interviews Archives - Wear is She Now

vrx941 08/12/2020 New Zealand

Wear is… Maggie J?

Hi! Welcome back to Wear is She Wednesdays, a series that highlights one special girl each week to let her shine! Every Wednesday, we feature a different “she,” and get the scoop on her style, what makes her tick, and how the heck we can learn to be as awesome as she is. Today we’re asking the question everyone wants to know… Wear is Maggie J?

WEAR IS… MAGGIE J?

Meet Maggie, a digital creator, world traveler and baguette bag rocker. Her whimsical sense of style is enough to make you swoon, but sweeter than her endless stream of candy colored clothes is the girl wearing them. Between her flawless wardrobe, open heart and laid-back personality, she’s the type of girl you’re almost jealous of until you realize she’s the nicest and instead decide you should just be internet bffs.

Maggie is an absolute joy to get to know, so keep reading for her thoughts on following your passion, leather shackets and New Zealand thrift culture.

Hi Maggie! Please introduce your wonderful self!

Hi guys! I’m Maggie, my friends call me Mags. A lot of people when they first meet
me joke that I have the same name as this brand of instant noodles –Maggi but hey!
My name has an extra ‘e’ at the end.

I’m currently in my final year of architecture and writing my thesis. I’m based in
Auckland, New Zealand at the moment, but I call Singapore my home. 

1. How would you describe your personal style?

I would say my style is somewhat retro vintage and comfy street. I could never
describe my style precisely because it feels like it’s a blend of everything, but if I had
to choose some keywords, it would be 90s, vintage, street wear, indie (I love me
some plaid pants and oversized sweaters). I prioritize my comfort above all else, so
my “style” is pretty much me trying to balance looking cute but staying comfortable
100% of the time.

2. Who or what are your current biggest style inspirations?

So many people from Instagram and Tik Tok currently! Ever since I started my
fashion account, I get so much inspiration from the people in the fashion community
on Instagram. Some of my go-to for inspo are:

@ __mmaxinewylde

@natashamedx

@peacecrusade

@thenxcvintage

@loorosemary (who has been interviewed here
too).

I never thought I would get fashion inspo from Tik Tok but there’s actually so
much amazing content there! My faves are @tzeshinn, @the.navarose,
@sarahmtimet, @ambikadhr. Of course, @bestdressed is a forever style inspo.

3. How did you discover your personal style or are you still discovering it?

I only really started to be interested in fashion in my late teens. I had to wear school
uniforms Monday to Friday back in high school, and any time outside of school was
meant for studying (being the good Asian kid that I am) and co-curricular activities,
so fashion was never really on my mind. A lot of my early style inspirations came
from watching Youtubers such as clothesencounters (Jenn Im), tothe9s (Ricci and
Cassie), TheLineUp, IAMKARENO. I loved watching their styling videos and I pretty
much learnt all I knew about fashion then from them.

Being at University, and surrounded by creative minds in my major definitely helped
me to step out of my comfort zone after high school. I’m constantly admiring what the people around me wear and how fearlessly bold they are in expressing themselves.

The thrifting culture here in New Zealand also pushes me to experiment with styles
more. There’s not many international labels here compared to other countries, but
the availability of op-shops and the fact that I’m a broke college student means
thrifting is great for experimenting!

My style is still evolving (and I’m sure most people’s do) and so I’m definitely still
discovering new things I like. Just this year, I’ve really gotten into wearing more colours, whilst in the past I pretty much only wore black, whites, and yellow-brown tones.

4. What’s on your thrift list right now?

A leather shacket, a cute bucket hat (I used to hate them!) and shoulder bags –I
have so many but never enough.

5. What’s your go to midnight snack?

I would sneak out of bed and cook myself some Shin Ramen (yummy spicy Korean
instant noodle) and a soft-boiled egg if I’m feeling extra hungry –which coincidentally
is what I’m feeling right now.

