You Are How You Dress
I don’t remember when it happened. When I made the conscious decision to begin the process of experimenting with personal style. Prior to that moment, I was deliberate about choosing clothing that enabled me to be a wallflower. My mother, who was a fashion icon in her own right, would buy me bright-colored clothing and I would hide it in the back of my closet so I could stick to my black and navy palette. It wasn’t until sometime during high school when I stopped with the same black jeans and navy hoodie as my uniform. I figured, that if I wanted to be someone one day, or as my dad would coin, become an important personage, I would have to work on my presentation.
When I think about all the women in my life or in the public eye that provoke my desire to be something greater, there is one thing in common with all of them: they all have distinct personal style. I don’t believe you need to possess style to lead, but I do find that those that have a penchant for fashion end up leading in some shape or form. How you dress can inform others about what type of person you are or where you stand on certain issues. For example, women’s rights activists in the 1850s transitioned to wearing pants and those became a symbol of liberation because of its’ functionality compared to dresses and skirts. The good news is as the move to diversify media continues, we’re beginning to see women of all backgrounds, ethnicities, and skin tones display their unique, cultural take on attire, and this has contributed to how I have been able to shape my own. Here are five women that I admire for not only their outfits, but for their eloquence, elegance, and their ability to command attention in any setting.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie — Author of Americanah
This woman is the textbook definition of a silent force. There are no theatrics or bombast. She says what she means and means what she says in a way that isn’t imposing or overbearing, it’s almost inviting. When she opens her mouth, you can’t help but lean in. I find that her style aligns with her outward demeanor. She stays true to her Igbo Nigerian roots by incorporating African prints often cut in western silhouettes. She isn’t the type to announce herself when she walks into a room, but you’ll naturally turn your attention towards her because of the compelling energy emanating from her direction.
Leandra Medine Cohen — Founder and Writer of Man Repeller
Leandra isn’t here for the conventional. She will put on green socks in a bedazzled pair of flats and unapologetically snap an #ootd for the gram. In a lot of ways, how she dresses signifies her own worldviews and she has unapologetically expressed those views in her writing. In a society that often imposes parameters on how women should dress attractively for men or how to dress like “a proper adult”, she is intentional about bucking those notions completely and does what all women should do — dress for themselves.
Julia Sarr Jamois — Fashion Editor at British Vogue & i-D Magazine
Julia is my personal favorite because I have to credit her as the reason why I started to experiment with wearing unexpected textures and layers in my outfits. As a Senegalese-Moroccan-French woman, she entered fashion at a time when there was even less diversity in the industry, yet still meteorically rose to the top. She might not be as front and center as Edward Enninful or Anna Wintour, but her creative projects incorporating street and youth fashion culture speaks volumes. In addition, I believe her maximalist method of self-styling is a reflection of her upbringing and ethnic background which included frequently visiting Senegal growing up while being heavily inspired by London street fashion. Whether she’s at Paris Fashion Week in croc stilettos or sporting chunky Balenciaga sneakers and a Moschino crewneck, her style is immediately recognizable and signature.
Sama & Haya Khadra — Models, Influencers
During my freshman year at USC, I remember my eyes landing on the twins. Back then, they both sported clean middle-parted cascading curls and high fashion pieces that looked tailored-made for their bodies. I knew immediately they weren’t from town. Six years later their style has evolved from a strict high fashion collection to a more cyber-goth, streetwear inspired aesthetic, and it has been been a pleasure to watch how care-freely they’ve evolved. From what I’ve observed, this mirrors their personal interests when it comes to creating. They took an early interest in fashion because of their mother being a fashion buyer, but they dabbled into other territories such as cinema and graphic design, and even more recently immersing themselves into music culture by DJ-ing at high profile events globally. Much like their style journey, there isn’t a limit to their ventures.
Everyone to some degree has their own personal style whether you’re a textbook fashion head or you just dress for functionality. What do you think your dress says about you?
