Teresa Cannatà, more known to MyFatPocket's readers as Superqueen, has been contributing to our section BEAUTY & FASHION and was made our Contributing Fashion Editor since August 2009. This was the outcome of my falling in love at first sight with her articles. The difference between her articles and the articles of other fashion bloggers is that her articles are well-researched, visually orgasmic, and are written in polished English language despite her being 100% Italian.
Her tonality and voice used for her articles are attuned to MyFatPocket's personality: witty, humorous and especially more, we speak to you like your girl pal. And so does she.
Superqueen is 35-years old this year and plays many roles in life with duties and responsibilities of a wife, mother, teacher and blogger. This can only be achieved with strength, passion and determination one has in their lives. I am very thankful to be acquainted with dear Superqueen because she reminded me constantly that women are strong and that nothing is impossible.
Thank you for being part of MyFatPocket, Superqueen. And thank you for this interview. :)
A mother, a teacher and a fashion blogger. How do you manage your time with these 3 different roles of a woman?
This is the hardest part of it. Being a mother has completely changed my – already complicated – life, so I spend most of my time with and for my daughter. Being a teacher means lots of home work and a huge responsibility, but it’s a job I love, so it’s hard but rewarding (in terms of personal satisfaction).
Being a blogger is like living in an ideal place: I’ve always written in my life (whether short stories or school papers), it’s what I think I do best, so devoting some time, every day, to it is like retreating to a quiet place.
What is your thought process like for each article?
Ideas for new articles come to me in any time of the day (and sometimes at night, too!). A single photo, a song, a book or a movie can start the process that will lead to an article. Sometimes it happens that I strongly feel the fascination coming from something (this can be said for Chanel costume jewellery or for Rodarte collections, for example) and I’m naturally drawn to it.
Sometimes writing is a compelling activity: it is as if you cannot help but writing.
Do you come up with a theme first or do you follow closely to female magazines?
I don’t have time to read fashion magazines, so it’s easier for me to follow my passions (for Balenciaga and Hermès bags, Louboutin shoes and NARS cosmetics, for example) and to pick interesting topics I find in the Net.
I don’t follow the latest fashion events and trends, so I usually come up with a theme first: this sometimes leads to a weird “out-of-this-world” feeling because, while all the fashion bloggers write about the fashion weeks around the world, I come up with completely different articles.
"NARS-issist and make-up junkie, NC30/35, medium-olive, yellow undertones, black hair with some white streaks in it, dark brown eyes"
Where do you derive the creativity from?
Everything inspires my creativity. The past is my primary source of inspiration: I’m a nostalgic, so I guess I look at the contemporary world through the lens of revival and nostalgia. In general, some fashion designers (Nicolas Ghesquiere, Karl Lagerfeld, Tom Ford, Donatella Versace), some fashion photographers (Juergen Teller – my favourite ever, Tim Walker, Helmut Newton, Terry Richardson) and some celebrities (Nicole Richie, Christina Aguilera, the cast of Gossip Girl, just to name a few) are always huge sources of inspiration.
What do you think is the difference between the fashion of Europe, US and Asia?
To me, European fashion is a synonym of art, because of the wonderful inheritance the greatest designers of the past have left, but also because of the unique approach to fashion of some designers, who always have something else in mind (I think of the magnificent Alexander McQueen collections inspired to the Victorian period and to Scottish folklore).
American fashion at the moment is very interesting, because lots of designers are coming up with new and fresh ideas (Alexander Wang is the first who comes to my mind); I also love the relaxed approach to fashion of the Americans. I don’t know Asian fashion much, but I think Asian celebrities are among the most elegant and fashion-forward of all (I think of Rinko Kikuchi, stunning!).
Have you ever thought of going offline with your blog?
I wrote on my blog in Italian for five years and before deciding to go international (writing in English and moving to Wordpress.com), I seriously thought of going offline, because writing in Italian, for Italian readers, was not funny anymore.
Of course I changed my mind, because I love writing about fashion, so I started a brand new and exciting experience.
How has becoming a mother changed your perspective in life?
As a mother I feel much more civil responsibility and I think more about the future world my daughter will live in. In general, I think that becoming a mother totally changes you and your world. It is fundamental to struggle for having some spare time for you only (especially in the first months, when the baby is totally dependent from you and you tend to close yourself in an exclusive relation with her), but at the same time your mind always go to your child, so it’s not easy to cope with her growing and becoming more and more independent.
It’s a weird feeling: on one side you want to get back to being a person (not only a mother), on the other you miss her first steps and all the things she did when she was a toddler. I’m convinced mother and child grow together, as they learn to cope with the changes in their lives.
In your own poetical way, describe Italy to us.
I’d love to be poetical about Italy because it’s a wonderful country, but at the moment I can’t. We’re living a difficult economic and political situation, which does not allow you to plan your future and to have certainties about the future. Italy has got a huge and inestimable heritage of culture, art, cinema and fashion, but in the latest years some rude, disrespectful and intolerant currents have been emerging.
Young artists have serious difficulties in reaching their goals (just think of the designers who are working for Parisian fashion houses – Giambattista Valli, Stefano Pilati and Riccardo Tisci); modern culture is stagnant and this is extremely saddening.
"Nostalgic for the Victorian and Edwardian ages, Seventies and Studio54, Halston and Halstonettes, Nineties and the Grunge movement"
Do you think there are rules in fashion?
In my opinion, the only rule to follow is just know yourself. I’d love to dress like Kate Moss or Blake Lively, but my body type is completely different from theirs, so I just try to adapt the trends I like to my body, without pretending to be who I’m not.
What is your favourite ensemble?
I would live in my flared jeans and rock t-shirts (my favourite are Sonic Youth’s Washing Machine and Nirvana’s In Utero tees). I always wear flat shoes (gladiator sandals and Birkenstocks in summer, Converse All Star hi-tops in winter) and silver ethic jewellery.
I also love bow shirts, vintage floral dresses and Japanese haori jackets.
Taken from her article: Christina Aguilera’s Style: Obsession for Lauren Moshi
How did you manage to be so observant in the fashion industry?
I don’t think I’m that observant of fashion industry, because I don’t follow the latest events and collections, but I always read the most important fashion-related sites, so I try to keep updated with what happens in this world (even if I write about something else).
"Crazy for silk scarves, vintage leather opera and embroidered gloves, rhinestone bib necklaces, rock t-shirts, flared jeans, Converse All Star hi-tops, vintage peasant and ruffled blouses, flower-printed robes, Balenciaga bags"
In your own definition, what makes a woman modern and smart?
I think self-respect, kindness, pride and open-mindedness define a modern woman.
What, to you, is being financially independent? Do you think you are financially savvy and smart? Why?
Being financially independent means being free to indulge in some extra shopping now and then, without feeling guilty for it. Since I’ve become a mother, my shopping has drastically changed (no more Balenciaga bags), because now my priority is my daughter, but now and then I like buying something for me (especially cosmetics or basic clothes). I try not to spend more than I have decided to, but self-rewarding is important and helps you to feel better when you need to.
What does the phrase “My Fat Pocket” remind you of?
It reminds me of a bottomless pocket I’d love to pick money from, but at the same time it reminds me of the smart ways you can still make your pocket fat, saving on extra shopping or recycling what is still fashionable (though not new)
