Sunday Runway: Parenting With Style (Part 1)

I am starting a series of interviews with everyday stylish mamas and their little ones. In this series, I want to get into not only the outside beauty and style but also how it impacts us internally and makes a difference in our lives. I want to use this series to highlight mamas that aren't afraid to be bold with their personal style, as well as in every other area in their lives and are working to pass that individuality & strength to their children.

This week I am highlighting fellow bougie mama, Shavonne. I had the pleasure of working with Shavonne at H&M in Chicago years back before we were both moms. We immediately connected through our love for style and individuality and have stayed connected via social media throughout the years. I have watched her go through major stages in her life, including becoming a mother and raising a bold, stylish, and intelligent little girl. So naturally, Shavonne was one of the first mamas I wanted to include in this style series.

Read on to find out what impact style & beauty has had on Shavonne and how she approaches this subject when parenting her 4 year old daughter.

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Let's start this out by letting everyone know who you are, about your background in fashion, what city you live in, and who your family consists of.

I am a freelance stylist, manager at a retail store, and soon to be podcast host. I live in New York and my family consists of myself, my husband, and daughter, Brooklynn.

Try to describe your style in 5 words or less.

Colorful, fun, adventurous, classic, original

And now that you're daughter is a little older, how would you describe her style?

Uniquely her own. She has a very clear vision of how she wants to present to the world.

Were you as stylish as your daughter when you were her age?

Not nearly. My younger self would be jealous of her.

How much freedom does Brooklynn have with her style, does she pick out all of her own outfits? Also, how important do you think it is to let children express themselves the way they want & why?

She picks out all of her own outfits from beginning to end. I let her shop for herself. I have a little input but not much. I think it is very important to allow children to express themselves. It is how they develop opinions. There is so little that children have control over. It is important that we start letting them make decisions early.

Some people think of style & beauty as being just something that's superficial and not really all that important. How has beauty and fashion made an impact in your life?

It had become my entire life really. I built a career in it. Bigger than that it helped me build my own confidence as I grew into adulthood. We live in a world where things happen to us the way we present is something we have complete ownership of. Some people see it ad superficial but it is because they don't understand the power of just being yourself.

What's something that you struggled with, regarding beauty, while growing up and how did you (or have you) overcome it as an adult?

My weight was a big struggle for me. I'm still working on it but I have learned to be at peace with it. That just came with learning that I am not going to be everybody's cup of tea and that is fine.

Looking back at everything, what's something that you would want to tell your teenage self?

That you are not fat and none of this will matter in a few years.

And what's something that you would tell other moms who are dealing with self-image issues after going through all of the physical changes that having a baby brings on?

Embrace the change because you will never get the pre-baby body back. There is no such thing. Even if you hit that weight again your body is different. Love the changes, your significant other does.

How do you plan to use fashion and beauty to send a message to your daughter about self-image? What specifically will that message be?

I let her do her thing with her fashion because I want her to have a strong sense of self. To grow up knowing that you can be you, wear what you want, like what you like. This my way of combating group think early. I hope she takes this to other parts of her life and not just her style. She tells me all the time that she wants to be the first ballet dancing doctor. I tell her to go for it.

Random question: What's a trend that has returned from your childhood that you're excited about? Personally, I was ecstatic when jelly sandals came back.

Well for one Same. I love Jelly sandals. I am also very excited that colored suits are a thing again. I always loved them as a kid but I was too young. I am happy I get to partake this time around.

Who are a few of your favorite stylish mama celebrities/influencers?

My favorite stylish mom is June Ambrose. She has been my icon for a long time.

Lastly, where are some of your favorite places to go shopping for yourself and your little one? And what's the last style or beauty product you bought that you absolutely loved?

We shop at our holy trinity: H&M, Zara, and TopShop (for me; Adidas for her). I have two recent loves for myself, a red and navy striped pants suit and a Pat McGrath mothership pallet, for her, she recently got a green and white leaf print tracksuit and cream Reebok Classics that we love.

Thank you so much for letting me interview you! Now let everyone know where they can find & connect with you.

My Instagram is Fashionably_Now. My podcast that I am hosting with a good friend, Ms. Elizabeth Soles, is called The Beauty Shop. We will be launching in the coming weeks. Also, you can find me running around New York being ridiculous.

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Everyone goes through different experiences and our kids won't necessarily deal with the same exact issues that we did while growing up. So it's always great to get different perspectives on subjects such as this in order to better understand and help our kids as they grow into themselves.

How do you teach your little ones about positive self-image? What's a lesson that you learned from your teenage years about individuality that you want to be sure to pass on to your kids?

Share you answers with other mamas in the comments below!

XoXo,

Bridgid

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