Pennod 13 Cwpwrdd Dillad

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-In this programme...

-..a librarian seeking advice

-on how to enjoy clothes.

-A young student whose dress sense

-reflects his musical taste.

-And an actress and novelist

-who favours a muted style.

-Welcome to Cwpwrdd Dillad.

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-I wear clothes to conceal

-my nakedness and to keep me warm.

-I'm not very style-conscious.

-I see obsession with style

-and clothes as a weakness in a man.

-I was raised to disregard clothes.

-I was raised to disregard style.

-My family had little money...

-..so we watched carefully

-what was spent on clothes.

-We bought clothes in charity shops

-or in bargain basements.

-There was a mark of Cain about

-poverty in America when I grew up.

-I was raised in the traditions

-of a conservative church.

-The church believed

-that spending money...

-..on items such as make-up,

-dying hair, cinema trips...

-..and buying

-expensive or trendy clothes...

-..was sinful.

-Is that your mother?

-Is that your mother?

-

-Yes.

-She looks smartly dressed.

-I think of her...

-..as a woman who wore clothes

-that screamed, "Impoverished!"

-I compared her with other women and

-thought, "Must you look so poor?"

-I feel sorry for her.

-You have four adoptive children.

-Does that mean

-you had to be careful with money?

-In order to receive

-the Adoption Allowance...

-..we had to keep track of every

-penny we spent for over ten years.

-We had to do it in order to prove we

-qualified for financial assistance.

-The discipline

-of keeping track of money...

-..helped us always think,

-"Do we need to buy this?"

-I don't think we spent

-more than 50 per year on clothes.

-Looking at that photo of you...

-..I'd have to say it seems to me

-you're wearing that shirt today!

-Yes, it's the same shirt.

-When was that photo taken?

-It was taken on the day

-Rhys came to us, as a baby.

-That was in November 1981.

-I still wear that shirt.

-I don't see anything wrong with it.

-I don't want

-to spend a fortune on clothes.

-I want to make sure

-the clothes I wear are ethical.

-I refuse to wear clothes

-made by children in some sweatshop.

-I won't wear clothes...

-..if the production process

-pollutes the environment.

-I strive to avoid it.

-What sort of clothes are there

-in your wardrobe?

-What do you wear from day to day?

-Half my clothes

-belonged to people who are now dead.

-People who are dead?

-Yes, when family members die,

-I inherit their clothes.

-Why? Is it for sentimental

-or practical reasons?

-For practical reasons.

-What made you

-come to this momentous decision?

-For the first time in your life,

-you want to be transformed.

-Why do you want to start thinking

-about the way you look?

-I'm nearly 61 years old.

-In a sense,

-I feel the need to break free...

-..from the constraints

-of my background.

-Break free from the constraints

-of my childhood.

-I feel dowdy.

-I feel I dress in a dowdy manner.

-My children

-have nagged me for years...

-..to do something

-about the way I dress.

-They've given up on me.

-Now that they've given up on me,

-I think it's time I did it!

-The clothes I've chosen aren't cheap

-but are of good quality.

-Howies fabrics are all organic.

-The Patagonia company

-uses recycled garments.

-I want to give all your jackets

-to a charity shop!

-They came from charity shops!

-I bought Barbour coats for you

-as the fabric is made in Britain.

-They're also stitched in Britain.

-This reduces their carbon footprint.

-You've played safe with your shoes

-over the years.

-You've worn a lot of trainers

-and black shoes.

-I've bought some more interesting

-but ethical shoes for you.

-I hope this experience

-makes you see...

-..it's possible to invest money

-in high quality clothes.

-I feel very different.

-I've never worn red before.

-I like it.

-I've never considered

-wearing red before.

-It opens a new door for me.

-I have every right to look neat.

-I don't have to look dowdy.

-Well, Mr Roger Fenton!

-You look smart.

-Thank you very much.

-Do you feel smart?

-I feel nervous.

-I don't know

-what other people will think...

-..when they see me in clothes which

-are different from my usual attire.

-I must say,

-it's an amazing transformation.

-Your beard is outstanding.

-Your beard is outstanding.

-

-That's what makes me most nervous.

-I'm not convinced

-I'll keep this style.

-Eleanor is a formidable woman!

-She can be really mean!

-You mentioned that

-undergoing this transformation...

-..would help you release yourself

-from the shackles of your childhood.

