What's up Kings and Queens! Welcome to Story Behind the Look! Today you all will be hearing a story from one of my very close friends, Ms. Odette Clayton! Two years ago, I organized a "Thrift Day Meet Up" with Odette and a few of our colleagues. I love a good "Meet Up" to help my friends with their thifting needs. On this day Odette found some FIRE vintage things. This was a great day for her and I cant wait for you all to read her Story Behind the Look!
"Hello, kings and queens! My name is Odette and here's my story behind this look. Some of my first experiences thrifting stems back to college with close friends. Rather it was to find a outfit for an old-school party or to tag along with friends on a random trip thrifting was always fun and test of patience. After meeting Erica, I realize her love for thrifting definitely was on another level. It was a walking statement of who she is. Vibrant, unique, and one of a kind. When she invited me to come thrifting with her I knew this is just another moment to build a stronger connection with her, and oh what an experience that was! I must say at first I said " we'll see how this goes" because I never was lucky enough to find something that was "me" while thrifting. This experience though, I got really lucky. I found amazing pieces that jumped out to me immediately and I was excited to bring these pieces back to life. That included a purse, a few tops and this blazer. Oh how I love this blazer! From the patterns, color, and cut of the blazer it automatically screams "powerful" to me. And that is exactly how I felt when I worn this blazer. I was getting prepared to attend a professional development day that my company hosted for AmeriCorps members towards the end of the year, and I wanted to let all the black kings and queens in that space know that they are powerful beyond measures. I wanted to motivate them that whatever school, job, career path they wanted to embark upon they can do it. I woke up in the morning wanting to put together a look that was unconventional and also reflected me. I wanted to message that black women and men can show up in their true and authentic selves in professional spaces and still be respected. Society has this stigma that black men and women must look a certain way, and be a certain way be taken seriously in professional spaces and that "image" must be dismantled. This still continues to be a problematic because these standards is just another way to strip us of who who we are and displays an attack on our raw identity. So to the all kings and queens out there continue to challenge standards, stereotypes, and ideas that tries to box us in. We were made to stand out! You are powerful, you do have a voice, you are valuable, you are a leader, and you are MAGICAL!"
-Odette Clayton
So, there you have it fam, Odette's "Story Behind the Look!" Wow! Wasn't that just amazing? So grateful Odette was able to share her story with us! She left us all with so many gems! As you can see her story was very different from mine which shows that we all have a story to tell. Everything we do has meaning, has purpose we just have to continue to own it apologetically. So how are you showing up in situations today? How will you show up to work tomorrow? How will you show up for yourself right now? Whatever you decide, do it out of love. Until next time beautiful people...
-Vintage Black Girl
