Shoe Story: Live, Love, Laurean

When you think about beauty, I implore you to take a minute and find out about Ms. Jackie Yates. This beauty aficionado has gracefully slayed the beauty department of Essence Magazine as the Beauty Assistant, served as Associate Beauty and Grooming editor at Ebony Magazine, contributed beauty post to The Coveteur and Talkingtexture.com, currently serves as a contributor to Cosmopolitan.com and L'Oreal Paris haircare brands - Redken, Mizani and Pureology - all while leading the charge as Editrix in Chief of her own site and brand, Live Love Laurean.  Jackie is the consummate lady and professional, so it was only right that From The Bottom Up! took a trip to New Jersey to check out her delicate shoe collection. 

True to who she is, her collection is eclectic, stylish, fun and inclusive - crossing the spectrum of high and low fashion. After perusing through her closet and hallways, we sat down with Ms. Yates to talk about shoes, shoes, and of course more shoes. 

Check it out...

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

My ideal outfit is a mix between comfortable, cute and of course sexy. Let’s say something along the lines of a funky pair of booties, distressed jeans, a cozy turtleneck - for when it gets cold out there, and lots of delicate gold accessories. 

Name your top fav shoe designers?

Giuseppe Zanotti, Louis Vuitton, and Stuart Weitzman.

Whose shoe closet would you love to raid?

Hmmm, thats tough. Can I pick 3? {ME: Of Course} Olivia Palermo, Rita Ora, Solange Knowles. No explanation needed as to why! Just google them.

Define your style in three words?

Classy. Comfy. Chic.

If your shoes could talk, what would they say?

Can you call us an uber please?

So you’re a shoe, what’s your style?

Trendy - I like to have fun with fashion and I follow trends, so I would definitely be a trendy shoe and one that all my fellow fashion divas out there will love. 

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

{Big eyes} Get the dopest, hottest sneakers out!

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

Underwear, headphones, a signature scent, colgate optic white toothpaste, phone chargers, my laptop, my camera,  fresh T’s, bottoms, comfortable shoes/sneakers, a photo of my late father.

Flash Round

Matte or gloss?

I’m a gloss girl usually, but really want to be a matte lady.

Sophia Webster or Charlotte Olympia?

Sophia Webster

New York or Paris?

New York because it’s what I know, but Paris doesn’t sound like a bad idea.

See, the way my life is set up - makeup, shades, shoes and work...

Flatform...

Recipe for a good beat...

A work of art...

A wireeee hangerrrrrr....and a heel

Never miss out...

Step light...

Black love...

Beauty counter...

Checking the gram...

Squad goals...

Don't send for me...unless I twirl for you...

Keep up with Ms. Yates on her site Live, Love, Laurean and on Twitter and Instagram @LiveLoveLaurean.

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.