I was blown away last night watching Channel 4’s Fabulous Fashionistas at 10pm. I have been banging the ‘don’t forget about the older woman’ drum for so long, I had almost lost all hope until this amazing one hour documentary, following some inspirational fab style ambassadors, revived my appetite.
I have also become a huge charity shopping lover and expert over the past 10 years, not spending money in retail for cheap made in China rubbish anymore. This thrifty and savvy way of sourcing another shopaholic women’s quality trash has allowed me to build a killer unique wardrobe that cost me little, the foundation for my live styling show, The Hollywood Look For Less and made a big contribution to charities across the UK.
I am hoping and praying finally after this amazing insight into life after 80, the big brands will recognise they are missing half the population with disposable income with a true desire to spend on style, beauty and fashion. These brands need to think more about real people when they start to create an advertising campaign because no one at home is buying it anymore when airbrushing and when that fails, lying is used to sell products.
We are never too old for style or fashion because we are all unique and need only to think about what we desire to be happy, not what others think we should do or wear. My never ending quest to get a TV producer to step outside the box and look at real life without being influenced by what the advertisers want, was fuelled by the fabulous fashionistas.
I know from working in Hollywood and pitching producers for Style Network, E! Entertainment and MTV, if a TV show is brutally real it becomes fascinating, compulsive viewing because we can relate to it or criticize what we see and if the viewers flock to watch, then the advertisers will follow. I am also hoping from this rare glimpse into the forgotten, forbidden subject of old age, the media and TV makers will embrace change and get out of their creative rut.
I am always on the look out for the next opportunity for me and Venus Cow and getting on TV is always in the back of my mind, primarily because it's the quickest and cheapest way to market your brand. At 64 I know my age is against me, even in the UK where ageism might not be as obvious and brutal as in Hollywood but is still definitely a thing. Sue Bourne's Fabulous Fashionistas filled me with hope and with hope, I fight on. After losing my millions and rebuilding my social enterprise from homelessness, I already know anything is possible.
Photo by: Laura Chouette Unsplash