I FELT TOTALLY INVISIBLE, NOW I’M STRIKING

RACHEL MAUNDER, 64, is divorced with two children aged 24 and 20. She lives in Hampshire and works as a speaker, trainer and mentor.

Stepping out for a lunch meeting last week wearing faux leather trousers, a silk blouse and heels, I couldn’t have felt less like the dowdy, invisible 64-year-old I once imagined I’d be.

As a teenager, I considered myself the archetypal plain Jane. I’d grown up a mousybrown-haired ugly duckling to my slimmer, prettier, blonde older sister.

I’ll never forget a customer in the pub where I waitressed age 18 telling me that I reminded him of olive from the TV series on The Buses. Cue floods of tears from me.

when I became a mum in my 40s, people asked if I was my children’ s grandmother — it was souldestroying. For years, I mainly wore my ‘mum uniform’ — shapeless trousers and sweatshirts. But eight years ago, I decided it was time for a transformation.

An image consultant gave me tips — crucially, never wear black or white by my face; there must be silver jewellery or a bright scarf in between.

I started wearing make-up every day and having my silvery grey hair highlighted every three months to keep it bright and youthful. Now, I get a lot of compliments. my 24-year- old daughter tells me I’m contemporary and ‘trendy’.

I’ll never be described as pretty, but I aspire to be striking. I feel I’m finally achieving that.