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This week I'm going on a style journey with double Olympic
champion, global inspirational and motivational speaker, TV
presenter and author, the simply awesome Honorary Colonel Dame
Kelly Holmes MBE. Hello and welcome, Kelly.
Thank you. Thank you for having me.
Oh my God. So excited.
I am really humbled to be sitting here with a woman of so
many skills and such a such a record of achievements.
Just simply awesome. No, thank you.
Thank you for having me on here, seeing you've had some wonderful
guests. Oh yeah, I'm honoured.
Oh well, wonderful to see you here.
And it was so lovely to reconnect with you at no less
than Buckingham Palace. I'm sorry, Got to drop that
because it's possibly a couple of years since we saw each other
and since then you're on an absolute roll.
I mean, your latest book, Unique is out.
You are out and loved up and by the look of things never been
happier. So that is just can we take a
moment to talk about life for you right now?
Yeah, I feel so good. I just feel so energized and
motivated and I'm manifesting positivity around me for my life
and bringing other people into that mindset.
You know, I think I've gone through different journeys like
most people, but I feel like I'm really owning who I am and you
know, stating a claim and this is me and that's it.
You know, put up with me, you. Are simply radiating health and
happiness. You you really are.
I mean, I I honestly, I could say since I last saw you a
couple of years ago, you look, yeah, 10 years younger and
really in your power. Yeah, I think so.
I think I have my eyes wide open.
I'm really in the present now, which I wasn't before because I
was always sort of sitting back on who I was and not really
putting myself forward. I know people knew me, People
were very respectful around me and knew my achievements from my
athletics capabilities, but I don't think people really got to
know me. I wouldn't allow it.
And 1:00 And also I think if you if you're holding things back,
it shows, you know, it shows when you bring it forward
because then the happiness comes through.
You can be more of you, you you haven't got those inhibitions,
those worries. And I feel different, but not
because I as a person, sort of like, you know, now I'm going to
be this person. It's just that I have got
everything that I want to have of me.
My personality can shine. I can wear what I want.
I don't really. I don't sound bad, but care what
people think anymore and that there's a massive change.
But I think you can see that ease and joy in your face and
what you just mentioned about, you know, when you're holding
stuff in, you see it in someone's face and in their
eyes, and all I see here is just this sort of openness and this
warmth and this joy. So if we were drinking right
now, I would say cheers to you because this is simply
fantastic. And this year.
Yeah, is your 20th anniversary of your. 20 years.
Oh my God. Where is it gone?
I mean, looking at you right now, it looks like you could
just hit the track again. No, no, I can't believe it's 20
years. It's just, oh, it's astonishing
where that's gone. But also obviously all those
changes have been that time. But I think that's one of the
other reasons why I'm just so happy to be in the place that
I'm in now. Because, you know, normally when
you celebrate 20 years, it's people with marriage, isn't it?
It's like that commitment and you know, I think patience
basically anyone that could be married that time, that amount
of time. But in this it's about that
achievement. Normative also what else you've
done within that time, Because I can, you know, if I think 20
years of what I have done, but where I've got to that for me is
the biggest achievement. And now I feel that I totally
own myself in my 20 years. I feel like, OK, so that's now
time to push forward to the next stage of my career.
So it actually feels a real kind of celebration of the life
journey that I've had. That's a a lovely way of putting
it. Have you got any plans to
celebrate the 20 years? We're just doing various things.
I'm actually going to Athens for four days, but that's a holiday,
a little trip, a bit of nostalgia and then I think I'll
be having parties with friends. And you know, it's just, it's
not one big thing. I think for me it's it's 20
years. It took me 20 years to achieve
that dream. We're 20 years on.
It's not what's my next stage? Do you ever put those medals
back on? This year I've been bringing
them out because I used to have to tapes around.
When I say tapes around the room, I was always so worried.
They actually are. So they're not as big.
I should have bought them, shouldn't I?
They're not as big as the ones that they do now because they,
they seem to have gone from, you know, a reasonable size medal to
this kind of like chocolate. You know, like the chocolate.
Drop. You know, like at Christmas you
just have those big round chocolates that you feel off.
They're massive. They're kind of really heavy.
No, they're really heavy. And I love to see people's
reaction to holding an Olympic medal.
I'm. Kicking myself?
Out there. I should have asked you.
I should have. But I think it's more because of
history. I What I love about it is that I
won them in Athens. Talking Athens, you've just
hosted the Athena Effect event. It's quite a mouthful.
Can you tell me about that? Yeah.
So one of the things I thought within this 20 years is how can
I go out of my comfort zone, do things I'm really passionate
about, but bring them to the mainstream?
