WHOWHATWEAR
Tights and flowy sundresses dominate her wardrobe
Kaylee Shallow was likely still in diapers the first time she bounced onto the baby beauty pageant stage — as a 13-month-old competitor in the Sunburst Beauty Pageant in Niagara Falls.
Despite not taking the tiara that day, the positive experience stuck with her. After a 15-year absence from the pageant circuit, Shallow jumped back in, heels first, when she entered the 2009 Miss Teen Canada World pageant.
Attracted to the volunteer and growth opportunities associated with beauty competitions, Shallow embarked on a pageant career that opened her eyes to local community issues and international development. It took her to exotic locales such as Equatorial Guinea and Thailand.
“You really learn how to campaign for yourself, how to conduct yourself in interviews, because a lot of it isn’t the onstage that everybody sees,” says Shallow, 26, who competed in last year’s Miss Universe Canada — which determines who will represent the country at the Miss Universe pageant.
“The majority of your marks, and the competition, is actually beforehand. So it’s how you interact with people, it’s the interview process, which can be really nerve-racking.”
A frequent collaborator with the former Rainbow Bridal store downtown, Shallow says she approached each new competition as a fashion adventure, experimenting with evening gown styles for every event. A mermaid shape for this one, a sleek body-con number for that one, or perhaps a sexy leg slit on this floorlength gown, often in her preferred palette of soft pastels.
But when she’s not strutting for a panel of judges, comfort reigns in Shallow’s offstage world. Not a fan of constricting jeans, she often chooses more comfortable options like jeggings or dress pants that offer a fair bit of stretch.
Now, at 25 weeks pregnant with twins (one boy, one girl), tights and flowy sundresses in summery shades dominate her wardrobe. In fact, Shallow admits that in the past few months she’s made yet another tweak to her usual style — this time, on her feet.
“Normally, my style, I would say I really love my wedges and my heels,” says Shallow, who sports a pair of beige peep-toe platforms with a white mini skirt from Le Château and flowy peach wrap top from FashionNova.com. “When I’m out and about I don’t really wear them anymore … comfort, above all things, is No. 1.”
Shallow accessorizes her outfit with a key heart pendant necklace and diamond ring from Charmed
Aroma and a pair of beaded bracelets she made herself.
Most eye catching piece:
I have a jumpsuit … it’s like a tulip onesie and it’s a leopard print and you can’t miss it. It’s really baggy and the legs of the pants are really wide … I still wear it during pregnancy ... because of the loose fit.
Quirkiest wardrobe item:
A silk rainbow-coloured dress. I wear it as a shirt now because I can no longer wear it as a dress, with a belly. But it’s so loud. There are so many different colours and different patterns in the dress that whenever someone sees it, they’re like, wow you’re a party.
Wardrobe must have:
Tights. Must have tights … I have a very wide variety of tight colours but the majority are black. (I have) green, I have peach … I have pink. Then I have different colours and patterns so I have floral, I have zigzags, I have stripes, I have splotches. I love tights.
Best purchase:
It would actually have to be a gown that was custom made for me for the Miss Universe Canada pageant … it was made by Rachel
Warner … the dress is completely sheer, it has a jumpsuit inside and it’s pastel peach and it has rhinestones throughout the whole entire thing from head to toe. It’s very sheer but the jumpsuit underneath keeps you covered but also has so much going on, it’s really beautiful.
Regrets buying:
I bought a pair of salsa dancing shoes and they’re pink, orange, different feathers, craziness. I’m like, I’m going to wear these salsa dancing. I don’t salsa dance. But I thought it would be such a great thing to have if I wanted to go salsa dancing … I’d never worn
them. They were so outrageous. The heel was like gold and platinum, shiny and pink and orange … I must have had them for four years.
Loves to shop at:
It’s either online, because you can get things for amazing prices online, or I like to shop at vintage, lightly loved stores. Because you really find unique pieces there you won’t find anywhere else.
Ridding her closet of:
I actually got rid of two garbage bags full of clothing. And just things that are no longer practical in parenthood. Some things you’ve just got to keep, some things you’ve got to hold onto. Like the gown from Rachel Warner. Will I be able to fit into it again? Who knows? I hope so. But I can’t get rid of it. But then there are other things that I’m just like, ‘I can’t keep you anymore.’ Certain cocktail dresses. Sometimes they’re not really breathable or you don’t get a lot of wiggle room in them. And they’re really nice — they’re really beautiful dresses, but they’re not practical for me anymore. I just can’t see myself wearing them. And if I did need to dress up for something, I’ve got plenty in there that I can fall back to — like dress pants that are just jeans in certain sizes — that I’d love to go back and be like a size 4 again, but I’m going to be a little bit practical.
Splurges on:
Shoes. Typically heels and wedges. So, heels and wedges and any type of boot. I’m becoming a little bit more rational with my purchases so I’m buying a lot more running shoes and flats. Not that I didn’t before but now I’m making sure that, instead of like,’Ooh I love these heels,’ I’m like, ‘Well I don’t need these heels anymore.’ But these running shoes are really nice.
Beauty product she can’t live without:
Hair oil. I have very, very curly hair … no specific brand, just Argan oil-based.
I’m becoming a little bit more rational ... instead of like, ‘Ooh I love these heels,’ I’m like, ‘Well I don’t need these heels anymore.’ But these running shoes are really nice.