Last night That's Not My Age met Mary Portas. Actually, I'd quite like to end this post here. Maybe now I've met the high street fashion Goddess, my online work is done and I can sign off for good? Farewell dear blogosphere, it's been a blast.
But no. I have some hot news from planet fashion. According to Portas, the boyfriend jacket is over, it's all about the girlfriend jacket now. And to prove it, she was wearing a peach Celine tuxedo jacket that only a couple of days ago made an appearance on Melanie Rickey's Fashion Editor At Large blog (that's Rickey on the right):
Now I occasionally wear some of Mr That's Not My Age's jumpers but they don't look as good as this. Perhaps I could persuade him to start wearing women's tailoring? Anyway, so I met the Queen of Shops at the Greatest Fashion Show on Earth and I think I might have instantaneously developed a minor case of Tourette's Syndrome. No, I didn't swear at her (imagine that? 'Hi Mary, fuck off!') but I did get a bit starstruck and found myself blurting out, 'Ohmigod, I don't know what to say, I think I'm a bit in awe of you.' There is a reason why I don't go out much. My excuse for this unseemly behaviour? One glass of M&S champagne, severe back pain and a stupor induced by compere, George Lamb.
So this morning I would like to go and live here:
But like Eddie Izzard on his ultra-marathon I'm going to ignore the pain and carry on. Before I made a complete fool of myself I managed to ask Mary P to name her favourite outfits (from the catwalk show). 'I could have worn a lot of it,' said the style guru, ' the Uniqlo white shirt, the No Name top was stunning. The season is here for grown-up fashion.' Hoorah!
Then Melanie Rickey took a photo of me and my new best friend. I've cropped myself out, partly to maintain anonymity and partly because next to Portas who is absolutely gorgeous and has amazing skin, I looked a bit like Gordon Ramsay in a wig. Must do something about those wrinkles.
And, I say! Could that be Mary's hand on my shoulder?
As well as the girlfriend jacket, Portas is wearing an Acne t-shirt, skinny Cos trousers and Acne chocolate brown leather boots - with what could have been a post-modern Cuban heel, I couldn't see clearly in the dark and had been sycophantic enough already, I didn't want her to think I was curtsying too. The look? Grown-up rock chick with money and taste, a bit like Carine Roitfeld with a better hair cut.
That's Not My Age was incapable of stringing a sentence together - what would you say to Mary Portas?
Photos
Mary Portas: Melanie Rickey
Piet Hein Eek log cabin: Thomas Mayer
Catwalk shots: Greg Fonne Photography
21 comments:
I would like to know her best charity shop buy. Mine is a Todds leather bag..it's fab.
Sounds like that was a great night last night. I am afraid I would have reacted like you did. I wouldnt have know what to ask her at all. Hey that is why i take pictures :-)
I would have said, "Hi Mary, remember those bitches days in your office at Top Shop, what was that camp man you worked with called, Paul?'
Hi there-pretty much the same as you I think-I'd be very tongue tied, LOL!!
Gordon Ramsay in a wig? If he is seeing this, I think he'd take it as a compliment. :)
I have no clue what to ask her. I think I would be happy if I'd manage not to splutter my M&S bubbly all over her.
Yah! Great and sounds like you were fab, I would have been gushing so much more!
FG - A Tod's leather bag, fantastic! Where did you find it?
Thank you all for your comments, I'm feeling a bit better about things now - maybe I don't need to find a remote log cabin after all.
Oh my goodness - you MET Mary Portas - can you hear my squeals from Australia??? I am so delighted and thrilled for you and LOVED reading this post... knowing what she was wearing and what she declared to be 'of the moment'.... I fear though I would have been hopeless if I had met her and would not have been able to ask her anything worth asking. Perhaps I would have topped it all off with a curtsy or two!
Ms Portas does a great Sandie Shaw meets Sharon Osborne in a Teddy Boy jacket impersonation - obviously the look of the moment.
*huff* WHY was I not there as your chaperone? PS, did you know Mary was filming in the Grazia offices this (last) week? Methinks there is a new series of MQOS brewing... Oh, PPS, when is someone going to give her a radio show?
S-E - I hear you!
Susan - Sandie Shaw yes, but Sharon Osbourne?
RG - yes, apparently there is a new series and if I hadn't been so tongue-tied I would have asked about it. A radio show would be fab - Mary Queen of the Airwaves!
Dear Not My Age,
I LOVE that Mary Portas, we recently had her show Mary Queen of Charity Shops here in Australia and I think she's fab- gutsy and tough and loving all at once. And I am mad for her Purdie-Joanna-Lumley-in-the-Avengers bob arangement. Was she friendly??? Thankyou for your comments on my blog! Always get a thrill as love yours 11/10. I would've asked what I should be buying next.
She looks amazing, doesn't she!?!?
I would have wanted to ask her who does her hair, because I love it! However, I would have probably just been tongue-tied too!
This is a first (for me!) two comments on one post... just have to though... been thinking about it all weekend the fact that ..... You MET Mary P.!! - and she put her hand on your shoulder ... practically your NBF I feel. How fantastic is this??!!!
FF - both Mary & Melanie were super-friendly, said they liked the blog and offered to take photos (Melanie took the photos & emailed them to me) - and I think that's what threw me. I wasn't expecting to become their New Best Friend! Oh and you have to buy a white shirt or slinky jersey top. Mary has spoken.
PB - love the hair too. But after my gushing comment I didn't want things to get too 'Single White Female!'
S-E - me too. Don't want to get too carried away but I think it's safe to say that Mary is my NBF - and Melanie too, they are my NBGFs!
Sheesh, I'd have no idea what to ask her, I'd be too busy hiding behind a column somewhere so she couldn't see what I was wearing...
I cannot believe you got meet Mary.... that is so incredible! She just always looks so stylish and I think I have actual love for the woman! What a fantastic experience. Oh god...I'm getting all gushy just commenting about it - can you imagine what a t*t of myself I would've made? I think you did a far better job under the circumstances! x
I've known Melanie for years, she's great. I love Mary and I love your blog but how do I follow you? xx
Once went to a book signing with Lauren Bacall (well, we didn't go TOGETHER, but you know what I mean) and in my head I had all these questions about her career, her life, her sense of fashion.
And when my turn in the queue I just burbled an embarrassed 'I think you're great' and shuffled off clutching my book.
*sigh*
You did well to remember her name and ask any questions at all, I think!
Ali x
oooh word verification game: singe - a burning french monkey
I'm coming very late to the Mary Party, my excuse being I live Across the Pond and in Texas, no less. I have idolized her on You Tube and the tiny bit of Mary Queen of Shops we got here on BBC America. We need more Mary— here, there and everywhere. Your reference to yourself as Gordon Ramsay was apt, if only because I describe Mary as "Gordon Ramsay for Retail".
Don't be so hard on yourself. If I were ever so lucky as to meet Mary Portas, live, in person, I'm sure I would swallow my own tongue, so really, don't beat yourself up.
Rosemary from www.foreveronthecatwalkoflife.com
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