Promo for the upcoming Iris Apfel documentary. Literally holding my breath from excitement! Can anyone’s accessories game even come close to Iris?
Apparently, I made fashionbombdaily.com
To my complete surprise, I made a Real Style post from fashionbombdaily. It was a collection of photos of people who attended the AfroPunk festival in Brooklyn this past weekend. It’s surprising because I had spent the entire day darting around Brooklyn digging for vintage in flea markets and thrift stores. I felt like the personification of grease and dust in one body. I had on a random shift dress I got from TJMaxx when I was in college, a worn out pair of Dolce Vita sandals, and some random accessories. I felt disgusting.
Something so small that reinforced something so major. Organic is always better!
Having recently moved to NY, I’m trying to establish new relationships with photographers. This entails me having to constantly refer people to my website, www.theartofzooting.com, and/or send pictures of my wardrobe styling and makeup work via email. As I was perusing through my photos just now I came across a collection from a shoot I did with a great photographer back in MD Molly Van Kley. The concept was a outdoor ritual of sorts. I still love these photos after almost a year later! I did the wardrobe styling and makeup for the shoot and it was physically and mentally exhausting. I was also the perfect meal for the mosquito army that lay in wait for us in the high brush where we shot. Nonetheless, the product was awesome, so I guess it was worth it.
Here’s a small selection of photos from my aunt’s 50th birthday celebration held during Memorial Day weekend. I had to quickly come up with this outfit because I had no time to shop due to a variety of issues I had to deal with during the mont of May, including a short stint in the hospital due to appendicitis.
Skirt: Vintage fishtail. Top: Sequin bodysuit from F21. Shoulder Ruffle: Custom-made piece. Shoes: Michael Kors. Earrings: Vintage Ear Climbers Thelma’s Vintage
Why I’m zooting and why you care
I am Michela Wariebi, a professional MUA, wardrobe stylist, and vintage dealer acting professionally on occasion. This is my blog; one of them. I’ve tried several times to start and maintain a blog, but I’ll be the first to admit that my posting consistency has been nearly non-existent. I think my mistake was that I was consumed with delivering something that people would think is interesting, however I’ve now chosen to use this as an on-line catharsis of sorts.
Trying to do make-up, style clothing, and sell vintage is no easy task. Late nights and early mornings can’t even begin to describe. Sometimes I don’t even know what day it is, but I love it. I spent my first few years after college a slave in the cubicle nation, contemplating using my letter opener as an eye gouging tool on a daily basis. I made great money, but I hated it. I was mean and complained too much. I was blessed to be laid-off at a time when I was taken under the wing of the amazing artist Danessa Myricks and on August 12, 2010, I literally danced out of my office for the last time and shared lukewarm Nuvo in plastic cups with my co-workers. It was one of the best days of my life thus far.
I haven’t been back to corporate America since. From that point I happily enlisted in the freelance army and began the arduous task of navigating the war on unemployment/self-employment. I did everything from sell plates of fried fish to selling vintage. Selling vintage was luckliy what took off and what I loved the most because really I’m not trying to be selling friend fish out here, I’m trying to eat it. I passed the one year mark and I survived. I was encouraged. Life was great. Then the end of 2011 gave me a whipping. I was broke and discouraged. Then, just as 2012 came, I was given the opportunity to move to NY!! On April 15, 2012 I moved to New York. It was one of the most monumental days of my life thus far.
This is my journey.
What is Zooting?
Zooting is Liberian colloquial for being dressed sharply. Oh yes, I am Liberian mostly…and have some Nigerian heritage that I must acknowledge, but I digress. In Liberian colloquial English, when you’re zooting, you are encompassing the whole package. Not only are you aesthetically thorough, but your confidence and demeanor also deliver.
In the U.S., zooting is associated with the popular menswear suiting style of the 1920’s, the zoot suit. The zoot suit was a type of clothing that was not only entirely exaggerated in aesthetic value, but it also stood as a social statement to go against the status quo of the solemn and frugal state of things in the US around WWII. Zoot suits used an excessive amount of fabric during a time when almost everything was being rationed as a part of the war effort. They were donned by Hispanic and African-American gangs during the Zoot Suit riots and honestly that appeals to the glam gangsta in me. Brap!! *Shoots sequin in the air.* Yeah. Zooting is being dressed to kill, sharp as a tack, fresh to death and all those other “impeccable style” epiteths and revelling in the freedom of being just that damn fly! It’s excessive. It’s my life. You care.
