Today I'm going on a style journey with broadcaster,
journalist, radio presenter, mother of two and passionate
animal welfare campaigner, the gorgeous Kirsty Gallagher.
Hello and welcome Kirsty. Thank you so much.
Thanks for having me. Oh, it's very exciting to.
Have you here? I know you are a super busy
girl, but I would love to know what project you're most excited
about at the moment. Oh gosh, there's lots going on
at the moment. I well, I'm looking at lots of
sort of bits and pieces TV wise. Obviously.
I do radio, smooth radio with a a brilliant sort of gang there.
I love it. And then I'm yeah, there's lots
of projects and but I'm also doing, as you mentioned, a lot
more campaigning for animal welfare.
So that sort of sits there nicely and I'm a mum as well, so
there's quite a lot going on. The radio takes up a lot of my
time, but I I love it because it's funny because I was always
in TV and at Sky Sports did did that and that was my bread and
butter. And I I do a lot of corporate
bits and pieces, you know, things on the side.
But I'd never done radio like this.
I'd I'd done some sort of sports radio, talked about golf and
football and various things or whatever, and worked with Chris
Evans on rock'n'roll football, on Virgin.
But I I'd never done this sort of music radio.
I love it. And because you can be yourself
and you're just like talking to your friends and it's like
really nostalgic music's bit solely because I'm a soul girl
and it's grey. I love it are.
You, I mean, it's radio, but are you very conscious about what
you're wearing to go into the radio?
That that's great because sometimes it's nice dressing up
if you feel like it and sometimes I might sort of, you
know, meet friends after and get excited and have nice dinner or
drinks. And sometimes you just, It's
really nice actually, because you can go wearing a jumpsuit
like chilled out, you know, or gym gear I.
Was going to say ever straight from the gym?
Yes, loads. I mean quite a few.
Jenny Faulkner who does it, she's obviously a brilliant
runner and she's running the marathon this year and I was
running it last year. I'd often turn up in my running
gear and then you know, she runs home.
Sometimes she's incredible because we we sort of I go on
just after her on a Saturday so no it's great you know when
you're relaxed you do a better job anyway totally so but there
have been times as well and Miling class does this a lot she
we sort of wear you know you wear sort of relaxed gear and
you feel like you do your best job in that way and then you've
got an event after and you sort of go into the you sort of do
Wonder Woman thing go out the door with a with a ball dress on
so so no it's it's great that's the beauty of radio it's it's
about what you're saying it's about your voice it's about
keeping someone company and and you know sort of yeah keeping
those listeners company and and doing a good job it's not so
visual is it which it's quite refreshing in a way.
But I just wondered, in this sort of social media world, how
much do you feel you get snapped or you have to snap yourself I
on the way or way from? I I control it myself.
Really. You control it yourself.
It's what you want to make of it and and what you want to do,
really. When I do breakfast for smooth,
which I don't do all the time we all sort of help each other on
there and and when Jenny's are off I'll do breakfast and I love
that and yeah, I mean maybe I'll, I won't feel like it
whatever time for in the morning.
Yeah. But I will possibly dress up a
little more. The weekends you feel a bit more
chilled out sort of Saturdays turning up after the gym.
But no it's it's fine. It's you it it it is what it is.
You you make it what, what you want it to be.
But I must say, when you're really relaxed you, you do a
better job. Yeah, I think.
I think clothes are so important to us as to how they make us
feel. Absolutely.
And it it doesn't really matter what you're what.
It's absolutely where you're going.
It's just if you're feeling your best self, Yep, you are gonna be
your. Best self.
Yeah, you are. And you're not so conscious and
oh, fidgeting. Yeah, worrying.
But today we're gonna go on a style journey, yeah.
And so as part of that journey, I just wondered why you decided
to wear what you're wearing to come here.
Well obviously I was very aware I'm, I'm sat with you know you
who is, I've looked up to for years.
In her hoodie? No, you.
Look, you always look stunning. And I love what you've designed.
I love what you what you've done.
I mean, you're you're a, you know an institution British
fashion institution. God, that makes me feel very
old. No, no, not at all.
No, not at all. Your name is just like well,
don't you don't might not know this but I'm a Joseph girl.
I worked at Joseph as AIII, left school took a gap year and was a
Joseph girl. So I I, you know, I know a lot
about fashion. You might not always think think
so the way I wear very casual gear occasionally.
But I think that's the sort of beauty of, you know, I'm also, I
do a lot of sport and fitness so I do wear a lot of gym gear all
the time. But no, I I was a Joseph girl.
So I worked you know on Sloan St. the big the big one there.
And Joseph used to come in every day.
And I was like, Oh my God, it's Joseph.
He was such a phenomenal hands on retail he was.
Amazing. And I'm sure you knew.
Yeah, knew him well. Yeah, he.
He smoked a cigar walking through, absolutely with that
Mac. He used to wear that Mac.
And I was just like, Oh my God, but I loved the simplicity of
and and still do love sort of simple kind of clean cut clothes
and that that looks. So I was aware of what I was,
you know, doing today and I thought, God, if you can't go in
your gym gear, you can't go in a onesie or jumpsuit or whatever.
I'm wearing a Philip Limb suit. Gorgeous.
