As I now try and solve fashion problems of 2026, by studying fashion hair and makeup in old tv and films, I’m learning how to cope in a world that doesn’t offer what I’m wanting to purchase anymore.
In Lesley Phillips’ February I’m putting together a kind of debate where you can watch the massive row that went on between The BBC & Mary Whitehouse.
So far I agree with her as I was a teacher myself and experienced similiar situations to her; young girls opening up to me about how uncomfortable porn magazines that male adolescants brought to school and naked fashion models, (unfortuanately that was my fault when I did a fashion project.) made them feel.
Apparently she went too far though and wanted to ban everything which would of been boring.
On balance everyone agrees with the watershed and it created TV everyone was happy with.
From my point of view I was fascinated with why they chose Julie Walters to play Mary Whitehouse.
Mary Whitehouse
Julie Walters
We now all know from 2026 if you dress someone attractive in clothes that don’t fit them properly or comedy eyebrows and red lipstick they look awful.
But this makes you wonder what happens if you go the other way; could Mary Whitehouse of looked good if she’d dressed like Julie Walters?
One of the tv shows that turned up for Lesley Phillips’ February got me thinking. It also bizarelly gave me some ideas for the hideous makeup trend of 2026.
In this program the down with the kids presenter has worse taste in fashion than Mary Whitehouse.
She is possibly on trend and chosen to dress in really bad taste.
Her hairstyle doesn’t suit her, the waistcoat makes it worse and bad ass kids don’t respect people who try to get down with them.
The trick she is trying to pull with her cigarette would get laughed out of the classroom, possibly worse than laughed at.
Mary obviously looks like a frump but has bizarelly inspired me where to go with 50’s orange lipstick; I don’t suit red but wondered if the orange lipstick would work with fake tan.
Mary either has a real tan or fake tan here, maybe she had been on holiday before making this show.
Also noticed her nails are pearly white shimmer or neutral which tones the orange down more as opposed to wearing matching red lip and nail which is too much for me.
Mary wanted to look smart so she had to take her style to a non trend place.
At this point in her campaigning I guess people respected her and how she presented herself, maybe how she managed to get as far as she did.
I don’t want to look like a frump or do my hair like hers or wear comedy glasses, but the orange lipstick, fake tan, mint green jumper and gold jewellery actually work.
She obviously wouldn’t make the cover of vogue, but maybe she was styled in the TV studio dressing rooms, (like Mrs Cauldicot in her cabbage wars) by a stylist who, ‘could’ of been in Vogue magazine.
If you took this idea and put it on a model I think it works really well, you used to get these colours in Accessorize before it went cheap and not very good quality.
I could never afford this look.
I’d buy truckloads of it now but its gone.
I purchased Guerlain orange lipsticks and bronzers last week.
I wouldn’t make it as a Vogue model either so this is an interesting angle for me to explore.
Have to say in England the makeup counters and dress shops probably make more money out of women like Mary as they are the ones with the money; they used to be buying truckloads where I was buying one lipstick and one dress.
I’m guessing it may be the same everywhere but not sure.
Conclusion
Hope this bizarre idea inspires you with the horrible lipstick colours of 2026.
If you use loads of bronzer hopefully orange lipstick will filter down a bit in colour strength.
Teaming with mint green and gold might set it off.
I wouldn’t wear the clothes she is wearing or the comedy glasses, but I think there is a colour scheme here.
You have to imagine it on Julie Walters as herself.
Not sure how long this idea will take as I would have to purchase some fashion in mint green, see if I can alter it by hand, alter it by hand, get a camera that works properly and receive my orange lipsticks and bronzers.
In the meantime it might trigger some ideas for you with stuff you already have.
Have to say this idea is on track with the fashion calendar as fashion is for every single person in the world as we wear it everyday.
Studying Mary Whitehouse further on google you realise she did have a certain style and obviously liked fashion and makeup.
It may not be your idea of fashion but we all need fashion so it needs to be more varied so it fits and suits everyone.
Hope I triggered your memory if you used to shop at accessorize.
I felt this was an interesting subject matter from a different angle.
It also gives you a clue to February TV and prepares you for it a bit.
Saphire
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