utterly exhausted, and didn't have the energy to be the only single person in the room showing up and making an effort to find something in common with people seven years younger than me, or alternatively wander around alone a particularly dodgy bit of London teetering in my impractical Miu Miu 5-inch high heels wearing a flapper's dress, wig and plastic cigarette holder.
Feeling quite miserable, but glad of at least little Simon Le Bon's company (although right now he's much more interested in rummaging through the recycling looking for chicken scraps) I headed for home. To think that three years ago I was in Japan, two years ago in Sweden, and now... here. In the rain. Suddenly, in front of me on the bus stop, was a glowing ad for a high-end fashion brand I've been working with. It featured Nicole Kidman (not that I have a soft spot for her by any means).
Yeah, I thought. I'm working with amazing fashion brands and meeting creative, wonderful people. I'm an Australian on the other side of the planet like Nicole, just doing my best. I bet even she has made the depressed ugg boot run in her time (later discovered that to be true - see pic). Immediately I felt much better.
