Coloured Denim

Yep, coloured denim is hanging around like Silvio Berlusconi at an 18-year-old's birthday party - but don't be alarmed, this is good news. I grew fondly attached to my hot pants over summer and am not ready to chuck them just yet. Oh no. They're going to help ease me gently into autumn.

This season I'll mostly be wearing them with a mannish jacket or a lightweight v-neck jumper, and eventually my old overcoat. The yellow pair from Boden could be the dollop of mustard I've been looking for to perk up my nearly neutral wardrobe. And I like the idea of the red Jaeger trews with the flat ankle boots - though I was alarmed to see the Sunday Times call these 'Flankles' yesterday. A fashion hybrid too far, don't you think?



If you're still not sure about coloured jeans, click here for my advice on how to wear them.

That's Not My Age

Well, hello. After two full years of blogging, I thought it was about time I finally introduced myself. So, here I am - out from behind the dashboard. When I started this malarkey it was the done thing to remain anonymous, but times have changed. And I've been putting this off for long enough (mainly because I wasn't quite sure how to go about it, and also, I don't like having my photo taken). So, here goes: my name is Alyson. I'm a freelance fashion and lifestyle journalist and an academic. I was fashion editor of a well-known women's magazine for many years but now the majority of my work is online. Which is how That's Not My Age came about.

These pictures were taken by my lovely friend Dvora at Fashionistable, an excellent photographer with a very strong vision. Yes, she really did make me stand in the middle of a very busy road for this next shot - as you can imagine, I much preferred sitting on the bench. Mr That's Not My Age says I look like I'm wearing the pedestrian crossing but I'd just like to point out that it's actually my new favourite dress by A.L.C., a prized stake-out from the Liberty sale.



Talking of stripes, have you seen the French football team's new Breton-style away kit? C'est fantastique:




PS I washed my hair especially!

Weekend Style

Kerfuffle over. Team TNMA back in residence. And hooray for a long, lazy weekend in London. So, I actually can't stop wearing my coloured jeans and chinos - though not at the same time, I alternate, obviously - and that's exactly what I'll be doing over the Bank Holiday. And now that I've grown accustomed to a brightly coloured bottom half, I'm thinking of diversifying. Soon my wardrobe will be blushing with pride. That's Not My Age loves a summer jacket, and this soft pink Current Elliott number looks lovely with chinos - and it'll be good with flared jeans too. Got both of those, plus enough stripey t-shirts to set up shop next to the Grand Canal in Venice. Mmm...there's a thought, I could do with the extra Euros.



That's Not My Age has also been pondering the delights of the Mum Bag. OK, I know that this is the kind of thing Alexa Chung and her mates carry off with ease but this blog is all about grown-up style for proper grown-ups. So forget about the youngsters for the time being, just remember to keep the rest of the outfit slick and never ever do Mum Shoes and Bag at the same time. I like this Tula shoulder bag, it has a real seventies, Linda McCartney-feel and I bet it's got compartments!



And now that Ines has spoken, I'm on the look-out for a pair of Parisian Style penny loafers. Research tells me that the Church's version is near-perfect, so just need to start saving - or maybe I should get myself and my t-shirts over to Italy!


Photos
Jacket and shoes: Net-a-Porter
Mum Bag: Tula at Radley & Co

Dressing your age

Lovely Danish label, Day Birger et Mikkelsen is launching a new funkier line this autumn. Aimed at a younger demographic (25 as opposed to 35-year-olds), the range is sexier, more rock 'n roll. And That's Not My Age likes it (well some of it, not the tweed shorts.) So, this got me thinking about age-appropriate style. Should a woman in her forties really be contemplating sequinned leggings? They could look hot with the right tuxedo jacket. Or plain ridiculous. Am I in serious mutton territory (remember to pronounce this moo-ton) if I start cherry-picking from younger labels, or is it good to update a classic wardrobe with a couple of stand-out pieces? Like this fabulously shaggy sheepskin jacket:



Or another pair of coloured jeans? That's Not My Age is thinking burgundy for autumn.



How about a flattering tailored jacket, with studs?



Why not throw on an eye-catching scarf or statement necklace?



Whilst I understand a brand reaching out to a younger audience in the hope that shoppers will graduate to their main range and spend, spend, spend - is it unseemly for an older customer to migrate in the opposite direction?


Your thoughts please.

Blue and Brown

Typically the colours of military uniforms and boilersuits, of bad seventies tailoring and nylon socks. Written off by Joe Strummer as what you wear when you've sold out, the combination of blue and brown has never been seen as a perfect partnership. Until now, that is. The two hues are as hot as Colin and Livia Firth this spring and That's Not My Age loves the pairing. Especially the rust-coloured blouse and cornflower pants at Diane von Furstenburg and the more relaxed reefer jacket and camel skinny jeans at Comptoir des Cotonniers, but most of all I love the pair of Sylvac bunnies that live on the windowsill in our spare room and keep me company when I'm sitting at my desk...




Cezanne wrote that, 'Blue gives other colours their vibration,' and he had a point.





Do you have a favourite colour combination?



