Go bold with colours and prints to lift your spirits
The speedy pace of life seems to be the new norm; no more so than for Jo Saunders, 39, a mum-of-three. This means three different schools, three timetables, after-school clubs, weekend parties and matches. You all know someone like her. Jo is also co-founder of Smart Infused Füd: a frozen food range for families. (Think the convenience of Cook but with a huge focus on optimising nutrition.) The week is jam-packed. She shares the load with the wonderful Charlie, her university sweetheart, and together they juggle the work.
This week also marks one year since their youngest child, Mary, was diagnosed with leukaemia. It is every parent’s worst nightmare. The fight against this type of cancer is long and draining and it comes with highs and severe lows. Even entering the “maintenance” phase takes up to three years. There is light; it just comes at the end of a very long tunnel. As a friend, I now understand a little more clearly the meaning of “living with cancer”. Jo and Charlie just get on with it, however tired they are and however hard it is.
Clothes can lift the spirits. A colour, a vibrant print, a secret find you stumble upon when you least expect it, a great price... Every morning you have to do two things: you have to eat and you have to get dressed. And the right outfit can inspire confidence. A compliment about your look from a friend, husband, partner or a child can make all the difference. We enjoy such a boost. This is what I love about my job and what I wanted to offer Jo through these two looks.
These yolk-yellow corduroy trousers by Jigsaw elongate Jo’s lower frame; the high-waisted cut sits at her (trim) waistline. If yellow seems farfetched, try racing green, navy or burgundy. The bold-print shirt by Boden just said “sunshine” but I had to convince Jo of its wearability postshoot. I suggested pairing with navy trousers or a denim skirt come spring.
For Mary, I chose stripes, florals and a corduroy dress. Because, when you’re two years old, more is more and you can be as eclectic as you like. Only in childhood are we naturally experimental with fashion. If only we could bottle that confidence and carry it throughout our lives. Thanks to Johnnie Boden himself, Mary was given this entire outfit and I cannot convey in words the wide-eyed wonder of her face at this gesture. She now glowingly refers to her outfit “from the shoot”. Johnnie, thank you.
The second look I chose is by Rixo, a brand I know Jo has admired during long nights at the John Radcliffe Hospital, via Instagram and flicking through magazines. I love the “Do you like this?” messages I receive from her, which remind me that it’s my role as her fashion friend to offer escapism through online shopping and browsing.
This silk dress is from Rixo’s current collection, inspired by Woodstock prints from the Sixties. It could be your Christmas party dress, your family gathering outfit or a great work dress worn with opaque tights, Chelsea boots and a navy blazer over the top. Or why not throw on a navy knit and wear it as a skirt? It says “look at me” but the navy keeps it grounded – for those inclined to feel self-conscious.
Colour and print should never be
intimidating to the wearer. A hint is always better than nothing at all. Try a hairband, a belt, a nail varnish or different-coloured spectacle frames. It’ll put a spring in your step, I promise. And in Mary’s case, if wearing striped tights or floral prints can put a spring in her tiny step then that’s the least I can do as she continues her brave battle.