Autumn Style Edit by Millie
Camilla, a.k.a Mama Millshills is fast gaining a following on her insta grid for her vibrant, playful style. We asked her to round up her top fashion picks in our local independents and to tell us more about her life in Tunbridge Wells…
How long have you been a resident in Tunbridge Wells? My husband and I moved to Tunbridge Wells two years ago, having lived in East and North London, with a stint in Manchester, for 13 years. We decided it was time to move out of the Big Smoke, and Tunbridge Wells seemed to have it all. A decent selection of restaurants, bars, shops, great schools, an abundance of green spaces, close enough to London and, importantly for us, we have friends here. To add to the excitement of moving, we found out I was pregnant (little did we know it was twins) on the day we moved in!
What were your first impressions of the town? Great architecture and history, and so green for a big town. Oh, and I think my first observation was that I could move here as there was a Whistles (not even sure I have bought anything from there since we moved in!). I have been so warmly welcomed in to Tunbridge Wells and have been quite overwhelmed by people’s kindness and openness. We are very lucky to have such a great community and initiatives, particularly for mums and ladies trying to start up a business on their own. I must give a particular mention to the lovely sisters, Laura and Natalie, of Mums The Word, through whom I have made some lovely friends and learnt an awful lot through all their pertinent and inspiring events; and I look forward to my first Girl Tribe Gang in October.
Tell us a bit more about you…. I am actually called Camilla, but am known as Millie. It usually comes as a surprise to most people that I am half Malagasy (my dear late mother was from Madagascar – I still have a lot of family in the capital, Antananarivo), however my father’s English/Scottish genes were clearly dominant – I do tan well, though, and used to have a lock of wavy black hair when I was younger!
I am a proud mum to twin boys, Foxley and Rafferty, who are our miracle babies (it took many years of trying and IVF before these bundles of joy arrived). Can’t believe they are nearly two – time has flown by! Mr C and I married seven years ago in Cornwall in a beautiful fort overlooking the sea – he is my absolute rock and best friend, my very own Captain Marvellous.
By day I am a finance lawyer and have been working in the City for 12 years (with a stint in Sao Paulo, Brazil for 6 months). Before doing a law conversion course in London, I did a degree in French and Italian at Manchester University. I am totally rusty these days, but I used to be fluent in French, Italian and Brazilian Portuguese. However, my true passion lies in fashion. As a clueless youngster, I wasn’t sure where my career would take me, so (with parental influence) I ended up following my head rather than my heart, but it is never too late to make a change and hopefully I can make my dream a reality very soon.
What makes you happy? Spending quality time with my boys and husband, making memories (cheesy at it sounds); hearing the twins laughing, seeing their own distinct personalities develop and seeing them grow together as best buddies; chilling with my family (and generally drinking all the red wine together); going for coffees, drinks and dinners with friends and putting the world to rights; having dinner parties; meeting new people; finishing a whole cup of hot coffee; being in the sunshine; travelling and discovering new cultures; learning languages; visiting National Trust sites; dancing around to 90s dance music like no one is watching; wearing bright colours and statement jewellery; and shopping, of course!
How would you describe your style? Fun, colourful, full of print and a little bit flirty, with a mixture of high street, designer and vintage.
I do get some inspiration from fashion magazines like Vogue, Elle and Look (in its day) as well as following “real people” on Instagram and Pinterest and simply by people watching when I am out and about; however I tend to just buy and wear what I like. Inevitably I follow trends each season (to my husband’s horror – “but you’ve got one just like that”…sound familiar?!), but I also still wear clothes which I bought 15 years ago (new and vintage) and my Mum’s clothes from the 80s and 90s.
Who are you favourite designers / brands? I tend to mix up my outfits. Anyone who has seen my Instagram will know that I am a huge fan of Zara, Topshop, H&M and, maybe surprisingly, Marks & Spencer.
I have been wearing my Raw Copenhagen jewellery and Catherine de Crevecoeur earrings on repeat recently – both ladies are local to TW. I am looking forward to the colder weather so that I can wear my cosy woolly garments, including my @creatorofthree bobble sleeve cardigans and @orwellausten neon pink Bowie jumper. Since being a mum, I am now more concerned about comfort and practicality (gone are the days of 5 inch designer heels everywhere I go). I adore my gold snake print changing bag by Tiba and Marl and I am often tearing about in my Air & Grace Copeland leopard print trainers, which are the comfiest shoes out there. I am also a big fan of @scampanddude - particularly the animal print clothes and accessories for kids and adults (all four of us love our sweatshirts), but most importantly, the power of the message behind the brand to give children that added security when they need it most.
I do also like the occasional designer item, and have a few lovely bits collected over the years including from Alexander McQueen, Miu Miu, Prada, Louboutin, Michael Kors, Mulberry, Louis Vuitton, Carven, Jimmy Choo and Marc Jacobs. Although, since having the kids, these kinds of purchases are rather rare. But I do check The Outnet on a daily basis, just in case there is something I really really “need”.
