Introduce yourself!
B: Hi guys! I’m Blake. A 26-year-old, full-time law student and style blogger. I’ve been blogging for a little over 4 years now. I like puppies, ice cream and long walks on the beach. lol.
What is your style philosophy?
B: “Don’t try too hard.” I personally can always tell when a person is trying to hard to be “fashionable” or to put on a persona. I think it’s important to do what comes naturally to you. You can always revamp your style or incorporate new things into what you do, but I don’t think it’s necessary to try too hard to keep up with what everyone else is doing or to try and always steal the scene everywhere you go. Sometimes jeans, a cute top and an aura that radiates confidence is all you need to turn heads.
How would you describe your sense of style?
B: This question is always tough for me. I honestly don’t know how to describe it. I try to reflect my personality in the way that I dress. I’m girly but I hate to feel super feminine. I don’t like things like lace and frills. And the color pink makes me CRAZY! lol. I prefer pieces that have a feminine voice without the overdose of softness. I love to incorporate things like leather, metallics and studs/spikes into my wardrobe. And I’m almost always wearing a heavy dose of black.
What is your process of deciding what to wear in the morning?
B: I’m not really a morning person so the process usually happens with my eyes barely open while I’m still in bed or while I’m in the shower. I usually decide first what shoes I want to wear that day and then go from there. I just sort of mentally survey my closet and come up with a rough idea of what I want to wear. And once I finish all my other morning prep–makeup, packing my bag for class, etc.–I get dressed and then make last minute edits to what I had come up with in my head. It usually goes well. Although, some mornings I end up scrapping it all and starting from scratch.
What are the three favorite things in your closet?
B: 1. My black Brekelle sandal heels
2. My highwaisted distressed denim jeans
3. My khaki buttonless blazer from H&M
What are some of your favorite shops/websites for clothes, shoes and accessories?
B: Being a full-time law student means that I’ve gotten pretty good at finding things I love on a budget. I love sites like ASOS, NastyGal, and Bib+Tuck (a buy & trade site). For shoes, I shop almost exclusively at Shoedazzle. They always take such good care of me. I love coming home to the packages and handwritten letters from their team. I also really like Lola Shoetique.
How long have you been natural?
B: I stopped getting perms about 6 or 7 years ago. But I’ve only been truly natural for about 4 years.
How and why did you transition into natural hair?
B: I started trying to transition during my sophomore year of college. I initially wasn’t comfortable doing a big chop so I opted to wear sew-ins while I grew out the permed portions of my hair. After I graduated from college and after coming to terms with the poor condition of my hair, I decided a big chop was a must. (For the record, I’m not a fan of the slow transition…for many reasons.) But beyond the fact that transitioning proved to be more trouble than it was worth, I realized that my reason for wanting to transition slowly was because I was afraid of what other people would think. I was afraid of not fitting the “Long hair is pretty.” mold. I was afraid that I’d be dismissed and overlooked. Once I realized that and dealt with the “why” behind those feelings, I decided that not only was a big chop the right choice for me…it was the ONLY choice for me.
I hear a lot of women of color say that they are “not their hair” and I totally get where they are coming from with that message. But for me, it’s the exact opposite. I absolutely am my hair! My hair represents the very essence of who I am both as an individual and a member of the diaspora. It’s played a major role in my journey to self-acceptance. Prior to returning to natural, I felt that I was hiding behind things like weaves (I know that’s not the case for everyone, but it was for me) and I felt that people never really got to see ME. Underneath all the faux confidence was the deep seated fear that people wouldn’t like what was underneath. Now, I’ve sort of backed people into a corner and forced them to accept–or not accept. Their choice.–that what they see is exactly what they get. Now the confidence is real and it’s been amazing to see how people–men and women–have responded to that. That said, I can’t help but be (and love) my hair!
What is your signature hairstyle?
B: I’m pretty well known for my short–and now blonde–close cut. (4 years short, 1 year blonde). I get tagged in tons of pictures on IG of other girls with the same hairstyle. I think my followers see it and automatically think “Blake Von D!”
Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
B: There sure is! blakevond.com. I’m also on tumblr at blakevond.tumblr.com.
