Two 80's Legends

Last Sunday I was filming a part for a feature film called ‘Reuniting the Rubin’s’. I had originally auditioned for the part of a PR girl, however I ended up being cast as ‘Gill Davis’ a newsreader for TV news. Now, I didn’t have a big part, however it was still a very exciting yet slightly strange experience for me, as it was the first part I had played on TV/film, that didn’t involve me playing the sex object, the bimbo, a sexy receptionist, or, and most frequent of all… a prostitute! So to my complete glee, when on set, I didn’t have to strip down to my bare essentials, with nothing but a teeny tiny triangle shaped plaster to cover my modesty, in front of a 30 strong male cast and crew. There wasn’t one single suggestion of me shoving my face into my co starts groin, and amazingly no one asked me if I wanted daisy shaped stickers to cover my nipples?  Taking nothing away from my part in 'Secret Diary’s of a Call Girl', of course… it was just a nice refreshing change to not have that pressure…

So instead, on this occasion, I got to wear a power suit, however at the time I didn’t think it was…

I had been home the week previous to see if my mum had anything remotely business like for my character ‘Gill Davis’ to wear. Diane instantly looked enthused…darted up from were she was sat and led me straight up to my sisters old bedroom and straight over to the big sliding glass wardrobes…which seemed like a real novel purchase back in 1983, however they are now nothing but a complete death trap, as both wardrobe doors have lost their wheels and have become derailed and dismantled from their original tracks and are now two rather dangerous walls of glass that we have placed rather precariously over the hanging clothes, where in former glory days, they once stood. Once we’d moved the glass doors, mum began to pull out a succession of 80’s, shoulder pad clad, power suits all different shapes and colours and all carefully bagged up and protected. To be completely honest I’d normally of took one look, felt they weren’t right for the budding and ambitious journalist that ‘Gill Davis’ was fast becoming, and just hit the high street to purchase an Audrey Hepburn style, black Dress with a fitted yet quirky jacket. However due to my complete exhaustion, lack of time, and the black whole that is fast becoming my bank account, on this occasion, I had no choice but to let Diane win. So I swept up the dusty suits and headed off to London town.

My pick up time for 'Rubin's' was a painful 6 am, meaning I arrived on set ever so slightly dazed and confused. Avoiding the cooked breakfast BBQ that was taking place near the catering van, I headed to straight over to the costumer department to show them what I had brought and if indeed they thought it would work for “Gill”. To my slight shock the chap in the costume department seem quite pleased with Diane’s selection of power suits, that had not seen the light of day since 1990 when mum worked for Mars confectionery. He went with my mum’s cream, suit skirt and jacket ensemble, with shoulder pads quite reminiscent of Jessica Fletcher’s murder she wrote wardrobe, and paired it with a silk black shirt underneath. Feeling a little vintage…but in the bad sense I headed onto set to film my scene. It wasn’t until I arrived onto the set that I witnessed the true power of the 80’s power suit!

People began to ask me things…important things…. questions! Where to stand? What scene is this? What festivals was this film going to? When was the release date? The time…someone actually asked me for the time! A trivial thing to you maybe but a thing I am never asked. I think people see in my eyes that the time is something, normally I would never know so they never bother asking, but on this occasion I was asked the time!! Of course I didn’t know it, but hell…I was asked and that’s what’s important!

I felt the 80's power suit put me in a good mind frame for the entire day, I wasn't beaten down by the tubes on the way home, I didn't stand in dog muck, I didn't get into a fight or argument with an innocent by stander.... so I say bring back the 80’s power suit, bring it back and wear it proud! Or, if the fashion forward amongst you disagree, then I urge you to wear one in your personal time, every now and then, maybe when your tiding the house, or cooking even? It will enable you to assert importance in to your very essence…and I can grantee you wont regret it!

The other 80’s legend working on this film was Timothy Spall, a hero of mine, that first hit our screens in the early 80’s, and indeed never looked back. 

Bring back the 80's power suit and make Timothy Spall a 'knight' and I think the world may just be a better place...