I’ve realised lately just how much influence my circle of friends has over what I buy and how I dress.
When I mentioned to my daughter that I might write about this, she stared at me, in that withering way she has perfected, and said, ‘So what you’re saying is you have no originality whatsoever when it comes to your style?’. But no, I don’t think I slavishly copy anyone. But also I’m not averse to seeing something I like on a friend and thinking, ‘I’m getting that.’ I think I’m pretty good at taking that influence and, as Louis Walsh might say, ‘making it my own’.
Here is a rundown of the people in my life whose style I have shamelessly incorporated into my own wardrobe.
THE FRIENDS
DONNA IDA
If you follow me on Instagram you know the queen of denim design is also one of my best friends. This woman is Einstein-level brilliant at what she does: no one knows denim and how best to flatter your body in it, like Donna. Last week we were on a cruise ship together (the wonderful Celebrity Beyond) and she strutted to dinner in a pair of amazing diamante-studded flared jeans and now I want - no, need - them.
She can’t be mad at me for copying her because that’s the whole point, right? She’s a walking ad for her own creations and I fall hard for it every single time. Her jeans feature heavily in my working wardrobe every week. In fact this week’s #weekonawall I posted her black Minnie jeans; they are the most flattering, leg-lengthening waist-sucking things you’ll ever wear. I’ve teamed them with a blouse she designed years ago because I will never get over my 1970s fantasy of being one of Charlie’s Angels.
KELLY HOPPEN
Not only is she a globally-renowned prolific interior designer, my mate Kelly is, hands down, always the chicest woman in any room she’s in. She has an achingly cool, pared down style that incorporates a lot of hard working neutral trousers and tops and knits, but she just has a knack of elevating even a battered pair of jeans to perfection. I can’t emulate it, because it’s something you’re either born with or you’re not. She’s born with it, I’m not. See here for what I mean. Again, on that cruise ship - which boasts Kelly’s beautiful signature decor in all the accommodations - and we ended up wearing similar outfits, but Kelly’s is still way more chic.
But I have shamelessly copied her shoe game over the years. Some of my favourite shoes were first seen on Hoppen’s tiny feet - I wish my feet were small enough to be in with a shot for her hand-me downs! To date, I have copied these white patent Saint Laurents seen here on her feet. In my defence, she was also going to try and copy these black pointy Gucci ones of mine seen here, but they didn’t have her size.
I also copied these excellent Loewe flats after I saw them on Kelly.
I love them so much I’m wearing them out and I wish I could get a second pair.
RENE MACDONALD
Being the intense colour-holic I am, boy am I glad Rene Macdonald created her beautiful brand, Lisou. No one clashes colours and prints like her and I love how much confidence I’ve drawn from her maverick flair for it. Her designs are all such joy bombs and I can’t get enough. I’m always stalking her instagram to study just how she clashes her prints and doing my best to try and be half as brave and fun with it. I was utterly thrilled when she texted me the other day to say she had copied me - by buying these striped Isabel Marant dungarees that my husband says make me look like the Lego train driver. I’ll be copying every way she styles them.
JUSTINE JENKINS
My new year’s resolution this year was to, for once in my life, have well-groomed nails at all time. This is again, largely influenced by my friends as last year I was at dinner with a group of girls when I realised that I was the only one at the table who didn’t have nice nails. It’s a bit of a ball-ache - and expense - keeping on top of it, but I have to admit it does make a difference to how ‘together’ I feel, particularly for work meetings. So now my nails are like my mini playground. I’m always storing inspiration on my phone to show to my favourite manicurist, Phylicia from Secret Spa UK, next time she sees me. My friend, the make-up artist Justine Jenkins, always has impeccable make-up, hair and nails. She’s a natural, retro glamour puss with flame red hair, flawless skin dressed with a va-va-voom red lipstick and these gorgeous, ‘reverse French manicure’ nails. This week, I ripped them off and I love them. I don’t think she minds. Well, when I texted her and said, ‘Love, send me a quick pic of your nails’ she didn’t ask any questions anyway!
THE STRANGERS
JENNA LYONS
I have actually met Jenna Lyons but not in any meaningful way. I was thrilled that she told me she loved that I was wearing a skirt with flat shoes. When she was the creative director of J Crew she was the one person in the world who had the strongest hold over my wardrobe. And if I’m looking for some inspiration, I still find myself stalking her style via Pinterest. She was the first person to inspire in me more confidence with experimenting with colour and fun. She broke so many rules for modern dressing and I am here for it all: a long sequin skirt with trainers for a trip to the bank? A khaki hoodie for a black tie event? Why. The. Hell. Not. I am so sad that she’s not in charge of J Crew anymore but I’m also so glad it ever happened.
