A world of endless possibilities
DIY crafter Becki Lawrence brings creativity to her look and her career Most eye catching piece
was rifling through the racks at Marshalls when she plucked a top she felt summed her up perfectly. The white buttondown covered in tiny black shooting stars fully embodied how she was feeling about herself and her career at that moment: juiced-up, creative, endless possibilities.
Because it’s taken a long while for Lawrence, 46, to feel energized in her career the way she does now. Back in her early 20s, just on the brink of graduating from the Acting program at Windsor University, Lawrence’s dad passed away, leaving her feeling lost and unfocused. Despite being a talented dancer, actor and lifelong crafter, she meandered through her work life without any clear direction.
But last year Lawrence landed a gig as a guest DIY crafter on Cable 14, teaching Hamiltonians how to create twine signs, clay pot lighthouses, baby blankets and the like, in no fewer than 27 segments on the Hamilton Life show. In fact, Hamiltonians were so eager to learn her crafting tips and tricks, she launched her own Instagram pages — @heartbecki and @hammerdashery — to continue teaching.
“My grandmother would ... buy the most fashionable skirt for my mom but then go and buy material and make eight,” says Lawrence, who is also the event manager and host at The Zoetic theatre on Concession. “So growing up, I was very lucky. I always had the best costumes, I always had great things. So my mom really inspired me to be like my grandma.”
And it’s at The Zoetic where Lawrence’s love of crafting, acting and dance merge. That’s where she creates costumes for movie singalong events, and videos teaching viewers how to create their own costumes at home.
When she’s not crafting a full tornado outfit for a “Wizard of Oz” singalong, Lawrence says she often draws fashion inspiration from passersby on the street, honing in on specific elements of a person’s outfit. In fact, Lawrence frequently matches her lipstick to her shoes — like the Adidas Original high-tops with hot pink stripes she wears here.
“I find that I’ll put on an outfit and I’ll always feel like there’s just something missing,” says the mom of two. “And it’s never jewelry — like, sometimes I’ll just put on one of my husband’s vests from his suit. Or figure out a new way to tie a scarf and wear it like that.”
Here she pairs her shooting stars top with black shorts she scored at Sears during their closing sale, adding silver Alex and Ani bangles and a dog tag necklace a friend gave her to shortly after her father passed away. On the back is inscribed “Strength 1999.”
My hair. Because I’m not afraid to cut it … I’ve been cutting my hair short like this for years. I’m never afraid to put colour in my hair … (my stylist) wanted to put this bright pink in my hair and I’m like, sure, do it!
“I find that I’ll put on an outfit and I’ll always feel like there’s just something missing. And it’s never jewelry, like, sometimes I’ll just put on one of my husband’s vests from his suit.” BECKI LAWRENCE
Yeah! And people I think find that short hair is very few and far between …
I’ve worn it pixie short for pretty much most of my life. If you catch me with long hair, it’s rare. So just last year, I grew my hair long and it was down to here. And I just found that it was dragging me down. And then I get it cut and people say, ‘I don’t remember what you look like with long hair. This is how I always remember you.’
I do still have a pair of toed,
rainbow-striped knee-high socks ... I think my mom gave them to me in 1988.
A good bra. I recently just got introduced to Victoria’s Secret sports bras, which are awesome support and I love that they’re sized and not just (small, medium, large) … sometimes I’ll go down to Greta’s Flair or Change in Burlington. And sometimes when you put on a good, new bra, it changes everything. Like, did I lose 10 pounds? What has happened?
Blundstone shoes,
for sure ... and I’m lucky because I have small feet so I fit into the kids’ sizes.
Dr. Scholl’s clogs.
They came back in, in 2005 or whatever. And I remembered them as a kid. They were the most uncomfortable — painful, blisters. And everywhere you went it was like ba-boom, boom, boom. Because they’re just so loud.
I love to shop at the Winners/Marshalls contingent. I find that it’s great because it’s good for getting gifts for kids and you can find something that is still fashion-forward, but you’re not breaking the bank to have it.
Ridding her closet of
Stuff I’ve been holding on to just because it’s a name brand or I never wear it. And years ago, my friends and I, we had this thing called the Girls Garage Sale. So all of our friends brought an appetizer and all of our clothes and we had this whole party. And to this day I still have a Guess … tiger print (jacket) and it’s turquoise blue on the inside ... but I love that if I ever see that girl, she’s always like, do you still have that jacket? And I love that I can see my friends and they’re getting use out of that because I wasn’t.
Splurges on
Shoes. Running shoes. I definitely will spend the money. It’s a tough pill to swallow but then once you get them on your feet you’re like, OK, these are pretty good shoes.
Beauty product she can’t live without
Benetint by Benefit (Sephora). It’s like a liquid and it’s for your cheeks and your lips so it gives you a rosy glow ... I couldn’t live without it — it’s my beauty essential, for sure.
When she’s not crafting an outfit for a “Wizard of Oz” singalong, Lawrence says she often draws fashion inspiration from passersby on the street, honing in on specific elements of a person’s outfit.