Is the only way really Essex?

by Dominique Major

When you think of an Essex girl the stereotypical image of white stilettos, fake tan and blonde hair might come to mind. Having lived in Dagenham, the hometown of current I'm a Celebrity.....! contestant Stacey Solomon, all my life I am technically an ‘Essex Girl’ yet my feet have never been near a white stiletto, I wouldn’t know where to start with fake tan and I would definitely look silly with blonde hair.

But this is still the image that Essex fails to shake. Having recently given itself a lot of media attention, with programs such as The Only Way is Essex, it seems that Essex doesn’t want to break away from its bad name.

With their poor acting skills and barely a brain cell between them, are the characters in The Only Way is Essex meant to be a positive representation of what Essex has to offer?

Although the white stilettos have been replaced by Louboutins and designer clothes, this only shows you can take the Essex girl out of her stilettos but you can’t take the Essex out of the girl.

From my first hand experiences I know that Essex doesn’t always produce the sharpest tools in the box.  But this is often due to peer pressure, rather than social surroundings.

Shows like The Only Way is Essex glamourise the airhead lifestyle and make it look desirable to impressionable young girls. They suggest that the only way to look good is to fake it. From fake boobs to fake nails, it’s hard to tell where the plastic stops and the human begins.

While it may be hard to believe image is not the defining factor because while fake tan can fade, an Essex accent is hard to shake. And while many will try to hide their Essex roots their accent will always shine through.

People say you should be proud of where you live but I can’t help but find it hard. Luckily, I haven’t been brought up the Essex way and peer pressure isn’t my thing. But for a lot of people the only way is Essex.