Welcome to Style DNA, the podcast I created to uncover the
lives behind the looks of your favorite well known faces and
help unveil their style DNA. As a designer, I've always been
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special treat for listeners. Today I'm going on a sartorial
journey with TV and radio presenter, model author,
menopause campaigner, podcast host and Celebrity Master Chef
winner, the wonderful Lisa Snowden.
And welcome, Lisa. Thank you.
Lovely to see you. So lovely, we're finally sitting
down to talk. I know it's only taken us, what,
eight months to get this in the diary, but I am thrilled to have
you here, particularly as just earlier this year you published
your first book, Just getting started, Lessons in Life, Love,
and Menopause, dedicated to all the women in the world.
I love the spirit of this book, and I particularly love the
reference to Chinese medicine and how in the Chinese culture
they believe that during menopause, the energy needed for
our uterus for growing a baby becomes free to travel to the
heart, generating renewal, a rebirth, A deeper wisdom, a time
for a spiritual reconnection with oneself.
In other words, the menopause is a time for you.
This is a beautiful way to express this new phase of a
woman's life. I love the way you start with
this. In our society, there are so
many negative connotations with aging and menopause, both of
which are seem to be pretty unsexy.
But this sentiment is so positive.
So thank you. I get the feeling that writing
this book was quite a cathartic experience. 100% absolutely
loved it. It was so much easier than I
thought it was going to be because it was.
I had it all there and it was cathartic.
I did get a little bit more personal than I thought I was
going to. But it just felt like the right
time. It really did.
And there was just so much that I wanted to put in there for
women and for everybody because there's advice for loved ones
too. It was such a tricky time to
navigate for me, and I just wanted it to be part memoir,
part self help manual so that it could shortcut women's diagnosis
because some women go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for
years and years and years, and they spend so much money trying
to find out what's wrong with them.
I wanted it to be the manual that I never had.
And just be there to kind of keep going back to if you needed
it, needed to. God, I wish you'd written it 10
years ago is all I can say. But it is a wonderful sort of
manual for life. And so much of the book
resonated with me, actually. And as a childless woman too, I
found your story of not having children particularly moving and
inspiringly positive. I wish this topic wasn't such an
elephant in the room. It's tricky 1, isn't it?
It is. I think, yeah, Society, just if
you don't go down the traditional route, and I'm, I'm
not married either. So it's, you know, so they're
like, you're not married, haven't got kids, What's wrong
with you? Yeah, it's been challenging.
There's been a lot of negativity surrounding that, a lot of
questions a lot of people don't quite understand.
But that's why I also wanted to write the book, because you
never know what's going on behind closed doors.
You never know somebody's story. And people can be really
flippant, really unkind. We can be really unkind to
ourselves. And so yeah, we need to just
just be nicer to each other and just to look at the bigger
picture. And I think so too.
And I think great that you put it out there and I think it's a
conversation that needs to be had more and more.
Yeah, and I've never felt comfortable enough to speak to a
journalist about it, even though they've obviously approached me
over the years multiple times. I never felt like I wanted to.
Tell anybody my story and it felt like the right time to put
it out there. In my words, yeah, you can
totally own it. Take ownership of that
completely. Good stuff.
Thank you. We first met back in 1993, I'm
gonna remind you. Yeah, decades ago.
Oh my. Gosh, in my tiny tiny salon
show. Am I correct in thinking that
was? Your first show.
It was my first fashion show. You would have no idea at the
time first. Designer to give me a break
because I don't know you were just you were so encouraging and
and also enthusiastic about women and their bodies you know,
rather than us. And it was It was wave that was
the wave movement that was androgyny at its IT was heroin.
Shake, baby. And I was like.
I mean, I was slim still, but I did have these boobs and I was
like, I don't fit into this any of this season.
And you were the one that gave me my break.
But I remember the casting director being so excited and
and about you being the next big thing and how exciting it was
that we were going to have you on the cap.
But we didn't know. Yes, yes.
But I didn't realize this was your very, very first show and
everyone was barefoot, so it wasn't like you had to navigate
heels or anything like that. No, it's very chilled.
Wasn't. Was super chilled and I've got a
photo of that and we, you know, I posted it not too long ago
actually, because I found it on on the Internet.
I'd love to. Have you got anymore footage of
any of those shows? You know what?
I tried to find that look but the other day I will find it at
something. Is there any, like, actual video
footage? So I think it was showing us
videoing. I mean, it's such a shame, isn't
it? Yeah, because my, if my memory
serves me right, you closed that show wearing a cream Pearl
embroidered crepe maxi dress and you would just you filled it in
all the right places. It was just glorious.
I mean, the modeling world has changed so much.
Do you think in a good way? In a good way.
It's still not where it needs to be, but I think.
People are trying. Do you think it's changed?
Well, obviously there's more inclusivity.
I like to think it's less seedy perhaps, cuz it was quite seedy.
Different territories for me, like Paris and Milan.
It was like I was just like, I wanna come home.
I think it's less manipulative. Yeah, but you know, I'm sure
there's stuff that still goes on.
That you don't know. Did you have any particular
nasties? I had a lot of I felt a lot of
pressure when I was in Paris to schmooze and to socialize and to
go out with clients and rich older men, and it just never sat
well with me. And I would always make up some
elaborate excuse. Like you must come out to dinner
tonight. We have this client in town and
I was like and was that the agency?
Yeah, that was the agency. Wow.
Yeah, yeah. That wouldn't go down today.
No, you can't do that today. So agents pressuring you to go
out to dinner and what on the wait front?
Yes, so I remember. And that's why it was so
refreshing to do your show. You didn't once look at me and
say. Yeah, that your figure's not
going to work or you're not going to fit my clothes.
