Author: Kate Vitela

The interior was spacious and welcoming at Daylight Studios in Hudson Yard on Saturday, 2/12/23. My mind flashed to Carrie Bradshaw the first time she entered her & Mr. Big’s massive New York high rise, “So this is where they keep the light.” I was a bit self-conscious because I did a rushed job shaving my legs that morning, assuming it would be a dimly lit studio space. #urbanjungle The light was glorious yet masked no flaws. There were no shadows to hide in. The studio was a beautifully raw space with whitewashed walls that made me feel a tad…

How do you unlearn decades of programming? I sit here snacking and typing, contemplating my waistline, and reaching for the trail mix. Fuck it. And fuck them and fuck the term heroin chic. I am not dying to stay thin anymore. Flashback to 1997. The year I graduated high school. I exercised almost daily, threw up my food, and refused to go to bed without finishing my self-prescribed regime of one-hundred sit-ups and push-ups. As early as fifteen, I hit play on the Cindy Crawford workout (VHS tape) like it was my religious calling. The high-fashion scene was the benchmark…

A while back, I was sitting at my monthly sober babe’s brunch, holding the audience of my girlfriend’s captive. I was discussing the casting process for runway fashion shows and some of the nuances of the modeling world. We laughed hysterically, and like always, I was using humor to get some things off my chest. In today’s climate, while the feminist march to fight the objectifying of a woman’s body, I am standing on a platform begging to be judged. Never would I imagine asking a judge of strangers to critique my physical features and decide whether I am worthy.…

“I intended to go back to drinking after the medications were finished,” Harley told me, “But I was so happy with my life. By then, I had made so much progress that I decided to stay sober.” Meet Harley from @styledandstressed, a 28-year-old career professional whose resume is as packed full as her closet. She quit drinking on 4/21/21 and has not looked back. Since that day, she has hit some significant milestones. She married her partner and finished grad school. Harley also came out as sober on social media to confirm her stance on living booze-free. Styled and stressed…

When I first got approached to write a fashion column and merge it with my recovery process, I was lost for words. I did not know how to make sense of my wardrobe, much less anyone else’s. I had never worked with Word Press or editing and fumbled a lot. I didn’t even know how to use Instagram. As a career nurse, fashion journalism was not on the agenda. Also, I didn’t have a model standing around to wear the clothes I wanted to display, and I wouldn’t have known how to photograph them even if I did. So, the…

The 2022 Couture and Cars show featured the collections of eight fashion designers around the PNW area. The venue was Lemay’s Car Museum, adjacent to the Tacoma Dome. The producers created a runway in between the rows of rare antique automobiles. Models walked down a polished concrete path in step with curated music to display the attire. The full line-up of designers is included at the end of the article; however, I narrowed my focus to three collections that caught my attention. Overall, the show was brilliant. #1 Chance Watt Takes his Art from Canvas to Couture To know me…

The word Marikit is a Tagalog term demonstrating superlatives such as gorgeous, splendid, beautiful or magnificent. So, it goes without saying the Seattle Marikit fashion show was all of those things. After weeks of organization by the production team it was held on June 25th, 2022 at the Muckleshoot Casino events center in Auburn, WA. A shockingly gorgeous and expansive venue with all the bells and whistles necessary to put on a good show. The main feature was designer Edwin Uy @edwinfuy who is worldrenowned for men’s and women’s formal wear. The show began with an impressive cast upwards of…

A couple of weeks ago I walked out of a medical spa and slumped down in my car and cried. I had images taken of my face as I was contemplating Botox. The evidence was all there. At forty-three years old I have done some hard living in active addiction. Sunspots, crow’s feet, puffy bags under my eyes, heavy creases in my forehead, and nasolabial folds. And while I fully recognize this is part of the natural aging process, I also know my own lifestyle choices are to blame. I looked in my rear-view mirror and was overcome with shame.…

Richard Gallardo Ozuna has one of those looks that stops you dead in your tracks. There is an element of mystery yet warmth behind his eyes. Leading to a person to contemplate if is he the scariest person in the room or the most welcoming? The latter is quickly evident after a few moments with Ozuna. His booming voice is inviting and full of hope. Its immediately evident he is comfortable in his own skin and aims to put you at ease. When we talked on the phone a few weeks back he cut right to the chase. As a…

