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Kourtney Kardashian intrigues me. Out of the five Kardashian-Jenner sisters, she is the one I know the least about. (I’ve never watched an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians in my life.) I do know that today is her 40th birthday. I also know that she has three kids and was the first of the family to give birth. Sometimes I read about her ex, Scott Disick, in a random gossip rag. Other times, an image of her will pop up on my Instagram feed, usually in conjunction with some Kim Kardashian West kontent. I once watched an 11-minute YouTube video that was titled: “Kourtney Kardashian’s Most SAVAGE Moments On KUWTK!” It certainly was savage! Kourt is really great at bringing her sisters back to reality with deadpan one-liners and many eye rolls. (Her response to Kim losing a $75,000 diamond earring in the ocean was, “Kim, there’s people that are dying.”) Kourtney is like if Daria lived in Calabasas with a California glow and better clothes.
Speaking of Kourtney’s clothes, I like them! Her look matches that sassy attitude of hers. She caught my eye about two years ago when she stepped out in a pair of JNCO-ish wide-leg Vaquera trousers with an itty bitty, barely buttoned cropped cardigan from Opening Ceremony. It marked a turning point for the reality television star, who previously had dressed in all things Los Angeles, like UGGs, short denim skirts, and lots of bodycon. Fast forward to today and her wardrobe is still refreshing and filled with surprises, many of which are vintage. On the first of January, she wore her sister Kendall Jenner’s Jean Paul Gaultier T-shirt with gray jeans and pointy black heels. There was also an off-the-shoulder Vivienne Westwood corset, courtesy of cult Instagram account Pechuga Vintage. She looked great! On the more contemporary front, she wore an “Old Céline” black-and-white leather coat from Pre-Fall 2018 with leather pants back in February. Kourt has a rotation of suits, including an optic white one from Helmut Lang. It has all become pretty refined, classic, and not too try-hard. When she does sexy, there is a demure sense to it, like a few weeks ago when she stepped out in a Haider Ackermann Fall 2008 leather blazer-dress, once worn by Carmen Kass.
Much of the refresh can be credited to her stylist, Dani Michelle (aka @danixmichelle), who started dressing Kourtney during the Kardashian family trip to Costa Rica in 2017. “When we started working together, my goal was to bring all of the brands I loved into [Kourtney’s] life so she could express everything she wanted to through fashion,” she says. “I knew she had the confidence, personality, and body to pull off strong looks, and it was so exciting to watch her bring these moments to life.” To source these pieces, Michelle will go down the Insta K-hole. “We go really deep, starting from one tag then on to one similar, then to the next website to the next link, et cetera,” she says. “We go deep into Instagram accounts, as sometimes it’s the most expansive way to see all that’s happening, and the voice of fashion from a worldwide perspective.”
I’d like to think Kourtney’s new look is partially her own doing, though. (Michelle tells me that Kourtney does give her direction and mood before fittings.) In a recent interview with Vogue’s Jenna Rennert, Kourtney talked about launching her first solo venture this month: Poosh, a website for beauty and wellness. She opened up about how her kids are in school and how she has more time to herself, which maybe reflects her more thoughtful looks. (I, for one, never thought Haider Ackermann would be in the realm of KUWTK.) Kourtney is discovering herself and her style. Maybe it’s time we rediscover her, too.
Watch Kourtney Kardashian’s Guide to Natural-ish Masking and Makeup: