fashion life

My style might not be to everyone's taste, but frankly, I couldn't care less. I have always dressed to please myself - and I certainly don't have any role models.

Debates about size zero bore me to tears, and although I flick through fashion magazines for ideas, I am not really interested in assembling a "designer" look - that's all a bit tragic and characterless for my taste.

Scroll down for more

Left: Orange silk dress worn over a petticoat. Copy of a Dries Van Noten dress. Worn at my 50th in 1996

Centre: Anthony Price gold dress with Chanel earrings and Maud Frizon shoes. Worn around 1985-86

Right: I love the splodgy print on this silk dress by Versace. Wore it in 2005, then gave it to charity

When you start following what a stick-thin fashion editor on a glossy mag dictates, then you know you're in trouble.

I know there has been a lot of comment about my outfit for the Baftas this week.

It was Christopher Bailey's Burberry silver metallic dress, which I wore because I was presenting an award and I thought that the top would look very good on camera - very Boudicca.

Chris was thrilled, and sent me a text afterwards.

I teamed it with purple footless tights, big knickers and silver flip flops. Honestly, I can't be a**ed with high heels when it's a long night, and they would look stupid with a dress that short.

Scroll down for more

Left: A fashion show in Milan 1999. Clothes by Antonio D'Amico - skirt so tight I could hardly walk in it

Centre: Blue and white printed suit by Eley Kishimoto. Worn at Ascot five years ago - I still wear it

Right: I love the splodgy print on this silk dress by Versace. Wore it in 2005, then gave it to charity

I am six foot tall, and these days I am a size 14 - but when you get to 60, you do tend to fill out a bit around the middle.

I have very long legs and so I get a lot of trousers specially made, and buy men's jeans, usually Levis or Dior Homme.

For example, I wore a black worsted man's suit designed by Hedi Slimane when I went to have lunch with the Queen - everyone else was in dopey frocks and hats, as if they were going to a cocktail party at midday.

What I can't stand is looking like everyone else - though some people would say there's no danger of that - it's just too boring.

When I look back at my style in the Seventies and Eighties, I admit it was a bit hit and miss, but I did have a lot of fun.

Scroll down for more

Left: Animal-print satin dress by Roberto Cavalli with Yves St Laurent sandals, worn at a party in 2004

Centre: Animal-print satin dress by Roberto Cavalli with Yves St Laurent sandals, worn at a party in 2004

Right: Premiere of Four Weddings in 1997. DKNY satin dress with a lamb stole by Norma Kamali

When I was at my thinnest, around 1988, I wore a lot of Azzedine Alaia outfits, which I wouldn't get over my knees now.

Even so, I have no concept of fashion being suitable for a particular age - obviously there's frilly stuff that's far too girly for me, or too short. But I have a good idea of what I will and won't wear.

I've had a lot of clothes made by designers Hilary Wili and Stephen Marks - they have private clients and make clothes for the stage and for films. It means no one is going to be wearing the same outfit.

When I'm travelling I pick up fabric. Visiting Venice for the Art shows at the Biennale in June, I plan to visit the Valli fabric shop just off St Mark's Square, where they sell the most beautiful embroidered couture fabrics.

Scroll down for more

Left: May 1997 - love my furry Issey Miyake men's jacket and Topshop knitted dress

Centre: Kate Moss's birthday, 2004, in Zandra Rhodes dress, fur coat and brocade shoes

Right: Roberto Cavalli shawl worn with cream trousers at a Bombay Dreams party in 2002

During my trip to India for Elizabeth Hurley's wedding (to which I wore two different saris, one a present from Elizabeth, and the other made in Zandra Rhodes printed chiffon), I bought some lengths of woven silk.

I am also having a dress made to wear to Elton and David's summer ball.

I love challenging designer clothes - I have a long evening dress printed with bank notes by Vivienne Westwood, a lot of Alexander McQueen - I am probably too big for his latest clothes but his tailoring looks great on me, and he gave me a floor-length black leather trench coat with a train as a present a couple of years ago.

Chris Bailey is another great designer I wear. As well as the dress I had on this week, I wore his silver metal coat to Elton's 60th birthday dinner in New York in March.

Scroll down for more

Left: Made using cheap sari fabric in 1997 - none of the materials here cost more than £30

Centre: At the 1999 Turner Prize dinner in metallic dress by Issey Miyake with Versace leather boots

Right: The Chris Bailey outfit I wore to the Baftas this week, complete with big knickers

I've owned a lot of Zandra Rhodes pieces over the years, but only have one top now - I sold the rest.

I just try to keep a few clothes that are real classics, like McQueen jackets and Gaultier tailored tops.

When I'm filming television series, I try to stick to simple shapes that aren't voluminous or clingy, and are clean cut in bold colours.

For the Deadline series recently on ITV2, I wore six different fluorescent bright cotton jersey baggy cardigans over black trousers or plain black skirts.

Above all, I don't wear busy patterns on television. Filming The F-Word, I stick to bright tops and jeans, because as likely as not I'll find myself in a farmyard or an abattoir.

When I'm not on screen, I work from home, because the days of being an executive and having to dress smartly for the office have long gone.

I write in sweat pants from American Apparel - and save all my fancy clothes for the evening.

When I'm on the lookout for new formal wear, my secret helper is Celia, the personal shopping lady at Liberty, who calls me if something comes in I'm going to like.

I've just bought some baggy McQueen dog's-tooth check trousers - they'll be great with high heels - and a gold linen coat, which I wear during the day, rather than evening.

And I still love to wear Dries Van Noten pieces which go back ten years - they all work in a mad "cleaning lady" layered way.

I have a lot of jewellery going back to the Sixties, and I chucked all my old funny plastic glasses in a box when I got my eyes done with laser surgery a few years ago.

I get the classic chunky ones out now and then and have them turned into reading glasses. In my book, if you buy something pretty extreme (like my ten-foot turquoise Mongolian lamb stole by Norma Kamali), it never really goes out of fashion.

It's the same with shoes; I still wear classics from 15 years ago by Patrick Cox, jewelled Ferragamo pumps, or trainers.

I love my Versace biker boots and have worn them thousands of times, with everything from chiffon dresses to denim.

I know I'm not your typical 60-year-old dresser. But believe me, the women who look their age are the sad souls who are trying to blend in - I just don't bother.