6. And the bonus question I like to ask everyone before they go: what’s something you’re really proud of right now?

Being asked to be interviewed for this blog (thanks Veronica)! And starting my fashion content Instagram @melodramaggie. I’ve been deliberating for YEARS whether to start an account or not, mostly because I was worried about what my friends and family might think.

But this whole pandemic really put things into perspective for me, and I thought to myself, “if not now, when?”. So if you’re reading this and wanting to start something you’re passionate about – JUST DO IT. There’s no better time than now.

Where else can we find you, Maggie?

@melodramaggie on Instagram is where I’m at right now, I want to look into starting a blog / online thrift store because I love collecting vintage pieces (but not
necessarily wearing them myself –ya feel?) So follow me on Instagram and stay
tuned!

vrx941 08/05/2020 Los Angeles

Wear is… Brittany Rae Torres?

Hi! Welcome back to Wear is She Wednesdays, a series that highlights one special girl each week to let her shine! Every Wednesday, we feature a different “she,” and get the scoop on her style, what makes her tick, and how the heck we can learn to be as awesome as she is. Today we’re asking the question everyone wants to know… Wear is Brittany Rae Torres?

WEAR IS… BRITTANY RAE TORRES?

Looking for Cali’s ultimate cool girl? Look no further than Brittany Rae Torres. With a killer shoe collection and a, if I may, dope blog, (does anyone still use that word? Her blog warrants it nonetheless), Brittany is the kind of girl everyone dreams of becoming besties with.

Scroll her Insta feed for a healthy dose of outfit inspiration and that ultra chic photography style that looks like Vogue accidentally caught you looking chic as all hell. And keep reading for Brittany’s thoughts on 19th century romanticism, Audio Dharma and marbling.

Hi Brittany! Please introduce your wonderful self!

Hello and thank you for having me! My name is Brittany Rae Torres and I reside in Los Angeles, CA with my husband Clark and our pup Lalo. We’re both California natives with no plans to relocate, but I do dream about living life on the road someday, even if just for a year or two. We’ll see *shrugs*.

I work full-time as a MIT and Buyer Trainer for Crossroads Trading Co. and in my free time I like to create and share content to my blog and instagram. Most of the content is related to recycled fashion and personal growth. I have a degree in both Social and Behavioral Science and Textile Design, and I’d like my blog to be a marriage of the two.

And I apologize for being so vague. I’ve struggled with writing my “About Me” since the Myspace days. I still don’t have a proper bio on my blog either, but if there’s anything else you’d like to know about me I’m happy to share. ( :

1. How would you describe your personal style?

I like to think that my style straddles the line between quirky and cool, but not too cool. I want to be taken seriously but I also want people to know that I’m approachable.

2. If you could travel to any time period in fashion, which would you choose?

A few of my favorite decades that I regularly pull inspiration from are the 70’s and 80’s, but lately I’ve been swooning over the romanticism of the 19th century. Think corsets and blouses with puff sleeves, lace, ruffles. Being in quarantine has really helped me embrace my softer side.

3. How did you discover your personal style or are you still discovering it?

My style is that I have many styles, and I discovered this through thrifting. It’s been my main source of fashion for about twelve years now and I just love it because there are more resources available to you and it allows for creative freedom. I guess you could say that I’m still discovering it with no plans on landing on any one thing in the near future.

4. Do you have any current random favorites?

(podcasts, books, etc.)

Unfortunately, I have not hopped fully onto the podcast trend, but I do want to explore them a lot more. The only two podcasts I can give an honest recommendation for are Audio Dharma and Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. I guess that says a lot about me right there (lol).

Books that I highly recommend are Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and Shiner by Amy Jo Burns, which I am almost finished with. They actually have a few parallels between them; they are both coming of age stories and involve a little love and little mystery. If you’re into that sort of thing then I think you’ll enjoy them.

