Sir, yes, sir!
Fashion is a serious matter for musician and comedian Sir Babygirl (aka Kelsie Hogue). "The ritual of putting on a face and getting a look together in solitude is very cathartic for me and an important act of self-care," she says. Inspired by cartoon heroines such as Helga G. Pataki from Hey Arnold! and Ashley Spinelli from Recess, TRL-era music videos, and absurdist comedy like Tim and Eric, Sir Babygirl's style is empowered, tomboyish, and very 90s. It's the sartorial version of what would result, she says, "if you set a baby clown loose on a Spice Girls music video shoot and the baby clown stole clothes specifically from Baby Spice, Sporty Spice, and Ginger Spice's wardrobes." On the day she was photographed, she described her look as an answer to the question "What if Neo from The Matrix was a cheerleader and what effect would that have on his character arc?" Wearing an Adidas jacket and sneakers, she says, makes her feel powerful, "like a really pretty boy named Sven. . . . He is very good at soccer and treats others with genuine respect."
Originally published in the Chicago Reader.
