Brave New World

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I love fashion. Not as much as I used to, but I love it. Ten years ago I would scour the pages of Vogue, pore over catwalk collections online and was even known to watch Fashion. I wrote about it constantly and a pivotal moment in my life was my first commission by Vogue.

Since then, I have a developed a keen interest in travel and food, even interiors. Of course, I have no doubt that this is partly due to my age; turning 30 (well, 31 actually because 30 really doesn’t feel that far removed from 29) made me re-assess my wardrobe – the only real survivors were black trousers, indigo jeans and a select few dresses – and also my priorities. I cared less about attending every fashion event, about buying into every trend, and more about the places I was yet to visit and, as pathetic as it sounds, spending more time with my dog. I realised the value of ‘me’ time and, in turn, this meant less care for making an impression on other people and more care for family and experiences.

The past ten years have taught me a lot, not least in the fashion stakes. One lesson that has been learned is that (in my case) less is most definitely more; timelessness and a certain amount of polish are more attractive to me than fleeting trends and looking try-too-hard. That said, I’m not opposed to a sky high pair of heels in the middle of the day – on my first day in Marrakech I wore gold, bejewelled heels to go to sun terrace at 11am. I adore the frivolity of fashion; it’s fun and can lift your mood at the drop of a hat, quite literally.

Although I don’t take many fashion risks anymore (I never really did; I’ve always favoured a simple silhouette, perhaps due to my figure which, with its extreme curves, is the complete opposite of the ‘perfect’ fashion figure of straight lines), I love to see other people playing around with fashion. As varied as they are, I smile from ear-to-ear whenever I scroll down my Instagram feed and spot the fun-loving styles of Briony Whitehouse, Wendy Gilmour, Blair Eadie and Alina Tanasa, among so many others. I admire their self-assured sense of fashion and style and, just like Ari Seth Cohen’s documentary Advanced Style did, they inspire me to be brave – like with this giant monochrome polka dot dress with frilled sleeves. It’s women such as them (and many more, including photos of my mum in the 60s, along with old friends and new colleagues) that keep my love of fashion alive. Now, I consider the women (including myself) wearing the clothes, rather than the clothes themselves. I’ve quoted Yves Saint Laurent before and I’ll quote him again: “Over the years I have learned that what is important in a dress is the woman who is wearing it.”

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I’m Wearing: dress, Coast; sunglasses, Nicole Farhi; shoes, Miss KG at Debenhams.

Images: Kris Miller

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