5. Aside from style, what other hobbies or interests do you have?

During quarantine, I’ve been having a lot of fun in Photoshop creating graphic content for my blog. Some things that I’ve tried and would like to do again soon are marbling, sewing, and more yoga! I also love to read, write, and organize. Anything that brings me clarity and keeps me grounded.

6. And the bonus question I like to ask everyone before they go: what’s something you’re really proud of right now?

Eeek. I’m proud of so many people and things right now that it’s hard to choose just one, but I would say that I am proud of the company I work for, Crossroads Trading Co. They have done so much for their employees during this crazy time and It makes me really proud to be a part of their family. Things are really tough for so many people and I just give thanks, because I’m very very blessed.

Where else can we find you, Brittany?

My blog is www.stylejelly.co, instagram @style.jelly, and I regularly share fashion-related inspiration to Pinterest: https://pin.it/5YPwkVG

vrx941 07/29/2020 Orange County

Wear is… Hannah Shepherd?

Hi! Welcome back to Wear is She Wednesdays, a series that highlights one special girl each week to let her shine! Every Wednesday, we feature a different “she,” and get the scoop on her style, what makes her tick, and how the heck we can learn to be as awesome as she is. Today we’re asking the question everyone wants to know… Wear is Hannah Shepherd?

WEAR IS… HANNAH SHEPHERD?

There are so many questions we’d love to ask Hannah Shepherd. Namely, how does one get such fabulous hair? Is it genetic? Is it the product of tireless work each each morning? Also, how did you manage to find THE perfect pair of overalls? Because yes, Hannah is indeed blessed with great tresses and could tie with Jennifer Anniston in a “who-wore-those-overalls-best” competition.

But, perhaps some things are meant to remain a mystery. Never fear though! Because today we do get to discover many more wonderful things about Hannah and her impeccable style. So keep reading for her thoughts on disco cowgirls, Rock n’ roll and sewing.

Hi Hannah! Please introduce your wonderful self!

Hey! My name is Hannah Shepherd, and I am 20 years old and located in Orange County, California. I am currently going to school at Cal State Long Beach for Fashion Merchandising, and am looking to be a stylist and/or a creative director in the future.

1. How would you describe your personal style?

My style changes on the daily, but I would say, effortless, sometimes french girl, sometimes rock and roll girl, it depends on my mood! My friend recently described my style as disco cowgirl, and that pretty much sums up how diverse it is! My style is also influenced by different decades, one week I’m feeling the 70s vibes, and the next, I want to be in the 90s.

2. If you could travel to any time period in fashion, which would you choose?

I would hands down go back in time to the 70s because there were so many different styles within that time period. One day you could be preppy, the next day you could be groovy, I am obsessed. I’m also a big fan of 70s music, and I feel like a lot of style icons that came out of that era were musicians, so I like how the music industry and fashion industry were closely related.

3. How did you discover your personal style or are you still discovering it?

I think I discovered it after high school going into college. Being a fashion student, I am surrounded by other creatives who have fully embraced their style, and this inspired me to not care what others think and start dressing how I wanted to. It is still developing though, and I am still figuring out things I like and don’t like.

4. Do you have any current random favorites?

I am a big rock n roll gal, but right now I have been into some more funky tunes like the bands Parcels, a band called HalfNoise, and an artist named Patrick Cowley.

5. Aside from style, what other hobbies or interests do you have?

Other hobbies would include, going to the beach, surfing, playing guitar, thrifting, and spending time with friends. I am also working on my sewing skills!

6. And the bonus question I like to ask everyone before they go: what’s something you’re really proud of right now?

Right now, I am proud that I am still finding the inspiration to create! I have a lot of ideas for photoshoots, that I need to execute, and I have been loving planning them out with Pinterest boards, and just staying inspired that way.

Where else can we find you, Hannah?

You can find me on Instagram @hannah-sheps

vrx941 07/21/2020

Wear is… Ayanna Swan?

