BR Q&A: Katie Sturino
Of The 12ish Style

PR aficionado Katie Sturino founded fashion blog The 12ish Style out of frustration at the lack of shopping and inspiration for girls sized 12ish. Sturino puts her fresh, fearless and enviably effortless take on everything, helping women stay ahead of the curve in a size 2 world. Her speciality? Spinning her fave looks from celebrity gossip magazines and ‘supersizing’ them. We sat down with her to get the scoop on summer dressing (hint: the right maxi will put the wind in your sails).

What moves you?

First of all, coffee! Second, I know it sounds crazy, but I love to work. I’m probably the only person in America who is truly excited to get out of bed and start checking email. I also have three Insta-famous rescue pups (Toast, Muppet and Pants) and work closely with Friends and Finn and The Humane Society to raise money and awareness for animal rescue. Toast is a diva, Muppet is boy-crazy and Pants loves to work…me in a nutshell!!!

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Fearless, fun and messy (or so I’ve been told).

What’s a day in your life like?

I get to spend my days shopping and talking about body positivity—two of my favorite things. But like any small business owner, I have a lot of responsibilities and keeping all the balls in the air is a challenge. And then there’s my plus-fashion PR agency, Tinder PR. I started my own PR company pretty much right out of school. I did technically take a job with a traditional PR firm first, but I left after a few months because the environment wasn’t for me and I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart. I couldn’t do it all without my amazing business partner.

Who do you admire most in the industry?

I always love seeing what Ashley Graham is up to — she has brought a much needed breath of fresh air to the fashion industry. So much has happened this past year in the body positivity movement.

What’s your secret to endless body confidence?

Know that it’s a journey for everyone. You’re probably not going to suddenly love your body overnight if that’s something you struggle with. The first step is to dial down the self hate. Try to get to a neutral space and, from there, focus on features you like. Every morning it’s about deciding to feel good about yourself and focusing on something that’s really working, whether it’s a personal achievement or a new dress.

What’s the best thing about living in New York?

I love it! The energy and people are amazing. Being able to relax in a cozy apartment and still have the city on my doorstep is so best-of-both-worlds. I take a lot of style inspiration from what I see women wearing on the streets.

 

Summer Style Inspo

 

“I’m a sucker for anything cobalt and I wear sneakers all day, every day! I shop men’s because I have a size 12 foot and I’m always amazed at how stylish men’s offerings have become. I’ll be wearing these Riley slip-on sneakers daily to bring a sporty-casual vibe to the dresses and skirts I like to wear.”

“I feel like Carrie Bradshaw in this tweed dress. You can’t go wrong with a classic trench, it works over everything from jeans to dresses. Nothing is more versatile than a good scarf. I’ll wear this one around my neck, on my wrist, even tied to my bag.

“I always struggle with what to wear to summer weddings, so now that I have the perfect floral maxi dress I can’t wait to wear it.”

“I’m usually not into military jackets, but I love this eyelet version paired with the same floral maxi. The colors really pop. The finishing touch? Sunglasses. And nothing says summer like white sunglasses and a white crossbody!”