After years of searching for a pink jumpsuit like Jenna’s….
…I found it! In MC Overalls
LINDA V WRIGHT
I am obsessed with this woman. Obsessed. I don’t know how I first discovered her Instagram account, but I’m happy I did. A former model, this wonderfully cool American now runs her own gorgeous boutique, Crimson Cashmere, in Paris. We’ve never met but, every now and then we have a little DM chat and it always thrills me because I think she is one of the most awesome creatures I have ever seen. Fearless use of colour, genius mixing of fabrics and badass rocker of denim, she is proof that style is absolutely ageless and I find her so inspiring. Linda, be prepared, next time I’m in Paris there’s going to be a weird woman standing outside your shop just grinning at you maniacally til you come out and hug me, or call the police, whatever.
THESE K POP BOYS
And here is where those of you who are my actual friends roll your eyes and stop reading. Well, sorry but I am not sorry about the constant fashion dopamine hits provided by K Pop. Specifically, the men of BTS and Shinee. I’m not at all into women’s fashion in K Pop. They all seem to wear sexy tiny pleated mini skirts, cropped tops and thigh high boots which - thankfully for anyone who has eyes - is never going to be for me. There’s little in the way of originality there in my view. The men’s fashions are way more fun, more experimental and fluid. In fact, my two favourite Korean style icons are men who tend to wear a lot of womenswear - and look better in it than I ever will but they are alien-level beautiful.
KEY of SHINEE
First up, the delightful Key (real name Kim Kibum) of the boy band Shinee. He was my first love in this arena and his influence on my wardrobe has been… intense. His on-stage and off-stage looks could not be more different but they both bring me joy. Their stylist , Kim Wook, is one of the most influential in K pop but I think he really goes the extra mile for Shinee and I suspect it’s largely down to the very hands-on input from Key. The use of colour in their stage outfits is quirky and inspiring. I’m yet to emulate this lilac and khaki combo, but I will.
Key is very obliging of my need to stalk him with a very active Instagram presence. His everyday wardrobe is classic, understated and cool. When he modelled this Isabel Marant jacket in Ikea, it wasn’t the flat pack furniture I started Googling.
Tons of people tease me about my little white bum bag from Lemaire - yes yes, I know, it looks like my arm is in a sling, ha ha, ho ho. I don’t care, I love it and so does the stylish Key who first brought it to my attention. He got the black one…
…but I preferred the white. See? I am capable of some independent thought!
Incidentally his was a gift from his fellow band mate, Choi Minho - a bribe to get him to be a guest on his youtube show about sports. How can I not love a man who basically says, ‘I’ll appear on your show about sports if we don’t have to talk about sports AND you buy me this women’s handbag.’ He was also the first one to make me aware of this adorable bucket hat.
I resisted and resisted because a bucket hat with a cute little ribbon tie for your chin is not something I (or anyone) needs. But reader, then J Hope wore it too…..
J HOPE of BTS
Yes, I’ve mentioned him before in another column but I am telling you: I don’t really understand how I lived for so long without accepting BTS into my life. Why did I resist? Why did I think they were not for me when they are absolutely everything I love about pop, performance and fashion?! J Hope, real name Jung Hoseok, is an extraordinary dancer, singer and rapper, as well as one of the most naturally stylish men I’ve ever seen. I think it’s the cool, street style vibes mixed with a fun sense of colour and pretty touches like gorgeous beaded necklaces. I wish he would go back to doing his flatlay outfits on Instagram, they were great, and inspired my #weekonawall posts. As soon as I saw him wearing that bucket hat in my favourite shade of green, on stage in Las Vegas last month, before I knew it I was click click clicking away on the matches site. Ross has asked me to never wear it when I’m out with him:
Whether they’re aware of it or not, I love every single one of these people. And together they really demonstrate what I’ve come to love about fashion - that fun and inspiration can come to us from a 70 year old woman and a 28 year old man and we can use and enjoy it all.
I was about 30 before I stopped being afraid of fashion, of getting it ‘wrong’. These days getting dressed every day is something I always look forward to. It sets a tone for my day. It starts conversations with friends as well as total strangers. If for any reason, fashion feels more torture than joy, I urge you to do what I do and just look around and find the people whose style you enjoy and blend it with your own.