Super excited for our extra special JOURNEY w/ guest today... as Alex is our very first Jibs-lifer spotlight! And just what/who is a Jibs-lifer, you ask? Well they come in many forms of ages, locations, sexes, talents - all with one common thread for a zest for enjoying their journey of life and travels, and of course Jibs :)
And what also sets Alex apart from our previous live-loving JOURNEY stories? The fact that she is by no means an official "influencer", she is rather a happy Jibs customer like yourself who in the most passionate way kept us in the loop of all the explorations she's been doing in her favorite colorful slip-on shoes! So as she slipped into our DM's on every social channel possible, we decided it was time you all got to hear her delightful stories as well. Enjoy!
Name: Alex Hague
Location: Atlanta, GA
Instagram: @ah2734
STARTING OFF ...
Natalie: A LITTLE SOFT OPENING HERE… TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND THE CURRENT JOURNEY YOU FIND YOURSELF IN?
Alex: I am so excited to share my story! First off, I’m Alex which happens to be my middle name (but I’m keeping my first name a secret ;-) ). I live in Atlanta, GA but it is my mission in life to find “home” all over my city, my country, and the world! I love nurturing my friendships, exercising, traveling, cooking, cocktails and wine, hosting, and reading - almost all of which have the common thread of home and community.
I am currently on a journey to find confidence in and acceptance of myself! While these past few years have been challenging for everyone, I found 2022 to be particularly challenging and also incredibly rewarding for me personally because I found myself navigating being newly single in my mid-30s and juggling a new career opportunity. These changes have come with some big growing pains and also the opportunity to redefine myself, make mistakes, try new things, and not settle for anything less than my definition of perfection and happiness!
Another incredibly important journey to me is becoming an aunt to the coolest niece I could ever ask for. She has brought me so much happiness and meaning! She was born at 24 weeks and it has been a true joy to watch her fight and grow into the most wiggly, goofy, smiley 24-month-old you could ever meet!
GETTING INTO JIBS
Natalie: HOW DID YOU ORIGINALLY FIND OUT ABOUT JIBS? WHAT ARE YOU LOVING ABOUT THEM THAT’S FEEDING YOUR JIBS ADDICTION?
Alex: I found out about Jibs either through an advertisement or possibly as a recommended page on Instagram! I had just gotten rid of a pair of Frye slip-ons which were so comfortable but had seen much better days. And I was getting ready to start a new job and needed some equally comfortable but more stylish shoes. After following Jibs at that time for a while, I decided these events were the push I needed to buy them. Seven pairs later, I can say they have been my best shoe purchase in a very long time.
I can’t say enough about why I’m a Jibs addict! The first thing I noticed and loved was the style; I was already wearing slip-ons but the Slims are so unique, versatile, comfortable, and classy! Literally, every time I wear them, someone says my shoes are so cool. But the game changer for me is the diamond perforation. I will humbly admit that all of my slip-ons SMELLED - the synthetic material and the leather trapped heat and moisture. This meant that after 8 hours of wearing the shoes, my feet were so smelly, hot, and uncomfortable. I can wear my Jibs all day and my feet stay at a comfortable temperature and never smell (like my recent 28-hour travel day where my gold slims never left my feet)! They’re just the perfect shoe for those days when comfort is priority #1 but you also want to look great!
ADVENTURE TIME
Natalie: WE’RE SO GLAD TO HAVE SUCH AN ADVENTUROUS JIBS LOVER! WHERE WERE YOUR LATEST TRAVELS TO WHERE ALL THESE LOVELY PHOTOS WERE TAKEN?
Alex: Well, thank you for calling me adventurous! I have been a little bit of a jet setter recently and have traveled to Chicago, Colorado, South Carolina, Florida, and Greece.
These pictures are all from my Greece trip. My mom and I spent 3-4 days in Santorini, 5 days in Crete, and 1 night in Athens. I cannot recommend Greece enough. Santorini was beautiful but you MUST visit Crete - it was such a beautiful, relaxing, and authentic place. And I am always happy to share my itinerary with my Jibs friends!