You were just, I meant, you were so encouraging and so happy and
enthusiastic and embracing a woman's physique.
Whereas in Paris I'd go and I'd be booked for shows and I'd run
to my rail and I'd look and it'd be like a wisp of material.
And I was like, and then I got booked for jobs and then got
cancelled because I just was too curvy in that words, which when
I look back, I really wasn't curvy at all.
I just had little boobs. You really weren't.
And I had a washboard stomach, yeah.
Abs of like you know, my abs were like and you know, I didn't
even do anything back then, didn't even have to work out.
I just had this amazing 6 back. So yeah, it was quite tricky.
And then in Milan, I remember them measuring me and taking me
into the toilet and. Measuring me saying you've got
to lose weight and you've got to lose weight from here, and I was
like, you were tiny and how do you lose weight from your bosom?
Exactly. Can you just sort of say, OK,
I'm not going to eat bread and then my boobs will shrink?
There's no way that you can do that.
And I was just, it just didn't sit well with me.
I just went back to the apartment and you know, the the
pencion and just made a big bowl of pasta and then thought,
right, I'm getting a flight home.
I loved my food. I still love my food.
I'm not going to Celebrity Master Chef Winner Hello, but
I'm loving I'm seeing more representation of our generation
now in the modeling world because let's face it, at our
age, she says very generously. To me, women can feel pretty
invisible, and I'd love to hear your views on being a model
again. Well, I haven't really stopped.
I've just continued because I love that whole process.
I love being on a shoe. I love the glam, I love the
lighting, I love the whole creative process.
I really enjoy it. So luckily for me, throughout my
career, modeling into kind of TV, presenting into radio, I've
still managed to shoot different campaigns and carry on with
that. But the book is called Just
Getting Started because in my early 40s, obviously with all
the perimenopause symptoms that I went through, and I've been
really vocal about that and I was very lost for quite a few
years and there were jobs that I was saying no to.
There's some TV. I couldn't.
I just couldn't even bring myself to do hosting jobs,
couldn't rely on my memory anymore.
And then I got to 50 and people like, oh, you're turning 50 now,
What's going to happen? You know, he's just going to
fade into the background or just retire.
And I was like, no, I felt at 50, the strongest I'd felt in
years. I kind of got a handle on all my
perimenopause symptoms. I felt really good in myself.
I knew the little tips and tricks I needed to do in order
to kind of hack my hormones and feel good, you know, get my
weight gained down because obviously upon a lot of weight
through the menopause. And so when I turned 50, I was
like, this is my second spring. I am just getting started.
Do not try and put me in a shelf on a shelf in the background and
just fade into the distance. So that's kind of where I'm at
now and that's why I want to champion women.
As they're getting older, to step into their second spring
and see this is a new positive phase in their life.
You know, we don't look like we did when we were 25.
I don't feel like I did when I was 25.
And I and I'm happy about that because we've, you know, we're
older, we're wiser. And I think it's that time to
reconnect with yourself and have this kind of self acceptance and
be proud of who you are and where you've come from.
All of the warts and all, all of the battle scars that we've kind
of carried with us. Don't we wish we knew back then?
What? We Yes.
Exactly. All of that heartache and all of
that comparison and it was just such a waste of time picking
holes in ourselves. And when the scheme of things,
it's just life's really short. I'm 51 now.
How did that happen? If I'm going to continue to be
at odds and and and uncomfortable with who I am,
then such a waste. So I jump him feet first and
grab life by the balls. So work launched.
Fantastic Master Chef, Celebrity Master Chef Winner.
What other little projects have you got on this year?
You know what? I'm just saying yes to
everything. I'm really, but at the same time
having a nice balance because I think that, you know, when you
get a little older, you have to just get that kind of work life
balance kind of down a little bit more.
So there's a documentary series that I'm hoping to produce later
on in the year, and it is all about menopause.
And nutrition and also different cultures, how the different
cultures deal with the menopause and how some of it is seen as
such a positive. And the different kind of
cultures help each other. Yeah, love that.
But like just globally how different it is and how.
And so that's something that I'm really excited about.
I might have another book of me who knows?
Lots more stuff with Women's Health and and and hopefully
helping women to feel. Good in themselves and to get
the right help because just a little blip, it's just a little
phase in our lives, you know. And then we can just.
But it can be a surprisingly long blip.
Yeah, we get it sorted. Well yeah, because you well now
we know a lot more than we did sort of 10 years ago nine years
ago. So a lot of women are kind of
like this could because there's sixty different symptoms and
counting with the with the perimenopause and it was
traditionally it was like your period stop.
You have a hot flash. And they were the only real kind
of symptoms or the signs, the warning signs.
And also women used to think that it happened way earlier in
the future. So it was somebody who didn't
look like us. It was somebody very frail, old,
really old and really frail and it and actually couldn't get out
of bed and needed a Walker. And that's not, you know, it
starts like probably pretty early on, like earlier than we
think, late 30s. When your fertility starts to
drop, you know it's when your body starts producing less
hormones. And then from the early 40s and
women, like I said, get misdiagnosed for years and years
and it gets untreated. And that's when vascular
dementia, osteoporosis, all those different conditions can
happen. So it's all about just women
being empowered to know what's happening, to recognize what's
happening, to write that list, to go to the doctor, and to push
back. Well, it's been so good to see
you. Davina McCall.
Mariela Frost? Yes, shouting from the rafters.
Just brilliant. No, we keep shouting.
Louder, louder. But today we're going on a style
journey. Here we are.
How did you decide what you were gonna put on today?
Well, I knew it had to be. Amanda Wakeley, thank you.
I'm lucky enough to have a few pieces from your collections
over the years. I've got a lot of amazing suits.
