I worked at Vogue in my 20s, but it’s only in my 40s that I’ve truly found my style – here’s how
I am genuinely now excited to be in my 40s – I know myself a little better. I’m tired, yes; just this morning I was giving my son Calpol – the nectar of childhood – at 3am. I’m also distracted in ways that mean I am bad at keeping up with old friends who I miss and never really see, because “life gets in the way.” I’m distracted by school emails, worrying about my parents, filing accounts, replying to WhatsApp messages, trying to get to yoga… missing yoga.
But this is life. And I’ve now learnt (at this ripe old age) that you never get to the bottom of the inbox or the laundry pile, that you’ll never fully feel rested until retirement, and that it’s absolutely imperative to say “no” every now and then. The one thing that doesn’t phase me? My sense of style.
This comes with practice and I really have had practice (so I should be getting something right). I worked at Vogue for 12 years. I was wearing and borrowing great clothes far too early in my career. I’d even say my style peaked in my 20s. And because I’ve worn the nice dresses, tottered in the nice shoes, enjoyed the delights of a Chanel sample sale (at Claridges – it was insane), and tried a lot of brands as part of my work, I can at least dwell in a calm that comes from a comfort in one’s style. I say this because I know, I meet and I work with so many women that really battle to work out their own style – and many may never find total peace with it. It seems so unfair that this is the part of life that seems to flummox us, even though we are meant to become older and wiser.
Satin silk blouse, ￡590, Anna Mason; Cotton trousers, ￡134, Maria de la Orden; Leather shoes, ￡200, Bobbies; Gold-plated earrings, ￡290, YSSO
Who do I admire? I will always worship at the altar of Gwyneth, age 51, (and indeed her mother, Blythe Danner). I think Queen Letizia of Spain just brings joy in all that she wears, age 51, Caroline Issa, 46 years, never fails to turn heads and continues to experiment with fashion where I might have given up. Like many tired mothers I wish I could exude half the elegance of the Princess of Wales, 42 years – I maintain we could dress in the exact same outfit and I’d still look dishevelled. Then there’s Alexa Chung. Did you see her 40th birthday? I wanted to shout: “Alexa! Turn up the volume and let’s party!” I loved her attitude. And finally, how did Victoria Beckham (49) make a grey T-shirt and denim look so elegant in the Beckham documentary on Netflix?
In my 20s at Vogue, it was pencil skirts, socks and sandals, Louboutin shoes, a dabble in Marni. At 30 (on my actual birthday) I was getting married – big white dress and Jimmy Choo shoes I still wear to party in. Most of my 30s was spent pregnant in leggings and Cos dresses, breastfeeding in oversized shirts, pushing a pram in trainers and yet more leggings. If I dressed up, I was always worrying if I could fit into something because of a baby bump, or post-baby weight.
After my second, I left my career at Vogue and just like that, my style shifted. I always describe leaving British Vogue as both a break-up and a liberation and, looking back, style-wise, it also marked a clear shift. I had dressed for the job I wanted (you had to, it was Vogue) I had spent a lot of my (pitiful) salary in Topshop, occasionally used a credit card in Prada, and now I was dressing for a whole new job – motherhood – while simultaneously starting my own business. I was now meeting with brands I had previously worked with except I was “just Ginnie”, instead of the armour of being “Ginnie from Vogue”. In those early meetings, I had to dress in a way that was truly me, but that also addressed the reality of being a commuter and a mother. (You cannot race from meeting to train station to school pick-up in heels.)
Satin shirt, ￡490 and trousers, ￡450, Borgo de Nor; Velvet shoes, ￡675, Jimmy Choo; Gold vermeil earrings, ￡140, Otiumberg
My work now focuses on brands doing good: brands that have an awareness of the fabrics they use, the transparency of supply chains, brands that don’t overproduce. I have to shop with both flair and genuine consideration. As the main advert for my brand and services, I have a duty to dress by example.