It’s not hard to be content in the lap of luxury in Miami when seated poolside at the luxurious Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. The venue for the spring 2022 She Recovers convention, was housed on a golf course/country club for the many elite retirees in sunny Florida. The hotel/resort is spectacular with Versace-esq motif and plenty of gilded corners to discover. Yet there is too much art, culture and cuisine offered up by Miami to indulge in vs. sitting still on idle sober hands. Between the art and culture, cuisine, and shopping, Miami is a literal hotspot for foodies,…

A few months ago, I stumbled on a coffee table book that is quite possibly one of my favorite purchases this year. It tells the story in glossy pictures of a world I already lived in. Beige is Not a Color by Carlos Mota, a Venezuelan-born interior decorator, stylist, and artist. Mota describes the importance of vibrant colors in his life and how they infiltrate his home décor, personal style, and overall aesthetic. When flipping through the pages of the book (edge-painted in crimson red) I am thoroughly inspired. Selections for my home and my closet are confirmed as I am…

Decidedly Dry is a positive, uplifting, sober podcast where the focus is on the good. Hosted by Jess Steitzer, a coffee-slurping, messy bun wearing, boy-mom who strives to keep it real and bring a smile to your face. What’ll you find here? Hopefully more than a few dashes of entertainment, a lot of DRY humor, and plenty of real conversations. Sober Style With Sober Curator & Fashion Editor Kate Vitela Kate is a mental health professional, a sober badass, and a fashion editor for The Sober Curator. Her column, Walk Your Talk, is entertaining, inspiring, and absolutely fabulous.  More about…

“Whose bag is this!?” I shouted to the room one Sunday at a sober gal’s brunch in Seattle. I slung the Louis Vuitton Multi-Pochette over my shoulder and began playing with it. “It’s mine,” said Nicole Ghazal with a laugh. I should have known as she was impeccably dressed in notable yet understated style. Ghazal graciously took the time to show me how all three accessory pouches were detached serving to maximize the bag’s use. It was obvious this was a very intentional purchase. “It was kind of expensive,” she told me. “But I bought it resale and I did…

Hi, my name is Kate, and I am a fast-fashion-aholic. The first step in my journey was admitting I was powerless over $10 shirts from H&M, Zara, and Top Shop. The second step for me was figuring out what the hell to do with the reams of clothing that overflowed my walk-in, my cloffice, and my laundry room. Then there were the shameful drops at the Goodwill of bags upon bags of my discards. I even took to throwing clothes in the garbage. Yep folks, on the spectrum of a fashion use disorder, I was severe. So, I am publicly…

Over the last four decades, Lesley Zwick @comebackzwick has been a standout in the fashion industry, and she has done it all sober. You did the math correctly, folks. This fashionista boasts a staggering forty-one years of continuous sobriety. Now residing in Florida, Zwick’s journey in the industry started in New York City, the fashion capital of the U.S. She said, “when I look back, it was during the time of Studio 54, and the party scene was crazy. It was glamourous on the outside but hazardous up close.” She told me that she had already been to rehab gotten sober by…

Sustainability has undoubtedly become a fashion buzzword, and brands big and small are working on ways to reduce the waste of excess materials and even produce less volume. As a result of this altruistic shift, the notion of re-purposing garments, upcycling clothing, and GASP…buying used goods has received a lot of attention as of late. I have even heard the word “stigma” being thrown around on the fashion scene as a means to overcome the snobbery around the description “gently used.” As a woman in recovery, I eat stigma for breakfast; therefore, pre-worn fashion doesn’t have anything on me. In…

Model Gabby Fé @iamgabbyfe knows her way around the center stage. She has modeled for big names like Target, Calvin Klein, and has been featured in a global commercial for TJ Maxx.  In addition, she is multi-talented as a singer and songwriter. You can check out a few of her songs on Spotify. And as I write this piece, she continues to rack up her accomplishments, reminding me that those mentioned above may be just the beginning for Gabby Fé. Now living in LA as an NYC transplant, Gabby is getting accustomed to more than just the sunshine. “I am working…

I woke up in a sunlit room at the Hotel Hendricks in midtown and starred at the skyline. I had my quintessential I love NY coffee mug in hand. It was Monday, February 14th, and Valentine’s Day was the farthest from my mind. It was the long-awaited day of the Break Free 2022 NYFW showcase. My friend and designer Alexandra Nyman @iamladycat had fitted me immediately when I landed in the city. I was looking forward to my first time walking a major runway. While packing my “model kit” (nude heels, iced coffee, and a ton of snacks) I…

