I met my shoe twin recently. On Instagram, no doubt. So, naturally, we’ve been chatting a lot about shoes and thought it was time to collaborate to share that shoe love with you. Since this is the first post, I’m excited to introduce you to Hayet Rida. Hayet is originally from Accra, Ghana, but currently lives and works in Chicago. Read on to learn more about why I adore her and to see how we’re both wearing our J.Crew Elsie jacquard pumps (now on sale) with distressed jeans.
My outfit: Kate Spade Saturday dress as top (option) | Old Navy jeans | J.Crew pumps
Hayet’s outfit: Details on That Hayet Rida (see how she also got creative with her top)
1. How would you describe your style?
What I love the most about my style is that it is very unpredictable. Some days, I am straight up Jenna Lyons; other days, I am all black; and other days, it looks like someone spilled fairy dust on me. I typically dress how I feel, but there is always a pop. I guess you can say my style is unpredictable with a side of pop. Something on me is always the pop, whether it is my shoes, my lips, or jewelry.
2. When did you realize that style was important to?
I grew up in a family of very very well dressed women, so style was always a large part of our lives. My older sister is a fashion stylist, so fashion is something we always grew up talking about. The challenge was that I always knew what I wanted to look like, but could never find anything that would fit me. Moving to America exposed me to lots of plus size brands and allowed me to experiment with different looks and styles (I went through a million phases). But, I would say I truly found my style over this past year. I grew up, I took the reigns of my life, and I knew the woman I wanted to be. When that happened, my style was just another outlet of the real Hayet.
3. What is your signature or go-to piece of clothing? Accessory? Outfit?
SHOES!!! I am a sucker for a bold print shoe. It really elevates any look. However, I own too many walk-and-sits (shoes that you can only take 10 steps in and then have to sit down). So, other than those, I would say a bold statement necklace. My all-time favorites are Christie Brown statement pieces.
J.Crew Elsie jacquard pumps | J.Crew Elsie fabric pumps | J.Crew Elsie metallic stripe pumps
4. What piece do you rely on to jazz up an outfit?
You knew I was going to say shoes, but when you think about it, you can wear the most expensive clothing or the boldest looking piece, but if you don’t have the attitude or confidence to rock it, then you might as well show up in pajamas.
5. What are your favorite brands or designers to shop?
I am just going to flat out admit it, J.Crew has my heart, my mind, and my wallet. They have the full range from key basics to flat out bold statement clothing and shoes. The best part is that they have a range of sizes from 0 – 20 (which not many people actually know).
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So, what can you expect from this collaboration? Hayet and I will occasionally check in to showcase the many ways we wear our favorite J.Crew shoes. Just so you know, Hayet shares our love of a good bargain, is not afraid to return items that don’t work, and prioritizes comfort when getting dressed.
Stay tuned for more from the shoe twins.
Follow our Instagram accounts to see first what we’ll be working on: