because I’ve always reacted against the image I feel women are supposed to live up to. I’m not the least vain woman I know but I must be near the top! I know that I can look nice when I’m “done up” but I always felt it was more honest somehow to display myself in my raw state.

That said, I am definitely not averse to a bit of girly stuff like clothes, make-up and jewellery but I’ve just never been into it too much.

I’ve thought about it a lot, and I’ve realised that I feel that good looks are not my strength – I was always the clever one or the nice one. And so I put my energies into developing those parts of me rather than my looks. I know I’ll never be gorgeous but it’s no reason to neglect this bit of me completely.

So this seems like a good goal for me.