-Does it still feel sinful

-to wear these new clothes?

-For ten years, I seem to have been

-changing myself from the inside out.

-This is the first time that change

-has manifested itself...

-..as something external.

-I don't want to be influenced by it.

-I feel I can put it behind me,

-in a sense.

-Look at the glasses!

-Look at the glasses!

-

-Oh, wow!

-Oh, my gosh!

-I bet you've never seen these two

-so quiet!

-They're lost for words.

-You look nice. I like it.

-They're stunned

-because I'm stunning!

-I think my transformation

-is almost complete.

-This is the final step.

-Eleanor has put me on a path...

-..which I'll follow

-throughout my sunset years.

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-I'm a confident, dashing character.

-My clothes reflect that.

-I get the odd dig in Aberystwyth

-because I dress differently.

-It's their problem, not mine.

-I read music magazines

-such as NME and Q.

-I like to steal ideas

-from people such as Klaxons...

-..and from M.I.A., who's a woman

-but whose fashion is really cool.

-I steal ideas from magazines and

-blend them to create my own style.

-In the sixth-form common room,

-at school...

-..there are always

-copies of Vogue or Glamour.

-I steal ideas from everywhere.

-# Custard Tart, Custard Tart

-# Do you love me more

-# Than your last lover? #

-Guide me through your wardrobe.

-Guide me through your wardrobe.

-

-No problem.

-There's an interesting story

-behind this hoody.

-Dad phoned me

-when he was in H&M in London...

-..and he offered

-to buy me something.

-I asked him

-to buy something New Rave for me.

-It was a test

-to see how trendy Dad is...

-..and to see

-if he knows what New Rave is.

-He came home with this

-which is quite New Rave.

-Congratulations, Dad!

-Congratulations, Dad!

-

-Well done, Dad!

-He passed the test.

-He probably asked for advice

-from a shop assistant!

-Yes, my dad is cool but not cool

-enough to know what New Rave is!

-Does music inspire you

-in what you wear?

-Yes, it definitely does inspire me

-subconsciously.

-If I get dressed, listening to pop,

-such as Diffiniad...

-..or to rock, such as Mattoidz...

-..that music

-will influence the way I dress.

-If I'm listening to pop,

-I'll be colourful.

-If I'm listening to indie,

-I'll be more toned town.

-# A little bit greedy

-# I want it all

-# Go ahead, take it

-# Take everything I have

-# Don't choose me... #

-That hat is fantastic.

-I found this in the mud

-at last year's Wakestock.

-I didn't know what colour it was

-until I washed it.

-It's quite Gangsta, isn't it?

-It doesn't quite suit you!

-Never mind.

-I hope a Gangsta doesn't knock

-on my door to claim his hat!

-You like scarves too.

-Yes, especially these scarves.

-They're light

-but they're quite big...

-..so I wear them

-in summer and winter.

-If I'm cold when I'm at a festival,

-it becomes a blanket.

-It can also be a picnic blanket!

-# Years of fighting without success

-# See a nation die and a shell fill

-# New faces but the same old lies

-# One nation thrives,

-another suffocates... #

-I was one of the lead vocalists

-for three hip hop bands.

-It was important for me

-to capture the audience's attention.

-Wearing colourful, patterned clothes

-is a good way to do it!

-Let's talk about

-these colourful T-shirts of yours.

-This is my Castell Rock T-shirt.

-Castell Rock is a music festival

-which is held at Aberystwyth Castle.

-This T-shirt means a lot to me.

-This is a Manna T-shirt.

-It's a Christian band.

-I wore this on stage

-at Sesiwn Fawr Dolgellau.

-We were on

-just before the Super Furries.

-That means a lot to me.

-I got that free,

-with the proviso I wore it on stage.

-Tell me about your hair.

-It's really cool.

-It's quite 1980s, according

-to the feedback I've had so far.

-It took a while

-to get to this model.

-This is the finished article.

-It's naturally curly?

-Yes, it's naturally curly.

-I have one short side

-and the back is short too.

-It's like a wave, going to one side.

-I use a diffuser, curling mousse,

-wax and hairspray in the mornings!

-I sound like a girl, don't I?

-You use more products than me!

-You use more products than me!

-

-That's not good!

-People think of the college years...

-..as the time of development

-and experimentation.

