Do you take an interest in fashion?

I have to admit that I enjoy clothes and I enjoy seeing what other people are wearing. But I tend to go for clothes that I feel comfortable in, and if I'm comfortable then it gives me the confidence to face the day or whatever that lays ahead for me. I never wear bright colours or anything which has a strong or a floral pattern to it. Everything tends to be quite plain, and I wear a lot of blacks and greys in the winter and white and a sandy colour in the summer.

Why do you tend to wear so many neutral and muted colours?

I'm not quite sure. I'm afraid of being overdressed everywhere I go. I'm afraid of walking into a room wearing something completely inappropriate and being different to everyone else. So I think a part of me wants to blend into the background and not steel focus. Maybe that explains all the muted colours in my wardrobe.

So you don't dress in a way that'll make you stand out at all?

If I've been somewhere then I'd rather hear someone say, "Oh, didn't Mari Emlyn look a mess tonight?" than "Oh, did you see what Mari Emlyn was wearing? What a show off!" Isn't it odd that I'd rather hear people talking about how bad I looked than how good I looked?

One side of your wardrobe is full of dark clothes while the other side is full of neutral colours.

The dark side is mainly my winter wardrobe because they're made from quite heavy materials. There are quite a few black dresses in there as well – I feel very comfortable in a little black dress, and for some reason I don't feel overdressed. This ones from Marks and I like the fact that one strap is different to the other; it just gives a little twist to an otherwise plain dress.

Where did you get this lacy black dress?

This is one of my favourite dresses and I've worn it a few times. I bought it when I was in France researching for a book I was writing about the First World War, and while I was there I spotted this dress and I've worn it a few times. But, of course it's an occasion dress so I can't wear it every day!

Do you have a weakness for anything when it comes to clothes – something you can't live without?

It would have to be scarves! I'd say that I probably wear a scarf every day. When I'm at home I'll wear a small one but I'll change it to a bigger one to go out.

So by adding a scarf you add colour to your outfit?

Yes, I'd say so. Some people say that they need lipstick or a pair of earrings to bring out the colour in their face, I just wear a scarf. I also think that I've got a long neck and without a scarf I feel like a giraffe so wearing a scarf gives me a boost of colour as well as making me feel more confident for some reason!

Is there a particular style of clothes that you prefer?

I have to admit that I do like to wear long skirts. I'm not sure if it comes from being a child of the 60s and 70s. My mother like most of the women of her generation, if they would go out, even if it was round to a neighbours house or down the road for a meal, they would wear a long dress or a long skirt and I would always look forward to seeing what my mum would wear on those nights.

Where did you get this jacket from?

I bought this blazer when I was 17, and it was the first thing I bought with my own money. The colours are a little different and I wore this jacket to every gig Jarman played in Cardiff Bay or the docks as we called it at the time, Casablanca and other places. Even though I don't wear it now, I can't get rid of it because it holds so many sentimental memories for me.

How would you describe your style?

I don't feel that I have a particular image or style and I don't feel that I follow fashion. I tend to wear the same clothes now as I did when I was at school – jeans and a t-shirt. My style hasn't changed that much at all!

It's interesting to see that you have a lot of occasion wear because it's always nicer to buy nice clothes. Where did you get this gold dress from?

This one is a little more ornate but it came from a second hand shop, of course you couldn't wear it to any old place!' I've worn it once to a dinner at Caernarfon Rugby Club, and I did feel a little overdressed, but it didn't matter. I love buying clothes for parties and events, but unfortunately these days I don't go to that many events.

Why don't you get a chance to wear these clothes anymore?

You always wait for the right occasion don't you – usually it's an occasion that never comes. As you get older there just isn't that many chances to go to an occasion, without trying to sound like I'm giving you a sob story now, but you don't get invited to weddings when you come to my age, you tend to attend more funerals as you get older. Maybe that would explain the expanding dark side of my wardrobe!