By Faith Riggs, as part of Her Campus Style’s Black History Month celebration.
When it comes to style inspo, there are honestly so many sources to look to. From street style outfits to runway looks, the magic of fashion is the ability to pull inspiration from others to create your own unique version. For us, celeb style is also at the top of our list for style inspo, specifically the iconic style of our fave black celebs.
In light of Black History Month, it’s important to celebrate black culture in every way imaginable. There are so many incredible black celebrities of our generation that are effortlessly breaking the barriers of style and beyond. Here are just a few black style icons to gain a little inspiration from:
Yara Shahidi
Yara Shahidi is an African-American and Iranian-American actress best known for her roles in ABC’s Black-ish and Freeform’s Grown-ish. Aside from acting, she is also known as an advocate and activist of diversity. Constantly fighting for representation in Hollywood, she’s a prime example of using your voice and platform for good.
Yara’s style can be described as sophisticated comfort, she’s not one to shy away from pairing sneakers with a dress, and we can’t blame her! Yara utilizes layering with basic tees under dresses, overalls, and pants suits — oh, and isn’t afraid to wear bold prints. On the red carpets, her looks are always oozing femininity and class as she often wears flowy fabrics, pinks, and girly embellishments.
Jhene Aiko
Jhene Aiko is multicultural-American singer-songwriter whose popular songs include “The Worst,” “Sativa,” and “Bed Peace.” Her carefree personality and free-spirited outlook on life make her especially inspiring. In 2017, following the release of her album “Trip,” she wrote the poetry book “Two Fish” featuring intimate poems from her adolescence to adulthood. Her writing is a way to inspire others to stay positive and never give up.
As far as fashion goes, Jhene’s style can be described as boho chic, and always festival-ready. She frequently plays with floral prints, silky textures, and earth-toned colors. She wears lots of matching-sets, crop tops, and flowy skirts that grace her frame flawlessly.
Justine Skye
Justine Skye is an African-American singer-songwriter best known for her dance and R&B influenced music. As a Brooklyn-native, she first gained popularity through Tumblr as she shared pictures of her eccentric outfits and cool purple hair.
She’s since evolved into a young fashion icon. In an interview with V Magazine, she says t her biggest fashion inspirations are Foxy Brown and 90’s Naomi Campbell because she mixes both urban and chic styles. She isn’t afraid to try current trends and can be seen sporting lots of cool streetwear looks.
Karruche Tran
Karruche Tran is an African-American and Vietnamese-American Actress and Model best known for her role as Virgina on TNT’s Claws. As a petite woman herself, she tells Paper Magazine that she aims to represent other smaller-framed girls and strives to make them feel confident in themselves. She wears anything from coordinating suits and matching sets, to mini-skirts and crop tops.
SZA
SZA is an incredible African-American Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter. She’s best known for her album “Ctrl” and collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, “All of the Stars.” The music she creates is simply empowering. Girls all over the world, shamelessly belt out her honest and raw anthems because they are so relatable and relevant.
In the fashion realm, she ’s widely known for her big hair and eccentric 90’s-influenced style. From baggy overalls to slouchy graphic tees, SZA reminds us that casual clothing can be far from basic.
Challenge yourself this month by taking a styling tip or two from these incredible women. Your wardrobe will thank you!