

12 Investment Staple Pieces To Base Your Wardrobe Around
I like to put my money right where I can see it: in my closet. While I try to be intentional about how I spend my money, I also feel like there are certain pieces I must have in my wardrobe that make a statement. From time to time, that statement is considered an investment. Thee Beyonce Giselle Knowles-Carter once said, "I don't like to gamble, but if there's one thing I'm willing to bet on, it's myself." Well ladies, if you're looking to rebuild your wardrobe with some investment pieces, it's time to bet on yourself by snagging some statement items that will transcend trends and time.
*This list is specially curated by the xoNecole team and some links are affiliate links. If you purchase an item from an affiliate link, xoNecole might earn a small commission.
Topshop Cowl Back Satin Slipdress
Nordstrom
If you're a woman over 21, you need a slip dress. Yes sis, I am talking to you! Slip dresses are so sexy and classic. No matter the outing or occasion, you can throw on sneakers or pumps and slay the scene.
BLANKNYC Faux Leather Moto Jacket
Nordstrom Rack
The perfect addition to any simple outfit, the moto jacket is truly a wardrobe essential. Tap into your inner bad gal with faux leather moto jacket by BLANKNYC that is the true definition of edgy meets chic. You can cop the look with another option here.
PAUL GREEN Diana Kiltie Fringe Pointed Toe Loafer
Nordstrom
You may have PTSD from your mom forcing your feet into loafers for church or school but we want to empower you to let that go so you can step into your next-level wardrobe. We want to challenge you to pair these loafers with your go-to suit the next time you're getting dolled up.
Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Shoreline Slip
When it comes to a classic casual sneaker, you can't get any better than Converse. Whether high or low, Converse Chuck Taylors embody effortless and authentic street style, and can turn any casual OOTD up a notch on a stylistic note.
OFF-WHITE Jitney 2.8 Turn to Open Leather Bag
Nordstrom
Time to secure the bag! Say hello to your new structured satchel sure to turn all the heads. It features the new signature OFF-WHITE "ARROWS" motif with unique, trendy sayings. We can see you pairing this bag with a fun t-shirt dress and your favorite shoes. For a cheaper alternative, shop here.
SCHUTZ Lou Pointed Toe Pump Women
Nordstrom
Every girl needs a pair of pumps that make her feel closer to God and closer to her dreams. These SCHUTZ beauties have a slender pointy toe with a tapered heel which is what makes the style of a pump a masterpiece.
Linen Wrapover Blouse
H&M
What's a wardrobe without a white top? We love this linen number for its breathability and versatility. You could rock this to the office with a midi skirt or couple it with jeans for a picnic in the park.
Women's Organic Cotton Box-Cut T-Shirt by Everlane in White
Everlane
Speaking of white top, a good plain white t-shirt is a wardrobe must-have, especially when it comes to creating blank canvases for staples to pop against. When it comes to basics, Everlane is the truth and their Organic Cotton Box-Cut T-Shirt is an icon all on its own when it comes to basic tees.
Women's Mixed-Media Bow Blouse by White House Black Market, Ecru
What's a blouse without drama? With this Mixed-Media Bow Blouse by White House Black Market, the proof is in the pudding in terms of how much a bow can add instant flair. From the exagerrated sleeves to the undeniable shade of ecru, this blouse is the ultimate drip inside of the workplace and out.
Women's Topshop Leather Wrap Pencil Skirt
Topshop
We live for a wrap-style silhoutte because of the way it flatters every shape and embraces every curve. This waist-cinching pencil skirt is a chic take on the professional staple, and due to its leather material can translate well in a work landscape or a night out, depending on if you wish to dress it up or down.
Old Navy Women's Mid-Rise Rockstar Super Skinny Jeans
Old Navy
Denim is the greatest of all time and you need all the styles, washes and shades but starting off with these mid-rise skinnies is a "jean come true". With its riveted scoop pockets and soft medium-wash, we are more than here for it! Fun fact, these jeans are available in both regular, tall, petite and plus sizes.
Gathered-Sleeve Jacket
H&M
Blazers are quintessential to a woman's wardrobe. Whether you have your own business, attend school or work a 9 to 5, you need a blazer. This staple from H&M will quickly pull any look together. You could even stylize it with biker shorts after a long day at your computer.
