UNTIL I read Lydia Johnson’s fashion blog, I’d never heard of Cosplay. But then again, I suspect most people haven’t heard of the animeinspired trend.

It is what makes the blog, which appears on your Worcester News’ website, interesting and different.

The University of Worcester English and journalism student writes two different blogs for the site – one focusing on fashion’s subcultures and one on make-up trends through the 20th and 21st centuries.

Both are original and captivating, but I was lost as to what any of them had to do with the average person in Worcester.

I, for one, don’t go out dressed up as a Japanese cartoon character.

But, Lydia points out, these trends do already exist in Worcester – if you know what you’re looking for.

“I used to be a goth when I was younger,” explains the 18-year-old, who is currently sporting flame-red hair. “But it’s now friends and family who inspire me – and they all live in Worcester.”

The Cosplay blog was inspired by her 15-year-old sister, who dresses up in the style when she attends comic conferences with other enthusiasts.

And, as the family live in St John’s, she couldn’t be more local.

Another Japanese-inspired trend which can be found on the city’s streets is “Gothic Lolita” – to all appearances a cross between dressing as a Victorian doll and a goth with some rather serious depression issues.

Although I’m almost certain I would have noticed someone dressed like this walking down the High Street, Lydia assures me they do exist within the city’s boundaries.

“My friend is an expert on Lolita fashions,” she said. “A lot of my friends are into it. With all the different trends I look at, I ask them if they can help out or have any pictures of themselves dressed in the style.”

These “subcultures”, she admits, are more prevalent in the younger generation, and she herself has noticed the number of subcultures she sees on a regular basis has plummeted since she arrived at university.

“There were a lot more at school,” Lydia said.

But then again, as the blogs appear on the Kidzone pages of the Worcester News website, they are probably aimed perfectly at their audience.

Indeed, it has gone from strength to strength and attracts more readers month after month – which means Lydia must be doing something right.

More accessible to those of us who are out of our teens are the make-up pages, where Lydia looks at how the fashions of previous decades are still influencing us today.

“I don’t know much about current trends, but I love old style,” she said.

“I just wanted to do something a little bit different. Rather than telling you what kind of eye shadow you should be wearing, I write about what has already been done and how you can incorporate it into your own make-up routine.”

So, if you want to know the starting point for your latest shade of red lipstick, or where the inspiration from your eyeliner came from, Lydia can tell you.

But there is a flaw in the plan – there are only so many decades to write about.

“Well, I’m going to have to stop in the 2000s,” she laughed.

She has been doing a little bit of research into the latest offerings in the shops for those who want to get their party faces just right.

But the relatively normal – even mundane, by Lydia’s standards – topic is a bit of a one-off. She’s already looking for a new angle.

“Maybe my next topic will be make-up from around the world,”

she shrugged.

Because finding a new, interesting angle is what she set out to do when she started writing the pieces.

She is not, she assured me, ever going to simply write about what’s new in Topshop or H&M this week and keep her focus on the alternative fashion scene.

● To read Lydia’s blog, visit worcesternews.co.uk/kidzzone/ thefashionzone/to find out about subcultures or worcesternews.co.uk/kidzzone/ makeupbeautytips/to get her latest thoughts on beauty.