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7 year oldVictoria Beckham is opening up about her greatest lessons in marriage, music, fashion and beauty.
In a letter to her 18-year-old self, penned for British Vogue, the 42-year-old star advises her younger self to embrace her imperfections, wear less makeup and not "mess" with her breasts.
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"I should probably say, don't mess with your boobs," writes the former Spice Girl, who has visibly changed cup sizes over the years. "All those years I denied it -- stupid. A sign of insecurity. Just celebrate what you've got."
In the revealing essay, the British icon also recommended that her teen self learn more about football, "especially the offside rule," and recalled love at first sight with soccer stud husband, David Beckham.
"It will happen to you in the Manchester United players' lounge -- although you will get a little drunk, so exact details are hazy," Beckham shared. "While the other football players stand at the bar drinking with their mates, you will see David standing aside with his family. He has such a cute smile. You, too, are close to your family, and you will think how similar he feels to you. He's going to ask for your number. (He still has the London-to-Manchester plane ticket on which you wrote it)."
"I'm afraid that most of your first dates will be in car parks, which is not as seedy as it sounds," she continued. "It is because your manager, Simon Fuller, will warn you, 'Don't let anyone see you out together or you'll get hounded.' At the time, you won't understand why."
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Having now been married for 17 years, the couple have since become parents to three sons and a daughter.
While discussing the idea of whether women can have both a successful career and great family life, Beckham reflected that by working hard, yet prioritizing family, balance could be achieved.
The fashionista also recounted dire days at school during which she was bullied for not having the "latest cool bag" -- oblivious to her future as a designer of highly-sought after purses.
"Do you recall that first day at secondary school?" she wrote. "Most children were wearing their own coats and had the latest cool bag, but not you. Kitted out in the full St Mary's High School uniform, you stood in the freezing playground while other teenagers walking past threw soggy tissues and old Coke cans that they plucked from the puddles. But the thick skin that you developed then is already standing you in good stead, and it will do so for the rest of your life."
While Beckham's services to the fashion industry were recently recognized as she was made an OBE in the Queen's New Year's Honors list, she's not afraid to poke fun at past fashion faux pas, recalling arriving at awards ceremonies "resembling a drag queen," during the height of the Spice Girls' fame.
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Looking back at the rollercoaster ride that was her time with the girl group, Beckham humorously recalled how she would travel the world stealing hotel amenities in the early days, before discovering they often leak "disastrously" in suitcases.
On a more serious note, she implored her younger self to keep a diary and appreciate her bandmates more.
"I know that every one of us would sit here now and say they're not the main culprit, but we didn't fully appreciate each other a lot of the time," she advised. "So practise what you preach when you sing 'friendship never ends,' and celebrate everyone's uniqueness."
See Beckham gush about her family in the video below.
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