BagLady of Style: Kathryn Nurse of www.citiesandislands.com

BagLady Basics Sleeveless Denim Dress

Name: Kathryn Nurse
Current City: Port of Spain, Trinidad
Occupation: Cosmetic Chemist amongst other things. 

How would you describe your style:
Easy Island.

If you had to wear one outfit everyday, what would it be?
Some sort of dress or anything combined with a J Crew V-Neck

Who or what influences/inspires your style? 
Traveling, bloggers, magazines. I love trends in a very visual sense but when it comes to my actual purchases I keep it way simpler than that.

Have there been any obstacles that you've had to overcome as a young business woman? 
Yes. Learning to get over disappointment and keep it moving despite them. 

What does being a BagLady mean to you? 
Someone who makes an investment in their comfort and who dresses for them self. . ​

BagLady Basics Sleeveless Denim Dress

What do you like most about our garments?
Their ease, their comfort and the way they can transform from casual to elegant with the right accessories.

How does your current lifestyle affect the clothes you wear? 
My day is filled with lots of different responsibilities so whatever I wear needs to keep me cool (it’s hot in Trinidad) and needs to easily transition from 8 am in the morning to 8 pm in the night. So many times I’ve wanted to wear something in the morning but I knew I didn’t have time to come home and change before I teach class in the evening, so I have to hang it back up.

What countries have you visited? 
China, Italy, France, US, Canada, St. Lucia, Barbados, Venezuela, Spain, Jamaica, UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland.

Do you pack light when you travel? 
I wish I knew how.

Do you have any tips for packing light? 
Yes. Don’t be me. 

BagLady Basics Sleeveless Denim Dress

Have your travels shaped your style in anyway? 
I remember going to Europe and being in school with Europeans in my bright Caribbean colours and feeling very … obvious. Since then I’ve toned down my style but still found ways to represent my Caribbean roots in more sophisticated ways. 

Have you ever been afraid of expressing your personal style?
Yes. I constantly overthink whether something is too much for my little local landscape. Sometimes I say eff it and do my thing anyway, but a lot of the times I tone it down. It’s sad but I sometimes feel it’s easier to express personal style when I’m outside of home. It’s a total work in progress for me. 

What’s one thing that you’re proud of doing/accomplishing? 
Managing to maintain my little business for 4 years and slowly growing it.

What would you say to your 18 year old self?
It’s SO not that serious. Oh and go to fashion school.

What's the best advice you’ve ever gotten? 
“Go in yuh bed” lol it doesn’t seem very deep like the quotes all over Instagram, but my father basically saw me one night cramming for an exam in the middle of the night and he told me unless you are rested properly, none of this information will be useful to you and all this hard work will be wasted. Therefore, “go in yuh bed.” Since then, I think that proper sleep and being well rested is so important for the work I do. 

Do you have any advice for our readers?
Just not to overthink things too much and to enjoy each moment as you have it. My memory of all the experiences I’ve had is really patchy because I’m always focused on the next thing the next thing the next thing. Instead of just being in the moment and loving whatever you’re going through.

BagLady Basics Sleeveless Denim Dress