THE BOMB LIFE

The Bomb Life

3 In Bomb Life 101/ Claire's Life/ Style

Thanksgiving Style Diary: A J Bailey Gray Cropped Sweatshirt, High Slit Skirt, and Reebok Classics + About The Claire Cares Fashion Fund and Why Designers Like J. Bailey Should Be Supported

Happy Almost Thanksgiving!
I’m home in Atlanta eating conch and okra with my Bahamian mother, and enjoying every morsel!
I flew in today from LGA, and slipped on what I deemed a casual outfit: a cropped sweatshirt and high slit skirt from designer J. Bailey, topped off with Reebok Classic sneakers.
Claire Sulmers J Bailey crop top sweatshirt and high slit skirt black designers
Ok, ok, I added some glam with a white fur coat, but I really kinda sorta thought I was going for understated, mainly due to the sweatshirt material and sneakers (hello!). ANYWAY. As soon as I hit the airport, people’s eyes lit up! In the security line, a fellow traveler said I looked like a million bucks. Before walking through the metal detector, a guard complimented my outfit, then shouted to his guard buddy who also gave it a thumbs up. My bag was pulled over for inspection (my B) and upon inspection, the guard was like, “Where’d you get this outfit?” She then wrote the name down in her notepad. And on and on and on from New York to ATL. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten this many compliments on an outfit in my life!
1 claire sulmers j. bailey online nike reebok classics fashion bomb daily karl pierre crop top and high slit skirt
While I’d like to think my smashing good looks set it off, the truth is, designer J. Bailey is the bomb! The Brooklyn based Bombshell custom makes most pieces, cutting and sewing through the night. She has no production, no team, and no online store.
j bailey is awesome
After I Instagrammed her look, frenzied readers filled her comment section, demanding order details. Quite a few grew frustrated and irate that she wasn’t answering quickly enough, so she ultimately directed them to her DM.
J bailey DM
I’d like to take full credit for the frenzy, but I can’t. J. Bailey has been known in Brooklyn circles for years.

She, like many other great designers in their nascent stages, creates pieces that people LOVE. Sadly, she doesn’t have the support or infrastructure to supply the demand–yet.
3 claire sulmers j. bailey online nike reebok classics fashion bomb daily karl pierre crop top and high slit skirt
In the New Year, I’m launching the Claire Cares Fashion Fund, whose aim is to help designers of color scale and take their brands to the next level.

So many times we talk about there not being enough black designers at Fashion Week or in stores (we’ve written about this more times than I can count on FashionBombDaily.com). But how can any artist flourish without the support to bring their dreams to fruition?

Yes, the Vogue/CFDA Fashion Fund exists, but with the endemic and persistent issues of discrimination in our industry, some affirmative action is necessary.

I know SO MANY great designers who could use anything from mentorship to a grant to help get their brands into the stores and wardrobes of the world.
So stay tuned!
4 claire sulmers j. bailey online nike reebok classics fashion bomb daily karl pierre crop top and high slit skirt
I’ve found my calling!

PS If you want to order this set, hit up J. Bailey on Instagram. In the meantime, I’m about to order her whole collection in every color (the top comes with matching harem style sweatpants, too! Yasss for Athleisure!).

I touched on the black designer issue in this video I took during last Fashion Week. Check it out here:

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