Like, I love one of you. I've got this red suit and I've
got that version in one of my favorite.
It's amazing. I've got a really beautiful,
like a coat and I've got a couple of dresses, so I tried on
my suit but then I thought, well, it's such a gorgeous sunny
day, I need to wear a dress. So I put this on today.
See, It was easy. It was easy.
It was going to be wakely brilliant, thank you.
So flattered. Do you remember just paging
right back to being a child when your earliest?
What your earliest memory was that clothes made you feel
different? I was really and still I'm into
accessories, so I used to always overaccessorize, so I'd go to my
nana's. Jewelry box.
And I'd put on her pearls and I'd put on all of her and I'd
layer it up. And then I remember my cousin
lived in Spain, so they had these beautiful little beaded
bags. And I remember I just used to
like crossbody bag with the pearls and it was always always
overaccessorized. And then a little flamenco
dress, little spotty flamenco dress, which we had because she
was living in Spain and I used to wear that, but I was always.
Had some kind of handbag jewelry and this is when I was like 5 or
6. This isn't one as a teenager.
And did that feel transformative to you?
Yeah, I just loved it. It just gave me this.
Like I just felt very grown up, very well put together.
And I was just always into looking at little trinkets and
little bits that I could adore myself with.
Little magpie, little. Magpie from the beginning,
absolutely. I was none aware that you were
borrowing. Her house?
Oh, yeah. Soon as I used to get to her
house, I'd run upstairs and I'd get her jury box out of the
wardrobe and I'd sit on the bed and I would just go through
everything. It was my thing whenever I went
around there. And then we used to go to
pantomimes at Christmas with her, so it was like a long.
Very kind of evening dress, even when I was under 10 years old,
eight, 910 years old. And so it was always very
dressy. So I I loved it.
I loved it. It was like a costume for me.
Was it more your grandmother than your parents?
That sort of impacted your early style, would you?
Say, I think it perhaps was, but my mom was really cool.
I remember she had a lot of kind of.
It was 80s style leather jackets like kind of like Michael
Jackson, quite structured with the.
Shoulder pads. And I remember she had like a
perm and it was all very like 80s.
Cool, high waisted. Yeah, really cool.
Lots of shoulder pads. So she dressed really well.
My dad never spent any money on himself and he still doesn't,
but he had a really cool battered leather jacket, which I
thought was just super cool, but he used to have high waisted.
He looked like Shaggy from scooby-doo.
Did you ever borrow any of? His leather jacket, Yeah, as I
got older, that was my kind of. And he had some cool, really
sort of worn. Lumberjack kind of shirts that
just was super old and soft and threadbare, which I loved as
well. Just get better and better and.
Better. And then he got rid of them
both. One day the leather jacket.
And I was like, where's the leather jacket?
It's like I gave it to a charity shop.
I was like, no. And also my mom too.
She got rid of everything, and I would love to have used and worn
her clothes later on, like jumpsuits and all that kind of
power. It is, I know.
I mean, the hoarder in me wishes I'd kept certain a Liar pieces
from the 80s because. God, they were good.
They were really good. Yeah.
I mean I've kept bits and pieces from my knees and for me just to
look at cuz you know, clothes just bring you those memories.
But I'm like, I remember when I was there, so my 21st.
So yeah, hang on to something. I know you famously dated George
Clooney. I'm not going to ask about the
relationship, but I'm fascinated to know how you navigated the
whole red carpet experience when you were walking with him.
Was he involved in what you wore at all?
No. So we only ever did we did
officially one red carpet for Oceans in Los Angeles.
And no, he didn't have anything to do with with that dresser or
Jenny Packham dress white with kind of embellished with little
silver kind of crystals and beads.
Really, really pretty dress. I think I had a little pashmina
as well. But no, I think I just tried it
on and said, do you like it? And he was like, yeah, that's
great. And then the other one we did, I
just had a little summary dress on and that was in LA again.
But we didn't actually do the red carpet.
We just walked really fastly down the red carpet together.
Just like to try and avoid the paparazzi.
Was it intimidating doing the whole red carpet thing?
That was a huge premiere. The oceans one was was really
big, and it was. Obviously very exciting, but I
just remember I got really excited because Prince came in
and everyone was like, I was literally standing there with
George and like Brad Pitt was there and it was like, you know,
and I. It sounds really flippant, but I
was used to hanging out with them because we've done the
oceans. We've done a couple of the films
and we spent time in Rome and Amsterdam.
And I remember every there was this big Hoo ha and a big fuffle
in the carpet and I look around and it was like Princess here
and I was like princes. I remember it's really exciting
and I just got very distracted watching Prince just kind of
walk behind all of the Your boyfriend loved that and.
It's Prince, you know. Everybody loves Prince.
The legend. But yeah, I mean, it was, you
know, I I still find red carpet quite intimidating now.
I find it, yeah, that that sort of force of cameras isn't.
It it's a lot. It's intense.
It's it's the lights, it's the noise.
It's the they scream your name and I find that I do.
I never find myself comfortable on the red carpet.
I always get a little. Beforehand I find yeah, me, I
find my heart beats and millions.
It's not a natural, you know, it's not.
You're just standing there and you're like over here, over
here. And you're like you're trying to
suck your stomach in and get a good angle of the dress.
You spent hours getting ready. You're like, God, I look like my
eyes are going to be closed and then we're like doing some weird
face. So yeah, it's it's always
intimidating regardless of where you are in the world.
Whatever. Red carpet.
Now on the counter to that is you spent seven years as a DJ
Capital Radio. How did you dress for that?
Because am I correct in saying that was sort of before a lot of
social media and this is what I'm wearing to work pictures.
So in the beginning it was very casual.
