Walk Your Talk with Kate Vitela is our newest section of the site that celebrates fashion and the role it plays in our recovery. Getting ready for life can be just as fun if not more fun, now that we’re sober. Because drunk never looks good. She’ll be bringing you monthly features highlighting what’s in her closet, showcasing her love of dressing high and low.
Fashion In Real Life
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.
I devoured the magazine because the previous issues published in the first wave of the pandemic were sparsely thin assemblies of selfies by artists camped at home. It was obvious they were digging through their closets and remaining hopeful. I was curious to see what designers had come up with after months of essentially scrapbooking with couture fabrics and reflecting on the runways of Christmas past. This month I was thrilled and mostly relieved to see that the conversation was directed toward the lessons learned from the many necessary societal movements that have shaped the past year. Insert a visual of me jumping up and down from the cheap seats.
While I am a self-confessed trend follower, I often open fashion magazines with a hint of cynicism and a much-needed sense of humor. I know I will be going down the rabbit hole of the page after glossy page filled with pre-adolescent wasps wearing $2,700 shawls and belts paired with platform shoes at the price of my mortgage. But like any good lush, I remain captivated. It has become a labor of love to remain a fashionista in a world where models are the size of my right thigh and the couture ensembles cost as much as my car.
Nevertheless, she persisted. Why?
Because somewhere along the way I realized that designing myself was much like decorating my home. I could gather inspiration from Architectural Digest while cruising the isles of The Goodwill or Value Village for a beautiful picture or vase. It didn’t take a lot of money or a mansion by the sea to curate a beautiful space…as long as it felt like home. The same goes for my wardrobe. If I feel at home in a piece of clothing or jewelry, I consider it a win. I also consider it my right. Allow me to explain.
When Sarah Jessica Parker launched her clothing line “Bitten” in 2007, she quoted a phrase that rocked my little world. While the clothes were not a smash hit, a few key concepts of the line brought a real buzz to the fashion forefront. With sizes ranging from 2 to 22, SJP partnered with Steve & Barry to design a clothing line that was intended to be of affordable quality. The Sex and the City star was quoted in a Reuters News Piece by Michelle Nichols as saying “It is every woman’s inalienable right to have a pulled-together, stylish, confident wardrobe with money left to live.”
???? Mind Blown … It’s my right?
In today’s day and age that is a loaded term. I believe it is a massive privilege to even have a whirlpool washer and dryer in my home. It is not my “right” to own anything, however, it is my right to feel good about myself as a human regardless of size, shape, race, gender identity, or income. I could run with that. Politics aside, I was relieved to see the megawatt Vogue magazine quoting lines such as “fashion belongs to everyone.” It sounds like a shout-out from Captain Obvious, yet it is a narrative that needs to be encouraged. Every human on this planet clothes their body in some sort of fabric….so why not love the artistry you are draped in? Now that we have that established…. let’s get “bitten” by the fashion bug.
The Highs and the Lows
I like to dress high and low. I love pairing a three-dollar H&M blouse with a handbag from Nordstrom or Saks and a jacket from The Goodwill. I do not have a big budget; however, I remain adamant that I know what works for me. It works if you work it. And trust me, this gurl does.
September in the PNW is still very warm. While the change in season prompts the desire to dress like a greeter at a pumpkin patch, it’s just not practical. I feel most comfortable wearing loafers, slip-on tennis shoes, breathable boots, and light fabrics to start the season. Herringbone grey is always a go-to. So is any variation of beige, camel, khaki, or tan. I will basically wear anything animal print any day. I also love olive green, dusty pink, and any shade of blue. This month I am loving the color contrast between turquoise and shades of camel.
Hot Girl Summer is Over, Pumpkin Spice Girl Fall is Here
September is back to school, back to sporting events, and back to long work weeks without vacations. Nonetheless, it can get very “peopley” out there. To shift down into “comfies” I love faux leather stretchies, draw-string pants, patched overalls, or just plain ole giant sweatpants. The other day I found myself walking the lake in red-striped shiny spandex with a cut-off Starbucks tee shirt and cheetah print Nikes. I really dig fall in the PNW. It’s an anything goes season because the weather can be bi-polar, and we embrace it all. It’s also the time when you can bust out the light jackets and begin layering clothing without sweating like the new kid in detox. Iced cold brew or piping hot latte? I will take one of each. Do you want to wear a tank top with a scarf? Go for it.
Be Versatile
September is the month we can be the most versatile. It’s also a new beginning in most households as kids are starting a new grade and parents are embracing a new schedule. I’m my eyes, September is a do-over. Summer is over and we can begin to approach the change in season in a new way. Just like in sobriety, we can shed layers of clothes like layers of the proverbial onion. Of course, we can reinvent ourselves and our style any damn time it feels right. No need for a change of season to change your look…but it helps to avoid sunburn or frostbite, just saying.
Look at some of the pieces I am loving. Obviously, I am not Annie Leibovitz, I’m just a 40-something-year-old woman fumbling with a ring light and a drop cloth…but you get the picture. We are all just people trying to feel good, look good, and do good. Drink your coffee. Dance around in your grandma’s pearls. At the end of the day, most of us are just playing with the clothing we have and creating our own version of a beautiful existence. As my Momma says, wear what you like… the world will adjust.
P.S. Stay tuned my beautiful sober people…
“The industry is catching up with our many peopled reality.”
-Christopher John Rogers
Just can’t get enough of Kate? Yeah, we don’t blame you. She’ll be reporting once a month on the “Who, What, Wear” of it all. Until then, check out her previous post – Getting Ready for Life and The Artist’s Way with Sober Curator Kate Vitela From Olympia, Washington.
Resources are available
Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