NO EXCUSES ... BOOK THAT TICKET
Natalie: WERE THESE TRAVELS FOR BUSINESS OR SIMPLY FOR PLEASURE?
Alex: These travels were definitely for pleasure! A little backstory on the trip - my mom and I have been talking about going to Greece for years. I can’t tell you the number of times we would say “When we go to Greece….”, but we never made the plans and always had a reason to wait. Last November, I had just gone through a big breakup and COVID restrictions eased, and I asked my mom what our excuse was for not booking this trip.
So we booked the tickets that day and it ended up being the best trip of our lives.
All of this is to say that it’s always easy to find excuses, but don’t search for them and just book the ticket.
TIMELESS STYLE
Natalie: WE CONSIDER OUR SHOES A CANVAS, WHERE OUR FANS CAN TAKE A PAIR OF JIBS AND GIVE THEM ENTIRELY THEIR OWN VIBE. IT’S AMAZING TO SEE THE SAME PAIR OF CLASSICS ON A PREPPY BOSTONIAN, A HIPSTER VENICE BEACH’ER, AND THAT GRANDMA WALKING AROUND THE BLOCK EVERY AFTERNOON… HOW WOULD YOU SUM UP YOUR UNIQUE SENSE OF STYLE?
Alex: Hahaha, I have never thought about my style! I think that it really depends on the day, but I gravitate towards feminine with an edge as well as a timeless style.
HOME SWEET HOME
Natalie: WHEN YOU’RE NOT OUT AND ABOUT TRAVELING, WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE SPOTS OVER AT HOME IN ATLANTA?
Alex: There are so many cool spots in this city - it’s a great place to call home!
I really enjoy getting off of the beaten path, so I am always on Buford Highway trying a new type of cuisine. There is so much variety, but you can’t go wrong with the dumplings from Northern China Eatery or anything from Shoya Izakaya.
Atlanta has some really beautiful parks and hiking spots if you know where to look. My favorites are Lullwater Preserve and Gold Branch Trail.
Finally, if you have to check out one area in Atlanta, skip Ponce City Market and Old Fourth Ward and head to Decatur, GA. It takes a little time to get to and parking can be tricky, but enjoying the food and the atmosphere in the Square is worth the trek! I love grabbing a unique beer at Brickstore Pub and enjoying the tavern-like ambiance or indulging in some incredible Italian food at the White Bull or No. 246. And don’t miss the butterscotch brownie ice cream at Butter and Cream!
PERFECTLY IMPERFECT
Natalie: WE ARE BIG BELIEVERS IN PUTTING OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD. AKA PERFECTLY IMPERFECT IS A GREAT FEELING WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'RE GIVING IT YOUR ALL. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOUR LIFE MANTRAS OR MOTTOS ARE?
Alex: Being perfectly imperfect is certainly a mantra of mine! But my other core one is to, above anyone else, always rely on yourself. And I will thank my incredible mom for this one. When I relocated to Maryland for work, I didn’t have any friends or a community which is such an important thing to me. I was lonely! I shared this with my mom and she said “Alex, you need to get comfortable being alone”. That one little statement resonated with me so much that I couldn’t wait for people to enjoy the things life has to offer.
Throughout the years since that conversation, that has come to mean that regardless of what major influences may come into my life (a job, a new relationship, etc.).
I will always be true to myself and maintain my identity. Life is constantly changing, and if we all stay true to who we are and to the things that make us unique, we can weather the changes with ease and confidence. And in the end, we will always get the life we want!
HAVE A NICE DAY
Natalie: THERE’S A REASON WE SNEAK “HAVE A NICE DAY” INTO OUR INSOLES. WE BELIEVE THAT IF YOU DO ONE SMALL GOOD DEED EVERY DAY, THAT CAN ADD UP TO SOME PRETTY MAJOR CHANGE. WHAT LITTLE (OR BIG) ACTIONS DO YOU TAKE IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE TO BETTER THIS PLANET AND ITS PEOPLE?
Alex: I just always try to be genuine. And I always show that I care. I had a mentor that said “people don’t care how much you know unless they know how much you care” and that truly stuck with me. So I always ask people how their day is going and make time to listen or check in so they know they’re loved and they matter.
