A Local Fashionista!

I've lived in Bedford for 35 years this year and for many of those years I have seen this lovely lady around town.

She wears amazing outfits of her own making and I would describe her style as 'Modern Edwardian'. She normally has a close fitting knee length top with a full skirt underneath and usually a huge cartwheel type hat. It was pretty cold and today so she's wearing a fur one. In the summer she often carries a willow basket and sometimes a shopping trolley (as above).  She wears masses of jewellery and always wears gloves ,often elbow length.  I have never seen her in a coat - whatever the weather. You can see what looks like a capelet in her trolley above to match her fur hat. She is a local 'character' and today I finally spoke to her!

I  was out for a long walk on my own and met her on this bridge which leads into the town.  I  asked if I could take a photo of her, as I admired her style. She was most agreeable to this. Her name is Naomi Brown and she buys all her clothes from charity shops and refashions them to her liking. She is, luckily, handy with a needle! She is very tiny, about a size 8, but I have no idea of her age. I think the outfit today is not totally reflective of her usual look and I will hopefully get some photos of her in more outfits as I see her around.

When my partner first moved to Bedford  nearly 16 years ago, he asked me one day if I had ever seen this lady in her finery - and of course I had, and knew immediately who he was talking about. (We call her the Edwardian Lady) but today I found out her name and how she creates her outfits! I told her I would put her photo on my blog and she seemed happy with that ,but I must ask her when I next see her if she knows about/reads style blogs especially those for older women. 

A true original!