Obviously I still wasn't just going to rock up in my pajamas
and there were always be a photographer in the square when
you left the building, so you kind of had to be semi put
together. And I've always loved my
fashion, so it wasn't a problem. I'd organize my outfit the night
before and get it all ready because obviously it's very
early starts, but then they started incorporating the
webcams into the studio, so then you almost had to look done.
Camera ready, Camera ready. So in the beginning where I
could, I could kind of fathom what I was wearing and and it
would be fine. And then by the time the end of
the show it happened, I'd have a bit of mascara on all my
sunglasses. And so when you left and the
photographers caught you, you know, you were ready.
But then they started to have the cameras on from about 7:30
in the morning. And we used to film the guests
that came in because it became very like YouTube.
And, you know, so then I'd have to start, like, putting makeup
on at like 6:00 in the morning. I'd be like, through when we're
playing the music, I'd start like, and so like 7:00 hour, I
do my bass. 8:00 hour, I put my mascara on.
And then it was just slowly I pieced myself together
throughout the morning, which is frustrating because you'd just
be able to be like, oh, you could just rock up.
You don't have to bother about what you were.
And I was like, that's where you're wrong.
So, yeah, it started to get a little bit more high maintenance
I guess. Did you dress the DJ part?
What does that mean? What was a DJ?
Well. We, you know, was a bit
rock'n'roll, was it? Yeah, I guess it was at the
time. I did have kind of.
I love my leopard print jeans and I had like a snakeskin kind
of red pair. And I do a lot of bikers and
like kind of cool logo tshirts. So yes, you did.
I guess I did. But then I also would do like a
cute little summary dress. I mean, this is like seven days
a week, Five days a week. You know, like it was, it was it
was a lot and it was 7 1/2 years.
So it was just like I had to keep churning out looks and I
was on repeat a lot of time. I've always been quite
sustainable with my clothing, but yeah, it was it was a lot of
looks that I had to get through. And then there was being a judge
on Britain's next to presenter, the host.
Sorry, I was the Tyra. I was the British Tyra.
Oh my goodness. So that must have had quite a
few wardrobe pressures. Did you have a stylist?
Yes. You had a stylist.
I had a really good stylist. I had a great makeup artist, and
we were really into kind of creating a new look every final.
So the final would consist of me with the other judges.
And that's when one girl would go home.
I always found it so hard. I hated that part.
Hate to get rid of these girls because they all became, it's
heartbreaking. Yeah, I hated it.
And then they were like, this is TV show and it's cutthroat
industry. And I was like, yeah, and I
appreciate that, but it was really hard.
But yeah, I know. But they do have feelings and
they're going to go home and they're going to be mortified.
So yeah, it was, it was quite hard, but we did really focus on
getting some major looks. Some of them when I look back,
bit too major, bit too strong for TV, like a really electric
blue eye and a very strong line and like a major kind of bask.
And it was, but it was fun. It was stressing up again, which
I've always loved to do. And those clothes were just
borrowed. Yeah, I mean, you've worked in
and around the fashion industry all your adult life, really,
haven't you? When do you feel you really
discovered your personal style DNA?
That's a really good question. I think I've had moments
throughout my life where I think this is, this is definitely very
I I found it, this is me. But I think it's probably been
in my 40s actually. When you just, you find yourself
a little bit more, you know, and you I was kind of less bothered
about trends, less worried about what people think.
And you know, I used to always think I have to wear something
new to this event or I have to like, you know, I could never
feel comfortable or confident enough to wear something that
I've already worn, whereas now I totally do.
So maybe now, maybe this is my this is my moment where I feel
the most comfortable. So if someone were to describe
your style DNA in three words, what would you want those 3
words to be? Effortless.
Love that word, which I'm not sure I can I'd like.
I'd like to be seen as effortless.
It is eclectic though, because I love my tailoring.
But then I love to wear like a maxi and a bit boho.
So let's do effortless, eclectic and timeless.
Good that they're big. Big.
I mean somebody we're listening to going that's.
Rubbish. No, I like that.
That's what I aspire to being. If somebody was to yeah, sum me
up in. 3 words. I saw something on Instagram the
other day that that said, you know you've got to pick your
words and you've got to buy ruthlessly to match those 3
words and then your wardrobe will work.
Okay. Maybe maybe try and be timeless
now because of the pieces that I've got in my wardrobe are
pieces that I want to wear. So I've I've stopped holding.
I got a new wardrobe built at the end of last year and you
kind of wardrobe room, whole kind of room dedicated and I
just thought I've got too much stuff.
I can't find what I want to wear from day-to-day and I need it so
just strip it back, be more simplistic and have items and
pieces that I love that are timeless and then it is
eclectic. So I guess it is a mixture of
those 3 words. And and did you actually do that
organizing yourself? Yes.
Did you? Yes.
Physically, yes. I had a huge culling.
I had to get everything out of that room was which had been in
there for 20 years. I know it was.
It was hideous. It took about 8 months.
Luckily, it took that time to build the wardrobe or to design
it. I took everything out and then I
have my three piles where I'm like charity sell.
And did you try everything on? Pretty much.
A lot of it did. Doesn't fit me anymore.
And a lot of it I just was holding.
But it but it's a great catalyst.
Yes, saying, OK, charity show. All my sisters, yes, all my
friends different. We're all different sizes and so
there's something for everybody there.
But it's so great to get rid of stuff.
It's a brilliant experience, isn't it?
Yeah. And then I had this blank canvas
and then when they built the room, I could then only put
things in that I really love. And I like if, you know, would
you wear that today? Yes, I would.
Or something that you think, No, I'll wear it.
No, get rid of it. Yeah, get rid of it.
Yeah, I mean talking about sizes and trying on our bodies change.
You you've talked about that a lot openly.
