TV last night - Fabulous Fashionistas

I don't tend to review TV as I watch too much of it anyway but it's been a long time since I watched something so uplifting and life-affirming as Fabulous Fashionistas on Channel 4 last night.

Taking the stories of 6 women whose average age was a simply amazing 80, this film could have been patronising and dipping it's toe into tokenism. Instead we met 6 very diverse women who were sharp, full of personality and life, independent and inspiring. This should be shown at all schools and universities, as it not only gives a voice to the idea that life doesn't just stop when you get past 50 and that old people have not just something to say but lots to contribute.

It is all part of the brilliant Cutting Edge series and award-winning director, Sue Bourne deals with sensitive issues like body image, sex and fashion with sympathy and clarity. We meet Bridget, Daphne, Jean, Gillian, Sue and Lady Trumpington who are all determined to just keep going while looking fabulous and having fun. No botox, fillers, plastic surgery (well there was a knee replacement but that was about it), and not much in the way of hair dye either, this documentary explored their amazing stories and expectations and you cannot fail to come away with a renewed vigour and an understanding that life is for living and that you should never just give up and wear beige.

Watch it on catch up, show your daughters, sons and husbands, everyone should see this documentary no matter your age or sex there's a lot to be learned about appreciating what you have and not being afraid to live.

Meet some of the ladies

Bridget Sojourner is 75 and is an ageism campaigner.

"People stop me everyday in the street, amazed that I look so stylish at my age.  The insidious ageism in our society says that you become invisible as you get older and that’s what I’m fighting against visually with my clothes. It’s great to see women like Mary Berry and Mary Beard on television but it’s tokenism when you remember that Anna Ford and Moira Stewart had to disappear because of their age.

Jean Woods is 75 and works in a boutique gift shop. She wears Doc Martens with everything and says 

"Five years ago my husband died suddenly. I was in a terrible state and was going to get a job in a charity shop to take my mind off it. Then my son suggested that I apply to Gap instead. I thought it was a ridiculous idea because nobody over 21 goes into that shop but I went in anyway and they gave me the job immediately.

Daphne Selfe is an amazing 85 and still makes a good living as a model. She has worked in the fashion industry for over 60 years and her bone structure is to die-for. She has appeared in The Guardian, Italian Vogue and is the face of Tk Maxx.

Lady Trumpington became a YouTube sensation when she flipped a V at a fellow member of the House of Lords. She is 91 and a Conservative life peer and is addicted to catalogues. She is incredibly sharp with a dry sense of humour - we are lucky to have her like in parliament.

What have I learned from these amazing women?
I won't be giving up some form of work until I am completely bedridden - it's the best way of keeping a foothold in modern life
I won't be dictated to about 'age appropriate' clothes - if I still fit skinnies when I'm 90 I will still be wearing them
I won't be afraid to say what I think - damn the consequences (although I will always take other people's feelings into account, that is hard-wired into my psyche)
I will make sure I have a reason to keep on living
I will just get on with things and appreciate every day as being special and a gift
I can't expect others to be responsible for my happiness - that has to come from within
You can wear a rainbow of colours and still look FABULOUS

Photos and quotes from The Radio Times

   

Just a handful of talented UK women

I've got some really talented friends. Not the one's I've worked with over the years (though boy there's amazing talent there - I'm so lucky) no, I'm talking about friends who live locally to me and have just become friends through schools and streets really...

There are a huge amount of amazing women out there in the UK creating wonderful things and I am lucky that my friends are amongst them. Wish I could say the same!

So I am unashamedly going to introduce you to four of them here, all of them who have brought up children, run households and are fabulously creative.

Cheryl Powling

Cheryl keeps and hatches chickens as a sideline - check out her blog Mucky Hen. But her real talent lies in stained glass and as we are an Edwardian area there's lots of it that needs restoration and replacing so she is always busy. She also runs workshops for those who want to learn the art of stained glass. She's also quite mad (again see her blog).
Here is something she made for me for my birthday with handpainted glass (all her own work too). She knows I love bees (I have a tattoo).

Oh and she also does a bit of mosaic when the fancy takes her...

Then there's Tami Hedley. She also works with glass using fluid dyes on the reverse of glass bowls and dishes to create the most wonderfully vibrant pieces which are sold all over the world. I love the colours she produces and she also works as an Art Therapist with youngsters who need help and a creative outlet. How beautiful are these?

No list of my talented female friends should be without commercial artist, Pauline Hazelwood who produces large paintings, smaller watercolours and illustrations. She is an acclaimed artist who has had her work displayed at the Mall Galleries and the National Gallery. I love her children's book illustrations which I first learned about from a set of greetings cards which I came across on sale. One day I will treat myself to one of her painting classes (especially the one's she runs abroad and in the sunshine - sounds like bliss) where she will learn how bad a painter I actually can be. Needless to say her sons seem to be following in her footsteps with amazing success.
Here are just a few pieces of her work...

and here is one of her children's book illustrations which I love...

And last  is Helen Masacz whose portraits have been hung in the National Portrait Gallery and whose star is very much on the ascendant in the portraiture world. I am proud to say that I was one of the first people to commission her to do portraits of my girls - now I can't afford her which is a good thing for her but bad thing for me (though she is still very affordable for what she does I hasten to add). Anyway she too has brought up children and created a business from home - here is a taster of her amazing work...

She also has produced a series of wonderful still-life paintings too...

We all have talented friends so if you want to let me know about your's I'll certainly blog about them here - would be delighted to showcase more amazingly creative women of the UK!