MY LIVE PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH LUXURY SHOE DESIGNER AND CEO SHATIARRA MONROE

SHARED BY SHARRA GREENE & SHATIARRA MONROE | MUSIC PRODUCED BY D. BROWN THE BEGOTTEN SON

If you follow my brand and my blog, you may know that I had an article interview with emerging shoe designer in my city, Shatiarra Monroe. The original interview was very well received and it was a dope experience, connecting with a fellow creative entrepreneur in Baltimore who is serious about her business and her vision. (Check out the original article here)

You may also know that I recently relaunched my podcast, Style With Sharra: The Podcast Series, where I I discuss various topics regarding fashion, business, lifestyle, and well being. I was so adamant about having Shatiarra as one of my first guests because I knew she had first hand experience on building something from nothing in the fashion & business space and I knew her expertise, charisma, and relatable experiences would be great for my listeners to hear. Plus, it was a great opportunity to get to know her more! I brought the questions, she brought the wine (more than enough, we got a little lit) and we vibed.

Listen to us talk about everything from mental health and personal development, to how fashion is our safe place, to her inspiration, routines, and motivation behind launching an online luxury shoe line while balancing an engineering career.

Comment your thoughts on our interview below! Follow Shatiarra on Instagram, shop her collection on shatiarramonroe.com for BOMB heels, and tune into new episodes of Style with Sharra on Wednesdays!

Sharra,

“The definition of walking art.”

4 TIPS FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THE PERFECT BRUNCH FIT

WRITTEN BY SHARRA GREENE

Shop Our Looks: My friend Comfort of CNK STYLEBOOK (check her site out!) is wearing a two piece plaid set and white ankle boots from Nasty Gal, and a thrifted DKNY blazer (shop a similar one here) I am wearing a ribbed fringe sleeve mini dress by Akira, PLT studded belt and snakeskin thigh high boots, double disc earrings from Forever 21, vintage clutch, bangles and ring I got forever ago.

Over the past year or two, brunching has become THE go-to activity for my generation to link up and catch up with friends in the midst of everyday “adulting”. Many use their brunch dates as an excuse to bring out their best fits and flick it up. Here are a couple of guidelines to help narrow down your options for that perfect brunch fit.

DRESS IN LAYERS

This way you can get comfortable at brunch, and then throw your extra layers of jackets, dusters, etc, back on for any #ootd pics you may wanna take. Plus, if it’s chilly at the restaurant or outside, you can keep warm.

CHOOSE A THEME FOR YOUR LOOK

Whether it be leather and floral like the look I put together below, or stripes, monochrome, etc, try having each of your friends focus on a theme for their brunch outfit. This will give each of you a chance to stand out and express your individual aesthetics while brunching together as a unit. Commenting on the bomb looks everyone is wearing could also serve as a great convo starter.

Shop the look: Top, Jacket, skirt, heels, bag, earrings.

FOLLOW THE SLOUCHY / FIT RULE

I call this rule the slouchy/ fit rule because it involves going for a slouchy look with one article of clothing and going for a more bodycon fit with the next. This is something that I like to do a lot, especially when I’m going out to eat, I’ll pair tight fitting jeans or shorts with a more loose fitting top (that way I can eat whatever without looking full afterwards).

BRING OUT YOUR BEST HEELS

I like to choose days where I’ll be sitting most of the time as a break in day for my newest and favorite pairs of heels. It’s the ultimate cheat code where you don’t necessarily have to dress for comfort.

Stay tuned for more style posts coming very soon to the blog! Have an idea for a post? I’d love to hear it. Send ‘em all to styleadvicebysharra@gmail.com.

Sharra,

“The definition of walking art.”

"FASHION MADE ME DO IT": NEVER LET SEASONAL TRENDS STOP YOU FROM PUTTING YOUR OWN SPIN ON A LOOK

WRITTEN BY SHARRA GREENE | PHOTOS BY MONICA KRYSTEL ROSE

Growing up, one of my guilty pleasures was (and still is) watching reality tv shows with my mom and sis. And as crazy as it may seem, my favorite part about it isn’t even the drama and crazy storylines that most of us watch reality tv for in the first place. I mean, obviously that’s what initially sparked my interest. But after a while, I realized my favorite part really is looking at all of the looks the people on the shows wear, and having side convos with my fam about what we liked and what we didn’t like, who we thought always dressed well (and who we thought needed MUCH help), along with how we would’ve worn or not worn certain things differently.

Difference in perspective is what makes fashion culture so interesting. What I think is fly is not necessarily what someone else may think is, and vice versa. And to be honest, without us all having different tastes, fashion would be really boring and uninteresting. Personal style is what makes all the difference. That’s why I always encourage my fam, friends, and even my clients to always stay true to themselves, despite what may or may not be currently “in fashion”. It’s cool to incorporate trendy pieces but it’s so much more important to wear pieces that speak to who you are because you never know how your unique take on something could inspire someone else, which is inherently what keeps the culture moving forward and what keeps us all on our toes.

