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Coralie de Gonzaga
1. When do you feel at your most attractive?
Refreshed after a shower, with a soft shaved and creamed skin, wearing whatever slouchy and panties, barefeet.
2. Do you notice women on the street? If so, what sort of women do you tend to notice or admire?
I notice women who walk gracefully and with a certain assurance. And usually this goes with a good style, something totally effortless which fit them perfectcly, where colors, materials, shapes, accessories, everything match!
3. What are some things you admire about how other women present themselves?
I admire women who have perfect skin, hair and nails. All neat and natural.
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?
Around my 30th I decided to stop buying lots of cheap things and concentrate on more expensive/good quality essentials long lasting items, for clothes, bags, shoes.
I didn't want to have a wardrobe full of useless garments anymore as I was moving a lot between countries. I needed to feel lighter.
I was going for favorite, fit me well, fine things that I would really adore and wear.
I also decided to stop wearing mascara, which was almost one of the only things I would wear for make up. Too lazy to remove it in the evening, too lazy to carry make up remover around.
But I kept a good moisturiser and a nice blush. Sometimes a lipstick to look more dressed up, and that one doesn't need no remover and goes by itself.
I guess my very own affirmed and assumed style was there then.
11. Is there any fashion trend you’ve refused to participate in and why?
I refuse to follow most of the fashion in general. I could pick some ideas here and there watching some female magazines, but that would just complemente my own style. I wear a mix of second hand, vintage and few new things. Vintage and second hand garments/items well mixed are timeless.
12. Can you say a bit about how your mother’s body and style has been passed down to you, or not?
My mother's body hasn't been passed to me at all. I have my father's body (he is vietnamese) and my mum's face (she is french).
I stole all I could from her younger woman style (unaware boho/hippie). I still wear some of her clothes from that period but they tend to tear apart nowadays.
I never wore much make up and never wore anything sexy or vulgar as she taught me. I also never tweezed my eyebrows too much and always did it from under as she told me too. She always encouraged me to wear what I wanted as long as it made me feel at ease and good about myself. She taught me how to look independent and strong.
13. Have you stolen, borrowed or adapted any dressing ideas or actual items from friends or family?
I have stolen, borrowed and adapted many clothes from my mum's younger style.
I do borrow and adapt some of my dad's clothes when I visit him because I always show up with few clothes as I like to travel light and I know I can always steal a tshirt or even jeans and make them look ok oversized with my own belt or so. It's quite funny.
14. Was there a point in your life when your style changed dramatically? What happened?
My style never changed dramatically. I always wore what I wanted. Never had job/religion obligations and always wore lots of vintage/second hand, which allowed me to mix many things.
16. Please describe your body.
My body is the same as my dad with a bit of my mum. (vietnamese versus french)
I'm quite tall and proud of it.
My proportions are good, I could say I'm quite lucky.
But my butt is flat, and that is my biggest dispair.
17. Please describe your mind.
My mind is very creative and unpatient. I think/act /judge fast. I wish I would be wiser and more calm.
18. Please describe your emotions.
My emotions are like a tornado. I m a very passionated person and I act like a fast dragon sometimes. I can't control myself. It's bad.
19. What are you wearing on your body and face, and how is your hair done, right at this moment?
I'm wearing an oversized band tshirt and some home, also oversized comfy pants.
No make up, just a night good smelling oil for the face.
My hair aren't done. They are straight and light, super easy to live with.
20. In what way is this stuff important, if at all?
This stuff is very important as it can totally make you feel good or bad or wrong or strong. Fashion and style are like little helpers. They make me happy and brighten my days. It's all about a good combination or colors, materials, shapes. And when you get a good combination, you feel in balance.
21. With whom do you talk about clothes?
My trendy girlfriends
22. How do institutions affect the way you dress?
Never did, and will never do.
Im a proud agnostic and free thinker.
No gods, no managers!
But I would never be disrespectful if for example I had to enter a temple or so.
23. Do you think you have taste or style? Which one is more important? What do these words mean to you?
You have a style if you have taste.
To have taste is to care about aesthetics, proportions, lights, colors, shapes. If you manage to balance all those, then you probably have a great style.
To have a personality also equal to have style.
