Wardrobe wisdom
This week, interior designer Camilla Guinness shares her style secrets from her London home
Q
What’s your personal uniform?
A
For daytime, trousers or jeans with a white shirt, jumper and always some sort of shawl. Trainers or white shoes – I love white shoes. Or a bohemian skirt with boots and a black fitted polo neck. For dressing up, a black velvet trouser suit with a white shirt or one of various long velvet dresses… I love old textiles but the line is very fine between haute bohemian and old tarot card reader.
Q
At what age did you find it?
A
It’s changed over the years but probably about 15 years ago. I found clothes so stressful when I was young, I always looked really scruffy. I only wore vintage dresses that always ripped. I think I mistakenly thought it was romantic not to care what you looked like.
Q
Which pieces do you spend the most on?
A
Nothing in particular. Probably shirts. I don’t “go shopping” as such; I shop randomly. I like flea markets and most things I buy are vintage or in the sales. I buy white shirts with amazing sleeves or some detail: I bought a sickeningly expensive shirt from Etro which I’ve worn a lot. I would spend more on well-cut trousers if I see the perfect pair. But basically I am a bargain hunter.
Q
And the least?
Q
What are your go-to brands?
A
I don’t have a go-to brand, but in Italy I live quite near all those outlet places (hence the Etro shirt), one of which is the Prada outlet, so I tend to buy stuff there – a Miu Miu skirt or Prada shirts.
Q
Do you shop on the high street, and if so, where and for what?
A
The high street is so good… All those shops like & Other stories, Topshop; some Zara jackets are really well cut. I get cable-knit socks and swimwear at H&M. I bought an incredible skirt there a few years ago, like an art piece – it was a one-off collaboration of some sort. I wore it to a smart dinner in New York and someone asked me where I got it. When I said H&M it was like the skirt just shrivelled up and died on me. Best just to look vague.
Q
What is your hardestworking item?
A
A beautiful purple embroidered full skirt I was given by my friend who deals in antique textiles in New York (Xenomania). I wear it with a tight polo neck and boots. Most of my clothes work till they drop.
Q
What item in your wardrobe have you had the longest?
A
A black velvet Giorgio Armani trouser suit. I’ve changed the trousers a couple of times but I have had it for over 20 years and still wear it all the time.
Q
What’s the last thing you bought?
A
A pair of Marni shoes: a very bad slip.
Q
How often do you shop?
A
Always a clear and present danger.
Q
Who do you go shopping with?
A
No one. I hate shopping with people: I always end up buying something I don’t want.
Q
What’s your holiday wardrobe?
A
I find summer clothes a challenge: so much covering up. Espadrilles, gym shoes, a long black and white cotton skirt with appliqué made by my friend Domitilla when she had her label Miss Italy (sadly no longer) – it’s good with a shirt or a swimsuit. White shirts and trousers, a cotton embroidered dress I got from Delfina in Rome (delfinaswim.com). A couple of sarongs. A straw hat, which I usually get at the airport. Two bejewelled gold cuffs that I bought in
Turkey. I try to take very little.
Q
What’s the best piece of style advice you’ve ever been given?
A
Wear ironed clothes.
Q
What do you feel your best in?
A
Casual glamour. I don’t like looking smart. Ideally I would be French, or at least half French! Loulou de la Falaise, Inès de la Fressange, Anouk Aimée: languidly exotic.
Q
What’s your beauty routine?
A
Minimal. Till recently almond or olive oil seemed to cover all bases from top to toe. But recently I had a chance encounter with Olivia Falcon of The Editor’s List and she introduced me to Dr Levy 3 Deep Cell Renewal Micro-resurfacing Cleanser (£39, editorslist. co.uk), a moisturiser called Spectacle Performance Cream, and a vitamin C serum by Medik8 (C-tetra Lipid Vitamin C Antioxidant Serum, £35, editorslist.co.uk). It’s only been a month and I think there has been an improvement. That and Facegym. It’s amazing: a quite violent facial followed by a weird electrical machine. I’ve never known anything make such an immediate difference (facegym.com). Ultimately nothing beats sleep for good skin. And no sugar. Both of which I achieve about four weeks a year.
Q
Do you have any beauty secrets?
A
Nothing new. I never put my face in the sun. When I first lived in Italy I noticed women in their 30s often had badly sun damaged skin so I’ve always been really careful. I’m a real bore about it to my daughters – and before that to my friends: I would send them photos of Brigitte Bardot.
Q
What beauty products couldn’t you live without?
A
Blistex lip balm (£2.99, boots. com), yellow based corrector as I go red. Cosmetics à la Carte lipstick in Currant, which doubles as blusher (£26, cosmeticsalacarte.com).