‘I wear what makes me happy, not anyone else – and that’s colour. That’s what makes me happy.’
This is style advice from fashion-fanatic Sylvia Ezer. Currently the face of a nationwide clothes campaign, she’s not your average model.
Plucked at random while out shopping, her story has echoes of Kate Moss’ 1988 rise to fame after the British supermodel was spotted at New York’s JFK airport while smoking a cigarette.
However, while Kate Moss was just 14 when was she was scouted for stardom, former teacher Sylvia was 88. It also happened a bit more closer to home – at her favourite White Stuff store in London’s Muswell Hill, where she lives.
‘I was just looking through the rail, as I always do, when someone came up and asked if I’d like to pose myself,’ she tells Metro.co.uk ‘I’d done a little bit of modelling- a very long time ago – so thought it would be fun.’
Within weeks, Sylvia was whisked away to Fulham Palace Meadows Allotments for a photoshoot and the images soon went viral, as people praised her ageless style.
‘I couldn’t quite believe it,’ Sylvia admits with a smile.
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‘I’ve always been happy in comfortable, casual gear rather than anything too formal or tight. So White Stuff was always my cup of tea. When I walk into a shop I cast an eye on the rails and the styles and, usually, I can pick out what will look good. My eye knows what is going to suit me.
‘If I wear something I’m not comfortable in, the moment I open my front door I’m taking it off and getting changed. It’s important to be confident in what you like. For me, colour makes me happy.’
Sylvia’s love of all things bright began in the small village of Robertson in South Africa’s Western Cape, where she was surrounded by vibrant plants and rich wine fields.
Her family ran the village’s Commercial Hotel which often hosted a travelling acting troupe. Sylvia remembers watching a performance in the local village hall when she was six-years-old. She was “fascinated’ by their colourful outfits and bold accessories. And so a lifelong love of clothing began.
The self-professed ‘country bumpkin’ moved to a bigger town of Worchester as a teenager and then to the University of Western Cape to study drama. Her confidence and love of fashion grew when she moved to London in 1958, just in time to enjoy the swinging sixties in full flow.
‘I remember even going on the tube and seeing everyone dressed in different things, there was a freedom’, she recalls.
‘I still loved the theatre and went there often. I would love going to Portobello Market and browsing the rails. It was all very exciting, I was certainly a city girl by this point.’
She admits she did lose her colour at points at low points in her life. In the wake of the death of her husband Colyn, who was only 59, and death of her second partner Jim, in 2020, her wardrobe took a back seat.
But in her return to a new normal, it was clothing like a familiar pink jumper and deep red trousers that gave her something to smile about.
These days, the former drama teacher turned model is happy to impart her style knowledge to a new generation, which is why I jumped at the chance to spend an afternoon with her. As the most fashion conscious person in the world, I wanted to find out her style secrets.
As a teenager – with a full-face of terrible acne that lasted years – I embraced our black school uniform and clothes that would help me blend in. That mindset of ‘not standing out’ has continued on until adulthood where I’m still pretty nervous to veer away from a dark hoodie and jeans combination.
So meeting Sylvia was quite the jump. Her love is colour, and colour gets you noticed.
As I got glammed up, 5’2” Sylvia reached up to the rail to investigate her options. She held up each one as she expertly envisioned what could be paired together.
But would I like what she chose? Here’s how we got on…
Sylvia's makeover magic: outfit by outfit
Look 1
First outfit was a knitted white jumper with a sprinkling of colour on the sleeves, Sylvia’s speciality, teamed with a rusty corduroy long skirt.
Sylvia says: ‘Colour as key and this earthy, brick style red is one of my favourites – it takes me back to my upbringing in South Africa. Going for a skirt rather than pairing a jumper with jeans is an easy way to elevate a classic look, so you can wear it anywhere.’
Kirsten says: ‘Coupled with a long red skirt, it made for a very cosy piece of autumnal wear that could take me from the office to after work drinks. I’d definitely never worn a skirt as long, it felt fairly alien, and I was definitely nervous about pulling it off. Longer skirts do seem to be getting back into style again, Sylvia is onto a new trend here.’
Jumper: £75, White Stuff
Skirt: £38, Next
Look 2
Second outfit included some striking pink trousers coupled with a pink high neck fluffy jumper.
Sylvia says: I chose to roll up the sleeves, this outfit means business. It’s the perfect example of how colour can make you smile – this would liven up any trip to the office. Two simple choices which make a big impact.
