Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting…but much better for going out to a nice restaurant and wearing a dress that makes you feel good!

I look so pale and deathly that I'm surprised I cast a shadow!

This is a sneaky little unplanned post. It’s been a long week and with nothing much in the diary for the weekend, Mr. B and I decided to take the opportunity to go out for dinner. Nice.

I made the decision, come rain or shine, that I would wear a dress. This little black dress is one of my new purchases and I love it so much.  

It’s a great style for a straight body-shape like mine as it gives the illusion of curves by basically hiding the lack of them. It’s also good for those that are conscious of their tummies or those that are about to go out and fill their tummies (me) as you can hide a multitude of sins (including snaffled pretty restaurant glassware if you so desire, though I'm certainly not condoning that in any way!) within the dress’s generous, billowing top half.

You can also, very easily, dress it up or down depending on the accessories you choose i.e. heels vs flip flops, clutch bag vs an across the body bag and statement necklace vs a scarf.

The last selling point of this dress (no, I’m not on commission, but I should be when it comes to H&M) is that you can alter the length of it by how much you decide to hitch it up. It’s brilliant!

 

So, with my G&T sharpener now finished, I bid you all a happy weekend.

Taxi!

M x

 

Dress shown is H&M. For similar dresses see NEXT
 

New Shoes...

Sing along… ‘I put my new shoes on and suddenly everything is right’.  You’re not wrong there Paolo, you gravel-voiced Scottish gem you!

Recently I have bought six pairs of new shoes. That line originally said five until I found shoe box number six in the bottom of my wardrobe! I love shoes - plain and simple. Well not plain and simple shoes necessarily, but it’s plainly obvious that I simply love shoes. (Yes Mel, I think they get the idea, shhh now). And, when I open up the box, I get this rush of pleasure that I remember having as a kid when I got new shoes. Back then new stuff was a rare event, so I guess I’m making up for that now.

Why all the new shoes? Well, as I mentioned in my last post, it’s a hangover from my no jeans to work week, where I realised I needed an injection of change and newness for some extra oomph.

Nice clumpy sole!

Walk this way..

 

I shall start with the sandals that I bought from Topshop at the end of March. At this time I don’t think a sunny day was even a twinkle in 2014’s eye, which is probably why I had forgotten about them. They’re not dainty or typically pretty but that makes a nice change. They are the Doc Martins of sandal world. I like them because they add something more to an outfit than a pair of gladiator sandals would. They look great with skirts, shorts and rolled up jeans.  However, they’re not as flexible as the usual thin soled sandals - so I need to get used to the reduced amount of ‘movement’ before they get their first public outing. I’m happy for them to look a bit Herman Munster-ish but I certainly don’t want to walk like him!

Blue Loafers from NEXT

 

 

 

These blue loafers were bought to complete the ‘Prince William’ chino outfit as mentioned in She’s Got Legs. Now, a rule, or rather a question I ask myself, when buying new clothes or shoes, is, will the item go with at least three other outfits or pieces in my wardrobe? And I can safely say that these do. They have been worn with my chinos, my blue trousers and jeans. I wear them to work and at the weekend and they are comfy. I sounded old then didn’t I? But it’s true, they are. They also come in a light grey, which, had it been a slightly darker grey, I probably would have bought those too.

 Blackadder shoes

 

These pumps, which Mr. B nicknamed the Blackadder shoes, have been taken to the charity shop as they didn’t float my boat anymore.  I hope some lonely feet have now given them a new home and that they are very happy together – ‘sole’ mates even (lousy joke).  Anyway, I needed a pair to replace them. I tried on lots of ballet pumps and I found them to be either not worth the price tag or in most cases just not that great looking. Mmmm, I think a friend of mine is having a similar problem on the dating websites at the moment. Anyway, some revealed way too much toe cleavage for my liking (we’re back to the shoes now by the way) and though I’m no prude when it comes to revealing a bit of flesh, I think it can look odd. I ordered some from H&M and, with me being a big H&M fan - I was more or less convinced that they would be great. But alas no, they didn’t fit well either. Hard to explain, but my big toes kind of pushed up through the leather, which is odd as I don’t have particularly Frodo style feet.

 Cutesy black pumps

 

Anyway, NEXT came to the rescue again with these cutesy, black suede pumps. Not too cleavage-y and a good fit. I have so far worn them with my black jeans and patterned trousers from H&M. I'm sorry couldn’t find a link on the NEXT website, but they have a good choice of ballet pumps, so worth a browse.

