TO celebrate the relaunch of our awards, Fabulous Fashion Director Tracey Lea Sayer reveals why the high street has always held a special place in her heart...
I was ten when I first discovered the utter joy of high street shopping for clothes with my mum and nan. Going into town on Saturday became a family tradition — a girls’ day out we looked forward to all week. My mum’s favourite shop was M&S, where she would gaze at jackets with big shoulder pads and floral sundresses, while my nan would make a beeline for John Lewis and their classic coats and elegant court shoes.
I was all over Tammy Girl and Chelsea Girl, which was later rebranded to high street fave River Island. I would spend hours in the changing rooms, watched by my two cheerleaders, who gave the thumbs-up — or down — on what I was trying on. Frilly ra-ra skirts, duster coats, polka-dot leggings .
. . I tried them all, often making my nan howl with laughter.
Fashion wasn’t so fast back in the 1980s and every item was cherished and worn until it fell apart — literally. At 18, I went to art college and my tastes became more refined. Extra cash from a part-time job in a bar meant I could move on to slightly more expensive stores, such as Warehouse, Miss Selfridge and Topshop.
I knew at this point I wanted to work in fashion as the high street had totally seduced me. VOTE in our Fabulous High Street Fashion Awards – and you could scoop a luxury trip to the Maldives. The lucky winner will get seven nig.
