Penelope Keith, who died this week at 86, was a formidable actor known for playing brittle, status-obsessed characters. None were more memorable than The Good Life's Margo Leadbetter, whose command of a room depended as much on her diva-level wardrobe as on her pristine home counties vowels. From her first on-screen appearance in a screamingly loud chiffon tangerine kaftan, Margo was the one to watch for her style.
Costume Budget and Color Television
In the 2025 documentary The Good Life: Inside Out, Keith explained that most of the series' costume budget went on Margo due to her frequent outfit changes: “And people couldn’t wait to see what Margo would wear next.” Keith spent Mondays at Harrods and Harvey Nichols trying on pieces: “All those hours in there I spent, trying on those lovely floaty clothes.”
Margo's acid brights and jewel shades made a real splash on color television, which had only begun broadcasting in full color in 1969. The contrast with the muted wardrobe of the rest of the cast, especially Barbara (Felicity Kendal) in jeans and old shirts, accentuated the visual clash. Despite Margo being arguably more stylish, Barbara was regarded as “the sexy one,” winning the inaugural Rear of the Year award in 1981.
Signature Styles and Hair
Margo's signature maxidresses and kaftans, often in electric blue or leopard print, were mostly Harrods' own label, though one white silk kaftan was Keith's own. Her rock-solid Grecian hairdos, set with Carmen heated rollers, barely moved in the breeze and required frequent changes: “My hair changed four to five times every episode, which for 25 minutes was quite a lot of time spent in hair and makeup,” Keith said.
Headbands were used to finish outfits or showcase matching fabric, including a full leopard kaftan with matching headband. Margo also wore country weekend separates like tweed skirts, camel polo necks, and jodhpurs, which informed Keith's next character, Audrey fforbes-Hamilton in To the Manor Born. Diana, Princess of Wales channelled the same look on her 1981 Balmoral honeymoon.
Headwear and Social Commentary
Margo's hats ranged from gardening hats to paper Christmas hats, reflecting her desire to fit in and prove she was “game for a laugh.” This represented the last of a dying breed, as hats were no longer essential in public settings within a few years. Margo's style, while often over-the-top, was a social commentary on the era and her character's snobbishness.
