NEED TO KNOW
Stephanie Shojaee is the real deal!
This summer, Shojaee, the president of development firm Shoma Group, officially joined the season 7 cast of The Real Housewives of Miami — and what better way to celebrate her debut than at the mecca of reality television: BravoCon. Best of all, she upped the glam for her whirlwind weekend in Las Vegas.
“Each day brought its own story because every day at BravoCon brings something different,” the 40-year-old entrepreneur tells PEOPLE. “Whether I was on a panel with other Bravolebrities, talking to press or meeting fans, I wanted every look to feel memorable.” The highest compliment? “I love when people can look back and say, ‘Wow, that was such a great outfit.'”
Shojaee also wanted to prove one thing to her haters. “During my entire season [of RHOM], people had comments about how I dressed too old for my age. I wanted to show them I have versatile looks in my closet.”
What also might surprise fans is that Shojaee doesn’t have a stylist. “I definitely put a lot of thought into [my wardrobe], and by that I mean I dedicate two hours,” and her work paid off through multiple outfit changes.
Below, Shojaee brings PEOPLE inside how she got ready for the “Housewife2Housewife: Legacy & Newbies” panel with Kyle Richards, Tamra Judge, Bronwyn Newport and Bozoma Saint John, while also revealing more fun details about her time spent in Bravo land.
Glam on the Go
Stephanie Shojaee
Shojaee may pick out her own looks, but she never travels without her glam squad (aka makeup artist Roberto Espinosa and hairstylist Cesar Salazar). “I truly don’t know what I’d do without them,” she tells PEOPLE.
Fabulous from Head to Toe
Stephanie Shojaee
“I wanted my personal style to shine through and not get lost in such a big, vibrant environment. I love fashion and I love pushing the limits. BravoCon is the perfect place to do that,” says Shojaee.
Zoomed In
Stephanie Shojaee
A closer look at Shojaee’s designer look, including her statement gold keyhole earrings and sandal heels. We asked if she would raid another Housewife’s closet — her answer: “Nobody’s. I’m happy with my own!”
Housewife Worlds Collide
Stephanie Shojaee
In addition to playing dress-up, Shojaee was excited to meet her fellow Bravo stars, including Salt Lake City star Bronwyn Newport (pictured above), Caroline Stanbury (The Real Housewives of Dubai and Ladies of London), Larsa Pippen (The Real Housewives of Miami), Tamra Judge (The Real Housewives of Orange County) and Kathy Hilton (“I mean is there anyone sweeter and funnier than her? No!”).
“Each of these women have been so kind to me since the beginning, and I’ve built really meaningful friendships with them. I love surrounding myself with strong, badass women. I’m all about women empowerment and they’re the definition of it.”
Miami Meets New York City Royalty
Stephanie Shojaee
During her weekend, Shojaee also got to chat with Bravo’s very own Andy Cohen.
Riding a BravoCon High
Stephanie Shojaee
There was a lot to take in, but Shojaee’s favorite part about BravoCon was meeting her fans.
“I’ve never done anything as big as BravoCon, and it’s such a different feeling from replying to comments or DMs. Being able to hug people, talk to them, hear their stories, and feel the excitement in person means everything to me. It’s a beautiful reminder of why I do this and how many fun, supportive people love the show,” she gushes.
“But the real moment for me, that I will never in my life forget was when I got out of my car to hundreds of fans chanting SHOMA, SHOMA, SHOMA! I wanted to freeze that moment in time.”
