HIGHLIGHTING THE ART OF GETTING READY IN ALL ITS FORMS
AN INTERVIEW SERIES
CLOSET CONFIDENTIALS is an interview series
dedicated to highlighting the art of getting ready,
through the stories of some badass individuals,
in all of its shapes & forms.
This entry follows the tale of KITTY EVANS, an English babe with an eye for photography, a talent in puns & a strong passion for glitter, quirky accessories & prints-prints-prints!
Style is a way of ornamenting your body to reflect how you feel on the inside.
PERSONAL STYLE
Q: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE?
KITTY: I feel like I dress like an adult-toddler. My style is very playful, very colourful, very eclectic & fun. I wear lots of fruity things, lots of loud prints, lots of primary colours & pastels as well. My housemate often describes me as a little sleepy fruit salad. So I guess that's it, that's my style!
Q: WHAT DOES YOUR STYLE SAY ABOUT YOU?
K: I think that everyone's style says something about their personality. Style is a way of ornamenting your body to kind of reflect how you feel on the inside. For most people, it can be a way to evaluate your mood & wear whatever suits it. Sometimes I can be really sad but I'll wear a colourful outfit to uplift my spirit & to make myself feel better. People will see me straight away, in my fully monochrome sunshine yellow outfit & they're just like "Oh fucking hell. It's -30 in winter, are you okay?" & I'm just like "Well, I am the sun."
Q: WHAT ASPECT OF FASHION EXCITES YOU THE MOST?
K: I find that fashion is like a little time capsule of your body & your time in your body, in the sense that there are so many stories that one article of clothing can have while in your closet. I really like having vintage clothes that have had a previous life before coming to be in my wardrobe. I love pieces that have been passed down to me or that my mum used to own when she was my age & discovering the life that they probably had in someone else's closet. Like, who knows who's had this before me & who knows who will have it after!? The best part is really making them my own & wearing the pieces in my own way. There's loads of memories associated with clothing & that's something about fashion that I really like!
Q: FOR YOU PERSONALLY, WHAT FINAL DETAIL CAN MAKE OR BREAK A LOOK?
K: Earrings & jewelry, for me, play a huge part in my outfit. Ouh & sunglasses! Although you can't really wear sunglasses that often in the winter, you can always have some fashion ones - ya know, like the ones that don't actually protect you from the sun! My fave look for that occasion would be an orange scarf with a matching orange beanie & a pair of orange tinted sunglasses. There you go, you're a little Orange Julep. If you don't know what that is, you're basically just a little orange ball...in this case a cute fluffy one. Honestly, I just like my accessories to be fun! I especially like when they look like toys or simply random objects that someone could find on the street. I've even started working on making some earrings of my own!
THE PROCESS
Q: WHAT DRIVES YOU TO GET READY?
KITTY: Well, I guess I get ready because I have to! At the moment, were living in quite unprecedented times, so our relationship with getting ready is quite different because our daily routine is so different. Before the pandemic, I think that getting ready for me was just gravitating towards colours that I wanted to wear that day; I don't really take a lot of time putting makeup on. I used to have to wear a bright green T-shirt to work so I kind of had to make my outfits work around that. I'm a Virgo so I'm pretty colour coordinated! Most of my wardrobe is quite colourful so it's pretty easy to pick up different colours & put them together. I'm still learning mastering print mixing. Now, that's a whole new level with a whole new process! I'm definitely not one to plan my outfits in advance, I honestly just randomly wake up & decide in the moment. I find it exciting to improvise my outfits!
Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF YOUR GETTING READY PROCESS?
K: I like putting on lipstick. I feel like that's my favourite part because it can contribute to the whole outfit. Lipstick can pick up the colour that you're wearing & amplify your face so much more. It can really tie everything together! You can be wearing super minimal makeup & that pop of lipstick will make all the difference. I also really take pride in my skincare. It's a pretty basic routine, I literally just use cleanser & moisturizer. I had a few skin problems earlier this year & the dermatologist just told me to stop putting anything else on my face! It's crazy how beauty corporations just make you consume more & more serums & oils, when really it's all a lie! If you're blessed to be able to sort out any skin issues & find a routine that works for you to feel comfortable in the skin you're in, it makes all the difference!
Q: DOES THIS PROCESS AFFECT HOW YOU PRESENT YOURSELF TO THE WORLD?
K: I think it depends on what I'm stepping outside to do. If I feel like I have a purpose when I'm out, I find it can have a positive effect on how I present myself. Sometimes wearing a cute outfit will make a difference, but it's really the core things that I do each day that will make me feel good. Skin care, nice underwear...things like that! Regardless of the outcome of my process, these core things can help me feel put together. There definitely are days that I won't feel as good, if I don't moisturize my entire body. However, my process is pretty seamless when I'm getting ready, so I don't think it has too much of an impact on my mood. Ultimately, I would say that it comes down to how I'm feeling on that given day. If I'm feeling confident or if I'm on my period & PMS-ing hard, those are factors that will affect how I present myself & if I want to draw attention to myself through my clothes or not.
