Kat’s Closet- Girly Grunge.

What a wonderful weekend whirlwind! I hope everyone did the last long weekend of the summer proud. I spent most of mine in a bathing suit + ray bans or some torn denim + tank jam sitting poolside in the city spin or rooftop getting some BBQ in.
So when we moved the crew to hipster-esque Ossington, I threw together this quick lookie and sailed west. I adore mixing unexpected pieces. A little edgy to cover the pretty with barely there accessories. Just my go-to arm candy that I was already wearing. Shoes can change an outfit dramatically. Tomboy chic and girly grunge. -k

Dress- Kitson
Plaid Shirt- Gloss

Save Your Strength For Things That You Can Change.

Hanging high in a moment. Kissing the last months stars. I love flipping the calendar to a new month. A fresh start and a change of pace.

I’m sitting at the computer in my childhood room after an incredible long weekend of unexpected extremes with wonderful company. It’s oh so quiet except for flashes of washed out rain through the open window. Morrison the cat is fighting tired eyes atop the fluffy duvet and as I sip my second cup of java, I’m thinking about all that has changed.

Change. It seems to be the theme of my breathing hours over the last year. Change of residence, career duties, hair, life rulebook, twitter handle, priorital focus, relationship status, intentions, strength and happiness meter. Change of pace.

And I would be fluffing the truth if I said that I wasn’t overwhelmed. But the good kind of overwhelmed where you smile and your heart beats above your shoulder line and you can’t concentrate on the now because you’re anticipating the tomorrow. I think everyone goes through an adjustment peak; sometimes multiple sky high rides and drops. Recently it’s been a heavy conversation starter, like we’re all on the same flight. Another plane, another destination, another tickling full of motivation, stirring hopeful moments through our veins. 

So as the leaves drip with leftovers from the morning rain this is what I’m sipping on as I sit in the room that saw every transition:

I have been a friend, a lover, an enemy and a mystery. I have shared my love, my wrong doings, my secrets and my wishes. I have fought for respect, status, understanding and compassion. I have walked the line, ledge, open road and into a wall. I have juggled choices, visions, what ifs and fairytales. I’ve made people laugh, sob, love and heal. I am accepting my mistakes, edginess, battles and weaknesses.  I’m accepting all that has changed.

Someone said to me “Katherine, you need to trust in advance what will only make sense in reverse.” Change is the only constant. So save your strength for things that you can change.

Happy new month. Wishing you wonderful things. -k

Kat’s Closet – Layer Love.

Summer days are turning into hazy goodbyes. I can tell by the late night layers needed this past week. Fall is my favourite dressing season so it’s a bittersweet goodbye. Mix and matching heavy and bare necessities. Hugged by sweaters and scarves yet skimpy stilettos holding you up. A party dress and a toque as the final touch. Army green and ripped jeans. Denim daze head to toe.

This was a taste of just that this past week. And then we all danced like no one was watching under a shiny disco ball.

Striped Sloppy T- Brandy Melville SOHO
Jean Vest- Mendocino
Plaid Shirt- Forever 21
Pleather Knee Capped Pants- H&M
Shoes- Converse
Purse- Urban Outfitters

Things may come to those who wait, but only things left by those who hustle.

I like these no track of time and no reason for it type of days. The world around you keeps dancing in circles but your world slows right down. Let’s you think. Pretty much makes you think. In my social media world I know alot of people through text and type and tweets but have never stood in their physical space. I ran into one of those people recently when I was leaning on the bar in my long weekend state of mind. Bartender passed me my vodka water and pointed down the bar saying that he’s got your drink. A facebook friend chance meeting. Ah, the way the world has changed. I admire your hustle is the saying that’s sticky in my mind from our conversation.

So what happens when someone or something knocks at your hustle? Makes you second guess your mapped out motives? You can call life a game with goals and penalities in matters of the mind, career, relationships, self identity and status. You can win or lose.

Failure is one of my biggest fears. Regret? I don’t believe that this word has a place in my life anymore. Because you have to take risks to find your forever. I’d rather try and fail then regret not trying at all.

I had a moment this week when ‘shit got hard’. When you need to let go but you can’t because in that hopeful corner of your heart you’re still waiting for the impossible to happen. When you’re between somewhere and nowhere but never standing still. When ‘it’ shows up, comes without a phone call, spins you in circles and then continues along. From highs to lows. When it’s all cupcakes and lollipops until someone pukes.

I’m a big 11:11 advocate as my social media amigos know. So when the clock struck those delicious digits and I was setting in on wishful thinking I realized that these wishes tell you where your heart is. And what you want. And what you should not let anyone knock at.

And then a person I know through text and type and tweets but have never stood in their physical space sent me this fortune cookie find from his lunch time escape.

“Things may come to those who wait but only things left by those who hustle.”
And the smart mind behind these words? Abraham Lincoln.

