In conversation with Roz Kaur
(feel free to eavesdrop)
I met Roz through friends, though I had been stalking her a while. How could you not? One look at her instagram page will have you hooked. Her sartorial choices are 10 on 10 and her personality is magnetic.
Ritika: Isn’t it incredible just how many times we get to reinvent ourselves? Every job, relationship, and move offers a potential blank slate. We’ve all gone through the equivalent of getting bangs right after something tumultuous. I cut my hair in a short pixie after giving birth to my daughter six years ago; more momentous than tumultuous. A change in haircut is a symbolic end of an era, don’t you think?
Roz: We communicate so much through our style. When I started out in fashion in my early 20s I dressed a certain way. Four inch heels were the norm for me. I embraced it, thrived in it, but now give me a comfortable pair of loafers and a button down any day. My style has certainly evolved over the years, but I am not parting with my wrist stack ever.
Ritika: Style is an integral part of our identity, and certainly worth introspection. I had an awakening a few years ago when I realized that I don’t want to keep the nice things for later. I want to wear them now, rejoice in their beauty and feel worthy of them everyday. As a new mom you often feel as though you don’t really “need” anything, and pajamas turn into an all day affair. One day you look in the mirror and don’t recognize yourself. It took me two years to get out of that funk. 2021 was my year of rediscovery (and splurge).
Roz: I had my own epiphany around that time. I noticed just how saturated Instagram is with beautiful images of fashionable women, half my age. Where are all the stylish women in their 50s? I know they exist! We deserve to be seen.
We are not meant to be invisible.
I started my page out of my love for fashion and styling. I wanted to encourage women everywhere to express themselves.
Ritika: The isolation of the pandemic left a lot of us with the desire to redefine ourselves. There has been a sudden boom for stylists and personal shoppers. Helping someone find their personal style is exhilarating. It’s like cracking the code to how they want to be seen.
Roz, how did this journey begin for you?
Roz: I moved to the US in my 20s. My first job was with a high-end boutique, where I had the opportunity not only to style clients but also to immerse myself in the art of hosting upscale events. This experience laid the foundation for my career. Although there wasn’t a designated “stylist” role back then, I gravitated towards positions that allowed me to exercise my creative instincts. I have always celebrated individuality and I want my clients to feel confident.
Ritika: As a first generation immigrant, to be able to make it here with a distinct voice and viewpoint is so encouraging. We are becoming braver in embracing our differences, and holding our cultural identity close. Seeing more South Asian representation in the media has been a game changer. Did you ever feel that you had to blend in all those years ago?
Roz: Of course I did when I moved here in my 20s. I have no qualms about it. At the time I was sold on the American dream and all the opportunities it presented. But as time passed, something changed for me. Age has certainly solidified my desire to be unapologetically myself. Now, I couldn’t care less about blending in. I stand out and I like it that way. I yearn to stay connected to my cultural identity.
Ritika: Growing up in India, I treasured pieces my aunties sent from abroad. It’s funny how that has shifted. After living away from the motherland for the last 16 years, it is Indian handicrafts and jewels that have become my most prized possessions. Our artisans are perfectionists at crafts that have been passed down for centuries. We really can’t take sentimentality out of our clothes, our jewelry or our food, for that matter. We adorn ourselves religiously.
Roz: My travels to India last year made me realize just how seriously everyone takes getting dressed there, and I adore that. Tom Ford said, “dressing well is a form of good manners”. Isn’t that the truth!
I can’t wait to go back and immerse myself in the arts and experiences. You’re right, nothing makes me feel more sentimental than heirloom pieces like my grandmother’s saris that she passed down to me.
Ritika: I wore my great-grandmother’s jewels on my wedding day. These pieces can hold so many memories, and stories; they are keepsakes for a reason.
Roz, I love chatting with you! Last words to wrap this up?
Roz: You’ve got to know who you are, good style will follow.
Words to live by!
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