Now the colour isn't very me in a way, but actually I quite like
it 'cause I wear too much black. It's a good thing you didn't
come this morning 'cause I was wearing exactly that colour.
You're joking this, yes. You're joking.
Not that suit, but that colour, yes.
So you like, do you? I love it.
Gorgeous. It's oversized.
Gorgeous. But you know, a bit like we were
saying just now, it it, it's comfortable.
You can wear I need. I nearly wore it with trainers,
decided to wear a boot, you know.
So yeah, I thought I'd put a Philip Lim on for you.
Well, thank you. And you grew up in Surrey.
Your father was a professional golfer, very famous professional
golfer. Did his golfing style rub off on
you at all? Well, I mean.
There was a lot of Lyland Scott banging around the house.
Do you know what? My dad and mum, both my parents,
have great style. I have to say that my mum loves
you as well, by the way, and she was very excited about, you
know, coming today. They, my mum is very chic, Very,
very chic. I've learnt a lot from her, My
dad, yeah, I mean, golf gear, it's quite cool.
I mean, it's quite retro now, you know some of the stuff he's
got. Yeah.
And does he still wear, Does he still wear sort of quite golfing
inspired? Well, he, he, he plays a lot of
golf still, Yeah. And he plays golf.
He still does, you know, play in golf days.
He still works. So yeah, he wears golf gear and.
But when he's off. Yeah, of course.
Yes, he's. Still in his leylands.
Golf. It can do.
Can do, yeah. There's the odd sort of, yeah.
But did that rub off on you in a positive way?
Did you aspire to that? Or did you think that's all well
and good for you, Dad? But it's not for me?
Well, do you mean actually would I wear any of that?
Yes, when I play or or or just in general.
What do what do you wear when you play?
Well, I mean it's it is quite limiting.
You know, I wear you, You have to wear a trouser and a jumper.
You've got to be smart, haven't you?
And then it's keeping warm, really.
So, yeah, I mean, I I guess I have been.
My father is very smart. He's together, we're very
similar. We're perfectionists, we're
quite a bit sort of OCD, but it always looks Immaculate and and
I guess if if anything, I definitely have grown up in that
that sort of quite smart everything, you know.
Yeah, put together, put together.
Do you remember your ugliest memory of how clothes made you
feel? Yes, in a funny way.
My mum still talks about an sort of.
We now talk about this to, well, my nieces.
I've got 2 nieces and A and a nephew, and then I've got two
boys, obviously. So to the nieces my mum will
say, you know, if she can't get them dressed 'cause they're only
little and they're sort of fighting her going, come on, put
your whatever on. She always tells the story that
I would not, I would not wear trousers.
As a little. Girl and I hated tights.
So it was a bit like, oh, you want to wear a dress or a skirt
but you're not going to put tights on itchy.
Everything was itchy and tighter.
I used to have like a proper hissy fit.
Hissy fit. You know, when you're just like,
Oh yeah, so I that that's how tights made me feel.
And do they still? Make you feel.
Like I really don't like things that are really itchy and things
can make. Yeah, good excuse for a lot of
cashmere. Yeah, well, yeah.
Gotta be very soft. Very, very soft.
But yeah, I think. I think I was always very aware
of what I was wearing and maybe not so much the look, right, but
how it felt. Yes, Funny, isn't it?
And you've got one, sister. Yes.
Were you very conscious of each other's style growing up?
She's. So different to me.
Did you pinch each other's clothes?
No, no, I mean she we're eleven years different difference.
There's an 11 year age gap. Laura is very floaty, quite kind
of. In fact as a child she used to
walk around naked most of the time.
She was just like, oh, I don't can't bother with clothes.
I mean we're talking little, little, yeah, yeah.
You know she used to rip her clothes off and my mum was, Oh
my God, I'm despairing of you. So I was not like that.
I was always quite sort of probably prudish in in a way.
But Laura is just like free and easy and I'm not too bothered
about what people say or think and very different you know very
different way of dressing or look I I like things cut and
clean and quite sort of and and she's the opposite and.
You were a keen sportswoman from being quite young.
From a young age, did your probably very honed sports
physique influence? Oh come on, absolutely always.
Did it. Did it influence your early
clothing choices? Were you Were you drawn towards
things that were very on the body?
Do you know, Funny enough, I've always thought I looked better
'cause I I've got boobs, but I've got a small waist.
I love it. I've got.
Boobs. I have boobs.
Sorry about that. And then so if you wear too many
things that baggy and not and don't Accenture it you you can
look a bit sort of. Well, it can just look a bit.
It's. Funny, because I'm wearing an
oversized suit, but for some reason it it doesn't feel bad.
I I would not have worn this 20 years ago.
I was wearing tight stuff. Yes, I was thinking, you know,
you need to kind of dress for your figure, but you don't.
Always have to do that, do you? Absolutely not.
And also, I suppose if you know on television, the camera, well
that's it can be very cruel. And if you're wearing something
very oversized, you can actually get really lost in it.
It doesn't work if it you know if you're moving around and all
the rest of it. If you're just sitting in one
place and you can wrap your jacket, then you feel
completely. Yeah, yeah, you know, you're
right. But actually, going back to what
you were saying, you're also it it it's when you do lots of
exercise. And actually a couple of years
ago I was a bit too muscly, I'd say.
