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15 Apr 2009

Moving beyond fashion

Alison Lurie has always been a clothing guru - here's how she reacted when she felt betrayed by fashion

Just a quickie today as I am snowed.

There is a great interview with Alison Lurie in the Guardian today.

Lurie's book The Language of Clothes is one of those must-reads for anyone interested in fashion and clothes, even if you don't agree with all of her conclusions. 

Having reached the age of 60, she says she felt deserted by fashion, that designers were no longer interested in her. The same with hair and makeup.

And so she gave them up. And now she feels freer than she's ever felt, she can be comfortable rather than pulled-about, she can dress the way she finally wants.

There have been many women over the years who've switched to a kind of uniform for convenience sake. One of my faves was Vita Sackville-West, who donned Land Girl uniform in the First World War and seems to have rarely worn anything else thereafter. The cord britches and leather boots suited her tough personality and gave her the freedom that 'women's clothes' sadly lacked. Photographs of her show her looking always herself because of this, regardless of which decade they were shot in. 

I think Lurie herself is changing in a similar way - wearing her hippie skirts and cowl-necked sweaters and sod what anyone else thinks. 

Anyway, give the interview a read.  

 

By Trish

Comments (3)

Tags: fashion ageing

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Dianne
Posts: 2
Comment
Happy Belated Birthday
Reply #3 on : Wed April 15, 2009, 21:03:37
Trish,

I hope you had a wonderful birthday and all is well. Pat Lucy for me.

Cheers,
Dianne
trish
Posts: 1
Comment
Birthday
Reply #2 on : Thu April 16, 2009, 01:56:43
Hi Diane. Many thanks - fancy you remembering! It's actually on Monday, I haven't had it yet. 46, ooh err. I will pat Lucy for you - she'd like that. :)
London Rose
Posts: 2
Comment
Re: Moving beyond fashion
Reply #1 on : Thu April 16, 2009, 07:15:21
My own experience is that I certainly apply a lot more of the f**k ’em factor to my choice of outfits in older age. Some days, and largely dictated by whim, I sit at home in a smart black skirt suit. Other days, I turn up for business affairs in an eclectic mix of jumble sale finds. One thing I haven't been brave enough to do yet, though, is stop dying my hair.

And happy birthday from me, too. Ahh, I remember 46!