Katie Price aka Jordan lets us into her dressing room to talk style ahead of the publication of new book, Standing Out, published on Thursday October 22.

By Lisa Haynes

You can't miss Katie Price as she walks into a room.

As the glamour model-turned-TV star makes her entrance into the swanky Mayfair hotel marked with paparazzi, there's a stunned silence in the busy reception and then a flurry of activity as she makes her way to the lift carrying daughter Princess.

Porters roll gold luggage racks after her, one lined with dresses, and the other swinging with Katie Price branded tote bags.

Cage fighter Alex Reid, her latest arm candy, is notably missing.

Though Katie arrives at the hotel right on time for interview, I expect a long delay as she's dolled up to the max but today there's no Jordan-style transformation, no make-up artists or stylists, and no flesh-flashing.

She greets me in her suite as the pared down Katie Price to discuss her new book, Standing Out.

Today, all talk of Peter Andre, break-ups and boyfriends are off limits. This is her opportunity to avoid the tabloid hacks looking to dish the dirt on her divorce and focus on the Katie Price empire.

"I have so many pictures through the years I said to my publishers, 'Why don't we do a coffee book table, I mean, a coffee table book of photos', Katie explains, stumbling over her words. "Then we thought about turning it into a style guide with lots of tips."

The book received a host of press criticism before it even hit the shelves. How could Katie aka Jordan, famed for her skimpy clothing and cleavage flaunting, possibly follow in the footsteps of stylists like Gok Wan or Trinny and Susannah?

"We all know I'm not a fashion icon," Katie says, defending her latest project. "I'm not trying to be a fashion icon but there are girls who are interested in my looks and my style.

"When I do my live web chats, girls always ask questions like, 'Where did you get your outfit from?' or 'Where do you get your nails done?'".

Our interview feels like a scene from her hit reality ITV2 show, 'What Katie Did next'. Her mum Amy is on hand to dish out tales of Katie's tomboy ways as a horse-mad youngster and two-year-old Princess happily babbles and busies herself with colouring in as her mummy talks.

Katie readily admits she isn't writing a book to "tell the nation how to get dressed".

But what she does do with honesty and humour is lift the lid on her varied outfits through the years - the pre-Peter glamour days, matching Price-Andre couple ensembles, skimpy maternity frocks and showgirl extravagant launch dresses.

"I'm not ashamed to show what I used to look like," Katie says, referring to some of the more dubious paparazzi pictures.

"I might look back now and think: 'Oh my god what was I wearing?' but at the time it felt right and I felt good in it. It's all part of changing into who you are today."

But more recently, it was the shots of a newly single Katie partying in Ibiza this summer that caused the biggest stir while husband Peter nursed a broken heart at home. Remember 'that' gold leotard?

"It's not because I split up with Pete that I wore those minimal outfits," she explains, 'minimal' being an unintended euphemism for barely-there.

"The gold outfit in Ibiza was fancy dress and everyone was in fancy dress that night.

"After the split, I got a chance to go out more whereas before I was stuck in and didn't really go out. But even just after I'd had Junior at the Dukes of Hazzard premiere, I wore those tiny little pants. I've always had that (exhibitionist) in me."

Today, Katie is dressed rather more modestly in a Balmain-inspired jacket from River Island - her favourite high street store - which she has buttoned demurely right up to the neck and teamed with black leggings and Gucci riding-style boots.

Despite the military look she's sporting, Katie insists following catwalks or designers is not top of her priority list: "I don't follow trends. I might throw the odd bit in but I don't want to be like everyone else. It's just my own look.

"People notice that I'm quite a colourful person - not that I am today, 'Cos I'm all in black but normally I am," she points out.

And just when I'm about to highlight the reference in her book on turning to black when she feels she's "put on a bit of weight", she interrupts affirming that she feels "fat" today.

"I have put on just over half a stone and I hate it, so that's why I'm in black because it makes you look smaller," she says.