A bargain must-have

Yes, I always play hopscotch in heels, don't you?

Next on the list are these elegant heels. Bought not to replace anything actually, I just really liked them. I love the heel height, I love the simple strap across the foot and I think ankle straps are very sexy - so I just had to have them. I knew they would go with loads of things that I already had so I didn’t mind forking out the whopping, wait for it… £14.99. They’re from George at Asda. This may surprise some of you, but actually, if you’re on a tight budget, George can be excellent. They have a good variety of clothes for all ages and their beach-wear is rather good. So if you need a few extra bits for your holidays – take a look. As these shoes are not leather, I’m unsure as to how they will wear but I‘m not overly worried about that at this price. Sadly, I think they’ve sold out – but yet again, NEXT have come up trumps and have a similar pair in suede.

Guilty silver pleasures 

 

Mum, can I have my scooter back now please?

Now for these beauties! When I bought them home from the shop I left them in their box for a while as I think I was feeling a bit… err guilty is probably the word I’m looking for because they were over £50. Anyway, Mr. B saw the box and exclaimed “Converse?! Whose are they?” I replied “Mine”. And as he opened the box I said “And yes I know they are silver, but I didn’t want black because my old ones are black and I didn’t want grey because that’s not exciting enough and anyway I don’t care if you don’t like them because I love them and they make me happy!”.  Anyway, I wore them to the pub the other day and a lady made a point of telling me she had shoe envy. Ha, feel the shiny shoe love!

Yellow sunny sandals

 

And last, but by no means least, here are these yellow sunny sandals. I noticed them in a New Look email I received about three weeks ago and I had been thinking about them ever since – my love & lust sandal scandal! So, last week, I bit the bullet and ordered them (only £19.99 and they're leather!). I was concerned that the colour may be different in the flesh; too gold (which wouldn’t be good for my ‘winter’ colouring) but they’re not, they’re the perfect yellow. Having already planned what I would wear them with before I bought them, I’m now looking forward to more sunny days. They will, for sure, add pizzazz to my blue trousers and stripy top, rolled-up jeans, maxi skirt and a lovely blue dress that I wear to work. Did you picture that last sentence as one outfit? Oh blimey!

BREAKING NEWS...

We interrupt this shoe broadcast with news just in. 

As most of you will know, not so long ago, Mel used to have long hair which she’d been growing for 100 years.

100 year old hair

On the advice of Gail, her tutor at Study in Style, she took a big step and had her hair cut - approximately 10 inches off!! This cut was nicknamed the Lob (long bob).

Front of Lob 

Back of Lob

But 4 months on, having pored over pictures on Pinterest and feeling emotionally prepared, she went for an even bigger chop.

Short Bob (Shob)

 

In a statement released this evening, Mel had this to say:

“I just want to thank everyone who has been there for me on this amazing journey. Those close to me will know that all I ever wanted was long hair. And though I now know they actually thought my long hair looked quite naff, I’m nevertheless grateful for the support I received throughout the growing process. I love my new, short hairstyle – it suits my small head and features and so I don’t think I’ll ever grow it long again, in fact I may go even shorter! I know it’s a cliché, but I won’t let this change who I am. In the vein of J-Lo “don’t be fooled by the locks that I’ve lost, I’m still, I’m still Melly from the blog!”

Mr. B, Mel’s partner, who doesn’t have hair of his own, said “the reaction has been amazing, but we’d now like to have some privacy to appreciate the new style together”.

Her hairdresser was unavailable for comment but rumour suggests that her tweet “That felt so good. #abouttime” was in response to Mel’s recent appointment.

We’ll now pass you back to the New Shoes blog…

Well, I hope you’ve all enjoyed seeing my new shoes and that they’ve inspired you to get your socks off and paint your toe nails.Let’s hope they also encourage the sun to keep his hat firmly in place and carry on with the amazing weather we've had today! And just before I posted this, I checked my emails and I had one from Clarks – suffice to say, they are producing some very exciting shoes right now! Think I need some new wedges all of a sudden! Take a look for yourself.

Next time I’m hoping to share with you some of my favourite necklaces and whatever else takes my fancy at the time! Until then, take care, M x

Breakfast at Tiffany's...

The backing track for this post is Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Deep Blue Something – one hit wonders I think, but a happy, feel good song nevertheless.