And actually it's not always that flattering in clothes
because you can look a bit sort of bulky and a bit big.
I'm happier with my my physique now 'cause I'm slightly more
petite, 'cause I'm quite. Very.
It's very true. When I was doing a lot of water
skiing. Yeah, you build up that, sort
of, is it? Yeah.
What is this? You know your shoulders and your
shoulders and your. Traps.
Your traps. Oh my God, I felt like a rugby
player. I quite like that on women
though it looks great cause I've got an I I'm working with a
female personal trainer at the moment and I was working with a
a male a few years ago who I got a bit bulky.
He's a great friend of mine, Mel Dean and and this this girl that
I'm working with now purely because I I I'm not in London
all the time. So I'm working with her and
she's local, she's Venezuelan and she's unbelievable.
She's not Amazonian Venezuelan, she's a bikini model.
She doesn't like women with the traps.
I'm like I need, I want the traps.
Giving them back. I'm not coming back now, but.
Don't build them up. Too much?
No, I know, But with clothes it is difficult.
Yet for a for a if you do get a little bit sort of bulkier, you
gotta be careful. You.
So I'm always aware of that, yeah.
And. And you had some workout DVDs
didn't? You.
Oh my gosh. Yeah.
What are your favorite gym and sportswear workout brands?
I wear a lot of sweaty Betty. Yeah, I mix it up, Lululemon.
I actually love the whole sports Lux look.
Yeah. In fact, I wear a lot that.
Was my next question. Well, let's do.
Can we? Collaborate, 'cause I'm
desperate to. I love sort of playing around
with and you know, I don't just put gym gear on because I'm
going to the gym. I quite like that look of a sort
of like you're wearing a sort of cashmere hoodie, hoodie with a
legging and a really nice trainer or I love all that, that
sort of sports. That's great, isn't it?
For for women and lifestyle and whatever lifestyle you've.
Got. I think it always looks sort of
fairly cool fairly ageless and actually just like you're
really. Yeah.
At home and you know at ease in.
Yeah, what you're wearing. I mean, for me, I think there's
something very inspiring about the seeming on some of that
athletic wear because it really molds and sculpts the body.
Well, absolutely. I mean there and there are some
brilliant brands out there and I I mean I love do you know PE
Nation? Yeah, yeah.
I mean I love PE Nation, which is difficult to get obviously
because it's it's an Australian brand as I think.
But and then Valley's Grey, I mean there are so many brilliant
brands. But I I mix and match in general
and I choose and sort of just, yeah, wear what I want to want
to wear on that day, whether I'm going to the gym or not.
And have you ever been tempted to be sort of more sporty
looking in your sports presenting role?
Well, I I think that's probably partly why I wear my hair up all
the time. And this is another thing.
I mean, I never wear my hair down.
Ever. I rarely wear it down.
I don't think I've ever seen you with your hair down and you've
got beautiful. Hair.
Well, it's lovely hair, but it really annoys me when it's down.
And I'm not a very pampery girl. I'm quite girly, but I'm not
very good at pampering myself. I'm not very good at nails and
all of that. I'm.
I'm a little bit, I don't know if that's also because I'm
always busy and I think it's hard when you're kids and I've
got lots of animals and do you know what I mean?
You're you're just let things go a bit.
But I was just to shove my hair up because it's so much easier
and I actually quite like wearing it up.
It's just nice to just slick it back.
But but I think that is quite a sporty look as well.
Yes, so, so maybe that's maybe. That has evolved slightly from,
you know, Yeah, at at Sky Sports, I wore it.
In fact, I used to go into makeup.
It's quite funny actually. And they'd say, what would you
like? Oh well, I'd have just can I
have some you know, greys or you know on the the eye shadow what
should we do with your hair? And I said, can we just wear it
up. They're like you wore it up
yesterday and the day before, and the day they had to force me
to to put it down. But I think there's something
really lovely about having a signature, you know?
You saying I'm glad? You said this and if if it works
for you, you say you don't like it down you, you know I.
Really don't like my hair down. Keep it up.
And I did that for years. I did do that, you know, for
years when I was younger. And you do the long hair and the
the sort of which I love. And I have got very long hair
and I do love it if someone does my hair for me, but I can't do
it myself, I'm really bad. And so I just put it up.
And The thing is, if you're training a lot, yeah, it becomes
very high maintenance. Yeah, well it does then.
Then you can look at the other side of it and chop your hair
off, which I did do a few years ago and I did have a a cut which
I laughed. But then you can't always tie
up, so you can't just. It's like.
I think that's almost more high maintenance, yeah.
Well yeah, it is. It didn't quite work for me,
although my mum keeps saying come on, chop your hair off.
Oh no. Do you think you ever used
clothes to help support you during your time of getting into
reporting and, you know, holding your own on on that stage?
What, Right, at the beginning, Yeah, I think I was probably,
you know, when you start anything, I think you've got to
be quite conservative. I think probably plus also when
I started at Sky as a presenter, it it, it changes it, you know?
Things evolved, don't they it? Really has different.
Studios, it's more it's modernizing studios.
So things are different. Lighting.
So it we were wearing, I think we were wearing kind of suits.
Yeah, in the beginning, yeah, that's how we started.
And it quite conservative and safe and great.