Because I go around the world speaking at corporate events, I
talk around mental health awareness, DNI, women
empowerment, high performance. And I love it, but I feel like
it's sort of a closed environment.
So it's whoever works for that company.
But because of this year and connecting with far more people
than I ever did, I don't think people realize how disconnected
I was from people. So I mean that in a sense of
people knew who I was, my name, my state, what I've done, right.
That's fine. But it would only ever be in
that context that I would interact with people.
Very rarely would I do it on a social platform.
You know, go for dinners and lunches and have coffees and
just be me. Like, just relax.
Because I was so scared of what everyone thought about me, that
judgement around just everything.
I was so petrified about how people perceive me, what people
would say about me, what would get out.
And So what I decided is that I really, I've met so many women
in particular who have, I say, issues I don't mean in a bad
way, but if you talk to a collective of women, it's either
about what they feel about themselves, the lack of
motivation that they have energy, the feeling that they
haven't achieved in their life. There's so many things that
always seem to be on a negative edge rather than a positive of
people that we might meet with that are quite positive, right?
So I thought if I do the Athena effect, it was about bringing
people together from all walks of life.
So I literally had people that have followed me for years who
I've never met to people in the public eye.
And the first thing that I did and I chose Athena.
Cause Athena is like the goddess of a battle and war and
confidence. And you know, so I chose that as
the name. And what I did when I brought
everyone together is the first thing I said is take off your
titles, take off your, you know, all of the achievements you
perceive to have done whatever, and just come with your first
name. So come as you give yourself
that acceptance that actually you're coming into that room not
because of your work, not because of your children, your
family, just of you. And I've never seen such a
diverse setting at all. And I go around the world, like
I say, in corporates, it was all women of all ages, all races,
cultures, orientation, everything.
And the energy was amazing. I felt so buzzed that I put it
on. So that's my next one.
So you're you've got to come next year, right?
You've got to come next year. I was going to say what what are
the projects or that you're most excited about at the moment?
I think growing something like that because like I say, I so
over this period of time, I'd say probably a year and a half.
The different things that have happened to me is I realized
that I was like a lot of people with that word, impostor
syndrome. Yeah, So I I didn't realise I'd
ever get to feel like that. I love it.
Double, a little bit. Gold medal?
Yeah. Well, impostor syndrome, I mean.
I wasn't comfortable going into our meeting rooms with people
that are journalists, presenters for years, being on the
programme for 25 years and have had free speech.
I felt like, so intimidated because I felt I don't know how
to add value to his conversation because again, it's very
strange, but people go, oh, what do you mean?
I've never had normal just chit chat.
That's fascinating because you're an inspirational and
motivational speaker. Yeah, you're eloquent.
You really understand so much about life and people.
It's fascinating that you would feel imposter syndrome.
It can affect anyone at different stages, your career
and different environments and situations.
So mine was the fact that I had come from me as Kelly Holmes and
all the things that sort of happened over the past couple of
years where I'm trying to own who I am as Kelly and not the
Dame Kelly Holmes the Kelly. And when I went into that
environment I thought, I don't know how to interact and just
talk normally. It sounds really weird, like
just have chit chat about what you've been doing.
And they were talking about relationships and sex and all
these things. I'm just like, oh, cringe, you
know, and things I've watched on television.
I thought, God, don't. I don't think I've watched
television. You know what I mean?
I might watch a Netflix series, but I don't really just watch
normal things. So what happened was, and I also
think I'm quite, I'm very slow at processing and this is not, I
don't want to be embarrassed with it because I thought, no, I
mean, I didn't achieve anything at school.
I was a runner from the age of 12, aspired by my PE teacher,
and that was who I was. And that's why I went on, I
think, to achieve what I did. Because at school I just
couldn't learn. I just don't know.
And now of course I do tests for everybody.
And so you didn't achieve anything.
Academically at school, that is correct.
Academically. So I'm also quite slow at
processing when people were asking me straight away factual
things or whatever. And I think, Oh my God, I don't
really know if I understand what you're asking me to talk about.
So I have to go away, think about it, and then I've got my
answer. So when I'm sitting in a room
say, like at Loose Women, I kept thinking they're all just
chatting, talking, talking, talking.
I just thought, I'm just sitting here.
And I what I did is revert back to me saying I didn't have a
voice, which I hated because I used to talk about the fact that
I didn't have a voice. I couldn't be heard because I've
not been out and open. I didn't have ownership of my
voice and who I was. And I found myself reverting,
which I hated because I did. I feel like I've gained my voice
since coming out. But in a certain situation, I
was reverting back to the just sit down and listen and, you
know, not be worried about what somebody thinks of me.
