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Interview with T

Today’s interview is with the lovely and very charming and accomplished T. T instantly won me over when she described herself to me as a “homebody who loves cats”. How cool of a description is that? As someone whose idea of a good time involves my couch, wine, giant Twix bars and Veronica Mars, T’s words definitely spoke to me as a secret introvert.

T is accomplished (she’s a dentist!), loves cats, and has fabulous style and a closet to match. Enjoy meeting her!

Hermes Kelly clutch and lizard Louboutins

Who are you? What do you do, and where do you live?

Hi! My name is T. I am a dentist. Currently, I live in the southeast United States with my husband, four beloved cats, and one stray cat who comes to our house daily to eat and nap on our front porch. Haha.

Rose Shocking Birkin with Rene Caovilla sandals

Can you share some of your favorite bags you have, and the stories behind them? 

I love, love chevre leather from Hermes!  My father designed my very first special order, a 30cm birkin in Chevre Mysore with a Rose Shocking exterior, and Violet interior. This bag is special to me, and I use it on a weekly basis. Two other favorites of mine are a 30cm Birkin in Pink and Gris, also in Chevre Mysore, and a 30cm Birkin in Fuchsia ostrich. What can I say…I love pink! Pink bags are so fun to carry in the spring and summer.

Hermes Kelly Ghillies

I recently received my first Kelly bag, a 32cm Ghillies in Argile and Etoupe swift. The workmanship on this Kelly is truly amazing! I think I am falling in love with the Kelly. Finally, I adore my white Jige Elan. I have never considered a white Jige Elan until it came to me in a dream! When I called my sales associate to tell her about my dream, she sent me the clutch. It is my work horse clutch. I take it everywhere, including to hair and nail salons.

You are clearly an Hermes fan. What was your very first item from them and where is it today?

My first Hermes item was a 35cm black Birkin in Togo, with gold hardware. Although it was a beautiful classic piece, the bag did not suit me. 35cm is just too big for my small frame. I’m five feet tall. I was able to find a good home for that bag. Now, all my Birkins are 30cm. Live and learn.

Hermes cuff bracelets

You’re also a lover of Hermes jewelry. Can you share some of your collection? What do you love about it?

Hermes makes wonderful jewelry. I love that their silver pieces are well made, very solid, and not at all flimsy.  My favorite pieces are the Rose de Mer necklace, the Confetti necklace, and just about all of the silver cuffs. I adore Hermes cuffs, and can’t get enough of them! They have a chic and edgy vibe. I tend to dress very simple and casual, so my Hermes jewelry items help to spice up my outfits.

Van Cleef jewelry

T and her beautiful Frivole and Flower Lace earrings

What’s another  favorite jewelry brand for you?  Have you added anything to your collection lately? 

I adore Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry! Their pieces are so feminine. I just wished I started collecting them years ago, when their prices were reasonable. Now, they are just absurd.

I love, love Van Cleef earrings. I wear my pave Frivole earrings so frequently, that I wanted a second pair of earrings to alternate with the pave Frivole. I was debating between the small Cosmos and small Flower Lace earrings. I chose the small Flower Lace earrings because the lacy design helps the earrings to feel more fun and casual. I try to choose jewelry that can be worn casually, during the daytime.

Can you share some of you all time, favorite items in your closet? What about the items that you use the most? 

I LIVE in my J Brand jeans! They are so comfy, and fit me well. I also wear a lot of Vince and Malo. For the hot summer months, I love simple cotton T shirts (American Eagle makes fun, summery T shirts), and cotton blouses (Tibi and Milly are great). Come to think of it, my clothes are rather simple, and predictable – white jeans, and a comfortable top.

Can you share a piece of advice about shopping/budgeting/building the perfect closet that you’ve learned over the years?

First and foremost, try to choose items that are comfortable for you and your lifestyle. The old saying holds true–if you feel good, then you will look good. I try not to invest big bucks in trendy items. I think it is such a waste to spend thousands of dollars on a piece of clothing that I will only wear for one season. I prefer to invest in pieces that are classic to me, such as handbags, shoes, jackets, and cashmere tops. I still wear the Malo sweaters that I purchased when I was in dental school, and that was over 12 years ago!