And then it became a little bit more edgy and kind of pushing
the boundaries. Yeah, I mean, yeah, the studios
were more modern and do you think?
And so things did change. Yeah, I think, I think you
evolve in that way in presenting.
I think you you push the boundaries a bit I think.
Do you think you were wearing suits to start with, really to
give you a bigger presence? I.
Think subconsciously, yeah, possibly.
Although we were wearing what we were kind of asked to wear.
But yeah I think subconsciously so.
Well, no. I think Styles we we had
stylists and and obviously we we we were young, young women.
I mean I I was only really young and it was all kind of like rub
it in the head in the headlights.
So I had to be, we were guided as to what they wanted because
it's a look, isn't it? And that was a uniform look and
I think that's great. And I I think it was great how
as I said, we evolved and the look evolved for us as time went
on and studios modernize. And yeah, I think I think that's
the right sort of thing. But it is interesting.
I think think there is that sort of idea of a suit.
People are going to take me more seriously, Power.
Yeah. I mean, I just love a suit.
I mean, I'm not wearing it to be powerful today, I know.
But there there is something quite empowering.
Yeah, there is. It's great.
It's like, you mean a business I like, but then you can equally
dress it down a bit. But you still look really smart.
I love it. Love a suit.
In your presenting career, you obviously walked countless red
carpets. How do you plan your red carpet
looks? I still hate the red carpet.
I've got to be brutally honest. Because.
I get so nervous. I'm so like, oh, I, I, I it's
really weird. I mean, I'm 48 now and I've
done, I've been doing this a long time and still when I go on
the red carpet, I'm like, I don't know what's wrong with me.
Do do you know what I mean? But there is something, it is a
real affront, those hundreds of flash bulbs going.
It's quite a it's quite a energetic actually.
It's not really my cup of tea doing the red carpet because I'm
not a model. I'm not sort of I I I didn't
choose to do. I know it's part of the
territory you you go and it's really nice to go to lovely
events and we're very, very lucky and I'm very grateful and
I'm not saying I don't want to do it now and again, but I've I
it never gets any easier. It's a lot of pressure.
Do you use a stylist? Yeah, it's yes I do.
I work with a a great girl Emma Lane who who styles actually she
styled. She stars Laura Whitmore and and
various wonderful looking gorgeous girls and friends of
mine. I I'm but I'm always open to
working with different people. I think it depends on what
you're kind of where you're at in your life as well.
But no, she's she's wonderful and she completely gets me.
And what's the process you say I'm going to X awards?
Yeah, the the brilliant thing. I I think it's hard when you
start working with a stylist because as you know, they don't
really know you and it shouldn't just be about what you look.
It's your character. It's everything and it's
comfort. It's all of those things.
So it's wonderful. I I I mean, I've known Emma a
long time with family, friends. So wonderful to to be working
with her because she knows me inside and out, knows my body
shape, knows what I'm like mentally.
You know that. You know, I might not be that
confident on the red carpet or whatever.
So no, yeah, it's a process of she gets lots of stuff and we
just do a big try on. She knows I like simplicity.
And does she take a snap of you in it during the fitting?
Yeah, And then we just look at that and see what we like.
But we always have. Maybe, you know, if she comes to
me and helps me get dressed or whatever, we'll always have that
other option. Or a couple of, just in case.
Yeah, you're, you know, you're really not feeling the red.
You're wanting to wear the black again or the Navy.
Do you know what I mean? Yeah, because it is very much
kind of on the day, you got to feel right, haven't you?
For whatever reason, you might not feel that confident.
Yeah. Or you might, I don't know, feel
like you put a few pans on or whatever.
Oh, stop it. Stop it.
Well, when do you feel that you really discovered who you were?
Stylistically. Oh gosh, I don't know if I ever
have. It's a funny, funny thing,
really. I'm just about to have another
wardrobe overhaul because. And how will you go about that
it be? I will.
I'll pretty much Chuck everything I have to.
Well actually it's it's I was very excited about speaking to
you because as well about this because I actually I'm, I'm like
I said I'm a perfectionist. I'm a bit OCD, very tidy, don't
like lots of clutter or mess. You know, people with beautiful
big dressing rooms and loads of that is not me.
Yeah, I think I'm a capsule wardrobe girl and that is it.
But I think that's the way forward for me.
It is, I think. I would love to think it was the
way forward for most people because I just think we've got
too many options. We're consuming way too much,
you know, Buy less, buy best. Well.
I think that's another point look out of.
Taste, make it last and and then reinvent it.
But it's very much about you. You have certain pieces that you
spend money on and then High Street does a great job at you
know just sort of whatever you might want to wear regularly
during the week. I mean, I I do wear a lot of
fitness gear as we've as we've talked about, but I I don't, I
think probably I'm, I'm coming to the point where, yeah, less
is more for me. Yeah.
On the body and in the wardrobe, Yeah, I know that I look better
with less going on. I know I like my hair up.
I think I'm just streamlining. Yes.
Is that normal? Absolutely.
And I, you know, the more people I've talked to to over the
years, it is not something that happens in your 20s or your 30s
even. And I I mean even my.
I feel like I'm still feeling more and more at ease in my own
skin. How ridiculous.
Is that. But no, I think that's no, it's
one of you. You look amazing.