Then I went on panto in Plymouth.
This is the story. This is how my voice I went on
panto December 2023 last year, and I went out of my comfort
zone and never thought I would do that.
Yeah, I'm not an actor, singer, performer, anything.
And I went on panto purely to do something new and to put myself
so out of my comfort zone that I would be scared witless.
But I have to do it, because otherwise I let everyone else
down and I came. I finished panto on January the
13th. On January the 15th I went on
Loose Women and I didn't care any more about what I thought
people would think of me because I purposely put myself as
somebody who feels sometimes a bit intimidated in environments
that I can't control or wide about what people think.
I thought if I do something so outside my comfort zone that I
have to achieve because if I don't, if I don't do my script,
if I don't perform, if I don't show up, I let everyone else
down, right? I'm standing there in sequins on
a blooming theatre having to sing and think and perform and
thinking what the hell am I doing?
Cringing as my wig falls off mid sentence and having to at Lib
and say and my wig has been defeated and just curling up
thinking off my can't. If I if I can go for all these
embarrassments in front of the public who know Dame Kelliot and
stop Olympic champion, then what else have I got to worry about?
But it was only by doing that that I then come on and I just
thought, now I've got a grip of myself.
Now I have my voice. I know who I am because I've
been given that by having the freedom to live my life
authentically. But I've also done something
that we cringe about putting ourselves outside our comfort
zone. But when you put yourself
outside your comfort zone, you learn so much about yourself.
Yes, it's so true. It's so true.
And and and so did you. When you were asked to do panto,
Did you purposely think this will be so good for me?
Because this scares the shit out of me?
Yeah. I did, but it wasn't like
flinging myself at a plane and having a heart attack.
But I was going to say. Do you think you learnt that in
the army that if you push yourself so far out of the your
comfort zone, you do learn about yourself and it just it's like
taking one step back to take two forward?
Yeah, it's almost not so much in the Army because that being
regimented, you know what you have to do.
You've got your job. And, you know, there's obviously
complex things in the military. You know, I was a woman in the
military who mainly trained men. You know, there's lots of things
that were there. But I think it was more the fact
of I've got to a point in life where I was my limits.
I was. I was holding myself back,
'cause I was now in a point of my life where I had total
control over who I was, because now I have the freedom to be me.
I've met. I did my documentary in June
2022, Kelly Emms being me, and I felt I've got a grip of all
that. But if I'm still feeling
intimidated because I don't know now how to be the Kelly, just to
be my personality, it's not really worry if people like me,
don't like me just to be me who I know hopefully.
I'm respectful, you know, I just am.
If there was something that professionally is holding me
back, being that I'm going into a small situation where I'm
averting back to the scared Kelly, I've got to do something
that pushes me a bit more and I do self aware.
Yeah. And that's the thing.
I have got my eyes wide open now, which I would never have
done before. There's no way on this that I
would done panto to you. My.
So it was a test, it was a learning and some days I just
thought, what the hell am I doing?
But actually, what I got out of the process, I love, you know
how I feel after it is just the best thing that's ever happened
to me. Yeah, well, it it shines through
today. We are going on a style journey.
Oh, so how did you decide what you were putting on to come here
today? Well, I knew you were all
trendy, you know what I mean? And I was thinking, I should get
a look really posh and really cool like you wear at Buckingham
Palace. And I was really jealous about
everything you're wearing. That was really slightly
different. I know.
And then I thought, Oh my gosh, come.
On You look gorgeous at Buckingham.
Palace. No, but no.
I really just like last minute. I've got to go.
It was like one of those 10 things on in a day and just turn
up with whatever you've got on. And I looked at you like, damn
it, why didn't I wear that velvet suit?
You know what I mean? You mean you want to call what
I've got? But we'll get on to that.
In a minute, but yeah, how did I decide?
Well, I have a few events, I'm guarantee.
I just wanted to be relaxed, have a little bit of edge, but
just be, yeah, relaxed really, but still look OK you know,
because I'm going to Stock Exchange after.
I didn't want to be a posh there.
You'll call. Didn't want to wet turn up in me
tracksuit bottoms. I'm going to the Stock Exchange
later. That is quite a little, sort of.
Yeah, they're doing it. It's, it's it's lesbian
visibility week, which I hate that name by the way, but it's
necessary visibility week. And they're doing all these
events and and they're closing the Stock Exchange as one of
their profile events. So I said I'd go.
Good for you. Good for you.
Were you looking cool for it? And you grew up in Kent?
Yes. Were you very aware of your
mother's style 'cause she was very young when she when she had
you? Wasn't she 17?
You have a look back on pictures.
