Inspirational words from a style hero aged 73 and a 1/2

‘Confidence is the best accessory’ [the late Dame Vivienne Westwood] – a truism but surely gloves speak pretty loudly and what about hats …. Oh yes.

But as a self confessed foot fetishist, albeit much in the past since a metatarsal injury has forced me to embrace …. Did I just say embrace? …. A new form of self expression on the end of my legs. I have accepted [just about] the need for chunky soles and orthotics. No more foolish shoes for me, though they still adorn my bedroom. Still got feet though, two of them, can’t complain. Who cares? Me.

So, my relationship with clothes, I enjoy them, always have. Style is truly ageless.  People have often commented that I look good. A compliment yes and welcome yes, but it does sometimes make me feel a bit shallow. My obit might read….’She always dressed well’….an uninteresting shallow person but easy on the eye.  Then I call to mind the words of the late Jill Tweedie….’One can ban the bomb in a tutu as well as in dungarees’ [well it was the seventees].

So yes, I like clothes….you have to put something on your back in the morning so why not something that lifts your spirits. It’s no good leaving favourite things in the wardrobe. Wear them, enjoy them. Don’t much care for functional clothing, anoraks, trainers….’only popping down to the shops’…but we all have them, I suppose.

90%of my garb comes from charity shops since my first hacking jacket when I was a student in the early seventees. I still have some items from 30 or 40 years ago and still wear a few. However you do need to edit….curate them, to use current terminology, so you don’t look like you never stopped dressing from that period…a fashion casualty, a clown…a product of central casting.

The remaining 10% are from Toast, Jigsaw and a couple of Swedish brands. I think it’s been several years since I bought new. I favour tailoring to help the sagging flesh and gravitational pull but nothing stiff or corporate.  Black is still the new black in my book and I choose figure [what a sixties word] skimming over hugging. When you are older you have much practice in knowing what does and doesn’t work for you but of course we all get it wrong sometimes. I like classics and don’t consider them boring, though they can be. It’s how you wear them.

I prefer natural fabrics, cashmere, silk….love how it feels on the body….linen, but can be tricky. I like fabric that drapes well, be it jersey or viscose, old cord and aged tweed. Neutral tones work well for me, greiges, creams and camel. Tend to leave bright colour for holidays though I channel red tones when I need a lift.

My style has obviously changed over the years….sleeves, rather than loud and proud Bingo wings. I eschew anything too girly as it makes me look a bit silly, possibly tragic. Is anyone reading this drivel?

I don’t so much follow fashion as pay lip service to it….perhaps a nod to changing trends and silhouettes [another sixties word from Honey magazine….no you are too young to remember] I balance … .oh do shut up. No, will not….balance the baggy with the fitted or maybe the double baggy as long as it doesn’t make you look too ridiculous. I guess, respect your basic shape which doesn’t change much over the decades. In short, be yourself and dress to suit yourself. ‘Show some skin’ {Lauren Hutton c 1985}….but not too much {me}

Be not afraid, go for it….present yourself to suit your mood, your day, your body shape, your pocket, above all,

Your mindset but NOT YOUR AGE. 

Lulu 73 [and a half]