Wait, what’s your name? I said while I was scrambling to open my computer. “It’s Jenn, but fashionistas call me Firty. It stands for fifty is the new thirty!” F*ck, yes, I thought. I cannot wait to learn more about this woman. And being the die-hard fashionista that I am, I will refer to her as Firty. Meet sober model, entrepreneur, and fashion influencer Jenn Ancelin. She is the creative fixture behind the brand and logo Firty @firtyfashion. With over a hundred thousand followers on Instagram, she has made a big splash on the fashion forefront. The Firty trademark combines…

We live in a time when “mental health” is a pandemic buzz phrase. So, it’s no shock that people are coming out of the woodwork to participate in Break Free NYFW. A fashion showcase dedicated to mental health and addiction recovery. Regardless, I have remained adamant that I interview people with true stories and real-life experiences. No offense to the bandwagon fans (#mentalhealthmatters), but I continue to seek out those with witness authority. Fortunately, I crossed paths with photographer Rob MacNeil @robmacneilphoto who has a personal and professional commitment to this work. MacNeil will be photographing the event, and he…

“I gotta run; I’m late for my treatment team meeting,” I said to my husband. Gulping down the last bit of cold brew, I shoved some dry cheerios in my mouth. I was wearing pleather pants and a Ramones logo tee with a pair of scuffed-up Doc Martins. My outfit was topped off with a distressed denim jacket and my signature array of eight-hundred gold bracelets. I was off to save the world, lip gloss in tow. Allow me to introduce my authentic sober self… If you are wondering what professional setting in corporate America allows me to roll up…

“Mija….you smell like beer,” my mother-in-law said reluctantly as I climbed in the back of the SUV. “You may want to go back inside and brush your teeth.” It was 2015, and my husband drove us to my mother’s annual Christmas Tea. I was hungover as usual and dressed in a tacky Santa ensemble that I threw on last minute. I ran back into the house to gargle mouthwash and spray on more perfume. I looked at myself in the mirror; I was disheveled, bloated, and fighting back nausea. I plastered on a smile and forced myself out the door.…

Last week I came home to find a couple of deliveries that my husband had plopped on the kitchen counter side by side. One was a shipment of Teetotaler Wines from Boisson in NYC @boisson.nyc, and the other was my December issue of Vogue magazine. Sarah Jessica Parker graces the cover in a gauzy pink Dolce and Gabbana Alta Moda gown with metallic floral embroidery and Dior bracelets. She looks every bit the part of our beloved Carrie Bradshaw from SATC. The caption reads, “And Just like that SJP is….Back!” “And just like that the gals on SATC trend Teetotaler”…

Something divinely auspicious happened to me this fall. I was digging through my closet and planning for the onset of colder temperatures when I realized it was time to “let go and let God”. I made a giant pile of nice clothes, clothes I wore and loved, and put them in the Goodwill pile. And then I happily donated them. I am talking about real wool sweaters, vests I have worn a hundred times, jackets in shades of olive green, and even a faux Burberry print shawl I’d been holding onto for years. I realized that this November my favorite…

I am an animal in October. And I am referring to more than just dressing up like Big Foot and gorging on Halloween candy… (although I do that too.) Let’s face it… animal print looks amazing in the backdrop of early fall. It’s the kitsch neutral. It’s the cat’s pajamas. The bee’s knees. The dog’s tuxedo. You get the picture. I love all things animal print. And there is no better time of year to rock this seemingly haphazard, caramelized mixture of brown, black, camel, and rust. I don’t discriminate on animal print, leopard, cheetah, tortoise, or snakeskin, …. bring…

In the letter to the editor, fashion icon and editor in chief Anna Wintour of Vogue magazine opens the September 2021 issue with an almost obligatory mea culpa “American designers are at the forefront of the conversation around diversity, inclusivity, gender fluidity, and body positivity.” It’s about damn time.  

What the hell was I getting ready for? I look back at the foggy image of myself in my 20s “getting ready for a night out”. I imagine the song lyrics were “It’s Britney Bitch” roaring in the background while up next on the playlist was Rihanna or Fergie or even a little trance with Tiesto. Don’t judge. This was the early 2000s and spray tans and sparkly jeans were a thing. There was always a sprinkle of glitter, a dash of desperation, a layer of bronzer, and the act of soaking my entire outfit in the saccharine smell of…