Photographer Mary McCartney on shopping for vintage clothes, her sister Stella’s natural style and the work of Sally Mann

My personal style signifier is a gold necklace with various pendants, all from different jewellers. One is a gold letter M by Ben Day that my husband gave me; another is by Annoushka with an inscription of all my children’s names in their handwriting; and the third is a maple-leaf charm by Annina Vogel that my eldest son, Arthur, gave me years ago. anninavogel.co.uk. annoushka.com. benday.co.uk

The last thing I bought and loved was an iPhone case monogrammed with my initials. I’m a sucker for a monogram and this one is really eye-catching. I’m always dropping my phone, but so far it has proven to be quite hardwearing too. iPhone 8+ case, £185; shop.chaos.club

The thing I’m eyeing next is an iPad Pro so I can teach myself to edit moving images. I’m starting to experiment with long form, making short films to go alongside my photos and books. It’s amazing that you can make a movie on such a lightweight device rather than being stuck in a dark editing room, and the images are really crisp and clear. From £619; apple.com

An unforgettable place I have travelled to recently is Sussex. For the past year, I have been riding my horse Alejandro in the forests around Hastings and Battle. The relationship between rider and animal is the subject of my latest book, The White Horse. Normally, I focus on people; this is the first time I have photographed an animal and the landscape as a study.

The best souvenirs I’ve brought home are fridge magnets for my collection. I always pick one up on my travels, usually at the airport on my way home – most recently in Stockholm when I was there for the Mother Daughter exhibition of photos by me and my mother at Fotografiska gallery. fotografiska.com

The one artist whose work I would collect if I could is the British artist Rose Wylie. I recently had the opportunity to spend the day with her at her studio in Kent. It was so inspiring. She is still curious and has a great sense of humour. davidzwirner.com

A recent “find” is Bryn Williams’ new restaurant at Somerset House. Bryn experiments with lots of veggie options – all things I wouldn’t cook at home – such as roast cauliflower with raisins, capers, polenta and salted grapes. Strand, London WC2 (bryn-somersethouse.co.uk)

An object I would never part with is the vintage Leica my mum gave me when I told her – in my early 20s – I was going to be a photographer. I do shoot on it sometimes, along with a Leica SL. £4,995; leicastore-mayfair.co.uk

The best gift I’ve given recently was a limited-edition silk scarf printed with one of my photos, from a collaboration with Matchesfashion.com. We are about to do our third capsule collection. The scarves are designed to be worn or framed, and as they are a kind of collectable art, each one comes with a signed certificate. marymccartney.com. matchesfashion.com

And the best one I’ve received is a Vampire’s Wife T-shirt. The label was founded by Susie Cave [wife of musician Nick Cave], who’s a friend of mine. I wear it all the time. thevampireswife.com

If I didn’t live in London, I would live in Manhattan. My mum was from New York so I spent a lot of time there. It’s easy to buzz around on the subway or on foot. I always call into B&H, a huge photo and video store, and go to Abracadabra to stock up on fancy-dress outfits. I also like abcV vegetarian restaurant and the clothing store New York Vintage. abcV, 38 East 19th St, 10003 (abchome.com). Abracadabra, 19 West 21st St, 10010 (abracadabranyc.com). B&H, 420 9th Ave, 10001 (bhphotovideo.com). New York Vintage, 117 West 25th St, 10001 (newyorkvintage.com)

My favourite apps are the one by Sonos that I use with Apple HomePod to fill my studio with music; a Thesaurus app, as I love looking at different words when I’m writing; and App.NYTimes.com

My style icon is my sister Stella. She has always had her own natural style that comes through in all her designs. I have to limit myself as I run out of wardrobe space, but I have some of her jeans and black jackets, which can be dressed up or down. stellamccartney.com

The last item of clothing I added to my wardrobe was a black cotton top with flowers on it by Molly Goddard, from Dover Street Market. It’s quite simple and goes well with jeans or a denim skirt. doverstreetmarket.com. mollygoddard.com

The best book I’ve read in the past year is Hold Still: A Memoir with Photographs. It’s the story of American photographer Sally Mann and is beautifully written and very personal, so you come away with a strong idea about who she is.

The beauty staples I’m never without are Eminence Marine Flower Peptide Eye Cream and Omorovicza Cleansing Foam, which stops my skin getting congested. Eminence Marine Flower Peptide Eye Cream, £69 for 30ml; theskinsmith.co.uk. Omorovicza Cleansing Foam, £49 for 150ml; omorovicza.com

If I had to limit my shopping to one neighbourhood of one city, I’d choose the area encompassing London’s Lisson Grove and Marylebone. Even if I’m not shopping, I’ll wander up and down looking for inspiration. Alfies Antique Market still feels quite authentic: I’ll head inside to dealers Angela Ball and Martin Rooney who sell 20th-century design and decorative arts, and to Tin Tin Collectables, which has great vintage luggage. I enjoy boutiques where you don’t know what you’re going to find, and it’s often where I go to buy presents. I’ll also nip over to William Vintage for clothes, and I love the Japanese ceramics at Gallery Eclectic. Alfies Antique Market, 13-25 Church Street, NW8 (alfiesantiques.com). Angela Ball, angelaball.london. Gallery Eclectic, 66 Marylebone High St, W1 (eclectic66.co.uk). Martin Rooney, martin-rooney.com. Tin Tin Collectables, tintincollectables.net. William Vintage, 2 Marylebone St, W1 (williamvintage.com)

The person I rely on for personal grooming and wellbeing is facialist Yvonne Martin, for her facial massage. When I pamper myself, it’s only ever to relax – and both her salon and the treatment are very calming. 5-6 Clarendon Terrace, London W9 (yvonnemartin.co.uk)

The last music I downloaded was David Byrne’s new album American Utopia. I saw his show in the Hammersmith Apollo in the summer and I was mesmerised. It was artistic and so heartfelt. I have huge respect for him. davidbyrne.com

An indulgence I would never forgo is pedicures, because when I try to do them myself they don’t turn out well. I go to Kinga at Beautyque in the Simon Warwick salon. From £18; 34 Clifton Rd, London W9 (simonwarwicksalons.co.uk)

My favourite room in my house is my bedroom, where I go to be quiet – it’s a very calm deep green. I love hanging out in bed. There’s a stack of books, but I avoid having a television in there as I would never come out.

In my fridge, you’ll always find hummus, Green & Black’s Maya Gold chocolate and chocolate-covered peanuts as that way I feel a bit healthy. I love snacking, so I always have a supply of olives, nuts and smoked almonds. greenandblacks.co.uk

The last meal that truly impressed me was at The River Cafe. I really like cooking, so I contacted them and asked if I could go in to watch their prep one morning. It was amazing; they’re such a bonded team. I always enjoy the fresh pasta with tomato sauce and the seasonal artichokes. It all feels like it’s cooked with love. Thames Wharf, Rainville Rd, London W6 (rivercafe.co.uk)

If I weren’t doing what I do, I would have a little café and cook and bake simple food to entice people to become vegetarian. Saying that, attitudes have changed so much now; it’s not “us and them” any more, and I love that.