Every individual has a completely different sense of style. Fashion trends come and go, but style is the foundation that makes a person. Being in such a small school, it is very easy to notice the more fashionable people. One person who easily caught my eye with her lively taste in clothing and accessories is Mrs. Kibbie, a teacher at my school. Her style ranges from a leather jacket with combat boots to a flowy skirt covered in flowers. As soon as I noticed her well-rounded style, it immediately resonated with me because I also feel as though my style is very diverse.
When I asked Mrs. Kibbie how exactly she would describe her style, she easily categorized her taste into three different groups. She interpreted the first element in her fashion ensemble as the "Vintage Queen." In her high school and college days she heavily shopped at Goodwill and other second-hand stores, in order to embody the spirit of vintage clothes. Whether the pieces were actually from a different time period did not matter as much; as long as they appeared to be, she was content. Recycling and reusing also played a large role in why the vintage look appeals to her. Kibbie's main goal in her younger years was so stand out as much as possible, and there is no better way to do that than with original and thrifted clothes. Another fashion inspiration of Kibbie's was what she depicted as "Goth Culture." The power that is exuded from the energy of the look is important to her. When she needs an extra confidence boost, she throws on a darker outfit to fit the aesthetic. As for certain patterns and accessories, she often goes for skulls, or anything mystical, like crystals, which would be her third style category.
Traveling has impacted Kibbie's style as well. She will have visited France seven times after this summer. Fashion in France is extremely important and Paris has even been called the global home of fashion. When visiting the country, she shops for discount, bargain clothes, which still happen to be ahead of the trends back here in America. She finds it interesting to see how different looks and fads move through cities and countries. The focus of these clothes are not necessarily the fact that they are ahead of their time, but that they bring sentimental value. Kibbie focuses on pieces that have meaning and significance in her life.
To ensure that her vast range of outfits are all put to similar amounts of use, she likes to rotate her clothes. Her closet is organized by type of clothing and each outfit is planned out before she even wears them. She firsts picks out an article of clothing and then creates an outfit around that piece. In order to fit a certain vibe, Kibbie often uses the example of pairing tougher looking clothing with a piece that has a softer persona. Articles like a military-style jacket with flowers or other gentle designs are what stands out most to her.
When it comes to how her style has developed over the years, as mentioned before, she appreciated the vintage and goth looks. However, she notes that when she went to college it happened to be around the same time the very infamous 2000's fashion hit. Wearing low rise jeans, t-shirts with "funny" sayings, and crimped hair was how she expressed herself. With age came maturity, which also spread to her fashion choices. Between traveling to France multiple times, as well as just growing up Kibbie now sports a very well-rounded closet.
While talking with Mrs. Kibbie, there was a few things I could take away from the conversation. In her style, she tries to be original and unique, but I think that can be applied to anything she does. She speaks truth and does not shy away from who she really is. A few days after our visit, she even brought me a few pairs of earrings she didn't use anymore because she thought I would appreciate them (which I do!). I believe it is safe to say that Mrs. Kibbie is a kind and genuine person, with a vibrant and expressive sense of style.