“I found a ticket for a club in the pocket”
I’ve had this duster coat for donkeys’ years. The term originally meant a coverall worn by horse riders and cattle ranchers to protect their clothes from the dust kicked up by horses’ hooves. Now it’s just any long, light coat. I bought this duster coat from C&A when the Dutch fashion chain was still à la mode. Looking it out for this shoot, I actually found a nightclub ticket in the pocket – from the 80s!
The stub was for a nightclub called Zenatec, admission £1. I was a bit of a Disco Queen back then. The place was previously called Annabel’s and I had my 18th birthday party there. When I took my mum to pay the deposit, we were shown round the venue ‘with the lights on’. It looked so grotty – with the sticky carpet, ‘silver palm trees’ wallpaper and big plush couches stained with drink. But, at night with disco lights on, this was the most ‘glamorous venue in town’ and I loved every minute of it.
“Too cool for school”
Athleisure wear isn’t a recent invention. In the 1980s, fitness fashion became really popular. As teenagers, my friends and I were all running around in sweatshirts, sweatpants and trainers. This is an Adidas shellsuit I bought in the 80s. I think it could be trendy now. It was so comfortable I’d put it on every day when I came home from school.
I’m sure most of my friends had pretty much the same shellsuit. We were literally too cool for school. The 80s were an amazing time for fashion. Everything was big and baggy, including this shellsuit! I have to say, I think fashion was a lot more fun then.
