STYLING

ORIGIN STORY: WHERE THIS ALL REALLY STARTED

I’VE BEEN IN LOVE WITH CLOTHES SINCE BEFORE I COULD SPELL THE WORD.

MY BARBIE DIDN’T HAVE A STORYLINE — SHE HAD OUTFIT CHANGES.
MY MOM TAUGHT ME HOW TO SEW WHEN I WAS LITTLE, AND I NEVER STOPPED.
WE DIDN’T ALWAYS HAVE THE “RIGHT” FABRIC, PATTERNS, OR TOOLS, SO WE JUST FIGURED IT OUT — MADE PROM DRESSES AND HALLOWEEN COSTUMES BY HAND, PURSES FROM SCRAPS, MADE IT WORK. SHE’S A MACGYVER. SO AM I.

I’VE ALWAYS LOVED PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER THAT SHOULDN’T WORK — AND MAKING THEM WORK.

ONE DAY I’D DRESS LIKE A HIPPIE IN FLOWING SKIRTS AND LAYERS OF BEADS.
THE NEXT I’D SHOW UP AS A LIL GANGSTA BOY WITH BOXERS SHOWING ABOVE MY OVERSIZED CARGO SWEATPANTS.
AND THE NEXT? FULL GOTH/PUNK COMPLETE WITH BONDAGE PANTS THAT MY MOM AND I HAD TO MAKE BECAUSE I WAS STILL TOO SMALL AND SKINNY TO WEAR THE ONES SOLD IN HOT TOPIC. THAT WAS NORMAL FOR ME.

I WASN’T REALLY TRYING TO BE DIFFERENT. I WAS DIFFERENT.
AND STYLE LET ME EXPRESS IT — LOUDLY, QUIETLY, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

WHAT I DIDN’T REALIZE AT THE TIME IS THAT THIS WAS SPIRITUAL.
CLOTHES WERE HOW I EXPLORED MYSELF.
HOW I CONNECTED WITH OTHERS.
HOW I FELT CLOSE TO SOMETHING BIGGER — WHETHER THAT WAS GOD, SPIRIT, OR JUST ALIVENESS.

YEARS LATER, WHEN I FOUND COMMUNITIES WHERE OTHER PEOPLE DRESSED THIS EXPRESSIVELY — LIKE THE BURNER SCENE IN BALTIMORE — I FELT HOME. I FELT SEEN.
AND I KNEW THIS WASN’T ABOUT FASHION TRENDS.
THIS WAS ABOUT IDENTITY. FREQUENCY. PERMISSION.

NOW I DESIGN AND STYLE FROM THAT PLACE.
FROM THE BELIEF THAT YOUR CLOTHING IS MORE THAN JUST “WHAT YOU WEAR.”
IT’S HOW YOU ACCESS YOURSELF.
IT’S HOW YOU SHOW THE WORLD WHAT YOU’RE READY FOR.
IT’S HOW YOU PRAY, HOW YOU PLAY, HOW YOU RECLAIM YOUR POWER.

I’VE ALSO SEEN HOW CLOTHING HAS GOTTEN CHEAPER — IN QUALITY AND IN SOUL.
MASS-PRODUCED COPIES OF CULTURE THAT MISS THE POINT.
GENDERED SIZING THAT BOXES PEOPLE IN.
AESTHETIC TRENDS THAT DON’T SAY A DAMN THING.

SO I’M BUILDING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
A STYLING METHOD AND A BRAND THAT LET PEOPLE FIND WHAT’S TRUE FOR THEM.
WHERE IDENTITY IS FLUID.
WHERE FASHION BECOMES A PORTAL — TO YOUR SOUL, YOUR PEOPLE, YOUR OWN CONNECTION TO GOD.

THIS ISN’T ABOUT LOOKING GOOD.
THIS IS ABOUT BEING REAL.
AND THAT’S ALWAYS GOING TO BE IN STYLE.

FOR STYLING SERVICES PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME AT: KAT@LIGHTERFLUIDDESIGNS.COM