Untitled Streets Untitled Streets Catherine Catherine Morgan Morgan
The fashionistas: Jill, Joan, Angela, Sue, Jean, Sylvia, Susan, Jean, Jenny, Audrey, Valerie, Sheila, Maggie, Lorraine, Florence, Catherine, Rita, Mary, Valerie, Karin, Anne, Sue, Pam, Roz, Patricia, David, Chris and Sue
Foreword I have always been influenced by colours, always been commented on what I wear, and mixing random colours together to make an outfit. Fashion is a way of expression, and clothing is the only way I thought I could get through childhood as a shy kid by expressing myself though clothing. It does sound cliche, but to me, style is fun. Mufti Days at primary school were my favourite, it would take me weeks to plan my outfit because I loved the idea of making an impression. It sounds silly, because now as an adult I realise I never had to impress anybody but it made me feel good. Now that I’m fashion aware of the industry I thought to myself, I have learnt the greatest advice in life from my elders. They have taught me a lot about life, and how to be independent. A celebration of age, diversity, style in seniors I thought should be documented. Originally from the South-East I set myself the task of presenting the fashionistas of Leeds. When I watch or read articles about middle aged women and older, talking about fashion and how they feel, the key word they use is ‘invisible’. The feeling of growing older is a daunting thought to most people, but it shouldn’t have to be. We should accept to love what we wear no matter how old we are, this book is a celebration of age. To me the senior generation can influence young creatives and be an inspiration for our future work. So whoever out there that might read this, I just want you to remember that ladies, you are not invisible anytime soon.
Catherine Morgan
Growing old is inevitable, only within
ourselves can we express our own identity and realise that actually, getting older is not such a bad thing after all.
This is,.. Untitled Streets
This is my Grandma,also called Catherine, who was born between the two World wars, just like the rest of the ladies in this book, and knew a thing about creating clothes and making the best of what they had, which was very little, because of the Depression in the 1930’s. But coming from Paisley everyone around them worked in cotton factories, so there was plenty of spare cotton to make, repair, create, and alter clothes, which she carried on doing for the rest of her life.
“I was married in 1949,
only 4 years after the end of the War, and when you went out, you wore your best dress, not trousers, not jeans, not fleeces, your best dress, coats, shoes, gloves and bag, preferably all matching! You would never leave the house without gloves. That’s how it was, and if you had a new dress, you would run up and down the stairs to your wardrobe to make sure it was still there, such was the joy and excitement.”
“Street photography is the hardest form of
photography, you have to really think on your feet and make a picture in that very
moment�
- Mary Ellen Mark
This is Jill. “My Granddaughter studies photography, she is into all this at Sixth Form, she used to be
bullied but now she has moved schools, she is a lot happier and that’s all
I really care about”
Continue to chat, for 10 minutes, my nicest encounter so far that day. We both agreed that Leeds is hard to move about in on a Saturday..
“Good Luck, I don’t really know how to use my iPad but I’ll get my Granddaughter to show me the link, nice to meet you”
This is Joan.
“Do I have to pay?” “No no no of course not, this is just a project I am doing” “Ah! my daughters are into photography.. art.. this kind of stuff. They have done some recent work around Trinity and Burley, they
now work in London”
“I can tell, runs through the family”
“Do we take the photo now? do you want my shopping in?” Continue to talk for a while about my interest in photographing the older generation.
“Well I’m 82, and I don’t give a damn if people don’t like my hat or what I wear.”
This is Angela. She caught my eye because of the the lime scarf and matching coat outside Topshop, I explained my project, she just nodded and smiled. She didn’t say too much. One of the few encounters so far that doesn’t think I’m a
“criminal” with a camera...
“Do I only have to smile?”
This is Sue.
She was smoking a cigarette outside Marks & Spencer on Briggate. I was looking at her for ages and thought about how she was probably a really back in the day.
cool punk
“You don’t want a fag in the photo love, it represents my bad habits!”
This is Jean.
I knew instantly she was a nice person, she smiled at me with her vintage pattern walking stick and pink lipgloss. “How old are you?”
“I’m 83, growing older and wiser!” I explain the project is about a celebration of seniors.
“I think that is just great, I used to be a manager at Marks & Spencer years ago, and I feel like it is the only place I can shop for myself now without feeling silly, I get 20% off you see. You’re very right that older
women are not shown in the fashion industry, but I’ll wear what I want, I like to feel good”
She smiles whilst looking at my card.
“Fantastic”
These are twins Sylvia (left) and Susan (right)
“Hello, do you know where Starbucks is?” “Sure just up there, wait, are you both twins?” “We sure are” Explains the project. They are both 72.
Susan: “Fantastic, you know because we’re twins people always expect twins to dress identically, but we just think that’s silly” Sylvia: “You have always dressed better than me anyway, have you seen that programme Fabulous Fashionistas?” “I have, it has been in my research!”
