#shegotgame - Is that (Red) Velvet? Styling the new Air Jordan XI Heiress Collection Sneakers
When you're a small shoe size and a moderate sneaker collector, it's not always to find rare or limited footwear. Often, the dopest pieces aren't even in available in "midget" sizes. I'm a size 4 or 4.5 grade school (GS) which is equivalent to a 5.5 or 6 women's shoe. It might not sound that small, but often the coolest colorways are limited to men's, which many of us in the baby feet community cannot fit into - we're relegated to "shrink and pink" models and often, poorer quality materials.
In late 2014, Jordan Brand announced that they would be doing extended sizing, making GS pairs available to a bigger market, extending the special grade school colorways up to size 11 (or men's 9.5). Then in spring 2016, the Heiress Collection was introduced which features select female specific Jordan models made up in premium materials and exclusive makeups, some that are even turning the heads of male customers who finally know what it feels like to want a shoe that just doesn't come in their size! This has meant that we're finally getting better quality sneakers in small sizes.
One of the shoes that's building that hype is the Air Jordan XI "Night Maroon" or "Red Velvet" colorway done up in, of course, velvet. I was lucky to have one of the first pairs seeded out. Unfortunately, it's been raining since I received the pair so my photographer Simone and I had to improvise with a little hotel room photoshoot to ensure that we kept the shoes safe and got some on-foot looks.
The sneaker is a much higher quality than I'm used to being offered in a grade school size. The velvet is soft to the touch and has sheen without being too shiny or cheap feeling. The rest of the upper is a soft suede-type material, the midsole is white and the outsole is an icy burgundy while the carbon fibre potion is a burgundy and black. The gold details really pop on the maroon color. The gold stitching is on the heel tab and tongue and there are shiny gold lace tips along with a metal Jumpman instead of a stitched one on the upper. All these luxe elements adds up to a higher price tag - $220 USD.
Personally, I really like the shoes. I tend to stick to the Jordan III, I and XII silhouettes as the Xis can be tough to style due to the cut of the shoe. Thankfully I already own a burgundy velvet jacket that just happens to match perfectly with the shoes...along with my maroon hair and lipstick. Can you tell what my favorite color is? Will you be picking up the shoes for yourself or someone else and are they worth the $220? Let me know.
- Shoe: Air Jordan 11 Retro GG “Heiress”
- Colorway: Night Maroon/Metallic Gold-Night Maroon
- Style #: 852625-650
- Release Date: December 17, 2016
- Sizes: 3.5-9.5 Grade School (GS) = Size 5-11 Women's
- Price: $220
- Photographer: Simone Hamilton.
- Jacket: Oak and Fort
- Dress: Alexander Wang
- Tights: Pretty Polly
- Rings: Maison Margiela and H&M
- Shoes courtesy of Jordan Brand PR.
- Shot on location at the Dazzler Hotel Brooklyn.
#shegotstyle - RiRi x Puma on me - #SIX02STYLE
One of the most common questions I get from friends, family and followers is how to dress up comfy clothes and athleisure for everyday wear - and where to shop it. There are so many options when it comes to leggings, sports bras, sweats and kicks it’s pretty easy to get overwhelmed. That’s why I was pretty excited to hear that SIX:02, Footlocker’s women’s only athleisure store, was finally opening a flagship in New York City.
The flagship store is within the new Footlocker 33 store on 33rd street just west of 6th Avenue across from Macy’s. Within the store, there are several mini-boutiques. You’ll find Puma, Jordan and Nike basketball, a New Balance wall with exclusive pieces oft only seen overseas, adidas, a kids section, Under Armour, seasonal sections (right now - Timberland), and of course, SIX:02. What’s different about SIX:02 compared to Lady Footlocker or similar women’s boutique is that its focus is more on fashion, limited and collaboration collections. For example, there are more high-end style brands in their bi-weekly "The Collection" section as well sneaker mainstays like Nike, adidas, Reebok and Puma. The store is also home to in-store activations that are targeted to the millennial woman with giveaways, braiding and nail bars, DJ’s and of course, great gear to shop.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t in New York for the grand opening event that featured a huge re-stock of previous sneakers. Soon after, the Fenty x Puma collection dropped complete with a visit from it’s designer, the iconic Rihanna. Thankfully on my last trip I was able to tour the store and pick up a few different pieces that could be worn at the gym, out with friends and even on date night!
