Sunday, 14 September 2008

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Sex and the Style Editor

Alison Tay

How To Pull A Fashion Boy

London Fashion Week Special

My predilection for fashion boys - plus the fact I share the same taste in men with Daisy Lowe - is the reason I’m still single, but with Paul Costelloe kicking off London Fashion Week in a matter of minutes at the Natural History Museum, I have seven days to indulge my guiltiest and most self-destructive pleasure.

(Actually make that six because every self-respecting fashionista knows that Fashion Week doesn’t really last a week.)

So it came as no surprise to find a fabulous article called How Do You Pull A Straight Boy At A Fashion Party? by Gemma Soames from the Times Online left on my desk by a well-meaning colleague a couple of seasons ago along with a note saying “Thought you might appreciate this!”

Among Gemma’s essential tips are: “Don’t look like a fashion girl” (Good plan…if you want to pull a civilian. Why hide your couture at a fashion party?) “Head for the smoking area” (if you want to pull a smoker...no thanks), and “If in doubt, head for the photographers” (if you’re fine about your future boyfriend being surrounded models for a living.)

After a hard day's spent shooting the Stella McCartney lingerie line for American Vogue, the International Man Of Mystery - who's a fully paid-up fashion boy himself - tried to make me feel better by saying, "Working with models is like working in a bank. Just because you count £50 notes all day, it doesn't make you rich."