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Featured image by Shutterstock
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Joce Blake is a womanist who loves fashion, Beyonce and Hot Cheetos. The sophistiratchet enthusiast is based in Brooklyn, NY but has southern belle roots as she was born and raised in Memphis, TN. Keep up with her on Instagram @joce_blake and on Twitter @SaraJessicaBee.
How Content Creators Hey Fran Hey And Shameless Maya Embraced The Pivot
This article is in partnership with Meta Elevate.
If you’ve been on the internet at all within the past decade, chances are the names Hey Fran Hey and Shameless Maya (aka Maya Washington) have come across your screen. These content creators have touched every platform on the web, spreading joy to help women everywhere live their best lives. From Fran’s healing natural remedies to Maya’s words of wisdom, both of these content creators have built a loyal following by sharing honest, useful, and vulnerable content. But in search of a life that lends to more creativity, freedom, and space, these digital mavens have moved from their bustling big cities (New York City and Los Angeles respectively) to more remote locations, taking their popular digital brands with them.
Content Creators Hey Fran Hey and Maya Washington Talk "Embracing The Pivot"www.youtube.com
In partnership with Meta Elevate — an online learning platform that provides Black, Hispanic, and Latinx-owned businesses access to 1:1 mentoring, digital skills training, and community — xoNecole teamed up with Franscheska Medina and Maya Washington on IG live recently for a candid conversation about how they’ve embraced the pivot by changing their surroundings to ultimately bring out the best in themselves and their work. Fran, a New York City native, moved from the Big Apple to Portland, Oregon a year ago. Feeling overstimulated by the hustle and bustle of city life, Fran headed to the Pacific Northwest in search of a more easeful life.
Her cross-country move is the backdrop for her new campaign with Meta Elevate— a perfectly-timed commercial that shows how you can level up from wherever you land with the support of free resources like Meta Elevate. Similarly, Maya packed up her life in Los Angeles and moved to Sweden, where she now resides with her husband and adorable daughter. Maya’s life is much more rural and farm-like than it had been in California, but she is thriving in this peaceful new setting while finding her groove as a new mom.
While Maya is steadily building and growing her digital brand as a self-proclaimed “mom coming out of early retirement,” Fran is redefining her own professional grind. “It’s been a year since I moved from New York City to Portland, Oregon,” says Fran. “I think the season I’m in is figuring out how to stay successful while also slowing down.” A slower-paced life has unlocked so many creative possibilities and opportunities for these ladies, and our conversation with them is a well-needed reminder that your success is not tied to your location…especially with the internet at your fingertips. Tapping into a community like Meta Elevate can help Black, Hispanic, and Latinx entrepreneurs and content creators stay connected to like minds and educated on new digital skills and tools that can help scale their businesses.
During a beautiful moment in the conversation, Fran gives Maya her flowers for being an innovator in the digital space. Back when “influencing” was in its infancy and creators were just trying to find their way, Fran says Maya was way ahead of her time. “I give Maya credit for being one of the pioneers in the digital space,” Fran said. “Maya is a one-person machine, and I always tell her she really changed the game on what ads, campaigns, and videos, in general, should look like.”
When asked what advice she’d give content creators, Maya says the key is having faith even when you don’t see the results just yet. “It’s so easy to look at what is, despite you pouring your heart into this thing that may not be giving you the returns that you thought,” she says. “Still operate from a place of love and authenticity. Have faith and do the work. A lot of people are positive thinkers, but that’s the thinking part. You also have to put your faith into work and do the work.”
Fran ultimately encourages content creators and budding entrepreneurs to take full advantage of Meta Elevate’s vast offerings to educate themselves on how to build and grow their businesses online. “It took me ten years to get to the point where I’m making ads at this level,” she says. “I didn’t have those resources in 2010. I love the partnership with Meta Elevate because they’re providing these resources for free. I just think of the people that wouldn’t be able to afford that education and information otherwise. So to amplify a company like this just feels right.”
Watch the full conversation with the link above, and join the Meta Elevate community to connect with fellow businesses and creatives that are #OnTheRiseTogether.