What would you say is the secret to staying stylish as our bodies
change? I think wear clothes that suit
you. Try not to be too trend led
dress for you. You know I hate what this age
appropriate thing. I hate that saying.
I think that's just so rude. Yeah, really obnoxious where
what the hell you want, you know.
But I think I think a good bit of tailoring is timeless and I
think that you can really smarten up any look and add that
confidence to your whole demeanor depending on how you
know, regardless of how you're feeling with a little bit of
tailoring. But yeah, I think it's like
dressing for you rather than anybody else and don't be too
trend led. Good answer.
We talk about bosoms for a moment.
We can. I can talk about bosoms forever.
Not just for a moment. There is a reason why most high
fashion models are pretty smaller busted, let's put it
that way. It's easier to dress, clothes
hang from your shoulders more effortlessly.
But when you have bosoms, some cuts just don't work.
Do you agree? Good.
Absolutely. So many things that I'm unable
to wear. And you know, some of your
beautiful little spaghetti strap dresses in the past and just
more delicate. Yeah, I can't wear them.
I need scaffolding. So how do you work around it?
I just I've got great strapless bras.
Really good ones that don't give you 4 boobs and that don't move.
They stay with the your boobs and the bra.
You don't have to keep hoisting them.
So good, good underwear is key for dressing with boobs.
And it's annoying because I do have to buy dresses bigger to
cater for the boobs and then sometimes I have to have them
tailored around the waist and hips.
But yeah, it's just about savvy dressing and also just walking
away from rails that you just know aren't going to work for
you, which is hard sometimes. Some of those beautiful backless
dresses and like I said, little spaghetti straps and things.
So yeah, I just walk away from that and I realize I just know
my strengths and I know what I have to all of the gubbings that
goes underneath it. So do you do a lot of deep V's?
That type of. I can't do too, too many deep
V's either, because some of the bras that strapless bras don't
allow for that. These Gossard glossies, the one
I'm wearing today is a little bit Lacy, huh?
That's quite a good one. This is quite a deep V Yeah,
it's quite deep. I was.
About to say, yeah, wearing a deep V dress today.
Yeah, it's just about. I just have to basically buy
things, try them on with my bra or if I'm going somewhere, take
my bras with me to the changing room so you can work out.
So then you save time and you have to go back and return it
and all of that. But yeah, I kind of can see now
when I go to a rail, like, is that going to work?
Is that going to work? Because I've been dressing for
my boobs my whole life. I mean, you've met so many
brilliant designers. Do you have any particular
memorable moments from from working with any of the greats?
No, only I remember Emmanuel Angara was hideously rude to me
and that sticks in my mind in Paris because of my chest.
I remember him hitting me in my chest because I was walking like
this and he wanted me to walk like.
He wanted me to be like concave and I was like.
Minimize your bosom. And I just didn't fit his
aesthetic. I don't think I ever would.
And I remember him being really nasty and I literally left there
in tears and just got straight on the Eurostar home.
And I was like, that's it, I'm done.
I'm done with Paris. I'm done.
There's only so much. And I was, I was a kid then, you
know I wasn't even 20 and that's really brutal to be treated that
badly, you know, But, but but most of it was.
I've got beautiful memories of modeling.
I'm the fashion industry and designers.
It's just a little few snippets here and there, which obviously
you remember more when you kind of talk about it.
Probably just still need a bit of therapy over.
It PTSD, yeah, PTSD from up from Paris.
But most of the time it was amazing and I got to travel so
much and wear beautiful clothes and.
Do you have a wonderful archive of pieces that you were gifted
through because there wasn't? There was a time back then,
probably when you first started, when you would perhaps be gifted
in clothes rather than even be paid a fee for a show.
So I do. I have some in.
I have some tucked away. I've got some.
I've got some beautiful Cavalli bits and pieces.
When I used to go to to Milan and we used to get dressed for
the show. Got some Fendi pieces, Bella
Freud from back in the day, some beautiful shoes, little
platform, kind of sling backs and a couple of suits, maybe
some westward. Yeah, I have got some bits and
pieces. So they're hoarded.
They are hoarded, but they're safely hoarded.
And I. They're archived.
They're archived basically. Yeah, in the loft, if that
counts. And then I always preferred
cash. So I was always like, if it's a
choice, I'll take the cash. I don't need the clothes.
I love the clothes. I'll wear them for the show, but
I'll take the cash. Thank you.
What do you reach for when you need to feel empowered?
It's always a suit and a good spray of put perfume.
A rose in a while from where we don't.
Is it a trouser suit? Yeah, always, always a pantsuit.
And I love a trainer with a pantsuit.
I love it. Simple tshirt, round neck
tshirt, beautiful cotton. Nice bit tailoring.
Done. So who's your simple tshirt by
attorney? It's a lady from Los Angeles.
She does the best, best tshirts. You have to take them out.
She's got a whole range now, but they're beautiful.
Cotton. She does black, Gray and white.
And you can do long sleeves, short sleeves.
I like the short round neck. Stunning.
She's a stylist in Los Angeles. She's fantastic.
Do you have a style icon? I don't know.
If I do. I don't know if I do have a
style icon. I do.
I love Sienna Miller. I love.
I love a lot of kind of like British girls.
I love Amanda Wakely. Manda Wakely.
No, I do. I've always.
I love you, Amanda. You're my style icon.
You know what? It's different.
Women. I love kind of Julianne Moore.
I think she dresses really beautifully.
Is it? Yeah, super chic.
I love Isabel Moran though, too. I love her style.
I love her. Always love her collections.
Emmanuelle Alt. Yeah, she's cool.
That kind of effortless,
timeless bit rock'n'roll. And a bit sexy, sexy, sexy older
woman just just looking, rocking it.