The next few posts are focussing on how I styled pieces from SIX:02 and worked them into my rather limited travel wardrobe (living out of a suitcase for months on end can get rather dire - fashion wise). For the first look, I had to pick up something from the Rihanna Puma “Fenty” line. I’ve had my eyes on a few different pieces since the original collection photos were released, but the price point was steep for my budget. I tried on all sorts of stuff, but my favorite item is the sweatpant with lacing details. They’re surprisingly super comfy given that they’re fleece lined and warm, however making the lacer tighter or looser works like a ventilation system, along with a styling option. There’s a snug inner spandex waistband and a draw string do you can wear the sweats higher on your waist or sag them, given whatever your preference is. I’m wearing an extra small in the photos and usually more of a small in sweats, as I carry my weight in my lower body. The fit is a bit oversized but still flattering. I decided to style the straps hanging as it was a windy day in Bed-Stuy but I also love wrapping the straps around my legs for a sportier take on bondage straps.
I mixed it with a few of my fall staples, a Theory bodysuit and a Helmut Lang mini moto jacket from their sample sale over the summer. I did a shoe swap to show how the look can still be versatile, wearing the white and gum Nike Uptempo that I purchased from the kids section of Footlocker (a grail pair of mine, since I’m a 90’s kid) and my distressed red cow hair booties from Opening Ceremony. Let me know what you think of the look and how you’d like the RiRi collection.
Outfit photos by Simone Hamilton, store photos of SIX:02/Footlocker.
#shegotstyle: Bad Bitch Editorial - #TBT Styling
Back in February 2013, it seemed like songs about "bad bitches" were everywhere. In honor of the women that make men weak in the knees and kick ass on every level, our creative team decided to turn Teisha from NEXT, a young, gorgeous model into a true bad bitch.
For the styling inspiration, I looked to strong females from the 90's and fashion trends from that era, that were starting to become trendy again at this time. Aaliyah, Naomi Campbell, Lil Kim and Trina began as my inspiration points when I pulled wardrobe from Toronto stores, showrooms and my own personal vintage collection. Amber Fairie of The Manor Salon styled Teisha's locks into six different looks, from straight and sleek to a mohawk and cornrows. Bronwen Weiderick went from a more natural, approachable make-up look to a full on glamazon and Asia V. kept the drinks going. The shoot was so much fun to do, as we were a group of creative women combining our forces to make something beautiful yet empowering together. Take a look and let me know what you think of our spin on the "bad bitch" title. It's fun to see how much my styling has evolved over the years, but also what style signatures still pop up in my work today.
- Photographer: Jennifer Toole
- Model: Teisha Evanson @ NEXT
- Wardrobe Stylist: Megan Ann Wilson
- Make-Up Artist: Bronwen Weiderick
- Hair Stylist: Amber Fairlie of The Manor Salon
- Cocktail Stylist: Asia Vickovic
- Shot on location at Milk Glass Studios
#shegotstyle - Sporting StaplePigeon for the US Cozy Girls series
Collaboration is a necessary part of the creative process. I'm always open to meeting all kinds of artists and content creators in hopes for being part of a great project. Recently, photographer Jeff Stashbox messaged me about doing a shoot for his US Cozy Girls series. The photography series features women in "cozy" (comfortable, athleisure, casual) wear out and about in New York City. Despite the espnW columns and my Instagram posts - I'm not 100% comfortable in front of the camera "modelling". I almost always prefer to be on video, discussing something I'm passionate or working behind the scenes than posing. I wish I had more "cozy" gear in my luggage that I didn't already shot for images, but the good people Staple Pigeon gave me this great tee to sport. I paired it with my trust Nike Pro 3' Combat shorts, my new adidas Pure Boost X running sneaker that Champs recently sent me (I'm obsessed with the two tone laces) and my trusty Céline sunglasses. Despite the insane heat, I quickly found my comfort zone crawling around the rocks and water by the Brooklyn Bridge. I got a little too cocky, as I slipped on some rocks and ended up with a giant bruise and sprained hand. Ooops. Check out the shots below and let me know what you think! Thanks to Jeff for involving me in the series, be sure to support his work on Instagram.