So what’s new? Well, a lot it seems. Over the past 6 weeks or so I have bought shoes, tops, dresses, skirts, shirts, trousers, jackets and a handbag. Needless to say I have returned quite a few of the items and bought different shoes, tops, skirts …aah, anyway, you get the gist. I’m very picky about what I buy and can’t bear to think of spending money on something that will just sit idle in my wardrobe!

These new purchases were all a result of my No Jeans to Work Week and realising that, though I love black and grey, I needed to spice things up a bit!

But hang on, before you get excited because you think I’ve gone and bought a plethora of rainbow coloured clothes, I haven’t! It just means I’ve spiced up my grey and black a bit. Old dog, new tricks and all that. I also had a MASSIVE clear out of clothes that I’d not worn for ages and that were the wrong colour, i.e. not of the ‘winter’ persuasion, so I had space in my wardrobe to fill with new stuff.  “Hoorah” said my wardrobe; “boo” said my bank balance!

"Yay" said the charity shop!

New stuff...

I started by laying out all the new things I’d bought and realised that I wouldn’t be able to model and talk about them all in one post, so I will show some of them now and some another time.

When I was choosing what to show you, I was getting an Audrey Hepburn vibe and in true serendipitous fashion (which happens to me a lot), when I next powered up my laptop, Google’s logo was celebrating what would have been Audrey’s 85^th birthday (4^th May). And so I saw that as a sign that this blog should be dedicated to her; the work she did for UNICEF, her talent, beauty and of course her style.

To kick things off, here’s a picture of me taken at my 40^th birthday where, as I hope you can see, I was channelling the Breakfast at Tiffany’s look. This is the dress that you saw in Let's Talk About Shape Baby... It’s River Island from a long time ago, so don’t go looking. The necklace is Topshop and most definitely one of my favourite bits of jewellery, EVER.

I look like I'm made of wax - relax woman!

Having recently been inspired by some award winning blogs with amazing photos, I took the decision to go off piste and head to a gorgeous location not far from where we live. So Mr. B, my photographer for the day, and I headed into the bank holiday Monday sunshine and had some fun (wahey!).

All costume changes were done in the front of my car, which as you can imagine (though maybe you shouldn’t) was a bit of a giggle! I also had to be timely with my stripping off because of nearby residents and passers-by and I’m just really hoping that one resident heard Phil correctly when he told him I was a blogger!

Anyway, enough of the waffle – here are the pictures.

Glasses and shirt H&M.

Necklace Topshop (different to the first one shown but another fave!)

 

 

 

Top and trousers H&M

(Patterned trousers! Brave huh?)

 

 

Ready for your close up! Just so you can see the pattern properly.

I'm actually on the lookout for a shorter, more boxy, black top to go with the patterned trousers as I think it will give them a more casual look.

                             

 

Blue and white top NEXT and trousers H&M

                                      

 And jump!

                                                                   

  

Grey top NEXT and black trousers H&M

(I know, black and grey! But I did say old dog, new tricks didn't I?).

                                               

 Close up of collar on NEXT top - looks like LED lights!

More jumps. Think I was solar powered!

 

Top as before - but with my Levi's and shoe/boots this time. A good gigging outfit.

Great arty shot from Mr. B 

(I particularly like my crow's-feet in this one!)

 

And I’m not sure if Mrs. Hepburn ever wore a biker jacket, but for a while I had been drooling over some very expensive ‘biker jackets that aren’t really biker jackets’ and so when I stumbled across this one in NEXT for just £50 I couldn’t resist it.

I think it looks great with scruffy jeans and trainers for the weekend. But it could look equally good with a black dress or smarter jeans for sure and in this picture I’ve swapped trainers for my old faithful shoe/boots which pick out the grey flecks in the jacket. But, much to my horror, I saw a character on Eastenders wearing this jacket the other night - damn those wardrobe assistants! Eastenders is usually switched off before the opening notes of the first bar have finished in our house, but for some odd reason it wasn’t and that’s when I saw the disturbing image.

"Just popping to the Vic, awright love?" #goneoffitabitnow

So, did Audrey ever wear a biker jacket? I asked her friends at Google. This is the result.

Outfit from the film Two For the Road

 

So who would have thought that the demure Audrey would be seen in a PVC biker jacket AND matching trousers? Little minx! This image would feel very at home in my It's Only Rock 'n' Roll post!

