Know Your Style with Alyson Walsh

Today Alyson of That’s Not My Age launches her eagerly awaited second book Know YourStyle. I have known Alyson for many years now and it is great has been wonderful to follow her success as an author and with her blog. In fact it was Alyson who told me about blogging and giving me a voice and platform to show my work too. Never underestimate the importance of a good friend. Her is her story.

D: Tell us about yourself and your journey in fashion so far.

A: I’m a northerner. Born in Blackpool, I studied my degree in Manchester and then moved to London after graduation. I’ve worked in the fashion industry and the fashion media industry  - online and on women’s magazines for many years. I’m now a freelance fashion journalist, author and founder of the popular blog That’s Not My Age. I  write for the Financial Times and the Guardian – and one of my recent highlights was being described by the Daily Telegraph as one of the ‘women over 40 influencing the internet’.

D: That’s Not My Age, I have always thought this was a brilliant title for your blog what inspired the title and the desire to do it? Do you think the career path you took from Fashion Editor at Good Housekeeping to fashion journalism helped steer you in this direction?

A: That’s Not My Age started nine years ago – because I felt that women over-40 were being ignored by the fashion industry. All the emphasis was on youth and being young and yet I was seeing all these wonderful, older people everyday. Whereas, I have always believed that it’s not about age, it’s about style. After working on a magazine and writing all those prescriptive style rules, I just wanted to talk to women in the way that I talk to my friends. I hope That’s Not My Age is empowering and fun and offers style advice in a down-to-earth way. I’m lucky to have a loyal following who I am eternally grateful to because without them my two books wouldn’t exist.

D: You have just published your second book Know Your Style tell us about it.

A: For my second book, the aim was to talk less about age and more about style. To try to figure out what goes with what (and that was the tentative title of the book at commissioning stage). How do we know what to buy when our lifestyles are constantly changing – today more people work remotely from home than ever before – and there’s so much on offer? How to colour match or mismatch? How to wear flat shoes?

My conclusion is that with a little bit of practice, any woman can be stylish. That looking good is not about buying loads of new stuff but spending time figuring out what makes you feel chic and comfortable. I enjoyed gathering thoughts and style tips from the women who inspire me, including: Lucinda Chambers, Caroline Issa, Linda Rodin, Pat Cleveland, Sarah Jane Adams, Michelle Ogundehin (editor-in-chief Elle Decoration), Lyn Slater and many more.

D: What is it like to sit down and write a book? Do you have any tricks you employ to keep you going, other than the deadline, of course.

A:   It’s quite intense and not as easy as you’d imagine. I’ve written for years  - features for magazines and websites, I write for the FT’s How To Spend It and the Guardian, as well as shorter blog posts for That’s Not My Age - but writing a book is a totally different experience. You’re on your own and just have to keep going, to keep writing a certain number of words everyday. Some days I felt like I was really having to dredge anecdotes and stuff up from the depths. At times like these I’d take short breaks to give my brain a rest and head to my favourite local coffee shop, or go for a walk around the park.

D: After the book launch and tour, what’s next?

A: I want to focus on That’s Not My Age; to continue providing interesting, informative, well-written content about age and style and to continue to engage with my lovely, loyal followers.

D: Who or what inspires you?

A: I’m inspired by other women, of all ages – and the best thing about being the author of That’s Not My Age and two books has been meeting and interviewing lots of fantastic women. These are role models, industry experts and women of substance who I admire like. I loved interviewing them all.

D: Describe your own personal style.

A: It’s what I call Casual Glamour, a blend of day and eveningwear and flat shoes or trainers.  I often wear jeans or a jumpsuit but I do like to mix things up. I have a sort of Split-Personality Style: half minimal, menswear-inspired dressing, half bohemian, hippy-punk - with the occasional Advanced Style moment thrown in. And I think as we continue to reinvent ourselves throughout our lives, most women have become more comfortable with this high-low, pick and mix approach.

D: You are in great shape what exercise do you do?

