Glitz, glamour and fake glasses: Why Claire's Accessories means so much to my generation

I have been half lamenting Claire’s Accessories since hearing that the company filed for bankruptcy in the US and collapsed into administration in the UK and Ireland

Jane Cowan: "You may think that Claire’s Accessories was a phase I went through as a child and have since gotten over. You would be wrong." Picture: John Keeble/Getty Images.

People like to talk about magpies being attracted to shiny things. For most of my life, I have shared a similar affliction, an attraction to all things glitz. 

I grew up with two older sisters, so everything that I loved about dressing up, makeup and jewellery was taught from an early age.