[1] [2] The Sartorialist [3] has said that what he does isn't streetstyle because he photographs people that inspire him and he isn't necessarily reflecting a true generic reality.  I'm not sure whehter that is a strong enough distinction between The Sart and all the other streetstyle blogs, but nonetheless, today I bring you something that isn't necessarily Sartorially-aspirational but has aspirations of another sort.

I decided to wander down to the Skins [4] auditions being held in London today at Parliament Hill school and take some streetstyle snaps because a) I haven't Bubble-cammed in a while and b) I wanted to reflect a reality that isn't necessarily about high-fashion but exactly what you would see on a bunch of raucous Brit teens.

Not being a stage kid myself and only ever experiencing rather crusty and stale classical music auditions, I wasn't prepared for the mass of people that showed up or the frizz of excitement/enthuasiasm in the air.  It was an entirely open audition [5] and all you have to be is 17 yrs old (they did the 16 yrs old auditions yesterday...) and they're basically looking for anyone to be either main characters or bit parts in the third series (if you're not Skins-savvy, the whole of the main cast has left and a new generation of Skins-peeps will be unveiled for series three...).      

[6]Of course, there was the blatant fact that I WASN'T 17 and people could immediately tell I wasn't another auditionee but after talking to quite a few of the guys and gals who were sitting there waiting with these sticky labelled numbers on their outfits, waiting to go through some scenarios, I couldn't help but sort of be excited for them and root for them to go through.  The Skins-loving was on a high: 'It's the best show on TV like EVER!', 'It's so real!', 'It's so clever, the way it's written.'.  Obviously, some of you will disagree but there at the auditions, I was happy to let people harp on about the show despite me silently thinking there are flaws.

Onto the streetstyle snaps.  It was ish as I expected but before I got there, I wondered whether people would turn up dressed up to how the casting people would want to see them.  Would people try and be more 'Skins' and would there be Cassie/Effy clones?  But it seems that people there were by and large all dressed inside their comfort zones, ranging from dressy to casual, and that was quite surprising to see really self-assured style.  It was a familiar mix of vintage/charity shop, American Apparel and Topshop/Primark with a few risks taken by some that worked for them.  A far cry from my youthful days of awkwardness and looking like a bit of a deconstructed tartan skirt, witch boots and vintage blouse-clad loon at sixth form.   

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