Hi: I’m Catherine Summers, AKA Not Dressed As Lamb. Here’s where I explain what’s going on around here.
Me, in bullet form:
- I’m 52. I cherish every single birthday that comes along.
- I’m British/English and live with my real-life husband Keith and Suki the greyhound in Devon, South West England.
- I started the blog to document my style for the 365 days in the run-up to my 40th birthday.
- A year later and I couldn’t shut my new baby down so decided to continue and not long after made it my career.
- I’ve super proud that I’ve won a few awards… not least being the UK Blog Awards Fashion Winner two years in a row, 2017 and 2018.
- My hair is always changing in various shades of red (sometimes pink) and have even been in two TV hair colourant adverts for L’Oréal.
- I write the blog to encourage women of all ages to ditch those crazy notions of “age-appropriate” dressing (as well as writing about a lot of other stuff about ageing and wellness).
How it all started
Once upon a time I had dreams of making it as a fashion photographer. I graduated from art college with a photography degree in the early 90s but never really pursued my dream.
(The dream was, admittedly, killed during a bad work experience stint in a photography studio in London. They were NOT nice to me and the 22 year old in me was NOT prepared to be treated like sh*t on an ongoing basis. So, plans were changed.)
I put my talents to use teaching the subject instead (I loved it but due to lots of different circumstances it didn’t continue and I wound up in lots of retail and office jobs in the following years). On a personal level my photographic skills frustratingly remained underused, but eventually I discovered fashion blogs and my love for fashion photography was reignited. Together with a passion for writing (and a huge wardrobe!) I turned to fashion blogging as a creative outlet in 2011.
I launched Not Dressed As Lamb* on my 39th birthday. It was originally intended to be a one year project to see if I could improve my style as I approached my 40th – and to flex my photography muscles once more. The one-year project simply continued, and I’m now enjoying being a full-time professional blogger. While I’ve been “waving the fashion flag for 40-somethings”, the blog has grown into one of the leading over 40 style blogs in the UK and worldwide.
*See my FAQs for an explanation of the blog’s name.
I love clothes.
I love writing and telling stories.
I love great photography.
This blog is those three things smashed together.
Achievements and awards
I was very proud to have consecutively won the UK Blog Awards Best Fashion & Beauty Blog in 2017 and 2018, the Thirty Plus Awards’ Most Addictive Blog and the Bloggers’ Lounge award for Best Fashion Blog 2015. To date I’ve been featured in the Sunday Times Style magazine and Who What Wear three times (here, here and here), among others.
What to expect on the blog…
I oppose the term “age-appropriate” and encourage the term “occasion-appropriate” instead. I believe that women of all ages should wear things they like, what suits them, and what is appropriate to the occasion – you won’t find any age-appropriate nonsense here. I encourage women to be fabulous at any age! I also cover the following topics:
Personal style and fashion
Health and beauty
Positive body image
The ageing process and being 50+
Blog photography
Better blogging tips
To read a selection of my favourite – and best – posts, click here… I’m sure there’ll be something to whet your appetite for more!
A little bit more about me…
Known for my (unnatural) red hair, I’ve been dubbed the “Queen of Clash” due to a penchant for pattern-mixing and a tendency to wear bright colours – I describe my style as “eclectic, erring on the side of preppy-with-a-twist”. I have a passion for keeping fit, people watching, travel, giraffes, the theatre, astronomy, cherry lip balm, freckles and generally seeking out life’s pleasures (read more in my FAQs).
If you want, you can…
- Follow me on Instagram
- Sign up for free updates – an email every time something new is published
- Collaborate with me (brands): by email notdressedaslamb[at]gmail.com – check out my PR page for ways we can work together
- Contact me (readers only): by email notdressedaslamb[at]gmail.com or DM via Instagram @notlamb
If you want to know more about me or maybe have a question, click here for my FAQs!