Hi! Welcome back to Wear is She Wednesdays, a series that highlights one special girl each week to let her shine! Every Wednesday, we feature a different “she,” and get the scoop on her style, what makes her tick, and how the heck we can learn to be as awesome as she is. Today we’re asking the question everyone wants to know… Wear is Ayanna Swan?

WEAR IS… AYANNA SWAN?

Tenacious visionary, Ayanna Swan, is changing the sustainable fashion game with her brand, Eat Sleep Chic. This vintage clothing company is not only bringing the 70s back in the best way, but they’re also bringing it straight to your door, monthly! With their subscription service, they create a box of unique vintage goodies tailored just for you. Boldly going into this uncharted territory on the fashion front, Ayanna is blazing a wonderful new trail for the sustainability movement.

Today however, we’re getting to know more of the woman behind the brand. So keep reading for Ayanna’s thoughts on ice cream addiction, Marvin Gaye and the versatility of all women.

Hi Ayanna! Please introduce your wonderful self!

Hi my name is Ayanna Swan. Everyone calls me Yanna! I’m located in the heart of north Jersey but I’m always moving around. You’ll probably catch me in Houston or Cali if you’re lucky. I started my vintage boutique in 2014 straight out of high school. I knew I wanted to do fashion but wasn’t sure if I wanted to design or go into fashion merchandising. I went to the art institute for a few years but they shut multiple locations down. So for a long time I was just working job to job but always had fashion in the back of my mind.

Once I moved back to Jersey in April of 2020 I buckled down and restarted my brand. I personally have an eclectic style. So I try to bring feminine and funky together to make my brand something fun and different. You’ll find vintage items from the 60s onward. Some days you might want to look like a princess and other days you might want to wear an oversized blazer set. We have a little bit of everything. Every week we have a new themed collection for purchase. And we also have vintage subscription boxes. So we cultivate the vintage for you and every month or every other month you have something new that only costs $40/month. So we’ve been pretty excited about that.

1. How would you describe your personal style?

My style is definitely a mix between princess and street style. I love oversized or loose fitted items but I also love to wear frills, lace and ruffled dresses in the summer time.

2. Who or what are your current biggest style inspirations?

I’ve really been into the late 80s/ early 90s era with Marvin Gaye and Chaka Khan. I live for a good disco soul train line bodysuit or flared pants. And I love men’s oversized button ups to wear with a mini skirt.

3. How did you discover your personal style or are you still discovering it?

Everyday I’m discovering my style. Once I get on Pinterest I get inspired all over again. I see something new on Instagram and want to bring that forward. This is why we do collections every week. Because women are so versatile. I know it’s women out there that don’t stick to one aesthetic and just go with the flow. We love women who buy things that as long as it’s cute, we want it.

4. What’s on your thrift list right now?

Definitely men’s dress pants. We want men to shop with us to. So by August we will be providing cool men’s fashion too. We want you to shop for your boo. Or wear a men’s shirt and style it your way. It’s your prerogative.

5. What’s your go to midnight snack?

I love icecream. I have a mean addiction to anything icecream related. It’s a sickness.

6. And the bonus question I like to ask everyone before they go: what’s something you’re really proud of right now?

I’m proud of every black woman hustling and making money moves everyday. I’m proud of every person standing right now for social injustices that people face everyday. I’m proud of myself for not counting myself out because we can be our own worst enemy and taking the first steps in doing what I love full time.

Where else can we find you, Ayanna?

You can find the shop at @eatsleepchic on Instagram and Facebook or your can go to our website shopeatsleepchic.com every Sunday at 1pm to see our new collection or purchase your own subscription box.

vrx941 07/15/2020 New York City

WEAR IS… ANNA Z GRAY?

Hi! Welcome back to Wear is She Wednesdays, a series that highlights one special girl each week to let her shine! Every Wednesday, we feature a different “she,” and get the scoop on her style, what makes her tick, and how the heck we can learn to be as awesome as she is. Today we’re asking the question everyone wants to know… Wear is Anna Z Gray?

