The stupendous style of sculptor Simone Leigh.

[MetaDaughter]

Every time I see another epic photo of her I wonder how MN S&B would have advised her to dress …

Yep, she’s killing it.

Absolute joy to see her brilliance fully reflected in magnificent clothes.

The only thing is it does encourage me to spend far too long considering huge flouncy photograph-worthy dresses by Jil Sander or Cecilie Bahnsen - even though I have a reason to wear such a thing about once a year …

She looks amazing! And is totally gorgeous! I’d never heard of her but that is she seriously looks like an icon!

I'm another who's never heard of her before, but her sculptures are absolutely fabulous.I've just started following her on Instagram. Her gowns are also visually very striking.

She looks fabulous but from a MN point of view I’m sure she’d be told she’s too old, and that it’s too flouncy or frumpy. And her hair is too long! I wanna be more like her.

Never heard of her before, but I agree she looks great and very at home in her own style. A great thing to see

She’s fortunate in not residing in England - where MN would have forced her into something ‘nice’! (Preferably costing less than £100.)

But once again I’m moved to wonder why designers show clothes on thin, winsome 15 year olds. The white dress isn’t on the website - it really would be nice to see it modelled by someone over 50.

The pink Jill Sander dress is beautiful as are many of the Banhsen dresses.

She just looks so amazing - so much power and grace. I LOVE the banhsen look but need it at like 10% price and it is the quality of the fabric that makes it looks so good imo

She looks fab. But these photos are of her at swanky nights out, rather than, say, running around after a 2 year old all day. It's not surprising the style is different to what usually gets recommended here.

Must say, if I were forced to get married this year, a custom made Cecilie Bahnsen frock would be high on my list. Silvery white would be best with my grey head, but really I’d want gold - for full Harriet Vane achievement.

I've just finished reading a book called ' What Artists Wear' by Charlie Porter. You might like it. Lots about form and function and so much more. Wide-ranging and inspiring.

People are always asking for help with Mother of the Bride outfits, Palace garden parties, awards ceremonies, glamorous best friend’s 50th birthday parties here, @Nothingbuttheglory; S&B isn’t all about childcare. But there remains an extraordinarily narrow idea of what is ‘appropriate’ for a woman over 50 to be seen in outside her house. If Simone Leigh had proposed the white outfit here …

I’ve missed Zaha Hadid on my screens these past few years - I need many more powerfully creative and stylish mature woman to admire.

'But there remains an extraordinarily narrow idea of what is ‘appropriate’ for a woman over 50 to be seen in outside her house.'

I agree. And to be honest, you do need a lot of confidence in yourself and your own style to be able to pull off these outfits. Anyone would look awful in the white dress if they were cringing and wondering if they looked ok all day / night

what a woman. She looks fantastic.

I wish I could afford some of those Cecile bahnsen dresses. I love the green one. Although there are more economical alternatives in that look from Cos, H&M, Zara obviously not quite the same
just checked in preloved sites , still way too much 😞

I quite like also her on that very rectangular suit, extremely powerful look. Do not mess with me.
I might be talking rubbish here, I saw in her Insta some of her family and then I realised some African heritage clothing is bigger than life also head pieces, she seems to wear that sort of volume in monochrome pieces, which is different?

That’s a really interesting observation on volume in clothing across continents, reflecting heritage,@Redandblue11. I’m sure you’re right. (Though it doesn’t explain the popularity of the Huge Frock in Denmark!)

Certainly in my own heritage women’s clothes become more magnificent and ornate as women become older. None of the hiding away in the cheapest thing possible that seems to be a thing in England. Nor the conviction that younger women will laugh at you simply for continuing to exist. (Must say it’s always nice to spend time in places where age confers respect.)

Simone Leigh is apparently in her mid-fifties. She makes middle age look like the greatest gift any human could possibly have.

I wear these style of clothes though I can't afford the incredible designer items.

I wear net petticoats to achieve the outline I want. I love velvet and cord, linen and cotton.
I love extravagant scarves and gloves, leather satchels and boots.

I was gardening at work the other day and wore jeans and a cord coat a la Sarah Raven and Carol Klein.
A couple of people said you look so slim in those jeans,(I didn't I am size 16-18) but they revealed my body shape more.

I realised then that I really don't dress to look slimmer, I like voluminous skirts with fitted jackets, balloon dresses, and drop crotch trousers.

I think I would have fitted in well in late Victorian and early Edwardian clothes. I imagine myself as one of the new typists, spending my spare time at suffragette rallies.

It's lovely to see a woman praised on MN for wearing what she loves and what suits her.

Are you a fan of Cawley Studio @SadCelticBunny ? (They seem to be in a state of flux atm so the design direction isn’t as clear as it was - but their fabrics are gorgeous.)

As regards women wearing what they want - you might enjoy this thread if you weren’t on it:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/4753001-can-we-talk-about-clothing-brands-and-target-demographics?reply=124266319

MetaDaughter

Thank you for sharing Cawley Studio, if I was younger I would be all over that look, it's so beautiful.

We have an independent shop locally that sells clothes that I love and at a price that I can afford.
You have to root around amongst the riotous prints (I never wear anything floral) to find the things that fit my criteria.
I buy things on eBay too and in charity shops.

I love clothes and happily follow S&B threads to see what other people wear.

Thank you for the pics, always inspiring to see middle aged women unapologetically enjoying getting dressed. It makes S&B worth it.

Interesting too to see flounces and frills looking so powerful. Will that be down to the design / cut of the clothes or the sheer presence of the woman wearing them? Or a bit of both?

The older I get the more I think that 'flattering' clothing is total bullshit and is shorthand for 'makes you look thinner'. This is an amazing example of a woman opting for striking clothing rather than 'flattering' clothing and it's so refreshing and much more interesting to look at.

It’s a good question, @Floisme, though not one on which I can proffer any academic knowledge.

From observation I’d certainly say the Cecile Bahnsen designs do seem to look powerful on all the mature women I’ve seen wearing them. They’re obviously not cheap so I imagine the quality of cut and fabric has something to do with it. But also maybe anyone who can afford to buy such a dress is likely to have the confidence conferred by money and /or success!

Portraits on gallery walls, and costume dramas, also suggest that huge ostentations gowns have been part of the armoury of powerful mature women for centuries … I honestly do think the “Am I too old to wear clothes that people might … notice?” thing is a recent anomaly.

‘ostentatious’ …

I love that look of big dresses and high boots. It looks like it feels powerful to wear. If I was brave enough I would dress this way!

What requires ‘bravery’ @RealLife101? Who’s going to oppose your free choice of clothing?

How d’you dress now? Is your style somehow (unconsciously?) designed to make you … not take up space?