Five Journalistic Questions #6: Passing the Mic
This dispatch is two point five months overdue and you all will deal…(I hope). Lol
In this edition, I’m passing the mic. I was asked some questions over the s*mm*r (yes, I am, in fact, emabrrazzed) and decided to answer them here until I compile topics and subjects for the next edition. There are a couple instances in which I, unfortunately, tell the absolute truth so it seems like I’m being a Debbie Downer but, I swear, that is not the case. I hope you enjoy and share your thoughts/opinions/etc.
Who:
Who makes the best mary janes (@roseposey)
Breaking this down so it can forever and consistently be broke– word to whoever Isaiah Washington’s character was in Love Jones (but not Isaiah Washington). I’m going to break this down into three categories: Most Accessible (most of the time), Most Rare, Most Expensive. Most Accessible (most of the time): (Pair 1): Carel (Kina)– they come in a variety of colors, sizes, and finishes so if you’re in the market for doll shoes, you’re bound to find something. (Pair 2): Nicole Saldaña’s (Fabiana)– the updated interpretation of bar shoes is held together with laces instead of a leather strap. They add childlike sensibility to the very adult outfit of selvage denim and the finest Japanese cotton t-shirt. Con: Maybe it’s just me needing to further break them in but my socks *always* slide down after walking the length of three NYC blocks. Will update you on this!*** Most rare: (Pair 1): Silver Chanel Goatskin mary janes. They’re not rare because they are $900. They’re rare because the only time I’ve seen them materialize IRL apart from deep-pocketed fashion insiders was on TheRealReal where I had a pair in my cart for a month (I know!) before someone else snatched them up and I haven’t been able to find that damn 1.5mm heel since. (Pair 2): Proenza Schouler (I can’t find the specific name)– I found the pointy toe/silver heel pair I currently own on set of a shoot (again, for TheRealReal) and they were using them on a model. I had them hold the shoes for me online and purchased them a few days later. Proenza makes a fabulous and well-made shoe that transitions well from day to night and for that alone they’re one of my favorite brands. Most Expensive: Prada T-Strap Mary Janes. I nearly lost my mind the first time I saw these shoes on a pedestal at Bergdorf Goodman (otherwise known to me as my mothership/summer camp). I think they are darling and would be a functional addition to a shoe collection, however, for $1120 (excluding tax), I don’t believe shoe stretching should be mandatory in order to make it through the day. Still love your work, though, Miuccia, girl!
Who wrote the best book you’ve read recently? (@mbiye_k)
Jacqueline Woodson’s Red at the Bone. For one, it’s short. The book in length is something like 180 pages so it’s a work that you can easily read in the grass at the park over the course of two days. Second, it’s akin to narrative poetry. The story is so beautifully written that it feels like prose. Lastly, it’s messy. I love mess. I love mess on reality television. I love mess in the fashion industry. I love mess in the news. I particularly love mess when I can be a witness to it from afar but it doesn’t seep into my own personal life. I look at it not only for the salaciousness of seeing people behave badly but also as a life guide because I no longer *need* to touch the pan to learn that the stove is hot. (Growth!) Red at the Bone gives me mess in the form of touching stories that overlap and require empathy from her readers.
Note to readers: This was written 2.5 months ago. I’ve read books since then. I swear. (lol) Update you on this soon because I found a really cool book. :)
Who or what has the last say in the death of a trend? Is BBL fashion really on its way out? (@baleufits)
I want to answer the last question first in a brief, and slightly oversimplified, way because this question is so multilayered and has socioeconomic, not to mention racial, implications. Long story short, no, “BBL fashion” isn’t going anywhere. BBL fashion is essentially co-opted from Black strip club culture and sex workers. BBLs are not new nor are the clothes that are stereotyped to accompany the aesthetic. I want to be wary of conflating BBLs with lewdness or hypersexuality. The latest iteration of this elective surgery’s ilk are not a monolith and the aesthetic is oft sculpted around a particular woman/femme within society, specifically within the last decade. I also think we’re consolidating the rise of “super thin is in” and the also co-opted “clean girl” aesthetic with the demise of the BBL. That’s simply not how trends work anymore. The emergence of one thing is not reliant on the expiration of another. A lot of trends are cohabiting within the fashion space as well as personal wardrobes. Trends are dependent upon the needs, attention span, and ability of society to buy into or believe in something– a craze if you will. I believe that’s why we're currently enmeshed in an era of trendlessness. Trends don’t die off the way they used to. The time continuum has completely disintegrated when it comes to what’s trendy, what’s overdone, and what needs to be laid to rest. The famous one-liner by the worlds most famous worm, “one day you’re in and the next you’re out” no longer holds true. It’s why skinny jeans are still hanging on after nearly 20 years of being a closet mainstay and why Y2K, 1990s WASP, and futuristic club kid couture are aligning, colliding even, in this really funky time.
I could not recommend reading this Nylon article written by Rachel Rabbit White about the “death” of BBL Fashion! It’s pretty great and goes into detail that I can’t go into here about anyone even suggesting BBL fashion is dead is…well…racist, transphobic, and misogynistic.
