Quote of the week

Gotta love Keith Richards. When asked to comment on the death of Princess Diana in 1997 he quipped, ' Lady Di, never knew the chick.’






Photo: Steve Pyke

New boots and other stuff

As a young whippersnapper (That Was My Age?), I never liked having to wear new shoes. Gleaming white trainers were scraped along the tarmac as I circled the tennis courts on my bike, determined to take the sheen off before home-time. So, aside from the serious Keith Richards-meets-Kate-Moss-backstage-at-a-festival vibe, the lived-in feel of these navy suede boots appeals to my inner teenager. That's Not My Age loves a bloke-ish boot - the perfect accompaniment to my signature, dressed down, jeans and t-shirt-look, who knows I may even let rock chickery rear its messy head and add a leopard print scarf:





The slinky top adds a grown-up spin but my teenage self quite likes this old school t-shirt too:




What would Keef/Kate wear?

Photos
Boots: Hudson
Lily & Lionel scarf, MaxMara t-shirts and Current Elliott jeans: Matches

The other side of the seventies

Phoebe Philo's take on the seventies has certainly inspired a generation of grown-up women to swing their flared pants but having recently read Just Kids by Patti Smith, visited the Hendrix in Britain exhibition (where, as well as hand-written lyrics and doodles, you can see one of the guitarist's velvet jackets), and become obsessed with Bowie's Station to Station all over again - it's the post-hippie/pre-punk/androgynous look that I'm into right now. The seventies was a time when the mainstream was rejected, fashion looked back, and dressing up in second-hand clothes from the thirties and forties was the way forward.

Smith's evocative memoir brilliantly describes the New York scene of the seventies and her relationship with lover, friend and artistic inspiration, Robert Mapplethorpe.





When asked if she's a folk singer and told her hair is very Joan Baez, Smith goes home and starts 'machete-ing my way out of the folk era.' Her new Keith Richards' haircut causes quite a stir,' I couldn't believe all the fuss over it. Though I was still the same person, my social status suddenly elevated....someone asked me if I was androgynous, I asked what that meant. "You know, like Mick Jagger." I figured that must be cool. I thought the word meant both beautiful and ugly at the same time. Whatever it meant, with just a haircut, I miraculously turned androgynous overnight.'






Hendrix in Britain is on at the Handel House Museum till 7 November 2010

Fashion photos: Solve Sundbo, Vogue Italia, August 2010

The style-begins-at-forty honours list

That's Not My Age has decided there's not enough prize-giving in the world so it's time to unveil the style-begins-at-forty honours list (the SBAFtas). Designed to celebrate reaching a certain age and beyond with élan, this year's awards go to:

Life time achievement award: Iris Apfel.
Now this award is usually saved till last and given to a washed-up old fart like Paul McCartney but there'll be no charity prizes at the SBAFtas. The gong for a life of fabulousness and a-wardrobe-to-maim-for goes to the New York socialite and most glamorous 88 year-old in history, Iris Apfel. This woman has had both an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum and a book dedicated to her style. Seen below in Balenciaga and Alexis Bittar jewellery (accompanied by Alexis Bittar, Accessory Designer of the Year) at the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) in New York. When I grow up, I want to look just like her.




The best scientist/middle-aged crush award: Professor Brian Cox
As well as being recognised in the inaugural SBAFtas honours list, Dr Cox, 42, has just been awarded an OBE. The pop star professor says he's 'chuffed and surprised.' Give that man my phone number.



The best film: A Bout de Souffle (Breathless)
Fifty years-old this week and one of the most stylish films, ever, Jean Luc Godard's classic black and white movie is a masterpiece in 20th century French chic. Starring Jean Seberg's pixie crop, Herald Tribune sweater and Capri pants - all looking just as good today as they did at the end of the fifties. (Breathless opens in cinemas on 25 June and is released on DVD on 13 September)





The best dressed fashion director: Tonne Goodman
This is a close call. Anna Wintour makes uptown chic look easy, Carine Roitfeld does grown-up rock chick like no other, but the SBAFta for casual glamour goes to the American Vogue, fashion director, Tonne Goodman. The former model is living proof that less is more. Goodman looks amazing in her trademark shirt, Tod's loafer and jeans combo - her low key approach is effortlessly stylish. Picking up the Eleanor Lambert Award at the CFDA in New York last week, she was pared down and dressed up in Michael Kors.






