Thevitamindproject - Africa

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This is an interesting point and one I’ve pondered with, with Africa however one of my husband and I closest friends is wealthy via her parents - she’s flashy, brandy, everything new.
The other friend that comes to mind is comfortable, has worked hard to earn a bloody good income, she owns two houses - her parents that she grew up in but had been rented for over 20 years, the owner was going to sell. She bought it and one she now is renovating for herself. She’s what I would class at wealthy, but came from nothing wealthy. She’s incredibly frugal. She’s doing as much as she can herself for her newly bought property, she will re-use and re purpose most things. So maybe Africa is frugal.. that doesn’t mean as a family they aren’t creating wealth
She obviously was creating wealth, and good on her. She does consider herself frugal, but I suppose that's objective. Yes, she says she scours ebay for seconds etc, but she bought a lot of stuff that was not most people's idea of frugal, whilst at the same time going on about people not acknowledging their privilege and how she would never be able to get out of their situation.
 
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Have never got the impression she grew up/is poor and not sure what would give off that impression…? She’s done really comprehensive family trees/timelines including times she’s lived abroad. She’s not exactly Jack Monroe hiding her multi millionaire property magnate landlord dad whilst getting people to sponsor her for nothing on Patreon is she.
 
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Africa buys expensive clothes and shoes for her children but she passes them down twice and then resells them for a decent amount so they are actually an investment. Also the clothes she does buy aren’t expensive to be flashy. (Like when you see babies in Hugo boss and moschino 🙈) Africa chooses quality fabrics that are warm/cool, good for playing in, comfortable and keep well so it is actually an economical way of shopping even though the initial layout is quite large.
 
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Have never got the impression she grew up/is poor and not sure what would give off that impression…? She’s done really comprehensive family trees/timelines including times she’s lived abroad. She’s not exactly Jack Monroe hiding her multi millionaire property magnate landlord dad whilst getting people to sponsor her for nothing on Patreon is she.
She spoke a lot about being a permanent FSM child, living in homeless hostels and other stuff about her childhood that indicated she definitely grew up poor (although they went on foreign holidays every year so not sure how that fits in).

Africa buys expensive clothes and shoes for her children but she passes them down twice and then resells them for a decent amount so they are actually an investment. Also the clothes she does buy aren’t expensive to be flashy. (Like when you see babies in Hugo boss and moschino 🙈) Africa chooses quality fabrics that are warm/cool, good for playing in, comfortable and keep well so it is actually an economical way of shopping even though the initial layout is quite large.
Whether you buy to be flashy or not is irrelevant. If you have a considerable amount to buy an item in the first place, there is privilege involved. I know now that she resells stuff, but for me (and I acknowledge this is subjective) her new purchases are not frugal at all. I passed Asda clothing from one child to the next, to me that us frugal. I also wonder if perhaps it's a London thing where circles are wealthier, and getting custom made clothes and commissioned pieces are the norm, which is maybe why I can't relate.

Africa buys expensive clothes and shoes for her children but she passes them down twice and then resells them for a decent amount so they are actually an investment. Also the clothes she does buy aren’t expensive to be flashy. (Like when you see babies in Hugo boss and moschino 🙈) Africa chooses quality fabrics that are warm/cool, good for playing in, comfortable and keep well so it is actually an economical way of shopping even though the initial layout is quite large.
I'm smiling at this (in a nice way) because it's a very privileged, middle class thing to say. "Oh I'm so economical, I spend £100 getting a pair of trousers made because the fabric is cool so they are actually an investment". As a pp pointed out, she had loads of clothes. It doesn't matter, but to me it just seems strange that someone who went on so much about people not acknowledging their privilege actually seemed very privileged without realising it herself. Even if it was all self earned (and fair play to them).
 
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The one thing that everyone has to remember, the nature of influencer marketing means people make a decent income. Africa and her family are working and creating a life for themselves and for me it’s great to see.

Could she be described as hypocritical on some topics? Yep, as we all are.
 
