The late fashion photographer Bill Cunningham’s outlook on life is something to be revered and replicated by all of us. He was the ultimate optimist, giving life everything he had even to his family’s displeasure. He looked for beauty in the world, especially in fashion and found joy in how stylish women put themselves together.

His secret memoir, Fashion Climbing, was published last year. It is filled with 40 years of stories about New York City, the society and the fashion industry. Cunningham was best known for his regular column On The Street in The New York Times, where he photographed and wrote about stylish New Yorkers from 1989 until 2016. 

Fashion Climbing is an absolute joy to read. While the book is about Cunningham’s life, love of fashion and New York Society, it has an optimistic tone about it which is both uplifting and contagious. I daresay his outlook was innate, however with some work, it’s a mentality anyone can develop.

5 Things I learnt from reading Bill Cunningham's Fashion Climbing

I underlined so many quotes while reading this book. Here are a few of my favourites about fashion, family, life and creativity:

Lessons about CREATIVITY

Search for your creativity within yourself, without outside influencer, only then will you be truely happy.

Lessons about FASHION

Fashion is a form of art that comes alive when worn on the body.

Lessons about FAMILY

Let children forge their own path.

Lessons about LIFE

The trick to a happy life? Begin each week with something you love.

MY WARDROBE FAVOURITES

From Bill Cunningham’s love of style to my love of style. Here are wardrobe favourites I am wearing in this post, showing that you don’t have to go overboard to be noticed.

• High-waisted pants are a love of mine. They elegantly cinch in the waist, and make every outfit a bit cooler. I love this wide leg pair I’m wearing in this post, read about how I found them here.

• I love a simple cashmere sweater. I wear mine with absolutely everything all year around. While usually they are an expensive item, if cared for well (find out how to here) they last and last.

• Accessories:

  • A hat is the finishing touch on an outfit I believe. Janessa Leone creates a gorgeous velvet fisherman hat that’s on my wish list.

  • I add a coloured scarf to an outfit or bag when it needs a bit of colour.

  • A cross-body camera bag is the ideal shape for an everyday handbag.

    Lei xx

Photography by Lauren Drzewucki