By Sasha Moedt (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: November 6, 2013
Cats are fashion icons. It’s never been said aloud, perhaps, but now that I have, who can deny it? They have a timeless style, a classy elegance, and an aloof but mesmerising persona. They’re smooth, graceful, sleek, and dangerous.
We can’t make cats an accessory; fashion-wise, that’s the biggest difference between a cat and a dog – dogs can literally be made into accessories. But try carrying a cat around on your arm. It doesn’t work. So we can only take elements of cats’ style and incorporate it into our outfits.
Capturing the essence of the cat in your outfit will leave you with a sexy, elegant look. Here’s a few ways to give a nod to this unsung hero of fashion.
Cat prints
The big cats are the more obvious. As a rule, I’d say the bigger the cat, the smaller the print should be. For example, a tiger is one of the largest cats. Keep the print small – don’t wear tights in tiger print. The print can accentuate, but rarely should it be the centrepiece of an outfit. Wear print shoes—heels look fantastic—or break up a simple black and white outfit with a belt or shirt under a cardigan. My favourite print to work with is cheetah prints – bold dots on a tan background. Keep in mind that these prints will be your statement. Don’t wear a piece of statement jewelry; the rest of your outfit should be subtle. If you want to go bold, try blood-red lips or nail polish – sexy! Once you get into smaller cat patterns, you can go crazy, because the patterns won’t dominate an outfit the way big cat patterns do. The black and burnt orange of a tortoise-shell cat or the tri-colour calico can make up your whole outfit.
Cat eyes
You don’t have to leave Cleopatra behind along with Halloween. Bold, dark cat eyes can add a deadly spark to your outfit. Black liquid eyeliner, black mascara, and tan eye shadow make up the classic look. You can try different colours, but keep it dark. Because the eyes are so heavy, keep the rest of the make-up light. Nude lips, and a touch of dark blush under the cheekbones can make your face angular. The same goes with the rest of your outfit; if you’re wearing dramatic eyes, let that be the statement of your outfit, and keep your clothes simple and cool. I suggest wearing a cat-print shirt under a white cardigan and black pants. You can also wear cat eyes without it being overly dark; subtly flicking out the tail of your eyeliner elongates your eyes.
Fur
Don’t buy real fur. You’re a student. You can’t afford it. And karma will get you. First rule is similar to cat prints: moderation. You can have a fur collar on your jacket, on your gloves, or on your purse, but not on all of them. Only real cats can pull that off. It’s very easy to look over-the-top in fur, especially if it’s cheap stuff. Find high-quality faux fur, and you’ll get great wear out of it. My favourite faux fur item is my grey vest; the fur lines the inside, keeping me toasty, and you can see it on the collar. Make sure the piece fits well (baggy faux fur anything looks terrible), and be wary. Fur is a great statement piece if it’s fitting, small, and good quality.