It was really in the 70s. The long hair, you know, long
hair down to the bum. But were you?
Were you aware of it? No, I don't think I was really
aware of her style. I think, you know, you would
know this over the generations. If you're in fashion, you know
it where if you're not in fashion, people just wore
whatever they either could afford or just liked, you know
what I mean? Because she was young.
She would have been in with the cool kids, you know what I mean?
She liked the mods, She liked all of that.
So she would have kind of reverted to her era of what's
called at that time. But I wasn't really aware of it.
I don't. Think Do you remember the first
time that you thought you realized the impact of clothes?
Yeah. So I've had a sort of a journey
with that as well because having joined the military at 17 is
uniform. So UU, it's very easy.
You don't have to think what you're wearing each day.
And at the end of the day you're in your, you know, cities mainly
track suits. So during that whole period of
my life from 18 to, well, 1727, it was very much that and I
didn't think about fashion at all.
And also then I became an international athlete.
So it was all about sportswear and it wasn't like it is now
where people dressed to look really good on the track, unless
you were Flo Jo Florence. I was going to ask exactly that.
Yeah, about because you you effectively went from 1U track
kit being the the predominant clothing in your life probably
and school uniform. Yeah, so school uniform and
track before I went in the army. And then into another uniform.
Yeah, the Army and then back to athletics uniforms.
So. So then how did you become you
in terms of style? See, I don't think I did till
really late, like really last couple of years.
Because when I won my 2 gold medals from Athens, I was
obviously catapulted into this spotlight, which wasn't as
intense now because obviously it was newspapers, radio, TV.
It wasn't like social media. I think Facebook only started in
that in 2004. So there wasn't that immediate
profile need to be seen unless you went to an event.
But I think I really conformed to what I thought society would
have expected me to be. And again, this was about my
inhibition, my worries about what people thought of me.
So I used to have extensions that were long hair and I'd wear
dresses all the time to events because I felt like I had to fit
in, had to just not shine, had to not stand out, because I was
so worried about this judgement thing about me personally.
So obviously if I went to events I'd want to wear, you know,
something nice, but I wouldn't really have overthought it.
It would be what I had in the cupboard and everywhere was.
Now I really think about what I'm wearing because I'm like, I
like my I like being edgy. I don't want to conform.
If I want to wear a jumpsuit and everyone's wearing a dress,
great, you wear a dress and I'll wear the jumpsuit.
I like standing out now. I mean, you famously came out in
2022, yes. I mean, that must have been
quite a seismic moment. Yeah, to put it mildly.
But did you find yourself thinking more about your
personal style around that time? Because you were probably more
you. You you were owning who you
truly were. So I went from all my swearing,
sort of subdued. You know, I've always had this
sort of alter ego of rock chick thing, which I've always wanted
to be, but I kind of retained it a little bit and went with the
don't stand out type of dress. And then what happened was when
I came out I thought, right, I'm going to embrace colour.
I'm wearing the brightest, loudest thing, so I'm going to
be seen. So I went to my first pride in
2022 that I've ever been to, you know, and I'm wearing this whole
rainbow long kimono. That's it.
Exactly that. And it had this whole big
rainbow flag on the back, you know, and it was colourful and I
loved it. And I stood on the stage in
Trafalgar Square, you know, basically saying here I am and I
loved the colour. And then I went through
everything was colour, colour, colour.
And then it's been literally, that was for a year and then
towards the end of last year and coming in, like I say into 2024,
I'm just like, no, I wear what I like when I like it.
I see something, but I am more aware.
I'm more aware of the fashion that I want to wear.
You know what I mean? If I want to wear lever, I'll
wear a lever jacket. Today.
I'll wear a lever jacket. If I want to wear a light velvet
suit with something really, you know, bizarre underneath or show
me bra, you know what I mean? I'm just embracing my star,
whether it's like my hair or my clothes, my shoes.
I just try to do what I want to do.
Do you discuss clothes with your partner, Louise?
So we do, if we go to an event, she says.
What should I wear? And I'm like, I don't know, it's
like, you know, wear this or all that.
But I she's seen the trans formation in me because, I mean,
I don't know if she likes it because she's not.
She's not into all these events and things, so half the time she
might come. Because you did your first, if
I'm correct, public appearance at the Diverse Diversity Awards
and I thought you were quite coordinated in a really
beautiful way, actually, because you had the.
I had the Elvis suit on and she had a black dress.
Yeah. It's just the fact that we do
like what I like about her or, but it's just that she will make
an effort when we go out. I think it's because this isn't
her world, you know, the profile thing.
She's not into that at all. So when she's coming out of me,
she's really conscious because she wants to make an effort, but
she's not really into certain fashions as such.
