The moment I stumbled upon Paula Sutton’s Instagram, I was instantly in awe. The perfectly-curated visuals filled with crisp blue skies, coordinated outfits and vintage interiors pulled me in as I scrolled through the pristine page and wondered about the amazing woman that stood, laughed and posed within them.
Sutton’s energy – full of light, life and perfectly styled in what she describes as "gamekeeper chic" ensembles – bursts through the screen and spoke to many black women who shared their love of Sutton’s imagery and carefree energy. This soon earned her the moniker ‘Auntie Paula’ on Twitter, while some proclaimed their aspiration to be just like her.
While some of us discovered Sutton through a less than positive situation – a tweet from a British journalist garnered widespread criticism for claiming that a post from Sutton caused her to delete her own Instagram – they say out of darkness comes light, and the light is indeed shining on Sutton and the legions of black women who have gathered to show their admiration and support.