Sylvia: “It’s great!” Susan: “Fashion Concepts and Communication? Ooooh we like that. People always expect older women to shop at Marks & Spencer or something, which I hate. I always like quirky things, I do a lot of charity shopping and prefer that. What I’m wearing now is just what I wear on a daily basis, just all black, smart attire.
This project is one for the newspaper, older people in fashion is a very niche market.” When are you planning to exhibit?” “12th June, along with all the other fashionistas that I have photographed.” Susan: “Great, see you there”
This is also, Jean.
She is 86. If you look at her left hand, she has 3 fingers.
She told me all about it, her speech was slurred so I listened carefully to her story.
“I had a hand accident when I was 15, sewn up the sides and everything in a coal mine accident, I’ve lived in Leeds my whole life.” “Do you have an opinion on senior fashion in the industry?”
“Not particularly, as long as I have clothes to wear, hot water and a house to live in I’m not too bothered about how I look. People take clothing too seriously, they should think about what they actually need rather than I need this”
She started mumbling the song ‘Smile’ whilst getting ready to pose for the photograph, I asked her if she liked that song.
“Yes, my husband died not so long ago, I sing it everyday when I feel sad, it was our song.”
“Smile although your heart is aching, smile even though it’s breaking”
This is Jenny. She is 66. I noticed Jenny on Briggate alongside her other Christian preachers, she stood out to me because of her coat. I was thinking she looked great, she told me all about her work on the streets.
“What a great coat!”
“Thank you, although I’m very self conscious about having my photo taken!”
“I have been preaching since 1997, I did many bad things and I figured if God can help other people then he can help me, we all have to
believe in something”
These are sisters Valerie (left) and Audrey (right) I was standing outside Zara and see them at the corner of my eye, first thing I do? run to them. I couldn’t not get a picture of their hats.
“I love your hats!” Explains the project.
Valerie: “Thank you so much love, what a compliment!” “How old are you both?”
Audrey: “Oooh couldn’t tell you that, let’s just say well over 65!” I could tell they both absolutely loved this attention. “Would you say you follow fashion a lot then?”
Valerie: “Oh yes we both follow fashion a lot, I love to dress up” Audrey: “I love designers like Julien McDonald, there’s plenty of shops in Leeds I go into. Not afraid to buy whatever” “Would you say you buy a lot of designer?”
Valerie: “Oooh no can’t afford that” Audrey: “I buy lots of pretty dresses”
I never expected to bump into a set of twins again, but here we are. These are twins Maggie (left) and Sheila (right) “Hello, you both look fantastic!” Explains project.
“Thank you, how nice!” “Do you have any opinions on senior fashion, or do you not really follow fashion as such?”
Sheila: I don’t particularly have an opinion on fashion, I like to feel comfortable and have clothes fit nicely but that’s about it!”
Maggie: “Yes, I agree, comfort is key”
This is Lorraine. She is 72. I was having a coffee and Lorraine sat next to me, I noticed her pink lipstick and friendly face straight away.
“I love your lipstick!” Explains the project.
“Fantastic, I never leave the house without my lipstick!” “I find that because I’m walking round a lot I don’t get why any woman would want to wear heels! I always wear my loafers to walk around in. I find there are
two types of women in Leeds.
Ones that can afford rich clothing from say, Victoria Quarter, and ones that can’t as such. I’m not saying poor people, but that’s just how it is. I find people back in the day used to either wear an expensive dress,
go all out, or not so expensive.”
This is Florence.
“Do you have an opinion on how senior women are shown in the fashion industry today?” “I usually take my niece shopping with me to be quite honest, I like fashion but I feel like it is for younger people, as you get older places are not really catered for older women. It is a shame, I have no idea how I should look! I always ask others for an opinion.
As long as I have clothes, I guess, does it really matter?”
This is Catherine.
“Oh lord,
as long as you can airbrush me so I can look 30 years younger!�
This is Rita.
“Haha, as long as I don’t break your camera with my age...”
This is Mary. She is 69.
“Hello, I think you look great!” “Oh God. not today, blue is not my usual colour!”
“I always think senior fashion isn’t shown enough, I’ve always thought that. I’ve been in hairdressing for 52 years and still going! I think this all the time. As I cut young, old and see it all”
This is Valerie. She is 72.
“Ooh it’s not the first time someone’s asked me to do this, I didn’t think I would be asked this at 72! “I always think mature women should be shown more in the fashion industry, but it’s very much for young people nowadays. I feel like I
dress my age,
not you know, wear a crop top and mini skirts like I see some people do, I just think that’s silly as you get older”
72 year old Karin from Dusseldorf, Germany
“Age is just a number, right?�
“Maybe life starts when you’re over 60”
Sue and Anne, both in their 60s.
