MY STYLE

Wallis Bird, singer-songwriter

Wallis Bird, singer-songwriter

What are you wearing apart from the guitar?

An old pair of jeans, probably from a second-hand shop, a top from a market in Thailand, beads from antique shops in London. Badges from fans at gigs and shoes - very old red-and-green Converse I bought for €3.

Are you a shopper?

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No, I am a fashion idiot and I acquire clothes - sometimes I exchange my clothes with someone else in a pub.

What do wear when on stage?

I wear on stage exactly what I wear that day. Clothes to me are just a necessity. Mostly on stage I wear stuff I can jump around in.

What kind of clothes do you like?

I have a total disregard for labels. I like second-hand clothes that look worn because they have a story, because people have worn them. I love the clothes I wear because they have stories.

Any favourite items?

I have a pair of jeans which were bought for me by my label that cost £150 [ €190], which I would never spend, but I said, yeah, cool, and now I wear them all the time. I got my friends to write stuff on them and that makes them special. I don't like to take clothes too seriously.

Do you collect anything?

I am currently collecting little trinkets to decorate my clothes, like badges, beaded bracelets, pins and stuff, and they swing from side to side when I walk, and I have my own little rhythm, so I can sing a little song as I walk.

Describe your style

I didn't think I have one, because I have no taste in clothes. I just like to mish-mash things together. I don't think about my clothes, but I love colours. I like wool and winter clothes and scarves, but I am crap in the summer.

Success puts focus on image - how do you cope?

I was made aware that there was a lot of focus on my look, and that drove me crazy. I didn't want to be an icon, to be dressed up by somebody.

Can you resist that?

For a recent video they covered me in make-up and clothes I would never wear, and I let it happen. In the end I cancelled the video, because I didn't want to be misrepresented and I don't like being manipulated. I am co-operative on my own terms. But I'll continue to resist it - it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.