Marlo Hampton, stylist, entrepreneur and philanthropist, hosted her “Glam It Up” initiative Tuesday afternoon, July 19, at the downtown W Hotel, which focused on rebuilding the road to self-empowerment in young ladies who are products of the foster-care system.
Hampton, once a foster child herself, wanted to encourage young girls ages 13-19 to reach for the sky with their dreams and aspirations and to act like ladies at all times. Services like makeup sessions, hair care tips and an etiquette presentation by Stephanie Hunt, founder and director of New York finishing school Swan Noir, LLC were available for the young ladies preparing them for the upcoming school year.
“These were things that I was not taught as a child, and I always looked up to it,” said Hampton. “I saw the young ladies were like ‘I would love to have that role model, that mother and father there.’ It just feels good to give back to these girls and show them to be a lady always. You have to know etiquette. You have to feel good about yourself, and you have to have glam in your life. You may not have to be so over-the-top, but makeup, hair and nails all make you feel good, and it makes you smile.”
It’s no secret that Hampton has had a few run ins with the law — seven arrests in the span of five years. Her “Glam It Up” initiative stemmed from her troubled past and absence of positive parental role models, which is why she targeted this specific teenage group.
“That’s a tough age. You’re trying to find out who you are, peer pressure, and I just feel that I can sit and talk to them. When I was growing up, I didnt have anyone I could talk to. I can talk to these girls and say ‘Hey, I was in four different homes, my mom was on drugs, my father wasn’t there.’ So I just felt I could relate to them. They can hear me and say, ‘Wow,’ and look up to me as a role model.
That’s not all Hampton is up to. Her online boutique, www.simplymarlo.com, launches August 1. She will have affordable fashion, accessories and candles. She is also reportedly the newest “housewife” to join The Real Housewives of Atlanta on BRAVO for Season 4. –mckenzie harris