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She spoke a lot about being a permanent FSM child, living in homeless hostels and other stuff about her childhood that indicated she definitely grew up poor (although they went on foreign holidays every year so not sure how that fits in).



Whether you buy to be flashy or not is irrelevant. If you have a considerable amount to buy an item in the first place, there is privilege involved. I know now that she resells stuff, but for me (and I acknowledge this is subjective) her new purchases are not frugal at all. I passed Asda clothing from one child to the next, to me that us frugal. I also wonder if perhaps it's a London thing where circles are wealthier, and getting custom made clothes and commissioned pieces are the norm, which is maybe why I can't relate.



I'm smiling at this (in a nice way) because it's a very privileged, middle class thing to say. "Oh I'm so economical, I spend £100 getting a pair of trousers made because the fabric is cool so they are actually an investment". As a pp pointed out, she had loads of clothes. It doesn't matter, but to me it just seems strange that someone who went on so much about people not acknowledging their privilege actually seemed very privileged without realising it herself. Even if it was all self earned (and fair play to them).
But again, income isn’t wealth. A £100 jumper isn’t wealthy, it may not even mean you’re a mid or high income tbh. It’s her thing and so what? Re tailoring - it’s very normal in a lot of cultures to have tailored clothes made in traditional fabrics, you’ll see tailors all round London including very deprived areas - it’s not like she’s going to the couture houses of Paris for baby clothes?

The thing I find mad is like… what is the expectation here? How can she do better in your guys’ opinions? Does Africa need to label everything she buys/does with this is a relative privilege I’ve managed through earning £x for doing y? Where does that end - this is a relative privilege cos I’m not dead?? Idk the bar feels so much higher for black women - esp when you’ve got influencers like Alexandra Stedman literally calling themselves the frugality sat in a 30% LTV house worth close to a million whilst admitting she’s never earnt over £40k? Like no ones pieced that one together have they but let’s hear her mither over another £40 food shop 🙄

ETA - the whole point of her sharing these tips re: looking after wool and tailored clothes is to explain to you how they can be the norm without it costing the world? Similarly with house purchases, I’d rather someone say look my income is up ive saved like mad and here we are than the smoke and mirrors of every Insta mama being in a house that far outstrips their actual income.
 
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But again, income isn’t wealth. A £100 jumper isn’t wealthy, it may not even mean you’re a mid or high income tbh. It’s her thing and so what? Re tailoring - it’s very normal in a lot of cultures to have tailored clothes made in traditional fabrics, you’ll see tailors all round London including very deprived areas - it’s not like she’s going to the couture houses of Paris for baby clothes?

The thing I find mad is like… what is the expectation here? How can she do better in your guys’ opinions? Does Africa need to label everything she buys/does with this is a relative privilege I’ve managed through earning £x for doing y? Where does that end - this is a relative privilege cos I’m not dead?? Idk the bar feels so much higher for black women - esp when you’ve got influencers like Alexandra Stedman literally calling themselves the frugality sat in a 30% LTV house worth close to a million whilst admitting she’s never earnt over £40k? Like no ones pieced that one together have they but let’s hear her mither over another £40 food shop 🙄

ETA - the whole point of her sharing these tips re: looking after wool and tailored clothes is to explain to you how they can be the norm without it costing the world? Similarly with house purchases, I’d rather someone say look my income is up ive saved like mad and here we are than the smoke and mirrors of every Insta mama being in a house that far outstrips their actual income.
It's got zero to do with the bar being set higher for Black women, and I don't even know who that influencer is you mentioned 😁. I was going to say that Africa reminded me of another (white) mum in London, who thought she was terribly frugal but lived a very MC lifestyle. It's all relative of course, but to me her spending this money on clothes and household stuff (that I don't think is average in UK) AT THE SAME TIME as saying that people don't acknowledge their privilege was confusing and conflicting. Obviously everyone is free to spend their money how they please, but it's common sense that if you are buying high end clothes then you will have less to put into your child's piggy bank.
I'm thrilled for her that she has managed to buy her house and send her children to private school.

