DRESSED TO KILL
I hate the fact that I’m not skinny
MARTINE McCUTCHEON
SINGER and former EastEnders star, Martine McCutcheon, 41, is married to the musician Jack McManus. They live in Surrey with their son, Rafferty, who is two. Here, she shares her style secrets with Rosanna Greenstreet . . .
Style rules?
I don’t wear anything too loose or too tight. I like things that fit my body. If you’ve curves, you have to work harder at the elegant side of things, so it’s all about the fit for me. I like simplicity, I have never been a pattern person.
I buy a bit of rock chic leopard print every now and then, but if I am wearing a leopardprint chiffon blouse, I wear black jeans or trousers to balance it out.
I love black, I think deep down I am a bit of a Goth! I love cream as well. I am inspired by the French: they wear simple clothes and if they ever have patterns, it’s stripes or polka dots.
I adore Isabel Marant’s designs. Jack treated me to an amazing pair of her suede boots that are ruched at the ankle and I also have a lovely blouse that I got off eBay. It’s white with beading and tassels, and cost something ridiculous like only £70! Dress up or dress down? I have two different styles. When I am performing, I love a classic French look with a rock edge and when I am not working and being Mummy, I’m in a blouse, jeans and ballet pumps.
My hair has been short for years, but sometimes it can make you feel a bit bare, so for work I have pieces put in. What we do is all about smoke and mirrors.
I feel feminine with long hair. acrylic extensions get a bit of a bad rap because you can’t heat them, but if you get good ones, they have a shine and a permanent wave to them, so you always look like you’ve just had your hair done. and they are so low-maintenance.
other times, I’ll have wefts glued in or full-on extensions made of real hair that need to be blow-dried. I am constantly changing my hair from dark to light, long to short.
Recently, I did a green/grey spray-in. a company sent me loads of spray-in colours — pink, purple, green and grey. Rafferty and I were spraying stuff on his hair and on my hair and we had the best laugh but, afterwards, there was green everywhere!
Body loves and hates?
My cheekBones keep me youthful. When you are young, you look like you’ve a chubby face and then, as you get older, they stand you in good stead.
I hate the fact that I am not skinny. I was a size 14 and now I am a 12. I am 5ft 7in and I’ve big boobs and hips and little waist.
I actually prefer a curvy body, but for ease every day, it would be lovely to be straight up and down because then you can throw on anything and it will hang nicely.
Dresses or trousers?
I aM more of a trousers girl, particularly tuxedo trousers. For me, the sexiest thing a woman can wear is a tuxedo. But the thing I’ve felt best in was a little dress by alice temperley I wore for the south Bank awards years ago and it’s still my go-to thing.
It’s black chiffon with beautiful crocheted embroidery and gold buttons. I wear it with black opaque tights and black suede Louboutin heels and do a nice smoky eye, or I throw it on with a pair of ballet pumps. It’s one of those dresses that just works.
High Street or designer?
FoR me, the high street is leading the way. It’s so cutting edge and I love to change things up without breaking the bank. I love h&M, Zara and topshop.
style icon? I would say the former editor-in-chief of vogue Paris carine Roitfeld’s daughter, Julia Restoin Roitfeld: her style is chic and tailored sex kitten.
Wardrobe treasure?
I’ve a pair of shoes by Lanvin — high heeled black-and-white patent brogues — and whenever I’ve worn them, I’ve had the best time. they cost me a fortune, but I’ve had them for over ten years.
they’re a work of art: I don’t put them in the wardrobe, I like to have them out and look at them!
Heels or flats?
FLats are great for practicality, but when it comes to working, heels make your legs look nice.
Hoarder or minimalist?
a hoaRdeR who’s trying to be a minimalist. I am always struggling to let stuff go. Recently, I had a massive clear-out and got rid of too much. I keep thinking: ‘Why did I get rid of that jacket or that t-shirt?’ But sometimes I’ve got so much stuff, I literally can’t see out of the window!
Gym bunny or lazy bones?
aFteR I had a bout of glandular fever when I was in eastenders years ago, my body changed and I had to watch what I ate for the first time. I had been a size 8 to 10, but after the glandular fever, I was a 14 and I have had to fight that ever since.
We’ve a cricket green near where we live and I run around there three times a week. I also swim and enjoy walking with the baby in the buggy.
I’ve realised the best thing that you can do is be strong and healthy. Jack loves fitness and never gets ill, so he’s a good person to be around.
When I was battling Me, we went on a Jason vale retreat. you have juices and then slowly introduce foods that you can digest easily, such as goat’s cheese salad. It gives your body a spring clean.
now we have lots of green juices and try to eat as many fruits and vegetables as we can. But I also think it’s important that you don’t deny yourself anything for too long — when I heard that Madonna has one day off a week from exercising, I thought, that’s good enough for me!
Feast or famine?
aFteR I had glandular fever, my immune system was weakened and I think it was a contributing factor to developing Me. at its worst, the Me was disabling — they gave me a wheelchair, although I never used it.
I consider myself somebody who manages Me. It can flare up but, nine times out of ten, I feel free of it. Rather than looking at it as my enemy, I look at Me as a friend giving me a warning that I am pushing beyond my limits.
Because my body was weak, it was difficult for me to get pregnant with Rafferty. as well as Me, I had Lyme disease and an ectopic pregnancy so I’ve only one fallopian tube. But my doctor said that once the Me was under control and the Lyme disease was at an end, it would happen naturally. and here’s Rafferty!
Guilty pleasure?
eatInG toblerone and watching the kardashians.
Nip and tuck?
Botox is fantastic but, if you take it too far, it looks horrible and is ageing. If you have a tiny bit, it gets rid of fine lines and makes you look less tired as opposed to trying to make you look like you are 20. I have a little between my eyebrows and around my eyes about once every six months. What’s in your handbag? I aM a bag girl. If I am going to splurge on something or have a treat for christmas, I love it to be a handbag. at the moment, my favourite is a taupe celine and inside I’ve a dior lipstick in a peachy shade, my phone, a dummy for the baby, a nappy, nappy bag and wet wipes.
Signature scent?
I aM going retro — opium by yves saint Laurent. I love that smell, it reminds me of my mum.
Martine’s album Lost and Found is released on august 11 on BMG. UK dates start on november 8. see gigsandtours. com/tour/martine-mccutcheon