Growing up, writer Hilary Stichbury was strongly influenced by her grandmother, who taught her about fabric, how it behaves over time, how its composition influences the way it hangs and holds its structure. And how to recognise quality.
I’d describe Hilary’s look as crisp, minimalist perfection. It’s harder than it appears to achieve that. How does she approach getting dressed?
” My personal style is a creative outlet that is always evolving. I like to spend time building an outfit, thinking about symmetry and balance, and surprising myself with new combinations, but I’ve learned it’s better not to have time pressure so I tend to experiment the day before I go out. A truism that floats around the writing world is that writers can be divided into planners or pantsers – seat-of-the-pants writers.
I definitely fall into the planner category with both my style and my writing.”
“My husband Peter and I are both visual people – it’s one of the things we connected over when we first met. We have a long-ish lunch together every day, and at some point the conversation inevitably drifts to something visual – colour or form or context or all three. We both feel relieved, I think, that the other understands the level of detail we both want to consider visual elements at. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say we are both obsessed with colour and form. Although I don’t wear a lot of bright colour, I admire designers like Victoria Beckham who use it in such a masterly and original way.”
Are you just as considered in your writing- what subjects are you most interested in, are you working on any piece currently and whose writing do you admire, why?
“I studied foreign languages, Russian and Italian, at university, and that is an exercise in weighing each word, to the point of pedantry. I enjoyed that about it. When translating into English from the literature of those languages I used to lose time, it was like inhabiting another world. I have that same sense now with writing fiction. I like to write about the human condition, the interior worlds of my characters, and the complexities of their relationships with each other. I am currently finishing a novel that I started in the last lockdown.”
“I’m drawn to subtle, character driven novels like Donna Tartt’s The Secret History and The Goldfinch. I would read anything she writes without hesitation. Her look is striking too, with her blunt bob and monochromatic pant suits.”
“I’ve just finished Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin. It was beautiful in a meandering, intimate kind of way. You get this feeling, all the way through, that she is pushing at and bending established writing norms to create something fresh and surprising. I love a rule breaker, as long as it’s done well.
Also Anthony Doerr’s All the Light we Cannot See is an incredible journey through the lives of two young people in impossibly difficult circumstances. His power of description is impressive, and yet he has such a light touch.
A Little Life, by Hanya Yanagihara, took me over. I was trying to wrangle every moment I could to disappear into the world she made – I was addicted to the characters. I cried when I finished it, I missed them so much.”
I’m interested in writers that have a definitive personal style like Donna Tartt as you’ve mentioned. Who else?
“Joan Didion’s style, of course, was amazing. Minimal, elegant, and covertly dramatic. There was a severity about her style which I think comes through in her writing. Her gaze was blistering. Nothing escaped her.”
Style inspirations right now?
“I look for a mood- 90s minimalism at the moment, it’s a palette cleanser in its simplicity and discipline. But the style I’m most drawn to is a mash up between the insouciance of the French girl new-wave style that Hedi Slimane does so well, some big 70s Farrah Fawcett hair, and a touch of Anthony Vaccarello’s lean, long-legged edge.”
Finally, in a world without constraints what would you wear the Exhibit A jewellery with and where?
” The silver earring with a white south sea pearl elevates an everyday combination like a bomber jacket, straight-leg denim, and crisp white trainers, hair tucked behind one ear, for running errands.
I would wear the yellow gold earring and ring with a body skimming column dress and some gold, sky-high strappy stiletto heels to an art opening.
For a business meeting I would pair the Exhibit A ring and earring with structured wide leg black trousers, an alabaster oversized sleeveless blazer and Loewe petal sandals in orange.”