Shop the Look: I am wearing a Naked Wardrobe bodysuit, faux suede thigh slit maxi skirt & studded jacket from Akira, Lemon Drop by Privileged feather boots, House of Rehab runway bag, Nasty Gal “babygirl” earrings, Forever 21 ring bundle.

I wore this look while I ran around NYC during fashion week, catching shows. After a show, I stopped in Chipotle to eat and charge my phone. As I was scrolling away, a lady came rushing in and came up to my table, telling me how much she looved my outfit and asking me where I got my jacket and boots (shop the look above). She mentioned how she would’ve worn the jacket with a matching gold skirt instead. As I explained to her how I always like to add an unexpected element into my fits, it sparked a dope convo and we ended up talking for an hour about how we as women use personal style to express ourselves and how our style usually evolves as we enter different chapters in our lives.

It made me think about how something as expressive and fun for us should never just be limited to what’s “on trend” and what’s not. With everything from top designers to social media and fast fashion factories selling us an image day after day, it’s easy to get caught up in what’s poppin’ and what’s played, losing our sense of individuality. But as exciting as it is to study trends as they come and go, at the end of the day, I gotta be me… you gotta be you. Never let a temporary wave keep you from serving a look that’s authentically YOU. Our different points of view when it comes to style are so necessary.

Sharra,

“The definition of walking art.”

#NEWYORKFASHIONWEEK RECAP FEB 2019: BEING A STUDENT OF MY CRAFT AT THE SHOWS & SEASONAL STYLES TO BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR

WRITTEN BY SHARRA GREENE | PHOTOS BY MONICA KRYSTEL ROSE

So this year for fashion week, I spent the days taking in runway shows, attending showcases, and capturing content with my boo Comfort, Style Blogger and Writer of CNK Stylebook (check her site out, her content is BOMB.) Comfort and I met a little over a year ago, as we were both doing press coverage for a charity fashion event in May 2018. I always love attending events with Comfort because we’re both about our business and constantly thinking of ways to grow our brands while having a dope time in the process.

This year’s NYFW experience was a little different than my experience back in September, being that I spent most of last year’s fashion week running around backstage, styling and perfecting designers’ collections before they hit the runway, with the exception of attending a BOMB group show sponsored by Fashion Bomb Daily on my last day. But this time, I got the opportunity to get dressed, flick it up, and just take it all in while in the audience. Though I’m sure it won’t be long before I’m right back in full stylist mode chaos, this trip was just what I needed.

We watched severals shows, with a few of my favorites being Ron Ramos, who brought sexy suiting in vibrant colors to the runway, Out of Order, the brand that brought us some of the dopest streetwear I’ve seen in a while, as well as a live showcase by Landeros New York, in which models sported lush outerwear in rich colors and fabrics, slick patent leather pieces, and cool trousers, an aesthetic that was unmatched. For some of my fave show moments, check out my events & NYFW highlights on my styling page’s instagram.

Me and Comfort grabbing drinks before a show, of course my drink is almost gone by the time we started taking pics lol.

One thing that I always try to do while attending a fashion show, is to be a student of my craft and really soak in the designer’s creativity by paying very close attention to detail. Everything from the color story and fabric range of a collection, to the models chosen, down to the way the stylist or designer has accessorized each look, really helps me be a better stylist. Studying the details, both big and small, allow me to see where fashion is going, in terms of trends, specific silhouettes, and just the overall culture.

I’m always on the look out for new styles that I want to try for myself, as well as some that I want to introduce to my clients and try on models. A few trends that I see emerging and making their way around for the upcoming seasons are dramatically oversized outerwear in eccentric shapes, suits and co-ords being done in vibrant colors such as magenta, royal blue, lime green and citrus, as well as patent leather separates. All of these are dope looks spotted on the runways to incorporate into your wardrobe for a look that’s ahead of the curve.

Shop our Looks: Comfort and I both channeled slight 70’s vibes for our Day1 looks. Comfort is wearing a two piece plaid set and white ankle boots from Nasty Gal, and a thrifted DKNY blazer (shop a similar one here) I am wearing a ribbed fringe sleeve mini dress by Akira, PLT studded belt and snakeskin thigh high boots, double disc earrings from Forever 21, vintage clutch, bangles and ring I got forever ago.

I always leave fashion week with a new found sense of creativity, and feeling so inspired. Whether working behind the scenes doing what I love, or watching it all take place, it’s always the best time for me to network, build connections, and get inspired. I already can’t wait to do it all again for September! What were some of you guys’ favorite designer collections this NYFW? Let me know in the comments!

Sharra,

“The definition of walking art.”