Community Spotlight: Asia Edwards

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you based? How do you spend your days?

I'm based in New Orleans and from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I moved to New Orleans almost two months ago from Tucson, Arizona. Most of my days are spent adjusting to my new job, which I'm really excited about. I just became a Licensed Master Social Worker in Louisiana, so I'm also eating a lot of my favorite treats to celebrate my hard work. Prior to starting my job, I had two months free from working for the weekend, and during that time, I read, slept a lot (one of my favorite things to do), spent time with my family that includes my two cats Nola and Penny, and worked on an old wooden wardrobe to store my clothes. That was a lot of fun because I'm not really a DIY person, but with this, I changed the knobs on it, gave it a nice polish, and installed a dowel inside of it so that I could fit more clothes! I'm so proud of myself!

How did you hear about Noihsaf Bazaar / when did you become a part of the community?

I heard about Noihsaf Bazaar from a former roommate. It was 2016 when I first noticed that she would find some really cool things off this Instagram shop, so I asked her about it, and that's when she introduced me to Noihsaf. I was instantly hooked!

What is your favorite Noihsaf score?

I love this question! Without any hesitation, my answer is my Blundstones! I have extremely flat feet, so I wasn't sure how I would like them, but it was love at first sight; something about a shoe with two pull tags gets me jazzed! Most importantly, the boots are, without a doubt, the most comfortable pair of shoes that I own. I tried to find an email saying when I purchased them, but it was such a long time ago, long before the Noihsaf website. I have so many amazing treasures from Noihsaf!

How would you describe your personal style? Do you have any style inspirations that you return to?

My style is confident and comfy. I'm such a mood dresser. So, recently, I've challenged myself to prepare my outfit for the next day before I go to bed, but that has been really challenging for me. I workout before work, so I need to come to the gym prepared to go to work after. This is challenging for me because my mood in the morning is different than it was the night before, and sometimes, I'm not feeling the outfit I picked out. However, I don't own any clothes that I wouldn't wear, so no matter what, it's a good outfit!

Do you have any designers/brands that you’re especially into these days?

Some brands that I'm into these days are Sandgrens for their Swedish handmade clogs, and I really want to shout them out for having some of the nicest team members behind their brand. They are the complete opposite of a "you can't sit with us" type of brand. My Instagram followers are probably sick of me talking about Noble, and I love their organic cotton canvas utility dresses! They are incredibly soft and so functional! Ogechukwu Ajibe, the founder of Oge Ajibe, handmade the most comfortable pants I've ever worn in my life! Also, her sizes are inclusive, and I really appreciate that. There are other brands that I'm into, but I'm happiest when I score at thrift stores or off Noihsaf ;)

What trend are you currently loving, or what trend would you like to see?

I love the "trend" of people incorporating comfort into their style! I put the word trend in quotes because I know that there will be people saying, "I've always prioritized comfort," and yes, I have too, but I'm noticing more conversation in the fashion world about choosing to wear what's comfortable and what makes us feel good in our bodies. Timeless, quality pieces that are also functional. I would like to see more Black people being included in the slow fashion world. That's not something that I want to trend, as trends can come and go; rather, I want brands to include us in the conversation because we are out there, and we always have been! I remember growing up, my mom would get us clothing vouchers for St. Vincent dePaul, and we kids felt like we were the luckiest people on earth even though other kids weren't nice about us wearing secondhand clothes. Now, when you say you thrifted something, it's like a badge of honor; you're iconic! Slow fashion has really become a "trendy" topic, but it's not always an inclusive space.

I think one of my favorite fashion hacks is wearing my cardigan backward. It's just such a fun thing to do, especially if your cardigan has buttons on it.

Favorite song to play when getting dressed?

Usually, I listen to Ologies or the Reading Glasses podcast when I'm getting ready, but recently, when I find myself wanting to feel groovy while getting dressed I play Dizzy Fae.

Thanks Asia! 👋