So with that tickling of motivation the game goes on. Cause if I didn’t face my fears I wouldn’t be where I’m at. Simple as that. -k


The only thing standing between greatness and me is… me. -Woody Allen

I honestly think it’s better to be a failure at something you love than to be a success at something you hate. -George Burns

Do what you feel in your heart to be right for you’ll be criticized anyway. -Eleanor Roosevelt

If people don’t occasionally walk away from you shaking their heads,
you’re doing something wrong. -John Gierach

Kat’s Closet – Weekend Edition.

How the heck is Monday here already? How the heck is September a couple of days away? How the heck was your weekend?

A little work and a little play was the salad tossed. A lot of dancing and a lot of living was the meal of choice.

After ‘that’s a wrap’ was yelled on set, Friday brought all of my favourite people into one place. My brother and his band The Lad Classic took the stage at Cherry Cola’s. My roomie and I woke up the next day with the words ‘well, that was an unexpected good, good night!’ Alot of black, skinny jeans, vintage band tees, cons, bangles, military boots and jackets, tattoos and hipster dudes. A whole lot of Queen West.

Tank- Boutique on Melrose Ave. LA.
Pants- H&M (Pleather capped knees)
Hat- Big It Up
Shoes- Aldo (Living in these this summer)
Lipstick- Costa Chic- MAC

After ‘that’s a wrap’ was yelled on set, Saturday brought my roomie and I home for a major pillow crash as the week caught up to us. With hair and make-up done from a burlesque inspired shoot that afternoon, we ventured to a happy house-warming evening. A backyard in the city is a rare find. But a grand one. An evening under the stars. I’m ready for a week of the same. -k

Shirt- Skirt 
Shorts- Vintage
Shoes- G.H Bass & Co.
Lipstick- Lady Danger- MAC

It’s all about the ABC’S.

I hung up my dance shoes about a year ago to put focus on the microphone because of new opportunities handed to me. The way life sorts itself out in front of your feet is always an interesting sight. And now over these past few months I have been back on the dance floor because of new opportunities. It’s where I started this journey and I need it in my life.

I spent the entire week on set for a project for The Weeknd’s new tour with some incredible women who I admire for their confidence, style and grace. The dance scene knocks at your pride with a daily dose of judgement as you work towards perfection, not only in the steps and style but in the silhouette seen through the lens. The measurements and muscle. The inches fading up and out. Blunt? Absolutely. Reality? Like you wouldn’t believe. Here and there I get asked how I approach this glamour game and it’s been buzzing quite a bit this week. And it brings me back to something I wrote the last time it sing-songed in the air around me…

It’s all about the ABC’s…

February. The month of the groundhog and cupid. The cold nips at your heels and you hit snooze fourteen times before you run to the heat of the shower in the AM. You eat two out of three of your meals in the dark and they probably consist of comfort foods like Mom’s killer macaroni and cheese recipe from your childhood. It’s winter, folks! And the only ones smart enough to hide from the elements are the bears.

I won’t lie. I’ve been in hibernation mode for the past four days. I made it as far as loading new songs onto my iPod in hopes it would give me a motivational kick in the butt to boogie over to the gym. But the -25C windchill puffed out its chest and won. I drank my hot chocolate and marshmallows, ignored that tick of guilt and quietly hummed the winter blues.

Happily adding more marshmallows to my cup of cocoa, I clicked over to Facebook. Raptors lose unlucky 13, storm brews harder in the GTA and a message. Hey Katherine. 

A blast from the past. A former student. Now taller than me, a fiercer dancer than me, pursuing that “I want to dance forever” dream she used to talk about in tap class. And getting hit hard by the reality of the business. After a certain point it’s the complete package that clears that next hurdle. It’s what they see when you walk into that audition room that counts.

“What’s your motivation? What’s your secret? What gets your body in the game when your mind says no and vice versa?”

My heart sinks a bit every time the ‘reality of the biz’ swims past me. But it is reality. An evil shark sized reality. And it’s something you need to accept when you decide to follow your dream. That was my first step. So I typed back ACCEPTANCE.

The night before two friends and I were having dinner and over our spinach dip and chips the same topic came up at the table. I’m not perfect. I drink too much coffee and don’t get my eight glasses of water everyday. I eat Doritos when I’m sad and ice cream when I’m happy. And I walk confidently onto that basketball court in a Raptors splashed half top because I now know the meaning of BALANCE. But it took me four years in the professional world, three years in theatre school and many ups and downs to figure it out. Listen to your body, don’t deprive yourself because life is too good for that and on those low days remember how great you feel in spirit when you take care of you.

I was cleaning out my closet and I found an old journal from my theatre school days and splashed across the first page was the saying “CONFIDENCE is beautiful”. It’s not something that is easy to find and hold on to tightly when you’re knocked down daily for your artistic imperfections. And it comes with growth. But when I started believing in myself (I’m at about 94.7% of the time) I started pursuing and conquering bigger hills.

Everybody does it differently. Acceptance, Balance and Confidence. I figured out my equation and I work on my ABC’S. The ‘S’ is for SUPPORT. I told her she has mine. -k