Outfit #1
“Adidas Superstars and Mary Janes”
KJ: In “My Way Back Home,” a Pioneer public television documentary about you, you talk about how your mom and you are both sassy, confident women with “no filter.” Would you say your style is a reflection of that sass and that confidence? How?
CS: It’s funny, but if she says that she doesn’t like something, then that feeds me; it feeds my confidence… And in terms of my fashion, in general I always like people to feel a little uncomfortable by what I’m wearing, but I would never go overboard; I would never be wearing anything unflattering. My perfect outfit is if someone looks at me and at first they say, “I don’t think…” [makes face, laughs].
The style that I got from my mom is deeply ingrained in me. She’s got a very classic look. Growing up, she was always wearing the classic black sweater, the classic black t-shirt. She’s always buying a new pair of black high heels. And I’ll look at her and say, ‘You already have that shoe!’ Franco Sarto Mary Janes. If my mom was a shoe, she’d be a pair of Franco Sarto Mary Janes.
MB: I’m a working full-time mother, and I’m a [registered nurse and certified diabetes specialist], so I’m not thinking about fashion every day. But I always say if you find something that fits well, buy two of them. Always buy two of them. And if you’re trying to decide on a pair of shoes, just get the shoes. Because you’re always gonna go, ‘I wish I would have got those shoes.’
KJ: Caroline, you write a lot about body image and finding that body confidence. How did your mom talk to you about those issues, growing up?
CS: I would say to mom, ‘I feel fat’ or ‘I feel chubby’ or ‘I hate my unibrow.’ And she wouldn’t say ‘You’re not fat; you’re skinny.’ I think that can be equally as hurtful, just perpetuating the idea of what girls are supposed to look like. Instead she would be like, ‘You’re not fat; you’re growing.’ Or, ‘you’re not fat; you’re beautiful.’ Or ‘Your body is unique.’ Or, ‘If you could trade and get rid of your hair, whose hair would you want? What would you do?’ And I’d think about it and say, ‘Oh, I’ll just keep my hair. Nevermind.’ She would confront all this self-effacing stuff with making you appreciate the stuff that you do like about yourself.’
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