Why no one is the boss of me
With a brand-new season stretching out in front of us, here’s what I will and won’t be doing this spring.
First up, I won’t be dressing like a mob wife – or anyone else’s wife, come to that. How odd that in 2024 this micro trend for looking like a gangster’s moll has captivated TikTok’s young and old. I mean, who wants to look like a murderous drug baron’s other half?
At least if you’re going to go down the route of wearing animal prints, heavy gold jewellery, glossy leather trousers, perfectly coiffed hair and a massive fur coat – sadly breathing new life into the fur industry while you’re at it – call yourself the head honcho, not just the wife of one. That said, I could be tempted by a leopard-print coat, though I’d wear it the best way – with a black poloneck and black trousers underneath.
One of my small pleasures is watching social media reels while waiting for a takeaway coffee or sitting frazzled and tired in a taxi. I love the sheer variety of what pops up on my screen. But, oh my lordy, the comments that people leave are horrendous. What is wrong with them? If a couple are renovating their house, viewers queue up to tell them it’s horrible. Or if someone shares a funny snippet of life with their children, they’ll get nasty judgments about their parenting skills. People’s looks, style and careers are trashed and pulled apart. There are no limits. What is happening to the human race?
So this spring I’m going to try to turn off my phone – well, just for a little bit – get dressed up and see more theatre. With so many stellar acting names now treading the West End boards – from Sarah Jessica Parker in Plaza Suite to Succession’s Sarah Snook in
The Picture of Dorian Gray – there’s so much to see.
‘Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking!’ There’s a good reason why this line from The Devil Wears Prada is quoted constantly and, as expected, the latest collections are sticking with the usual abundance of blooms. If you’ve been reading this column for a while, you’ll know I’m not the biggest fan of florals. However, there’s something about the rose – the one flower that’s managed to stand out from the rest of the bouquet – that has seduced even me.
From prints of full-on, long-stem versions featuring leaves, thorns and all to (even better) 3D creations, roses have been absolutely everywhere on the runways and the awards season red carpets. For inspiration, have a look at Simone Rocha’s new playful and modern approach to the rose – or Margot Robbie in her Balmain dress at the recent Critics Choice Awards.