And we don't go everywhere together.
And actually, I prefer doing my own thing because I think like
somebody that's not in that world, it's almost like feels
like they've been dragged. It's.
Quite unfair 'cause it throws a massive.
Spotlight and we don't wanna do that.
So she had come to things that really matter.
We've got a lot of friendship groups now.
Yeah. Which is lovely.
Yeah. And she had come to those, so
yeah. Have you ever used a stylist for
those big moments? A couple of times I have, I need
to use them far more because you know, I know the benefit of
stylist really do. And so that is one thing that
I'd like to start to do now is use a stylist.
Who gets that point of this is Kelly and how do we bring our
life. You know what I mean?
Because The thing is, I've found with fashion, if I'm running
around trying to find something to wear, there's limited on the
High Street of putting things together like I wouldn't it.
Takes time. Yeah, it really does.
Huge amount of time and then an eye and a skill and and all of
that, so. Yeah, so I definitely would like
to use the stylus more going forward.
What would you say is the sexiest look for you?
Oh, oh, that's a good one. So I've worn.
I do wear dresses occasionally. Back again now, but I I think
the I went to this event. Where did I go?
Oh, it was in Manchester and we went out with Doctor Ranch and
his mate Tom. Yeah.
And you know, they were taking me to all these nightclubs, and
this is all very new to me as well, going with people to
nightclubs and gay nightclubs and whatever.
I just never did it. So I'm like, yeah, Take Me Out,
I'll go out. I like a drink.
I like balance, like keeping fit.
But it was like a night out. And we went there and I was
wearing these sort of silver baggy jeans and the seafood
sequin top with my bra showing. And I was like, I would never
normally do that. But you felt really cool.
Yeah, as well. You know what I mean?
I felt sexy and I felt cool. Well, because you're an athlete,
you're obviously in great shape. Are you conscious of your shape
affecting your choice of clothes?
Because I, you know, I I couldn't help but notice that
fabulous red velvet suit, but with the sheer top and the
washboard. ABS misses washboard that you
could see through the sheer top. That's daring for me, though.
I don't like getting my I don't know why.
I don't like getting my stomach out.
No. Well.
You can. I'm more conscious of that, I
suppose, because when I was running, I was so ripped, you
know what I mean? And now it's like, OK, well I'm,
I'm more, you know, still ripped.
I've got definition, but it's not like how I'd want it.
Fundamentally, who do you think you dressed for me?
Definitely. For me.
Now I have, yeah, no qualms about it.
What is Stay at Home Slob Out Kelly wearing?
Oh a noodie. I love a noodie.
And I like the with the hood. And yeah, I like the oversize
yeah, oversize hoodie laying on the sofa.
My best night that I can say is a Saturday night in front of
trash television having an Indian chocolate, a gin, a
meadie and telling everyone else the bug wolf.
Leave me alone. I'm.
Wearing what? With your hoodie, Anything.
Some knickers. OK, how would you want someone
to describe your style DNA in three words?
I don't know. I should ask you.
Should I? You're the like, guru.
You're the expert, Yeah, but you're you're the like you are
Miss Fashion. But there's an element of rock
chick there. Yeah, so I like that.
Yeah. Maybe because my hair style and
things Emma Pearson's, so I don't know edgy.
Maybe the same edgy little bit about chick.
I don't know what's the other word.
Just vivacious. Just wears what she wants.
I. Think colourful.
Yeah, I add it in here and there.
Do you think you've got a style icon?
See, what I do is I look at people and I think, oh, I really
like what you're wearing. And it suits your demeanour
because I think people that really know who they are, the
way they dress, just like it's just so it's just easy.
They just look amazing. Yeah, it's like you like not
being funny, but when you turned up at the back of the palace,
you can just see that you know what to wear.
And they just think, wow, it just looks so great And other
people who want. Pink thing in my wardrobe.
But you know what I mean? It's like you can see certain
people who just when they wear something, they just look good.
They're not over trying people that over try probably doesn't
suit their image because they're thinking they've got to conform.
And this is the thing when you own you, you just wear what you
want and you actually fit into it.
It fits you lovely. You can see that.
Can we talk about your hair for a minute?
Oh gosh, yes. OK.
Love it. Right.
What? What's inspired this evolution?
OK, so there was something very personal that started.
So I used to have like, the extensions or was texturized or
whatever, and my mom passed away.
And I'd always been saying to my mom, yeah, I just want a bit of
me. And it was at the time, it was
2017, where I was really getting to a point in my life.
I was 47, and I hated living the life that I was living, that I
just couldn't be me. And she's always wanted me just
to be me, to live my life and all my friends and family know
exactly. Who you were.
