What was the first item of clothing you spent your own money on?
I have a vague memory of buying a vintage sweatshirt with Mickey Mouse on it from Portobello Market when I was maybe 14 or 15. It was grey and well worn-in and it had a Disney logo and a big Mickey on it. It’s long gone now.
What item of clothing do you have too many of?
Jeans. I have a pair of The Row straight-leg jeans in a black-grey distressed colour that I pretty much live in. And then I have about 25 other pairs that I never wear but haven’t got around to throwing out. I live in a flat and my wardrobe is very modest in size, so it’s overflowing with stuff. I need a bigger wardrobe.
Heels or trainers?
Heels. At the minute I’ve got a pair of leather court shoes from The Row that are very wearable.
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Bra, £42, bodysuit, £42, and knickers, £24, intimissimi.comIntimissimi
What do you never wear but can’t fling out?
I don’t keep things for long. I can go into hoarding territory if I don’t keep an eye on it, so I try not to attach much meaning to things. But I have stuff in storage that I’ve worn to events over the years or things that have been made for me specially. I performed during a Chanel fashion show in 2009 and the house made me a whole sequinned look — a dress and matching shoes and these ornaments that I put in my hair. I kept all those and they’re probably among my most valuable pieces. I keep them for my kids, hoping that they’ll appreciate them in years to come, but I don’t know if they will.
Performing during a Chanel fashion show in 2009 in a custom outfitStephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images
If you had to wear one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Jeans and a cashmere jumper from The Row.
Everyday staples by The Row
Describe the contents of your handbag
Usually I go to the gym in the morning, so I take my gym kit in my bag. At the moment I’ve got a large handbag, a Chanel 25 in suede with gold hardware, with my gym stuff in it, my wallet, some perfume, my journal, a nice pen, a pair of glasses because I’m long-sighted, a pair of sunglasses and a Prada primer, which I put on my skin if I’m getting shiny during the day.
What looks from your past would you like to bring back?
There’s this one Prada skirt that I’m always looking for that I borrowed from the label’s Cruise show in 2008. It was this big, black, purple, pink and white floral skirt and it was really cinched at the waist and floor-length. It’s just a really beautiful print. I have lots of other stuff from the same show but Prada probably only made a few of the skirt. I have alerts on the internet if one comes up for sale in my size, but nothing yet.
Tell us about a shop we don’t know
Aralda Vintage in Los Angeles. I bought a yellow and red Chanel tweed jacket last time I was there.
What was the last thing you bought?
A journal from [Austrian brand] Paper Republic yesterday. I always have a journal or notebook and try to do morning pages, but I have slipped recently. Hopefully I’ll get back into it. I’m very much a pen and paper girl.
If you could give yourself style advice aged 21, what would it be?
Just have fun, which I did, so I wouldn’t change anything. There are some pictures I look at that make me cringe in hindsight, but at the time I was having a laugh so I wouldn’t begrudge myself. I used to wear a lot of glitter and eye make-up that didn’t always work that well with flash photography. It made me look like a panda in photos, and there are a lot of those photos still floating around.
What do you wear to bed?
It depends on the circumstance. Sometimes pyjamas, sometimes nothing, sometimes something slinky. I did a fitting with Intimissimi the other day for a shoot and there’s a really nice lacy icy-blue bra and knickers set. I like the colour, so possibly that.
If you could turn back the fashion clock, what would you ditch?
Maybe pedal pushers.
Complete this sentence: ‘I’ll never forget what I was wearing when …’
I was on tour 20 years ago, when prom dresses and trainers were my thing. They were probably from Portobello or any vintage shops that I would have been visiting while I was travelling. I’d get quite a lot of stuff in LA or New York. Every stop while on the tour bus I’d be looking up the vintage shops wherever we were. I still do really.
Lily Allen is the face of the Intimissimi spring/summer 2026 lingerie campaign
As told to Tracy Ramsden