In the mood for Modern Love

Hooray for Modern Love! A brand new label designed by grown-ups for grown-ups. Textile designer Sarah Arnett and fashion consultant/ex-fashion director for Elle magazine and the Sunday Telegraph, Kim Hunt are both in their forties and together have over 40 years experience in industry. 'We're designing for an age group that's not very well catered for,' says Arnett, ' For women who understand their own style and don't want to look boring or frumpy.' There's no chance of that with this fabulous collection of slinky jersey dresses and crepe de chine separates in striking digital prints. Inspired by thirties Paris and the New York disco scene of the seventies, Modern Love's capsule range is more show-stopping Goldfrapp than boot-cut-loving old bat.




Slow fashion and perennial style are the main themes behind the label, 'The idea that it's better to save up, buy one beautiful thing and be satisfied. Shop for modern clothes the way you shop for vintage,' advises Arnett, ' We aim to combat consumerism, which may not be the best business strategy ever but that's what we believe in. ' Printed in Italy and made in Brighton, the digital process uses 40% less water than traditional methods and manufacturing techniques produce minimal waste. The simple, easy styles, like the cape dress below, may be a bit pricey but they're timeless and wearable (all dresses have a Roland Mouret-style power net) and prove that when it comes to year-round fashion, less is definitely more. As Arnett points out, 'A Modern Love dress is designed to last forever. Like the film In The Mood For Love, the actress wears the same style all the way through - in lots of different ways - and it works!'







Modern Love goes on sale at Liberty on 7 July 2011 and will be available online by the end of the year. For all enquiries contact: info@modernlove.in

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

Blue Skirt Thinking

Still mulling over the midi skirt? Me too. But this lovely image from Hobbs might just send my hemlines southwards. And that's because, this gorgeous shade of blue perks up any outfit whilst the matching tailored jacket upgrades the look and flatters a grown-up complexion. Mid-length, mid-life, too-much-like-Miss-Marple crisis averted. Fabulous not frumpy, that's what we want.

Big Girl's Blouse

Inspired by Lauren Hutton's easy style, the romance of seventies disco and the glory of glam rock, That's Not My Age recently felt the urge to buy a silk blouse. I've always been fond of sparkle, there's a healthy sprinkling of Lurex in my party drawer but a silk blouse isn't something I've ever considered. Until now. I came across the Gold Silk Blouse (GSB) at a vintage fair, upstairs at the local pub, classy eh? It's by a label I never thought I'd own, Escada. Shoulder pads, fucshia long-line jackets and ostentatious floral prints really aren't my thing. Anyhow, as you can see the nearly-new blouse is grown-up, glamorous and er, golden. To date, the GSB has joined forces with a pair of slim black pants - though as the Chloé catwalk picture shows, camel works just as well - and an old pair of jeans.



But I may even wear it with a skirt (pencil probably but the new fuller/midi shape could also be an option) and kitten heels. You see, the GSB has plenty of mileage and is well worth it's price tag, eight English pounds.

Like the commoner and the prince, the union of That's Not My Age and the slinky shirt is destined to last. And because you're never too old for animal print, I'm hoping when the sales come along to be the proud owner of grown-up blouse number two. Ooh does that mean there'll be three of us in the marriage?



Fortunately, it's a matt fabric and not a super-shiny, slippy silk like Keef's shirt, which is fine if you're a showbiz legend or a northern barmaid but I'm guessing it's not low-key enough for Lauren.




Do you own a big girl's blouse?


Photos

Lauren Hutton: John Spellman at Retna Ltd
Tucker blouse: Net-a-Porter
Liz McDonald and Bet Lynch: Rolling Stone Magazine

Why the long skirt?

Now that the legs have gone all gorgonzola on me, I spend summer looking for ways to cover up and stay cool. Like camping and watching Wimbledon, hiding the varicose veins has become an annoying seasonal hobby. It's easy enough to ignore the not-so-thin blue lines if, like That's Not My Age, you live in jeans, trousers and black opaques for 90 per cent of the year but as soon as the sun shines I start to think how much simpler life would be if I could get my legs out. Every year I vow to get the ugly veins removed but that means paying to go private - and frankly I'd rather spend the money on something useful, like a holiday. Preferably to a Muslim country where I can keep myself covered up.

So, what to wear when your legs are passed their sell-by-date? The Capri pant and shirt combo looks chic but can be a little bit too snug when the temperature soars. And I quite like the idea of crumpled linen trousers, but who wants to look like they're wearing dirty laundry? So, a maxi is the perfect option. And like volcanic ash, the floor-skimming skirt is making an unexpected appearance on the radar this summer. Empty airports and waist to ankle coverage, now you're talking. The good thing about the maxi is it looks best with flat shoes. Team a full length skirt with heels, add a staircase and you're looking for trouble.

And long skirts definitely have that Martini factor. Wear with a slouchy grey marl t-shirt for pure casual glamour. I could wear the outfit (above) by L'Agence from Net-a-Porter all summer long. The photos of the lovely grey-haired lady are from The Times. Check out the 7 ways to wear a maxi skirt feature soon (there's also a video on the new website) because Rupert Murdoch's paywall is up and ready for action. You have been warned - he wants your money!





Now, just don't get me started on age spots.





PS What do you think about paying for online news?

Date Night

A big fan of 30 Rock, That's Not My Age can't wait to see Date Night with Tina Fey, Steve Carell and a topless Mark Wahlberg. On making the movie, the self-effacing writer/producer/funny woman says:

'I've got big gym teacher legs from being pigeon-toed all my life. And I can't wear heels because I have buniony feet. Pitiful..... But I did try to get in shape. Me in that movie is my version of being in shape. Any other actress would hang herself.'

When Mr & Mrs That's Not My Age go on a date, it's quite a low-key affair - you won't catch me pole-dancing in a corset, or a sharp-suited Mr TNMA mobilising Air Force One to take me to a Broadway show. The Blog Widower usually pulls on a clean shirt and I have been known to accessorize my trademark t-shirt and jeans with diamanté earrings. This week taking my cue from the talented Tina Fey, I will be wearing my Breton top, and this neat tailored jacket:



Who knows I might even break out the sparkly earrings! What would you wear for a grown-up date night?


Credits
Tina Fey and Steve Carell photo: OK Magazine
Quote: The Stylist
Marc by Marc Jacobs jacket: The Outnet



TheOutnet.com is throwing a very special birthday party, for one day only on April 16th the online fashion outlet will host a pop-up sale where all items will be available at the giveaway price of $1/£1/€1. For more information www.theoutnet.com/birthday

Your purse is on fire!

Apart from Peter Kay, the only other thing That's Not My Age liked about the Brits was Jay-Z's leather jacket. Now, it's not often I'm sartorially inspired by a hip hop artist - but regular readers will know that I do occasionally dabble in a bit of rock chickery, so it was only a matter of time before a grown-up biker jacket - surely that's a luxe leather in fashion terminology? - made its way to the top of my wish list. And this Rick Owens' Luxe Leather (ROLL) from Net-a Porter is so gorgeous, I would sell Mr That's Not My Age to buy one. Actually, I wouldn't, I'm just feeling a bit giddy because the ROLL is practically identical to Mr S. Carter's jacket, don't you think? Anyway, my new biker jacket will replace the one I bought from Affleck's Palace in the mid-eighties which, like countless brain cells and collagen, I've lost somewhere along the way. Now, I just need to figure out where I'm going to find that spare grand. It's a hard knock life.



What would you buy if you had more money than Liam Gallagher (knobhead!)?



Jay-Z photo: AP Photo