by Shelby Hall
Kaira Loving owns a little personalized overall making business in California. She uses recycled/reused fabrics only and everything is handmade by her. The personalized overalls I got fit me like a glove, nothing has ever fit me more perfectly on the first try. She’s hard-working, creatively loving and expressive. You can find her on Instagram @lovingalls! There‘s a new lovingalls collection coming out soon and she’ll be available for all of your holiday gifting (or self-gifting) needs.
When interviewing her, this is how she answered:
1. What inspires you? Observing nature. I spent many years working on vegetable gardens and sleeping in my tent… so plants, herbs, the magic of silence in the middle of the forest. Im grateful to currently live in the redwoods and next to the pacific coast, easy to find inspiration in such beauty in colors and patterns and in clearing the mind. and of course, music and dance are an integral part of my day to get my creativity flowing.
2. What is your sign and how do you think that plays a role in your life? Full blooded Capricorn, half mermaid, half goat. got that mountain goat determination keeping me motivated. I can be a bit of an over focused workaholic. Im striving for balance these days and allowing relaxation to feel productive and important.
3. What is the main purpose of your brand? Lovingalls are the result of years of longing for tactile creativity but living a nomadic life followed by finally settling and unleashing all of this pent up energy. I needed something to get me through the rainy winters here. Once they started catching on I realized I could create funky unique pieces that made humans feel real good while also using up recycled fabric from a local re-use art store. By participating in the slow fashion movement, i feel I am protesting all of the injustices of much of the fashion industry these days. My purpose is to create overalls that reflect love, are in tune with my deeper values, and can fit all bodies.
4. What is something you love deeply about yourself? My ability to create strong boundaries and use them daily. It has been a life long process to get to this point and now I like to show them off 😊.
5. What is some advice you have for other people revolving around confidence? A simple act of self care can make you radiate confidence, even if this just means taking the time to stretch. Loving yourself is sexy. Also, lots of time with channeling your intuition. Ive found it a painful yet relieving process to learn to listen to my body….my inner voice typically uncomfortably rubs against societies ideas and others ideas. However, It is incredibly empowering to develop your personal integrity and flaunt it.
6. What makes you feel confident? Embracing my own unique-ness whole heartedly and un apologetically. Owning my quirks.
7. What have you had to overcome that’s made you who you are? I could write a book 😉. Ultimately un-covering deep seeded traumas and recognizing patterns that keep me bound, unable to access my highest self. This is, of course, an on-going process.
8. Who are your biggest inspirations? At this moment in my life, the bad ass women entrepreneurs who are carving their own trails in this world as herbalists, painters, body workers, mothers….im surrounded by amazing humans in my community. They keep me focused and re-iterate that we can be successful without caving into fear and false security.
9. Whats your beauty/fashion go to? My beauty go to is eating in ways that respects my body, and this includes adding medicinal herbs to literally everything. My fashion go to is anything goes. But id say a lot of my personal style is pulled from the 60s and 70s. high waist, wide legs, funky psychedelic patterns and the dead on in the background always.
10. What would you say is the best thing about you? Im ecstatic in the morning time. I like to make a fire in my woodstove before dawn and sometimes get so excited about coffee in the morning I am giddy before bed. I have always also felt most creative in the morning.
11. What does equality mean to you? For my craft it means making custom overalls to fit every shape and size and also being willing to make trades and offer some items at sliding scale pricing when appropriate or asked for. On a larger scale, equality right now for me means admitting that inequalities exist rampantly and being willing to have hard conversations about it all. I can recognize my own place in society and I can wander through the world with respect, kindness, and openness.