Well, I think we just, we, I think it's a really weird.
I mean I look back at clothes and looks and I think, Oh my
gosh, what were you thinking? Seriously, that is so not me.
But I've obviously worn it for a reason because I've thought
that's great or someone said wear it or.
Do you? Do you look back on one specific
outfit and think that was clearly my worst fashion ever?
I I yeah. Tell me.
Yeah, there are a couple of well, there are a couple of
things here. Silence.
Don't want to sound like I'm being derogatory, but they
didn't Suit me is I went through a massive Diane von Furstenberg
dress phase. I'm talking every single one.
And actually they I did wear them on TV quite a lot and they
actually look quite good. They're great with boobs because
they're the V and the rap, but I don't see that as you no at all.
It's frightening because I'm actually quite, I think I look
better when I'm modern. I'm not a classic girl, really
I'm I have a classic edge to me, but I think I'm better edging a
bit of edge and a bit more modern.
Anyway, I I did have a massive diamond and I wore my hair down
when I wore, so that's like another life.
Really. Girly.
Really different. My other big faux pas, I would
say had to be, you know, great brand in a way.
I mean, worth a fortune. Poochie, do you remember that?
What did you have? All Sturly Poochie prints.
Poochie prints, Yeah, it was just a simple wasn't a dress.
It was just a top round neck, like a sort of very funny fabric
anyway. But he was like, I look like I
was in Austin Powers. I mean, it's horrific.
When I look back at that. I'm like, Oh my gosh, seriously,
what were you thinking? It was like green with black and
sort of slightly psychedelic. I mean, seriously, that was I I
have pictures. I think I went to an an event
and there's there's one knocking about and I saw it, actually,
friend of mine sent me that and I was like, oh, please never
show me that again. Although you've got to laugh,
haven't you, 'cause you're a young woman, you do only 24 or
five or whatever, you know, we're talking 20 or 24 years
ago. But it is funny.
Yeah, I've made, I've made some errors.
We all have. We all have.
And we all think at the time, well, you know, let's try this.
No. Not good.
If if someone were to describe your style in three words, what
would what would you want those 3 words to be?
Oh, simple chic. Yeah.
I I want to say clean, but clean's like simple.
I don't know. I I do.
I would never say I'm edgy, but I would, I would always hope
that I brought a little something like A twist, but I
don't do that every time, so I I guess it would be maybe elegant.
Actually, yeah, I'm thinking more in, you know, wearing black
tie or something like that. I think that's good.
I will always. I I would never be daring in in
any situation. So simple.
Yeah, Simple, sort of. Clean, simple.
Chic, hopefully, and elegant. Love that.
I don't know. I'm flattering myself here.
That's why I say if someone else were to describe you, 'cause I
think it's much easier to test this, this would how I would
love someone to. Describe.
Yeah. It's not always what people
would say, is it? Now you're the mother of two
teenage boys. Yeah.
Has your style evolved as they've grown up?
Yeah, probably. And and do do they, now, being
teenagers, have strong opinions on what you wear.
Yes, they have. They love fashion.
My, my kids love. I thought one would be a bit
less because you know, OK, just you've got two children, one
might like more, you know, clothes more and and they both
love fashion looks quite different.
They're very different. So they've got a real eye.
And yes, so they're looking at people and they're looking at me
and Oh yeah, very, very much so. I mean, they're very sweet
though. They know, they know how to sort
of keep me happy, but they, I think they're more opinionated
about things like when I cut my hair.
Interesting. And do they ever have an opinion
on you being too sexy? I'm.
Not sure if I ever do that. I'm not sure if I ever go there.
Really. No, not really.
No. They don't sort of go oh.
No, because teenage boys can be quite well protective of their
mothers. Well, absolutely not.
Not yet. Or maybe I haven't been daring
enough recently. I don't know.
But not not yet. But they, they are opinionated.
They do. Yeah, Yeah, they they.
It's funny, actually. You're making me think now.
Yeah, yeah, they they love fashion.
Fundamentally, who do you think you dress for?
It's interesting me. Good.
Me. Love that.
Well, I I think I can be lazy. I mean, I like, you know, that's
the problem because I can go. You can very much get into that
sort of, oh, well, I'm just not doing a lot today so I'll put
the gym go back on. So that's not good.
And that's why I want to I I'm going to have my wardrobe
overhaul. I've had it in my brain.
It's, you know sort of spring, summer, get, get that sorted.
But I I definitely feel like I I dress for me.
I don't know if I've ever really dressed for anyone else.
Like I I don't. I think that's dangerous
territory. Yeah, I I totally agree.
I I think you know if you start doing that you know you're not
you are you. No.
You're you're keeping someone happy or and also your partner
should be. You know as long as you are
presentable. And I think I I always do look
presentable. They they will.
I'll have to make do with what I'm wearing.
Hardly making do with you, girl. When you want to feel empowered,
what would you reach for? I I would probably wear I'd be
smarter and I'd be wear more more body, body con, less
slouchy. Neat.
Neater and a bit more sexy, strong kind of woman.
Yeah, yeah, funny enough. More more sort of proving my
femininity and my, you know what I've got.
And so probably. Does that make sense?
Absolutely. Yeah, I I wouldn't be hiding.
