Meet Barnette Holston | Fashion, Lifestyle and Travel Expert

We had the good fortune of connecting with Barnette Holston and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Barnette, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve always had a love for men’s fashion and felt that I could inspire others on what I knew. Initially, I had a blog which I continue to this day however it did not have much traction. So I begain writing for other publications,. Many of which have shut down and I lost year’s worth of content. As a result, I returned back to my website to make sure I don’t lose my content in the future,. During the same time frame, I started my social media presence. As a male influencer in a small market I found that brands wanted to gift me to showcase their products. Eventually that has turned into monetization but I always felt that I provide more services., Building on this social media pressence, I now offer styling services, fashion correspondence and modeling all under the DCFashion Fool name. In addition, I have added more lifestyle to my brand so I can cover travel, food and beverage. When the opportunity allows, I still write for publications having covered New York Fashion Week for local publications. I feel there is a gap in the market for an older more diverse spokeoerson that can be both aspirational as well as relatable. My goal is to expand to become a nationally known flashion, lifestyle and travel expert,.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a content creator running two sites, DCFashonFool.com and MensLifeDC.com. I have parlayed those sites into a growing social media pressence which encompasses fashion, lifestyle and travel. Because of the success of my social media sites and websites, I have become an expert around men’s fashion and am building up my knowledge on lifestyle and travel. I’m excited that this is leading to opportunities to become the on-air talent to showcase the hottest trends in these areas.. Over the next few months, I hope to be appearing more and more as a go to expert.

Over the last couple of years, my progress had been at a standstill because of Covid. It’s hard to showcase the fun things in life while so many were suffering. This also affected me personally and I found I needed to take a break because it was affecting my mental well being. But the time away has been good and allowed me to focus on myself and how to become the best personality that people want to work with.

While some businesses and brands seem to think my location, color and age is a disadvantage, I believe it works for my good. With remote working and the ease of travel, I can be based anywhere and can get to any destination pretty easily. In addition, people want to see people that look like them. Plus, diversity only helps brands and business grow. And finally, I have that relatability factor. In fact, it’s that relatability that has opened some modeling opportunities for me. While it’s be a slow growthk hopefully those opportuinities will grow more in the future., Secondly, I truly believe there’s a gap in the market for someone who looks like me.

The DCFashion Fool is a fashion and lifestyle content creation empire. Originally, I started to show that men do not have to be afraid of fashion. But it’s become much more than that. I believe people what to see how to incorporate fashion, travel and other lifestyle elements in their own personal life. I showcase how I do it and help them add these elements to their life. I just want to share what I’ve learned with others.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I think what to depends on what you like. For me I like a little bit of everything. For outdoors, I hit the Desert Botanical Gardens. I mean you experience the desert in a controlled environment and learning and seeing the different plants is amazing. I’m not much of a hiker but no visit iis complete with a hike in Phoenix Mountains Preserve (early of course before it gets to hot)! I’m scared of hots so I’d wait while my friends took a hot air balloon ride. I can capture some amazing pics on the ground. For something cool, I’d go to Butterfly World. I thought I would hate it but watching a butterfly come out of a cocoon is the neatest thing.! Another one of my weaknesses is golf but, i can drive a golf cart or lounge by the pool while my friends played a round. I was just at Mountain Shadows Resort and I can’t speak highly enough about it and would recommend a stay there. If it’s Christmas time then it would be the Scottsdale Fairmont Princess. Even if I didn’t stay there, I’d go for the Christmas explosion!

Naturally, as a fashion guy shopping would be high on my list and we’d probably spend a lot of time at Scottsdale Fashion Square but I also like a bargain. That means outlet shopping would also be on the agenda so it would be the Phoenix Premium Outlets.

I’d also reconmmend exploring downtown for the Arts District. Because after the art galleriers, we’d naturally have to stop at the Churchill. I’m kind of partial to Freak Brothers Pizza but I guess I’d let my friends pick up something else from other food shops. For dining, we’d hit The Mission, I love that place!!! For cheap drinks and a great burrito, it’s Illegal Pete’s for me. And for a little kitzch, it would be the Undertow for drinks.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are many people that deserve so much thanks. I’d love to thank my partner, who is a travel writer and encouraged me to explore my love for fashion. When I started I was flying by the seat of my pants but it was fellow women influencers that walked me through the influencer business. They taught me much of the behind the scenes work that needs to be done in content creation. There are too many to name. I’d like to thank Modern Luxury magazine for sponsporing me and helped me start my New York Fashion Week coverage. Without them, I never wold have gotten the opportunity to have one on one interviews with designers like Joseph Abboud and John Varvatos. I like also shout out the local tv stations that put their trust in me to do fashion segments on regular basis to help me get my brand out there. And I always thank God for just giving me the ability to do what I do and finally love to my mom who has always been my biggest supporter.

Website: dcfashionfool.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dcfashionfool

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DCFashionFool

Other: Site: Menslifedc.com

Image Credits
Arielle Lewis Studios