Hello, my name is
Katherine Ibsen
But you can call me Katie!
In my twenties, I have pivoted from an imminent career as a professional archaeologist, to working in digital marketing, and am now a fashion studies scholar studying the socio-cultural phenomenon of vintage fashion and collections management. Alongside my professional and academic journey, I have pursued numerous creative projects from costuming to educational YouTube videos.
After my adult ADHD diagnosis, I have gone through trial and error to develop strategies for ADHD productivity in academia, sharing my journey from pre- to post-late diagnosis as a non-traditional student while finishing my final year as a transfer student at UC Berkeley.
Because of my neurodivergent experience, I am dedicated to redefining professional scholarship and empowering non-traditional, neurodivergent students and researchers across the world to approach their differences with curiosity, kindness, and help them live up to their utmost potential.
My Core Values
The Pillars behind my work
Accessible Education
Accessibility to education is front and center in all my endeavors, from admissions consulting to community college advocacy to educational content on social media.
Neurodivergent Representation & Support
Neurodivergency in academia deserves both representation and the support ND folks need to succeed - even if it looks unconventional!
Vintage Fashion, Not Vintage Values
Central to my research and personal dress practices is the conversation concerning anti-racist efforts in the online vintage community
The story behind TheVintageAcademic
Studying fashion
While my original educational background focused on anthropological archaeology, I have been an avid member of the online vintage community outside of my academics. During my senior year at UC Berkeley, I knew that pursuing archaeology was no longer right for me. However, I had spent many final projects exploring anthropological understandings of dress and bodily adornment, leading me to pursue an education in Fashion Studies at Parsons School of Design.
In my time as a graduate student, I have continued to develop my understanding and produce scholarship concerning the complexities of vintage fashion in digital spaces with a focus on post-colonial theory, subcultural style, and anti-racist efforts in the vintage community.
Vintage Style & Challenging Vintage Values
The Vintage Academic Started with an outfit
As an avid cosplayer who turned my attention towards my academics, I craved the flair for the dramatic my costumes gave my daily life, but simply didn’t have the time for. The solution: vintage!
Not only am I an avid fan of fashion (seeing as I study it!), but there’s just something about vintage advertisements, old Hollywood glam and a dash of cottagecore for good measure that I love. Deciding to wear vintage was a logical step away from cosplay, but towards expressing my creativity and dedication to sustainable self-expression.
Education
My academic work
Education
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Fashion Studies, Highest Distinction - Parsons School of Design (2024)
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Anthropology, Highest Honors - University of California, Berkeley (2022)
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Anthropology - Sacramento City College (2020)
Written Work
(Not yet published)
Awards
Departmental Honors - Parsons School of Design (2024)
Highest Distinction in General Scholarship - UC Berkeley (2022)
2022 NISTS Transfer Student Ambassador
Osher Re-Entry Scholarship (2022)
UC Berkeley Undergraduate Scholarship (2021-22)
EOP Academic Achievement Award (2021-22)
AmeriCorps Education Award (2021)
Beinecke Foundation Scholarship, Nominated Fall 2021 (Not Received)
Phi Theta Kappa (2019-20)
academic conference presentations
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Art and design history and theory symposium
“Defining Fashion”
May 2024
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Unravelling Fashion Narratives
“Vintage Style, Vintage Lives: Clothing and Social Media in the White Nationalist Moment”
June 2024