So yeah. Do you think your styles changed
through the decades? Yeah, it's definitely changed.
I think I've got more confident as I've gotten older.
I feel like I've found my thing which, which is, you know, good
tailoring, a little bit of print.
Yeah, It's definitely evolved, I think.
I don't know. I think I look back at pictures
and there was some terrible fashion mistakes.
Oh. Tell me so I think, I think,
yeah. I think it was a couple of like
premieres when I was host, you know, like on the red carpet
hosting and I think I tried to go too themed, like quite
literally I would dress like Shaggy from scooby-doo with the
red cords and a little kind of pale denim jacket.
And I was like it was for the scooby-doo premiere.
So I was like, OK, let me just go in theme.
And then it was like Dukes of Hazzard and I had like, you
know, a bustier with a denim. Yeah, it was, it was tacky and
two themed. We had a great night.
Have you been to the Barbie movie yet?
No, I haven't. No.
OK. I'm.
So you've saved your pink moment.
I've saved my pink moment. I went to the Oppenheimer
premiere instead. And of seeing Barbie.
I think you're either Barbie or Oppenheimer.
Very different films. Yeah.
And sort of as the years of crept by, how has your hair
makeup changed? I mean, do you do you intend to
lob your hair off at any point or I go this?
Amazing Main Thank you. I go through phases.
I cut it last year when it was really thin.
I'd noticed it from the menopause and from COVID and it
got really thin and was falling out quite a lot.
So the ends of it, which has gone quite wispy.
So I cut it off quite short. I'm not precious about my hair.
I think a good chop a couple of times a year is so good for it.
So who knows? Never say never.
I'm quite open to a change of hair.
As far as makeup goes, I used to love doing a black flick.
Now it's really hard to do it because obviously the eyes have
moved down. So when I do it I have to like
really and plus my eyesights going.
So there's all these fun things to contend with.
That's a magnifying mirror. It's a magnifying mirror.
But then you're holding your eye and then you're trying to and
then when you let the eye go and you're like, oh, so the lines
don't kind of flick effortlessly upwards like they used to.
Used to love that black line. So now I'm more about creams and
and like creamy. It's nothing that's going to sit
in the lines, more dewy, dewy complexion, creamy eye shadow
that you can just blend really easy.
A little bit of coal, loads of mascara that will never change,
a good brow and just yeah, like bronzing bombs and blushes that
are of a nice texture just to add that car.
We don't want to dull down that skin that's already fighting to
be dull. Yes, You're having a debate with
it. Yeah, I'm like, no, only creamy,
creamy Consistencies please. And what is the one item of
clothing that means the most to you?
I love. I've got a little Isabel Moran
leather jacket, which I love, which is really battered and
old, and it's kind of got a cropped sleeve.
And I just, yeah, I love that. I love that.
But I don't know, It's a tricky one I'm not too hung up on.
I don't know. I think it's quite good to kind
of, yeah, I try to be less, you know, attached to that sort of
stuff these days. I thought of that when I
realized my car would be nicked this morning.
Like car. Who needs a?
Car stuff. It's only stuff, exactly.
I mean, you lead an incredibly busy life.
One minute you're on television, the next you're modeling, the
next you're promoting your book. You phenomenally organized about
planning your wardrobe, planning your looks.
I am quite organized. I think now that I've I've got
more organization in my life with the closet, it's easier to
get dressed, it's easier to pack, it's easier to plan
because I can go to my dress rail or my suit rail and be like
okay, That's going to work for that.
And then it just takes that pressure off.
Or if I've got premier and I think none of those dresses
work, I need to borrow something.
I'll then put that in motion and I sometimes use a stylist
because then she can just call in lots of bits for me and it to
take off that pressure. But that's kind of more premier
red carpet. The rest of it, I kind of do it
myself and try to be organized. And when you not quite sure of
how something looks, who do you most trust for an opinion,
George, my fiance has got amazing style.
Oh, that's so lovely. He's great.
I'm like, gonna borrow you for a second, George.
Like yelling up to him. Is he kind in the way he
delivers? He's kind, but he's also really
quite frank as well. So that's not quite.
Yeah. He's like, he's like, why would
you? No, you've got so many other
things. Why would you?
It's like, no, no, you need to get rid of these dresses.
They don't do anything for your figure.
You need to show your legs, your legs.
He's really brutal, man. I.
Love it. Fantastically pragmatic in the
way they deliver that message, aren't they?
He's like, no more. He loves this because it's sort
of, you know, you can see. I mean, it's not like I want you
to look really slutty or anything.
That's always he just thinks, wear clothes that do something
for your figure rather than some of these and.
Show your best bit, Yeah, show your best bit.
So yeah, he's very honest and I always trust him.
Oh. That's lovely.
And let's just talk about travel for a moment, sort of as a well
known face. Are you very aware of an airport
Look what your airport look will be, that you'll be spotted
walking through the airport. No, I don't think about that.
I don't think about that. I think about being comfortable
mostly. I love a kind of pajama suit.
Like a pajama like code for travel and good luggage,
obviously. I usually take a little trolley
Dolly hand luggage with the zip so I can change clothes as well.
So if it's a long distance flight, I'll have a change of
clothes. Please don't tell me you pack
for 10 days into. Just a travel hold all not ten
days, but I have been trying to do hand luggage recently so for
like a four day trip I managed to get everything into a hold
all and I was so proud of myself.
Bag is this. It's it's like a Louis Vuitton,
just a little suitcase that goes over the in the overhead lumber.
It's really impressive. It's so good though, when you've
worn everything. And So what tips would you give?
For getting that absolutely right, I would plan your looks.
What are you doing? Where are you going?
Are you going to the beach? Okay.
