Dedicated Follower of Fashion

Today

Over the past few months I have much enjoyed reading my friend Sian's fashion blog, first on the Ophelia Diaries and now on Facebook as Style Brief. She's clearly having so much fun and from a small beginning has now been to Paris and London Fashion Weeks and clinked champagne glasses with the fashion cognoscenti.

I think that Sian has always loved fashion and her enthusiasm and unerring instinct for what's best on the High Street seems to be paying off.

There are those who think that such an interest is trivial, but I must admit to loving fashion myself. I am always childishly pleased when I discover that an idea I've had which I think is unique, is deemed to be "on trend". And I'm very happy when a fashion style I like also seems right for my 63-year-old figure.

I love programmes like Project Runway, although I'm less interested in the diva-like actitivities of some top models and designers. Jean-Paul, your clothes might be cute, but you are not God.

In My Day

This is the story of how I was blind to my opportunity of becoming a leader of fashion. Like I said, I always loved clothes and fashion, probably dating from my adored bunny-embroidered dress that I wore when I was three. In my teens I bought trendy shoes just as soon as I had any money of my own and ran up many a mini-dress on Mamma's sewing machine. These I usually designed and made myself; a very sharp learning curve up which I sometimes struggled. I remember winning a prize in a local competition for one of my dress designs.

After I failed to get a place to do fine art at degree level I turned my thoughts to something more practical - theatre design, maybe, or fashion? Because my foundation course studies had been limited to fine art I wasn't prepared to apply to one of the prestigious London schools, such at the LSF or St Martin's. So, instead, I applied to some home counties colleges for courses at City & Guilds level.

On a fine warm day in July 1967 I presented myself and a portfolio of fashion designs, unsupported by evidence of any skills in cutting or stitching, to the Berkshire College of Art in Maidenhead. The tutors showed me the sewing and cutting rooms and then examined my portfolio

"Well," they said doubtfully "we do offer a City & Guilds and some of our students do manage to get into East End factories as cutters...." This sounded as though sights were set rather low and I saw my dreams of becoming another Mary Quant fade.

"What we could do," offered the head of department "is tailor a one-year course for you. This will groom you so that you can apply to a London fashion school for a degree course next year."

I thanked them and left. When I later was offered a place at West Sussex College of Art to do theatre design, I was dazzled by all sorts of romantic ideas about the theatre and took it, despite my lack of talent.

Only many years later did I realise what those half-hearted sounding people at Maidenhead were trying to tell me. That I had some talent for fashion that could be developed and they were willing to make a place specially for me so that I'd have the chance. I don't know why I didn't see it at the time; I certainly didn't have advisors who could see clearly either.

I don't exactly regret not following through; if I'd had real passion maybe I would have found another way. And my life has certainly been interesting, although I never took up theatre design, despite my City & Guilds.

It would have been rather fun though to have been a leader, rather than follower, of fashion! Sian, go for it! I wish you the best.