Featured image courtesy of Shameless Maya and Hey Fran Hey
Mo’Nique Opens Up About Leaving The 'Independent Woman' Narrative Behind In Her Marriage
There has been an ongoing conversation on social media around the term “independent woman.” While it once was a badge of honor to call yourself an independent woman, who else was singing I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T at the functions? Many women are now slamming that narrative. Just recently, our girl Ciara received massive backlash online following the release of her song "For Da Girls" because she was seemingly praising women “who don’t need no man,” and some social media users thought the song's message could be seen as a contradiction because she is happily married to Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson.
Although Ciara didn't publicly address the flak, the topic of traditional values in marriage became front and center again when Mo'Nique shared her thoughts on how the concept of an independent woman could cause a struggle in the power dynamic of one's relationship and why she felt it wasn't suitable for her union with Sidney Hicks.
The veteran comedian has been married to Hicks since 2006, and the couple shares two children: twins David and Johnathon Hicks. In an interview with Vulture, Mo'Nique, who was promoting her new Netflix comedy special My Name is Monique, revealed the factors that led to her decision stemmed from the effects she "witnessed" in her parents' relationship and her own with Hicks.
Mo'nique on Instagram: "HEY MY SWEET BABIES❤️❤️ HAPPY HAPPY EVERYTHING!!! HAVE AN AMAZING DAY MY BABIES! Throwback from VEGAS RESIDENCY I LOVE US 4REAL"
Mo'Nique On The Independent Woman Concept And Its Effects
The 55-year-old told the publication that growing up, she would see her mother --while juggling a job and other household duties-- cook regularly to ensure that her father had something to eat when he came home from work and iron his clothes.
But as Mo’Nique would describe, things quickly became a "competition" in the pair's relationship after deciding that they would "do the same thing" because they were both working individuals.
"There was a time when we were coming up … My mother made sure dinner was on the table Monday through Thursday, 6 p.m. My father never went without an ironed shirt. It was just things that I watched my mother do, and both of my parents worked. Then we went through this era of, 'Well if I work like you working, you could do the same thing I can do.' Then it became a struggle, and it became a competition in the household. I was a part of that. That's what I knew. That's what I witnessed," she said.
Further in the conversation, Mo'Nique disclosed that as she became an adult and started watching television programs like The Oprah Winfrey Show, she often heard messages of "independence and empowerment," especially for women, so much so she incorporated that into life.
Despite being influential and financially well-off, The Parkers star added that the downfall of that message was that it could be an incredibly lonely experience.
"When I started watching Oprah Winfrey … Oprah never said these words, let me be clear. Oprah Winfrey never said, 'You don't need a man.' We watched her action. We watched her talk about independence and empowerment," Monique explained. "We watched that, and we followed that. If that's what the most powerful Black woman is doing in this country, then that's what we should be doing, too. We got involved in it, and we watched it, and we followed it, and then a lot of us found ourselves very lonely. We had all the power, we had all the money, but we went to bed very lonely."
Mo'Nique On Her Marriage to Sidney Hicks
After pondering about the life she wanted for herself and Hicks in the future, Mo'Nique expressed she happily allowed her husband to take the lead because she knew her place and how beneficial both parties were to the union.
"So, I had to say to myself, I want something different. When I'm 80 years old, I want to sit on the porch and hold hands, and rock back and forth in a rocking chair, and watch our great-grandbabies play. That's the happy place for me, in knowing my place. I don't have to pee standing up. I can sit down like a lady should. If there's a strange sound in the house in the middle of the night, I don't have to jump up and take a flashlight. I have a man that does that. When we pull up somewhere, I don't open up my car door. I have a man to do that," the Precious star explained.
Although Mo'Nique admitted that she did struggle to relinquish the ideas that came along with being an independent woman because it was ingrained in her life at a young age, all that changed was when she found her "true love" with Hicks.
She wrapped up her sentiments by saying many could experience that shift once they, too, are with a partner they love.
While this concept around the independent woman may continue to spark debates, it's always best to just do what suits you and your relationship.
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Feature image by @therealmoworldwide/ Instagram