Sourcing Your Fashion Sense

Recently, I've been reflecting on my love for vintage and designer fashion, and I realize now that my childhood and teenage years have heavily influenced almost every fashion decision I make, even now as a 30 something wife + mother. I remember watching the first seasons of The Simple Life, starring our Y2K fashion queens Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Kimora Lee's Life in the Fab Lane, both depicting elegance and glamorous Black womanhood. Girlfriends — for the first (and second, and third) time. The Devil Wears Prada (in both 2006 and 2026!). Sex and the City. The Parkers, Sister Sister, and That’s So Raven. The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and A Different World (which I watched for the first time as a student at Spelman College!!!). So many moody, fashion-forward shows and films that truly shaped my perspective and my interest in designer fashion and the eras shaping the looks of the past century. 

I don’t watch much television these days, but when I do I find myself turning on these old shows and letting them play in the background of my life and it dawned on me during my most recent RHOA binge - maybe my obsession with vintage has to do with remembering a better, simpler, cleaner world. Times when the world felt safer, when the music was sweeter and clothes, accessories and shoes were often made of better materials. When AI couldn't choose your next look - instead you pulled from magazines, shows, music videos and musicians' album artwork for inspo. The moms, aunties and grandmothers in my life also continue to embody effortless style and beauty, and our countless shopping trips together are forever etched into my memory. They taught me that what you wear on your body is an extension of your personality and a creative form of expression that matters and is strongly connected to how you perceive and are perceived in the world. Seeing the impact of climate change and the harsh reality of our global footprint as a human race also shapes my perspectives on the pieces I decide to invest in, and how I part ways with those that no longer serve my closet, or those more fitting for another diva. And alas, CREAM Vintage Archive was born — a store and a community where I love sharing gorgeous pieces sourced from closets and runways around the world, as well as opportunities to gather, discuss, and enjoy the art that is designer vintage fashion. Thanks for reading + until next time, Mrs. CREAM xoxo Comment below and let us know: who or what experiences have shaped your fashion sense the most?