-Yes, and Aberystwyth isn't the

-world's capital city of fashion!

-I tend to stand out from the crowd

-in Aberystwyth...

-..but I was in London last week

-and didn't stand out at all.

-When I go to Cardiff...

-..I'll have to be

-a bit more over the top!

-I'm ready for it!

-I enjoy clothes and I enjoy looking

-at what other people are wearing.

-I buy items

-in which I feel comfortable.

-If I feel comfortable in my clothes,

-it gives me a real boost.

-I don't wear bright colours,

-bold prints or flowery garments.

-Everything tends to be plain

-and I wear a lot of black and grey.

-I wear whites and neutrals

-in the summer.

-Why do you wear muted colours?

-I'm not sure.

-I think I have a fear

-of being overdressed.

-The thought of walking into a room

-dressed inappropriately scares me!

-I don't want to be dressed

-differently from everyone else.

-That's why I dress in a manner

-which won't attract attention.

-That may explain why my wardrobe is

-full of clothes which I never wear!

-I'd rather people say, "Doesn't

-Mari Emlyn look scruffy tonight?"...

-..rather than say, "Oh, did you see

-Mari Emlyn, dressed to the nines?"

-I prefer to think

-people talk about me the other way.

-You have one dark wardrobe

-and one muted wardrobe.

-This is my winter wardrobe.

-Heavy, dark clothes.

-I own a few little black dresses.

-I feel comfortable

-in little black dresses.

-I never feel overdressed in them.

-I bought this in M&S.

-The two different straps make it

-a little black dress with a twist.

-You can dress up or down

-when you wear it.

-Yes, exactly.

-This is one of my favourites.

-I have worn this one.

-I bought it when we were in France.

-I went there when I was writing

-a novel about the First World War.

-I had to do some research.

-I bought this dress

-when I was there.

-I'm very fond of this dress.

-It's a special occasion dress.

-Would you say you had a weakness

-for a particular item of clothing?

-Yes, I'd definitely say

-I have a weakness for scarves.

-I wear a scarf almost every day.

-I wear a small scarf like this

-when I'm at home.

-I'd wear a bigger scarf to go out.

-By wearing a scarf,

-you add a splash of colour.

-Yes, that's right.

-Some women use lipstick

-to bring colour to their faces...

-..and some women wear big earrings.

-I bring colour to my face

-by wearing a scarf.

-I have a long neck.

-Without the scarf,

-I feel like a giraffe!

-The scarf adds colour to my face

-and it makes me feel more confident.

-I like long skirts.

-That may stem from my upbringing,

-as a child of 1960s and the 1970s.

-My mother

-wore long dresses and skirts...

-..when she went for a drink with

-a neighbour or went out to dinner.

-Whenever I knew she was going out...

-..I'd look forward to seeing which

-of her long dresses Mam would wear.

-My summery clothes are in here.

-This isn't summery!

-I've had it since I was 17!

-It was one of the first items

-I bought with my own money.

-The colours are quite unusual.

-I wore this to Jarman gigs down the

-Docks as Cardiff Bay was then known.

-He played in the Casablanca

-and in other venues.

-It's seen some good times!

-I can't get rid of it because it has

-huge sentimental value.

-I don't have an image.

-I don't really follow fashion.

-I wear what I wore when I was

-at school - jeans and a T-shirt.

-My style hasn't changed.

-This is quite fancy.

-I bought it in a second-hand shop.

-Again, you need a special occasion

-to wear a dress like this.

-It's interesting because you have

-a lot of glamorous dresses.

-It's more enjoyable to buy something

-like this than everyday clothes.

-Unfortunately,

-you get less wear from them.

-I've worn that once,

-to a Caernarfon Rugby Club dinner.

-I felt a bit overdressed

-but I didn't care!

-I enjoy buying clothes

-for special occasions...

-..but I rarely wear them.

-I'm waiting for a special occasion

-that never seems to materialize.

-As you get older,

-you go to fewer weddings.

-It sounds like a big sob story!

-I'm not invited to weddings,

-as I once was.

-I go to more funerals than weddings!

-Maybe that's why

-I have so many black clothes.

-The special occasions on which I'd

-wear my unusual clothes...

-..are very few and far between.

-You should throw a party and tell

-your guests to dress smartly.

-A posh party!

-Am I invited?

-Am I invited?

-

-Yes.

-S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones

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