Fashion is a form of creative expression, and for many, it possesses a power that goes way beyond merely shielding your body from the elements.
Lily Allen recently credited her fashion choices, in particular her stage door outfits, with helping her mentally separate from the sensitive themes she addresses in her current West End role.
The Smile singer is starring in Martin McDonagh's The Pillowman at the Duke of York's Theatre, London.
She has been consistently wowing us with her post-play looks, spanning from crochet co-ords and glitzy chainmail tops to shift-style mini dresses and – her latest – a vibrant Magda Butrym hooded number.
© GettyBut aside from delivering us with some serious outfit inspiration, the 38-year-old revealed that her high-octane ensembles serve another personal purpose.
In a candid Instagram Stories Q&A shared with her 1.6m followers, Lily explained why she gets dressed up each evening after the performance.
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© Instagram / @lilyallenShe acknowledged the fact that her part is "pretty harrowing" and went into further detail about the acting of getting ready helps her mentally disconnect from the intensity of the play's themes.
"It's nice to come off stage and transition into something glamorous, it really helps me to separate from what's happened on stage," she wrote. "Plus I'm very lucky and people send me wonderful things to wear."
What is The Pillowman about?
Martin McDonagh's The Pillowman is a dark comedy play set in a totalitarian police state. The story revolves around a fiction writer who is interrogated about the macabre nature of his short stories and their resemblance to real-life happenings. The lead role, Katurian, is played by Lily, and this run of shows marks the first time that it has been played by a woman.