Behind anything. And I mean talking about hiding,
you know we all have clothes that we love to cocoon in.
And I know that you are. You went through a divorce.
Yeah. And that's always a or it.
It often is a very complex time. Was that a time that you used
clothes in any way to cocoon you?
I'm. Not sure if I did.
If I'm honest with you, I was working so much that I was
always in work clothes. Yeah, I was always running
about, you know, probably I I did and I'm trying to think back
and I probably blocked a lot of of it out because it's it's it
wasn't very nice period of my life.
You you then in your own time. Yeah.
I would be wearing comfortable clothes more and I I actually,
probably funny enough when I was younger I never wore trainers as
much as I do now I'm talking fashion trainers.
So maybe that came into play a bit because now I mean I've got
a bit of a heel on today for you, but usually I've got
trainers on because I always felt like I wasn't tall enough
or I don't know, I needed to wear a heel and that that's a
funny confidence thing. But but I think probably, yeah,
you're right. Looking back, I think I
definitely got into the swing of more comfort dressing, certainly
footwear maybe maybe there that went maybe that was sort of hand
in hand at that time. I don't know.
It's interesting. Possibly would you consider you
have a style icon? There are a couple of people I I
love what what they wear and their look.
And I mean, I love Cate Blanchett is just about another
level to me. I just love that woman, doesn't
she? I just love her look.
Yeah. I love her style, her, just
everything about her. Yeah.
Wonderful. Yeah.
But then she's got a very different look to someone like
Helena Christianson, who I still love and I met her at.
I served her in Joseph when I was.
I know. And she was with Michael
Hutchins, actually. And she was the the most
beautiful woman. I was just saying like, she's so
kind and stunning. And I'm sure you.
Yeah, you've worked with her loads.
I mean, she can make a bin bag look like a.
But she's quite boho. She's very, very not my style.
But I look at her and go, My goodness, how you put things
together and funny isn't. It Well, it's effortless, isn't
it? I mean, I I do.
You follow her on. You must follow her on
Instagram. She literally makes my day
better. If I look at her, if I feel just
a bit, kind of. I don't mean the look of her.
I just love her whole sort of. She's like a ray of sunshine.
She loves life. She has this lovely, she loves
animals and all that. And she has family.
I just love that woman. She's very different to Cate
Blanchett. Cate Blanchett just is style
icon to me in in whatever. She wears red carpet.
Her films, it's flawless. She's an Armani, you know Muse.
Isn't she flawless, beautiful. Who else do I love?
I I just love sort of simple chic.
I'm trying to think of more people.
People that I. That I really love, but but it
there are people I love that I wouldn't necessarily wear what
they're wearing because it wouldn't suit me like Helena,
but I I really love that about them.
And I I kind of think, gosh, you look great and I wish I could do
that. Now you must get asked to have
your portrait taken quite a lot. Are you very in control of your
image? So do you?
Do you not let people take you out of your comfort zone in
terms of your hair, your makeup, who you are as a person?
Well, it depends. I mean, I think, I think it's
different being a presenter you're not an actress, you're
not a model, you're So it depends.
I mean, but then saying that you do some work where you are
playing a character you are. So that that's an interesting
question because I've done shoots, magazine shoots, front
covers, whatever, where I am not me necessarily.
I'm not. They want to make me look
different and that is very uncomfortable for me, is it?
Yeah, completely. And I because I am a bit of a
control freak when it comes. To And then do you say to them,
no, I don't want you to do that with my hair or my makeup, or I
don't want to wear that? I think it's called finding a
happy balance where I'm I'm like, oh, hang on, oh, and then
I'm like, please, can we just go back that way a little bit.
But you know I think it's important to work with people.
I I've been very lucky and I obviously I work with lots of
people who I don't choose on a shoot necessarily every makeup
artist you know don't always have that that that sort of joy
do you or and also you've got to trust the team but it is lovely
working with your own people because they know you.
They know you. I mean one of my makeup artists,
Amanda Grossman, she she actually, she's very good at,
she knows me, but she also knows how to push it a bit with me and
I trust her. That's really and so does Emma,
my stylist. It's very important to have
that. Have you ever been taken sort of
out of your comfort zone and then looked at yourself later in
a picture or in even in the mirror before you go in front of
the camera and go and oh, actually I quite like.
That well, actually it was. It was many moons ago.
I'm trying to think when it was before kids, I'm pretty sure it
would be. It was AGQ front front cover and
it was really powerful. Hello.
Sorry. Well, a GQ front cover.
That's not nothing. That was just a great throwaway.
Yeah. No, no.
Well, I know. I mean, I've done, I'm lucky
enough to have done these things mainly many moons ago.
But I I was very uncomfortable with the idea it was swimwear
because I was not going to do the whole really old.
And it was I I've never wanted to really do that whole sexy.
Not wear a lot. No.
If I do a cover and it's for one of those sorts of magazines,
it's got to be about strength and a strong, empowered woman.
So it was, it was a costume and it was strong and the hair was
down, but it wasn't, It wasn't too long.
My hair, actually. It worked.
And I remember thinking, Oh my goodness, this is terrifying.
Looking back and going that, that's great.
That's like, not me, but I like it.
And I think it's quite important sometimes to play that role,
play another character. Yeah.
Do you know what I mean? Yeah, no.
