Okay, some of you reading this may think “What the hell does she know about style?” and you may be right. I’m not a stylist, I don’t dress people for a living, but I have, all through my life, loved clothes and enjoyed creating different looks. Back in the day, I didn’t have much money, but I made the best of what I had. I made sure the clothes (however few) were clean, tidy and well put together.
I don’t have the perfect figure. I have a long waist and short legs, so I need to be careful when picking things so that I accentuate my good bits and try to camouflage the bad. I don’t get it right all of the time. My husband and our son (21) often comment on how I make mistakes but, more often than not, they tell me they like what they see.
Now that I’m in my mid-fifties, it has been difficult for me to adjust from being able to wear the clothes that I wore in my thirties and forties even. As we age, bits of us aren’t as firm as they use to be. Waists and legs thicken; arms suddenly sprout wings (of the bingo variety) and now is the time to not expose as much flesh as we used to be able to get away with.
Oh, how I wish I had the confidence back then to flash a bit more flesh. Back then I trained four hours a day, had a six pack (honestly!) there wasn’t an ounce of fat on me. But I was quite conservative and self-conscious and kept my body hidden for the most part.
Now that I am older, wiser and have a little more cash to splash, I can afford nicer things and have a better wardrobe. This isn’t because I buy loads, more that I’m a bit of a hoarder and don’t like to throw things away. I still place a sentimental tag on some of my items, even if I haven’t worn them for ages. Every now and then, I do have a clear out and my mum’s wardrobe gets fuller, or the charity shops get a few black bags.
I’ve never been one to buy lots of things with my money. I’d rather buy a few better quality, higher priced items, knowing that they’ll wash well and last for years. As I want my clothes to last longer, I tend not to buy what’s in fashion. I prefer classic, quirky, timeless pieces that can intersperse with what’s already on the rails.
Saying that, I’ve recently been buying quite a few bits and pieces from F&F, Tesco. They are cheap and cheerful and, when mixed with a few other bits, or on their own, they serve me well enough.
I’m not going to be posting photos of outfits every single day of the year. I don’t have time for that. What I will do is try to post a few times a month, just to give you a flavour of what I wear and how I live my life.
Given my job (oh I forgot to mention that I am a Group Managing Editor of premier lifestyle magazines here in south Wales – Vale Life and City Life Cardiff, – with more on the horizon). I run these with my husband of 25 years, Mark, and our amazing art-worker Rich. Our business also involves a lot of online and social media work plus designing websites, print and running and managing social media accounts for clients. It’s a busy, busy job and I love it!
I do get gifted items from designers, boutiques etc. from time to time but most of what you see on my site are bought by me. I won’t wear anything given that I don’t like. That’s not what this site is about.
I suppose I’m hoping I can look back over the years and see how my style has changed and also look back at some of the horrors where I thought I looked good and have a giggle!
I hope you enjoy having a mooch around.
Jennifer