A: Not as much as I used to do. I was very sporty when I was younger. Now I ride my bike, swim a couple of times a week and do Pilates. I really want to start running again, I did my back in a few years ago and have to be careful. Add this to my list of things to do after the book tour…

D: What advice would you give your 16 year old self ?

A: Get a pension!

D: Movies or the theatre?

A: Cinema.

D: Favourite city?

A: London. But I love Manchester, New York, Paris and Stockholm, too.

D: Tell me something surprising about yourself.

A: This is not my entire globe collection!

Clothing credits –

Shot 1, 3 and 6 - House of Khadi, blue shirt, Gap jeans and New Balance x J.Crew trainers.

Shot 2 - H&M Pyjama-style top, Me+Em posh track pants, and Common Projects trainers.

Shot 3 – French workwear brand bought from MHL, black jumpsuit, Vans trainers and earrings from Brixton market.

Shot 4 – APC denim jacket, Me+Me striped t-shirt with Gudrun Sjoden khaki trousers.

 

Both of Alyson's books can be bought here and here.

Focus On Kelly Harrington

Denim it is probably the one fabric we all wear these days and can happily take us from the cradle to the grave. Weather it is in fashion or out we all still wear it. And for Kelly Harrington of @kellouhar  (one of my favourite feeds) is very much the fabric of choice. After leaving Loughborough Uni with a degree in printed textiles Kelly has mostly worked with H&M as a senior print designer, trend forecaster and is their vintage archivist. Here is her inspirational story.

D: The Colour Blue, it is one of the first things I think of when I think of you (not the only first thing of course, we will get to those in a mo ☺). Why the colour blue and do you have a favourite shade?

K: Good question, I get asked this a lot and really I would say that 80 % of my wardrobe is blue! Different Shades of Blue mix & match together perfectly, blue indigo fades and looks better with age and so too does denim. Everyone suits the colour blue. Blue is the colour I feel comfortable in, I guess you could say that the colour blue is my equivalent to some people that only wear black. Picasso had a blue period didn't he! 

D: Denim. I love your denim story. Tell us the history of Kelly's love of this magical fabric?

K: I've collected denim for years not consciously but I found that I could never get rid of my teenage denim. Denim is something I've always worn throughout my life and as a Designer & Trend Forecaster I'm constantly looking for new trends. denim is one of those fabrics that I've never got tired of and have always gone back to. Denim is the king of my closet!  this humble fabric has graced many cowboys, workers and these days catwalks, we have renewed it time and time again. Denim is worn by everyone around the world, no matter age, style or wealth. Denim is a rebel fabric , it looks just as good dirty as it does new, it flatters everyone. Most of all I love that denim tells a story and every piece of clothing I own tells a story of personal sentimental value.

I'm not a denim purist by any means, I have a fashion background and love all types of denim from vintage, to new, to experimental.

D: For your day job you are a designer, a time traveller and a vintage hoarder. What is it like to juggle all 3?

K: It can be pretty tough to juggle all 3 aspects of my job but I love it and love that everyday is different. I am a creative and a visualist so travelling feeds my mind and excites me. I love discovering a new part of the world I've never been to. I'm forever thankful that my job has taken me to parts of the world I never thought I would have the opportunity to see.

I enjoy rummaging through a flea market at 8am trying to find treasure amongst the trash and equally I like painting and getting messy drawing and designing. Part of my job can be very analytical and requires a tremendous amount of reading.

Some people assume working in the fashion industry is like one big party! However it takes a lot of hard work and dedication and an incredible amount of skilled people.

 

D: What would you say is the most important advice you would give to an up and coming designer?

K:  My best advice would be to never give up on your dream and work hard. Opportunities don't fall in your lap you have to work hard to get them. Always be kind to people and stay humble.

I was shy when I was young and my dad gave me a poem that I've kept since I was about 12, it's called the thinking poem, something I kept on my wall whilst I was studying.

If you think you are beaten, you are,

If you think you dare not, you don't.

If you like to win, but think you can't,

It's almost certain you won't.

If you think you’ll lose, you've lost.