Q. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE TO SHOW SELF-CARE?
K: Self care to me is really interesting. I recently listened to this podcast called Gurls Talk by Adwoa Aboah & this one episode featured a poet named Sonny, who discussed society's vision of what "self care" is. It can be frustrating because this vision is very much limited to putting on a face mask, taking a bath, or eating healthy food. But if you're down in the dumps, your self care can be something completely different...& that's okay! Society is continuously perpetuating this idea of what self care has to look like, which makes us believe that how we choose to take care of ourselves is wrong. For me, if I'm sad I'm going to order a fat pizza - that's my version of self care! Maybe I'll have a glass of wine or a cigarette, you know things like that. Those aren't stereotypically thought of as self care because it's not necessarily doing anything beneficial for you, but it sure does lift my mood! I think that self care can be anything from journaling, writing, crying, to working out until there's a lovely pool of sweat beneath you..really anything that purges you of what you're feeling inside.
...fashion is like a little time capsule of your time in your body, in the sense that there are so many stories that one article of clothing can have while in your closet.
THE CLOSET
Q: WHAT ITEM CAN YOU NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT?
KITTY: My fanny-pack. I've had this really basic black one for some time now but to be honest, I used to be SO anti fanny-pack because: "Hmm, nope. I'm not a hype beast!" But let me tell you, when you start wearing one, you'll realize that it is the MOST convenient thing in the ENTIRE world. You can wear it on your waist, you can wear it across your body, you can dress it up or dress it down, you can really fit all that you need in it too! It's just SO convenient. It's honestly an easy go-to for me.
Q: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE ITEMS IN YOUR CLOSET?
K: My cloud pants! I painted them myself. I got the jeans from Value Village without trying them on (thank god for the neck test hack) & was happily surprised by the boyfriend fit. I just really wanted some cloud pants...so I painted some clouds on my jeans! My goal is to find a jacket of the same denim to make a matching set. A true Canadian Tuxedo (à la Kitty)! Another piece would have to be this 80s silk blazer that I got from one of my mum's friends. She was this really wealthy woman who was getting rid of a bunch of clothes. Being a teenager at the time, I knew I wanted to keep them, as they were such beautiful items, even though I knew I wouldn't wear them much back then. It's such a fun piece with a crazy print & I love to play around with matching it to all the primary colours. I also have this spotty red dress that I really love. I got it in Berlin for like 7 Euros because the strap was broken. I definitely had a polka dot phase. I also love anything animal print...or anything with a print really! Some of my favourite pieces are the ones from places that I've picked up while traveling or fun memories that I've had while wearing them.
Q: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT SHARING YOUR CLOTHES?
K: This is a very psychological thing for me, as in if I lend a piece of clothing to someone, I will immediately want to wear it! Or like if I sell something to someone then realize later that I actually want it back. So I feel like I want to share my clothes, but it has to be a temporary thing. Ever since I moved to Canada, I have so much more attachment to my closet, as I had to get rid of so much of my clothes. It's as if all these items have been curated for my new life in a different country. This being the case, I really treasure all of the pieces that I have now.
I do care...but I can't really share!
OUH, actually, I do share some things with my boyfriend!
I don't have one of his hoodies but he definitely has one of mine!
I find that people are the most beautiful when they are vulnerable.
CONFIDENTIAL
Q: WHEN DO YOU FEEL THE MOST YOURSELF?
KITTY: I feel the most myself when I make people laugh. Making jokes & just hanging out with people who get my sense of humour definitely makes me feel the most authentic. I love being surrounded by people I care about, who make me feel like I can just be silly, goofy & say all of the dumbest things & they'll just laugh with me! It's a safe space to be my authentic self.
Q: WHEN DO YOU FEEL THE MOST BEAUTIFUL?
K: I think I feel the most beautiful when I'm being intimate with the person I love. You're both stripped of external factors, completely bare & completely present in the moment. It's passionate, it's intense, & it's just you & that person. It can be a truly vulnerable moment. I find that people are the most beautiful when they are vulnerable. You can't hide behind anything, it's truly owning who you are. Being intimate with somebody isn't always as romantic as the movies make it out to be, sometimes it's clumsy, even a little messy, but when I'm sharing a precious moment with somebody, I feel beautiful.
THANK YOU KITTY FOR SHARING YOUR CLOSET WITH LION|OF|THE|CEA!
XX
PHOTOGRAPHY: CÉLINE BLAIS @babycealion
MODEL + STYLING: KITTY EVANS @kittyshootsfilm
OUTFIT ANTHEM: THE LOOK BY METRONOMY
Comments