Four style hacks I knew at age 7

I was a deeply uncool child. Not uncool in a way that slowly unfurls into manic pixie that blossoms into the lead singer of a new wave vegan punk band kind of acceptable uncool. I was DEEPLY uncool. It started with my mums commitment to all of us having utilitarian bob’s for haircuts. Which on a more svelte child could have read quite Parisienne. On me however? It read Dawn French as the Vicar of Dibley. (Whilst wearing the official checkered wristbands from Avril Lavigne at Claire’s may I add.)

it pains me to even include this, but my penchant for archiving from such a young age I guess is somewhat impressive….

I was disabled, overweight, riddled with undiagnosed ADHD and had a penchant for animal figurines, chocolate buttons and puppets. Deeply uncool.

However, that being said, a lot of my frontal lobe development in the latter half of my twenties has made me realise that stylistically, I always knew who I was. I think that we know exactly who we are and what we like, until we gain social consciousness and blend into some horrendous amorphous soup of Abercrombie and fitch wearing swoop fringe teens. (I survived the 2010’s by the skin of my teeth.)

So without further ado, here’s a list of items that I’ve been bringing back into my personal style repertoire - that would make Lucinda circa Dawn French smile.

Sparkly Sequinned Scarves

if Hilary duff found herself on a gap year

Scarves were something that all fat kids loved. Fat kids in general learn how to accessorise fast, since hardly any clothes fit us. I was always a magpie, always stealing broaches necklaces and purses from the bottom of my grandparents dusty wardrobes. But a sequinned scarf? MAGIC. I had one exactly like this as a child, purchased on a trip to Claire’s accessories (second shout out) after watching the Hilary Duff movie where she goes to Rome and becomes and accidentally pop star.

Fat kids in general learn how to accessorise fast, since hardly any clothes fit us.

It’s camp, it’s fun, completely unnecessary and communicates a certain level of whimsy needed in such dark times.

Wooden Jewellery

see wooden bangle*

see vintage wooden necklace thrifted in Dublin this weekend**

I was always attracted to natural jewellery. Wooden bangles, faux bone, shells and turquoise. But that was deeply uncool for a child growing up in the mcbling era, which was closely followed by recession core, to be followed by the punchy colours of Katy Perry’s brave new world. Wooden jewellery didn’t exactly scream cool. I don’t know what sort of ‘world traveller’ vibe I was trying to communicate, but I remember a deeply distinctive attraction to these objects, but felt that it would further ostracise me to wear something loud and clunky that wasn’t chic or fun and cute in the acidic pink tones that the other girls were wearing. Enter late 20’s Lucinda with an extensive bangle collection, a rainbow of colours, metals and wooden necklaces. My boyfriend bought me this black one at a market this weekend in Dublin, and I couldn’t help but think that wee Luce would have thought that it was so cool too.

Turquoise Jewellery, Bandannas and Camo.

That’s it. That’s the tweet.

Ponchos

PONCHO @ The FUNCTION

One of the main reasons I wanted to enter the industry was because of Ugly Betty. She was cool, kind, (supposedly fat but on a recent rewatch she would have only clocked a U.K. size 12 with padding so like, really?) But one of Betty’s defining and enduring style moments is her Guadalajara poncho. A poncho is the exact opposite of the internet zeitgeist. A poncho is friendly. Cosy. Owns a collection of herbal teas and gives good advice. Not skinny and angular and Gabriette mac lip combo-vogue cigarettes-tequila soda. A poncho takes up space. It announces itself with a gentle flounce and floury of someone familiar with both the enduring legacy of Stevie Nicks and CBeebies. But isn’t that the whole point? That clothes get to be fun? This look made me feel like the plus size version of a smelted down Vanessa Hudgens and Kesha circa 2012.

This look made me feel like the plus size version of a smelted down Vanessa Hudgens and Kesha circa 2012.

The poncho is deeply uncool. However, she is DEEPLY fun. So much of my childhood was undiagnosed sensory play, and where sensory issues affect other nuerodivergent people in a vast array of different ways, for me, I need touch and texture and stimulation in my clothing otherwise I feel panicked and too ‘clean’. Basically, back up, this girl needs a twirl.

Love Luce x