Olaf Growald
Samantha Stewart — amidst her glamorous gowns and flashy accessories that she showcases to over 23,000 followers on Instagram — is just like the rest of us. Raising two kids while working part time as a pharmacist at JPS in the middle of a pandemic, she admits these past few months haven’t been easy.
But there’s a certain comfort she finds in fashion — what she refers to as her “drug of choice.”
“One of my manifestos is to dress how you want to feel,” she says. “If I’m feeling blah, I’ll still get dressed. Like [the other day], I wore a bright caftan. We just went to Fossil Rim, so I was in the car the whole time, but still, I’m happy to wear that. It’s comfy, it’s bright, it’s happy. I feel like [dressing up] is a way for you to put yourself in that mood before you’re in that mood.”
Making time for self-care helps, too — even if it means starting the day as early as 5:30 a.m. Before her family wakes up, Stewart takes time to get some exercise, pray, write in her journal, and have coffee.
Then, she gets to work. Her fashion blog, Style of Sam, has become a platform to highlight causes she’s passionate about, from promoting black-owned businesses to educating her followers about sustainability. She recently collaborated with Symbology Clothing, a sustainable fashion brand located in the Etico shop on Magnolia Avenue, to design a dress — a chiffon, blush, and metallic leopard print ensemble reflective of Stewart’s uniquely glamorous style.
“[Fashion] is an outward expression of what’s inside,” she says. “Whatever makes you feel good about yourself, or strong or empowered, if that’s a pearl earring or diamond necklace or a ring that has sentimental value and you put it on and it makes you feel good, then do that. You do you.”
Find Stewart on Instagram (@styleofsam) and styleofsam.com.
FROM THE FEED
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Angie Garcia / @angiegarciaphoto
Samantha designed this leopard chiffon dress with Symbology, a sustainable fashion brand on West Magnolia Avenue.
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Sam, her husband, and two children by adoption.
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Posing with fellow fashion influencers Phillip Prany, Frank Moss, and Matt Miller.
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Sam “lives for coffee.”
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The Modern is one of her favorite museums.
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Sam’s happy place — the shoe department.
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On the patio at Joe T. Garcia’s.
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Sam and her husband on a rare date night.
My Favorite Shoes
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GREGORY JAMES
Aya sandals Kat Maconie
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GREGORY JAMES
Black Gingham Abstract Bow Mules No. 21
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GREGORY JAMES
Watercolor Flare-heel Pumps Amina Muaddi
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GREGORY JAMES
Chiara Sophia Webster
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GREGORY JAMES
O Sister Rainbow Platform Slip-On Sandal Christian Louboutin
