Matriarchal Style
My Granny Mhairi McKelvie was an exceptionally well-dressed woman, until the day she passed in 2015 at the age of 97. Her style is very much part of how she is remembered but not because she talked about how she looked or what she wore, God no, but more because she was effortlessly elegant and took pride in how she presented herself. Even as a nonagenarian when she didn’t do much more than read the paper and chat to the postman, she dressed in a fine twin-set and pleated skirt, accessorised with a considered brooch and YSL fragrance. Because, why not? I like to think my passion and flair for fashion came from her, my clear sense of what I like and how clothes and outfits go together.
I had our children just before and then during the pandemic, which is hard to believe as we roll towards the fourth anniversary of that first surreal lockdown of March 2020. Like so many of us, I mis-placed the spark and joy of getting dressed and only wore what was easy and comfortable because, why bother? I wasn’t going anywhere or seeing anyone, but now I realise that wasn’t the right attitude. The heady combination of young babies and lockdown meant I wore an Arket tracksuit and Birkenstocks for the best part of three years; I would have felt a lot better about myself in a twin-set and pleated skirt. Looking ahead to next weekend’s Mothering Sunday I think of my Granny and darling Mum, two strong-minded, smart, funny and to me, very special women. Where Granny took great pride in what she wore, my Mum took herself out of the game and lost her style and image confidence somewhere between having five children and navigating the huge trials, tribulations and traumas life threw at her; saying that when she made the effort she would light up the room. What do you think dressing like a Mum means, or looks like?
I’ve always been fascinated in the power of dressing and how what we choose to wear changes how we feel about and present ourselves to the world. When I dress for the day with intention, I stand tall and feel confident. Many of my clients are women who have contacted me because they want to feel better in their clothes and to an extent, in their own skin. What we wear is an extension of who we are and even though I am writing this in a tracksuit (I will go for that run) I want to be more the twin-set and pleats attitude that tracksuit and lazy dressing. Does this sound familiar? How do you feel when you look at your wardrobe? What do you think your clothes are saying about you? If you are in a place where you want to invest time and money into your styling and image, get in touch here or drop me an email, I’d love to hear from you and learn your personal style story.