Androgynous, equal dresser of the year award: Margaret Howell,
The latest 'Ageless Style' issue of Vogue features the south London based, doyenne of minimal dressing, Margaret Howell, 60-something. 'I've never liked having a big wardrobe, so I'm always clearing it out,' says Howell - er, Margaret, I'm just down the road if you'd like to freecycle, 'And with age, my style has become more edited.' Readers, you heard it here second (after I'd finished reading Vogue), edited, equal dressing is the future.




The best dressed football manager: José Mourinho
His love of an Armani coat is legendary. And boy does this man know how to accessorize - a neatly arranged scarf here, a Louis Vuitton bag there - obviously the reason why he's called the special one. Mourinho, 46, says he wants to come back to England, and he's more than welcome. Just give him a year or so at Real Madrid, Fergie, announce your retirement and hand over the crown.



The once-every-four-year's award for best dressed manager at the World Cup : a tie between England's impeccably groomed Fabio Capello, 63, and the touchline's answer to Mick Jagger, Germany's, Joachim Lowe, 51. Let's hope this isn't the only trophy Capello wins:





The time is on my side award for immortality: Keef Richards
Mr TNMA loves Keef in a special way (he even has a framed Rolling Stones jigsaw and a limited edition leather jacket as worn by KR in 1982 - it's called Night Mission!) and whilst looking at recent photos of The Stones launching the Exile on Main Street documentary at the New York Film Festival, I found myself thinking how good Keith Richards, 66, looked. Not something I've contemplated for ooh 30-odd years but the natural grey hair (take note Ronnie Wood), natty scarf and Homberg hat confirm that the human riff is both rock 'n' roll hero and style legend. Mr Richards biography is due to be published this autumn (written by James Fox) so I know what I'll be buying the Blog Widower for Christmas.




Mr TNMA's favourite image is by photographer, Ethan Russell:



The only queen we need award: Mary Portas
Back with a new series, a new website and a new wife. Mary Queen of Shops, 50, may not have persuaded Angela of Maher & Sons bakery to choose artisan bread over crap cakes but she looked Portas-tic in tunic dress, statement jewellery and opaque tights.



Who would you give a SBAFta to?


Photos
Golden Globe: aceshowbiz.com
Iris Apfel & Tonne Goodman: style.com
Brian Cox: flickr
Jean Seberg: The Times & The Guardian
Margaret Howell: Vogue
Fabio Capello: The Telegraph
José Mourinho: The Mirror
Joaquim Lowe: The Beautiful Game
Keith Richards: thisislondon.co.uk, accesshollywood.com, Ethan Russell
Mary Portas: maryportas.com

Quote of the week: Sigourney Weaver

That's Not My Age may not have seen Avatar - 3D animation is not really my thing and anyone with Cameron for a surname is not very popular in our household - but I have been to an IMAX cinema. A couple of years ago, Mr TNMA (a massive Rolling Stones fan) bought tickets to Martin Scorsese's Shine a Light, but at three rows back we were so close to the rock 'n' roll action I felt quite nauseous and had to close my eyes. The Blog Widower was not impressed. Particularly as I'd already handed back my complimentary t-shirt saying, 'Give it to someone who might wear it.'

Anyway, this week's quote is from Sigourney Weaver, 60, who plays scientist, Grace Augustine (Avatar has just been released on DVD and Blu-ray) - and no, it's not about the size of James Cameron's breasts.

'I like getting older - it's interesting. I don't think it's attractive to have a taut face with a 65-year-old's body. I find that look scary. My mother was a great beauty and never succumbed to plastic surgery. She thought it was best to grow old gracefully. I feel the same. We change ourselves by looking back and trying to stay young instead of moving forward.'

And while we're on the subject of growing old gracefully, with Exile on Main Street about to be reissued, Keith Richards, 66, talks to Rolling Stone magazine about touring, 'I don’t know how the rest of them feel about roadwork at the moment. Maybe we’ll search for a different way for the Stones to go back on the road. Maybe not the football stadiums anymore. Maybe something different. You can’t go around there in lemon yellow tights forever.'



Sigourney Weaver photo and quote: The Guardian