Happy Earth Day 2022, Smarties! This year’s theme is “Invest in our Planet.” Kerri Cooley, owner of the fashion brand Awful Pretty, helps us do just that –– while looking stylish, too. She creates intentionally handmade small-batch quality garments. And raises two adolescent boys (a job in and of itself.)
Editor’s Note: This has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Q. You’ve made your career in slow fashion. Explain to us what this means and how it benefits the environment.
A. “Slow” describes both the speed at which I create items and the intentionality of the process. I deliberately aim to create garments that can be long-lasting and multitasking. The idea is to focus on quality over quantity, wasting less, and learning how to repurpose your idea of fashion into something that can be kept for longer than a season and worn in more adaptive aspects. For instance, that spring dress you just bought can be worn with a slouchy pullover sweater and boots –– smack in the middle of winter!
Q. How do you plan to celebrate Earth Day this year? How do you strive to honor it regularly?
Cooley and her two sons.
A. Having kids really brought waste (specifically regarding my own) onto my radar. I felt compelled to right the wrong of how much we throw away (well, at least try to balance it!) Plastic toys, diapers, gobs and gobs of clothes they quickly outgrow can get out of control. We try to solve environmental issues with new innovations, but I feel pretty strongly the best way to battle them is to focus on less: buy less, drive less, waste less. That will always be my goal for honoring the earth. To pay attention to what I’m doing and what the consequences of that might be. Nature is absolutely my main source of inspiration; I can’t imagine my life or the lives of future generations without the beauty I’ve always known.
Q. Much of your fabric is the Poppy Whitaker brand. Tell us about your partnership with this other female-owned company.
A. Poppy Whitaker is my full time job. It is both my main income source and my outlet for an amazing friendship with owner Jamie Barker! I work a lot on my own, but our best (and most fun) days are when we are working together. Jamie is unbelievably supportive; she has been really adaptive to giving me space to grow Awful Pretty. Working for her has been a one-of-a-kind sort of position to be in, and I’ve been so grateful to get to be a part of her company. We design and make mainly children’s clothing, which was not originally my “wheelhouse.” But it has always been a space for learning and being inspired by another woman brave enough to take on running her own business.
Q. What has it taken to transform your vision for Awful Pretty to reality? How did you come up with the name and how would you define the Awful Pretty look?
A. Honestly, a lot of it is just capital H: Hustle. I’ve always had the capacity to do this, I just didn’t have the support I needed to keep myself going. Again, working with Jamie has provided my main income, and having other supportive people in my corner makes up the rest of any success I’ve had. Awful Pretty has been in my head for years, maybe even since high school when I learned to sew. I started sewing as a teenager, because I wanted to create an expressive look for myself. I am pretty introverted, but I have big thoughts and big ideas; I wanted conversation clothing to help express the person I really am. What I’ve discovered in starting this business is how relatable that is for so many others. I love bright colors and interesting prints and fabrics, and I love putting them together in interesting ways. My fashion says, “I don’t take myself too seriously–but I’m confident enough to take polite risks out loud.” As for the name, my dad is responsible. He used to see me on my way out the door to go to school and tell me I looked “awful pretty.” To which I would respond with, “Thanks! You look pretty awful yourself.” My business name honors my relationship with my dad, and who doesn’t love a good, nerdy oxymoron?
Q. You’re a mom too. How do you maintain work/life harmony? Where do you struggle in parenting, and where do you shine? What is it like having only sons while operating a female clothing line?
A. Well, I’m not sure how well I do that work/life harmony thing, but I tweak it often. So I guess the goal would be for it to adapt over time into something that is realistic and enjoyable. I don’t make a lot of garments for my boys; they’ve loved my crazy Halloween costumes over the years, but at 12 and 13 we’re definitely coming to the end of that. Mostly I’d say it’s been wonderfully beneficial to be a maker, alongside mothering. Seeing me work has allowed them to push gender norms and explore their own creativity. All types of art and making have always been encouraged in my house, and yes, we have a disastrous mess (often mine) on most days. But I think the benefits are worthwhile. Making things encourages problem solving skills and pushes our brains to new ideas and processes. It also creates a beautiful space of genuinely earned pride and wonder. I still get that feeling after crafting something new. It’s a feeling that battles back at commonplace anxieties and self doubt –– and boy, do our kids need that now more than ever!
Q. How do you hope your business continues to evolve?
A. I have recently started designing my own fabrics and having them printed by the NC-local company, Spoonflower. My goal is to incorporate more of these fabrics into my designs for the future. I love that it is printed per order (again, less waste created.) Being intentional about fashion starts with the fabrics, and this company works hard to source and print ethically. So far, my exclusively-designed fabrics have been some of my most popular items, so I feel good that I’m heading in the right direction. We often use them at Poppy Whitaker as well, and I’m hoping to learn screen printing in the near future to expand on that.
Restyled Strawberry Midi Ruffle Dress
Q. Any hot weather haute couture tips for the fashion-challenged? Where can we get our hands on your goods? Tips for those of us who are hesitant to purchase clothing online and feel we must try on in real life?
A. So the main thing here is to let yourself be comfortable –– but don’t be afraid to try new things. People are really afraid of crop tops, but have you tried it with a really high-waisted skirt? You might be surprised at how flattering that is on many different body types. Another trick is throwing a t-shirt over a sleeveless dress. It can really extend your wardrobe to mix unexpected items, like a graphic tee over a pretty sundress. Casual enough to wear to your child’s ball game or swim meet, but so much better than shorts since a breeze up your skirt can be a life-saver on boiling summer days!
Shop Awful Pretty on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/AwfulPretty or Insta @awful.pretty.
3 comments
I love this dress!! I can’t wait to dive in and read this interview!!!
Great responses to detailed questions – Kerri is very creative – always has been – even when she was a little girl! I’m so proud of who she is & what she does!! She has been seeing since Miller school when she asked me (mom) to teach her to see! The rest is history! She’s definitely gifted & I look forward to seeing what she creates with each new release! I have many of her beautiful items in my own closet!
She has always been creative, bold and full of great ideas, and; she loves her work. Her personality and character can definitely be seen in her creations.