An Interview With Laura Whitmore

TV Presenter Laura Whitmore always looks fabulous in what she is wearing, so she was an obvious choice for Timex as their Style Insider for their latest campaign. Laura hit the streets of the UK in search of what makes us tick when it comes to style inspiration and expression of style. I was lucky enough to speak to Laura about her own style, what trends she likes and where she takes her own personal style inspiration from.

Laura you are under the spotlight…

During your style search with Timex what stood out for you on the streets that made you want to stop someone?

I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know all sorts of people, stopping people from all different walks of life who all have a unique, natural and intrinsic sense of style. From those with a keen eye for the latest trends, those who rock the vintage look, sporty and preppy types, glamour-pusses, stylistas sporting the boho trend, to those who just keep it really simple and look effortlessly cool.

Did you pick up any style tips for yourself from the street search?

Definitely! I spotted a few people wearing clothes that I also own but they were wearing them in a different way. One girl had a bag from Sophia Webster that I also have but whereas I use it for formal evening events, she was just casually wearing it with jeans and a leather jacket. It seemed bizarre to me at first because I associate it with glam evening wear but it actually worked really well with her outfit and contrasted nicely with the casual look – I’ll be stealing her style!

I loved the outfit you wore to the Elle Style Awards, the metallic skirt was gorgeous! Do you have a favourite outfit you have worn recently?

I have a few favourite dresses. I really liked the yellow Fyodor Golan dress I wore to the ELLE Style Awards in 2013 and I wore a cool Alexandre Vauthier jumpsuit to the BAFTA’s last year. They were both amazing outfits. At the Elle Style Awards everyone was in black and white and I turned up in this bright yellow dress. Then when everyone was in these full length gowns for the BAFTAs I turned up in a jumpsuit, it’s fun just to do something a little bit different.

Do you work with a stylist or do you choose your clothes yourself?

For the presenting work I do, I am very lucky to work with a stylist but day-to-day I wear what I want. I’m quite strong-minded when it comes to knowing what I want to wear so even when I work with the stylist, I play a big part in choosing my outfits.

Are you more of a high-street or designer girl? Or a bit of both? What are your favourite high street brands?

I think a bit of both. I like to have a few items that are designer and mix and match them with high-street finds. The high street does things so well: I’m a big fan of Topshop and Urban Outfitters. We’re very lucky that we have such on trend high-street shops in the UK as sometimes higher end designers aren’t very practical for day-to-day wear. But, I do believe in having a good pair of jeans and a coat, even if they cost a little bit more.

What trend will you be wearing most this season?

I try not to follow trends too much because I dress for my mood, body shape and what I feel comfortable in. At the moment I’m wearing a lot of ripped jeans but there’s no one particular trend that I wear exclusively. I will be travelling a lot this summer so what I wear will depend on where I am and what the weather is like!

Have you got a favourite shop/brand right now?

I love Sophia Webster at the moment, her footwear is elegant yet fun and really adds the finishing touch to any outfit. She is young and extremely talented and I can’t wait to see what collections she debuts in the coming years. I’m working with Timex at the moment and I am a huge fan of their watches. Timex really understands that watches are for more than just telling the time – they are an expression of character and a unique accessory, the final part to a wardrobe.

Being in the public eye, do you worry about what you’re wearing or shock horror – being seen in the same outfit twice?

I worry less about what I wear than I used to. The older you get the less anxious you feel about the way you dress. When I first started in TV I felt that I needed a different outfit for every day of the week, but eventually I realised that no one wears a new outfit every day! It’s all about mixing and matching. I like wearing the same jeans with different tops. That said, if I wore an amazing dress for a red carpet event, I probably wouldn’t wear it again.

Whose style do you admire?

I look to old school Hollywood glamour for my style icons; Bridget Bardot was sexy when glammed up but looked gorgeous dressed down as well, whereas Grace Kelly had a real air of sophistication – I like to combine the two looks. I love the 60’s style, with Warhol and Blondie influences, so I guess I’m influenced by the grunge look as well. I take quite a bit of fashion inspiration from music and I really admire how Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mack and Debbie Harry styled themselves for the stage. Today, I like the way Georgia May Jagger dresses, she looks great and effortless but I also look up to Kate Moss, Sienna Miller and the Olsen twins. I take little bits of style inspiration from all of them.

What has been your biggest fashion faux pas?

To me, the biggest fashion faux pas that anyone can make is to wear something that they’re not comfortable in. You could be wearing anything but if you are comfortable then you will be confident and you won’t make a mistake.

Style icon and TV presenter Laura Whitmore has partnered with Timex to discover what ‘Wear It Well™’ means to the UK. Check out what she found at www.timex.co.uk/wearitwell or join in the conversation by tweeting @TimexUK with #Wearitwell.