Would it really be College Fashion Week without catching up with our stylish reigning Miss Spelman College? Tangela Mitchell is a Political Science major, Spanish and Writing double minor from Fayetteville, North Carolina. Through her platform “The Pursuit of Wholeness,” Tangie has dedicated her time at Spelman to making our campus a place where people feel celebrated. Her platform is focused on shifting the way that we interact with each other at Spelman while still achieving success. In her own words: “it is a pursuit because everyone is trying to get to this point of being whole, but nobody is really there yet.” However, through self-expression, we can liberate and push one another on our way there. With her genuine aura, killer color coordination, and her love for layers, I’d say she looks pretty good in the process!
How would you describe your style?
Golden girls (like the show), meets Erykah Badu, meets futuristic, meets funky.
Has anyone influenced your style?
I’ve never looked at anyone in particular and thought “I want to dress like them!” However, I did watch a lot of 80s sitcoms growing up like A Different World an The Cosby Show. And then I got into thrifting.
Do you consider your style to be unique?
Yeah, I guess. I dress how I feel, so my style is an extension of me. Everyone has their own kind of unique, so I would say it’s unique because it is apart of me, just like your style would be apart of you.
What do you feel makes an outfit unique?
An outfit is unique when it doesn’t purposely adhere to any guidelines of “style” or “fashion.” Just do your own thing.
Have you ever considered styling anyone else?
People have always asked, but that’s just not for me. I don’t think that the two are mutually exclusive. Since my connection to fashion is within myself, I don’t know if I could create that for another person.
What is the process you go through of picking out an outfit?
I usually just wake up and see how I feel. I look in my closet, at the weather, and just go based off my emotions for the day. I love layers and finding small details to pull an outfit together.
What’s your favorite thing in your closet right now?
I have this blazer and its super funky—its color-blocked with oranges and yellows and it has brown elbow patches. It ended up shrinking when I washed it so now it’s like a cropped blazer!
How has fashion helped you?
Fashion helped me express myself. I pretty much just took all the things I would get made fun of and got empowered by them. Fashion for me was like a reclamation—a rebirth.
What are your career aspirations?
After graduating, I want to work abroad and come back to get my MFA in poetry.
Since you have become Miss Spelman, it inspired me, and others to express their individuality and break free from the mold of a typical Spelmanite. What advice do you have for our sisters that are still finding their way?
Believe your hype. Trust yourself. Learn to understand you are enough. Nothing is missing — you’re not missing anything. It’s our duty to create an environment at Spelman that’s conducive with self-discovery. It’s oftentimes expected of you have to fit a mold, and it’s not always realistic. It’s our job to make Spelman more open. Everyone doesn’t have it all together 100% of the time. That’s something we have to own and share with another by narrative sharing, sharing our stories.