The power of positive tinkering can change you inside and out

Ido enjoy a makeover. Sandy’s metamorphosis from prissy prepster to leather-clad T-bird in the movie Grease, the moment Ally Sheedy’s Goth in the Breakfast Club is transformed into a preppy princess, or in Neighbours, when Charlene took her pal Plain Jane in hand and slapped on some eyeliner and a puffball dress... I loved them all. So when Trinny and Susannah came along with their BBC show What Not To Wear in the early noughties, I was hooked. I cringed when the posh pair put their female victims into that three-way mirror, wearing nothing but their sad old M&S bra and pants, and gave them the once over. God, they were harsh! But, by the end of the hour-long show, not only had they overhauled their subject’s wardrobe, but their self-esteem too.

P.S. got to experience Trinny’s straight-talking advice for ourselves when we met her at the launch of her new beauty range (read her interview on pages 6&7).

Trinny believes fashion has the capacity to uplift and empower women and I am inclined to agree. Sometimes things happen which are outwith our control but I always find facing the day with a slick of make-up and a nice outfit can make all the difference.

And if you are not feeling your best, your wardrobe is as good a place as any to start, right?

We hope you’ll find some inspiration in this week’s fashion special on ageless style (pages 8&9).

And also this week we launch a monthly column reviewing the newest cosmetic “tweakments”, starting with our own style guru Wendy Rigg trying out a non-surgical facelift on page 11.

Enjoy the issue!