Here is an interview I conducted with feminist fashion blogger, Arabelle Sicardi. In short, she is a total badass. From her unique style, to her multicolored hair, to her poised and elusive way of speaking, she is the kind of person that will draw attention for all the right reasons. I’ll let you see for yourself:

What periods of your life do you think you developed (intellectually, artistically, emotionally) most as a person?

It’s so cliche but I developed the most when I was really depressed – I write and create the most when I’m miserable and need someone to talk to but don’t want to. Being alone with myself is my favorite thing, but it can also be a trap. Being inside yourself for too long can wear a hole in your head psychologically, you know? I would sit in my attic for like, nine hours without moving, cutting and sewing and drawing and writing, with no music, just my own thoughts. It was a scary place but I felt very alive. I’m glad I’m not at that point anymore but I appreciate what came out of it. Everything felt more important because I knew that it was helping me survive and get up the next morning. Getting out of bed always felt like an accomplishment.

What kinds of people gravitate to you?

It really depends on what setting I’m in. In fashion, outsiders gravitate towards me, people who are trying something different, they look a little strange, something is always “off” – more patterns, less matching. Rebels. I seek them out too when I can, I think we understand each other. I am always on the fringe of something, especially in the fashion industry. I’m not comfortable in the center.

When people don’t know you very well, they probably use a few buzzwords to sum you up (dyed-hair, feminist, fashionista, et cetera). If I were to ask a close friend of yours to describe you, what story or experience would they tell to give a more full picture of you?

It depends on who you ask, really – my friends are all really different and from different parts of my life. They don’t really mix – I have friends I’ve met in school, which are different than friends I’ve met in fashion, which are different from the friends I’ve met in the art world and from writing. They’ve all seen different parts of my world but not the whole picture. You’d have to ask them.

What motivated you to publish your fashion and writing work on the internet in the first place?

I had no other place to put it. It felt logical because I knew if I kept a paper journal I really wouldn’t update it, and no one would see it. I’d been reading fashion blogs for a bit and wanted to join the conversation on my own platform (and no one in real life would put up with me).

What goals do you have for yourself in the future?

I don’t really set “goals.” I basically just want to do what I want and be happy and get paid enough to survive doing it. Maybe I’d work in New York in the beauty or fashion industry, or continue to write. I’ll just see where this road takes me. The only “solid” goal I have for the next six years is to get six more pieces to add to my CDG collection. Ten pieces by the time I’m twenty-five. A mini wardrobe.

What is currently strewn across your desk?

A hairbrush, lotion, and eyelash curler, headphones, my notebook. I’m in the middle of getting ready for class.

What is your Arabelle signature go-to outfit?

This one - I don’t think I’ve ever properly photographed it for the blog though. It’s a blazer, a leather harness, a cropped eyeball-collared shirt and high-waisted lace skirt with some black leather sneaker heels. I think I must wear it or some variation once a week.

What are some mannerisms you have?

I talk with my hands, I have terrible posture, I space out a lot. When I’m drunk, I rub my hair onto people and give them purple stains on their hands and hide my head in my sweater a lot. I used to stutter terribly but not anymore.

In what surprising ways have you found connections between fashion and feminism?

Not so surprising, I just find that fashion gives me feminist agency. I’ve explored this relationship between fashion and feminism frequently in the past.

What is your favorite color of cat?

BLACK CATS FOREVER

You can find Arabelle all over the place. She can be found as a fashion blogger at Fashion Pirate, as a writer at Rookie Magazine, and as a student running around New Jersey.