Later this year, Kate Garraway will celebrate ten years on the GMTV sofa.
She is married to her second husband Derek Draper, the former Labour spin doctor-turnedtherapist.
They have two children, Darcey, three-and-a-half, and William, six months. She lives in North London. Kate says:
I'd like to have a classic, simple style. Like Jennifer Aniston, for instance.
You know, glossy hair, and she pretty much gets it right, even in jeans and flipflops.
But mine is more of a mixed bag. I've always been curvy and I definitely go up and down.
Pictures of me through the years at GMTV are a bit like a flicker book, in and out!
Generally, because I've got a bottom and breasts, things that are neat and slim-fitting and tailored work best, otherwise I can look like a sack of potatoes.
And we all retreat into black, but bright colours - even having just a flash of colour - definitely perk you up.
I used to live in trouser suits, but these days I tend to wear more dresses, and I enjoy that.
Before children, my clothes on and off the sofa were pretty similar.
But now I have separate wardrobes; I have comfortable shoes I can run around in, comfortable clothes for my mum life.
And you bend over all the time as a mum, so any little tops that stop short are a no-no.
I'd never worn a designer item before I worked in TV, and I didn't think about clothes that much.
I'm lucky enough to have some wonderful designer stuff - a Vivienne Westwood suit, cut beautifully, and Diane Von Furstenberg dresses and suits - but I love Topshop, and we all love Primark, don't we?
I like Dorothy Perkins and New Look, where you can pick up loads of bits and bobs.
I'm a terrible hoarder, and my GMTV colleague Penny Smith is a chucker-outer.
wardrobe
WARDROBE CHECKLIST
Jeans: About seven pairs, all blue in every shape and style. I’ve got skinny, straight leg, boot cut and flared plus a really slouchy pair of boyfriend ones, when I don’t want to have to breathe in all the time.
Jumpers: Two drawers full, plus at least 10 long cardigans. I love cashmere, particularly since recently it became more affordable, and you can chuck it in the washing machine.
Tops: A big drawer full, including a white Vivienne Westwood shirt, which is cut really nicely. Whenever I wear it, people go, 'Oh my God, I love that shirt. Where’s it from?'
Dresses: About 20 day dresses, in mostly bright colours. But a favourite is a black wrap by Diane von Furstenberg, very simple and it never fails.
Suits: Ten including a cream trouser suit which looks great.
Shoes: 50 pairs. I’d never chuck them out, I like to know they are there. My default boots are Uggs. I have one genuine pair, and lots of fake, cheap Uggs, which are always knackered at the end of winter.
Handbags: At least 25, including a simple navy saddlebag that my mum and dad bought me when I was 12 and we were on holiday in France.
Coats: About 20. My most useful is a long, black Ted Baker which I can chuck on over anything.
WHISTLES TROUSER SUIT
I love this suit, it’s an old favourite, and I always feel good in it. I wore it to the Shaftas, the opposite of Baftas. I’d just got engaged to Derek and I was glowing and sappy and it was all lovely.
I walked in and we were sitting at the same table as Piers Morgan, and when he heard our news he boomed at me, 'What were you thinking? If I’d known the bar was set so low, I’d have had a crack myself!'
The white top I bought on holiday in Italy, so it felt a bit special. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was pregnant, and when I look at it, I think that’s maybe why there was a glow.
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN SHOES
Derek bought me these the Christmas before last, God bless him! They’re very, plain but with the red sole, of course. He bought them without me there, can you imagine?
Quite high risk. I love them, but I didn’t wear them for six months, I was too scared to and then only on carpet. But now I’m wearing them a lot more. Its a cliché but they go with anything and they’re very comfortable.
DOLCE AND GABBANO JEANS (dark blue, flared, 12 years old)
These are my absolute favourites and ancient, I’m talking about 12 years old. They’re really dark blue, quite high-waisted compared with what came afterwards and stretchy. They’re flared, and then flares went out of fashion and everything changed.
Now people are wearing jeans of any shape, so I can start wearing them again. Not only are they comfortable, they’re really flattering and make you look about six feet tall. As I’m only 5 ft 2ins, that’s always a good thing.
LAND’S END PARKA
I wear this jacket all the time, Andrea McLean, who used to do the weather on GMTV, gave it to me when she left to do Loose Women. Weather people have the most amazing outdoors clothes because they’re always doing reports out in the worst weather.
It’s bight pink and made of duck down and great to sling on over jeans, just bright and cheery and cosy. I’ve lived in it. In fact I love ordering clothes from catalogues, but I still prefer to go shopping and see and feel what I’m buying.
MANDARINA DUCK PULL-ALONG BAG
I love bags, and always have such huge sacks. When I was pregnant with Darcey, the midwife said, 'You’ve got to stop carrying all this stuff, you’ll damage your back.'
So I rooted around in the attic and found an old black pull-along case I’d had as a student. I used that scruffy bag for years, and it was a joke with everybody at work, and Derek hated it. Finally I cracked and bought this lovely smart bag recently. Everyone took the mickey and said I’d arrived in the modern age. It’s brilliant, holds all my clutter - chuck it all in, and then I can have an elegant little handbag.
MARIA GRACHVOGEL EVENING DRESS
When I was just starting on GMTV, I went to Selfridge’s to buy some smart suits and saw this amazing Maria Grachvogel dress, like a mermaid shape, in beigy pink, draped sequins. It was so expensive, just over £900. I thought, 'This is madness, I haven’t even had a pay cheque yet.'
But I had a sudden rush of blood to the head, and bought it. I’ve worn it so many times - at least 20 - that I’m sure people say, “Oh, that old thing!” It’s the most expensive thing I’ve ever bought, but I’ve had so much wear out of it, it’s almost a bargain.
Credit: Mail
