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DJ Kitty Cash Explains How Lil’ Kim and Aaliyah Inspired Her Love of Denim

The Brooklyn-born Renaissance woman breaks down what drives her sartorial choicest to BET and The Coveteur.

A curator of melodic and enticing mixes, Brooklyn-born Kitty Cash is nothing short of impressive. After accidentally stumbling upon her talent for DJing while helping a friend with a new musical project, Cash has been spinning alluring mixes ever since. Thanks to her work with artists such as Willow Smith, SZA and Vic Mensa, she was crowned "Best DJ of 2013" by PAPER Magazine and an "Artist to Watch" the year after that. Prior to uncovering her musical talents, Cash was the PR AND Communications Manager of G Star. It should go without saying, but for those still not getting the picture, Kitty Cash is anything but your typical conservative corporate gal. Her style exudes the same eccentric, yet sultry vibes found in her music.

Upon walking into her swanky yet charming Bed-Stuy home, Cash welcomed us with open arms…and an enormous pile of denim. Her love for the timeless fabric was palpable: Her eyes lit up as she fished through the pile and highlighted her favorite pieces. Cash’s denim collection features everything from vintage Levi’s to bold Ashish sequin jeans. During our time with her, Cash reminisced about her scandalous Lil' Kim moment and shared her favorite ways to mix and match denim.

BET: How would you describe your overall style?
Kitty Cash: I would say my overall style is definitely reflective of my personality: A bit quirky, it's fun, it's playful, but sometimes it gets a little serious and sexy. I just like to have a lot of fun with my clothing.

Where would you say your love of denim began?
From what I can remember, I’ve always been put in denim. I have baby pictures with these crazy denim outfits on. It’s also between Aaliyah, Tommy Hilfiger, baggy jeans (I remember begging my mom and dad to get me those damn overalls) and old school Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey. That light-wash, high-waisted denim pant. I feel like I fell in love [with denim] after I saw those ladies rock it the way that they did.

How often do you wear denim and how important is it in your wardrobe?
I wear denim ALL the time. I think it’s a way to bring a little edge to your outfit. So, even if you have a super serious or glamorous dress, you throw a denim jacket over it that’s vintage or shredded and it adds a bit of character. Denim brings a story to the overall look you’re giving off.

What is your favorite style of jean and why?
Initially, I would have said the skinny jean, but I have gotten a little bit more risky and playful. Right now I am so into the relaxed fit style — that high waisted, button-to-your-belly-button fit. You have some room to roll around if you want to. I think I like it because it brings that cozy comfortable feeling but then you can throw on a super sexy top and take it to a whole other level.

What is your favorite denim moment in hip-hop/R&B culture?
Oh! This is such a good one! I had this poster on my door and got in trouble by my grandmother — Lil' Kim's Notorious K.I.M, [with the] pink background and her denim unbuttoned. It was so sexy. I was like, “Damn, I want to recreate this so bad,” and my grandma used to be like, “You need to take that off your door. This is not OK.” And definitely Beyoncé’s "Crazy in Love" video. She had those little pum pum shorts and I am a Caribbean girl, so I was like, “Where can I find theses shorts?” The beauty of those denim shorts was that they were so simple — they were basic blue denim — but they just fit so perfectly. I think that’s the perfect example of why denim is so amazing: even its simplicity can still be super sexy.

What’s your go-to denim look?
I would say my go-to denim look is definitely pairing my denim with something bold on top, whether it's taking a dress and turning it into a shirt or taking a jacket that has embellishment. Anything that gives it a little pop.

What are some of your favorite denim brands?
It would be a mix of G-Star, vintage Levi's — classic fits from them. [Also] Rag & Bone, Acne and I feel that a lot [of] smaller designers have great denim pieces, so they may not be denim brands, but they just have really special denim pieces. And I love Ashish, clearly.

What are some of your favorite pieces to mix with your denim?
I like to mix texture, colors and more feminine fabrics. For example, I have this beautiful vintage silk skirt I would definitely pair with an oversized denim jacket. I have these leather high-waisted pants in a beautiful color. Super fun, still feminine, this fit is amazing. These are Acne leather high-waisted cigarette pants. I would pair these with a denim shirt or even with a denim jacket. I think it's super fun and kind of tones it down, mellows it out a little bit.

Then I have a Philip Lim number, which I think is super, super fun. Like I said before, I just love bold tops and I think it elevates my laid-back denim style. Then, of course, you either have a white tee or a graphic tee. Everyone should have a favorite graphic tee that you could just throw on with you favorite pair of jeans. 

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