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The Kenyan dictionary, an Instagram page dedicated to demystifying our ever-expanding vocabulary, described a babygirl as a Kenyan woman who wants nothing, but princess treatment.
Today, more women are abandoning archaic tenets founded on patriarchy that measure women by their strength, how well they can take a hit and how often. Women want love, support and everything in between.
Angel Lately, a Kenyan digital content creator, is the poster child for the babygirl campaign.
Her presence on social media, which details how her curated life has inspired baby girls all over the country to romanticise their daily lives. Today, she speaks to us on her journey, the babygirl movement and her love for fragrances.
One would say that the Kenyan content creation space is seemingly saturated. You began content creation fairly recently. Did you have any reservations before you got started?
No. I did not come in with the intent to be a “content creator” per se. I just opened an account, like anyone else.
I started my first blog in 2008. Over the years, I have continued to document my life on different platforms, and then suddenly, last year, more people started paying attention.
You are a lifestyle tastemaker. Arguably, the principal of the babygirl movement. Was this an intentional strategy on your part or is it just your way of life?
I have casually referred to myself as a baby girl for years, and it is really amusing to see the term take off as it has recently.
My mother taught me to truly enjoy life. I am grateful to have been raised by the original babygirl, because that attitude has helped me get through the harder parts of life.
There is always something beautiful to look back at and to look forward to. So yes, it is how I live and love my life. I simply believe in my right to want to be happy.
The babygirl movement has quickly taken root, with many social media users turning it into a hashtag. But let us hear it from you, what is your ideal definition of a babygirl lifestyle?
I would say a babygirl is a woman who rejects the notion of suffering for suffering’s sake.
For a long time, I think, women have borne difficulty as badges of honour. I was once a person who reveled in being called tough, who wanted to be given the hardest tasks, so I could prove how adept I was at handling them. I was exhausted all the time.
Who was I proving that to? Who was issuing medals to the Biggest Martyr? No one. I now reject that completely. I choose joy. I know, of course, as an adult, that life will not always be kind or generous, but I ask anyway. I have found that my ask is honoured more often than not.
Enjoy being on a scary first date, enjoy a nice song on the radio in Nairobi traffic, enjoy laughing with your friends over somebody who completely scattered your life. ENJOY. Babygirling is about living in the silver linings.
You have one of the most enviable fragrance collections, which you often review on your YouTube channel. Which three would you highly recommend for a new collector? And why?
Fragrance is too personal for me to say you must have this, that and the other. What I can say is that I think a good start is to have an everyday signature, (I recommend Chanel), a date night fragrance (I recommend Tom Ford) and a special occasion fragrance (go crazy!).
If I personally could only have these three, then today I would pick Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense by Chanel, Noir de Noir by Tom Ford, and Twilly by Hermes. But that is just today.
What challenges have you faced as a woman in the business of content creation? If any.
Constantly being painted as shallow because of the things I choose to share online. It was harder in the beginning, but it doesn’t bother me as much anymore.
Your subscribers know and love you for your magnetic personality and lifestyle content, but your daily life transcends the few snippets we get on your socials. What else do you do behind the scenes?
Well, I am a serial entrepreneur, outside of the Angel Lately and Trophy Wife brands. I am in the final stages of rolling out a new product line that I am very excited about.
I am a polyglot, and I am learning Arabic, which is actually not as difficult as I expected.
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