Northern women don't need fashion tips from po-faced southerners

You may have noticed that it was Ladies' Day at Aintree on Friday, and, as usual, the papers have been busy appraising the outfits – from fascinators and fake tans, to floor-length leopard-print. Hovering over it all, however, has been the implication that northern women have no style. Yesterday, Janet Street-Porter contributed her thoughts in a column for the Daily Mail. "Do (generally southern-based) fashion editors realise the mayhem they unleash up north when they issue edicts like 'the 70s are back'?" she wondered, before lambasting the hair extensions, fake nails, bare flesh and spare tyres of northern women. "On a serious note, what message do these outfits send out?" she asked, concluding that "[put] crudely, they're up for a good time?" Well, JSP, in essence, yes, that's precisely the message. There is something unrestrained and joyous about the way these women dress, and I'll warrant they really don't give two hoots what any po-faced beige-clad southerner has to say about it. ?The votes are in, and it appears that, all things considered, America prefers Russell Brand as a rabbit. Figures from the weekend's US cinema box office showed Easter bunny animation Hop, voiced by Brand, beat alternative Brand-vehicle, the poorly reviewed Arthur – a remake of Dudley Moore's 1981 tale of a lovable rich drunk, to second place. As impressive an achievement as first and second box office placings may seem, the conclusion in the American press seems to be that Arthur is a flop, and if Russell Brand wants to be taken seriously as an actor, then he needs to stop playing Russell Brand. There's also been speculation that in 2011 drunks on screen are no longer as endearing as they were in 1981. I'd add that we're not well-disposed towards the rich either just now. Anyway, there is still reason for Brand to be cheerful: 56% of Arthur's audience was female. So that famous pulling power is still working.   From The Guardian