Fashion's hidden influence: fifty years of dress up
Why do we ever lose our childish sense of adventure, particularly when it comes to fashion? Katherine Betteridge, a fifty-year-old fashion fanatic, explores this question through the lens of her life…
Featuring artwork by Stine Greve.
Born in the 60s to a low-income family, my first memories of dressing up come courtesy of my mum. Her 70s cheesecloth miniskirts and second-hand rhinestone dresses weren’t much, but they were gorgeous to me. By the tender age of six, I remember the thrill of reinventing myself as a ‘grown up lady’ like the famous singers, Diana Ross or Marie Osmond, simply by changing what I wore.
In my teenage years, I became more aware of the importance of fashion – particularly as a tool to fit in with my peer group, and those closest to me.
Getting my first job, and first paycheque, I suddenly had a choice in what I wore, and the world of style opened up to me. I had a chance to experiment; albeit with the cheapest fashion items I could find, from the high-street and one-off bargain stores selling poor quality, but beautifully trendy, clothes.
Suddenly, there were so many versions of me I could be, and my love affair with ‘throw away fashion’ began.
I have strong memories of fashion designers being interviewed on various TV shows. I fell in love with the bright colours of Vivienne Westwood and Zandra Rhodes. To this day, I’m not shy about wearing whatever colour I like – very often, my outfits reflect this and I love the energy I get from wearing them.
It was this kind of colourful outfit I wore the first time I met my partner at 17. Now, 33 years down the line, we’ve been married for 22 years and have two beautiful children.
Some of the happiest time of my life are with them, but motherhood changed my style irrevocably. Suddenly comfort, ease of care and versatility filled my wardrobe, and I had two new people to dress before myself.
I spent all our money on their clothes, and never my own. Their looking stylish and cute became an important part of my life, presenting my greatest treasures to the world. I would prefer being eclipsed by them, basking in pride as family, friends, anyone in fact, cooed. It wasn’t a fashion label that influenced this, rather a desire to celebrate their ‘perfection’ every day.
It was from watching my girls grow into their own kinds of beautiful that I found the courage to find myself once again.
Over the years, my influences have changed. What was available to me – as a size 26, smaller busted woman – used to be limited, and I ran out of ways to play dress-up as my dress size went up.
Now though, the world of fashion is opening up to me once again. Online stores, and the availability of cheaper, trendy clothing from supermarkets, has changed my wardrobe entirely. This is a long-awaited change, and one I’ve embraced as I’ve learnt about body positivity from my daughters over the last few years.
The ambassadors of this wonderful movement are effecting change in so many areas, including fashion. I marvel at their messages of self-love and acceptance, and celebrate their evolution. I now feel incredible about my body, and the fashion choices I make for myself – not for society’s expectations, and not for anyone else at all.
My most recent discovery is that I can wear dresses again. I’d shied away from them for years, due to my lack of self-confidence and choice. Now, I own five and won’t even stop wearing them again. Of all the things dressing up has taught me, and allowed for me to try in this life, this has led to the most change in my self-worth.
Who would’ve thought the clothes on your back could make such a difference?