It's this less confident, vulnerable side to Katie Price which explains why she feels she has two wildly different sides, with corresponding wardrobes. Tellingly, one of her favourite shots in the book isn't from a glamorous shoot but a picture of her riding her horse at a dressage event.

Jordan may be in the closet today but she's unleashed whenever a paparazzi flash bulb or red carpet beckons.

"I can be really slutty, sexy and skimpy, or classy, covered-up and 'mature', I would say. But if I ever have a night out partying, I will always wear something minimal. I would go out in my bikini if I could!"

Katie prides herself on having her "own style" but in many ways she's anti-fashion. She's never employed a stylist, hangs out in riding gear, and rarely splashes out on designer clothes for herself.

"I don't follow fashion so I'd rather waste money on my kids than pay £3,000 on a designer jacket," Katie admits.

She lights up at the mention of styling Princess in her girly get-up, today a cream top and net tutu skirt.

"I absolutely love styling the kids," she says smiling. "I spend a ridiculous amount on their clothes. Like Princess today, her outfit is about £400 from Harrods, whereas I'm really a high street girl."

But it's not only her kids who get the styling treatment. Recent reports that her new cage fighter boyfriend Alex Reid likes to cross dress and call himself Roxanne, had Katie diving into her wardrobe for that infamous gold leotard.

Within a week she had him posing in drag - along with her brother Daniel Price, horseriding instructor Andrew Gould, and best friend, Phil Turner - to promote the launch of her new book.

"It's the four men in my life, cross-dressing in drag as me!," she says with that Jordan glint in her eye.

The Katie/Jordan egos are back in the room once again.

"I've always loved big hair and lashes," she says of her trademark look. "I think because I surround myself with gay men - my gay patrol - I'm like their little drag queen.

"I love experimenting with my hair and make-up. I'm a proper girly girl. I can either not wear any and be really natural, or I really go for it."

But Katie's everyday beauty essentials are minimal including just a practical tub of Vaseline and lashings of perfume - Prada and Coco Chanel are her current favourites.

"I did wear my own fragrance but I had so much of it that I think I've sprayed myself silly with it!" she admits, giggling.

Refreshingly up-front and honest, Katie even confesses she didn't choose the pictures to appear in the new book but did gave them all her seal of approval.

"There was only one picture that I didn't want in," she reveals. "I'm not vain enough to say, 'Take that out, I look ugly in that'.

"If I wanted to do a book where I looked amazing in all of them, I'd have it all completely airbrushed, but then that wouldn't be me. That wouldn't be real."

And with our interview over, Katie asks if I've seen the photoshoot in Standing Out where she's wearing a series of humongous wigs.

"Of course", I say, pulling out the book.

"You're in fashion, which wig do you think I should wear for the launch tomorrow?" she asks, asking me to choose between an exaggerated Marilyn Monroe blonde or dramatic Grace Jones style afro.

She's visibly pleased when I liken one of her shots to a couture catwalk show.

As I dish out my opinion and her mum reveals which is her favourite look from the book, there's no doubt that whether we're talking wigs, frocks or men, Katie know exactly what she wants.

:: Katie's top ten wardrobe essentials

Want to know what Katie Price wears away from the prying eyes of the paparazzi and camera crews?

She lets us into her extensive dressing room to reveal her favourite staples:-

:: Tracksuit - What I wear most of the time

:: T-shirt - I like them studded with crystals, or decorated with a cartoon, or both

:: A stretchy hairband - Essential for less-than-perfect hair days

:: Leggings - I like to wear them with a long, fitted t-shirt for a sleek silhouette

:: Loose jersey dress - In a bright colour, can easily be dressed up or down

:: Ugg boots - Most men seem to hate them but I live in mine

:: Flip-flops - I've got them in every colour and studded with Swarovski crystals

:: Platform heels - As high as you can cope with!

:: Costume jewellery - An easy way to add colour to an outfit :: Legwarmers - For that fun, Flashdance vibe