ETA: I don't have any expectation of her, but I would be interested now to know (as I don't follow her) if she now acknowledges her own privilege. I never considered her on par with the other 'instamums' as she was transparent and authentic in a way that most of them weren't.
 
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At least she has added professional here now too.

Father of daughters has #51 threads and counting.
The Radford family #28.

She needs to develop a thicker skin if she wants to carry the online life. I've also created threads about other influencers.

Expecting an eventual follow up post about boundaries.
 

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At least she has added professional here now too.

Father of daughters has #51 threads and counting.
The Radford family #28.

She needs to develop a thicker skin if she wants to carry the online life.

Expecting an eventual follow up post about boundaries.
Can I ask why you’re so sure it’s about you personally?
 
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My username literally is Rainbow lemon and it wasn't there yesterday.

Glad the extra attention on this board has got her an extra 8 patrons overnight though.
 
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My username literally is Rainbow lemon and it wasn't there yesterday.

Glad the extra attention on this board has got her an extra 8 patrons overnight though.
Okay then. I’m getting the feeling there’s a history to this and more going on external to this thread, but I hope for everyone involved there isn’t.
 
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I was going to ask what those emojis and "seek professional help" meant. Honestly that is pathetic, unless there is some sort of hidden back story.
 
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There is zero background history between us.

I do not know her in real life. I have never sent her a private DM on instagram, there's no back and forth happening on whatsapp and I'm not holding a grudge either because she never replied to one of my comments, because I have never commented on any of her posts.

My initial opinion of her was not based on the colour of her skin, but that she appeared rude to her followers who help her get those magical #ADs. You are not allowed to disagree, without automatically being branded a racist.

She appears rather petty now and is also free to join and make an account like some other #influencers have actually done when they've noticed threads about themselves.
 
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Maybe it’s directed at the whole thread but without using the word tattle.
 
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She literally has a rainbow and a lemon in her bio and people are saying awww no that’s not about this thread. What. The. duck. 😂😂
 
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She literally has a rainbow and a lemon in her bio and people are saying awww no that’s not about this thread. What. The. duck. 😂😂
The cognitive dissonance is real.

As she says maybe the uncomfortable feelings will be a good thing .
 
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I reached this site after searching for "Vitamin D project" on Google because I was wondering why she had suddenly disappeared to on Insta - I'm a longtime follower of hers (I live in Australia) but she's blocked me for some reason. Perhaps because my Insta acc looks very anonymous (no profile pic etc). A shame - I really liked her content on both her accounts.
 
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I reached this site after searching for "Vitamin D project" on Google because I was wondering why she had suddenly disappeared to on Insta - I'm a longtime follower of hers (I live in Australia) but she's blocked me for some reason. Perhaps because my Insta acc looks very anonymous (no profile pic etc). A shame - I really liked her content on both her accounts.
That is a shame, maybe email her with your handle and explain you've been following her for x amount of time?
 
I reached this site after searching for "Vitamin D project" on Google because I was wondering why she had suddenly disappeared to on Insta - I'm a longtime follower of hers (I live in Australia) but she's blocked me for some reason. Perhaps because my Insta acc looks very anonymous (no profile pic etc). A shame - I really liked her content on both her accounts.
Who even has time to go through 70k followers blocking ones you think might be tattlers. Sad
 
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I think the UK as a whole struggles to understand the difference between wealth and income. Africa doesn’t speak about poverty or plead to be skint, she’s transparent in saying that they’ve not had legs up they’re doing this all from scratch, themselves, and clearly illustrates the difference intergenerational wealth can make to someone’s situation with either hypothetical examples or sharing people’s disclosures onto her stories. You just have to look at her contemporaries in their #gifted Victorian 4 beds in zone 2/3 versus their doer upper in Thanet. They’re building their lives all by themselves and everything from school fees to mortgage to pensions comes out of what they earn, she’s the only Insta person speaking about this so more power to her. I really rate her honesty.
Out of interest who are the contempories who are in gifted homes in London?
 
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