the og cool girl
The woman that rules my Pinterest feed, my style icon, my bottomless pit of inspiration, Miss Kate Moss. Moss has ruled the fashion landscape since the early 1990s, debuting numerous designers’s seasonal capsules with her unique features and striking attitude. I have always had a special admiration for any piece of work that involves said female legend.
I discovered Kate Moss when I first became interested in the world of modeling — and I was immediately hooked. In true “cool girl” fashion, she was always classy without being too done up, known while somehow being unknown, and feminine without being too “girly.” I don’t use the term “It Girl” lightly, but Kate Moss may just be the OG.
The more I dove into the masteries of art that was Kate Moss’ editorial photography, the more I fell in love with the process itself. Holding nearly 127 Vogue covers under her belt, Moss has ruled the editorial landscape since she landed her first jobs with Calvin Klein — and she continues to dominate nearly 20 years later.
But why was the world so taken with her? What made Kate Moss so special in the world of modeling, and especially the world of fashion? Why her? For me, the answer has always been simple, there’s genuinely no one else that does it like her.
Whether she’s seen on the runway, or strolling down a street, Moss is distinctive, always standing out from the crowd. As a middle school girl obsessed with the modeling world, she reigned supreme in my mind. What stood out the most about Kate, apart from her air of cool girl energy, was her effortless style. She exuded an aura of style and grace, without seeming like too much thought was put into each decision process of an outfit. While she wasn’t dressing in any groundbreaking manner, she somehow always looked as though she was just coming off a runway.
About a year ago, I curated a page on Pinterest titled simply “Kate Moss and Kate Moss Only,” filling my screen with endless style influence. I will openly admit that growing up, picking out an outfit took time, blood, sweat, and sometimes, tears. Yet funnily enough, the outfits that I threw on at the last minute out of sheer instinct made me more confident and self-assured than the ones I spent hours curating and stewing over.
As someone who spends half their life scrolling Pinterest and every online store known to man, I narrowed down some of my favorite outfits from the icon herself, ranging across two decades. Moss never took herself too seriously, which translated into her effortless, cool girl flair that inspired me to follow in the same fashion footsteps. Breaking each of them down for you, this is a post tailored simply to those who are trying to scratch that fashion inspo itch.
1/11 - Starting out strong with a look from 1993. That jacket makes me want to learn how to sew to immediately replicate one for myself. This could easily go down as one of my favorite outfits of Kate’s.
2/11 - This may not count as a true “outfit” per se, but it felt wrong not to include one of my most beloved Kate Moss photos into the mix! Her graphic tee, underwear combo is a classic, and one that I funnel into my every day, winding-the-day-down wardrobe. How can you not feel flirty and fun looking at this pic?!
3/11 - The neutral color palate of this look, mashed with the various, opposing textures, is truly what makes this outfit so special and so unique. The camel coat overtop the black lace and satin ensemble is truly chef’s kiss. Adding to my Fall/Winter outfit Pinterest board ASAP!
4/11 - Every piece in this outfit screams mid-90’s style — from the chunky, silver choker, to the straight-leg blue jeans, and of course, the leopard tote to top it all off. This outfit is chic, yet fun on so many levels, and such an easy throw on for a chill day on the town.
5/11 - The queen of fur coats, Miss Kate Moss. With images as effortlessly artistic as these, even her candid moments feel plotted. Moss is the perfect reminder that a faux fur coat can always be a last minute throw on to elevate any look.
6/11 - Stripes, stripes, stripes, and oh yeah, STRIPES. Plus, what is a Kate Moss look without a pair of funky sunnies? I have an obsession with this shirt, and that translates into the numerous striped tees I have purchased in an attempt to recreate such look. You simply can’t go wrong. Pair a striped t-shirt or long sleeve with some vintage Levi’s, and you have the perfect classic fit with a touch of personality.
7/11 - Baby blue midi dress, low-waist belt, black tights matched with knee-length black boots — what more can I say besides perfection? She’s on the go, but she’s going to look good doing so!
8/11 - Easily one of Kate Moss’ most iconic looks: micro mini shorts, a long, fitted vest, black studded belt — I credit her with single handedly making rain boots a fashion statement. This look from the 2005 Glastonbury festival is the perfect example of form versus function — yet plot twist, Moss managed marry the two together in a singular outfit. Catch me redoing this exact outfit the next time it’s 89* and rainy in NYC!
9/11 - There’s not much more I can comment on this photo than what is so apparent at first glance. This biker girl chic look is just one of many ways Kate can make a simple piece so elevated through the use of accessorizing.
10/11 - The year is 2006, the outfit is timeless. Boatneck grey shirt, vintage brown leather belt with a hammered silver buckle, wide leg flare jeans with a front pocket detail, and open toe sandals — a true masterpiece. The look screams sophistication, with Kate’s quintessential cool girl aura. The beauty is always in the details.
11/11 - Finishing off oh so strong with an animal print moment. If there’s two things Kate understands in fashion, it’s how to make any outfit somehow still work with a sweater tied around the waist, and how to pull off the sleekest, clean girl/ grunge girl makeup look. This deserves a 10/10, but so do they all, honestly!