JOANNE watkinson
FLIGHTS OF FANCY... DRESS
IAM off to a fancy dress party soon, and after toying with the idea of dressing as a food item for extra comedic effect – I am thinking hot-dog/ hamburger/bottle of ketchup here – I have decided that, in honour of September being fashion month, I should opt for something more sartorially pleasing.
The world of fashion is awash with outrageous characters so there is a plethora to choose from.
We have the late Karl Lagerfeld, with his head-to-toe monochrome looks and snow white hair but he’s too male. Donatella Versace with her mahogany tan and bleached tresses – too high maintenance, or perhaps veteran fashion critic Suzy Menkes with her trademark quiff – too obscure for many I fear.
So I dug a little deeper. I want to be someone funny, possibly a little bit naughty, Kate Moss would be ideal for misbehaving but she is impossible to imitate.
Then, when my friend asked me to go as a pair with them, the decision was made. Nope we will not be attending as Dolce & Gabbana. We have decided to go as the pair that I first happened upon in my teens.
My half of the duo was the first person I had ever heard called a “fashion director”, which even now I think of as a very aspirational job title, and despite her wreckless drinking and recreational drug taking I fell in love with the character immediately. She was snooty, rude, but Absolutely Fabulous.
If you haven’t guessed, tonight Matthew I’m going to be Patsy Stone from Ab Fab.
Blonde beehive, red lips, cat eye sunglasses, chunky gold jewellery and structured tailoring, it’s a fancy dress look made in fashion heaven... minus the chain smoking. I will leave that in the 90s.