Lyn Slater is a 64-year-old professor at Fordham University turned fashion icon by accident. Instead of seeing the moment as just that, an accident, she embraced it and has become a household name in fashion, just three followers shy of four-hundred thousand on Instagram.
She was meeting a friend during New York Fashion Week, and the photographers that capture street fashion around the city suddenly surrounded her. Dressed head to toe in Yohji Yamamoto paired with a Chanel bag, she was immortalized by the lenses. Her friend dubbed her an “accidental icon”. The name stuck, and now she runs a successful blog and Instagram account full of photos and videos that capture her unique sense of style and the view of the city.
From a young age, Slater expressed herself through clothes. She was in a private Catholic school, so she found ways to add her twist to an otherwise boring uniform, all the while managing not to violate the dress code. Throughout her years of studying and working she continued to use fashion as a tool of rebellion. Not only did she make a name for herself in fashion, but before doing that, she finished her first master’s degree in criminal justice, and later got a Ph.D. in social welfare. Her fashion sense has been something that portrays who she is in all settings, not exclusively in the fashion world, which means that whether it is giving classes, in court, or during a photo shoot, you will find her impeccably dressed.
More than just showcasing her love and relationship with the art that is fashion, her cyber presence helps people see the process of aging in a different light. Although her blog has an international audience that ranges between the ages of 35 and 65, her Instagram is followed by a younger crowd, and yet all receive the same message: find out who you are, and then buy clothes that portray that. She does not believe in clothes being catered for a specific age group, but rather in making any clothes your own and thinking about fashion in all stages of life.
Slater is unapologetically her, and that is something that starts to rub off on people. Her platform provides the opportunity to contribute with young creative minds as well as older renowned establishments, and they all learn from each other. Becoming a fashion icon has also allowed her to speak out and let others know that, above all, they should be themselves. When fashion becomes a tool of expression, rebellion, and embracing who you are, it does not matter where you come from or how much you paid for your clothes, because the power you exude while wearing those garments speaks more than their brand.
Be daring, fierce, unapologetic, and even in the accidental, be your own icon. Who knows the people you’ll inspire and the crowds that you’ll attract.