Fancy Nancy and Janis Joplin mixed to create Katie Jo Bagley. The fourth-year film student is a free-spirited creative with a knack for self-expression. Amongst the many hoodies and Uggs, she’s sitting cross-legged in a Harley Davidson leather jacket, red and blue leopard print tank top, boot-cut jeans and Harley Davidson boots. On her left hand shines a silver star ring; her right-hand carries a matching lightning bolt.
Bagley and conformity are not friends. She likes it that way. Through her experiences, popular clothing trends and brands shackle originality.
“We’re so much weirder than we give ourselves credit for,” Bagley says, laughing.
Growing up in Fishers, Indiana, she was a Fancy Nancy in a world of Barbies. One dress wasn’t enough, it had to be layered with another. Colorful barrettes lit up her brown curls. Scarves with sparkles? Necessary. Belts? Believe it or not; they were layered.
“I treated [fashion] like I was painting on paper. It was just another thing to play around with,” she says.
Unlike Bagley’s vivid personality, Fishers felt bleak and industrial. The town hall was torn down to make room for an amphitheater. Her elementary school was eventually squished between two drab office buildings. The concrete surroundings didn’t provide her with the space to express herself.
Buying from the same racks in the same stores, everyone dressed the same. Athleisure wear spread like the plague. Ivory Ella and Simply Southern were inescapable. Mall brands ran rampant in the school hallways. “We were 10-year-old girls wearing Victoria’s Secret hoodies, isn’t that weird?” she says.
Moving on was essential for her personal growth. “My hometown lacked dimension and depth. The mountains [in Pennsylvania] called to me because it was a place to escape to,” Bagley says. Her first year at Penn State was a burst of self-expression and experimenting with style.
She dyed her hair bright red and wore army-green cargo pants. Band tees with Led Zeppelin and Greta Van Fleet were her go-to’s. She became an edgier version of herself and broke free from her conformist past.
“I came home from my first semester of college and I was like, ‘I’m new! I can do whatever I want!’” she says. Her scarlet hair soon reverted to its original hazel, but her new, bold attitude stayed. She discovered that clothing is significant for individuality.
If fashion is self-expression and all you wear is the same thing everyone else does, you’re not being your true self.
Katie Jo Bagley
She then joined the band Yellowhammer. The band atmosphere allowed her to express her musical creativity. Currently, Bagley is the lead singer and also plays guitar. As a film student, she is inspired by the late director David Lynch as well as the double-talent, screenwriter and director Greta Gerwig.
Bagley served on the executive board of Delta Kappa Alpha, Penn State’s professional cinematic business society. She loves the screenwriter circles where members share their scripts and get critiques. She’s working towards her dream of being a professional screen writer.
Amongst expressing herself through fashion and music, Bagley loves working with words. “I’m a writer at heart, always a writer first.” Bagley is currently writing and directing a film called “The Mime,” which explores self-reflection and transition after an unexpected change.
For Bagley, every day is a new opportunity. This motto suits her both in terms of her positive attitude and her clothing choices. Specifically, she tries to avoid repeating combinations. “I always want to do something new every day. Even if I repeat an outfit, I will change my accessories or makeup.”
Her closet is packed full of life. Well, that and maxi skirts. They range from florals to denim, leopard to knit and everything in between. Bagley’s current favorite is a brown skirt that sticks out like crinoline. She doesn’t own any basics: a true Fancy Nancy move.
Whether it’s in the HUB, downtown or at a house show, she loves seeing people break norms through their clothing. For Bagley, this interest stems from disliking fast fashion. It contributes to climate change and kills originality. For those who dare to stand out, she salutes you, saying,
Breaking fashion norms is like a tiny revolution.
Katie Jo Bagley
Her idols and inspirations spread through time and space. In her personal circle, she embraces the free, hippie attitude of her mom. Her best friend, Ericka Soles, inspires her to rock an edgier style with her clothing.
Bagley looks up to musical legends like Janis Joplin, Joan Jett, Stevie Nicks and Debbie Harry. “They’re very inspirational women. They just didn’t care about what anyone thought.” From choosing her outfit to speaking her mind, she emulates their confidence.
“Being yourself can be a daunting task,” Bagley says. Though she doesn’t wear many barrettes now, a young Katie Jo would be proud of how much she’s grown.
Bagley shows her personality through her writing, singing, directing and more. Her clothing is the cherry on top, exhibiting her carefree yet daring attitude. For those out there who feel afraid to express themselves, she suggests looking back on what truly makes you happy.
“Source from your childhood and use your basic instinct,” she says. “Just [use] your basic instinct without the world trying to tell you what to wear.” The imagination is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, it can be stifled by popular trends and brands.
If you find yourself lost, change something. Over time, Bagley learned who she was and how she could best express herself. If there’s any lesson to learn, Bagley lives by this:
If you want to be the person you are forever, you are cheating yourself of much-needed change.
Katie Jo Bagley
