I’ve always been interested in clothing, first as a schoolgirl in London, where in Grammar School (high school) we had to wear uniforms.  Our color was green and silver, so after wearing this uniform for a few years, I developed an aversion to green!  Later on, however, I began to ‘take to’ green again, or find it anew.  

On one occasion, I had forgotten my keys and my mother was out (in those days fathers were generally at work and mothers were often home, although mine did have a part-time job).  I managed to climb up to and through the French windows at the back of the house, and in doing so, ruined my pleated uniform, which I had to wear with a tailored shirt underneath.  

My parents seemed to think a fit punishment for this aberrant behavior would be to only superficially repair my uniform so that I was embarrassed every time I wore it.

Anyway, that is an old story……later on, I took classes in fashion drawing, after school and was quite interested in pursuing this activity.  In the meantime, while a teenager, I started to design my own clothes, and had them made by a dressmaker.  In those days, it was not difficult to find someone to make things for you, and this lovely lady was very talented and willing.

I used to bring my designs, the material I would like to have the clothing made from, and she would ‘go to town’ on the projects.  I had many lovely outfits made, and received many compliments as I wore them.

Some were suits, with jackets and a dress, or a skirt, or both, in both cloth and lighter materials.  This was always a pleasure for me, and I was able to create my own wardrobe, without having a lot of money.  In fact, I never regarded this as something unusual, and later on, when I traveled abroad, I was surprised to see that this option was not really available – at last not to  many ‘ordinary’ people.

When I began working in offices, later on, I felt obliged to dress as young women did, to fit in with corporate settings, and hardly individualized.  I still wore more interesting clothing when I went out, and socialized, but lost a bit of that ‘creativity’ in fashion, probably paralleling the fact that work life was becoming more mundane.

As a student, I noticed the casual wear of others, but as my studying days were also alongside a working life (since I went back to studies when I was already working), I could not enter into the ‘full student lifestyle’.

Another thing I noticed, again some years ago, was that when I was visiting London, where I am from, I had gotteninto the habit of jogging, a weird American custom, wearing  running clothes and sneakers (called ‘trainers’ in England), and doing this quite publicly around the streets in the area I came from.

Well, my dear Mother asked me what she might tell the neighbors when they saw me running around in ‘those clothes’.  It was only later that this ‘fad’ of being healthy and exercising came upon the British scene.  I think many Brits took the view of Churchill   (largely paraphrasing) that whenever you felt like taking a walk, or some exercise, you took a rest instead.

I am digressing a bit.  Anyway, I went through the different styles and fashion of the moment, and embraced it all.  Mini skirts, maxi skirts, boots, high heels which did not make my feet look any prettier, and all the things women in particular do as they fall into the general custom.

Now, and for my more recent and I think most enduring phase, I have become ME.  I think it began when starting my Tarot and Pendulum Dowsing work where I was appearing in public venues, and needing to be a bit ‘over the top’ in presenting myself.

This image for me began to take hold, and I started to dress more creatively and individually even when not having to ‘be on display’.  So I am grateful to all these forces, external and otherwise, which have given me encouragement to be ME.