Patty Barba is far from “picture perfect.” In fact, it’s a concept she hates…with a passion.
If you were to spend just a few seconds on Patty Barba’s Instagram page, you’d instantly know you are getting the REAL Patty. Also known as @stilettosandsincity, Patty makes no qualms about who she is as a person, as a businesswoman, and as a mom and wife.
Born and raised in Las Vegas, Patty’s life has been filled with lessons that have made her who she is today. From raising a son with a disability to becoming a successful business owner, Patty has continued to be a strong voice for the Hispanic community through it all. Her journey has led her to social media platforms where you will find her creativity on full display.
She focuses on lifestyle including thrifting, DIY, and repurposing furniture. Her colorful approach to life is hard to ignore and will bring a smile to your face instantly.
“I am not the monochromatic, everything in order, perfect kids, perfect house type of influencer,” stresses Patty as we chat about what sets her apart from the crowd.
Her fans/followers keeping coming back for more because she is relatable and approachable. She credits her Hispanic upbringing, which instilled in her a lot of cultural values, traditions, and pride about her background. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in September, we wanted to take a closer look at how Patty is using her platforms to help empower the Hispanic community.
How would you describe yourself?
I am smart, practical, and curious. Smart because I get it…I get things. I absorb information. I’m practical because unnecessary things do not make me happy. People and memories do. I know money brings security and comfort to a lot of people, but I would rather always LOVE WHAT I DO. Curious because I like learning new things constantly. Adapting is in my nature, and it requires curiosity for learning how things work.
Tell me about your professional journey.
Professionally speaking, I co-founded a pretty large fashion boutique company in Las Vegas for 10 years. It grew so fast. I learned a lot during that time, from how to buy clothes to managing people, but the biggest thing I learned was how to market and promote what I was doing. Social media really started to become big at the end of the business journey, but I knew I was going to need it wherever I was, so I just kept using it as a tool. Think about it…if you aren’t on social media, do you even exist? (She laughs)
Currently, I have two businesses that are parallel and yet intertwine sometimes. First, I thrift and resell. I love that sustainable fashion is a thing right now. Then, I also repurpose furniture and do a lot of DIY projects. Colorful is the best way to describe my fashion sense and interior design projects. I want things that make me smile in my home and in what I wear.
In this social media world right now, I feel like people are either a minimalist or you go all out. I definitely maximize on everything. I think my followers appreciate that about me. My kitchen is full of framed photos of my family eating food. They aren’t all flattering photos, but they all make me smile and I just set it up in a stylish way.
Who are your fans?
My fans/followers are the people who want to hear the truth. They want to see me cry because they can relate to honesty. I would say more than 50 percent of my followers are Hispanic. Hispanics are not embarrassed and ashamed of who we are. We are proud of how we were brought up. We had parents that spanked us, yelled at us and chained us into our Catholic religion and we were brought up in a hardcore way, but we are proud of that. We were not coddled and there is a respect among Hispanics knowing that we were raised in the same way.
I started to realize that I was a “Hispanic” influencer just by constant communication with my followers. Latinas who I never met started asking me serious life questions. They would seek out my advice and that’s when I realized I was making a difference. Hispanics feel like we are related to each other.
People tell me their problems all of the time and they KNOW I’m going to give them my honest opinion or advice, but that is what we do culturally. We always help each other. We rely on each other, and it makes our community very, very strong.
Who are your biggest role models?
I have a huge Mexican family so my mom and my aunts were definitely my role models. They’re loud, voice their opinions and are all hard working. I learned valuable lessons from each of them. Still, there are some generational habits in the older generation that I feel need to be broken. Sometimes our culture doesn’t like to be too confrontational, and a lot of Hispanic women live their lives to please others. I really feel like this younger generation is pulling away from that. We are more vocal now. We are speaking up and I personally think the older generation is welcoming it.
Do you try to cater your content specifically for the Hispanic community?
No, I’m just myself which is why I think people like my social media platforms. I like to connect with people through food. I love cooking things and sharing recipes on social media, focusing on food we can all relate to because of our culture. I’m also a very practical person so I do my own nails, cut my own hair…that kind of thing. DIY is big in our culture. I grew up with a grandma who made fresh tortillas, a mom who altered all my clothes. These are skills that have been passed on to me and so I still use them to this day. People relate to that.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about the Hispanic community?
People think we settle or don’t covet bigger positions in life. I have a feeling that people are just used to us not making an uproar about things, but let me tell you, we do care! Our community has been through a lot, and I think this younger generation is finding their voice even more and making waves, which is great. People need to understand how much color, love, emotion, and passion we have as a community. We have a great ancestral resilience.
Do you have any future goals?
I always want to continue to grow as a person, find my purpose, and use all of my God-given talents. On the business side, I want to catapult myself into a larger brand in the social media marketing sector and maybe even be an inspirational speaker one day. I just know I have to continue to focus on things that make me happy. I’m the type of person who has to love what I do. I won’t settle for less.
A very special thank you to Patty Barbra for taking the time to speak with us.
Please continue to follow her beautiful and creative journey on all social media platforms @stilettosandsincity and her website Stilettos&Sincity.com
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