Having gone through all the wonderful pictures that Mr.B took, it became clear that, sadly, red lipstick and a pair of dark glasses does not an Audrey lookey-likey make - but being photographed running about in the sun, I felt pretty as a picture and 10 years younger. This, given that Audrey was in her 30’s when she filmed Breakfast at Tiffany’s, was a fitting age to feel. And it felt sooo good!

Anyway, I hope you’ve enjoyed my homage to Audrey and I’ll now leave you with a couple of her quotes “The best thing to hold onto in life is each other” and “Elegance is the only beauty that never fades”.

Elegance indeed

If you haven’t quite had your fill of Audrey then pop across to my Pinterest board HERE where you can view all that is Audrey and Audrey inspired – enjoy!

 

Thank you to everyone who reads my blog. I’m glad you’re enjoying it as much as I love writing it. And of course a BIG thank you to Mr. B the photographer - good job Mister! 

 

M x

 

Next time...I will be showing you some new shoes and maybe some jewels and maybe something else that I haven't decided on yet…exciting or what?! And for those that I’m not connected with on Facebook, I just wanted to share some happy news with you. I submitted an article to the publication team of St. Albans Fashion Week and had a reply last week saying that they liked it and that I’m now part of the SAFW Editorial team and will be published in SAFW magazine – *excited gasp for air!*

 



True Colours...

Welcome back and before I get into the swing of things I’d like to say how nice it was to have some male readers of my 'It's Only Rock 'n' Roll...' post. Can’t think why they were so interested all of a sudden…!

The backing track I’ve chosen for this post is True Colours by Cyndi Lauper - now there’s a lady who loves her colour. I’ve not heard the song in a while and I appreciate now how emotive the lyrics are – a perfect tune to have in the background whilst I tell you how the last 7 months of training (and blogging) has influenced my life.

So, the news is that I have successfully completed my required number of ‘guinea pig’ colour analysis sessions (image of an actual guinea pig wearing a scarf popped into my head then!). For someone who thought colour analysis was a load of old baloney and a bit 80’s – I’ve had to eat a generous main course of humble pie and a side order of old hat. Colour analysis is magic – fact! See my first ever post back in January for a recap. And for more eye candy visit my True Colours Pinterest board here.

Some of my tools...

 

It’s usually the recipient that finds the outcome of colour analysis life changing and emotional – but learning this valuable skill has, in no doubt whatsoever, been life changing for me too and at times very emotional – tears of happiness, tears of frustration and tears of “oh I don’t know” sniff.

It’s not easy to determine a person’s season and sometimes it’s very hard. It took 2 rounds of draping one of my guinea pigs, the gorgeous redhead Rebecca, culminating in a drive, SOS style, to Gail's house (my tutor at Study in Style) to finally determine her season. The truth is, Rebecca could look good wearing a hessian sack – but given that they are very itchy and the colour choices are limited, we’re glad to have finally got her sussed.

Rebecca and my Technicolor drapes

 

Lady in red...not quite the right red, but a nice picture 

 

I had one weekend where I honestly couldn’t fathom any of my clients at all. It was like I had colour blindness and as a result doubted my ability, big time. But it was just a blip - a mixture of tiredness and forgetting the theory that goes hand in hand with the draping. But luckily, once again, my fabulous tutor came to the rescue. She didn’t just tell me the answer but cleverly steered my tired brain back on track so I could work it out for myself. And these wise words “you don’t learn nuffin if you get everyfin right all the time” helped too – thank you Mr. B. He doesn't actually talk like that by the way, it just sounded better in a Cockney accent for some reason! 

My guinea pigs have been a mixture of family, new friends, old friends, work colleagues and people that I’ve never met before. It’s been wonderful to reconnect with people I’ve not seen in a while and to meet new people - one of the reasons this new career appealed to me in the first place. I would like to share with you in this post some of the moments, happy and sad, that have reinforced my decision to train to be a Style Advisor.

One of my ladies who I’d not met before is a young widow. Her husband died 4 years ago leaving her with 2 children to care for and comfort.  Until now, she hadn’t felt ready to do something that was just for her. She felt that getting her colours done would be a good place to start. And it’s true. Knowing the colours that suit you gives you a clear direction when shopping for clothes. And of course when the compliments come flooding in, it’s very good for the soul too. I’m not saying colour analysis is some amazing cure for the bereaved, that would be irresponsible of me and unfounded, but it’s a great first step to banish the blues, boost confidence and give direction when other things in your life have been turned upside down and you’ve been knocked for six (and then some).