“Age doesn’t define your maturity, it is fun to still feel like you’re young once in a while”
“Anne, be serious!”
This is Roz, she is 72 “Blue is my favourite colour, I like wearing scarves to match and never leave the house without a watch, I feel comfortable in my own skin�
This is Pam. she is 65 “I’ve just come back from holiday so this is my stay in the house clothes, but normally I love to dress nicely and feel comfortable”
Dr. Patricia Wiltshire
A Welsh Forensic Scientist who specialises in Forensic Ecology, Botany, Palynology and Mycology. A case of hers include the Soham murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002, in which she was able to identify the time the bodies were placed and to provide evidence that proved Ian Huntley to be the killer, based on analysis of the soil and the environment. She could prove that the suspect had been present at the place of murder and her evidence nailed the killer, Ian Huntley.
Dr. David Hawksworth
A mycologist and lichenologist who specialises in fungus. Currently with a professorship in the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Also a scientific Associate of The Natural History Museum in London. In 2002, he was honoured with an Acharius Medal by the International Association for Lichenology. He married Patricia in 2009, and met in an extraordinary way. In a field, she fell backwards whilst doing field research, he caught her and she said...
“Are you THE David Hawksworth??!!” You can’t make it up… the two are very happy together. Check them on Wikipedia for more details on Forensic investigations.
Meet... Sylvia, Susan and Chris
“Always wear colour with a bit of black”
“This dress is from the 1950s, a charity shop steal!�
“Twins” - By Susan “A really great influence was the cinema we went to every week and marvelled at the wonderful clothes that the stars wore. The best film of this type being ‘Now, Voyager’ in which Bette Davis is transformed from a dowdy spinster into a chic and elegant woman. I guess we absorbed all this and stored it away until now, when at long last we have the time and leisure to play with and enjoy fashion. We do this by ignoring fashion as such, in favour of our own individual look, this is satisfying as it enables us to be creative and costs far less than expensive
“age appropriate” matronly outfits which do nothing for one’s morale. So playing with clothes in old age is not only fun, but also therapeutic as dressing with chic
“redefines old age” and believe me, you feel better and people treat you better as you have made an effort. In our childhood, us twins, my sister and I were dressed identically because we were twins,
but now these sisters are doing it for themselves and we recommend it.”
Sylvia How do I feel about fashion and aging?
“Getting older doesn’t mean fashion is irrelevant, so I still make an effort to look good and fashionable. I enjoy being older. Less responsibility in terms of work and family commitments means I now have time to do what I want to do rather than just what I have to do.”
“Chris, stick your tongue out, look in shock!”
“SMILE”
“PULL!”
“Age is a wonderful thing, always act like you are still 21...”
Meet... Sue Kreitzman, from the Channel 4 documentary
Fabulous Fashionistas
“I’m not really an old lady, just cleverly disguised as one”
Sue Kreitzman,
“My name is I used to be a food writer but now I’m a full time artist and curator. I’m still a writer but now I write about art, I used to write about food.
I’m in my mid 70s, I usually say I’m half way between my mid 70s and eternity. I feel that getting old is an amazing thing, the alternative is not so good, it means you’re dead and when my Mother was my age she was dead for 25 years,
I feel it is a privilege and an adventure to get old...”
“I’m famous for being an old lady, I’m famous for being a weird
old lady,
and I’m famous for
colour...”
“My motto is, and I believe it very strongly, don’t wear beige, it might kill you. Because you know people have phobias, my son has a phobia of spiders, my wonderful assistant has a phobia about snakes.
Me? I’m actually frightened of beige, it goes beyond dislike, I’m actually scared of it. When I’m in a beige room or if God forbid somebody made me wear beige clothes it would make me
ill, it would make me feel old. So when I say don’t wear beige it might kill you, I actually mean it.”
presents
‘Untitled Streets’ A project by Cat Morgan BA (Hons) Fashion Concepts and Communication catmorgan19@hotmail.co.uk untitledstreets.tumblr.com #untitledstreets
Made in Leeds Produced by Hobs Reprographics, UK
©
Catherine Morgan 2015 all rights reserved
For more infomation: www.catmorganartist.co.uk
Cat is a multidisplinary artist who explores various areas within Fashion Communication. Specialising in areas such as fashion photography, digital print making and creative direction. Cat believes the strong aesthetic in her work is bold and the unique colour palettes bring out a distinct personality that connects with the audience. Less is not more in Cat’s work. Applying strong Adobe Suite skills to create a vision is her aim when connecting with the competitive world that is fashion. cat is also a keen writer and has had her blog eyesbehindalens.blogspot.co.uk since 2012, which has led her to many creative opportunities such as internships with Amor Magazine and Christopher Raeburn.