Disturbing the Peach the Kayotick Way
Normal is overrated, the motto for Chicago native Kayla Hodges (also known as Kayotick Kayla), owner of online boutique, Kayotick Alternative Fashion. Her life and boutique are all a prime representation of living life outside of what is deemed “normal” in fashion and today’s society. She makes it a point to be open to everyone and everything. Her free spirited and optimistic personality has helped her overcome many obstacles and as Rihanna would say, “shine bright like a diamond.” Kayla life is circled around her love for her two-year-old son Ari, family, friends, traveling, her dreams of being a pilot, and most importantly Kayotick Kayla.
Photo Cred: Sarai Ashari
The Birth of Kayotick
Middle Georgia State University is not only the academic home for Kayla, who is pursuing a degree in Aviation, but also the birthplace of the Kayotick Kayla brand. While attending Middle Georgia, Kayla found out that she was pregnant with Ari. But, quitting school was not an option. Her main concern was making enough money to support herself and her bundle of joy.
Gauges came to mind, I always wore gauges, and I’m going to be a grandma with gauges. I started making gauges myself and selling it to people at school. One day, my friend told me that I should come up with a name for my designs. So, I’m kind of on the crazy side, and the word chaotic came to mind. It took me a long time to come up with the name, a year to be exact. But, once I came up with the name for my brand, that’s when I started wanting more.
Thus, the birth of Kayotick Alternative Fashion came into its formation. The word Kayotick not only represents Kayla’s personality but, it also has another meaningful root to its name. This is credited to a culture and music genre called electronic dance music (EDM).
Photo Cred: Sarai Ashari
Peace Love Unity and Respect
Kayla started attending raves when she was 18 years old. The music was the first thing that grabbed her. “I like the beat and the base, its dope,” said Kayla. The EDM community open Kayla up to expressing the freedom to dance and be one with people from all walks of life. “I’ve never been to a rave or a festival and experienced any disrespect. We all it out PLUR movement. It’s peace, love, unity, and respect. We just love one another and I think that’s totally awesome,” said Kayla. “It’s an open environment.” She developed a fascination for the entire rave scene and the influence echoed into her fashion.
“My goal is not to match, I always want to be something different,” said Kayla. “Being ‘odd’ or ‘different’ is what the rave world is all about. That’s where the word Kayotick comes from.”
Photo Cred: Sarai Ashari
Welcome To The Kayotick World
In the world of Kayotick Kayla, there are no limits. The brand focus on attracting people of all ages in and outside of the rave world. All who are free-spirited and non-judgmental are welcome to be a part of the Kayotick family. This clothing brand is spunky, colorful, with splash of chaos. It has the potential to bring out the fun side in anyone. Where can you wear a Kayotick piece? Anywhere! It all depends on how you’re feeling. Kayla also finds her items great for those who attend EDM festivals such as Imagine or the Electric Daisy Carnival. One can even rock some of the onesies with a favorite pair of jeans.
The slogan for Kayotick Alternative Fashion is, “your life will never be the same, just make sure you don’t play it safe.”
Kayla beautifully interpreted this slogan by saying, “all my life I never played it save. I feel like you can do above and beyond the normal, don’t just play it safe. Don’t just fit in. If you always play it safe and be normal all the time, you will never reach the top of your expectations. You can be so much more and succeed. Never play it safe, it sucks. You’re going to end up being “regular, degular, and shmegular. Be awesome.”
The future is very bright for Kayla. Currently, her plan is to bring her brand to each and every EDM festival. She recently attended the Imagine Festival that was held at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in September. The next festivals on her radar is the Electric Daisy Carnival. Then, she plans to have her items sold in stores, and eventually opening her own store in Atlanta. “It’s the home of people that don’t play it safe,” said Kayla. “This is a place where you can stand out.”
Why Shop Kayotick? Kayla prides her brand on being vibrant and possessing a uniqueness that many brands do not have. Her goal is to reach out to that one of ten or two out of twenty people out there who isn’t afraid to stand out and not fit in with the crowd.
Kayotick Alternative Fashion at the Imagine Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. (l-r) Kayotick models, a happy customer (her first time raving), and friends. Photo Courtesy of Kayotick Alternative Fashion.
Final Message
I just want to say to the readers, be sweet, be great, be awesome, and succeed in whatever you want. Don’t let anything stop you. I didn’t let anything stop me. I was pregnant, I had a kid, I went to college, and I still had everything I’ve always imagined. Most days I don’t even know how I do it, but I just do. So, follow your heart, your dreams, and you’ll be amazing.
Where to find Kayla and her brand? Follow her on Instagram @therealkayotick, and online at www.kayotick.com.
Cheers,
