Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time, in a land far far away, there was a beautiful young Princess called Francine. Francine had a thing for a designer called Azzedine Alaïa (I said it was a long time ago). For a party that our Princess was invited to, she bought an outfit by said designer comprising of skirt and top - both black and the skirt with laces up the side (you remember Addicted To Love, by Robert Palmer) the backing band wore similar outfits - yes you remember. I said it was a long time ago...

Fast forward to Modern Times (last week). Our Princess just tried on a black skirt with laces up the side... Am I starring in my own fairy story? Or am I part of the Goldfish Bowl of Fashion? Swimming round and round, forgetting the very thing we just saw and every time we see it again, thinking it's new?

As the temperature dropped last week. I actually wore tights (be they very small fishnets). I have not worn tights for a very long time. Recently in The Times, there was an article about women who never, even in the coldest climes, ever wear tights, but have perfectly polished pins. I also subscribe to the no-tight look with lightly-tanned legs - nothing in my opinion looks better. Sometimes my Leg Colourist (not me, I hasten to add. I did try to do it myself once and let's say my ankles and heels looked radioactive. It looked like I'd sprayed them streaky day-glo orange, and at that time fake tans stank! How did I try to cover this oversight? Well, my ex-husband thought my legs looked like I'd been Tango'ed. Smell, what smell? Never mind the fact that as orange as my legs were, the rest of my body was white. And the next morning, my bedsheets were also orange! I tried to convince him that his glasses needed checking). Well, the colour is sometimes a bit too tanned, but it fades. I just wonder - I wore knee-high black socks for the last two years and I'm not interested in ankle socks in winter, with a skirt, on me. And, well, is there really nothing else? I remember when, a few years ago, I bought some Shin Shine (yes, Shin Shine). My first husband could not either believe it or understand the necessity for this cosmetic must-have. But I swear by it and still use it today.

I can't now remember where but very recently I saw, in a fashion spread, a dress for over £30,000... Really? I can think of so many things to say and jokes to crack, but I think I'll leave you to ponder on that nugget of news. Remember, if you have a dressing rooim big enough, keep what you're wearing now and (provided you're the same size in 30 years time) you can wear it again!

Happy Shopping!

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