IN THIS ISSUE

As a magazine editor, I’m immersed in fashion on a daily basis. But it took me a long time to find my own style – in fact, I’m not even 100% sure I’ve found it yet! What that goes to prove is that it’s not about following trends or wearing what you’re told to wear by the ‘fashion bibles’, it’s about knowing what works for you. Nobody else in the world has the same shape, lifestyle, likes and dislikes as you, so why would you wait for anyone else to tell you what you should and shouldn’t be wearing? What I love about this week’s cover star Mary Berry – who visited Ireland this week for the Ploughing Championships even though Storm Ali kept everyone away from Screggan’s famous fields on the second day – is that not only does she not follow trends, she’s also setting them well into her 80s. That Zara bomber, that French Connection biker jacket – both sold out within hours of her wearing them. She always looks cool and self-assured while steadfastly refusing to conform to the twinset ‘uniform’ so beloved of women of a certain age. On

page 20, you’ll see Mary as you’ve never seen her before and even though some of the looks are not what she’d usually wear, she pulls them off through a combination of attitude and confidence. She’s the perfect role model for anyone who thinks age and job dictate what you should wear – I’ve never seen another 83-year-old baker look like this! The central message we can take from this shoot is that fashion is not a fixed message – it’s as fluid as we are. You want to wear stripes and florals together? Go for it. You want to prioritise comfort over style? Well then you should. And, even though Mary is vehemently against it, trainers can now be worn as part of a chic outfit, one trend I never want to see the back of. So open your wardrobe, embrace your mood and style yourself according to how you feel – I can guarantee everyone will notice more than they would if you walked around dripping in designer garments. You’ve heard of the Wild Atlantic Way and the Ancient East, now it’s time to explore Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands. A new initiative aims to promote the centre of the country and the pictures on page 28 will have you jumping in the car with a camera to hand. We have a beautiful little country and I’ll certainly take any chance I can to see more of it – I’ll meet you in the middle! Enjoy the issue.

“FASHION IS NOT A FIXED MESSAGE – IT’S AS FLUID AS WE ARE”