I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Mamissa Mboob (theColourMeMam) about self-confidence, style, and what inspires her fashion. I left the conversation feeling so much more empowered and confident in myself to release the inner creative by rocking more color in my wardrobe! I’m so excited to share this interview with you all!
Q: What sparked your interest in fashion?
A: I was a real girly girl growing up, and I would always help my friends dress up when I was in school. I was born in The Gambia in West Africa but as my father worked for the United Nations, I spent my childhood and teenage years growing up in many different countries attending international schools. I moved to Geneva, Switzerland in 2007. I have an undergraduate degree in Economics from the London School of Economics in the UK and a Masters degree in Intellectual Property Rights Law from The University of New Hampshire in the USA. I have hence always had a two sided personality. The one side is intellectual, as a manager and as a humanitarian to the United Nations. Then there is another side of me which is the creative part of me who is very much interested in entertainment, acting, and fashion. There’s always been that clash in personality even growing up, so now that I’m an adult I’ve been able to find that perfect balance of doing my job (working at the UN) and yet still being a content creator. This makes me a well-rounded theColourMeMam in a sense. I have a bit of both which makes me different and it helps! It has actually helped me tremendously in my growth as a fashion influencer.
When I first started creating my page, I asked myself, “What is my niche?” I noticed that almost all bloggers wore a lot of neutrals, and that’s not me. I didn’t want to be like everybody — I wanted to be me, and that was a risk because very few bloggers wear colours like I do. But I tried anyway and I thought “It’s not going to work,” because most people in Switzerland don’t want to necessarily wear orange, green, and purple. I was so surprised by how many people were actually attracted to my style! Even today it shocks me because people show me colourful items they buy that are inspired by theColourMeMam. What I realized is that people like my blog because it’s different, and the fashion I showcase is not what they would necessarily wear. I think a lot of people might think “I can’t wear that fuschia pink suit but I love seeing someone else wear it”, but I think I give people the hope and the confidence to think “Maybe I can wear this too and look and feel good!” It was a risk, but so far it appears to be working.
Q: What does fashion mean to you and your audience?
A: My audience likes the fact that I dress differently from the average influencer. And I’m constantly motivating my followers to come out of their shells. For example, people will DM me saying that I motivated them to buy a red Bottega bag when normally they would have bought black. I love it when I hear that! Through me, they realize “I can do it.” I also try to inject a lot of my personality into my Instagram page. I’m naturally someone who likes to laugh and have fun. My page is humorous, my captions are funny and I create a lot of funny fashion related content.
It’s all part of me telling my audience “It’s okay to be open, it’s okay to express yourself, and it’s okay to laugh at yourself.” I want my audience to feel like my friends and to identify with me. I answer all my comments and always reply to DM’s. My audience are my friends and my community. They are part of me and I am part of them. It’s fashion but it’s also more than that. One of my followers sent me a really beautiful, touching message and until this day I keep it to heart. She said, “Your life IS a dream come true but you are REAL! You are grounded! You have a wicked sense of humor, you love your kids, you talk openly about food, and you aren’t afraid to make fun of yourself.”
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Q: What inspires you to wear color in your outfits? How do you build your looks?
A: People want to wear color but they’re afraid to or they don’t know how to. They might think “it’s because you’ve got dark skin so bright orange looks good on you, but if I wear it I’ll look funny.” But no, you will not! You might think that but you actually will not! Just try it.
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Don’t be afraid to mix colors that aren’t obvious — think green coat, purple pants, white boots and a matching purple bag. They can work out really well. I try to be as bold as possible and think outside the box. Sometimes I surprise myself! I like to ask myself “What can I do with this that could be really interesting?” Don’t be afraid to stand out!
Q: Who is your fashion inspiration?
@blaireadiebee is one of the influencers who does color and it’s amazing. She wears the most dramatic looks. She’s my inspiration and she breaks boundaries.
Q: What are your tips for women as they discover their own style/fashion inspiration?
Don’t put yourself in a mould and wear black just because everyone is wearing all black. Don’t be afraid to break boundaries. You can wear a black blazer but pair it with an orange, fuchsia, or pink blouse. Do not be fearful of releasing the femininity in you!
My inspiration is to keep going and to consistently and boldly break boundaries and remind women at all times that it is OK to stand out. You don’t have to wear beige top to bottom. It’s a cultural thing, actually. Because in West Africa, if you’re not standing out there’s something wrong with you! I guess that’s the cultural part I bring to my looks and to my audience. Even in the office, I have to dress corporate but I’ll wear a black jacket with a yellow blouse and perhaps a pair of burgundy pumps. I love color and I am not afraid to show it.
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I feel that sometimes women are afraid to look good — society tells us to take a back seat. As a matter of fact, if you look too good in the office, some people might think you aren’t serious! I don’t buy it. We women should reject this. It is OK to be confident. It is OK to look good. And it is OK to stand out. The more you do it, the more you realize it becomes you. My hope is that I can share this confidence to my followers. If you want that pink suit, wear it because I bet you, you will look amazing and I bet you that the person next to you will think “I should wear a pink suit as well”. You will become a person who shakes, moves, and changes things, people, ideas, and concepts.
Q: What is your must-have fashion item right now?
A: I love oversized blazers. I wear a lot of men’s blazers as well — they can be very casual, funky, and different. I like to pair blazers with boots. My must-have piece is also my purple Balenciaga thigh high boots. They’re outrageous and different and I love them. I also would include my Bottega chunky white boots. I have so many favorites! If it looks good, I’ll wear it.
I’ve also really gotten into colored boots, in particular Paris Texas that makes the most beautiful coloured boots. I have boots in green, yellow, orange, pink, purple and I want more colours!
Q: What are some of your favorite brands for women who want to incorporate more color into their wardrobe?
A: That is the one challenge that I have encountered. I can’t find a brand that does only colourful clothes. I always have to look through tons of pieces to find colourful pieces. It’s in my plan to create a colourful brand — stay tuned!
Q: What is one tried and true styling tip you would give to aspiring fashionistas?
Always incorporate a colorful accessory in your outfit. You can wear a black suit but wear a yellow blouse, or a green or purple scarf. A colorful accessory or colourful shoes have the power to transform an outfit. Do not be afraid to experiment with colour. It can never be too bright.
Q: What does #womensupportingwomen mean to you and your audience?
A: I am a big believer in supporting other women in as many ways as possible. On my page I always support new and upcoming bloggers — I have followed bloggers with 400 followers and I always give advice to other bloggers about how to strengthen their content and how to grow! There is a lot of competition and backstabbing on Instagram as is normal in any workplace. I make it a point to stay away from this and I genuinely support other bloggers. I frequently give shout outs to other bloggers too! We are all women and no one is better than another. I tell women on my page to be strong, confident, and not be afraid to stand out, but to always support each other. We need each other and we will be stronger and will stand on a higher pedestal if we support one another.
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Thank you so much for joining us, Mamissa (theColourMeMam)!
We hope you enjoyed this interview! Will you start incorporating more color into your wardrobe? What was your favorite part of the interview? Share with us below!
About Mamissa Mboob
Mamissa Mboob, known as theColourMeMam, is a fashion and travel influencer based in Geneva, Switzerland. She goes by the title IamColour and is known as the Queen of Colour. Her blog features fashion motivating women to wear colourful fashion with the phrase: “Be bold, Be fierce, Stand Out!” She merges luxury with street fashion.
IG: @thecolourmemam
For More Fashion Inspiration And Interviews With Inspiring Women:
Ableism, Accessibility, And The Journey Of A Brave Woman – Our Interview With Marcela Marañon
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