£620 for dirty overalls? Go DIY instead!
DESIGNER Ralph Lauren, whose innovative achievements I have long admired, is selling paint-splattered overalls for £620. He has always maintained he doesn’t just design clothes, he designs dreams. So obviously these are decorating visions, at an exorbitant price. This label is famed for clothing with a classic appeal, so the boiler suit is plumbing the depths. My version didn’t cost that much. In fact, because of the virus crisis, I haven’t bought clothes for months. There’s no point if you can’t go out and socialise. I haven’t bought make-up or had a hair appointment. It’s lovely to be fresh-faced and my husband has been trimming my fringe. How can fashion be so expensive? Most work overalls cost around £40, so the mark-up is ridiculous. The boiler suit was so-called because men wore them to work on coal-fired boilers. They were subsequently the uniform of women in munitions factories in World War II. Now suddenly they are the latest fashion statement. I can remember wearing jumpsuits, a version of the boiler suit, in the 1980s, but at least they were smart. The only issue was that if you wanted to spend a penny, it meant taking the whole darn thing off. Catsuits were more sexy, as they hugged the body. I wore a red one to advertise a charity fashion show to raise funds for a new CAT scanner for the local hospital. Ironically, I later needed a scan. Thankfully, a benign tumour was diagnosed. Ralph Lauren should concentrate on using his skills for the couture styling that has made him a success. Leave paint-splattered workwear to the tradesmen.