Wardrobe credits:
- Staple Pigeon satellite t-shirt (on sale!)
- Nike Pro 3' Combat short
- adidas pure boost x sneaker courtesy of Champs Sports (white/silver/metallic grey/clear grey)
- Céline sunglasses
- Nails by Jessica Tong at Hello Beautiful Salon
- Hair by Katie McGuigan
#shegotstyle: My Reebok Classic's #StepForward Custom Marble Sneakers
As a sneaker fan since childhood, I've always dreamed of having my own shoe. I've customized pairs, designed on Nike iD and even went to sneaker design school to learn about sketching silhouettes from scratch and material and textile design. Putting a creative spin on sneakers and other fashion pieces is a great way to flex your artistic muscles but it's often hard to find some time to take a break and paint.
Recently, Reebok sent me a very cool kit to customize a pair of the Reebok Classic white leather sneakers. It's part of their #stepforward project which asks artists and influencers to define what their version of Classic is to them. The kit came in a giant branded paint can which included a blank canvas, paints (white, black and shades of grey), brushes, a tray, a black Krink marker, extra shoelaces and a paint mask.
It took me a little while to decide what I wanted to do with the shoe, as I love a classic white sneaker with a gum sole - it's so clean! I decided to go with a marble print as marble is a classic, natural stone that never goes out of style. I already have a marble laptop case, a marble agenda, marble bookends...so you get my enthusiasm for the stone. I didn't want to do the full shoe in marble so instead I wanted to colourblock it, so it could serve as a compliment to the white leather, gum sold and canvas laces.
To paint the shoe I decided to opt for nail polish instead of regular paint to ensure that the design could stay on the sneaker and dry properly. I wanted to make sure that I could not only create my own custom piece of art, but also wear it in the streets. After a ton of research on Pinterest, DIY blogs, Tumblr and a trip to both the Dollar Store and the art supply store, I was ready to go. I decided to use nail polish colors that were closed to the paints that Reebok sent me - black, white, light grey, graphite - and also added a few of my own colours using silver, mint green and gold. I've seen all three colours created in nature on marble in the past and I thought it would add a personal touch. I also picked up a gold textile medium marker to add my own touches of gold to the sneaker to compliment the gum sole.
Once I had all my supplies, I planned out my design and taped the show accordingly. To get the marbling effect for your sneakers, first make sure your taped up tightly. Then get a large bowl or tin and fill it with water - I used a foil turkey container from the Dollar Store. I added droplets of paint to the water and quickly swirl it around so it looks kind of like marble. The nail polish will dry fast so work quickly. Dip the untaped portions of the shoe in the paint, do one coat and see how it looks. I recommend doing one coat the cover the entire taped portion at a time. Then add more layers as it dries. Do both shoes and dunk as needed. Then once you're happy with the pattern, set it to dry.
After, I removed all the tape and touched up, adding more nail polish with a paint brush or sponge where necessary. You can remove excess paint from the edges with your finger or nail polish, but you won't be able to clean off entire sections - that paint is more or less permanent. I then went in with my gold marker to add touches to the tongue, Reebok branding and in the marble pattern itself, giving a little shine. Once I was happy with the design, I went over all the nail polish sections with an essie gel top coat to give it a subtle sheen.
After I washed my hands, arms and nails (this is a messy project no matter what) and the shoe had tried I was able to lace up the shoe and shoot it. While the shoes aren't quite perfect, I'm pretty happy with the outcome. Much like a piece of salvaged marble, they're a little rough but still a work for art for some. Let me know what you think of the sneakers and enjoy a few beauty shots below. Thanks to Reebok Classics for involving me in the #stepforward project. This is what classic is to me.
Photos by Pierre Richardson. Shot on location at the Museum of Fine Arts in Montreal.