I’ve always loved sartorial style. Even as a child I’d flick through my mums old magazines and rip out outfits that I really liked. Usually they were power blazer and satin cami combos or square sunglasses and small backpacks. Hey, that was the 90’s after all!
Flash forward to my working career. Ten years ago I remember interviewing at Mulberry in a giant puffball black skirt, frilly white blouse, heels and the Mulberry Roxanne bag. I looked totally out of place in Somerset next to the boring suits. Could I really be their next Commercial Analyst? Nah.
When I moved to London I immersed myself in the diverse culture, clubbing nightlife and lunched in Soho. I adored working on magazines and would get so excited when the most recent issue would land on my desk. I’d pour over every page for inspiration on what to wear to work the following week. Back then with disposable income and no financial commitments (oh and you CAN get a good bottle of wine for a fiver you know?) my entire salary would be spent on clothes. Whether it was new cage heels and pencil skirts or pleated midis and halter necks, I wanted in on the London fashion mag scene.
working women.
Flash forward to now and I’m a working mum with a mortgage. I turned my passion into a job (although it doesn’t feel like work) and I purchase investment pieces that are all about quality. Gone are the days of catching a bus home to Brixton Road from the West End at 2am, hello are the days of serious meetings and being the CEO of my own business.
Image is still as important to me now as it was to that colourful little Welsh girl ten years ago. My style has evolved, becoming more sophisticated, discerning and with a fine eye for cut. I adore sharp masculine aesthetics (boxed blazer, check!) and adding fitted, feminising details like this gorgeous ASOS dress nipped in with a Saint Laurent belt.
aspinal of london.
My husband and daughter will always be my priority. The saying ‘juggling glass balls’ has never been more genuine. So I need a bag that can take me and my Aspinal of London diary from boardroom presentations to the childminders. Ever stood up to talk to a room full of people, reached for your mobile and pulled out a small teddy? Yup.
Hot on the heels of my increased work load, Aspinal of London have launched some incredible new bags perfect for the classic working women. From beautiful totes to satchels and document bags, I can always rely on them to make me feel like a serious working woman. Teddy an’ all.
Words & Styling by Lauren Silvester
Photography by Zoe Griffin
*This post is in collaboration with Aspinal of London, a brand that I have shopped with every year. As always all views and opinions are my own.