DVF photo: style.com

The rock and roll tea towel

You know you've reached a certain age when you go to a gig and come away with sore feet and a tea towel. Yep, thanks to Nick Cave, mid-lifers will never have to wear a band t-shirt again. By adding tea towels to his range of tour merchandise, Cave is doing us all a favour. Because, let's face it, men of certain age look better in a classic shirt or v-neck sweater than a moob-enhancing rock t-shirt and ladies, looking try-hard or mutton-ous is not what we're about. The man's a genius (but we knew that anyway).

A bit of skirt

That's Not My Age is a sucker for stripes. The latest addition to my parallel universe is this slinky maxi skirt from Topshop, it takes me straight back to the eighties. To the days when I could party like Ollie Reed and still get up for college in the morning. Apart from keeping the bar staff busy at the student union, my time was spent dodging pattern-cutting lectures and churning out jersey tube skirts on the industrial overlocker. The aim was to get the Bodymap look. Layering cropped knits over vest dresses, skirts over leggings, clashing stripes and prints and generally mashing it up. Stevie Stewart and David Holah's catwalk shows were the inspiration. A riot of beautiful people - Michael Clark, the Kamen brothers, that boy-child Felix, and er, Boy George - dancing down the runway, as happy as Nick Clegg on Question Time.

Sadly, I made the fatal error of buying without trying. This maxi skirt looks fine in the photo but the reality is not such a pretty picture. The stripy tube is a bit on the tight side, the fabric is flimsy without much stretch and Mr TNMA says he can see right through it. So, I've bought a skirt that's going to cause problems in the underwear department - and makes my arse look the size and shape of Australia. Well what did I expect for thirty quid?

Where Bodymap's heavy jersey skirts had plenty of Lycra and kick-ass hems to make them swing, this clings like a five year-old on the first day of term. Just before the first world war, hobble skirts restricted women's movement so much they were condemned by the Pope. Today, Benedict XVl is too busy apologising for the Spanish Armada, and other stuff, to have time for fashion. And anyway, my movements may be confined to a shuffle but if I hitch the skirt up to mid-calf level I can get from the bedroom to the bathroom without falling over.


Have you ever made a reckless purchase? And would you do the Topshop shuffle?



Bodymap photos from Femme Thing and V magazine.

Combat Rock

That's Not My Age is loving the spécial militaire edition of French Vogue (March issue) - which in a timely fashion ties in nicely with last weekend's wardrobe workout chez nous. Tired of wearing the same Uniqlo jeans over and over, and with an assault course for a wardrobe - I sanctioned a ruthless closet cull. And Mr TNMA was my commander-in-chief. Four pairs of trainers, two dresses, three skirts, one kaftan, a linen tunic, one pair of jeans, one pair of smart trousers, a tank top, cotton blouse, quilted-down-filled gilet (taking up far to much space and I needed to make room for 'the beast' ie my leopard print coat) and two pairs of shoes have all been donated to my local charity shop. Mary Portas will be proud!

One thing I discovered during Operation Fashion Kill, was an awful lot of khaki. Perfect for this season's military look but how to wear it without looking like Madonna in Malawi? Unfortunately, I didn't uncover a Chanel jacket so for an easy daytime look I teamed an old pair of Topshop silk combats with a grey marl t-shirt, statement necklace and olive green leather kitten heels. Some people call this 'shopping your wardrobe,' That's Not My Age prefers to call it getting dressed.



In reality the daytime outfit will probably look something like this....



For a smarter look, I paired the combats with a pale gold DKNY jacket and killer shoes (these are from Tod's and I'm desperately trying not to think about cost per wear as I bought them for a wedding two years ago and have worn them, er hem, twice.) Towards the end of Operation Fashion Kill, we were feeling battle weary and my commander-in-chief was losing the will to live, hence the haphazard photos:



I noticed that the slinky silk combats are wearing thin across the backside, they may not survive another season but this shouldn't be a problem - That's Not My Age has military back-up:



So, our mission over I bring you the grown-up guide to military chic:


1. Give khaki a glamourous spin by piling on the jewellery.



2. Don't take the trend too literally, go head-to-toe and you could end up looking like this....



3. Keep hair and make-up sleek. Think well-groomed and gorgeous, not grungy (definitely a case of do as I say, not as I do!)




And if you're looking for some extras to go with your combat pants how about:








Metal chain necklace, Jaeger. Khaki t-shirt and leather bag both Jigsaw. Cork wedges, Stella McCartney at Matches and tan leather 'pistol' boots, Acne at Net-a-Porter.

Over and out.


Photos
Fashion images: French Vogue
Victoria Beckham: mirror.co.uk

Street Style: 2009

Apologies to those readers suffering from end-of-year-list-overload... but there's still enough time to squeeze one more in before we say goodbye to 2009, That's Not My Age's top five fabulous over-forties:



Straight in at number one: Julie Christie. Because she's gorgeous and talented - and I still can't believe we met her!



For his fabulous facial hair and super-chic Miu Miu glasses, Daniel Azzaro, 66.



William Gilchrist, 44, be-suited on a bicycle and oh-so dashing.





For excellent, yet subtle, use of colour and a natty scarf it's a tie between, Joan Rolls, 56 (above) and Jette Egelund, 59 (below).



In simple monochrome basics, Doushka Krish, 43, proves less is more.



OK, OK, I know I said five but I just can't resist pointing out (again!) that we snapped The Sartorialist, Mr Scott Schulman at London Fashion Week. Woo hoo!

Photos: Dvora and Stephanie Rushton