“While working, I’m in an apron and Blundstones, clothes that I can get dirty,” says Claudette Zepeda, the award-winning chef, competitor on the new TV series Bobby Flay’s The Line, and author of the beautiful cookbook, Cooking the Borderlands. “But I love dopamine dressing, and if the day allows it, I want to look girly, fun, and whimsical.” Here, Claudette shares five outfits she wore in a week…
Blazer: Zara, similar. Bodysuit: Amazon, similar. Skirt: Amazon. Boots: Sam Edelman, available secondhand.
“Someone once asked me, ‘How do you choose what to wear for special occasions?’ and I said, ‘Well, I’m the occasion.’ We’re told that certain clothes belong in certain environments, but I don’t believe that. I choose to wear my special-occasion clothes on a Monday.”
Blazer: Zara, similar. Necklace: Zara, similar. Top: Amazon, similar. Pants: Zara, similar. Heels: Steve Madden, available secondhand.
“I also have a goth heart, for sure — there’s a little Wednesday Addams in me. Mexicans embrace death. It’s a conversation we start having as children. So, I think black is beautiful, although I do like to throw in a pop of color, like these candy heels.”
“Mexican culture has some of the most beautiful, outspoken women in history. I grew up adoring Alejandra Guzmán, basically the Madonna of Mexico. Also, the women in telenovelas, where everything is dramatic — the dresses are flowing, and the accessories, good Lord! We have an entire mall in Guadalajara for cocktail jewelry. We LOVE an accessory moment.”
Dress: Ada & Edith. Boots: Amazon.
“My friend made this dress — she owns the fashion line Ada & Edith. As for the silver boots, I viscerally remember watching Pretty Woman as a teenager and thinking Julia Roberts’s thigh-high boots were so powerful. When I put on these boots, I feel so sexy, like I can take on the world.”
“I’ve worn prescription glasses since I was 17 and can’t see beyond a foot from my face. I beat up my glasses pretty badly, so I look for pairs that aren’t super expensive, around $30. Recently, I’ve found some fun styles at Zeelool.”
“Dressing to turn heads is a part of our culture. And even when we’re ‘dressed down,’ and going out to grab tortillas from the molino down the street, the nails are impeccable and the red lip is bold.”
Jacket: Zara, similar. Top: Zara. Jeans: “From my mother”, similar. Boots: Jessica Simpson similar.
“This shirt has Mr. Snuffleupagus vibes. It reminds me not to take myself too seriously. If I walk into a meeting, where everyone else is wearing suits, I’m immediately out of place — in the best way possible.”
“As a kid, I had gumption. One day in the fourth grade, I decided, ‘I’m gonna run for student council’ and was voted in as treasurer. But I lost that confidence over time, especially during early motherhood. Nowadays, as a mom of a young woman, I’m constantly thinking, What am I teaching her? If I’m insecure, how is she going to attack the world and feel confident herself? Whenever I need a boost, I call on my spirit army — my grandmother and ancestors. They give me strength.”
Bandana: Zara, similar. Hoops: Hoodland Bazaar. Top: Zara, similar. Shorts: Zara, similar. Socks: Amazon, similar. Heels: Steve Madden, available secondhand.
“This is an outfit that I also would have worn as a teenager, while hanging out with the homies. I have pictures of me as a kid wearing ruffle socks like these.”
“I art directed all the photography for my cookbook. During shoots, I wore what I call ‘business mullets’ — the top half is polished, and the bottom half is sweatpants.”
“My favorite chapter in my book is called ‘From My Mother’s Hips,’ and it’s an homage to the recipes I grew up with and the women who showed me how to be a woman. All the women in my family are divas and fully themselves; they taught me how to take up space. The recipes I’m proudest of are throwbacks to my childhood, like Bananas Foster, which was iconic in my household.”
Thank you so much, Claudette! Check out her cookbook here, if you’d like.
P.S. More people share their week of outfits, including a nutritionist who worked on her stutter and a professor with a pink power suit.
(Photos by Valeria Metz for Cup of Jo.)
This story originally appeared on Cup of Jo