Speaking to her before her colour analysis session I felt lucky that I was the person that she’d asked. I also felt hugely responsible, if I’m honest. Of course, I want all my clients to feel relaxed and cared for during the consultation but knowing this lady’s story, I wanted to ensure it was a very positive experience for her.

Thankfully, she loved the session and soon after requested a wardrobe weed. A wardrobe weed is where I help the client get rid of the wrong colours and styles from her wardrobe and compile a shopping list of items that will make her wardrobe work even better for her lifestyle, colour diagnosis and body shape. This wardrobe weed was a freebie for her and great experience for me which will form part of my training – so a win-win for both of us.

It was when I was in her home for the wardrobe weed that her situation hit me harder. Chatting in the hallway when I arrived, there was a beautiful family portrait hanging on the wall near my head. I told her it was a great picture. She said that she was still unable to look at it but had it there for the kids really. I realised then how privileged I felt to be part of this tiny section of her journey. Also, before we got started on her wardrobe weed she showed me the patchwork blanket that her late husband’s mum had made out of a selection of his favourite clothes – which I thought was an amazing idea, though the same tears that stung my eyes then, sting again now as I type - a very sad and yet truly beautiful blanket. 

Work shirts, rugby shirts, jumpers and pyjamas

 

I left late that evening having not even finished going through one wardrobe (she has two!) but we did manage to clear out all the skirts that were the wrong colours and didn’t suit her body shape - so she was chuffed to bits. I will go back again, for part two of the weed very soon - but knowing what a tiring (though no less rewarding) process it is, we’ll start in the morning next time!

Another wonderful experience was draping a lady that I had semi lost touch with. We were Facebook friends but hadn't actually met up and talked face to face in about 7 years. During the consultation she mentioned that she really wanted to be an estate agent but had been doing a very different role, working from home, for years. I basically asked her what was she waiting for and told her to go for it. I had a text a few days later saying that she had got an interview and that it was my fault! The next thing I hear is that she’d got the job. Result! I’m by no means selling career advice along with style advice, no, no, no – but what an amazing feeling to have helped someone with their career – which probably wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t started my new career.

And aforementioned ‘now estate agent’ lady recommended my colour analysis services on a Facebook group and as a result I’ve been asked to be part of the Rennie Grove Ladies Pamper Evening on June 5th. I’ll be donating a colour analysis session to the raffle and presenting some styling tips throughout the evening. Have I done a presentation like this before? No. Am I scared? A little. Will I feel the fear and do it anyway? Yes, of course I will - it's for a charity that has helped some close friends of mine and continues to offer much needed support in our community, so I’m more than willing to stumble on my words, provide a giggle and throw in some style advice on the way. What’s the worst that can happen? I’ll tell you in June!

Better still, come along and enjoy the evening for yourself. Tickets are £15 which includes one free treatment and a glass of Pimms. There are so many exciting treatments available but you must book these in advance. See here for more details and booking info.

 

And last, but by no means least, was my interview on BBC 3 Counties Radio with Nick Coffer the other week. I was very excited (though my, oh my, was I nervous) to be asked onto the show to tell the listeners how my Styled by Mel blogging and training journey began and how it was going. Thank you to those that tuned in and thank you to Nick (author of My Daddy Cooks and blogger himself), for making me feel very at home. But no thanks to my silly brain for not knowing my own twitter address. What a twit!

I woz ere!

 

So you see, by learning a new skill my life has been enriched in a way that I couldn’t have predicted when I started this course back in September last year. It’s honestly the best thing ever. So if there’s something you’re itching to do but never quite had the courage to do it, I’m telling you now – don’t be scared and just give it a bash! Often it’s a lack of time that can be the issue but sometimes there are other less important things that can take a back seat. For example, I now live in a less tidy house but, you know what, who cares – life’s too short. Grab your dream by the horns and make it happen – because you’re the only person who can.

Thank you to the people mentioned in this blog for allowing me to share their pictures and stories.

To celebrate my new learnt skill I will be offering colour analysis sessions at a reduced rate of £50 (includes colour swatch) for a limited period – so please get in touch by emailing melwallstyle@gmail.com if you are interested or want to book for a friend or relative. M x

Next time…I promise, promise, promise to show you my new purchases and how they’ve helped me create some new looks within my wardrobe. But before I go I just wanted to share with you one small tip to take your existing jeans into spring - roll them up! Yes it’s that easy. The turn up creates a more summery, casual look and the flash of flesh at the ankle is more than enough whilst the temperatures are still fluctuating – simples!