Kirsten says: ‘I must admit, Sylvia’s second choice for me looked pretty daunting on the rail. Bright pink trousers and a fluffy pink jumper – a pairing I wouldn’t normally run a million miles from. But Sylvia gave me the confidence to pull it off after some words of encouragement to trust her, and I was glad I did. Not just the office, it would be fun for any girls afternoon or suit for some winter nights out – where being warm is just as essential as looking good.
Trousers, £38, River Island
Jumper: Pink High Neck Jumper, £40
Look 3
Our third outfit provided a chance to match up fashionista Sylvia with the fashion guinea pig Kirsten. The 88-year-old went with a plain white t-shirt and the 27-year-old with a pair of wide-length jeans. A smattering of buttons and deep velvet green completed the look on our matching blazer.
Sylvia says: ‘The blazer was a key fashion piece I’ve seen reinvented dozens of times over my decades in London. But again, simplicity is key. Paired with a set of smart jeans and stunning shirt, the blazer could be the perfect choice for a spot of networking or to elevate a work outfit.
Kirsten says: ‘When I first saw them on the rail I thought they would be far too big for me, but the oversized look worked wonders. This is something I’d love to wear round the office or on a Sunday stroll to the shops, this was my favourite of Sylvia’s selections.
Blazer: £75, White Stuff
Jeans: £38, River Island
Shirt, £39.50, M&S Autograph Collection
Look 4
The final outfit of the day reflected a key component for Sylvia – comfort. She picked out a pair of brown cord trousers and a cosy bright green jumper.
Sylvia: This kind of outfit is perfect for hosting duties. Just the other day, I held a lunch party in a similar pair of White Stuff trousers and I was able to dash back and forth the kitchen in style. They’re super comfortable and last a long time.
Kirsten: As Sylvia says, this comfortable outfit would be ideal for having friends over. The trousers really were comfortable and, really, perhaps the most easy-to-repeat way of switching up my boring jeans and hoodie style. The combo was also perfect for not letting chilly temperatures get in the way of a nice outfit, or for fading into the background.
Trousers: £44.25, White Stuff
Jumper: £29.50, M&S
Conclusion
While the overall experience of being a fashion guinea pig was daunting, it really was a learning experience and showed me that style doesn’t have to be as scary as the Instagram reels or perfectly curated social media posts make out. As Sylvia says, the experience should be a joy, not a chore.
She did take me out of my comfort zone initially but it was good to be encouraged to try out bolder colours and combinations I would not have considered myself
Inspired by the likes of Maggie Smith who – at the age of 88 – became the new face of fashion brand Loewe’s, Syvlia taught me that any outfit can stand out – but there’s a key accessory needed if you really want to make it pop: confidence.
‘With getting older, I have learned more to wear what makes me happy. You can always make something your own with confidence,’ Sylvia explains.
Thanks to her stylish eye I will definitely be bolder and braver when I look through the high street fashion rails in the future and not always head for the dark colours all the time. I’m definitely going to be more daring in my colour choices in future.
Sylvia's beauty regime
While we had her, we wanted to find out Sylvia’s beauty regime that’s helped her stay looking fabulous over the years.
She told us that her must-have piece of make-up is the Clarins Joli Rouge lipstick. ‘It’s a shade of orange and adds a lovely pop of colour. I’ve very fond of it and have replenished it several times over the last few years. The lipstick lights up my face.’
Occasionally she will dip into a brown shade of Lancome lipstick, but she says this ‘depends on my mood’. She’s partial to a Lancome foundation each day as well.
When it comes to keeping her skin fresh, she has a strict evening routine. But she’s not devoted to a particular brand, she’s happy to find whatever is the most ‘economical’ in Boots. Syliva starts by using a cleansing milk then wipes it away with a tissue or soft sponge.
She repeats this twice to make sure she’s captured all the dregs of the day. ‘Then I’ll use some eye-make up remover, add some serum, then use my night cream. Occasionally I’ll use an eye cream.’
A No 7 lipbalm comes next, especially in winter.
‘I never go to bed without taking off my make-up’, Sylvia adds. ‘When it comes to my night routine, I use products which are on sale, never anything too expensive. I do have a lot of skin damage from when I was younger, I never wore sun cream.
‘We weren’t taught all that, we would even put things like lemon juice on our face. We didn’t realise how bad that was. So I have to keep my face hydrated, at morning and night I use a Garnier Rose Water miscellar cleanser, which I wipe on with a cotton pad.’
Photographs by: Natasha Pszenicki, Hair & Make Up: Desmond Grundy
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