I haven’t set foot in Zara for six years – not in a snobby way, that brand just doesn’t need my hard-earned money; there are more ethical ways to shop for fashion. When it comes to denim, the values of Citizens of Humanity (regenerative cotton farming in the United States crossed with excellent cuts) make it my go-to – even with the hefty price tag. (No trips to Zara means I save a lot of money and can spend on bigger ticket items.
My most useful bags are from Anya Hindmarch, including one that I bought nine years ago to celebrate the birth of my daughter. I just knew it wouldn’t date. And that’s really how my style started to evolve – to use the fashion lingo. As a 30-something, I clocked items that I knew I’d still love as a 40-something. And I still do this with everything; pondering every single purchase has become the norm for me.
Wool coat, ￡545, Really Wild; Crochet tank top, ￡109, Pink Lemons; High rise jeans, ￡320, Agolde; Leather tote bag, ￡1,250, Anya Hindmarch; Velvet shoes, ￡169, Penelope Chilvers; Gold-plated necklace, ￡375, Tilly Sveaas
If there is a brand I spend on for its feel-great factor it’s Anna Mason. Like Gwyneth, Anna is 51 – I’m sure that’s half of what I’m buying into. She looks gorgeous, she wears her own designs beautifully and has never once let age impact how she dresses. I wear Anna to Royal Ascot; I wore Anna to my children’s christenings; I live in her dungarees – she seems to come up with the goods when you need to feel great but you’ve gained a bit of weight, or you feel rotten, or when you want to dress up for the pub “just because”.
Lambswool jacket, ￡1,050 and trousers, ￡715, Anna Mason; T-shirt, Ginnie’s own; Suede shoes, ￡595, Jimmy Choo; Gold-plated bangles, ￡405 for 2, Tilly Sveaas
Her slogan, “softly confident, strongly feminine” has converted so many women from being lost-on-the-high-street to investors of higher-price pieces they can wear over and over, and never tire of. That, for me, is the sweet spot of ageless style – not getting bored after one wear – the very antithesis of fast fashion.
Where do I no longer shop? Cos (owned by H&M). I think I was too over-excited by it when it launched here in 2007 and spent too much time looking like my husband as a result. (Cos was on our doorstep at Vogue so it was a lunch-break hang out). If I had all the money in the world, I’d buy a Metier handbag. The best coat I ever bought was from Celine. The best underwear I own is Elliot Organics or Stripe & Stare. The one brand that suits every shape is Cefinn. My greatest splurge was on the Gucci trainers with a simple green and red stripe I bought in 2015 which still look current in 2023. Bingo!
Velvet dress, ￡190, Spirit & Grace; Suede shoes, ￡595, Jimmy Choo; Gold vermeil earrings, ￡140, Otiumberg; Gold-plated ring, ￡110, Tilly Sveaas
I’d love to wave a magic wand at a few brands that really need to start using older models given that older women actually have disposable income, but I’m told they “need to maintain their brand positioning” – whatever that means. I’ve noticed I don’t get invited to some brand events now, so there is a natural filtering taking shape. Does it hurt? A little, but then I ask if I would actually spend my money at these brands and often that makes everything feel better. I’d rather be sipping a glass of red wine in my (Navygrey) knit, thank you.
Getting older, you spend more wisely because your outgoings become such a huge part of your life; mortgage, food bills, children, school uniform, pension pot. I genuinely can’t afford to shop as frequently as I did, so I make sure I get it right when I do.
I often have to tell clients that not every trend is going to work on them and that can sometimes hurt. Trends come and go, so don’t ever be a slave to them. (Peasant-chic being a clear example!) Find what works for you, not what you’re being hounded by on social media.
Invest in good jeans, a great coat, a useful handbag. Try to take time to find these pieces. Lined trousers will hang better, a silk shirt supes-up any outfit, a quiet rebellion to florals is okay! Camel will always look elegant – it’s gorgeous when worn with gold. Black is not always the answer – try navy! Be you! Else we run the risk of looking like minions.
You may love or hate what I’m wearing here, but I know what I like, what I’m comfortable in. And when all is said and done, doesn’t that make life, and age, a bit more interesting?
