Charl Brown

I was 14 when I first discovered the film “10 Things I hate About You”. I was already an avid romance fan who had watched every modern romance film there was on Netflix, so I had no choice but to move on to the classics (I may have also been deep in a Heath Ledger Obsession phase).

Kat Stratford was one of the most relatable characters I had ever come across. Growing up as an opinionated eldest daughter who would argue everything from politics to eating my peas, but was a secret lover girl at heart, Kat Stratford was the role model I had always been looking for.

 When watching films, I always found the main female lead was a little bit of a push over and that had never been relatable to me (Typical male directors).

But the thing that really had a choke hold on me was her style. I was OBSESSED.

When I was 14 mom jeans had just come in and I just knew that was not for me, but neither were those skinny jeans that made you lose all circulation in your legs.

Sadly, the world went into lockdown just before I turned 15, but luckily, I had all the time in the world to obsess over my style and take inspiration from Kat.

Everything she wore had and still does have a choke hold on me. From perfectly fitted baggy cargos to long skirts and those platform sandals It still excites me now. To own her wardrobe would be a dream. Whenever I go to a party, I think of the outfit she wore to Bogie Lowenstein’s party, I’m yet to create a party look so effortless. Maybe now her outfits are not that ground-breaking, but they will always be imbedded in pop-culture and romance films.

Another thing I remember that really had a chokehold on me was her hair as someone who spends a lot of time in the sun and sea in the summer my hair would always reach the same level of wavy as her. Naturally my hair is slightly textured if looked after right but the years of a hair straightener has slightly killed that.

Kat Stratford had a slick back before it was cool, she also had singular plaits in her hair that blended in with her waves. The summer of 2022 when I was 16 all I did was wear my hair like that. I thought I was the coolest girl ever and that a Heath Ledger dupe would fall in love with me (He didn’t).

Sometimes even now when I’ve lost all style inspiration I have and have no clue what to wear I look to Kat Stratford for inspiration, and it always leads me to an outfit that I love.

Kat Stratford will always be an icon to me even when im 58 Years old.

Bisous Charl x