Mighty Closet: Natalie Holbrook

Photo by Rebecca Baust of The Daily Muse, who deserves some high fives.

The first time I saw Natalie of Nat The Fat Rat, she was wearing a huge white tulle skirt and a Raglan sleeve skirt at the ALT White Party. In a room full of designers, she kinda won that party. Let’s take a look at her outfit:

Right? Right!? Slow clap, Natalie.

I could tell just by looking at her that she had a sense of humor, and my brain whispered, “Heeeey. Hey. Will you be my friend?” as I passed by her. Without making eye contact.

Fortunately, a few months later, Sarah Bryden-Brown hosted a Sunday Supper, and Natalie plopped right down next to me. She’s been writing online since 2003, and said she’d been reading Mighty Girl for years. We talked and laughed all night.

Bam! Friended up.

Over the years, Natalie’s site has catalogued her struggles with infertility, the joyful birth of her son Huck, and her life in New York with her husband Holbs. She’s a full-time mum who still loves dressing well, and one of my favorite things about her site is all the photos of her pushing a stroller around with her maxi-skirt fluttering in the wind.

In person, Natalie is just as kind, but much more dangerous than she is on her site. Admit it, Miss Natalie! There’s a midnight skinny-dipper in there. I see through your hipster Sandra-Dee act, and your closet does too.

Many thanks to Rebecca Baust of The Daily Muse for taking the lovely photos and bringing Natalie’s happy face over here.

Take it away, Ms. Holbrook:

I’m the kind of person who is completely in love with the idea of a minimalist “uniform” when it comes to getting dressed. There is something so emotionally satisfying to me about a really well edited, perfectly considered closet. In fact, when I was in high school, I took this idea very, very seriously. (Not surprisingly, I took *everything* very, very, oh so very seriously in high school). I felt sure that I was going to define myself through my wardrobe, and that I could pick just one look and really commit to it all the way. Otherwise, how would I know who I was? But I could never decide what that should be. It used to give me such grief. Uh, I was a little intense about things back then. I slowly figured out that, as much as I wish I did, I just don’t work that way. It turns out I am a total maximalist in the closet. I need about a million different options in the morning when I’m getting dressed, because every day I like to be someone different. Picking out clothes for the day is the ultimate game of dress up. I finally learned to stop taking it so seriously, and to just have some fun.

That said, there are a few pieces in my closet that I gravitate to over and over and over. And here they are!

At my very heart and soul, I am a jeans and a tee shirt girl. I’m also real short-like, so I rarely wear flats. These shoes are zippy, huh! They’re from Forever 21. (Shhh, my WHOLE CLOSET is Forever 21.)

Something I’ve learned about myself: If you were to hold me at gunpoint and tell me I could only wear one kind of shirt for the rest of my life, I would choose the baseball tee. Because baseball tees are freaking sexy, is why.

Tee: Target
Jeans: J.Crew Matchstick Crop
Shoes: Forever 21

I’m on a mission to bring back the overalls. Won’t you join me?

Wanna know why overalls are rad? Millions of pockets.

Top: Forever 21
Overalls: ASOS
Hat: Forever 21
Heels: Madewell
Head scarf: Missoni for Target

Okay but if you held me at gunpoint and told me I could pick two kinds of shirts, the second kind would be stripy kind.

Also I have four pleated skirts of various colors.

This blush one is my favorite.

Top: Madewell
Skirt: eBay
Shoes: Forever 21
Hat: Forever 21
Bag: Zara

This dress was the single most exciting purchase of my life.

As a seasoned Forever 21 shopper, this was the most I’ve ever spent on a dress, and I’ll never do it again either, I swear it. My goal is to get the cost per wear down to about four bucks, so I’ve been practically living in it.

Luckily it happens to be the perfect dress, so I haven’t minded.

Dress: Madewell
Shoes: Kork-Ease
Bag: Zara
Hat: Forever 21

I don’t get a whole lot of excuses to dress up, unless you count going to church on Sundays.

I like my fancier things to be just this side of almost-too-casual-to-work.

I also believe strongly there is nothing that can’t be made better with denim.

Top: Walmart
Skirt: Anthropologie
Shoes: Forever 21
Belt: J.Crew
Watch: Michael Kors
Bracelets: Madewell, Forever 21

Natalie, I kiss your face. Thank you so much for all your hard work putting this post together. And thanks again to Rebecca too.

Maybe I can’t figure out how to make a pair of overalls look this good, but I’m finally going to buy a damn maxi skirt. I can hear your evil laugh from here.