Her Look

Text by Holly Matkin • Photography by Loni Judisch

  Kasey Kreit has never been one to follow the latest trends – she just wears what she likes. “In high school,” the Great Falls photographer recalls, “I never fit in with the styles, and I was made fun of a lot.” As it turns out, Kasey’s fashion sense was simply ahead of the times. “My family and fiancé think it’s funny that the things I put together end up being big trends about a year later,” she laughs.

Kasey’s look certainly exudes a down-home, western feel that she describes as “trendy country” – classic gray and cool toned high-neck or high-waist dresses she likes to pair with denim jackets or her go-to Ariat fringed boots. “I get so many comments on those boots. And I may be pretty obsessed with super-high heels,” she admits. 

Most endearingly, Kasey’s flair for fashion simply reflects the way she chooses to live. “Always be yourself,” she says, “and wear what makes you feel confident.”

Text by Claire Baiz • Photography by Phil Procopio

Craig Duff gets a question that’s more common for a four-year-old kid at a birthday party than a forty-two year old federal law enforcement officer. “Did you dress yourself?”

The answer is yes, head to toe—and inside out.

Her Look

Text by Claire Baiz • Photography by Phil Procopio

“Tall boots are hard to pull on when you’re pregnant,” says second-time mom Kattie Meyer. “I’m lucky—there are so many cute booties out there.” Meyer admits maternity pants are a blessing, but she gives the thumbs-down to maternity tops. “I like flowy tops anyway.”

Stylish Syd

Text by Claire Baiz • Photography by Phil Procopio

“My advice? Get a suit.”

Syd Shoffner learned how to dress to impress from his brother-in-law Mark Wilson, a former L.A. cop. When Syd was younger, Wilson took him to a California mall to buy a snazzy outfit. “When you grow up, kid,” Wilson told him, “you’re going to want to look nice.”

Echo’s Original Voice

Text by Calire Baiz • Photo by Phillip Procopio

Echo Ukrainetz doesn’t have style—she embodies it. “Dressing,” this Great Falls artist says, “is like decorating a canvas.”

When Ukrainetz taught at Great Falls High, her students always picked up on a splashy knotted scarf, a chunky necklace or a new pair of shoes. Even fellow artists took note: the late portrait artist Arlene Hooker Fay would comment on Ukrainetz outfits as though she was a walking exhibit.

His Look

Text by Claire Baiz | Photography by Garrett Thompson

Matthew Nottingham’s best advice for the well-dressed outdoorsman: “Never underestimate wool socks.”

This avid hiker and fisherman knows Big Sky Country: sunny one second, snowy the next. Nottingham encourages people to dress in layers, with a quick-dry base.

Montana’s own Simms and FishOn Energy companies are this Helena native’s go-to sources for gear.

Dr. Nottingham, an optometrist with Helena Vision Center, advises polarized lenses for outdoor activity—even for kids. He wears Maui Jims, which protect the eyes and don’t have to darken the terrain. “They really help me see into the water,” he says.