And it's quite fun doing that. Yeah.
Now and again and playing around with different.
I think it's really nice to put the trust in other people and
go, I think you'd look great like this.
Please just trust us. I've done a lot of that.
Sometimes it works and I've gone.
I like those pictures. Sometimes I've gone No, I I and
that's just me. That's my my.
I'm in my comfort zone. I think.
I think you probably know what I mean.
It's it's when someone tries to push you and you're like not
sure about that. But interesting, Interesting.
Do you do you have quite a big wardrobe?
At the moment, bigger than I want, because as I, you know,
I'm going to Chuck it all, I've decided.
I know how. We're talking about it.
What's the process? Are you just going to pull it
all out and then decide what goes back in?
I I will. I sort of know what I want to
get rid of things that don't work now or that I I just want
to change it up. So there is a lot of Deadwood in
there that I know what's coming out.
But then there's those question marks, you know, those those
bits that you've had and maybe had for a long time and you sort
of think I I don't want to Chuck you, but I don't really know if
you really fit in my life, but you don't really want it.
It's it's very difficult to part with some items of clothes
isn't. It so will you have someone with
you during the? Grind me gently.
Do you know I I want to do it on my own.
Yeah. I might ask my stylist to gently
help me with those little. The final.
Yeah, the final. Cut and what will you do with
what gets cut? I I give everything to charity
and always an animal charity. Different charities different
charities to no I mean I've given I've given a lot to
families and people who I know who work with with families who
haven't got many things and and and it's a bit like children's
clothes. I'm always, always giving away
kids, the kids clothes and we we give those to children who who
just don't have enough. And you know I'm always saying
to my kids, come on let's do another clear out because.
Yeah, it's really important. We don't Chuck think.
I mean, I barely Chuck. I don't even Chuck anything from
the fridge. We use everything.
I'm a hate waste. It's really not.
There's no excuse for that now. But I'm really mindful about
helping people And yeah, I was thinking of doing like a sale or
or something. But I mean, I I, I, you know,
generally I will go and bag it up and give it to charity.
Yeah. And and I hope that that will
help some. They will help somebody in in
whatever way in. One way or another.
Yeah, yeah. And also you, you know, even if
things have got holes in the fabric, can be used again and
again. Yeah, and we shouldn't be
chucking. Anything away we've become.
I am. Are too disgusting.
Yeah, you know, we we live the way we live is can be just
awful. The waste and the buying too
much. And I mean I I I hardly ever
really buy any new clothes or new shoes or anything.
I wear the same stuff, which is why I might as well just have a
capsule wardrobe with some newer items that make me feel better
and just a bit fresher. But I really very rarely because
I just think I can't. Why am I justifying this, you
know, when there's so much going on in the world?
Totally. Do you ever buy vintage?
I have, yeah. I have done haven't for a while,
but I'm all for again. Giving away bags and things that
you know I've had that I won't use again.
But I don't. I don't want it sitting there.
And I like the idea of vintage in a way.
Not fur, though. No excuse for fur.
Do you get gifted a lot? Yes, I do.
Very lucky. And yes, how do you draw the
line there? Because sometimes I, you know, I
talk to some people and and you just know that so much stuff
comes through their door on a daily, weekly basis.
Do you? Do people ask permission to
send? You generally, Yeah, yeah, they
do. Because again, yeah, waste is,
is not that. That's not all right, is it?
No. Because then they expect
something as well. And you're like, hang on a
minute, Something that I'm not going to wear it.
It's not very me. I'm going to give it away.
Well, if that. Do you know what, so be it.
If they send send me something and it's not me, I will.
I will give it to charity. What can I do?
At least I'm not wasting it and someone will wear it.
It's wonderful. But yeah, I do.
We do get gifted, you know, in this day and age that it's all
about gifting, isn't it? Yes, it is.
It is. It is.
Let's talk about travel. Do you have a go to travel look?
Oh gosh, as straightforward and simple.
Flat. Got to be a trainer or a little
pump. I can't think of anything worse
than travelling in a heel. I don't get it.
I have done that and and obviously sometimes if it's a
work thing, I'm like, oh, maybe I should put a heel on.
But really, travel for me is about comfort.
It can be chic. Yep.
And clean and nice and sort of, but it's it's all about, even if
I'm going to a sort of not, not going very far, it doesn't have
to be transatlantic. Yeah, it's all about comfort for
me. A good Packer or a bad Packer?
Very good Packer. Too good.
Too good that I end up going. I've got nothing to wear when I
get there. I'm no.
I'm very. I am very good at again, capsule
packing is my. I'm really good at that.
I think your wardrobe is about to have the most monumental
editors it. Doesn't know what's coming.
It really doesn't. But it is funny going away.
I've only really realised how I pack very little because I've
gone away with girlfriends for a weekend or whatever or and
they've got triple what I've got and I'm going, oh, have I made
an error? But it's very freeing.
Isn't it wonderful? Yeah.
And if it's a holiday, you see a holiday for me means a holiday.
It doesn't mean it's not a it's not a catwalk show.
I'm very kind of, I'm really not into that kind of let's get
another pair of earrings out, Yeah, OK.
Take a few nice things, different bags, lovely.
But it really a holiday is a holiday.
