Meet Harriet's mum

I was recently asked to reveal my style inheritance for a magazine, and my Mum pulled out these cool old pictures of herself.  I always knew she was cool, but some of these pictures I had never even seen! I had heard tales of the crocodile on a lead she would carry around as an accessory, the amazing couture dresses she made, and of course the legendary fancy dress costumes, but it is lovely to see these images surface from the vaults. My mum made her first dress when she was 11 and never looked back - here she is in a little Chanel-inspired number she made: She is not just cool but also unbelievably talented, always immaculately turned out and never without earrings. She made me countless outfits when I was little. I got to choose the pattern and the fabric and make little tweaks to the design as she put it together. Fancy dress was always a big deal in my house. This is my Mum looking super cute as Minnie Mouse - and of course somewhere at this party my dad is dressed as Mickey.   This is her on her wedding day. She had an Edwardian wedding and it made the local paper - she even dyed the bridemaids' shoes the right colours.   My mum went to Gravesend School of Art and had a pretty wild time studying Fashion and Design.   This is her on top of a car that says 'Beware! Guided Missile':     This is her in a negligée that she made and is modeling.   After college she set up a small business making and designing dresses, then she went to work at a couture house in Grosvenor Square. My mum can make ANYTHING. Knitting, crochet, millinery, you name it, she is skilled at it - she even made this cool deerstalker hat:   I think she looks like a member of Thee Headcoatees, on the cover of one of my favourite records (Thee Headcoatees are also from Rochester in Kent where my parents live).   Her name is Ann and she taught me so much about making things, and still does today.  Thanks Mum, you really are cool.

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