1. When do you feel at your most attractive?

when i am wearing something simple, neutral and casual. i envision other women thinking, "wow that girl looks cool!" i have no interest in looking sexy, at all. i feel best when i am above/outside of that dynamic.

2. Do you notice women on the street? If so, what sort of women do you tend to notice or admire?

i really admire older women who pay attention to detail and do not give up on themselves. i love when they are on trend in a classic way. it makes me happy to think that all women can look cool their whole lives if they put in the effort to stay on top of things.

3. What are some things you admire about how other women present themselves?

i admire women who own what they are, while acknowledging what is going on right now.

4. Was there a moment in your life when something “clicked” for you about fashion or dressing or make-up or hair? What? Why did it happen then, do you think?

i few years ago i stopped wearing a lot of colour and simplified my wardrobe. i used to be very into trends and then i realized that the most stylish women, really do "do less." i also am fanatical about fit.

5. What are some shopping rules you wouldn’t necessarily recommend to others but which you follow?

1. if you don't want to go home wearing it.. don't buy it
2. never buy things on vacation hoping to bring some international flare to your closet.. unless you are a potter or a women's study teacher, you will never wear it
3. never buy something new if you aren't ready to edit something old from your closet
4. if you're serious about shopping, shop alone
5. if you can tell the material is cheap, so can everyone else when you wear it
6. never shop if you are having a fat day, or a skinny day
7. spend the most money on your jacket, second on shoes, third on pants, cheap shirts are ok

6. What are some rules about dressing you follow, but you wouldn't necessarily recommend to others?

1. never wear a padded bra, small tits always look better in clothes
2. wear plain clothes and lacy underwear
3. flats make you look in control, if you are the boss at your work place, you should wear them even though everybody looks better in heels
4. curl your hair if you want to impress
5. always wear black, white, grey, denim, pop one colour if you need to
6. stud earrings only
7. if you're going to wear heels they should be fucking high
8. if you can reference something current, do it
9. i like wearing words, although i think i may be getting to old for slogans (35? what do you guys think?)
10. always wear great workout clothes

7. What is the most transformative conversation you have ever had on the subject of fashion or style?

i went to art school and i'm really visual but i still find it difficult to really articulate what i'm appreciating (or hating) visually. i have found pinterest useful because it allows for an all visual conversation where details don't get lost in verbal translation.

8. Do you have a unified way of approaching your life, work, relationships, finances, chores, etc.? Please explain.

yes. straight forward, honest, competitive, painfully responsible, decisive, stubborn, masculine, creative and messy as fuck.

9. Are there any clothing (or related) items that you have in multiple? Why do you think you keep buying this thing?

jean shirts. i love them right now. a nod to the 70's, a rejection of my long held hate of double denim (love it now), its neutral and gender neutral.

10. Have you ever successfully given someone a present of jewelry or clothing that you continue to feel good about?

no, i think the only clothes people love are the ones they get to pick.

11. Is there any fashion trend you’ve refused to participate in and why? 

anything that doesn't look right on my body

12. Can you say a bit about how your mother’s body and style has been passed down to you, or not?

my mom never spent any money on herself when we were growing up. i think i did a lot of shopping in my 20's as a response to that. i never wanted to put myself last.

13. Have you stolen, borrowed or adapted any dressing ideas or actual items from friends or family?

yes all the time

14. Was there a point in your life when your style changed dramatically? What happened?

when i went to university i went on a massive value village kick. i wore very bright, ugly outfits. i saw art school as a chance to reinvent myself. i think i had a perception that my background was too boring and i wanted to change that.

15. Is there anything political about the way you dress?

yes i think so. i refuse to dress sexy and it is not by accident. i expect to be taken seriously.

16. Please describe your body.

it is fairly athletic.

17. Please describe your mind.

i'm analytical, neurotic and creative.

18. Please describe your emotions.

i have a very aloof exterior

19. What are you wearing on your body and face, and how is your hair done, right at this moment?

i'm in my women's softball uniform, i just got back from a game. hair down, makeup on

20. In what way is this stuff important, if at all?

it is extremely important because it is directly tied to people's perception of you as a person. it impacts all of your relationships, business and personal.

21. With whom do you talk about clothes?

my friends

22. How do institutions affect the way you dress?

i have to wear a uniform at work. i absolutely hate it.

23. Do you think you have taste or style? Which one is more important? What do these words mean to you?

i think taste is from the perspective of an observer. i think style is from the perspective of a participant. i think i have taste.

24. Do you remember the biggest waste of money you ever made on an item of clothing?

my mom used to pressure me to shop quickly. when i was little, we went to a shoe warehouse and she made me pick shoes quickly. i did because i felt pressured but i refused to wear them because i hated them. i felt a lot of guilt because we didn't have a lot of money.

25. Are there any dressing tricks you’ve invented or learned that make you feel like you’re getting away with something?

everyone looks skinnier/more polished in a fitted jacket

26. Do you have style in any areas of your life aside from fashion?

yes, i care a lot about interior design too

27. Can you recall some times when you have dressed a particular way to calm yourself or gain a sense of control over a situation that scared you?

yes i go on massive shopping sprees before my conferences at work

28. Would you say you “know what you like” in the area of fashion and clothing? If so, do you also know what you like in other areas of life, that is, are you generally good at discernment? Can you say where your discernment comes from, if you have it? Or if you don’t have it, why or why not?

yes i absolutely know what i like. i think it is important to have opinions and be interested in the world. i notice a lot around me and i am very decisive about who and what i want in my life. i think my parents raised me to be an active participant in the world.

29. Did your parents teach you things about clothing, care for your clothing, dressing or style? What lessons do you remember? Or did you just pick things up?

my parents had awful style. i became stylish in spite of them.

30. What sorts of things do you do, clothing or make-up or hair- wise, to feel sexy or alluring?

curling my hair, lace underwear, full makeup, heels

31. Many people say they want to feel “comfortable,” or that they admire people who seem “confident.” What do these words really mean to you?

comfortable means unstylish to me

confidence does not necessarily make you stylish, but lack of confidence can make an outfit seem less stylish

32. If dressing were the only thing you did, and you were considered an expert and asked to explain your style philosophy, what would you say?

stay cool, keep it simple, let people see you

33. What is really beautiful, for you, in general?

getting outside, the air in the spring, vermeer cheese, flying somewhere new, getting to know someone, a genuine hug, hearing an old song you love but forgot, a simple abstract painting, learning something new, helping somebody out, fresh cut flowers, great font, old buildings, hearing about someone's passion, cool mornings, winning at something

34. What do you consider very ugly?

bigotry, people who can't laugh at themselves, conformity, overly embellished things, long grey winters, warts

35. Are you generally a good judge of whether what you buy will end up being worn? Have you figured out how to know in advance?

yes, whether or not i wish i were wearing the item right then and there.

37. What is your process getting dressed in the morning? What are you considering?

uniform

52. Do you consider yourself photogenic?

no

What’s your birth date? 
Where were you born and where do you live now?

nov 17 1979
hamilton ontario
dundas ontario

Say anything you like about your cultural/ethnic/economic background.

white, upper middle class, atheist

What kind of work do you do?

manager

Are you single, married, do you have kids, etc.?

married