There’s no getting away from it, people judge
people by appearances. We all have something
about our bodies that we’re not entirely happy
with but we’ve learned over the years how to
work with what we’ve got. No-one can empathise
more with this than style and image consultant,
Suzanne Jaya. She talks to Vale Life about her
passion for fashion, body issues and zest for life.
LIFE LAUNDRY
What were your early style There’s a bit of the Boho Bollywood in Embarrassing style moment
influences? me but I execute it with a Western I was rushed to hospital in an
1950’s movies, my mum’s Vogue approach. I love wearing bindis on my ambulance during a long period of
magazines and, bizarrely, when I was forehead to parties and once spent the serious ill-health. A couple of hours
very young I used to draw pictures of whole night on my hands and knees before being taken ill, I’d smothered
Medieval and Tudor period costumes. because it fell off and it was my my hair in coconut oil to condition it.
I must be reincarnated from back then. favourite. Needless to say it found its I ended up being taken to intensive
way through the crack in a floorboard care before having a chance to wash it
Who are your style icons? never to be seen again! For work I play off. It sounds so vain, but even though
My parents – both my sister and I got this side down, particularly when I was ill I kept really fretting about it!
our fashion-sense from them. My father dealing with business clients. My style
and mother were very glamorous. still has some dramatic details but with What would you take onto a desert
My mum was always on-trend but not a more European approach. island?
a fashion victim. She always looked Something alluring to attract a passing
classy. I still remember her white kinky What are your signature sailor to rescue me.
boots that she wore in the early ‘70’s! accessories?
Even in illness prior to his death, I love hats; also scarves of every shape, Favourite places?
my dad always took pride in his size, texture and colour. London because I spent so much time
appearance and even now my mum living and working there – I still love
never fails to find a shop window to What’s your one indulgence? the buzz of the big city. In complete
glance into – my three year old niece is Regular hairdos because I have wild contrast Cornwall where my family
beginning to take after her and my curly hair which although I love, now live and it’s the only time I mange
sister is very much a yummy mummy needs a bit of control and I’ve always to really dress down and get away with
who always takes time to put on her got better things to do with my time it. Wales, of course because it’s where
lipstick and a smile. and energy. I was born and bred and I love the
landscape. Australia because I connect
How would you describe your own Greatest passions with it on some deeper level and finally
style? Food, family and friends in that order. India for all its chaos, colour and
Created - not bought and a bit eclectic. people. Told you I was a bit eclectic!
I’m Anglo-Indian, so the Indian side of Tell us your best kept beauty secret.
me really gets drawn to all sorts of It’s a secret! No, really it’s ritual, ritual What can’t you live without?
embellishments, beads, sparkles and and ritual. When my sister and I were ■ Neal’s Yard Remedies Frankincense
bold colour. I love mixing colours, young, our mum drummed into our Nourishing Cream
textures and pieces together. heads the importance of a good ■ Perfume by Creed
skincare routine. We’ve always ■ Loads of water
followed it and so far it’s paid off. ■ Books
It doesn’t always have to be expensive -
I used to make face masks out of store What could you live without?
cupboard items as a child and still do Handbags. As gorgeous as they are,
today. I always seek out products that I feel totally encumbered with one
use no synthesised chemicals or and am liberated each time I leave
preservatives and a high content of the house without it.
botanical ingredients.
What are your biggest bugbears?
“I love hats; also scarves
We live in too much of a throwaway
society so I guess it’s the ‘new money’
of every shape, size, mentality – those who know the price
of everything and value of nothing.
texture and colour.” The computer saying ‘No’.
32❧ ❧
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