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You know those people whose smile can light up an entire room? Meet Naudia Jones. The nutritionist and recent Brooklyn College grad radiates confidence everywhere she goes. Here, she talks about work dresses, the jewelry she wears to meetings and how she conquered her biggest fear…
Dress: Target, similar. Sandals: Kensie, similar. Necklace: GINETTE NY. Cuff: Shaya. Watch: Miansai. Lipstick: Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge in 193 Souvenir.
“I wore this dress to a gardeners’ potluck at the community garden, where I’ve had a little plot for three years. This garden is my everything. Last year, I went through a big breakup. I couldn’t sleep, so I’d come here at 4:30 a.m. I’d see the sunrise and watch the plants grow. Now I can’t imagine not having a garden. One of my favorite kid’s books was Frog and Toad, and they used to read and sing to their plants. Now I’m like, I’m living my childhood storybook.”
Dress: Marc Jacobs from Eleven consignment store. Sandals: similar. Earrings: Tafari Tribe, similar. Bracelet: Maslo Jewelry.
“I love this dress, which I found at a consignment store. Orange is my color, and I like dresses with big pockets and things that sway. When I was little in Guyana, my parents made all our clothes. Even though I was a tomboy, I’d request dresses with can-can skirts, and this dress is cancan-ish!”
Shirt: H&M, similar. Orange pants: BCBG from Nordstorm Rack, similar. Boots: Pour La Victoire from Nordstorm Rack, similar. Bangles: handmade. Watch: Target, similar.
“When I was 17, I moved from Guyana to the U.S. to get help with my stutter. Everyone that stutters has a deep knowledge of the thesaurus because while you’re speaking, your brain jumps ahead and identifies the words that you’re going to stutter on, and it’s like, no, don’t say that, use a synonym. But when I moved to the U.S., my stuttering severity actually went from a 6 to a 9. I was in full panic every time I spoke. I couldn’t even say hello on the phone because h’s were really difficult. My therapist used to take me out for pizza and encourage me to order a slice, and I would stand there and cry.”
“I would call my parents, and they would be like, what??? We sent our child away so she could get better and what is happening??? I was also dealing with housing insecurity, homesickness, etc. Finally, I joined SAY, the stuttering organization. I even went on the Today Show, and I realized that I could stutter and not die. You can have all the tools in the world, but in the end, you need a level of confidence. You need to be comfortable being uncomfortable. I was like, okay, I know it’s going to happen, but I’m not going to let it derail me. That really, really helped.”
Wrap dress: Moshood Creations. Sandals: Payless. Earrings: street vendor, similar. Cuff: Shaya. Record bag: Capetown artisan.
“I bought this record bag while visiting a friend in South Africa. I was walking around Capetown by myself, and I stumbled upon a market with amazing local artisans. When I found the bags, I bought six! They were for my friends, my sisters and myself. I think they’re the coolest bags ever. Of course, the guy tried to haggle me because I’m American, and I was like, nope, I’m from Guyana! I can haggle, too! Let’s do this! I talked him down to a reasonable price.”
Blazer: H&M, similar. Striped dress: Banana Republic outlet, similar. Clogs: Dansko. Earrings: Tafari Tribe. Bangles: handmade. Watch: Miansai. Bag: Miansai. Lipstick: Color Pop.
“For work, I love Banana Republic dresses — they’re professional but cute. I have bigger boobs, and their dress styles tend to be minimizing. I discovered the Banana Republic outlet last year, when I was visiting my sister in Ohio. I was like, oh, my goodness, why ever go to the one in Soho?”
“In Indian culture, women pass bangles down through the generations. My mom got them from her mom who got them from her mom. Typically, you give them to your oldest daughter, but when my family moved to the U.S., my mom gave them to me, even though I’m the middle child. She said it was because I had come to the United States first and was the pioneer. I had set things up so they could join me. Now I wear them whenever I’m doing something special or scary; they’re like a pep talk. ‘You can do this! You’re the one who got the bangles.‘”
Thank you so much, Naudia! You are a force.
P.S. More women share their weeks of outfits, and six readers share what they wear to work.
(Photos by Christine Han for Cup of Jo.)
