Remember that blue bird that Carrie Bradshaw wore on her wedding day in the first Sex and the City movie? Well it's not easy to pull off such a dramatic bird in your hair, but I like to try new things and My Fair Birdie offers some beautiful hair pieces that feature birds, flowers, and other fauna. Check out my interview with Kendra of My Fair Birdie and find out how you can win a piece from her collection too!
What is your name, and where are you from?My name is Kendra Heithoff and I was born in California, raised in South Dakota, and now live in Boston.
Tell me about My Fair Birdie! Is this a full time endeavor or part time hobby? How and why did you start My Fair Birdie?My Fair Birdie is a part time hobby. As a professional dancer, I do many things to support myself.
My initial inspiration came from a boutique I visited in Montreal with beautiful head bands and millinery supplies the artist referred to as 'hats.' Being an artist/fashionista/mega DIYer, I decided to buy their most inexpensive hat, dropping $40.00 for a very simple headband of sorts. I wore it, and continue to wear it often, and every time I do, I feel like a special lady with my 'hat' on.
My Fair Birdie was very much inspired by this small and simple hat, where I hope my buyers feel like a million bucks when they wear their pieces.
Can you describe your creative process? What are some of your inspirations? Where do you find your materials?I tend to let the materials inspire me. Often times I start with one signature piece, say a bird or flower, and build it from there. Each piece needs something to complete the rest of the look, which is sometimes simple and sometimes ornate. I don't know what each piece will end up looking like when I start one, but instead try to compliment the entire accessory with just the right accents. My inspiration is almost always nature, which is why my pieces have a very earthy feel to them. What I love about them is that they can go with many different styles of clothing. I've found myself wearing them with sundresses and boots, little black dresses and simple gray suits. Most of my materials come from craft and millinery suppliers, but I also live just one hour from the Brimfield Antique Show (the largest antique show in America that happens three times a year) so I always end up finding something vintage from there.
How long have you been designing? Do you have formal training? My mom is an interior designer, so I grew up learning a lot about colors, textures, structure and softness. That coupled with a very creative mind had me teaching myself to sew, bake, take photographs and just about every other creative art known to woman. I have a BFA in dance which is performance art, but knowing so much about time, space and energy also informs my creative choices when I make headpieces. I'm a choreographer here in Boston, and can honestly say creating headpieces (or taking photographs or making stationary) is a lot like making dances. Once you have the tools, a creative mind can take you anywhere.
What kind of girl do you imagine wearing your pieces? How often do you wear your own designs?From the fashionista who accessorizes every outting, to the more laid back hiking type, I imagine many types of women wearing my creations. Some of the most obvious places to wear these pieces are nights out on the town or to a show, but I often enjoy wearing mine to the farmers market and back home again. I wear my own designs very often, but most of the time when I make them they go into safe keeping so their future owner has a pristine headpiece to wear (in other words, I don't wear the pieces on my site in order to preserve them!)
Can you tell me the inspiration behind your bird accessories like the Hannah or Louise pieces? Any relation to Carrie’s wedding hair piece from Sex and the City Movie?Hannah and Louise are stand alone pieces. I have actually never seen the Sex and the City Movie, but after googling it, it's pretty amazing how they do have similarities! I created Hannah and Louise as statement pieces. They would pair best with a formal outfit in a single color.
Have you always been comfortable wearing birds in your hair? What would you say to girls who love the idea, but are a little shy to wear a small bird as a hair accessory? Like I mentioned before, I grew up dancing and I've had many crazy costumes throughout my life, so wearing a bird or a nest in my hair has never seemed weird! It's always felt natural and I'd say just go for it for all those gals in Saturday clothes! It really does make you feel like the special woman you know you are!
Win an exclusive item of your choice from
My Fair Birdie that could be worth up to $50!!!
AlphaBetaChic x My Fair Birdie
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Open internationally.
[[UPDATED]] This giveaway ends on June 26 at midnight! Good luck!
