DRESSED KILL TO
As a young pop singer I wore racy outfits ... but it wasn’t the REAL me
SINGER and presenter Jamelia, 36, lives in Birmingham with her daughters, Teja, 15, and Tiani, 11. She reveals her style secrets to ROSANNA GREENSTREET.
Dress up or dress down?
I love a tracksuit, but I enjoy showing my best self on the red carpet. When I was younger, I was provocative in the way I dressed, because that was what I saw as being sexy.
I remember attending the Pride of Britain Awards with straightened hair in a short, blue dress showing plenty of leg and cleavage.
But even though I had everything on show, I was hiding the real me.
Now, I’m much more comfortable being myself. I felt fabulous when I went to the same awards last year in a knee-length dress with my Afro out.
As I’ve got older, I think sexy is about leaving something to the imagination. It has a lot to do with having daughters: my eldest is 16 this month, and I am conscious of how she sells herself. I want to be the best role model I can.
High Street or high fashion?
I love the High Street: I grew up in inner-city Birmingham, so I know money does not grow on trees! I could never justify paying £1,000 for a coat when I can get something just as lovely from H&M or river Island for a fraction of the price.
That said, you can’t beat a pair of expensive shoes. I like river Island heels, but recently bought some electric blue Saint laurent shoes and I am in heaven when I wear them. I have several pairs by christian louboutin, too.
I never pay full price, though — I love the Harvey Nichols and Selfridges sales.
Trainers are my big thing, and I have at least 50 pairs — my favourite brand is Nike. My daughters love them, too, and, luckily, we are the same size. I have a walk-in wardrobe and it’s a free-for-all. It’s weird my kids want to dress like me — I never wanted to dress like my mum!
Your best bits?
I love my legs — and, these days, I am obsessed with my hair. I used to have ‘relaxing’ treatments to straighten it, but in April 2015 I did the ‘big chop’ and cut off my chemically treated hair to go natural.
It’s all because of my eldest, Teja. When she was 13, she said: ‘I’ve got three more years and then I can straighten my hair.’
I said: ‘No! Why would you do that?’ And she replied: ‘When you are a woman, you have to have straight hair.’ She had this idea that she couldn’t keep her beautiful, natural Afro.
She challenged me to name one well-known person with natural Afro hair and I couldn’t, which was embarrassing because, at the time, I was on Tv three times a week on loose Women.
I made an immediate decision I was going to be the one to make the change, so others can follow.
Worst fashion faux pas?
I HAve been in the public eye since I was 17, so I’ve had many.
For my first Tv appearance, my cousin gave me one of her outfits. It was a beige suit decorated with a map of the world and it had brown fur on the collar, a waistcoat and trousers.
I’m glad this was before Twitter and Instagram because I would have been slaughtered!
Your style icon?
I love U.S. singer and actress Janelle Monae’s unique style. She usually wears black and white and sometimes an androgynous look in a suit. She’s always quirky and I love her bravery.
She was in the brilliant films Moonlight and Hidden Figures, and she’s a great musician. She’s amazing: not only do I covet her dress sense, I want to be her!
Wardrobe treasure?
GorGeoUS underwear that I wear just for me, even if I am in a tracksuit around the house. I am very particular: I love victoria’s Secret, which fits perfectly.
My mum always instilled in me the need to wear matching underwear in case I got knocked over. To this day, I feel funny if my underwear isn’t matching!
Hoarder or minimalist?
I AM sentimental and find it hard to part with anything. I have every single piece of artwork my children have ever produced and, if someone buys me a gift, I treasure it.
When I was 11, my mum bought me a Mickey Mouse cup and saucer with a flannel and soap inside — I still have it, wrapped in the packaging!
Feast or famine?
I’M JAMAIcAN, so I’ve given up on the media’s idea of what beautiful is. I’m never going to have a perfectly flat stomach. I’m curvy and l love carbs — potatoes and dumplings and rice.
With age, you become more accepting of yourself and I really wish I had felt this way earlier.
I encourage my daughters to embrace their uniqueness. We try to eat healthily, but we are not obsessive. If we want cake, we’ll eat cake — I want them to have a healthy relationship with food.
Sometimes, a bit of belly fat is oK and, if you are not oK with it, then go for a couple of walks, but no one’s ever going to be starving in my house.
Gym bunny or lazy bones?
I love walking, tennis, bikeriding and swimming. My daughters and I have a gym membership, so we go occasionally, but I’m not going to lie and say we go three times a week.
We’re always dancing, though: I haven’t done any ballroom since Strictly come Dancing [in 2015], but my girls and I make up dance routines for fun. I don’t have sisters and, growing up, I’d ask my mum: ‘oh, please can I have a sister?’ Now, I’ve created them!
Big night out — or night in?
I DoN’T go to clubs any more. And I am single again, since splitting up with my boyfriend (actor Jean louis Pascal) last summer, but I am not obsessing about finding a new man — he will arrive when he’s meant to.
A good night for me involves food, friends and laughter. one of the things on my 2017 bucket list is to visit the crystal Maze, an experience where you and a group of friends recreate the Nineties Tv game show.
High or low maintenance?
MUMS are good at getting ready in a short amount of time: I can be showered, dressed and made up in half-an-hour. My main priority before a big night out is to have a nap!
What’s in your handbag?
My BAG is black leather Dolce & Gabbana with gold trimmings. I’ve had it for ten years.
Inside are my Smythson notebook and a pen — I am always full of ideas — and my make-up
essentials. They include three lip balms — from a 99p vaseline to a £45 creme de la Mer — two Benefit mascaras and Mac Mineralize Skinfinish powder. My go-to foundation is lancome’s Teint visionnaire.
Signature scent?
cHANel coco Mademoiselle.
Jamelia recently launched her YouTube channel. Visit jamelia.com for details.