“I’m at all times chasing that feeling of strolling down the road and having somebody do a double-take at my outfit,” says Mbiye Kasonga, a D.C.-based podcast producer behind Bare Magnificence. “I’m at all times smiling, and I’m Congolese — we put on vivid colours and haven’t any concern of standing out.” Right here, she shares a costume made for adventures and three books to debate at a e-book membership…
Gown: Mara Hoffman. Bag: Luar. Sneakers: Marni.
“At my previous advertising job, at any time when I went into the workplace, I’d put on a cardigan, wide-leg pants, and clogs. However now that I work for myself, half the week I’m carrying T-shirts with swingy pants; the opposite half, I’m in attire. By no means will you discover me working from residence in laborious pants.”
Gown: Free Individuals, comparable. Purse: Luar. Sandals: Birkenstock.
“I put on this costume in every single place. It’s good for these summer time days while you meet up with pals for brunch and find yourself staying out all day lengthy. I additionally like taking myself on dates to learn at eating places, and this costume has large pockets for my keys, Kindle, and telephone. Final 12 months, The Strategist reached out to me for a summer time costume rec, and I shared this one. It bought out.”
“I went to enterprise college, then labored in market analysis, however I’ve at all times been eager about digital media. I labored on the morning information in highschool and within the TV studio in faculty, and I took a course on tips on how to produce podcasts. When the pandemic rolled round, I had further time on my arms, and my pal Brooke was on the lookout for a podcast producer. So, I began that as a interest.”
Jacket: previous Zara. T-shirt: comparable. Denims: Free Individuals, comparable. Sneakers: Vans x Telsha Anderson Boone collab.
“For 2 years, I produced Brooke’s podcast Bare Magnificence whereas working my full-time advertising job. Lastly, that December, my husband identified that producing was clearly not a interest. I wanted to wager on myself and begin my very own company. Now, I’ve been operating Moyo for 2 years.”
“My present workforce is a mixture of people who find themselves youthful and older than I’m. At first, I felt imposter syndrome at any time when I needed to assert myself as their boss. However over time, I noticed that the proof is within the pudding. Bare Magnificence has gained two iHeartRadio awards for ‘Finest Magnificence & Style Podcast.’ I’m actually good at what I do.”
Gown: Dôen, comparable. Shorts: Warp + Weft denims, altered by Mbiye. Tote: made by Mbiye. Sneakers: Miista, comparable.
“That is really a costume from Dôen, and it got here with a tie to cinch the waist. However I like carrying it as a high with cutoffs. Being curvy, if I had been to put on cutoffs with out some layering, I’d in all probability cease site visitors.”
“These cutoffs had been initially denims from Warp + Weft, which is a good place to seek out denim as a curvy lady. Nearly all the pieces is beneath $140, and lots of of their silhouettes go as much as measurement 24. Plus, they’ve simply sufficient stretch.”
“My mother cherished to knit and taught my two older sisters. She handed away after I was two, however my sister taught me to knit after I was in elementary college. For a very long time, I ended choosing up the needles. However after I moved to D.C. after faculty, I didn’t have any pals, so I dove into knitting. Whenever you lose your dad or mum as a baby, you lose the chance to do issues with them. However knitting is my approach of feeling near my mother.”
“Since studying to knit, I’ve realized that the easiest way to get the garments I would like is to make them. This going-out high is the primary garment I ever made. I discovered the sample on TikTok.”
Gown: Dôen. Sandals: Dr. Martens, comparable.
“I used to be an enormous reader as a child, to the purpose the place the librarians would let me try 10 books as a substitute of three. I devoured them; I’d go to mattress studying, then get up and skim. I additionally used to host a social studying occasion as soon as a month at Shanklin Corridor, a Black-owned bar. Everybody introduced a e-book, and we’d both hang around and talk about them, or the entire bar would simply be studying. It was a lot enjoyable.”
“My complete factor is, I simply wish to join with folks over books in the identical approach that we join over actuality TV. Half the time, the stuff that’s occurring within the books is simply as wild! My high three e-book membership picks are My Sister, the Serial Killer, The Workplace of Historic Corrections, and Homegoing. These are my heavy hitters.”
Thanks, Mbiye. We love you! You may comply with her on Instagram, in the event you’d like.
P.S. Extra week of outfits, together with a graphic designer with one of the best denim-on-denim set, and a author who’s over six ft.
(Photographs by Maeva Komenan for Cup of Jo.)
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