Take one cover up, one bikini for that day, Change of clothes
for the evening? Make sure that your sandals work
multiple times throughout that trip so you can only take three.
Perhaps always take a comfy. I always love my haviannas
because they're just super easy and even though you take other
sandals, it's just easy just to throw them on.
Just a couple of cover ups that really roll up easily and then
just be minimalist with your toiletries.
Yeah, that's that's one of the trickiest things.
It's one of the trickiest things.
It's like you think you could buy your sun cream there if you
need it without, you know, face 1A, good face.
One is always good to take. And that the HRT is the one
that's usually the trickiest thing because obviously, you
know, they're getting the right sizes.
And if you've got your big gel, which I've never had, I've
always had the little Anzeto spray.
Yeah, all of that. But you know what?
I traveled at the weekend. I didn't have to take any of my
toiletries out of the bag anymore.
You can leave them in your hand luggage.
I was like, where's the little plastic Peggy thing?
Where's the little plastic bag? And they were like, no, you
don't need that. Keep it all.
And I was like, yes, finally. Yes, because I've I hate it when
people say, well, it doesn't all fit in your plastic bag.
You're going to have to throw something and then I'll give it
to George. Take this like, throw it in his
bag. But you don't need to do that
anymore. So I think it's just about being
organized and planning your looks while you're away.
And it's it's the most. It's brilliant because so many
times you've got your suitcase, it takes so long to pack, then
it takes ages to unpack and then when you pack it all back up and
you think I haven't worn that, haven't worn that and you decide
well. I get real stress about what if
this bag. I never see this bag again.
Am I going to be devastated by what's in it?
And then you think it's stuff. Yeah, it's stuff.
And my tip would be, if you are going on a beach holiday, is
always pack your favorite bikini and your cover up in your hand
luggage. Totally.
Because then if you get to where you're going, at least you can
just chill out by the beach all day or by the pool.
Cool, safe sun. And then when Then when?
Because always if you're shopping for a bikini.
There's nothing worse than shopping for a bikini in a
hurry. Yeah, in a in a strange place
and you're like, well that doesn't fit.
And you know, I love the fact that you can buy different size
tops and bottoms and mix and match and things like that.
So always take your favorite bits in your hand luggage.
If you're checking in a bag, that would be my top tip.
Love that. Would you say you have a brand
that's a guilty secret? Do you mean like a High Street
brand or something? Yes.
Or a very extravagant brand. I mean, I dip in and out.
I can find something everywhere. I'm.
I'm not very brand loyal. I do.
I do love, you know, I can go to Zara.
I can go all over the place. Yeah, I know there's no guilty
secret for me. I'm.
I'm super open about where I shop and I'll just go.
I can find something everywhere. Do you feel you've got an
excessive amount of anything in your wardrobe?
I've probably got too many dresses.
Shoes. Shoes I've been quite good with
recently because I've, you know, I think since lockdown I barely
wear heels. Or when I do, I mean agony.
So I've just started to just get rid of the ones that are.
Feet don't last beyond two hours.
I find since since lockdown my feet have changed shape, or
they've got bigger, or the shoes I used to buy were too small.
I don't know what it is, but it's like I just want to be
comfortable. I don't mind a little ankle boot
and a little heel, a chunky heel, but a tiny little where
I'm kind of tottering around. I'm thinking, I'm sitting there
having dinner. I think I need to go to the
bathroom. How many you get from here to
here? And I'm like how every step is
painful. So I used to have excessive
amount of shoes and I've no longer purchased them.
I've probably got too many handbags.
I do love a handbag. Love a handbag?
Have you ever? Justified and expensive purchase
with pounds per wear. Yeah, all the time.
All the time. I love that.
Pounds per wear for me. I'm like, and my friends were
all really guilty of enabling each other to purchase things.
We're like when you think about it.
We're using it all day, every day.
It's like, you know, so yeah, I do that all the time, but with
like beautiful pieces that are quality.
Because I think if you buy quality, you're obviously buying
less hopefully and you're living a more sustainable life and
you're buying things that you love and that you can you maybe
pass down as well. Talking about sustainable,
what's your approach to sustainable fashion?
Well, I think, you know, as I mentioned before, I used to
always think I need to wear something new to every occasion.
And now I think it's about quality pieces that you can wear
time and time again and that kind of work together as well.
So with your suits, you know, you can wear the pants on their
own with a beautiful tshirt or lovely blouse.
The jacket, you can split it up and wear it with jeans, wear
over on your shoulders with a dress.
I think it's about looking at your wardrobe and how it all
works together. Kind of more of a capsule kind
of attitude. So yeah, that's kind of how I
try to shop now, and that's my attitude when it comes to being
sustainable. It's like quality pieces and
less stuff. Because as an influencer with
443,000 followers and counting on Instagram.
You must get gifted all the time.
And how do you control what arrives on your doorstep?
That's quite tricky because I do get gifted a lot.
And it's not to say I don't appreciate it, but sometimes
there's just too much stuff. So sometimes people ask you, I'd
love to gift you this, Are you open to that?
And I have to say no, because I just don't want any more bits in
my wardrobe. And I say, you know, thank you
very much. Maybe I'll check in with you in
a few months if, you know, I just try and be polite in that
way because I don't want to be disrespectful, but I just, it's
just so much stuff and beauty stuff too.
Yeah. When one little product comes in
a huge box and I'm just like, Oh my God, this is such a waste,
and then you feel so guilty because they're recycling
outside the house. People are like, Jesus, there's
two of them living in there. So, yeah, I'm trying.
I'm more mindful of that, for sure.
What do you do with your clothes when you've had enough of them?
I either we gift them to people, give them to my sisters.
