Knitted Bikinis

I've always liked clothes without ever really keeping to the latest trends, except of course when I was in my teens and early twenties when I decked out in flared trousers and tie-dyed t-shirts. If my memory serves me right, there wasn't much to chose from in those far off days, either you morphed into a Jackie Kennedy lookalike complete with pillbox hat or you were a Woodstock type or you wore The Mini Skirt.  I know I liked the hippie look because it gave me a sense of freedom which I guess we were all looking for in the late 60's and early 70's.
When I got married I had to budget and all that fashion just passed me by for a good few years.  I looked at price tags and not at designer labels.  Most of the time I prowled the shops for children's clothes which were a) indestructible and b) affordable.  If I'd heard of Jimmy Choo I would probably have thought it was some kind of inflatable rubber duck for children's bathtime.
Nowadays I indulge in reading fashion magazines because I just love the language of fashion.  This week I spotted a knitted bikini advertised in one of the Sunday newspaper supplements.  The model was sitting on a stool wearing a pearl necklace and earrings and white sandals.  The bikini itself (with a price tag of £425) was black trimmed with white.  One item on the floor beside the model caught my attention :  a blush clutch.  A blush clutch conjures up all sorts of sophisticated things like the red carpet at Cannes, where it is just the thing to have with you should you fall out of your dress or do an Eva Longoria and lift your skirt too high.  You can also choose from an apple or pear clutch or a metallic one. Sounds incredibly romantic.  Either way I'm pretty sure that a knitted bikini isn't going to get further than a sun lounger, clutch or not. 
Of course fashion as we know it is not for me. After two children and more chocolate intake than the confectionery section of Harrods, I can only admire from a respectful distance.  I still love clothes.  I see them as good friends who'll cover up for me.  And I don't feel the need or the capability of wearing the latest trends.  That's one of the comforts of not being the youngest at the ball.