It's for me, it's really important for me to kind of go
and switch off and it's it's quite cathartic not thinking
about all of that kind of stuff. I think that's also coming from
the world we've we've come from where there's a lot of sort of
wearing clothes and and being done.
Being on. On all the time.
It's nice to be off, isn't it? But then saying that, I know
that a lot of my friends, they haven't lived that life or don't
live that life, so they like to, you know, push the boat out.
Great. Be careful who you choose to go
on. Holiday.
I think that's the key. That's the lesson.
Here What's your favorite luggage?
I really like anything battery, bat, you know, that you can sort
of just. I'm not.
I'm not into very posh luggage at all.
It's simple and straightforward. In fact, I love nothing more
than a big huddle. Yeah, just shove it in, you
know, a suitcase. Yeah, great.
But I I never. I never carry big.
I mean, I really, I'm sounding like I don't know what I'm
sounding like. No, I I don't take anything
anywhere. And I'm just quite organized.
Fantastic. Yeah.
No, it's all quite low key and simple and straightforward.
I'm not really into the sort of posh luggage, no.
Guilty secret. What is the most expensive item
of clothing that you've ever bought?
Now I'm not asking the price tag.
Here. Oh gosh, yeah, there's a couple
of these. We could be an accessory.
I love handbags. Do you?
That's my. And your favorite brand?
Achilles heel is a Hamburg. I mean, I, I, well, I, you know,
a handbag. For me, it's like some people
would say shoes. Buy a good pair of a handbag.
Is on to justify. Yeah, I am.
I'm going round and round in circles here.
I have splashed out on a couple of very expensive handbags.
I have a couple of very expensive Chanel and other
hamburgs, but they have lasted me for years and years and years
and years and that is justifiable to me.
This sounds like a pounds per wear justification.
Possibly, but but that's not to be ashamed.
Of I would feel more happy buying an expensive handbag than
shoes which get battered. Or clothes that you might go go
off or they might fall apart. Yeah, you you pretty much know a
handbag's going to stay with you for a while if you've done your
research. Yeah, so that is where my money
would would go. Yeah, love a handbag.
Hypothetically speaking, if your house was on fire, God forbid,
and you could only say one outfit, what would that be?
Would it be your Philip Blum suit?
Do you know I have a Bella Freud cream suit that I have changed
up so many times in the way of. I've worn the trousers with
different tops, I've worn it as a suit with different little
camisoles like that, probably that one, and various things.
It's stunning. It's like the most beautiful
kind of wide legs, sort of, yeah, beautiful suit, probably
go for that. Sounds like that's.
It's a gorgeous it was a really beautiful and again, not not
cheap, but I've got so much wear out of it.
And it's still that's coming with you.
Yeah, that's coming. And cream.
I love cream. It's.
It's beautiful, isn't it? Yeah.
Quick fire. Questions.
Little rounds. Love it.
What fashion advice would you give your 20 year old self?
Oh lots 20 year old self. Keep it simple.
What fashion or beauty trend would you consign to room 1010?
God, there's loads flair. I'm not into flares.
I know the back. Your last impulse by last
impulse. By well it went well, though is
that good little Zara Navy jacket, sort of slightly gold.
I'd have to wear it to it to for you to see it.
Sounds not great. Short little, almost nautical,
but not nautical. Gorgeous.
Dress it up, dress it down. Sounds pretty good by Wool,
Gold, Yeah. Buttons Your views on tattoos.
I don't like them, don't mind them on men's so much.
But I wouldn't. I would never get one.
Beauty treatment you couldn't give up.
Quite like a Hydrafacial. High end or High Street?
Well, in general. In general, High end, bling or
bear bear, Minimalism or maximalism.
Minimalism. Couture or charity shop?
Couture. Crocs.
Cute or puke? Oh God.
I hate them. My kids wear them.
They're awful. Sneakers or stilettos?
I love both, but at the moment I want to wear sneakers all the
time. Skinnies, boyfriends or wide
legs? I'm loving the boyfriends at the
moment. Beautiful.
Body con or boho? Oh, body Con.
Sports Lux or rock chick Sports Lux red carpet or relax Relax
Color or monochrome Monochrome Experimental or UU cashmere or
cotton I'm. Going to say cotton.
Hoarder or Editor? Editor.
Shapewear or sexy lingerie Sexy lingerie.
Always tights or stockings. Stockings, I would say it,
stockings. Bikini or one piece bikini,
beanie or Berry? Berry.
Oh, love that. Yeah.
Finally, at the end of the day, what do you or don't you wear in
bed? Not a lot.
It depends. Completely.
Not a lot. I really don't like wearing a
lot in bed, 'cause it well me. I'm I'm with you, girl.
That's. Not the answer, is it?
No, it is it absolutely, absolutely.
Well, the answer is whatever you truly feel.
Comfortable in bed? Yeah.
Well, you got the right answer from me.
Can't believe I I said that. Oh, thank.
You love it. Love it.
Thank you so much. What a fun style journey we've
been on. It's amazing.
Thank you for your. Thank you so much, I've learnt
so much as well. What about yourself?
Yes, bit of bit of self examination it feels like.
You know, you've given me a bit of major therapy here.
It's wonderful. Thank you.
So. Much.
Oh, it's a pleasure. Thank you.