Then if you have personality and taste, you may be just beautiful and awesome to hang out with!
24. Do you remember the biggest waste of money you ever made on an item of clothing?
I'm not a compulsive buyer. I always think very carefully before I get anything. Even more if it's expensive!
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 mum teached me how to not look cheap or vulgar but independent and strong, wearing totally what I wanted as long as it was decent.
33. What is really beautiful, for you, in general?
To be natural and confident is beautiful.
34. What do you consider very ugly?
Sexy cheap clothes.
37. What is your process getting dressed in the morning? What are you considering?
The first thing I do is to check the weather outside.
38. What are you trying to achieve when you dress?
I'm trying to match the things I put over me to my state of mind. It has to be like myself translated in textile /materials colors, shapes.
39. What, for you, is the difference between dressing and dressing up?
Dressing up is like adding some extras to look slightly more beautiful and confident. Accessories and lipstick for me.
53. When you see yourself in photographs, what do you think?
At the moment: erase, erase, erase.
55. Have you ever had a dream that involved clothes?
I dreamed that I was friend with Kate Moss, please don't judge me, and she was taking me to an awesome party with lots of trendy people and I had nothing to wear so she borrowed me a very short and tight glittery dress with a peacock feather pattern but I still couldn't make it to the party because I was too ashamed that my legs weren't shaved.
59. Are there any dressing rules you’d want to convey to other women?
Not too tight, not too short, not too cheap.
61. What are some things you need to do to your body or clothes in order to feel presentable?
I need my hair to be washed and my armpits and legs to be shaved. My teeth brushed and my clothes to be clean. The rest doesnt matter if I wear a Black Sabbath Tshirt at a business meeting.
62. How does makeup fit into all this for you?
Make up is time consuming. You need time to wear make up and remove it.
64. Can you describe in a basic way what you own, clothing and jewelry-wise?
I own a lot of second hand and vintage. Quality material items.
65. What is your favorite piece of clothing or jewelry that you own?
My favorite piece of clothing are some jeans from G-Star. I don't like jeans and struggled my whole life to find some which fitted me perfectly without squeezing me and make me feel sweaty and want to get out of them after few hours.
I don't feel those when I wear them. They have the perfect lenght, stretch, color, they made me make peace with my butt and stay exactly where they should stay on my hips. It's so stupid but it's only jeans.
70. Building up your wardrobe from nothing, what would you do differently this time?
I would buy straight quality material items, few designer timeless pieces which would fit me perfectly and last.
71. What’s the first “investment” item you bought? Do you still own or wear it?
A real leather bag for 120 euros. Tan color, braided details, perfect size, beautiful. I still wear and will wear it until it tears apart!
73. What item of clothing are you still (or have you forever been) on the hunt for?
Simple heels that wouldn't hurt me and would fit me like a glove, that I could wear everyday like sneakers!
78. Do you like to smell a certain way?
I like not to smell. :)
80. How does money fit into all this?
Money should never be an issue as you can find lots of treasures in second hand shop.
81. Is there an article of clothing, a piece of make-up, or an accessory that you carry with you or wear every day?
My silver ring with a little lion head. It is adjustable and on one side is a lion head with a gold accent and the other side is a coral stone.
It's weird and interesting enough to make me feel good.
What’s your birth date? Where were you born and where do you live now?
Im born in april 1981 in south of France. I lived in Helsinki and Vienna and I live now in a small town in Romania.
Say anything you like about your cultural/ethnic/economic background.
My parents were a mixed couple and this pushed me to go live abroad and do things differently, or do what I want, no matter what people think.
What kind of work do you do?
Im a visual artist/dj
Are you single, married, do you have kids, etc.?
I have a daughter called Charlie Mai. She is half french, half romanian. We are not married and she isn't baptised and we live in a very orthodox country.
Please say anything you like about yourself that might put this survey into some sort of context.
Im a 34 years old european girl who studied art.
Im a proud agnostic.
Im free, I can do a lot of jobs as long as they involve creativity. Im my own boss. I travelled and I move easily. I don't have much worries compare to others and consider myself lucky.
How do you feel after filling out this survey?
I feel tired thinking so much about myself!