There’s a difference between style and fashion. Fashion loves designer names, cutting-edge trends, and “on fleek” accessories. Style, on the other, more distinctive hand, runs deep. It’s obvious, and reflects the wearer’s personality. It’s effortless. It is so, totally you.
Dressed in earthy tones and simple clothing, Andrea “The Tattoo Faerie” Baker exemplifies what it means to have style. Unconcerned with what’s #trending, Baker opts for a more natural approach to her aesthetic. Using her skin as a canvas, Baker embellishes herself in tattoos, turquoise jewelry, and a woven wreath of feathers in her hair. If she had a celebrity style twin, it might be Mother Nature. But we think Baker is an entity of her own.
Let’s go from head to toe. Oh my god, those feathers. What kind are they and where do you find them?
I have some bluejay feathers, as well as sparrow, quail, hawk, whatever I find. I find them, my daughter finds them, and then I’ll put them in my hair because they’re lucky. Birds are a symbol of freedom and the feathers in my hair are a sentimental collection that I carry and wear. They match my natural hair color so well that often people don’t know that it’s not my real hair until they get up close.
Do people react weirdly to the feathers, or your look in general? It’s pretty aggressive— in a great way. 
Thanks. (Laughing) People tell me all the time, like “Uhh, is that your hair?” They think it’s a hat a lot of times! Or, if I wear a hat, they’re like “Is that part of a hat?” Sometimes people are mean, and it’s just kind of amusing. Mostly it’s older people — they’ll tell me I’m ridiculous.
How about the rest of your look. Where do you shop? How do you get ready in the morning?
I like to wear clothes that are super comfortable. I like to feel like I’m flowing, kind of floating. I’ll dress based on my mood, and I wear colors that reflect it, like green or red. For shopping, I piece together a lot of stuff and I make a lot of clothes, too. So, I will go to Kohl’s and get a bunch of plain tank tops, or I’ll go to the mall and find a pair of shoes. I love shopping at Orchid Lane [in Ann Arbor], it’s where I find my flowing pantaloons.
You have a lot of gorgeous jewelry on. Can you tell us about it?
I wear pretty much the same accessories every day. I always wear my turquoise. I feel balanced. I’ve been wearing these pieces for a few months. I’ll wear it until either it breaks, I lose it, or I get something else that’s amazing.
What do you do for work and for fun?
I’ve been a tattoo artist for 2 years and the focal point is on the art. I do mostly custom work, abstract, kind of bio-mechanical looking, bio-organic stuff. I’m more of a mendi, mystical, kind-of gross person. I like to draw lots of plants, lots of bugs. I’ve tattooed a lot of weird flowers.
I also paint, I draw, I make fairariams, which are fairy terrariums. I have plants in them and dead stuff and bugs, but I make them really pretty so they’re very deceptive. They look beautiful from the outside but then when you get to them you’re like “oh my god that’s a dead bug,” or a tooth, or a bone.