WEAR IS… ANNA Z GRAY?

From New York City comes Anna Z Gray, a woman as captivating as the mysterious “Z” nestled in her name. Aside from the fact that her playful wardrobe and keen eye for vintage makes her a style icon, Anna is also the founder of Object Limited. With a growing community of over 19k, this marketplace and app is every vintage lover’s dream. It’s like “shopping your cool aunt’s closet,” and for those of us who don’t have one, thank the fashion gods Object Limited exists.

Both Anna and Object Limited have been featured by the likes of Man Repeller, Domino and Vogue which named OL “The Ultimate Vintage App.” It’s an absolute pleasure to interview Anna today, so keep reading for her thoughts on wearing many hats, interesting handbag discoveries and quarantine book clubs.

Hi Anna! Please Introduce your wonderful self!

Hello! I am Anna Z Gray on my birth certificate (and on the internet). I’m in New York City’s Lower East Side. I’m the cofounder of the vintage resale marketplace Object Limited.

1. Can you tell us about how Object Limited came to fruition?

I started working in fashion as soon as I moved to NYC at eighteen. I’ve worn a lot of hats (modeling, writing, event production, styling, PR…) and basically burned out on the quick spin and useless waste of the market. Swiveled to interior design for a minute until a 2-week road trip opened my eyes/brain to how many beautiful things were sitting in antique stores across the country.

It took us (I have a cofounder, Rudd Taylor!) a minute to figure out the question “How do we get these things into the hands of people that want them?” and now we’re figuring out the answer! We have an app and an IGTV show called How To Wear Stuff that breaks down styling tips with vintage.

2. What is it like running OL?

The hardest part is keeping our customers and vendors happy. What tech can we implement that makes selling and browsing and buying easier? This is also the most fun part of the job. I’ve bought vintage my whole life and started selling a few years ago so understanding and building features that I want to see on the platforms I’ve used in the past has been really exciting.

One-on-one interactions with our community is really important to us. We host multi-vendor Vintage Bazaars in different locations, have an open textline where customers can ask me styling questions, and our social feed (run by the inimitable Maggie Lanham – also a vendor!) is a fun, relatable source of information about vintage and secondhand.

3. Exploring so much vintage must be really inspiring. Do you think it’s had an effect on your personal style and where else do you draw inspiration from?

Very inspiring! I’ve always worn vintage. Initially for fiscal reasons and now additionally because I love the idiosyncrasy of it. I definitely have a macro understanding of trends and how truly cyclical and derivative style can be (which is great and deeply interesting). I also love the stories behind all of the pieces (once I found a woman’s calling card in a purse from the 50s and I googled her and she was still alive in Indiana! I didn’t tell her I had her bag though…). Another time I found a silvery halter dress in a vintage store in LA and it turned out to be a dress my friend had altered to wear to prom and it had originally been her mother’s prom dress. Is that not insane? She grew up in NJ, had no idea how the dress made it to LA.

4. Tell us about the women behind OL! Aside from fashion, what else do you enjoy?

Oh! We’re a fun bunch. Maggie and I shoot How To Wear Stuff together and have a grand time figuring out outfits to match a theme. We’re also very aligned on the idea that most things really can be purchased secondhand. During quarantine, our team has a book club that we host over Google Hangouts. It’s cute. We just finished Tara Westover’s Education. (Amazing story).

5. Who would you invite to your fantasy dinner party?

Someone just asked me this the other day. Bjork, Zadie Smith and Warren Buffet.

6. And the bonus question I like to ask everyone before they go: what’s something you’re really proud of right now?

Object Limited! Staying somewhat sane during Quarantine? My Rhododendron has been flowering for 4 weeks.

Where else can we find you, Anna?

@annazgray

and @object.limited 🙂