Shoe Story: The Fashion Addicts

The Fashion Addicts™ - primping their looks. 

About a week ago {insert schmurda dance}, we sat down with the indelible women behind The Fashion Addicts™ brand, Chantell - now dubbed Eartha Kitt {you guys had to be there}, and Lolita Marie. This powerhouse and might I add statuesque sibling duo is a force to be reckoned with and poised to bring another level of flavor to the sometimes dry fashion industry. Creating their brand, The Fashion Addicts™ was no small feat, but they have handled it like the true G's they are. Since their launch in late 2014/early 2015, they've garnered a huge cult following counting the badgyal herself Rihanna and Cara Delevingne as followers of their brand @thefashionaddicts. In addition, they recently launched a tongue and cheek extension of that brand entitled - Fashion Addicts Be Like {@fashionaddictsbelike}.

They've been able to acquire over 100 contracts with retailers and major fashion brands like Saks, Macy's, Bloomingdales, and Alexander Wang to sell their inventory. Add another layer on top of that, these bad ass bawses curate their own fashion items, vintage items, and Fashion Addicts Be Like merchandise available for purchase on thefashionaddicts.com, andddddd they have a personal styling/consulting service - talk about one stop shop! Their love for fashion is innate, their grandmother is a seamstress and both of their parents have worked in retail for decades so creating their own fashion business was naturally the next step. 

These sisters are so full of love, light, and blessings you can trust and believe they will become a household name - very soon. I could go on and on for days, but I'll stop right there and let you get all the way into this feature - their collection is full of color and texture. Enjoy...

FTBUP!™: Put your ideal outfit together, where do you start and what are you wearing?

Eartha: Everything is in phases for me. Right now I'm in my lingerie phase. I'm into bedroom slippers and clear shoes, one piece bustiers, stripper lingerie {really Eartha} underneath my elegant gown/clothes. I start with lingerie and then build from there. I don’t know where I'm going to be next week, but right now this is where I'm at.

Lolita: I would start with my shoes first, but my perfect outfit. Child, I can't even afford it. Its not even made yet! My perfect outfit is intangible. But it will include Chanel and Balmain. And diamonds.

FTBUP!™: Whose shoe closet would you love to raid?

The Fashion Addicts™: Rihanna. June Ambrose. Anna Della Russo. Carrie {Sex in the City}.  Mariah Carey.

FTBUP!™: Define your style in three words?

Eartha: Jewish. Stripper. Jamaican. {the entire room BURST into laughter} Don’t dumb yourself down. If you want to go to the supermarket in a prom dress and fur shoes go! Like are you really about that fashion life? Are you following The Fashion Addicts™?

Lolita: Sexy. Girly. Trendy.

FTBUP!™: If your shoes could talk, what would they say?

Eartha: Mommy’s a lot of fun {of course they would Ms. Kitt}.

Lolita: I love you {Eartha: They would not say I love you, They would say helllp}.

FTBUP!™: So you’re a shoe, what’s your style?

Eartha: I'm recently getting into 3 - 4 inch heels and classic styles. Shoes with fur {Lolita: Shoes with fur are classic?! Really?!}. 50’s chic. Marilyn Monroe.

Lolita: Anything with a bow that’s pretty and cute and girly.

FTBUP!™: If there were a law passed that prohibited women from wearing heels, what would you do?  

The Fashion Addicts™: We're moving. We're going to live in Antigua. Bye Donald Trump.

FTBUP!™: Earth has become unlivable, everyone is going to another planet, and you can only bring a carry-on – what’s in it?

Eartha: I’m dead. By the time I finish figuring out what to put in the carry-on I'm dead.  I don’t check my shoes so I guess I’m going with my shoes and some fur and a muff {WHATT LMAO - Everyone present}.

Lolita: How big is this bag?!

FTBUP!™: What advice would you give to women looking to jumpstart their entrepreneurial endeavors?  

The Fashion Addicts™: Don't wait! Time waits for no one. There's always something that will prevent you from starting. You'll go from saying "I want to have all my ducks in a row" or "I need to have this together first." Just do it. Just start. Even if its a blog or recording your day to day or styling friends or whatever it is. Because if you don't, you're going to wake up and say wow I'm still at this 9 to 5. When we first started, we wanted to sell clothing, but didn't have anyone to sell to so we started on social media. That blew up and everything else fell into place. If we wouldn't have started, nothing would have happened. I recently read this quote that says "If you're not already running towards the hoop, when God sends you the alley-oop, you can't dunk it." {Wow! That's powerful} Just start and God will take it from there. 

Flash Round {BTW they answered every question on this round in unison it was quite hilarious}...

Rihanna or Beyoncé? Both. Rihyoncé.

Sophia Webster or Charlotte Olympia? Charlotte Olympia

New York or Paris? Paris

Get into their collection....

This is light work...

Bedroom slippers + city slickers = Eartha Kitt Kit...

Racks on Racks...

You ain't got on these Fc$Kin loubbieeessss...

Attention to detail...

Art of the heel...

Peek-a-boo boots...

Reflections...

J U S T . S A Y I N...

Ro-BUST..get like us...

Loubie + Gucci + Giuseppe + YSL + Marni + More... Oh My...

Come on ladies...

Its time to...

Get in...

Formation!...

The Fashion Addicts™

Check me out...

Plaid fad...

Riding around and getting it...

Classics just never go out of style...

I slay...

Keep up with these ladies on Instagram and Facebook @thefashionaddicts, on twitter @thefshnaddicts and most importantly shop the latest in designer fashion and style on their retail site thefashionaddicts.com. 