For out of the world we find,

Success begins with a fellows will-

It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are.

You've got to think high to rise.

You've got to be sure of yourself before

You can ever win the prize.

Life's battles don't always go to the

Stronger or faster person,

But sooner or later the person who wins

is the one who thinks they can.

D: What made you start your insta page? Also your name there Kell I understand, har I get, ou, what does that mean?

K: I got started on Instagram as it was a creative outlet to feed my own personal style and love of denim & indigo. I wanted to share the places I visited and the things I saw. I think of it like my giant online scrapbook and it grew from here onwards. Now I work with photographers to shoot my own looks and work with different brands.

My Instagram name KELLOUHAR stands for Kel - Kelly Lou- Louise ( my middle name ) Har - Harrington.

I did this because apparently there are rather a few Kelly Harrington's in the world.

I've been thinking about changing it what do you think? ….

D: Do you think creativity is in your DNA?

K: Yes I certainly do, my grandad sold and made hats in London's Portobello road and my dad used to be a visual merchandiser in the 70’s. My nan loved dressing up and she used to make her own clothes when she was young when she couldn't afford to buy them. You wouldn't find my nan in a floral dress or pleated skirt she nearly only ever wore trouser suits and dressed like a garçonne with a knotted scarf or string of pearls. 

D: Who or what inspires you?

K: So many things inspire me, I love travelling and seeing different parts of the world. Asia has always been an inspiring place for me, especially Japan and Korea. I love the mix of old and new culture. I'm also really passionate about vintage clothing and have found some gems throughout my travels. I love looking to the past to inspire the future.

D: Describe your own personal style.

K: My own style is basically a wardrobe of denim and vintage clothing.

I'm into vintage denim as well as new creative and experimental denim brands especially from Korea and Japan.

I think my style is pretty simple though, my day to day uniform is jeans and a shirt or t shirt, as I feel comfortable. I like to wear a blank canvas for working and travelling. I see denim as a timeless item and an essential part of everyone's wardrobe, however I do have a bit of a crazy side and I'm not afraid to mix it up a bit.

D: I have read that apart from your own job another dream job would be to be a cartoon voiceover. Who is your favourite cartoon character?

K: Yesss , that would be my dream! I love Disneyland and Puro Land in Japan which is for Hello kitty fans. I have a voice that sounds like Minnie Mouse, so naturally I think my favourites are Minnie Mouse & Hello Kitty. Although I did love the Smurfs when I was young and Bart Simpson!

D: East or West?

K: Aahhhh I'm torn! But I think I'm going to have to say East because of my love for Japan. There is just something about that place…..

D: When I took your pictures for the story one of them was on your bike in the house (when my kids were little I used to let then snake-board in the house) is there anything you would have loved to have done as a kid but didn’t get to do and would love to do still?

K: As weird as this sounds I was obsessed with Japan and wanted to live there! So I'd say I'd still love to live in Japan!

D: What's your favourite building?

K: My favourite building in London is Battersea park power station! I also have a thing for brutalist buildings like the south bank centre.

D: What's the best possible thing you could be doing in your jeans right now?

K: Driving through Route 66 in America

D: What's your favourite place to shop?

K: Online store W concept & The Frankie shop, Liberty London, Dover street market. Korean store style nanda & Low classic and Japanese brand Kapital.

D: Favourite object ?

K: My Eames chairs! 

D: Tell me something surprising about yourself.

K: I eat a Frys Turkish delight every day! My wardrobe is organised chaos organised in vintage era and colour. 

I once held the world record in the under 12s category for most Jaffa cakes eaten in an hour….. 

The  shorts in the final picture are from Kelly's 1st pair of jeans. And as an extra surprise she can still wear them.

Clothing Credits

Images 1, 8&9

Dungarees Kapital ( Japanese brand )

T shirt from Splendid La via the Outnet.

