We love it when we can support indie stores (on and off line!) and designers, so when Rebecca, co-founder of LUX FIX got in touch to suggest we look at one of their favourite designers for grown up women, Feather & Bone, we asked her to do the hard work for us and interview the designer Carole Mckeown. Over to you Rebecca….
Here at LUX FIX we have an all-consuming obsession with interesting, flattering and well-made fashion. It’s a checklist we use whenever we start stocking a new designer and latest addition Feather & Bone is a fabulous example. We took time-out to persuade Carol Mckeown into revealing her secrets for grown up dressing.
Carole, why did you become a designer?
For twenty years I designed for the high street stores, always designing what I wanted to wear, but when I inevitably became older than the twenty-something customer, I decided to go it alone. The high street had become so obsessed with the catwalk trends I thought I’d do something different and focus on the body and cutting flattering timeless clothes. By using garment dye fabrics, that is making the garment and shrinking it to fit, I had the perfect solution to the perfect fit!
What’s your secret to everyday dressing?
I m a real jeans and T-shirt girl, and can’t walk past a grey marl T-shirt without buying it! But most days I‘ll throw on Feather & Bone’s answer to casual dressing, which will be something like a baseball tee but cut in satin or crepe. In the summer I live in strappy crepe dresses.
Put together a hand luggage only holiday wardrobe for us?
My capsule wardrobe would be a bias crepe camisole, a soft throw on jacket, like a kimono, obligatory skinnies, and a linen tunic to go over them, also on its own for the beach. Oh and a maxi crepe dress of course!
What does the high street do right and wrong for non-teenagers?
I don’t think there’s too much wrong with the high street stores when it comes to buying as a grown up woman, I just think you need to be clever in finding what suits and fits you. I think it’s a shame that there aren’t more stores aimed at the 30 plus customer, but I’d rather find some gems in a more youthful store than wheel myself around Marks and Spencers!
I can usually find something interesting-and age appropriate in Cos, Zara, and Other Stories, but I think on mass sometimes the cut isn’t carefully thought through. I can spend days playing with hemline lengths, necklines and sleeve lengths to get the most flattering results, because it’s so personal to me.
Wearing tunics and dresses over jeans and leggings is something you’re well known for – what advice do you have on making this look good?
Throwing on a tunic feels more special than a top, but still very relaxed. Most of the tunics we sell are fitted on top with a 3/4 length sleeve, it’s a formula our customers love, as you don t have to worry about what’s going on in the middle! We usually team tunics with skinny jeans but will change the look with flats or heels. Boyfriend jeans look great with a tunic too – especially if you turn up the bottoms to reveal a flash of ankle (a reliably bony part of the body that doesn’t get too cold!)
Any other tips for chic but interesting grown-up dressing?
My thing is that I never want to look like I’ve tried too hard – think of Madonna, I’m at the other end of the scale! My main aim is to get the fit perfect. You could spend a fortune on the most amazing pieces but if they don’t fit right you’ll just look and feel really uncomfortable.
I’m not into making massive fashion statements, I have favourite dresses from collections up to 10 years old (that’s quality for you!) but I’ve found if I keep the footwear bang up to date, it gives some old favourites a whole new lease of life.
All of Feather & Bone’s latest collection is available -along with lots of other nice things- at LUX FIX. Feather & Bone’s own website here.