I've got two sisters. I've got friends I used to
charity. I love giving it to the local
charity stores because we've got quite a few in our High Street
and I really love when they send the e-mail through to tell you
how much they've raised through the sales of your clothes.
Lovely. Which charity shop is that?
So the Heart Foundation, the British Heart Foundation, Scope.
There's obviously Oxfam. This was quite a few on my on my
High Street and I think it's just it's just really nice to
know that they're making a lot of money.
And you divide your Yeah. Oh, lovely.
Yeah. I try and divide it, yeah.
And I just give them loads of stuff load it took.
It's a great feeling, isn't it Great?
Feeling I took some wakely in which charity shop is that?
Everybody take no sitting anxiously outside the store.
And then I took something else in and the girl in there was so
sweet. She said, My God, all the
Chelsea Yummy mummies went absolutely bunk.
Sure. They did a whole like window.
And I've walked past the windows of the charity shops and they've
put stuff in the window and I'm like, and it all looks really
beautiful. They've dressed it and I almost
want to go back in there and play it back.
I want to buy back my dress. I should have kept out of it.
But yeah, it looks great and I'm like, you know, do.
You ever sell? Yeah, I sell.
And which platforms? So I've sold on vintage Vestier
Circle. The circle's a great one.
It's a new one. It's CIRKLE.
Yeah, definitely. Do you have a particular piece
in your wardrobe that means the most to you?
Well, I love the leather biker and I'm trying to think.
I think some of my suits, I just think they're so timeless.
I just want to keep them looking lovely forever.
But there's there's nothing that I walk in there.
It's not like a Sarah Jessica Parker.
And I'm like, hello lovely and you kind of like wrap it around
yourself. It's like, you know, I just, I
have got some really lovely bits.
But yeah, I'm not too hung up on anyone, am I?
Couple of coats maybe. Yeah, I don't know.
But not one particular was your father's jacket.
Or no, I don't have anything like that.
Unfortunate. I wish I would have had some of
the pieces that my mom used to have.
And if I had my dad's leather biker, that would be treasured
forever. Let's move on some quick fire
questions. I'm terrible at these.
It's all right, you can. I'm sure you'll be good.
What fashion advice would you give to your 20 year old self?
Where do I start? Oh gosh.
Quick file. Quick file, Okay.
That's why I'm terrible at these things.
So there's always like, is it yes or is it no?
It's just to say it just do you just do you just keep doing.
You just keep making those mistakes.
It doesn't matter. Which fashion trend would you
most like to make a comeback? God, I don't know either, I
said. I told you I'm terrible at these
things because I love the 80s, but I still am very much in
that. I have a lot of, like, sort of
very faded denim, a little fluoro.
So I've kind of still got that a tiny little bit of a raver in me
still. The palm, The palm I wouldn't do
again, but I do curl it from time to time because I do love a
curl. You always.
I always wanted curly hair and I'm a boho 70s, so I love the
70s look a lot. What fashional beauty trend
would you consign to room 101? It would be at the perm for
sure, especially the spiral perm that it just makes it super
Shirley Temple and also changes the color quite dramatically
too, cuz it literally just annihilates every follicle on
your head. Your last impulse by a little
Chanel dunamy back. Quite an impulse.
Your views on tattoos. Do you know what?
I love them. And then I think I haven't got
any and I am considering maybe a few little baby ones around my
hand. But now I think I'm 51.
Is it too late? It's the love hate thing with
tattoos. George has got whole sleeve and
I do think they look fantastic but just on the right person.
Beauty treatment you couldn't give up.
I love facial facial massage. I think just that, hands on
treatment, just lifting and Sarah Chapman do great facials
there. So I think, yeah, good facial
massage and lymphatic drainage. High end or High Street High
End. Let's buy well, buy once and buy
well. Bling or bear fit Bling.
Couture or charity shop? Charity shop, Crocs.
Cute or puke. I don't like them personally,
but George has got two pairs. He's got bright green ones that
he bought years ago. And then he was like, see,
Justin Bieber has them. See, I told you I was ahead of
the curve. And I was like, Oh my God,
really? So he's got bright green ones,
which he wore in the street ones to meet me, and I was mortified.
And then he's got Gray ones. And I've kind of they're OK.
They're little bit more muted. It's like a dark charcoal Gray,
but they're not my favorite thing.
Sneakers or stilettos? Sneakers all day long.
Bags or shoes? Bags.
Skinnies or boyfriends or wide legs boyfriends.
Body con or boho poho. Sports Lux or rock chick?
Rock Chick, Red carpet or relaxed, Relaxed, Experimental
or UU? Cashmere or cotton?
Depends on the season, Amanda. I love a cotton, but I do love a
cashmere as well. Hoarder or editor?
Well, I'm in transition, so I'm a hoarder that's, you know,
trying to be minimalist. Shapewear or sexy lingerie?
Sexy lingerie. Tights or stockings or holdups?
Holdups bikini or One Piece bikini?
Trilby or Tracy Trilby? Finally, one last question.
At the end of the day, what do you or don't you wear in bed?
So I love my pajamas and I've got a great selection, but I
usually wear them to bed and then I take them off because I
get too hot. So my intentions are to go to
bed in my pajamas and then I'm just naked.
Wonderful, wonderful. And if you could turn the tables
and ask me one of these questions, what would you ask
me? Can I please look in your
closet? Can I come and have a little
rummage around your closet? One day that would be such fun.
I really wanna do it. I'll come and film it.
We'll turn the tables and I'll come and film you talking
through all your pieces. Yeah, that would be fun, Lisa.
Thank you so much. You have been brilliant.
It's so good to see you. It's so good to hear you looking
at you looking resplendent wearing Wakely.
Thank you. You're so welcome and thank you
for having me. My pleasure.