Heather as a spunky kid and as a stylish adult
For the third installment of Now and Later, the series that examines a subject's style in the past and present, I'd like to introduce you to Heather Ross. I first met Heather when I photographed her for the co-op series way back in April 2011. Since then, we've left our co-op roots, graduated college, and have become fancy working people in the city. Fortunately, Heather has not lost her sense of style along the way. She's clearly had it since the beginning.
My name is Heather and I live and work in San Francisco. By day I'm the editor of Healthline News, and after hours I design jewelry.
My parents, to their credit, let me wear just about whatever I wanted to as a kid, which meant I went through every phase in the book: punk, goth (for a hot minute), grungy, girlie, hippie, hipster, and "screw this, I'm late for school." I also had (and still have) a huge collection of theater costumes, so I played dress-up constantly as a child. In fact, I've never really stopped.
Today, I'd say I'm firmly on the hipster spectrum, though I still like to experiment—some days a bit more boho, others more punk, and the rest pretty feminine. And I never shy away from BIG—big hats, big rings, and big statements.
Did you have any style icons growing up? How about now?
As a very little kid, Esmeralda from my favorite movie "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" was the end-all be-all. In high school, I idolized the "dolls," a group of girls with bobbed hair cuts who shopped at Urban Outfitters before I knew what that was.
Nowadays, I read tons of street style blogs (The Sartorialist, Vanessa Jackman, Chictopia, Lookbook, and of course Work It, Berk), and Anne-Catherine Frey may be my biggest fashion crush. I also really admire my mother, who in addition to collecting all those costumes for me, also made and modified many of her own clothes.
In middle and high school I was a big proponent of the "try on everything in your closet until something comes together, then add Chucks" method of dressing. Now I try to dive into my overstuffed closet with a purpose. I'll either find a picture of what I'm going for and try to recreate it, or I'll find an item I really want to wear and build an outfit around it.
See more of Heather on her blog and Facebook page for her jewelry line.
Pssst! Have you heard our September Playlist?
What's your name? What do you do? Where do you live? (In other words, A/S/L?)
My name is Heather and I live and work in San Francisco. By day I'm the editor of Healthline News, and after hours I design jewelry.
What was your style like as a kid? How would you describe it now?
My parents, to their credit, let me wear just about whatever I wanted to as a kid, which meant I went through every phase in the book: punk, goth (for a hot minute), grungy, girlie, hippie, hipster, and "screw this, I'm late for school." I also had (and still have) a huge collection of theater costumes, so I played dress-up constantly as a child. In fact, I've never really stopped.
Today, I'd say I'm firmly on the hipster spectrum, though I still like to experiment—some days a bit more boho, others more punk, and the rest pretty feminine. And I never shy away from BIG—big hats, big rings, and big statements.
Did you have any style icons growing up? How about now?
As a very little kid, Esmeralda from my favorite movie "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" was the end-all be-all. In high school, I idolized the "dolls," a group of girls with bobbed hair cuts who shopped at Urban Outfitters before I knew what that was.
Nowadays, I read tons of street style blogs (The Sartorialist, Vanessa Jackman, Chictopia, Lookbook, and of course Work It, Berk), and Anne-Catherine Frey may be my biggest fashion crush. I also really admire my mother, who in addition to collecting all those costumes for me, also made and modified many of her own clothes.
How has your approach to dressing changed?
In middle and high school I was a big proponent of the "try on everything in your closet until something comes together, then add Chucks" method of dressing. Now I try to dive into my overstuffed closet with a purpose. I'll either find a picture of what I'm going for and try to recreate it, or I'll find an item I really want to wear and build an outfit around it.
See more of Heather on her blog and Facebook page for her jewelry line.
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