Style Profile: Turn the Lens Around

Fate and a charming dose of shyness have conspired to position thirty-year-old Kristeen Wurtele at the business end of the camera, where she’s perfectly at ease dressed in a strict, minimalist palette. But her fresh good looks, glamorous genes and expert eye for style make it more than fitting to focus a lens on her for a change.

Kristeen with her Nikon D90 at the Washington Park Arboretum. Photography by Andrew Waits for City Arts.

Describe your personal style in one word: Clean.

Who are your style icons? Audrey Tautou, Catherine Deneuve.

What clothing item do you value most?  An oversized, loose-knit Martin Margiela sweater vest. I love its perfect shade of gray and its ability to add so much to simple outfits.

What item do you own, but never wear? A beautiful black sequined ball gown that I have only worn once. I keep it because you never know.

What do you never leave the house without? My Dunlin bag.

What she’s wearing: TNA tank top (Aritzia in Vancouver), Shipley and Halmos skirt (Gravity Pope in Vancouver), Salvatore Ferragamo shoes (Ferragamo); Black floral bangle (a store in Fremont that’s now closed)

What’s your fail-safe item? Rachel Comey riding boots.

Most daring item? A sleeveless Rick Owens shirtdress. Wearing it with anything else takes some serious trial and error!

What is your favorite place to shop locally? Totokaelo!

On what occasions do you “dress up”? Every day.

What style “sources” do you consult? I follow the Sartorialist and Lookbook.nu online, and I love flipping through Vogue Paris and W magazines.

What style values were instilled in you as a child? I grew up in a very small town and wasn’t exposed to fashion until I was twelve, when my aunt, a former runway model in Paris, got me a subscription to W. I visited her in San Francisco one summer and saw how carefully she put everything together; clothing and style became an art, not just necessity.

Any style pet peeves? I think it’s unfortunate when people purchase the prefabricated head-to-toe outfits they could find in any store window. Also, tight-ass pants ...

If you could buy anything, what would you break the bank for right now? A pair of Marsell corset heels. I’m also in the market for a couch.

What inspires you? Above all, finding beauty in often-unnoticed things. •