Flash of flesh!

  Mr. B says that the turn up is a good look for girls - but not sure it's a look that many men can carry off. Discuss.

It's Only Rock 'n' Roll...

Are you sitting comfortably? Perhaps a cuppa or cheeky tipple in your hand? Maybe just a quick read sitting on the edge of the bath whilst the kids are brushing their teeth? Whichever moment you’ve grabbed - thank you and welcome back. So, just a little recap – last time it was my work week wardrobe, sans jeans, that needed some thought and planning. This time it’s my gig attire that needs a bit of a shake-up. So, different brief, same criteria - I want to look good, appropriate and as always, steer clear of mutton and frump options.

I’ve been thinking back to what I used to wear for my gigs - I’ve been gigging for over 18 years now – that’s right, I started gigging when I was just 7 (ahem). And the outfit or rather fabric of choice I distinctly remember back then was PVC. Now, there is, out there, photographic evidence of these gigs. Unfortunately, I think it’s well hidden in my best friend’s loft. I know, how disappointing. You would’ve all loved a giggle at my expense wouldn’t you? Sorry about that.

But wait, all is not lost. I may not have the photos to hand but I do have the gear itself! It’s not been worn for a VERY long time I hasten to add – the last time being dressed as Trinity from The Matrix about 12 years or so ago. So I guess you’re wondering why a Style Advisor would hang onto things she’s not wearing? How very ‘pot calling kettle black’ of me you say. Well, the reason is that they’re a little piece of my past and I thought that one day, when I am older, I would dig them out and have a good old laugh.

Well it seems that that day has arrived and how wonderful that I have all of you here to share that moment with me – who’d have thunk it? How privileged do you feel? Yes, hard to put into words isn’t it.

So here they are – in all their gorgeously tacky (to the touch and sight) glory! That’s two pairs of trousers - one bootleg pair and one straight leg pair and a top. They are making me smile and I remember thinking I was the bees’ knees prancing up and down the stage of the Queens Head in Fulham and The Horn of Plenty in St. Albans! I’m disappointed that I can’t find the electric blue bootleg pair actually - not sure where they’ve got to.

Sorry, what was that? Put them on? What? Are you all insane? Oh ok then…as it’s you!

This is an advance warning. Some viewers may find the following photos of ‘cling-film wrapped mutton’ distressing.

I retract that last statement labelling myself as mutton because in actual fact I think I’ve aged far better than the PVC has. At least my top layer isn’t visibly flaking all over the flippin’ floor! And that isn’t my bum that’s baggy either thank you very much! I’m sure (and hope) they fitted better back in the day.

Does my bum look big in this?

Err yes, it really does. Look how high waisted these babies are. I remember my best friend and I having a right old giggle in Miss Selfridge changing room (communal in those days – not good) at how high the waist was then. So in comparison to today’s super low waist trends these are super, super, super high. They cover at least two of my ribs. A couple of inches higher and I could wear them as a jumpsuit.

Bootleg vinyl

The bootleg pair (an usual leg shape for plastic I think), fit slightly better (maybe not) around the bum but feel so much more Eddie Izzard than the other pair.

By the looks on your faces, I can tell you are none too impressed. And judging from the tirade of “Why are you wearing that mummy?” and “You look horrible mummy, take it off” and “It does nothing for you” from Little T and Mr. B respectively, I don’t think my family are embracing my Miss Whiplash look either.

But back when Blur and Oasis were battling it out in the charts and the Prodigy were starting fires – I was pretty sure I was the only female singer (definitely in St Albans anyway) wearing PVC. And actually, I don’t think even the tough girls of Skunk Anansie and Garbage had ventured down the plastic trouser route then either - so you could say the PVC was my USP.

WHAT ABOUT NOW…

So nearly two decades later, what am I wearing to my gigs now? The answer is mainly shorts/hot-pants (call them what you will) with opaque tights and shoe/boots. But recently I’ve been thinking, is the hot-pant (albeit a tailored non cheek revealing version) ok for a 41 year old who is not Kylie?

I’m glad to say that I didn’t ponder too long over my ‘shall I shan’t I hot-pant wobble (pant wobble – ew!). I decided that this is a totally acceptable outfit to wear. Had I teamed the shorts with bare legs, sky-rise stilettoes and a plunging neckline – probably not. But with opaque tights, the conclusion is that the shorts still fit the brief perfectly and so I will wear them confidently.