My mother taught me, at an early age, that heathy skin makes the best accessory. I try to take care of my skin, and avoid the sun, so I won’t not need Botox, haha. My favorite skin care lines are La Prairie, Sisley-Paris, and Skinceuticals.

How about a piece of life advice?

I don’t know if I should be giving life advice. I’m still learning! I try to find what is important to me, what makes me happy, and focus on those things. At this stage in my life, I’m just too old to worry about what other people think. And I know this is kind of depressing, but I learned that nothing lasts forever. When my mother passed away at the age of 56, I learned that time is finite. I am thankful of each and everyday that I have with my family, and my cats.

What are some of your other passions and hobbies? 

When I was younger, I enjoyed going out, and traveling. Now, on my days off, I love staying at home, playing with my cats, and spending time with my family. My ideal vacation is staying home, relaxing in bed with a good book, surrounded by my cats. And listening to my husband as he cooks in the kitchen.

T’s adorable cats

I know you love cats! Can you share more about that?

I love my cats! My husband claims that I love my cats more than I love him. He might be correct, haha! Many of my cats had a rough start in life, so it is impossible for me not to spoil them.  Little Dude was thrown out of a moving car when he was a few weeks old. My husband rescued him, and gifted him to me as a birthday present. Toonie was living in a shelter. And Eileen, my youngest, was abandoned at a park because she could not walk on her hind legs. When we found Eileen, she was 3/4th of a pound. Poor baby. Although she still cannot walk on her hind legs, she scoots around very fast, and manages to boss my other cats.

Hermes Medor clutch and Louboutins

Finally…please share something surprising about yourself! 

I am a romance novel junkie! Haha. I read about two romance novels a week. Currently, my favorite authors are Mary Balogh, Mary Jo Putney, and Laura Kinsale.

Isn’t T lovely? And how can you not admire a woman who orders an item because she remembered it from a dream? That’s my dream to be able to do one day! I adore that T such an animal lover and is so kind to animals…to me it’s definitely a mark of great character. Thank you T for sharing some of your life and beautiful style with us today, and thank you all for reading along!

43 Comments

  • Reply
    Sonya
    August 29, 2012 at 8:25 am

    My husband calls me the crazy cat lady around the house too. T doesn’t live in CT by any chance does she?

    • Reply
      Katherine
      August 29, 2012 at 9:25 am

      I’m not sure but I’ll let her reply! 🙂

  • Reply
    adele
    August 29, 2012 at 8:36 am

    Another interesting lady…where do you find them all Katherine!! And what a gorgeous Hermes collection.
    Happy Wednesday Hun xoxo
    http://www.intotheblonde.com/
    Vote intotheblonde BEST LIFESTYLE BLOG in the Cosmo Blog Awards 2012
    http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/blog-awards-2012-vote

  • Reply
    laura
    August 29, 2012 at 9:52 am

    T, i wish you lived closer – we’d so be friends!

    thanks for sharing this! 🙂

    • Reply
      Katherine
      August 29, 2012 at 9:54 am

      Ha I love this comment! I said the same thing to her 🙂

  • Reply
    chanello
    August 29, 2012 at 10:05 am

    Cats are having their fashion moment. 😉 There’s no shame in being a crazy cat lady.
    As Jason Wu said, Cats are very chic. That’s why it’s called a catwalk- not a dogwalk.

    • Reply
      Katherine
      August 29, 2012 at 10:56 am

      Yes I know you’re another cat lover! I wish my husband weren’t allergic 🙁

  • Reply
    Call me M
    August 29, 2012 at 10:15 am

    In love with the first and the last photo! Such a great collection! Great interview too!

  • Reply
    Jan
    August 29, 2012 at 10:21 am

    Love reading about a lady dentist like myself, who LOVE H and CL shoes!

    • Reply
      Katherine
      August 29, 2012 at 10:56 am

      I remember you mentioning that! Glad to hear there are so many fashionable dentists out there 🙂

  • Reply
    Ines
    August 29, 2012 at 10:34 am

    I’M A CRAZY CAT LADY 🙂

    The little black one looks just like my Cha Cha (yes, named after the dance).