All my friends, my close friends and family have always, you
know, they just love me. They don't care.
Of course, you know, that's the side of me that I live and she's
because she's seen me in the public eye and also conforming.
But also she, people, like your friends and family can see the
real you like quite sad, not really happy, not really sort of
feeling it and going out and putting her face on, you know,
because you have to. And she always wanted to be me.
And there was something. I used to go to the same
hairdresser all the time. And I said to her one day, we
kept looking at stars like pink and all that.
And I go, one day I'm going to be brave and I'm going to shave
that side off. And it was literally the morning
of my mother's funeral, a cremation that I went in, sat
down, I said shave off this side and my hair was a bit longer.
It's been texturized and things. And she went, what today?
And I went to shave it off. Is it because The thing is, only
today I got more choice than my mother, I can just shave it off.
She's not got a choice. And it started that.
It did start the change in me. So I did the undercut one side
off. And I remember turning up at the
funeral and everyone's like, Oh my God, that's really cool.
And I kind of felt good, 'cause I didn't care on that day what
people thought. Then, of course, I was going
back to normal life and doing my speaking engagements and doing
my Army role, you know, putting on my beret and turning up as a
honorary Colonel with tattoos, a shaved head and all these
earrings. And I just thought what they're
going to say. And remember this other Colonel,
this woman said to me, don't change it, I love it because
everyone else is so stiff and all the guys are going to be.
And I thought so, so, so I just felt right.
I just have to do it So and then it sort of evolved in the past
few years since, you know, we had locked down.
Same hairdresser. Yeah, yeah, I had two that I'd
always use. And then I started just to,
yeah, I get extensions to get the colour in.
Well, I coloured my hair, went blonde from the dark black and I
went, you know, real blonde and I've had peroxide and you know,
it's broken off and then I die again and then I have extensions
and yeah, now I'm quite, I'll quite like it.
At the moment I'm feeling it I. Love it.
How do you actually plan what you're wearing?
To what? I'm amazed that you do it
without a stylist. Oh, I tell you, it's the drama
that is the drama in my life. You.
It's lastminute.com. Is your wardrobe military style?
No, I went for a phrase of having EV.
I've got every single colour of the rainbow and jackets like
everything. So I did go like, you know,
Richard of York, give Battle and Bane.
I've got let me read me orange, me yellow.
I've got a board and that's one full up with all these colours
and styles and fabrics of jackets.
I've got into loving suits. I love a good suit.
You know, if I'm doing my speaking engagement it makes me
feel powerful. I trend it up a bit.
I don't do it formal. I love a good suit, so I think
that's become a little bit of my style with a nice waistcoat when
I'm doing my speaking. So I think I've started to
understand what I like on my day-to-day job life.
Yes. It's the what do I want to wear
when I'm just going out with my mates that I've started to be a
bit more kind of funky? The issue I have is what do I
want to wear at these higher profile events?
When you're up against everyone else that does have a stylist,
everyone that's wearing something new in the day, I've
got to do it. That's my next stage.
It will be fun, yeah. And and clothes should be fun,
you know, And they should empower us.
And yeah, Cocoon us and yeah, all all of those things.
So I want to do that and I want to start having photo shoots and
owning my style of bit because I don't.
I've never done that. So, you know, I've done a photo
shoot for someone, but I want to kind of go with my own photo
shoot, style it up, pull it out there.
I want, you know, I just want to inspire women who either follow
me or don't with a new me to invigorate and motivate.
Because I think there's so many people that get to an age,
whether I ever find themselves socially or they've gone through
break UPS or something that's caused them to open eyes and
like, you know, like you just think, who am I?
Age as a you know, more specifically as a woman than a
man. I think because our bodies might
change and we just go through these different chapters pre,
post, manifold, whatever it is and and so we sort of I need to
just check in with our style. Yeah every chapter or every
decade or or whatever it is. I would think there would be
magazines gagging to do photo shoots with you it.
Is AI do think it is a slightly different situation where you go
to these events? It is, it's it's it's quite
surreal actually. You.
Feel like you have to make whatever.
You've got to be seen. There's a likelihood you know
you don't want to feel like, oh, I didn't just like.
So it is very different in the mindset of my mates that just,
you know, that don't go out that much and we go out and there's
worrying about us going to the local you know take away or
something. You know what I mean?
Like, and your restaurant. Profile and your your messaging,
to a degree, about who you are and yeah, what you.
Are and don't it? And also I think I don't want
people to feel they have to. They should be given up on them
when they get slightly older. I I.
