At 62, Dr. Cathi Rae is not slowing down—she’s speeding past stereotypes, sidestepping fast fashion, and championing visibility for older women with a wardrobe full of stories and a life lived intentionally, not commercially.
“I’m old, I don’t cope with technology,” she laughs, immediately establishing the mix of warmth and candour that defines her presence both online and off. But behind the self-deprecation is a nationally recognised poet, life model, educator, and activist challenging everything from ageism to consumer culture— one secondhand outfit at a time.
Picture: Cathi Rae
Rae’s life is a curated collage of creativity, activism, and radical mindfulness. With over 10,000 followers on Instagram, she shares daily ‘dog walking outfits,’ styled entirely from charity shop finds. Her platform isn’t just about fashion—it’s a gentle protest against overconsumption, fast fashion, and the pressure for women, especially older ones, to disappear into muted tones and shapewear. As this inspiring sexagenarian puts it:
“Your clothes don’t come with an age limit. Wear what brings you joy.”
That joy, for Rae, is found in the musty corners of charity shops, in bold prints, and in clothes with a past. “Everything in my life is pre-loved,” she says proudly. From the furniture in her home—scavenged from places like The Secondhand Warehouse on Lothair Road—to the outfits she curates for newcomers on her charity shop styling tours, Rae’s lifestyle is as much about ethics as aesthetics.
Picture: Cathi Rae
Having come of age during the 1976 punk explosion, her thrifted style is a rebellion born of DIY spirit. “The aim was to look as weird as possible!” she recalls. “I’ve been buying secondhand since I was a teenager.”
But this is more than personal style— it’s political. Rae teaches at De Montfort University (DMU) and Attenborough Arts, where she explores the psychology of fast fashion, modern slavery, and the industry’s devastating environmental and human toll. “We don’t have to destroy the planet to look good,” she says simply.
Rae doesn’t do brand collaborations. She doesn’t link to products. “Instagram is now a marketing tool. They want
you to push buying things. I try to push not buying things.” In a culture of influencers peddling the next big thing, her voice cuts through like a poem—truthful, necessary, and quietly revolutionary.
Her activism extends beyond fashion. With a PhD in Creative Writing, Rae is deeply committed to telling
the stories of others. Her doctoral work involved interviewing people who’ve experienced trauma—from homelessness to domestic violence— and co-writing poems that honour their lived realities.
“I’m not that interested in writing about me,” she says, a surprising statement from someone so compelling. “I’m interested in telling other people’s stories.”
Still, her own story is one of defiance and reinvention. She didn’t start writing poetry until her 40s. By her 50s, she’d earned an MA and later a PhD. Her latest book, Your Cleaner Hates You and Other Poems, reflects her wide-ranging experiences, including her own part- time work as a cleaner. “It’s a low status, invisible job,” she says, “but it gives me the freedom to do what I love.”
Her poetry tackles topics often left untouched—male suicide, ageing, poverty—with tenderness and grit. Body positivity is a recurring theme, as are critiques of the beauty industry’s obsession with youth. “A lot of younger women fear ageing,” she says. “But your body changes—and that’s alright. You don’t need Botox or surgery. There is real beauty in an older person’s face.”
She rails against the harmful narratives pushed onto older women. “Cover your arms, your stomach, camouflage your body—it’s all so sad and awful. Your body is just a vehicle. Celebrate what you’ve got,” she says.
To younger people, her message is clear: You will age. It is a privilege. Embrace it.
Dr. Cathi Rae lives a life that challenges expectations at every turn—writing, modelling, teaching, cleaning, styling— all in pre-loved clothes and with pre- loved values. “Living frugally doesn’t mean living badly,” she says. “I do lots of things to earn a living—and that pleases me.”
She wears her age like a badge, her wardrobe like a protest, and her poetry like a gift. In a world telling us to buy more, be younger, and hide our flaws, Cathi Rae is doing something far more radical: being visible, being honest, and being herself.
Follow her on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/cathirae
