Rising Stars: Meet Chinelo Mbakogu

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Chinelo Mbakogu.

Hi Chinelo, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
Just a quiet (not shy) girl who loves to express herself through her personal style. 

My style journey started with my love for clothes. In my teenage years, the bulk of my paycheck went to clothing retailers because I thought I needed to keep up with the latest trends in order to look like the popular girls and be accepted by the masses. Little did I know that style was so much more than that and would take me on a most unexpected journey. 

When COVID hit and took a turn for both the worse and the better, social media got my attention and introduced me to a world of like-minded individuals who not only loved clothes and styling them but were not following the rules. They were styling and wearing outfits for nobody else but themselves, and my goodness, were they creative with it?

I learned from them, and I understood that it does not matter where your clothes come from but how you wear them and make them yours. I learned that your personal style is exactly that, all mine. Never mind what anybody says, so long as you feel good wearing it and you have the confidence to back it up, by all means, wear the outfit. 

I have come to embrace my love and passion for thrifting, color blocking, print mixing, accessorizing, and finding creative ways to wear and re-wear an outfit. I call it Style Therapy because of the way it makes me feel better and builds my confidence. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course not. It has been a learning process. Lots of mistakes have been made that I needed to learn from and lots of things that I thought I knew, I had to unlearn and relearn. 

I was one of those girls who dared not repeat an outfit, buy anything second-hand, or think that black and blue do not go together. Through exposure and practice, I’ve come to realize that style has no restrictions or limits. Well, I guess the only limit to style is your creativity. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Besides being a style creative, I’m also a Wife, Mom, and Compliance Leader in the pharmaceutical field, and an ordained minister. 

My faith in God is something that I hold very sacred. When it comes to it, it is not a religion for me; it is, first and foremost, a relationship with Him. I also use my platform to encourage others about the benefits of having that relationship with Him. 

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Do not restrict yourself. Experiment with your style and allow it to evolve. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @thatstylishintrovert