A NEW YORK MINUTE WITH ROHMA SIDDIQUI
Rohma Siddiqui brings Pakistani style to the Big Apple. After making the move from Fort Wayne, Indiana (a tiny American town), to New York, Rohma found herself in a place that’s catapulted her career as an influencer. “I never thought I’d be living in this amazing city.”
Q & A WITH ROHMA
Living in New York can’t all be glitz and glam. What’s the downside? Sweating in the humid summers in the subway is definitely one of the not so glamorous moments, but you end up growing to love all of it over time!
Advice for someone wanting to move to New York? Just do it. There’s no such thing as perfect timing. You’ll figure it out. Be sure to be cautious when it comes to finding an apartment and tolerable roomates. We miss so many potential opportunities by not taking the leap.
Perfect Weekend Plans in New York: Rose lattes from Remi NYC, a walk in Central Park, brunch with friends and Joe’s Pizza for dinner.
What’s a typical day like for you? Each day is uniquely different. On admin days when I attend meetings, edit and answer emails, I start my day with a good workout followed by coffee and brunch. I love working from cute cafes around the city because of the energy.
Pakistani Culture: My Pakistani heritage is a huge part of my life. I am deeply connected to South Asian fashion, food, language and culture. That identity is an integral part of my style choices. With every outfit, one of the most important things for me is selecting colors and cuts that accentuate my dark South Asian features. I don’t like to play it safe though. Always think outside of the box.
Closet Must-Have: Love a good oversized blazer in neutral colors.
Most Embarrassing Style Moment: The animal print days in college. I was obsessed with it all-tiger, zebra and cheetah prints.
Biggest Style Splurge: This year it was the Gucci block heel sandals. I wasn’t into them at first, but they are SO comfortable and I can wear them around the city and on the subway all day.
Colour Crush of the Moment: Dark olive is a great transition color for Fall.
Something you Wish you Never Bought: Chanel Classic Flap Bag because everyone has it and it just sits in my closet. I love the top handle one so much more.
Your Happy Place: The gym or my favorite NYC coffee spot.
Tip you would give to your teenage self: Just be yourself and be the best at it. I’ve worked very hard on building confidence since then.
A quote that describes you: “I’d rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not.” People pleasing is definitely a trauma response that many of us have to work through. Standing in your full existence is so liberating.
What do you want people to know about you? I want to be recognized for my resilience and authenticity. We all curate our social media to some extent, but you can still sense energy behind all of that. Having a platform that exudes good vibes and positivity is very important to me.