Don't give up. Just actually, this isn't, these
are ages where you can say I'm going to make the most of my
life because most of the time we, we go through a primitive
years of finding who we are and getting a job and relationships,
and then we get to certain ages. You mentioned perimenopause and
menopause. Well, we change.
We change because our hormones are changing, our viewpoints
changing, our attitudes and our health is changing, you know,
And then actually you get to a point in life where you go, hold
on a minute. And I know it sounds bad, but my
mom passed away at 65. And I think to myself, I don't
know. And we don't know how long we've
got. So why don't we just grab us?
And why do it? Do it for us, not other people.
So yeah, so I think that you do. And chapters are important.
And actually people can look great.
People worry about how they look because they worry about their
body image, you know, whether their complexion or their hair.
But actually, we all have a style, really.
And there's so many means. I mean, you know how many means
there are to find things that might suit you or ways of
finding something that could suit you.
So people should, yeah, just feel proud of themselves a bit
more. So that's what I just think if I
can be somebody at the age I am now, who says actually now I'm
starting to own. Any magazine editor listening to
this? Get her into the studio.
Let's talk about travel for a moment.
I mean, you're a well known face.
Are you very aware of what you wear to travel in?
Yeah, I mean, I like to be comfortable, but I would so like
to not look a state when I'm travelling here is going on a
plane, but I'd like to be comfortable.
So I do find a lash jog suit, but I don't, you know, I don't
look like I'm going out for a run.
I'll make it coordinate and I have my nice trainers on, I have
my hoodie. But it looks really cool.
You know me, like, yeah, so I do think about it.
It's that I don't. I just like to feel proud of
myself. I think sometimes it's a bit of
pride in what you are. And that is not a dirty word.
No. I think if you feel pride in
your appearance, it can make you also feel good.
The moment you let go of that, then you also your attitude will
be like that. Are you a good Packer or a bad
Packer? Oh, well, Louise, I'm a really
bad Packer. I got to throw it in last
minute. She's all like rolling
everything up and she goes, you got so much space and I'm like,
OK, shoving it in. So yeah, Bad Packer.
If you're going away for more than overnight, how many bags do
you honestly take? Oh my gosh, yeah.
I do take a lot. I take a massive bag and a, you
know, the trolley bag and a rucksack, and I have my handbag.
It's a good thing you're an athlete, yeah.
I I do when everyone, when everyone sees me and I go around
to the in the days and they're going where have you come from
and then they go to pick up my bag and they go, what the hell
have you got in? I said every day is a training
day. Pile in as much.
You never know what's going to happen in your day talking.
About training, what do you what athletic brand brands do you
like? Well, I've been wearing Brooks
shoes, but I was sponsored by Reebok.
I was sponsored by Nike once when I was an athlete.
I like sweaty Betty, but I also just like comfortable clothes as
well. But I, you know, because we're
running now, you know, it's like air.
It's like shocks for the headphones, phone conductors,
you know. Yeah.
So they they're basically they sit here, the temple, so that
you can hear the music and the traffic.
So it's all about safety when you run as well?
Rather than the Airpods. That.
Yeah, Airpods, you know, have a flip belt to put my phone in.
It's all like quite meticulous. I wear, you know, sport,
compassion, socks. So the military.
Trainings did not go amiss. No, You know, when I'm running
now, I need to run well, so go look after myself.
It's funny because I was running the other day and I was
thinking, what's the safety tips I can give people who were?
Because a lot of people go to me, oh, I could never run.
I don't really know the first thing.
And actually, there's basic principles of running.
And it does come down to what you're wearing and your kit.
Yeah, high vis supportive bras. For women, that's a really big
thing. Even if you don't have boobs
like me, it's so important to have supportive bras.
It's having materials that allow you to sweat better or don't rub
and chafe. So actually, fashion isn't more
about exactly the colors in the bands.
It's what you wear so that you can perform better.
Just coming back to your wardrobe, what, if anything, do
you feel you've got an excessive amount of?
Oh my God. Suits and jackets.
I have lots and lots of jackets for suits of every color.
And guilty secret. What is the most expensive item
of clothing that you've ever bought?
Now you don't have to tell me the price tag, but you could
just describe it to me. I would say shoes.
Really. Yeah, a heel.
Yeah, I've got some really nice brands of shoes.
By who? Which designers do?
You I've got some Jimmy shoes, I see.
I always think I'm going to backtrack.
I always think if you have one nice staple piece, so like we
have, it's a really nice jacket. Even if it's quite expensive,
you can have other things that are less expensive.
Totally, totally. Because sometimes I could have a
really lovely pair of shoes that all eyes are on the shoes, but
the outfit doesn't have to be so expensive as long as it fits
nicely. Somehow doesn't feel as clever
anyhow, does it? If everything's very expensive.