However, I’ve been wearing variations of the short/hot-pant thing for some time and it would be good to try some different outfits. And being in a band, to a degree, gives me a license to try things that I wouldn’t necessarily try if I was just popping out to The Dog and Duck for a shandy.

INSPIRATION...

So, I thought of some singers that inspired me – both visually and artistically - and merrily grabbed some ‘reusable’ pictures from Google and included them here. But apparently that’s a bit dodgy so I’ve created a board on Pinterest that you can view here. Not sure why this is less dodge – but I’m sure the picture police will explain why when they wake me up tomorrow morning on their dawn raid!

Some of the first pictures are of Kate Moss - not a singer I know - but she does the Rock ‘n’ Roll look brilliantly.

After looking at Gwen Stefanie, Lily Allen, Blondie and Imelda May - I think one simple way of spicing up the shorts is a striped top and some stunning make-up. I can do the t-shirt easily but I’m going to need a little help with the make-up. I don’t know about you – but so often I apply make-up, think I’ve done a great job but when I look in the mirror on my first trip to the loo of an evening out, it’s somehow vanished and I look very similar to my no make-up selfie! #disappointing.

Now, old school rocker Chrissie Hynde is sporting a well-fitting pair of leather trousers that look fantastic. I’ve been on the lookout for some and I got very excited when I found a Whistles pair online the other day – but as law of sod would have it, they are now discontinued! Grr – shame, they were a great shape and under £500!

STOP PRESS…or rather if you can imagine the sound of a stylus being dragged across a record and the room going silent – do that.

(And sorry if you’re still perched on the edge of the bath, this post seems to have turned into a 12” long play).

I’ve just opened The Sunday Times Style magazine (Mother’s Day edition) and discovered this picture of a lady wearing PVC. A very spooky coincidence.

 

This is the actress Charlotte Gainsborough. The PVC trousers, if you ask me, fit just as badly as mine and as well as a bin liner. But the difference being is that she appears at number 13 in the Best Dressed 2014 chart. I know! I had to double check that I hadn’t accidently turned over too many pages and skipped to an article titled Worst Dressed 2014. Nope, I hadn’t. So what the hell is going on here?

The blurb alongside this picture says ‘Here she is doing what she does best – working a boyish, nonchalant, covertly sexual, French-meets English look, with a sly twist of something subversive. The PVC trousers are fashion rather than fetish (but they’re still PVC) and the rest is a retro boy look’. She could have worn a tux, but instead she opted for Alen Bennet-meets-punk and managed to look quite sexy in a Galod shrug, “whatever floats your boat” kind of way. What this outfit says is “You don’t know me, I do. Enjoy the movie”

I’m personally thinking that the words were meant for a different picture and there was some sort of mix up in the editorial/picture department. So, having the vital ingredient in my possession, I thought it would be fun to try and re-create this look. So, I’ve teamed my ‘sly twist of (baggy super high rise) subversive’ with a white shirt, tank top (actually a vest top but it does the same thing) and a pair of brown boots. This is the result.

So what do you think? I didn’t think for one minute that it would actually look half decent. But, surprisingly, I think it does. I’m not saying that I think Charlotte now deserves to be in the best dressed list – not at all, I still think she looks a state – but she’s onto something. I think we both just need to replace the old PVC with an up to date, lower waisted, slimmer leg version and we’d be good to go (though I would also consider replacing her shiny brown patent boots if I’m honest). So, have I just gone full PVC circle before your very eyes? Yes, quite possibly.

I’m thinking the PVC trouser might just have the Rock ‘n’ Roll edge, the sparkle and the stage presence I’ve been looking for. Let’s hope they’re easier to find than their leather counterparts - though I reckon Little T and Mr. B will be hoping not!

However, to quote a line from the film Erin Brokovich, “As long as I have one ass instead of two I'll wear what I like if that's alright with you?”

And actually ladies, if you think you have two asses instead of one – flaunt it! There’s nothing like a sexy curve. Is there Kanye?

M x

Next time….I’ll be revisiting the amazing world of colour analysis and how it’s changing lives around me. I might also give you a sneaky peak at some of my new (not much grey or black!) purchases since my 'She's got legs...' post. Oh and before you go, if you’re also fans of Kate Moss’s style, she will be launching her new collection in Topshop at the end of April. Her first collection was amazing – so I’m very excited about this one.