  • Reply
    Andrea D'Aria
    August 29, 2012 at 10:39 am

    What a wonderful interview! T is a very classy lady. I never get tired looking at Hermes. My one (and only!) Birkin is a black 35cm.

    • Reply
      Katherine
      August 29, 2012 at 10:53 am

      A 35cm black is THE classic bag!

  • Reply
    Ammu
    August 29, 2012 at 11:09 am

    I love her style – she seems so comfortable in her skin, it’s inspiring. Enjoyed reading this and looking at her pictures 🙂

  • Reply
    L.
    August 29, 2012 at 12:53 pm

    Another great interview….T is not only an Hermes lover, for me the highlight of this piece is her love for the cats.
    I also see myself when she says that she loves spending time at home while her husband cooks…I’m usually mocked because I usually give everything just to don’t go out and stay home with my DH.
    I agree with the comment saying that we could be friends….my grandmother used to say that we should always surround ourselves with people we admire, because they will always have the power to lift our spirits. So true…..
    Anyway, I just finished reading this interview and I can’t wait for the next one….in the end I always think: where Katherine find this so interesting ladies ? Great & Inspiring women….

    • Reply
      Katherine
      August 29, 2012 at 12:58 pm

      Thank you so much L for the thoughtful comment! T’s love for her cats and the fact that she is a homebody is what spoke to me as well and I think its’ something that many of us relate to out there. Now we all just have to find each other! 🙂

  • Reply
    phiphi
    August 29, 2012 at 2:12 pm

    Kat, i love your interviews! i admire these wonderful and amazing women we get to meet through your blog and not just because they have impeccable taste (drools) but because they sound like such down to earth, and nice people. accomplished and lovely people. i can’t wait to “meet” the next interviewee. thank you for such a great post. xox P

    phiphisblog.com

    • Reply
      Katherine
      August 29, 2012 at 4:09 pm

      Aww thank you for the kind words, phiphi!

  • Reply
    Anoushka
    August 29, 2012 at 2:41 pm

    Excellent advice! I will remember the 30 cm rule as I’m the same height!

    LUXESSED

  • Reply
    latkesanddimsum
    August 29, 2012 at 6:18 pm

    What a nice interview – the best part, besides the lovely eye candy, is the story of her cats. Her compassion towards them speaks volumes about her personality!

  • Reply
    Chic 'n Cheap Living
    August 29, 2012 at 6:20 pm

    Another lovely lady with a stunning collection (that Kelly and Medor clutch are so drool worthy!)
    But I love the tender spot she has towards her animals. Life is about having fun and beautiful things, but it is also beautiful moments with loved ones (including cats!)

    xoxo,
    Chic ‘n Cheap Living

  • Reply
    Plumtree
    August 29, 2012 at 6:27 pm

    What a lovely interview! Love her style and her very tasteful collection and especially her cats! The spotty one is gorgeous as is the little black one with the cheeky face! Your interviews are such a good read.

  • Reply
    audrinajulia
    August 29, 2012 at 7:10 pm

    Adorable interview. She does not only have a great style with great collections of colorful hermes, she have a good heart as well. I adore people who love cuddling with their pets, and treat them as their own family. It only reveals the true character of a person.

  • Reply
    Julee
    August 29, 2012 at 8:43 pm

    She loves Van Cleef Jewelry AND CATS XD?!? A woman after my own heart. <3 She's living the dream!

  • Reply
    chocolatecookiesandcandies
    August 30, 2012 at 12:37 pm

    A woman after my own heart! I’m a HUGE fan of Hermes Mysore leather. I nearly caved in due to pressure (I was terrified of the H manager in Melbourne) who’d insisted I suit a Birkin 35. Thankfully, common sense prevailed despite her wrath and I’ve stuck to a Birkin 30 since. I’ve never ever seen a Kelly Ghillies. Such a stunning bag!

