Fashionable Friday Feature: Gaby

May 16, 2014

My name is Gaby. I was born and raised in Paris, France. Passionate about fashion, especially shoes, I am the editor of the fashion blog Feminine Bliss. I work in the field of communication and content creation.

How would you describe your style?

I remain convinced that fashion is not just about money, but a matter of taste. I’ve never dressed better than when I was a student and earned $600 a month as a makeup artist. My relatives tend to make fun of me when I wear Chanel shoes with $0.99 sunglasses… “Really Gaby?” But for me, it’s about fashion, I like to mix styles and trends. In a nutshell, I’m very eclectic. I draw from a little bit of everything I see around me. Some icons I admire are Jenna Lyons (Jcrew), Isabel Marant and Miroslava Duma. I love the early 90’s new jack fashion a la Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, you know Will’s jumpers and Doc Martins :). I also love the 50’s classical era by great actresses like Lana Turner.

How do you decide what to wear in the morning? I have two major priorities: elegance and comfort. I like to wear casual clothes while having some presence. I choose my outfits depending on my mood and the weather. Sometimes I buy clothes that I only wear a few months later. It can take me 5 minutes or a whole week to come up with a certain look. First, I decide on the shoes I’m going to wear and select an outfit that compliments them the best. I also try to balance: a tank top is a no no with a mini skirt and a mini short is a no no with a cropped top. In my opinion chic is better than vulgar.

What are your favorite wardrobe pieces? 1. The black leather perfecto jacket is the piece to have: worn with boyfriend jeans and a pair of converse or thrown over the shoulders, with a simple dress. 2. The high waist: in pencil skirt, denim flair or used vintage shorts. 3. A pair of black pumps. A Chanel purse 2.5… Oh sorry this makes it 4 things!

Where do you typically shop for clothes and accessories? I do not really have a favorite brand apart from Isabel Marant. I like to buy on Asos for their wide variety, shop in flea markets and thrift stores. I also like Gianvito Rossi, his boots are always gorgeous, Coco & Breezy, Alexender Wang and Celine’s purses. But since I started to make a living, I realize that everything is not meant to make a collection out of especially items like Louboutin shoes (although I like what he does) or Clhoé purses. The most important thing in fashion is to find your own style, then select the right pieces and mix everything. This is how one gets to wear their clothes rather than their clothes wearing them.

Let’s talk hair. How long have you been natural? What is your normal regimen. I have been natural for the past 3 years. I first relaxed my hair at the age of 13 and I always had compliments from my family about how long and beautiful my hair was. The big problem was that I had damaged ends. By being natural, I no longer have this issue. However, it now takes me three hours to wash my hair 🙁 But seriously, I try to do a better job at taking care of me which I think requires that I be natural. My normal regimen is Water: I wet my hair three times a week and moisturize it with shea butter. I shampoo my hair every 2 weeks. I use moisturizing conditioner with garlic, pure rhassoul and olive oil. I intensively moisturize my hair to accentuate and preserve my curls.

Do you have a signature hairstyle? The Afro Curly! This is my everyday hairstyle. I also love wearing turbans and up dos.

How do your work with your natural hair style? Actually, I would sometimes have beautiful long hair without knots and end, but I do not think my hair style is difficult to associate with fashion. I noticed that many women decide to wear their hair naturally and fashion follows (Lupita, Solange …). In my case, my hair often allows me to be noticed in my field (oh you remember that girl … eh I do not remember her name, but she huge pile of hair, lol).

Are you working on ventures? Any ebooks web we should know about? I actually worked on various projects as a freelance graphic designer. Currently, I am working on a specific project with various Parisian artist as part of a collection that will appear on my next blog (hush! it’s a secret). I hope you enjoy my work.

How can we stay connected with you? Mainly on my fashion & beauty blog: www.femininebliss.com On instagram to find my style and every moment of my life in Paris: @femininebliss On facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FeminineBliss On pinterest : Feminine Bliss