I used to run around my house with long pieces of material covering my hair; pretending I was a princess with long flowing locks. Cute for a seven-year-old, not so cute for a 13-year-old.

Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Sleeping Beauty – I pretended to be them all. Putting on an American accent and striding around in those plastic little princess shoes you can now buy for R24.99 at Shoprite. I was a little madam that believed in a world of colour and happy endings. My imagination gave me imaginary...