23 Chola Brands Repping for the Culture
Old English letters
Image via Instagram/@formyhomegirls & original art
Old English letters. Bandana print. Gold hoops, winged liner, and acrylic nails. A fierce sense of female strength and perseverance. Chicana pride. These are just some of the things you associate with the chola lifestyle and aesthetic.
There are several clothing and beauty brands that have encapsulated these inspirations into collection after collection of dope Latinx items you instantly want to snatch up. In the process, they have also given so many a sense of home, nostalgia, and belonging, fully repping the chola culture. And we wanted to highlight them. Here are 25 chola brands you need to know about.
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Bella Doña
Started in L.A. by BFFs Lala Romero and Natalia Durazo, Bella Doña is probably the first brand you think about when you think of the chola aesthetic today paying homage to the past. An item of theirs that balances old-school style with a feminine touch is their airbrushed Sadgirl Cropped Hoodie.
Sadgirl Cropped Hoodie, Available at bella-dona.com, $50
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Payasa Ink Clothing
Another Latinx brand bringing the chola vibes is Payasa Ink Clothing. You will find artwork depicting a chola clown on everything from a tote bag, to COVID-19 masks, to tees, and air fresheners. Their crossbody bag, which you can pre-order now, will hold all your essentials while also helping you look fly.
Payasa Crossbody Bag (Pre-order), Available at payasainkclothing.bigcartel.com, $40
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Legendary Empowerment
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-_f6jcBdpx/
Based in Las Vegas, Legendary Empowerment has been empowering through si se puede messages, and a healthy dose of nostalgia. Their Forever Firme leggings are a fun way to add a touch of OG chola style to any neutral outfit.
Forever Firme Leggings Available at legendaryempowerment.com, $42
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Hola Chola
No matter what anyone says, this is the real, original Hola Chola brand. Established in 2012 by Susanna Gonzalez, Hola Chola’s products come alive with bold representations of La Virgen de Guadalupe, Frida Kahlo, Old English letters, and more. It’s a perfect time to don their Hola Chola Classic Mask, so you can be the coolest chica at the grocery store during quarantine.
Hola Chola Classic Mask, Available at holachola.com, $15
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Honey B Gold
Natalia Durazo of Bella Doña is also behind the cholatastic jewelry brand Honey B Gold. Think tons of shiny gold, old school designs, and hoops galore. The Brick House Hoops are especially dope for adding both glam and tough-chic to your ensembles.
Brick House Hoops, Available at honeybgold.com, $18
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Chola Loca Clothing
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAWDdPvgeI7/
Cali-born, Arizona-living Chicana Lidia Hidalgo is the CEO and founder of Chola Loca Clothing. The brand’s throwback cursive font is the perfect addition to tees, tanks, a cholo polo for the guys, and a super cool wood keychain (among other products).
Chola Loca Wood Keychain, Available at cholalocaclothing.com, $8
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Living Firme
It’s all about Living Firme. And who better to teach us about “chingona wellness and self-care” than OG Angela Aviles from the film Mi Vida Loca, and Sparkles, a Latina vida coach and business builder specialized in motivational speaking? In addition to culturally-relevant community events and business workshops, the brand sells cool chola-themed items like this uplifting, zen Namaste Chola Inspired Wellness Coffee Cup.
Namaste Chola Inspired Wellness Coffee Cup, Available at shoplivingfirme.com, $18
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DXCOLLECTIVE
L.A.-based brand DXCOLLECTIVE is the brain child of South Central native Dorys Araniva. It’s a shout out to her community’s cultural heritage and aesthetic. A cool piece within the brand’s current offerings is the R.I.P. My Fears Tee. Inspired by rest in peace T-shirts, this one flips the script in a positive way, instead saying R.I.P. to the things holding us back.
R.I.P. My Fears Tee, Available at etsycom, $32
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Hello Loca
We love chola, Chicana, and Latinx jewelry brands that let you rep who you are and where you come from. Hello Loca Jewelry, from Mexican rapper Ms Krazie, has just these pieces, from necklaces that shout out Mexico locales, to ones that rep California, a.k.a. Califas.
Califas Necklace GOLD, Available at helloloca.com, $30
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Suavecita Pomade
Suavecita’s brand style is more modern pachuca, with a vintage, 1950s Chicanx aesthetic, from their popular hair pomade, to their endless merch, including retro-style tees. Do yourself a favor and grab the Women’s Pomade to keep your hairstyles looking sleek and chic.