What:
What’s the best way to get started or to get experience? (@onlygodknows_sabrina)
In the words of fine ass Arthur Ashe: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
The honest answer to this question is to just start where you are or where you can. Do you have resources or access to people who are doing what you would like to do? Are they willing to help? Reach out to them and let your intentions be known. Form a relationship with them and make sure that the acquaintanceship has some sort of reciprocity. I got my first byline because I asked an editor of a publication I had modeled for if they were accepting new freelance writers. I’m not going to say that it was easy but the initial outreach was quite simple and the no’s helped me pivot to the next door to continue knocking.
What is the state of the supermodel? Is that term relevant anymore? (@theculturedpearl)
If you have to ask… lol
I don’t think so. At least not in the way that we’ve previous been introduced and come to know them. I think the supermodel in the classic sense ends with Giselle Bündschen and her class. In my lowly opinion, a supermodel was a supermodel not because of the reach they had within the fashion industry but because of the reach they had outside of it. The ability to be recognized outside of the insular circles of couture and those in the know of what the hell silk crêpe is as well as the ability to dictate trends and beauty standards* separate from the runway and the vision of designers. Maybe I’m a fashion purist because I’m thinking of Naomi Campbell the entire time I’m writing this but I don’t think the Big 5 and the models of the aughts can ever be replicated despite how hard the powers that be try to convince me that Lila Moss is next in line. The gilded uterus of a supermodel does not a supermodel make. I also think social media muddles the modeling industry a bit because hypervisibilty is oft conflated with influence and reach and sometimes it’s neither.
I have a few exceptions and Precious Lee, Jill Kortleve, and Anok Yai are three of them. Supermodels? No, but the quality is absolutely there and I’m genuinely excited to see what they do in the future.
*I understand that the position of supermodel has often been held by white, extremely thin, cis women and, thus, dictating beauty standards is super complex and multiplayered.
What are your favorite candles/incense and what do they smell like? Fragrances too! (@ijeabaliim)
I love anything that has the scent of leather, cardamom, sandalwood, clove, and bergamot. I love the fragrant and comforting smell of wood. It reminds me of visiting my grandmother on the weekends in Alameda. Currently, my preferred candles are Hanoki Fantôme by Boy Smells ($36), Altar by Byredo ($90), and Burning Rose by Byredo ($90). Those are the three candles I’ll burn in the colder months. In the summer, I prefer to burn incense and I only use Ponsont incense. They only have two scents and I’ll alter between the two depending on my mood and needs. My personal fragrances are a bit more under lock and key because fragrance is personal and if my scent(s) turn into Le Labo Santal 33 (love their Matcha scent), I will lose my mind. Additionally, fragrance can change at the drop of a dime due to the difference in pheromones so what smells delightful to me may engage with your olfactory system in a completely different way when the scent is applied. I highly recommend going to Nordstrom and milling around their well-ranged beauty department. Their counters and shop-in-shops are organized in a way that you don’t have to venture to several different floors to engage with a brand.
When:
When and how did you develop your personal style? (@moni.in.the.middle)
It’s funny because you never stop developing your style. The way I dressed when I was 19 is not the way I dress or desire to dress at 30. I’m not the same stylistically, physically, or emotionally at 30 as I was at 23– thank God. Observing, reading, and researching is how you develop your style. Watch classic movies that you haven’t seen before. Music videos are a good place to start as well. Look up the stylists of those productions and research their work. Think of the way you live your life and find clothes that will compliment that while also allowing you to show up as your best self. It’s quite hard to answer this question because I had examples of style growing up so I constantly return to that source material when I’m in a rut. I read fashion magazines voraciously as a child so I developed a viewpoint, a foundation, and grew to know what I liked and disliked. I can’t stress experimenting with silhouettes enough. Go to your local thrift store and buy what you think you like and edit down until you left with the garments that make your heart sing. Style is rarely found in trends, it’s found in perspective and knowing parts of yourself–even small parts.
When did you decide to move to NYC? Was there an “aha” moment? (@rocosolo)
I would come to New York quite often because I lived a short-ish bus ride away in Massachusetts throughout my adolescence and early adulthood. I don’t think there was a particular moment that revealed itself to me signaling that it was my destiny to move to New York. (The first time I came to New York, I lost my phone in a yellow cab and cried in the middle of Times Square outside of the Virgin Records store.) I wanted to work in fashion publishing and that was an impossibility living outside of the city, at the time. I was also pretty bored, not to mention terrified of getting stuck in Boston. I love that city and I miss its slower pace during the colder months but I knew there was something I wanted to accomplish outside of those city limits. I’m not sure if I’m presently doing what I set out to do but I’ve lasted this long in this damn shantytown and I’m extremely proud of myself for making it this far.
When did you create an adaptable morning and nighttime routine? (@alexis.roane)
I finally created a routine when I realized I hadn’t finished a book in like 3 months. As romantic as it is to read before bedtime, my brain is the sharpest and most alert early in the morning. I intake information the best between 7:30a and noon with a hit of caffeine. I like to read for a few hours in the quiet before emails, meetings, and phone calls. My bedtime routine [on the nights I don't have an event, dinner, or date] is a bit more different and revolves around setting myself up for a successful forenoon: doing chores, showering, and getting into bed by 12:30a.
