The Duchess of Cambridge was
recently featured at an engagement wearing a dress which her mother wore to
Ascot last year. This started the whole debate about whether your children
would be seen dead in your clothes and more to the point would you allow then to
borrow them?
I was a bit precious about wardrobe raids when my little
Darlings were a bit younger and not so likely to take care of expensive or
treasured items. However now it is a regular event and I don't mind as long as
everything is treated with care and respect, they ask before it is taken and it
is returned in good condition. I take it as a complement that I am keeping up
to date with the latest trends. Paisley is currently 'on trend' and this little
number has been very much in demand since I finished it.
I see it as
getting a lot more mileage out of outfits, justifying buying to excess! We are
also very lucky that all 3 of us take the same size of shoe, so when I saw
those Calvin Klein classics in the sale, there was no sense in holding
back!
My hoarding instincts have paid back well with the clothes I packed
away at end of the 70s. The vintage items, including some wonderful Biba
creations, are now being proudly worn and much admired by Major Darling's
friends in the fashion world. It is even more of a buzz for me to see an outfit
which I designed and made myself, being regularly worn by one of my little
Darlings.
I'm not so keen when it comes to sharing tights which have a
habit of being spirited out of my room, never to be seen again. I've tried
insisting that everyone sews a piece of coloured ribbon in the top when they buy
a new pair, but that idea didn't have much mileage. I just have to keep finding
new places to hide a stock for myself, although I have noticed they are not so
keen on the support tights I have recently bought. Maybe that is the
answer!