3 Keepers and a Regret is a recurring series on Retail Therapy on Substack where I ask people I admire to name 3 things they’d fight to keep — bought, inherited, stolen — and 1 thing they regret.
One of my favorite parts of my job is the small but mighty team I’m a part of. We’re all in different states, countries and continents. We’re all English speakers. Yet I grew up playing Chutes and Ladders while my Irish colleague played the same game as Snakes and Ladders. Clearly her name is better.
I started 3 Keepers in May to see what would happen. It’s way better than I imagined but I realized I had only featured women, and all of them were American. So last week you met John Brewton, whose regret is a Hermès tea set for his daughter. Not to worry, he knows I’ll take it off his hands.
This week we’re leaving the country. sam baker of The Shift With Sam Baker of Scotland is the second Substack I ever paid for, after Sari Botton of Memoir Land and Oldster Magazine. I subscribed to The Shift (it’s a very easy word to type wrong) because her weekly roundup shares articles I haven’t seen and highlights stories that didn’t surface in the U.S. I want to be surprised and Sam delivers.
Three Keepers
3 things you’d fight to keep — bought, inherited, stolen
Basically I’m a uniform dresser — uniform dressing changed my life and transformed my mornings!
No. 1 — My M&S men’s pinstripe blazer
I am menswear all the way — especially when it comes to tailoring. I bought this dark navy pinstripe suit jacket several years ago — five? Six? Maybe more. From British high street retailer M&S. I think it was £149. Quite a commitment but not a lot for good quality tailoring and material. And have lived in it ever since. It’s become my go-to armor when I have to go on stage — which is quite a lot. I’m not a smart person, but fling this on with jeans and boots and I instantly feel able to face the audience.
No. 2 — Raey jeans
Like every other woman I know I have spent my life in search of the perfect jeans. Of course the definition of perfect changes like the weather, but fundamentally boils down to making you feel better about yourself not worse! Raey doesn’t exist any more but it was the in-house label of the other British online fashion retailer Matches (since bought and folded by Mike Ashley but I won’t go into that or we’ll be here all day). I adored Raey’s “classics with edge” but honestly the price point was a bit steep. Something I could close my eyes to for the jeans. I have about five pairs — baggy dad jeans in black, white and blue, a loose straight pair and super wide. I really wish I’d bought three pairs of the loose straight style bc they’re unmatched.
No. 3 — Ghost dress
A sentimental one, this. I was editor of UK Cosmo when the fashion director borrowed this dress for me for a big party. Can’t remember the party, have never forgotten the frock. Designed by Tanya Sarne for her label, Ghost, in its heyday, it’s a real fairy princess dress, so could hardly be less me, in a muted grey-green, made from embroidered muslin and with an asymmetric hem.
Like I said, very un-me. Even with big boots. It was a sample and the PR let me keep it. I don’t know if it ever went into production. I still have it tucked away in a cupboard - one of the few things that I’ve kept from my magazine editor days. It no longer fits (fat chance!) and has zero hanger appeal, but I can’t imagine I’ll ever part with it.
One Regret
now the regret
A regret? Just one?! Seriously there are so so many. I have spent my adult life making expensive fashion mistakes — or at least I did when I was a magazine editor, telling myself it was my job to wear that stuff that made me feel like somebody else. Which was kind of the point. When I left that world I set about giving it all away to charity (although now I wish I’d Vinted it, but still…) so let’s just say all the money I wasted on NET-A-PORTER between 2009 and 2014.
Why I’m Still Shopping
Before Sam shared her Keepers, she gave a preamble. Respect. This is totally something I would do. It’s like when I was being assessed by a clinical psychologist for a job. Apparently, I critiqued the pencils I was given to use. Who does that? Me. Allegedly. The odd part is I got the job. I’ve been ghosted nearly every time I’ve had to take a personality assessment. An entire company of people who “fit” – and I don’t.
I’d read Sam’s post on being a “uniform dresser” multiple times before she brought it to my attention. I have it bookmarked to share with the world. For those like me who struggle to get dressed. Every. Single. Day. I have a closet full of clothes — more than one, actually — and nothing to wear. I keep trying, believing that my next purchase will be my epiphany. So I can share how I, too, finally nailed the uniform. But I haven’t. I want to be that person. I’m not.
Big thanks to sam baker of The Shift With Sam Baker
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Another great piece! I wear the same pieces repeatedly and am not sure what to wear when the dress code is "casual." I usually just stay overdressed with heels. It's how I feel best.
Sam, you have so much cool and confidence radiating off of you in these outfits! I love philosophy that good clothes should make us feel good about ourselves. Thanks for sharing!