Holding onto every last bit of summer? I am, always! Not to mention, summer is the ultimate season for heeding the call for my penchant for all things color and pattern and FUN. I am SO proud to be an official Zara ambassador, and so this latest version of What Whitley Wants includes a handful of my current Zara favorites to carry you right on through the end of sumer.
If you keep up with me on the Instagram, I hope you’ve been enjoying so far seeing this year’s stylish set on The IT List, as seen in SouthPark Magazine. If you don’t do the Instagram thing, that’s quite alright; I’m excited to also introduce you to each of this year’s featured men and women here! You can also go grab a copy of your own at just about any Harris Teeter and Auto Bell in the Queen City, as well as the mall or Reid’s Fine Foods! Introducing the very stylish first five on this year’s list…
Growing up in New York City influenced Natalie Frazier Allen’s love of high-low styling. “I am accustomed to valuing everything from Bergdorf’s and Bloomingdale’s to styles you see on the street and subway,” says Frazier Allen, 54. The former attoreny and founder and CEO of The Arts Empowerment Project loves pairing everything from NYC and her travels with items she finds in pop-up shops around Charlotte.
“I consider myself a modern-day Renaissance man,” says Yele Aluko, chief medical officer at Ernst & Young. Aluko is inspired by nostalgia and things that tell a story, including a vintage pocket watch he is currently eyeing. “I enjoy being distinct from the mainstream,” Aluko says. “Style is not a fad or fast fashion; it’s about who you are and who you represent.”
Sonya Barnes’ signature color is red, including her favorite pair of signed Sarah Jessica Parker heels that the actor encouraged her to wear often. The life and style strategist for women has her eye on a Gucci caftan to add to her closet. “I love modern elegance with a bit of visual interest. I love timeless pieces that have been reimagined“, says Barnes, 52.
As a style advisor for Neiman Marcus, Troy M. Barnes Jr. knows style when he sees it. He believes your mood works in tandem with what you wear. “My favorite pieces are my hats. They’re the bridge between generations and all people,” says Barnes, 34. “ A good hat will start a conversation between strangers and develop a friendship that lasts a lifetime.”
Not putting style in a box is how life coach, model and Pride Magazine editor Lashawnda Becoats puts her fashion foot forward. “ I love remixing traditional womenswear with a touch of masculinity. It allows me to express my love for both men’s and women’s wear unapologetically, says Becoats, 49, Who calls her style tomboy chic. “ in fact, if you see me in a dress, look down — I’m usually rocking a pair a fly kicks on my feet.”
Written: Shameika Rhymes
Photography: Richard Israel
On location: Johnson C. Smith
On location hair and makeup touch ups: Josiah Reed
Production Assistant: Isabelle Pringle
