Senior anchor at WSB-TV,

Monica Pearson

, talks about fashion, style and shoes. Enjoy this candid (and fun) interview with one of the most fabulous women in Atlanta.

fashionado

: You do the evening news with great style. Not just in your delivery of the news but in your chic flair and style. In an arena where most (female) anchors maintain a conservative look, head to toe, how do you manage to be yourself?

Monica

: In 1975, there were no women and no African-American women doing the evening daily news in Atlanta. There were women doing the noon and weekend news but I was the first to anchor the evening news. The station hired an image consultant so I would look appropriate on television. The problem was, there were very few women anchors at the time, so no one really new what the “look” was. That consultant from Muses department store, and the station, decided that female anchors should look like their male counterparts — navy suits and fluffy, satin bow ties! After four years, color began to appear as choices and as I began to style myself, I wore what I liked.

Monica loves color and says, enthusiastically,

“When I got old enough to dress myself, I wore red!”

fashionado

: Talk about your fashion influences?

Monica

: My mom. She was perfectly dressed, at all times. She had a great figure and wore knits often, cinched at the waist and just above the knee, to reveal a great pair of legs.

fashionado

: Do you have a favorite (designer) label?

Monica

: St. John. On air, I wear St. John because they are classic in style and design, yet modern and their fabric dyes don’t change from season to season. So, for example, I can wear new blacks, like a pair of slacks, with a St. John blazer, from another season, and the colors match. I also love shoes and wear great ones, to work. Unfortunately, no one ever gets to see them! My shoes often match my outfit. I know not everyone likes being “matchy-matchy” but I like it. Off air, I wear a little bit of everything.

fashionado

: With that said, what do you wear to the grocery store?

Monica

: I dress comfortably. Blue jeans or Champion pants from Target, a tank top and tennis shoes.

Monica pointed out that a visit to the mall and traveling always calls for “business attire”. There is an image (and an expectation) that must be maintained and frankly, a level of class. You will never see Monica out in flip flops!

“Dressing up makes me feel better,”

she says. And, oh, she does it so well!

fashionado

: Talk about your fashion weaknesses.

Monica

: Shoes and accessories. I under-accessorize in fear of over-accessorizing! I collect vintage jewelry, specifically the designs of Dominican-American artist,

Francisco Rebajes

. These pieces are from the 1940’s and 50’s. They are made of copper and are very unique because in an era where black wasn’t beautiful, Rebajes boldly created brooches, earrings, and pendants featuring African faces. All the pieces are signed and some are too fragile to wear. I love them!

Monica has an extensive collection of these jewelry pieces and they are truly exquisite. I had the pleasure to handle a number of them and they are beautiful and timeless works of art. As an added bonus, Monica brought over some very special garments to show me. These pieces, designed and created for her by

Dennis DeLanghe

, were absolutely stunning. They embodied all of Monica’s favorite things: color, detail and sparkle. The couture-like pieces are over the top in style and elegance, totally sumptuous and even mesmerizing due to the high level of detailing.

Monica Pearson is undoubtedly one of the most stylish and classiest people around. Like her mother, who dressed impeccably to church, to the nines in hats and gloves, Monica has followed suit, sans gloves. She too has an extensive and fabulous hat collection and also enjoys wearing traditional African garb — a long way from the drab navy suits of the 70’s — thank goodness!

fashionado