photos by Craig Stidham, Bevington Studio

Style Makers

Meet six locals with instinct, flair, confidence, and a style all their own.

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Anyone can buy the newest fashion find off the rack in an effort to be trendy, but it takes something much more than that to be considered stylish. As former Vogue editor in chief Edna Woolman once said, “Fashion can be bought. Style, one must possess.” Style demands poise and instinct. It requires knowing who you are and what image you want to project. The result is self-confidence and your very own brand of coolness.

Beto, 31, owner of Uglypress Hairdressing
Born in central Mexico, Beto moved to Stratford, Texas, when he was three years old. Growing up poor, he says, he always dreamed of finer things. After graduating high school Beto moved to Amarillo to attend the Exposito School of Hair Design. He worked in a handful of salons before opening his own, Uglypress, in 2004 on a $600 budget.

“Style can change every course of your life,” he says. “It evolves. Style creates an occasion. It makes life light and fun.”

Beto married his wife, Tara, in 2005. Their son, Maddox, is two.

Sarah Boyd, 34, Contemporary Buyer for j.Winston
For Sarah, style is her life. Growing up in Amarillo, she was always reading the latest fashion magazine while working at a local boutique throughout high school. She graduated from Texas Tech with a degree in marketing and merchandising in 1998 and went on to spend 10 years in the wholesale industry in Dallas, representing six different lines at one time. She returned to Amarillo last year to be closer to family and started contemporary buying for j. Winston.

“I’m doing what I love,” says Sarah. “I’ve been on both sides – retail and wholesale. I’m always searching for the latest trends to get things up and coming.”

As for personal style, Sarah says she just has the right instincts.

“I’m actually considering doing personal shopping on the side,” she says. “I always tell people not to be afraid.”

Fernando Ballin, 38, Publisher of Mi Revizta
Sports and business aside, Fernando is all about his wardrobe. Lots of color, crisp shirts, and shoes. Lots of shoes.

“Being Hispanic, there’s vibrancy. We are expressive as a culture and that’s embedded in me,” he says.

Fernando has always been eclectic, liking what’s unique and different, saying he was the one who wore the white dinner jacket with a splash of color underneath. Married with three grown sons and two grandchildren, Fernando is proud to say he maintains all the laundry and ironing in the house, because “it’s an artform.”

“Style is a form of expression,” he says. “It’s an outlet for what’s inside me.”

Julie Sims, 48, StyleWise Consultant
This married mother of six turned her passion into a career when she decided to become an image consultant three years ago. With certification from ImageMaker, Incorporated and a degree in Nutrition from Texas Tech, Julie’s goal is to help her clients become the best version of themselves.

“People judge you on your style, whether they should or not,” says Julie. “I love helping people know how to dress appropriately for who they see and where they go.”

Part knack, part knowledge, Julie admits to analyzing people out of habit, thinking about what they should and shouldn’t wear. She looks for their positives and decides how they should be accentuated. Start with color, she says, then focus on the fit.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made every mistake in the book. One time I showed up to a doctor’s function in a denim jumper,” laughs Julie. “But that’s how we learn.”

Keith Villyard, 37, Director of Sales for the Lone Star Ballet
In regards to developing his personal style, Keith credits his first day of school in the sixth grade.

“I insisted my mom buy me a pair of parachute pants and a red Michael Jackson cut-off shirt,” he laughs. “I was so embarrassed. Pop fashion sucks. I never wore those again, so very early on I was developing my own sense of style.”

Raised in Longview, Keith moved to the Panhandle after high school for a summertime role in “Texas” and ended up graduating from WTAMU with a drama degree. After spending some time in Austin (as every young man should, he says) to run a nightclub, he returned to Amarillo to marry his wife, Parie, owner of The Secret Garden. Keith has been with the Lone Star Ballet for five years and is currently going back to school for his teaching certificate. Naturally, he wants to teach drama.

“Being a host every night at the club helped because I had to be dressed up,” says Keith. “Unless I’m at home, I’m always more comfortable dressed up. You know, this look is popular in any decade. It’s a classic style.”

Kati Howard, 32, Nurse Practitioner, partner at Awaken Spa
If you’re a patient of Kati’s, then you probably know her for more than just her friendly bedside manner. Chances are you’ve eyeballed her outfit.

“I work in a very conservative profession, but I like to keep it fun,” says Kati. She’s been a nurse practitioner at Women’s Healthcare Associates for the past five years. “Medicine has become so casual, all scrubs, so I know it’s unusual to be all dressed up.”

For this WTAMU grad, dressed up means heels and statement jewelry every single day, and it goes along with the advice she sometimes gives to her patients.

“Heels are very feminine. They make you look leaner and taller. If a lady comes in my office feeling bad about herself, I say, ‘Go put on a pair of heels,’” she says. “They just make you feel more confident.”

As a wife and mother of four children, she doesn’t let the demands of work or home cramp her style. Instead, she believes that getting up everyday and taking care of herself is the first step in feeling good. And it’s not just about the wardrobe. Proper skincare, eating healthy and regular exercise are part of the package.

“I try to be classy,” she says. “Just because you get older or have a baby doesn’t mean you can’t take care of yourself or lose your style.”

by Jennie Treadway-Miller

Jennie was a columnist for the Chattanooga Times Free Press for eight years prior to moving to Amarillo in 2008. She is an avid reader, runner and writer.

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