Kara Baker, State Manager for Bev - Texas, is a force to be reckoned with. I’m literally going to go as far as dubbing her the unofficial Beverage Boss of Austin. She simply has a pulse on what energizes this city from the food, hidden dives, timeless flair, and you guessed it…best damn beverages in town. In an industry traditionally dominated by males, Kara’s grabbing a Texas-sized seat at the table and looking classy af while doing it…*sips rose*

Describe your style in 2-3 sentences.

It varies dramatically depending on the situation. Comfort is always important. I like classic pieces that I can mix & match and wear at different occasions. Sporty, have an excellent sneaker collection. And I guess I would say…liberated, because it really doesn’t fit in one box.

Who has influenced your fashion the most?

I would say my mom, with a splash of my grandmother. Both of which were my biggest critics as I grew into my fashion. Not in a way that was ever negative or demeaning, but in a way that always made me think, am I being my best self. Thinking through what you’re wearing, how you’re presenting yourself, from your nails, to your hair…they were both beauty queens so you can imagine presentation was very important to them. That’s really where I learned 1) how to size for my body, the shapes of clothing, what’s going to accent my favorite areas, and 2) taking very simple, understated elegant style and making them my own. I fell in love with those because they worked for me. I can still share my clothes with my mom, and every once in awhile I’ll get into her jewelry box. 

What do you want your style to convey when someone meets you?

Approachable, fun, and classic. I’m never going to be super loud but there’s always something that I’m wearing that’s a fun piece that highlights a certain part of me that I like. I love people & love having conversations so if what I’m wearing helps them feel more comfortable around me, that’s what is most important to me.

So when you pick out your outfits in the morning, do you feel like you’re accommodating others more so than yourself?

I’m in sales and while I sell a really great product (shoutout Bev!), every time I meet with potential customers I’m very aware that I’m also selling myself. So while I’m definitely staying true to what I want, I’m also very mindful of how people are going to perceive certain things. It really comes down to the situation I’m going to be in, what is going to make me feel the most confident, and how will that person feel the most confident around me. 

There was something that you said earlier that struck me - you said “I’m never going to be super loud,” and I’m not saying your loud Kara…you’re an extrovert and it’s one of the things I love about you so much! So tell me how you reconcile that when it comes to expressing yourself through your style. 

I just think subconsciously I dress in more classic pieces because my personality is so loud. If I walked in matching my style with my personality, it would almost be like a ‘Fran from the Nanny’ moment. It would be really loud clothes, coupled with a really loud person…I just feel like people would be overwhelmed. So I think I choose my clothing on the more serious side because quite frankly, my personality is my favorite accessory. I want the focus to be more about what’s coming out of my mouth, how I’m making you feel, are you taking me seriously in whatever capacity we’re in, in that moment whether that’s a girlfriend, a boss, a peer, or a customer. However I will say I do find inspiration in loud tops, and you can bet your bottom dollar that it will be paired with a very simple pant & pearls.

Ok so let’s talk Austin, how has it inspired your fashion choices?

I want to start with a story because I think it really sets the tone of where I came from, and where I am now.
I moved to Austin from Houston about 10 years ago, and Houston has a very different style, very conservative professionally. When I moved to Austin, I had set up a few meetings & I put on my cute little suit for the day, and my little heels, and gosh I think there was even a high neck bow. I walk in my first sales meeting, not even kidding, and the potential customer asked me, “What are you wearing, are you selling insurance?”

It was so weird to them that I came so buttoned-up & I quickly realized that I could be a little more relaxed in Austin, which is NICE because I fell into that very well….I love wearing sneakers with a blazer. You know just some really great Nike Blazers with a black blazer up top…

Because of you, I now know what Nike Blazers are.

[Copious amounts of laugher]

You’re welcome Courtney [more laughter]. Back to Austin…what I realized here is this city is so creative and it’s full of so many artists. From music, to street art, to the businesses that are born here, it just comes in so many forms here, and so I really found not only inspiration but liberation in that. I felt like I could finally get comfy and stay awhile in this city. 

// #threadtalesatx

Kara’s Go-To’s: Madewell, J Crew, Nordstrom, Gap, with a little sprinkle of Free People

Kara’s Local ATX Favorites: The best shops are on S. Congress - Good Company, Maya Star, Sunroom ugggh there’s just so many to name, literally the whole block is amazing