Shoe Story: Chic Busy Mom

Generally, when you think of Mothers and motherhood the words style, chic, fierce and fashion don't necessarily come to mind - unless of course we're speaking of my Mom, some other dope Moms I know AND Madame Candace Montgomery of Chic Busy Mom. I've had the pleasure of knowing this lovely lady for 5 years now - damn! I've never seen her 'off style,' or without something really cute on and as the Event Marketing Director at ESSENCE Magazine, I wouldn't expect anything less.

Candace oversees major red carpet events for the brand like Black Women in Hollywood, Black Women in Music and Best In Black Beauty Awards just to name a few all while producing her own platform Chic Busy Mom. At first glance, she doesn't look like a married Mom of three little beauties - which is what I admire most. Candace has been able to define her place as a Mom. She inspires other women to enjoy motherhood, enjoy marriage, stay true to self and more importantly look good doing it!

With all of that said, it was most crucial that I tipped over to Brooklyn to get a look into her shoe and fashion world. Please note, she played uber modest when it came to what we shot for the feature. She has more shoes {and clothes} than a little bit and as you'll soon find out in the interview, most of them are at the office! Ha!

Enjoy...

Put your ideal outfit together, where do you start and what are you wearing?

My ideal outfit has some sort of print in it. I love color, prints and patterns. It usually starts with the base i.e. pants, skirts, or a dress. Then I look at my shoes and figure out what I'm going to put on. I absolutely love prints. I love prints in my home. I love prints on my clothes. My shoes. Everywhere. My mother always wore prints and colors and I inherited that and I think my daughter has inherited it from me. I love Mara Hoffman and Stella Jean – when it comes to prints they’re it. I love Ankara and African prints. I also love what Reuben Reuel is doing. I purchased my first billowy Ankara print skirt from him. 

What shoe designers do you feel speak most to your style and the way you would express yourself?

I do love Loeffler Randall and I have a fair amount of her shoes. I like that they are comfortable and they have a lot of prints and accoutrements. I do love Brother Vellies – I love that she’s a black designer and very creative. Her being black is just the cherry on top. But I love what she's doing with texture and fabrics like horse hair on the shoes. I do love Christian Louboutin, but my feet don’t love them. I've had two pair and had to return to them {ME: lets be truthful, no ones feet loves them. Girls are out here stuntin in these streets.} I need comfort. I want them to be chic, but I want them to be comfortable. I also love Proenza Schouler and Altuzarra.

Whose shoe closet would you love to raid?

I do love Kahlana Barfield’s shoe closet, Tracee Ellis Ross and I love Solange’s entire style. She speaks to me through her fashion with colors and prints. Its like myself realized in a more mainstream way. But Tracee would be my ideal.

Define your style in three words?

Mixed. Eclectic. Loud.  My husband says when I get dressed in the morning I always look like I'm about to perform. In my brain, I don’t feel like I'm dressing for something – its just me. {ME: Listen, you have to be ready for the show. Life is a show.} Even though I work in a corporate environment, I've managed to bridge the gap between eclecticism and buttoned up. That’s what I love about working in media and magazines, you have the option to express yourself a little more.

 If your shoes could talk, what would they say?

Take me out for a twirl. Take me out more. I actually keep a lot of my shoes at work because I don’t have space and since the company is moving I'm going to have to talk to my husband about building me a shoe shelving system in the bedroom - he doesn't know yet.

So you’re a shoe, what’s your style?

I might be a bright solid color on the top and then a pattern on the bottom and maybe a knot or some fabric on the top and I'm not more than three inches. {ME: that’s modest, but still a statement}. Exactly still making a statement, but I can get around in it.  

If there were a law passed that prohibited women from wearing heels, what would you do?

You mean... would it just be for the state. {ME: No the country}. Oh my God. I would be apart of a major petition to stop that. That just can't be. It sounds sad and uninteresting. It’s a letter writing campaign. Listen, shoes make women happy! You may be feeling down or your outfit may just be ok, but you can put on your shoes and it changes everything. Shoes can make or break a situation. You can feel like this 'shit is fire', 'I’m doing it' with the right pair of shoes. 

Earth has become unlivable, everyone is going to another planet, and you can only bring a carry-on – what’s in it?

Some pretty underwear because I might need to procreate. {ME: I completely burst into laughter - can you help me understand this. Am I missing something} You need to make sure your lingerie is on point too. Some good utilitarian basics – jeans, shirts and jackets. A good pair of boots I can roll down. A hat because I don't know what the elements are like and probably like 3 pairs of my light weight shoes.

Tell me about your brand. Chic Busy Mom what is that about. How have you come to epitomize a Chic Busy Mom?

It started out as just me and its grown into a platform where moms can talk about motherhood, beauty, lifestyle and work. Its about how you juggle your life, but still manage to present yourself in a way that you feel good about yourself. You can laugh with each other, have fun and laugh about motherhood. It represents busy moms in general.

Flash Round...

Pink or Purple? Pink

Sophia Webster or Charlotte Olympia?  That’s tough ummm Sophia Webster

Fall or Summer? Fall

During our time together we broke out into a very interesting conversation about style. Here is a snippet:

  Now check out the collection...

Kick in the door...

A shoe story...

Ordered steps...

From Jade...

Jumping the broom...

Walk the line...A series...

...

Walk the line...sparkle and shine...

Watermelon...

Chic Busy Mom...

Cocaina...

Reflections...

True Blue...

Knock and the door shall be opened...

Jett Jett...

What's Eating Gilbert Grape...

Prints and patterns...

Chic Busy Mom rocking Chic Busy Mom's...Aunt Viv & Claire

Keep up with Candace AKA Chic Busy Mom on her site - named of course Chic Busy Mom, Instagram and twitter pages @chicbusymom and out and about being cute, spreading her black girl magic.