You may or may not have seen her around campus, so let me describe her to you: she’s tall, brunette, and is always dressed impeccably well. Need some more clues? She is in the middle of writing a book, will be teaching a class Spring semester 2012 at Brandeis, and hardly ever watches television (with the exception of an occasional episode of Mad Men or Entourage after a long day of work). Any guesses? Okay fine, I’ll tell you who I’m talking about… Brandeis’ new first lady: Kathy Lawrence. It’s no mystery that she is quite a busy lady, so I was honored that she took the time to sit down with me to discuss how she keeps herself looking fabulous and fashionable everyday.
Kathy developed her sense of appearance from many years of ballet training with a famous Russian ballerina. This was definitely not your typical dysfunctional ballet class in which the girls were always chatting with one another, playing with their hair, and asking the instructor repeatedly how to “plie.” Kathy’s teacher meant business. She told her ballet students the way they should look, what they should wear, and how to present themselves. Because Kathy had such reverence for her teacher, she imbibed her aesthetic of simplicity and still incorporates the valuable lessons she was taught to this day.
As part of her Russian ethos, Kathy’s dance instructor set the example never to look sloppy or dress down. This meant that there were no exceptions and that pants were not allowed! My jaw dropped when I heard that…how could she not own a single pair of trousers? After much questioning, I finally got Kathy to admit that she owns one pair of jeans, which are reserved strictly for occasional hikes. She also wears workout pants when she does her daily Pilates. Can you believe that in the winter she will not even wear pants? It seems like nowadays that practically all women wear pants, but not classy Kathy.
While it seems like Mrs. Lawrence is always dressed well and properly for every occasion, I decided to take a chance and ask her what her worst fashion faux pas was. To my astonishment, she did not hesitate to answer my question and proceeded to tell me about a Mexican themed party she and President Fred attended at a mansion in Boston. Since the invitation stated “festive attire encouraged,” they dressed in themed outfits; Kathy in an embroidered skirt and big hoop earrings and Fred in an embroidered shirt, sombrero and huarache sandals. When the two arrived however, it was almost as if they showed up to the wrong party since all the women were wearing silk dresses and the men were wearing suits. In fact, the only aspects of the evening that were themed were the margaritas and the mariachi band! Needless to say, Kathy still made a statement and proved how willing she is to take a fashion risk.
Since Kathy’s style hardly ever involves dressing for a south of the border themed party, I was curious to hear what her go-to outfits are for fall/winter and spring/summer. When it is a cold New England morning and she wants to wear something warm and classic, she sports a Wolford sweater dress and boots. Even when it is snowing she will wear tights to keep her legs warm, but will still never wear pants! When the weather warms up however, Kathy loves to sport her Akris “crisp navy blue wrap dress,” which is a nice light material that is comfortable and versatile.
While we were on the topic of blue, I had to ask her about the two famous blue ensembles she wore at the end of last month for her husband’s inauguration and inaugural ball. She found both the pieces on the same day and instantly knew that they were perfect. Not only were they Brandeis blue, but they were also sophisticated and appropriate for the momentous occasions.
After all of the celebrating, Kathy is immediately back to work, which means traveling, writing, and more. Since she flies often, I was curious what she brought with her clothing wise, in order to avoid over packing. Because she restricts herself to a carry on bag, space is limited to say the least. She has found it easiest to stick to one color palate (she normally chooses navy and or gray) so that way everything matches…. GENIUS! From there she selects her outfits according to the designated hue she brought with her, which leaves her always looking well-coordinated.
I figured that for someone constantly working and on the go, there had to be some secret to how Kathy managed to keep her wardrobe looking fresh without having the time to go into stores. Thank goodness for modern technology, because she is able to shop online, which allows her to alleviate all those long waits at retailers. Since she knows what styles work with her body, she can buy an entire new ensemble with the click of a mouse. Perhaps online is the only place she can find shoes to fit her size 10 ½ AA feet, which have been tricky accommodate. Kathy swears by Parisian shoe designer Roger Vivier, because they are “the only ones that fit.” Since she is always on her feet, comfort is key.
If Kathy did not have to worry about dressing for practicality, she would hands down want to wear clothes and dresses from Grace Kelly’s character in the movie The Rear Window. Kathy describes the dresses designed by eight time academy award winner and costume designer Edith Head as “simple, elegant, and graceful.” Those three adjectives can be used to describe Mrs. Lawrence’s style as well, which hints at where she developed her fashion inspiration: from the movies.
Because Kathy’s parents were involved in the motion picture business, she grew up watching films. She was an avid fan of Audrey Hepburn, Janet Leigh, Cyd Charisse, and Gene Kelly, to name a few. In addition to admiring the outfits of actresses, Kathy also paid close attention to the dresses her mother’s friends wore to fancy events. While there was much to admire about the outfits the Hollywood elite sported, one of the important things Kathy learned through observing them was to wear sunscreen. After seeing how “messed up” their skin could get from tanning out in the sun, Kathy always keeps hers protected.
So what’s Kathy’s advice to Brandeis ladies? “Be healthy… eat well, exercise, stay out of the sun, and always walk tall!” So next time you spot stocking-clad legs in the middle of winter and a Wolford sweater dress, you’ll know it’s Kathy. Stop and say hi. Sure, she might be busy since she is the first lady, but she is always willing to listen.
Photo courtesy of Global Brandeis 2.0