Women’s Pomade, Available at suavecita.com, $11.99
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Viva La Bonita
Viva La Bonita is another brand at the forefront of chola fashion. Their gear is emblazoned with Old English font, empowering words, and just throws off a cool style. Grab the white Bonita Crew Socks to make your sneakers and slides look extra dope.
White Bonita Crew Socks, Available at vivalabonita.com, $15
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Xipi ~ Teca
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Virgencita Protection Ring, Available at xipiteca.com, $17.77
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Cholas x Chulas
You should have fun with your makeup. Chola x Chulas heeded the call, with ’90s/rave-inspired face adornments, makeup, and jewelry. Their Ride-or-Die Eyeliner Kit comes accompanied by a “Mary Juana” stamp tip, “self-adhesive emerald-and-honey colored rhinestones,” and temporary tattoos.
Available at cholasxchulas.com, $15.95
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Sweet Street Cosmetics
The ladies of Bella Doña stay busy! They’ve also launched Sweet Street Cosmetics, paying homage to chola staples like black liquid eyeliner, and neutral lipstick with dark lipliner. A must-have is their Thick & Thin Lipstick and Liner Duo; all the colors are fab, but you can start with their light neutral option, Angel BB.
Thick & Thin Lipstick and Liner Duo in “Angel BB,” Available at sweetstreetcosmetics.com, $20
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All Chola
All Chola, founded my Michelle Sena and Emma Jones, is an Albuquerque-based brand that’s about the chola life. They make it known boldly, on a selection of T-shirts and other gear, including their Classic All Chola Women’s tee.
Classic All Chola Women’s T-shirt, Available at allchola.com, $24.95
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Mi Vida
Another chola brand that calls Los Angeles home is Mi Vida. Their offerings range from stickers, to sweatshirts, to jackets, all shouting out chola and Chicana culture in the most stylish way. Say “hey” to L.A. by buying these LA Living earrings.
LA Living Earrings, Available at shopmivida.com, $28
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CHOLAS ROCK
Etsy is a great place to hit up indie designers who create items within the chola/cholo aesthetic. There, you’ll find CHOLAS ROCK, by Stilo Garcia. His CHOLAS ROCK Tote Bag is the most firme way to carry around your daily must-haves.
CHOLAS ROCK Tote Bag, Available at etsy.com, $15
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Chola Ink Makeup
Another makeup brand that is all about chola culture is Chola Ink. In addition to getting makeup in great hues, you can also pick up these chola essentials–chola bands–from the Latinx brand.
Chola Bands (10 Pack), Available at chicanospot.com, $9.99
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Mi Vida Loca Brand
Mi Vida Loca Brand is another company created by a member of the classic chola film, Mi Vida Loca, Vero, a.k.a. Stranger. The Echo Park-based brand offers cool tees, coronavirus masks, earrings, pop sockets, wallets, and more. We love her Mi Vida Loca coffee mug–just the right way to start off your badass day.
Mi Vida Loca Coffee Mug, Available at instagram.com, DM for pricing and ordering information
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Mission Native
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAOApOapljn/
Described as a “love letter to the Mission,” Mission Native is a brand centered around San Francisco’s Mission District. Here, you can get cholarrific hoops and more with such SF signifiers as 415, Mission Girl, and Bay Area Bonita. But there’s also something for Latinxs everywhere, like their Barrio Babe, and Mija earrings.
Barrio Babe Hoops, Available at instagram.com, DM for pricing and ordering information
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For My Homegirls
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBcQv8mgCZg/
An important part of chola culture is a girl’s homegirls. You stick together, ride or die, through thick or thin. For My Homegirls, created by Angie, is a brand that believes in the mantra: “Together we rise higher.” You’ll find clothes you’ll want to wear, with empowering and uplifting words. The When the Hoops Go On, La Jefa Comes Out is a tee that speaks mad truth.
When the Hoops Go On, La Jefa Comes Out Women’s Tee, Available at formyhomegirls.com, $34.99
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Lux Rosa
Lux Rosa is a chola brand that offers everything from old school-inspired airbrushed photo backdrops, to nail stickers featuring Old English numbers and lowrider cars, to cozy slides paying homage to oldies songs. Grab the Angel Baby Pen & Ink Slides while you can.
Limited Edition Angel Baby Pen & Ink Slides Grey (Pre-order), Available at shopluxrosa.com, $38.99
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Homegirlz Beauty Shop
At Homegirlz Beauty Shop, makeup is created through a chola filter, meaning lip liners are plentiful, and palettes have shadows with names like “Sunday Boogie,” “El Homeboy,” “House Party,” “Summer Nights,” and “Chicanx.”
La Loteria Hood Edition Palette (Pre-Order), Available at homegirlzbeautyshop.com, $35
