Zinat Ahmed
Executive Vice President of Marketing & Branding at Cotton Holdings Inc.
Zinat Ahmed knows how to work a boardroom and a ballroom. By day, she leads digital strategy and event marketing as an executive at Cotton Holdings. By night, she glides through Houston's social scene with the same focus and dazzling flair.
How do you approach bag organization?
My everyday purse is a Chanel bowling bag with a deep, oblong shape that fits everything. Most items float freely, except my beauty products, which stay in a small pouch I can easily transfer to any other bag.
What beauty or self-care items do you always keep in your bag?
My top go-tos are Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm, Amouage perfume, and Lumify eyedrops.
Are keychains or bag charms part of your personal style?
If the outfit calls for it, I love my Hermes Rodeo Pegase charm because who doesn't love to walk around with their little pony?
What's in your bag right now?
I have this memorized without even looking at my bag, because I've got it down to a science.
- Car Keys
The non-negotiable. - Two Pairs of Saint Laurent SL 545 Sunglasses
One black, one white. My go-to shades whether I’m heading to Pilates or a business lunch. - Chanel Wallet
Just enough space for credit cards and business cards. - Protein Bar
Always on hand for a quick boost between meetings. - Touch-Up Makeup Bag
For a quick refresh before a meeting or catching up with friends. - Teasing Comb
The bigger the hair, the closer to God. - Extra Spearmint Gum
It has to be the 35-stick pack. I never want to run out. - Claw Clips in Multiple Sizes
Options are essential. - iPhone Charger with 10 ft. Cable
Because I refuse to be tethered to a wall. - AirPods and AirPods Max
One for calls, one for workouts.
Quickfire Questions
Minimalist or maximalist?
Maximalist
Online or in-person shopping?
Online
Must-have beauty product?
Blush
Heels or sneakers?
Heels
Go-to clothing item?
Jeans
Bree Iman Clarke
Founder & Creative Grower of The Plant Project
Bree Iman Clarke is the founder of The Plant Project, Texas’ first Black woman-owned plant shop, and a creative force behind the inclusive lifestyle brand The Iman Project. Based in Dallas and a mom to twin boys, she recently expanded her botanical vision with a new Houston location at M-K-T Heights.
How do you approach bag organization?
The only thing that is in order, beautiful and curated are my boutiques. My mom always says my plant shops are picture perfect but the rest of life is winging it. It is certainly a beautiful chaos.
What beauty or self-care items do you always keep in your bag?
Cocoa butter, Michael Kors & Glow Vanilla Almond & Salted Caramel perfume mist. I am probably the most basic self-care girl out there.
Are keychains or bag charms part of your personal style?
I love my Labubu, and I have one on my purse. My boutique in M-K-T Heights is next door to Beauty Shop which had them displayed by the door. It was instant love.
What’s in your bag right now?
- Lashes & Lash Glue
Ever since I took off my last extensions, I feel like Gollum from Lord of the Rings. - Dove Soap
With boutiques in two cities, I stay in a lot of hotels and I don’t trust hotel body wash. - The Plant Project Postcards
As a small business owner, you should always be talking about your business. - Clip-On Earrings
My ears aren’t pierced and I always lose them, so backups are a must. - Cutting of a Plant
I’m always pruning or making sure the shop plants look beautiful. - My Son’s Eyeglass Band
He plays basketball and always forgets his, so I keep a spare in my purse. - Cocoa Butter
It moisturizes everything including lips, elbows, heels. Always essential.
Quick-fire Questions
Minimalist or maximalist?
Maximalist
Online or in-person shopping?
Online
Must-have beauty product?
Concealer
Heels or sneakers?
Sneakers
Go-to clothing item?
Muumuu Dresses
Estheysis Menendez Rubido
Professional Ballet Dancer, Demi-soloist with the Houston Ballet
Estheysis Menendez Rubido is a professional dancer, wife, and mom to one-year-old Cillian, and she keeps her bag packed for all three roles. A member of the Houston Ballet since 2017, this Cuban-born performer now proudly calls the Bayou City home. Whether she’s on stage or chasing after a toddler, Estheysis knows how to travel light with just the essentials.
How do you approach bag organization?
Everything is organized in my beautiful, chaotic dance bag. If you look inside, you probably wouldn’t be able to find anything, but I know exactly where everything is. I can reach in and grab the right shoes, the perfect hair tie, or a snack without even needing to look.
What beauty or self-care items do you always keep in your bag?
My tinted lip balm is a must. I love keeping my lips moisturized, and the hint of color brings life to my face.
Are keychains or bag charms part of your personal style?
I’m honestly the simplest person when it comes to accessories, I only carry what I need. Now that I have a one-year-old son, my bag gets filled with all the little things I pick up from him throughout the day.
What’s in your bag right now?
- Sunglasses
Absolutely necessary for surviving the Texas sun.
- Blue Light Glasses
For all the unexpected screen time that sneaks up on me.
- My Famous Tinted Lipstick
Always.
- Kindle
For those little reading moments on the go.
- AirPods
Never leave home without them.
- Eyebrow Tweezers
My bushy brows wait for no one.
- Mini Card Holder
Compact and efficient.
- Nail File
I cannot deal with a nail emergency.
Quickfire Questions
Minimalist or maximalist?
Minimalist
Online or in-person shopping?
In-person
Must-have beauty product?
Tinted lip balm
Heels or sneakers?
Sneakers
Go-to clothing item?
Effortless one-pieces
Natalie Steen
Creator, The Nat Note
Natalie Steen is a former lawyer turned curator of The Nat Note, a weekly style newsletter that highlights her creativity and knack for anticipating the next best thing before anyone else. This Cuban-American mom of three young children shares a playful mix of bold prints, classic staples, and favorite finds in one easy-to-shop edit. Her picks reflect a love of both statement party pieces and practical staples, all with an elevated style and playful edge.
How do you approach bag organization?
Just throw it in the bag. I switch out the bag I use multiple times during the week, so it’s always a game of clump and dump: I keep the priorities together and transfer them continually, with some stowaways (like Legos, receipts, and candy wrappers) inevitably joining in on the fun.
What beauty or self-care items do you always keep in your bag?
Repellant Perfume smells good while also keeping the Houston mosquitoes at bay.
Are keychains or bag charms part of your style?
I recently refurbished my grandmother’s old Fendi purse, covering it with fun charms that are all symbolic in small, special ways. I’ve embraced the small bag trend more than the bag charm trend; however, often my bags are too tiny even to fit my phone—the logic being that I seldom put it away anyway.
What’s in your bag right now?
My planner (paper - always), a pair of (novelty) sunglasses, candy (can’t go a day without), my Anya Hindmarch wallet & keychain, a growing assortment of lip gloss, and miscellaneous bits and bobs belonging to my children.
Quickfire Questions
Minimalist or maximalist?
Maximalist
Online or in-person shopping?
Online
Must-have beauty product?
SPF
Heels or sneakers?
Heels
Go-to clothing item?
Statement (anything)