Where
Where do you unearth budget-friendly fashion finds? (@imprisscillam)
Thrift stores. Specific thrift stores? If you live in NYC, Beacon’s Closet is a recession era institution. The sales section of stores like Urban Outfitters are also great resources. The fabric quality can sometimes be hit or miss but sometimes when I see something that glitters, it turns out to be gold. The online exclusive returns are the best. Lastly, and surprisingly, I present to you, the mall store. I recently bought a beautiful pair of carpenter pants from…The Gap. I’m telling you, staple mall superstores of yore like The Gap, J. Crew, and Banana Republic are coming back into my life with a vengeance. They are becoming some of the first places I look for things like t-shirts, loungewear, and, at times, pants or trousers. The reversion back to WASP, or in my case BlAME, aesthetics, the it-brands of the 90s are freshening up their offering and appealing to an array of shoppers who may have previously written them off as outdated and uncool.
Where do you fall on the spectrum of buying clothes to keep vs. enjoying fashion in the moment? (@aeclayton)
I am most definitely a practical and sensible shopper. I like to have clothes that I can return to and rely on in a multitude of ways. I don’t buy a pair of shoes unless I can think of 5-7 outfits I can accompany them with; I don’t buy a shirt unless I have 3 pairs of pants that can effortlessly collaborate with my new purchase. I’m even selective about things I’m gifted because I only want things I can and, more importantly, will, use. I believe my sense of practicality comes not from “being holier than thou” or better than the other but truly from survival mode for 6 years in this city. I couldn’t afford to waste money on a fleeting fashion trend (I also hate trends). I had to be able to envision myself wearing these pieces for the next five years and that’s still a shopping benchmark I utilize today.
Why:
What are your top 5 fashion buys? Why? (@ngozi_simone)
1. Gucci x Adidas loafers (or as I call them Gadidas or Aduccis)- They’re such a beautiful, practical, and evergreen purchase. The more they’re worn, the more beautiful they look. I can’t wait to pair them with some socks this fall. 2. Vintage cream leather overcoat–it was $75 and looks FABULOUS. It’s also very warm. 3. Loewe Flamenco tote–It adds a muted sense of luxury to any outfit and it can carry damn near everything; books, clothing, computer, everything. 4. Levi’s Wide Barrel Jeans (in Black)– They’re a fun silhouette I've never tried before and they are so incredibly comfortable. The wash is also incredible and different for me but getting unbelievable use. 5. Mansur Gavriel Scrunchie bag (in Black) – I originally recommended this bag to a friend who was looking for a tote (I didn’t want to shell out the $795 to buy it) but she didn’t end up buying it. I then found it on TRR last month and I also had a credit so I bought it for just under $280.
Why is glamor important in relation to the current state of art and culture? (@okuduma)
Glamor is important because it promotes and encourages a sense of escape and delusion. It encourages ingenuity and inventiveness. I looked up the synonyms of glamor upon writing this response. The synonyms are allure, charm, enchantment, romance, mystique, and excitement. Unfortunately, I don’t find many of those qualities [en masse] in the contemporary creative landscapes due to the constant and unending access we have to everything, especially each other—myself included. I hate to sound like that Debbie girl who’s a constant downer but glamor is built on fantasy and reverie. Some people talk at length about the glamor of the 1940s– reality check: inflation was beating everyone’s ass (same), it was World War II (same), the girlies were rationing rubber and other essentials, there was a plethora of misinformation (whew) and Jim was Crowing (👀). However, our ability to fantasize and imagine a time when a movie cost 35¢ (bread: 10¢ and eggs: 33¢) Hollywood productions and other forms of art and media conjured a nostalgia for a time that we neither experienced or knew in totality. Glamor is the possibility of reality.
Why do you think fashion and dining intersect? What are your thoughts on restaurant dress codes?
Let’s see…where to begin because these are two loaded questions. Do I think fashion and dining intersect? Not all the time. Do I like getting dressed for a really lovely meal? Of course. Who doesn't?! A night at the ballet followed by a beautiful cocktail at a tucked away speakeasy while dressed in Christopher Esber sounds divine right now. On the other hand, I love a serendipitous (or unscheduled) meeting that results in wearing a lovely pair of jeans and a boat neck t-shirt to what would otherwise be considered a fancy establishment. Recently, I wore my pilates clothes to get clams and a whiskey sour. It was lovely. I’ll use this as a segue to the “restaurant dress code” question. I don’t believe in restaurant dress codes. They’ve typically been used to bar access to those who can’t meet a certain aesthetic and that’s bullshit considering that some of these establishments don’t even adequately season their food. I like to observe how patrons interpret the atmosphere and how the ambiance (if it’s there) organically dictates the dress code. I do believe a night of dining is an experience but I don’t want that dictated based on, oftentimes, a biased framework.
Thank you for reading this edition of Five Journalistic Questions. I'm adding a new section to the next edition so keep your eyes peeled for that. Don’t forget to share and/or (and) leave a comment. Tell a friend to tell a friend! Talk to you soon. :)