    T is a woman who has material goods but still has a heart of gold. It’s so heartwarming to read about her cats. I’d love to own a VCA alhambra necklace one day. Ah yes, the ridiculous price! It wasn’t that expensive when I checked it out 7 years ago!

    BTW, to answer your question about Cornish pasty (it’s weird cos they don’t call it pastry), there are plenty of bakeries that sell them in St Ives. The queues are particularly long during lunch time. I’m not a big fan because I like the pastry to be made with shortcrust.

    • Reply
      Katherine
      August 30, 2012 at 12:51 pm

      My husband always rolls his eyes when I force him to go get pasties in London! He isn’t a huge a huge fan either but I love the chicken and mushroom!

  • Reply
    April
    August 30, 2012 at 12:55 pm

    T sounds like a wonderful lady! Her cats are sooo cute, and her Hermes and Van Cleef collections are drool worthy! Thank you, Katherine, for a great interview!

  • Reply
    Tzu-Hui
    August 30, 2012 at 2:48 pm

    Love this interview! Another Crazy Cat Lady here! Her cat stories are heartwarming, and the eye candies are amazing! T has my dream earrings–the flower lace! What a lucky lady!

    • Reply
      Katherine
      August 30, 2012 at 6:11 pm

      I know, the Flower Lace earrings are absolutely gorgeous right? Love them!

  • Reply
    ann
    August 30, 2012 at 5:18 pm

    What a great interview! I love her style! Simple, and classic. T’s cats are just adorable.

  • Reply
    kim
    August 31, 2012 at 8:47 am

    Wow! T has an amazing collection of Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry! And she has the Lotus ring! I had a chance to tried it on, and it is TDF! Someday…

  • Reply
    Sascha
    August 31, 2012 at 9:30 am

    Her cats are just too cute!

  • Reply
    Hermes cuff | Greatstatescho
    September 1, 2012 at 6:51 pm

    […] Interview with T » Feather Factor | Feather Factor […]

  • Reply
    Mary
    September 4, 2012 at 10:37 am

    Another great interview! Katherine, you find the most amazing ppl to interview–great style and solid personality! T is such a warm hearted lady! She clearly love her cats and her family! And her collection of pink birkins sounds amazing. Wish I could see them, since pink is my favorite color too! 🙂

    • Reply
      Katherine
      September 4, 2012 at 10:50 am

      Thank you Mary! So kind and yes T’s collection is amazing!

  • Reply
    margot
    September 5, 2012 at 1:59 pm

    I admire your efforts to save these cats’ lives and to give them good life-long homes more than I admire yours or any other person’s luxury collections. Treating animals well, using your money to save and home animals, and generally making the world better are such a better use of time, energy and money than buying consumer items.

    So many animals are homeless and abused – any of us could save thousands of their lives by donating just the cost of 1 purse or pair of luxury shoes to a shelter.

    • Reply
      T
      September 7, 2012 at 6:56 am

      Thank you everyone for your kind comments.

      And thank you, margot. There are many, many ways we all can help these beautiful furry babies–ASPCA, Humane Society, and local shelters to name a few. It takes so little to reach out and help these abandoned and abused babies, and yet, the rewards are priceless. XXOO.

  • Reply
    Urban Jungle Fashion
    September 9, 2012 at 12:23 am

    You already know that I live for your interviews. I love getting some glimpses of other people’s lives. I have to say that T’s accessory game is by far one of the best that I have seen!

  • Reply
    Accessorize*Me
    January 28, 2013 at 5:15 am

    Another brilliant interview!

    • Reply
      Katherine
      January 28, 2013 at 9:22 am

      Hi my friend, so glad to hear from you 🙂 T is brilliant, like you!

  • Reply
    Grace
    January 5, 2022 at 9:33 pm

    Hello.. I enjoyed reading about you.
    Can you tell me about the beautiful blue Birkin you are carrying in one of the photos? It’s beautiful!

  • Reply
    Grace
    January 5, 2022 at 9:34 pm

    Hello.. I enjoyed reading about you. Wonderful simplicity and ease of style.
    Can you tell me about the beautiful blue Birkin you are carrying in one of the photos? It’s beautiful!

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