I’ve written before about how much I love the doodles in Frankie mag, and also how much I love the people who post to the Fatshionista Livejournal communtiy. So imagine my joy when I found someone who combined the two, and who has a lot of things to say – and owns the dress of my dreams. Meet Natalie, and please feel free to buy me some of her prints!
1. Can you tell us about how you became a freelance designer? And what does your average day consist of?
I had been an in-house graphic designer for a couple of years, and a number of things (including stress and work related RSI) brought me to the conclusion that I’d probably be happier having a break and doing my own thing. I’m very lucky to have a supportive husband who thinks I’m incredible, and he’s been so awesome and understanding! I started out doing very typical graphic design for print, but this year I decided that I’d like to fully integrate my own illustrative style with graphic design. It was a pretty risky decision, because it’s easy to get work doing business cards and annual reports, but it just wasn’t fulfilling anything in me. Now I get to do lettering and doodly layout work for magazines, films and websites!
2. Where do you find your inspirations?
I’m very inspired by things I remember from my childhood, like my Nana’s furniture, frames, and art. I also love fashion and typography, and like to interpret things through my own hand. I also find myself very stimulated by academic things like feminism, physics and biology.
3. You have another blog, the Axis of Fat. Can you give us a beginner’s guide to what Fat Acceptance is?
The Fat Acceptance movement is about challenging people’s conception of fat people as lazy, incompetent and slobby (or any other number of really negative connotations). Societal shaming of fat people (to lose weight, to make themselves invisible) is a horrible and dehumanising thing, and it’s one of the reasons why I am so passionate about Fat Acceptance (or, FA). On an individual level, I like to think of FA as accepting yourself as a valid human being with the same human rights as other people, because so many fat people intuitively negate and deny themselves just because they are “bad” (according to society, the government and the media) and that often leads to problems that extend well beyond the “issue” of fatness (because mental health is health too!)
Many people accuse me of being “pro fat” when that is completely incorrect. I’m actually pro-human being, whatever one’s natural body shape. I don’t believe a fat woman should be shamed, nor do I believe a slim woman should be shamed. Bodies will find their own natural weight – there are many fat people who exercise regularly and eat healthfully, just as there are many slim people who do not exercise regularly or eat healthfully. I believe all human beings should exercise their self awareness and listen to their bodies!
4. What do you wear/do to make yourself feel good?
I love to dress up, and I have worn any number of ridiculous outfits to social engagements! This is part of my whole “fancy lady” ethos. I have observed that society wants to make fat people invisible, and when I become “fancy” I become incredibly visible! Clothes, shoes, hair, makeup and accessories all form part of my dressing up, and I honestly can’t say I’ve ever received flack for it. For me, it’s empowering and fun to be ridiculous!
5. How would you define pretty?
I think prettiness is about integrity, self awareness and self expression, and it doesn’t have to be an obvious thing. Some people have a slow, bubbling prettiness and their shyness or introversion add to their beauty. Other people have a massive, ball-busting aura of fabulosity, and it’s just as attractive!
Yay. I love Natalie, she’s so fancy.
I love the fimo cameo in the video! And I want bangs just like Natalie’s.