No, and I think the other thing that I've learned is tailoring.
So sometimes I really love a suit but I'm only 5 foot 3 3/4
so the trousers seem to be so excessively long and you get put
off by it. But if I go to a tailors and I
get them fitted, to me they can look stunning with a lovely
hill. So for me now it's about I might
find something and it doesn't always have to be an expensive
item, but if it's tailored to you it can look amazing, it can
look like you've had it made. So that's my biggest thing
because my, you know, my close network group, everyday people
that do a nine to five daily job that don't have money and they
then worry about coming to events with me and what they're
going to wear. And I always say to them, look,
I just want you as you to come because you're my mate.
But if you want some advice, wear this, but just get it cut
in or wear a belt with it or, you know, kind of wear, look at
what you're wearing and is it a pop of color?
You know, I'm not a fashion guru by any means, but having lived
the life where you have to be seen, there's certain things
that you get to see and hear, right?
That sounds. That sounds very wide.
Yeah, very wide, you know, it's even nice handbag that can be a
glitzy because people's eyes are just on neither the glitz or the
colour or the pop or the star, right?
So that's what I say to them and it puts them at ease.
What's your approach to sustainable fashion?
Well, put it this way, as we speak and you're I'm on your
podcast, I'm going to an awards where I'm getting an award and
I'm wearing exactly the same jumpsuit I wore another event
about four weeks ago, one because I really like it.
Bravo is all I will say. I just wear a different color
shoes, right? But I love this outfit.
Not many people saw me in it other than at this event.
I didn't get snapped everywhere. I didn't even put the photo out
and I thought, I really like it. I spent money on this.
I'm going to wear it again. Great, I have a hashtag for it.
Go on, re wear. Don't care.
There you go. And I think if you've got
something you love, wear it and wear it.
Yeah, I'm going to do that because you do get to a point
again, it is the being in the public height hangover is that
you get snapped. You have to put it up, You don't
wanna be seeing it again. And I've just got to a point
where I thought I don't actually have time to go out all the
time. And I think we've moved on from
that. Yeah, actually I think it now
you. Know the ability.
It looks clever, you know, when you think of even sort of the
royal family who get photographed all the time.
When Kate wears something again and again, Yeah, it's everyone's
clapping it. Can still look slightly
different. You know, you can wear the
different shoes or the jewelry or the handbag or a jacket over
it and it makes a different look.
So that's what I thought. I'm wearing what I wanted to
wear tonight. Good, good, good.
Let's spin on some quick fire questions.
What fashion advice would you give your 20 year old self?
Don't care what people think. What fashion trend would you
most like to see make a comeback?
I used to have jeans with the pipe down the side.
Do you remember the whole drain pipe?
Jeans of a colour? And then you have the belt.
That's going well back into my youth.
Or the shoes. The kickers just have kickers.
I loved my Yeah the kickers. Which fashion beauty trend would
you consign to Room 101? The thin eyebrows that they used
to have, Don't ever bring them back.
The real real just like a little slip.
Please don't bring them back. Your last impulse by.
This leather jacket that I have on right now.
Your views on tattoos? Love them.
I have 13. I'm going to get another one.
I got, what, a half a sleeve? Beauty treatment you couldn't
give up. Facials.
High End or High Street? Both.
Bling or Bear? Bing Bling.
Minimalism or Maximalism? Oh, you know, they say the less
is more, but it depends what you're going to.
On the fence, Crocs. Cute or puke?
Oh, puke. Sneakers or stilettos?
Sneakers any day. Skinnies or boyfriends or wide
legs? Oh, with skinnies, I'm making a
comeback, as you know, but I'm probably in the middle of the
Boyfriend. Body Con or both her.
Yeah, Body Con. Sports Lux or Rock chick?
Rock chick. Red carpet or relax?
Relax. Trend or style?
A little bit of both, depending on what the trend is.
Color or monochrome? Both.
Experimental or uniform? Experimental.
Having spent half of your. Life in uniform?
Exactly. Cashmere or cotton?
Oh, most of my things are cotton.
They're just every day, isn't it?
Hoarder or editor? Hoarder.
Shapewear or sexy lingerie? Shapewear.
Tights or stockings? Oh, neither.
Bikini or One Piece? Bikini.
Beanie or Berry Beanie. And finally, at the end of the
day, what do you or don't you wear in bed?
Nothing. I go commando.
Kelly, Dame Kelly Holmes, MBE, I cannot thank you enough.
What a pleasure. This conversation has been
really great fun and I could have talked all afternoon.
Oh, thank you. And can I be Jackie?