Kirkpatrick can be seen with her psychedelic folk-rock band – that has at least 10 members at any time – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. She plays the accordion, assists with vocals and dabbles in tambourine. Yes, she occasionally wears suspenders to shows. Yes, she has been approached by European accordionist groupies. On the verge of turning 26 years old, her upcoming project, All Together Now, (currently in post production), is a film about a group of young adults that attend a rock concert in the middle of the woods.
Nora talks to Runway about her upcoming exhibitionist role, her style “problem” that can’t be fixed and what makes a man fashionable.
Runway: Among all of the characters you have portrayed, is there one where you could relate to the fashion the most?
Nora Kirkpatrick: I’ve always felt that Katherine, my character on ABC Family’s Greek, is the version of me who majored in political science rather than theater. I love her J. Crew wardrobe but it’s not something I readily wear in my daily life. It’s always an adventure to step into someone else’s shoes on set and, in this case, stepping into pleather ballet flats was a nice departure from my knee-high boots.
R: Does your character Kylie in All Together Now have a specific style?
NK: Kylie is an exhibitionist and that free-spirited attitude is represented in her clothing. I wore short shorts, a tank top with my bra showing, chains galore and I had a Phoenix tattoo airbrushed on my chest. She definitely aligns herself with the hard rock community but wants her wardrobe, like her attitude, to say ‘don’t take your eyes off me’.
R: What is your most and least favorite fashion for the winter season?
NK: I recently bought a vintage mustard yellow coat from the 50’s. I have a hard time finding modern winter coats that look as classy as vintage styles. Least favorite? I don’t quite know what to think of high-heeled rain boots.
R: Who is your favorite designer on the runway and for your personal style?
NK: I’m an avid thrift store shopper. I do a lot of traveling and seeking out local thrift stores in each new stop. It is a good way to get to know the town. You can tell a lot about a place by the clothes you find at its second-hand stores.
Some will be old industrial clothes from the factory in town that closed, some will be fancy vintage dresses from beauty pageants in the area.
As for modern designers, I really like Rag and Bone, and These Three Things.
R: What do you think is the most flattering men’s fashion?
NK: The more unique, the better. I really appreciate a guy’s quirky habits coming through in HIS clothes, whether it’s interesting color choices, borrowing his dad’s loafers or wearing a Spinal Tap t-shirt. Dressing to your personality always comes across as the most natural choice.
R: Give readers some dirt on an embarrassing fashion moment.
NK: I have a fashion problem that I have no intention of fixing. I cannot match my socks. It has been an ongoing problem since childhood. At this point, I have stopped trying to correct the problem and have just adapted it into my wardrobe. Depending on which leg I cross, you get a new complementary color to the outfit.
R: How has fashion affected your lifestyle?
NK: I think it might be more how my lifestyle has affected my style. I’m constantly on the go so clothes have to be packable and flexible. Right now most of my clothes revolve around the same fall color scheme so mixing and matching is never a problem. I like everything I own to go with everything else – that’s one of the rules an item must pass before [I] purchase.