Sneakers Converse custom dip dyed

Image 2

Dotted Denim Jacket from @ntmd made for Kelly

Jeans by Moussy

Shoes Marques Almeida 

Images 3&5

2 piece workwear set byWeekday stores

Image 7

Jeans SJYP ( Korean brand ) , 

T shirt Margaret Howell x H&M 

Shoes ‘by Mina with you’

 

Focus On Katrina Macpherson

Our Inspirational Woman this week is Founder and Owner of In+Addition. I have photographed Katrina quite a few times over the years but usually in her office with her team around her. For the first time she was was relaxed during the shoot and we had a lot of fun (well I did anyway :)) Katrina is a Brand and Communications Strategist which allows her to merge her love of business and fashion. Here is her story - 

D: Tell me a bit about yourself and your journey in fashion so far.

K: I’ve always had a strong interest in business, even from a young age. My favourite game as a child was pretending I had an office, answering calls, taking meetings - I liked to be busy! As I grew older, I realised I also had a creative side, and whilst I wasn’t particular artistic myself, I loved cultivating ideas, I appreciated good design and had an acute sense of aesthetic. Fashion, and more concretely the business of fashion, brought these two worlds together for me. I love how they interact and how dynamic the industry is. I set up my consultancy “IN+ADDITION” after working at Vogue Spain, Louis Vuitton, British Fashion Council and Harrods to cater to luxury brands and projects that require 360 degree expertise across Branding, Marketing and Communications. 

D: What made you decide to set up your own business?

K: I always thought I would have my own business, however IN+ADDITION actually happened almost by accident initially. I had started consulting for a start up after Harrods thinking I would work for them full-time once they were funded, but in the meantime, I had many people and opportunities present themselves to me and before I knew it, I needed an office, a team and a limited company etc in order to fulfil the work coming through. 

D: I have read you can speak five and a half languages. Do you think being multilingual has helped you in business?

K: Almost certainly! I’m in the business of communication and being able to communicate in the likes of Spanish, French and Italian has been so helpful and particularly relevant. Understanding how people think via language is a whole psychology in itself. It’s interesting that now there seems to be a bit of a spotlight on Poland in the fashion world, I’m hoping I might be able to practice my Polish, which I learnt from my mother. I so wish I could speak Arabic and Chinese - maybe one day. 

D: Who or what inspires you?

K: People. My team, my clients, our extended collaborators. Chemistry is so important in making the magic happen. 

I am also inspired by the international side of fashion. I like discovering new places and designers; connecting and bridging countries and/or continents with the work that we do. 

D: Describe your own personal style.

K: I’m not sure if I have a personal style per se! I tend to adapt my style depending on my mood, where I am, what I am doing and who I’m with. I love to support our clients and independent designers and don’t tend to buy superbrands other than accessories here and there. 

I do most of my retail shopping at The Shop at Bluebird - call me bias but they have the best buy in London! 

D: You travel a lot both for work and for fun. Where is your favourite place?

K: That’s an impossible one to answer! I love travelling for work and fun, ideally combing the two together. I think there’s always something interesting to see and learn wherever you go. Highlights have included Sao Paolo, LA, Mumbai, Tulum, Dubai and Cape Town. 

Finally 

D: Tell me something surprising about yourself.

K: I obsessed with ice cream and my dog Chilli (@chillithepomsky). I won a Maths scholarship when I was 11. If my career doesn’t work out in fashion, I will most likely become a spy as I’m a good shot and my languages will come in handy - watch out everyone ;)

Credits - 
Shot 1 & 5

Wrap Jacket - Forte Forte 

Choker - Monica Sordo 

Pants - Zara 

Sandals - Zeus + Dione 

Shot 2

Top - Helmut Lang 

Skirt - Marni 

Choker - Monica Sordo 

Shoes - Rupert Sanderson 

Shot 3

Robe - For Restless Sleepers 

Silk Top - Anine Bing 

Earrings - Katerina Makriyianni 

Jeans - Zara 

Shoes - Dorateymur 

Shot 4

Shirt Dress - Racil 

Earrings - Vanda Jacintho 

Belt - Anine Bing 

Shoes - Le Monde Beryl