Katie Sturino Teamed Up with Stitch Fix on a Size-Inclusive Collection of Summer Fashion – HarpersBAZAAR.com
Katie Sturino, founder of the body-positive fashion blog The 12ish Style, has teamed up with popular styling service Stitch Fix to create a 21-piece collection of the must-have pieces for your summer wardrobe.
Sturino, known for her colorful and whimsical style, is targeting the everyday woman who wants to add some more fun elements to her closet. “I find that fast fashion is much safer than high fashion. So I wanted to bring a little bit more of that high fashion feel to a lower price point, without making it garbage,” she says.
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The Megababe founder regularly champions size inclusivity, which is why it’s no surprise that a large size range is a key component of her capsule collection. Available in sizes 0–24 and XS–3X, the Katie Sturino x Stitch Fix collaboration is also affordably priced ($54 – $98), making it accessible for all kinds of budgets.
Although she’s previously collaborated with Eloquii and Veronica Beard, Sturino recalls being “blown away” by Stitch Fix’s operation. “They had a person on their fit team who was doing things with plus-size fits that I have never seen before—really showing factories how a woman’s body moves, and just very different than anything I had seen,” she explains.
When asked who she would love to see dressed in the capsule collection, Sturino gets excited at the thought of her muse, Italian fashion editor Giovanna Battaglia, potentially wearing something she created. “Also, I would love to dress Aidy Bryant because I know I’ve experienced first-hand the struggles she’s had when finding cool clothes. I feel like she would really like the line,” says Sturino.
Coinciding with the collection’s debut, Sturino sat down with BAZAAR.com to discuss self-love, body confidence, and her favorite summer styling tips.
Harper’s BAZAAR: You’re all about female empowerment and self-love. Tell us about your journey to self-acceptance as a woman who isn’t a sample size.
Katie Sturino: I started out confident, and over time and life experience, this is pretty raw, but you get a little beaten down, and life takes you down. It’s up to you to say, “Hold on a second, let me figure out exactly who the hell I am and stand up and be that person.” Because if you put yourself in the dryer cycle of life, you can just get thrown around and lost.
It’s up to you to do the work. It’s up to you to do what makes you happy, what doesn’t make you happy, and sometimes those choices are really hard. And they require change—a new relationship, moving cities, moving jobs–but the reward beyond that is so big. That’s the thing where a lot of women get lost. They feel like happiness comes from an external place—it’s when they’re gonna meet a partner, when they’re gonna have a baby—none of that makes you happy.
HB: What suggestions do you have for women who struggle to feel confident in their clothing daily?
KS: Self-confidence comes from accepting yourself. I think it’s all about turning the lens inward. Wear what makes you happy. Don’t wear what makes you feel safe; don’t wear what makes you feel “flattered.” Flattering, I hate that word. If style and clothes stress you out, then that’s where something like a personal stylist or Stitch Fix can help you find your style, so you’re comfortable.
HB: Why you don’t like the word flattering?
KS: I don’t like the word flattering. I’ve heard it so many times (“It wasn’t very flattering on you”). You hear that a lot, and it’s annoying because you’re standing there and you love it. And what is flattering, anyway? Flattering, I think, means small, thin. I understand that it is pretty much what people have to cling to and to understand if something looks good or not, but as we go forward, I would like to find other ways we can talk about what we’re wearing.
HB: On your blog and Instagram, you created the series #supersizethelook. What inspired you to start this movement?
KS: It’s something I did because I wanted to show women that they could pull off “thin woman stuff.” Because people are like, “I love Kylie Jenner, but I could never wear that.” So I’m just trying to show by example, and eliminate the “I could never wear that” vibe.
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HB: Along with size inclusivity, how would you like to see the fashion industry innovate and better champion diversity?
KS: I think we’re in a moment of tokenism right now, to an extent. Which is better than where we were, [but] it’s not as great as where we’re going. I’d like to see people who are selected to represent different brands because of something–because of what they stand for, their relationship with a brand, or that they embody the spirit of the brand. I want to see more of that and less of the “We need to cast an Asian girl.”
Then in turn, as we evolve these campaigns and the messaging, people need to be less call-out culture as we move forward. I want it to be less angry every time there is an attempt at diversity.
HB: Now that it’s officially summer, what are some of your fashion staples this season?
KS: Birkenstocks and caftans, which is why we made three of them. I will be wearing a lot of headbands this summer because you can wear your hair back, but it’s like you have something. I typically like light jewelry in the summer. I just get really hot.
HB: You’ve designed collections, inspired women with your blog, and founded your wellness line Megababe. What do you hope to check off your bucket list next?
KS: I think there’s something in fitness. I think it’s coming for me. I think the Stitch Fix collection is major because we’re doing four of them, so we get to dip into all of our dreams and fantasies for clothes we can’t find. And again, maybe making more staple clothes and less trend-driven clothes. I’m hoping these are pieces people will keep in their closets.
Check out the full collection below.
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