Any top tips for shopping fashion in TW? There are some lovely independent boutiques in TW, including Bod & Ted (I particularly love the Rixo, Stine Goya and Wyse pieces), Anna Poulsen (the leather wear made by Anna is simply fantastic and can be made to order), Kitch (Onjenu and Jumper 1234 really caught my eye) and Ilse Jacobsen (great outerwear for the coming autumn/winter months) to name a few – you must check them out. There is also an abundance of charity shops – if you have the patience to rummage, you never know what gems you may find. Last week I picked up an Alberta Ferretti jacket for £5 from the Dogs’ Trust. I give sack loads of designer and high end high street clothes/accessories each year, so keep your eyes peeled!
What are your plans for the rest of the year? I am going to embark on an exciting (for me, at least!) new path in the new year by completing a styling course, so I’m gearing up towards that. Otherwise, I am going to London Fashion Week Festival (last year was so fun and inspirational - I cannot wait to see the stylish and hilarious @doesmybumlook40), we are squeezing in a holiday to Lake Como and am looking forward to celebrating the twins’ second birthday in October. Is it already too early to be excited about Christmas?
Would you like to see more creativity in the town? I think that the town has a lot going on, what with the Jazz on the Pantiles, the theatre, the various summer festivals, crafting workshops, supper clubs, vintage fairs, Fashion Re:Boot, and mums’ events (including inspirational speakers and workshops). But there is always room for more. I would like to host a clothes swap event, but sadly time is a bit of an issue at the moment – maybe one day... I also used to love going to secret supper clubs in London where you only found out the venue an hour before - these were often themed and totally off the wall – great fun and maybe something that could be recreated around TW in a quirky location.
Do you have a favourite quote? It is actually part of a quote from Roald Dahls’ Twits, but I love it: “If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely”.
If you could live in any decade which one would it be? 60s. The colour, the freedom of thought and sprit, the music and the ground breaking fashion (Mary Quant all the way!)
If you could arrange a dinner party and invite anyone, who would they be? John Travolta, Nelson Madela, Emmeline Pankhurst, David Attenborough, Henri Charrière aka Papillion and Joanna Lumley
You’ve got over 1600 posts of Instagram, what do you use the platform for? I only started using Instagram properly In February of this year. Like many mums, I felt I had lost my mojo after the kids were born, and wanted to make a bit of an effort at work to get me out of the maternity leave fashion rut. For me, when I dress with confidence, I definitely feel more empowered and like the “old me”. With this in mind, I wanted to give a little inspiration to other mums who tend to find themselves in a cycle of dark suits and uninspired outfits. It has developed from that.
I also like to find new independent brands, which I would never have known about had it not been for the fantastic bloggers out there (@saltyairsunkissedhair is one of my favourites).
As a result of being on IG, in a short time I have found a great community (both in real life and via the squares) and sources of inspiration, which has given me the confidence to take the next step in doing a styling course next year. Who knows where that will lead, but now that I am nearing the big 40, now is the time to follow my heart. Social media has its obvious down sides, but for the most part, everyone is supportive, encouraging and generally fabulous. Any negativity, I filter out and ignore, or I simply unfollow anyone who makes me feel bad in any way.
Name your top 3 favourite Instagram accounts? This is a tough one, but it has to be the following:
@thefashionablepan Debbie is one of the first accounts I found earlier in the year. Not only is she super stylish and would look good in a bin liner, she is hilarious (so honest and real and loves a good swear) and her kids are just brilliant.
@mercer7offical Erna Leon is one super cool chick. Her style is enviably effortless, classical and chic and I love the curated womenswear pieces on her blog.
@thecharlyconquest I swear this girl is the funniest girl on IG. Charly’s feet are rarely on the ground and she never ceases to amaze how stylish she looks, usually donning preloved gems. I laud Charley’s sustainable fashion ethos (not to mention her jumping skills).
When you are not looking fabulous on Insta what are you doing? Generally running around after my boys, working hard in the City, avidly listening to crime drama audio books and Podcasts on my commute, drinking coffee, thinking about what outfits I am going to wear, batch cooking for my boys (yet eating takeaways myself), filling my online shopping baskets (and sometimes pressing “buy”), hiding my purchases from my husband, shouting at my kids to stop drinking muddy puddles, wiping snotty noses, changing nappies, tripping up over Paw Patrol vehicles and, if I am still awake, watching box sets with a glass of red in hand.
Top five places you’ve discovered in Tunbridge Wells:
1. Dunorlan Park generally and the events it hosts (including charity runs and Pub in the Park).
2. The Pantiles for coffee and cake and the Jazz on a Thursday evening in the summer months
3. Big Fish Little Fish Family Rave at Groombridge Place
4. The Forum (had a very amusing Saturday night there by accident recently)
5. Kitsu sushi restaurant
Best place to get a cocktail? I had the best Espresso Martini in Sopranos recently – I had a few just to double check how good they were.
If you could change anything about the town what would it be? I wish there were more vintage clothes shops. I was spoilt during my years living in East London and Paris and used to always buy vintage – so many gems and I love rummaging through the rails until I find my treasure.
You can follow Mille over on her Instagram account @mama_millshills
