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Shanna Battle and her closet of vintage fashions
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KAMARI’S ART: “He is an artist,” Battle says of her 12-year-old son, Kamari. His paintings and drawings adorn the living room.
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STEAMER TRUNK: “It’s the very first antique they bought together,” says Battle of the vintage steamer trunk that once belonged to her parents. “They bought it when they first got married.”
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COCA-COLA BOTTLE: During one antique shopping spree, Battle’s mom bought her a collector’s Coca-Cola bottle featuring Eddie Robinson, the legendary Grambling State University football coach.
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CAT COLLECTION: A cat lady at heart, Battle has maintained a collection of feline figures since she was a little girl. “My mom had a shelf in her kitchen, and the top shelf was for my cat collection — miniature cats, big cats, cat trinkets.”
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ANTIQUE DRESSER: Originally belonging to Battle’s mom, an antique dresser in the hallway holds linens and towels, and it also served as her son’s dresser when he was younger.
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SEQUINED CAPE: A few years ago, Battle found this stylish sequined cape at Goodwill, one of her favorite secondhand stores.
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ELLIS WILSON PRINT: As a child, Battle watched “The Cosby Show” and loved the Ellis Wilson print “Funeral Procession” that hung above the TV family’s mantel. Battle’s mom bought one for her as a Christmas present.
Dressed in an army-green jumpsuit, Shanna Battle strikes a pose in front of a graffiti-covered garage door. Scroll further down the local fashionista’s Instagram feed and you’ll find Battle strolling Richmond’s streets in a coral linen short suit effortlessly accessorized with a vintage T-shirt and stylish pumps. Paired with these images on her @meeandminnie account are inspiring messages to women about confidence and courage.
“This is something creative I can do, and I don’t have to ask anyone for permission,” says Battle, standing in the kitchen of her Church Hill home, which she shares with her 12-year-old son, Kamari. “I can do it, and no one can tell me no.”
Battle’s historic shotgun-style apartment is filled with antiques that her mother, an avid collector, has acquired over the years and passed down to Battle. Kamari’s vibrant paintings and drawings hang in the living room. And in Battle’s bedroom, a collection of her thrifted clothes is beautifully displayed in a wooden closet built by her father.
Born and raised in Richmond, Battle went on to study theater arts at Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina, and Grambling State University in Louisiana.
In her day job, Battle has worked with Richmond’s Department of Parks & Recreation for the past decade, planning after-school and summer programs for kids of all ages. And while she organizes after-hours activities for Richmond kids, Battle has her very own extracurricular pursuit. Tapping into her acting background, she is a master stylist, cloaking herself in different costumes and creating a new character for herself every day.
In her early teens, Battle was bitten by the fashion bug, discovering vintage pocketbooks, hats and dresses while perusing antique and flea markets with her mom. In high school, Battle experimented by wearing her parents’ clothing, occasionally donning her dad’s Adidas tracksuit or his pants and vest to school. “It wasn’t until college that people were like, ‘I like your sense of style,’” she says.
Since launching @meeandminnie four years ago, Battle has started a sister blog, at meandminnie.com, along with other ventures such as helping Talbots raise money for their “Dress for Success” campaign, which donates recycled work clothing and career development services to women in need.
Battle forgoes trends or rules, instead dressing based on instinct. “I just wear what I feel like wearing,” she says. “Nothing ever is really planned out. I just stand in front of my closet. Sometimes it works out; sometimes it doesn’t.”
