Quad Style: Katherine Beavis
Hello everyone, I’m Katherine! I’m a third-year student in the College studying Classics and Art History with a minor in Health and Society. Apart from my studies, I’m involved in UCEMS, the University of Chicago Political Union, and the Study Abroad Student Advisory Committee. I’m also a dual citizen of the US and Canada and I collect vintage cookbooks wherever I travel!
What are you wearing (for the shoot)?
For today’s shoot, I’ve compiled three outfits. For the first one, I’m wearing my white t-shirt with a terrier on it from Cath Kidston. I’m also wearing blue jeans thrifted from a church fair rummage sale in New Hampshire (L.L.Bean), a denim jacket from J.Crew, Ox-Blood-1460-Vintage-Made-in-England Dr. Martens, earrings from the Tate in Britain, brown leather gloves from Armstrong’s Vintage in Edinburgh, and my father’s Canadian army overcoat.
The second outfit features my red pleated skirt from J.Crew, a black top from Uniqlo, and seamed stockings from What Katie Did, a vintage shop in London. The dragon loafers, black leather gloves, and furry leather jacket are also from London. My lipstick is MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolor in Fashion Legacy.
My final outfit is a jumpsuit and blazer from J.Crew, silk twill scarf from Liberty, snake ring from the Ilana Goor museum in Tel Aviv, earrings from the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, and bag from The Cambridge Satchel Company. My other ring is a gift from a family friend who’s an Egyptologist; my shoes are a memento of my time in Florence, and my scarab bracelet is from my maternal grandmother.
How would you describe your personal style:
A bit more formal than most, I actually did not own a pair of jeans until recently. My first concern is that the things I wear fit me well, and the second is that the things I buy will last at least five years. I also have a high tolerance for “outfit pain,” and I’m willing to wear something that is slightly inconvenient. However, I like to wear my clothes, and I try to make sure my clothes don’t wear me.
Where do you find your style inspiration?
I get a lot of my style inspiration from my mother. When I was younger, I started stealing her scarves and now I have my own collection. I absolutely love bold patterns and interesting textures. I also get some inspiration from my special field in Art History, the art of Late Imperial Rome. I also love my paternal grandmother’s style; she was in the first class of graduates at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London after WWII. She was in a number of BBC shows and in the West End doing theatre. My grandfather bought her a black fur coat that is now mine—we both look like little bears with it on! I appreciate that she took good care of it and could pass it down to me when she died; I hope to take the same care of my scarves and jewelry for my kids.
Where do you like to shop?
I actually don’t like shopping for fun, and I typically only shop when I need something; however, I will shop wherever I travel. I like to buy staple items from different countries: leather from Italy, sweaters from Cardiff. Where I shop is informed by where I am in the world. In Italy? Dress Italian. In England? Dress English. People probably know I’m American because of my big smile (I will never be a fashion model able to keep a poker face), but I like tailoring my clothes to where I am, as a way of both showing respect to the culture and being conscious of how I present to others.
Do you have any fashion regrets?
As a child, I exclusively wore overalls, turtlenecks from Hanna Andersson, and light-up Buzz Lightyear sneakers, but I don’t regret any of that. I regret the fashion choices I made in high school, when I wore polos and shorts that were popular, but didn’t fit my body type.
““If you’re comfortable in your own skin, you can pull off any outfit.””
What is your relationship to fashion? Has it changed over time?
I would say that I am not a fashionable person. In fact, I tend to be pretty oblivious to trends. I have a certain, eccentric sense of style, I would say. I just try to wear clothes that look good on me and remind me of people and places important to me.
Why is fashion important to you?
Dress sense is important to me because it lets me set my tone for the day and week. I like the feeling of wearing a blazer while studying. It makes the everyday seem important, which it is. I plan out my outfits a week at a time, based on what I get to do that week. That is time I build in to be intentional and reflective.
Photos courtesy of Elliot Duprey
