Spotted at: Oakland CA's First Fridays Festival
Occupation: Zumba instructor and bartender
Where are you from?
I moved here from Miami by way of Maryland. I moved here because he (the boyfriend) already lived here. I had visited a few times and I thought "yeah, why not? It’s a change of scenery.”
What did you do in Miami?
Bartend and teach Zumba. I always do the same things: bartend, dance and model. We’re going to move soon, though.
Where are you moving to?
LA! It’s easier for me to do what I do: teach stuff, model—bartending, even.
What kind of dance you teach? Do you teach it here too?
Usually a hip hop class or a contemporary class and Zumba or some sort of aerobics. Right now I teach Zumba at 9am on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at In the Groove Studios. It’s a great studio in an awesome location, close to everything!
Where do you Bartend?
Make Westing, on Telegraph and 18th. It’s a cool bar, there’s bocce ball and really good—and really cheap—happy hour specials.
Where did you get your necklace?
I have no idea, a cheap store. All my jewelry is cheap. I’m a cheap person when it comes to jewelry because I break it! It’s different when it comes to tattoos. I have tattoos all over my arms.
What about those earrings and your bracelets?
Earrings: Forever21, because they have super cheap accessories. As long as you don’t lose them they last pretty well. And I like studs because I hate things touching my neck.
Bracelets: They're from H&M. I got them three years ago. I wear them almost every summer.
How long have you had your nose pierced?
Three years now. This is the most expensive piece of jewelry I own because I wear it everyday. I can’t take it out without pliers and somebody else's help.
Marshalls! These are Rocawear apparently, which is a pretty outdated brand, but they were like $8 because Marshalls is the best.
What made you shave your head?
Before this I had a mohawk that was long enough to cover one side. I thought I wanted to start growing my hair back evenly and then I shaved it and decided I liked it a lot. It’s so great. It takes no time to get ready in the morning. The shower’s fast and I just rub my head all day.
What inspired this look with the high socks and the boots with the short shorts?
The socks are from American Apparel, you can pull them all the way up so it’s almost like you’re wearing pants or scrunch them down and they look like leg warmers. I like layering. These shorts were part of my work uniform in Miami. I wore these with a hot pink sports bra and worked outside all day [wow]. Yep, it was a tourist attraction. People would be like, “Hey can I take pictures with you?” I was half naked with a mohawk—it was good for tips.
How would you describe your style in a few words?
Cold Hooker. I like to be naked and I like layers.
If there was anywhere in the world you could live, where would it be?
Out of the places I have been, I would say somewhere slightly Caribbean. Costa Rica maybe.
Any big, pervasive thoughts lately?
"What am I going to do with my life?" I just turned 27 last week and I was thinking about everything. That’s why we’re moving to LA. I feel like I was living my life for my boyfriend because he lived here and two days ago I told him that we’re moving to LA because it’s more conducive to my life. He took it pretty well.
