When black fashion makes mark, it slays
Author discusses book, 35 years of U.S. style trends
How does one slay?
How does one slay well?
Slaying is hard work. But when it comes together, it’s something to behold, according to fashion expert Constance C.R. White.
White, a former style reporter for The New York Times, magazine editor for Essence and the ?rst black executive fashion editor at Elle, has written a book that looks back on the greatness that is black style. “How to Slay: Inspiration From the Queens and Kings of Black Style” is a tome of black fashion in America from the 20th century to the present, featuring stylish icons in the black community.
The coffee-table book features photos of artists you recognize and some you may have forgotten, with chapter titles like “Original Divas,” “Afro-Chic” and “Sashay, Shante.” In its entirety, the book focuses on the last 35 years of fashion trends that the black community laid the groundwork for — Africa is an influence, just as much as attitude, hats and color.
“One of the things I wanted to do is show how African-American fashion is integrated into every part of American life,” White said. “We should all find and wear what’s great for us, that makes us feel good, and rock that and slay it. That’s how to slay.”
The Chicago Tribune caught up with White, who was at the Bloomingdale’s Michigan Avenue store earlier this month for a book signing, to talk about how black style is worn and how it has influenced fashion. The interview has been condensed and edited.
A: Slaying means when you really have it together, particularly the way you look, when you’re really banging and you’re looking your best and taken the time to put it altogether.
A: I think there are two times — one is right now. I think this is a fantastic time to be fashion-forward. This moment is very individualistic — it’s very much about expressing your personality, it’s a mashup and melding of different times. It’s more acceptable than ever, and there’s a hundred trends happening at once. We haven’t seen that in fashion — ever. So I think that lends itself to be a good time to be fashion-forward because if that’s how you want to express yourself, go right ahead.
Another time that I think was a really good time to be fashion-forward was in the ’70s. Some fashion historians call it the ugly decade, but now we can look back with compassion and with love and see there’s nothing to dislike about those ’70s fashions. Who was more fabulous than Diana Ross in the ’70s and ’80s? Absolutely nobody.
A: It’s a bit frustrating, the issue with diversity and fashion. It’s been up and down since there’s been a lot of agitation on the part of a lot of people to make the runways more inclusive.
It’s really important that women and men models represent every kind of beauty and that it be very diverse, very inclusive. And it’s a bit frustrating because we take 10 steps forward and then we take five steps back. We have to keep pushing the envelope, and as we keep pushing it, it (race) will move further and further across the table until it becomes normal.
A: When I think Chicago-style, I think some of the most prominent “slaying” Americans come from Chicago. You have the former first lady — the style that she brings is Chicago-born and -grown. The style that she brings has helped African-American fashion to a place of prominence that’s really impactful.
And then you have her husband, who wears a basic American navy blue suit, but the way he wears it, I think is so emblematic of the style and swagger that black men bring to what they wear and which has now emanated throughout the world — there’s this swagger from the streets that you see.
Let’s not forget African-American women from Chicago, Mellody Hobson, Oprah, Desiree Rogers — very chic, very stylish. You think about those women, and they’re on a national stage.
Linda Johnson Rice, Eunice Johnson — Chicago really plays a very important role in African-American style and spreading that outward, Chicago is also the seat of a lot of trailblazing and innovation that has happened in black hair, so again it can claim a really special place in African-American style because of that.
A: It is significant because it hasn’t happened before. Louis Vuitton is one of the major brands — probably top five brands in fashion. It means something. It means a lot that a black person is now in a seat of power in that place for reasons that don’t need to be explained further.
But second, it has an important impact because it is trailblazing, and the more people see people who haven’t been there before — in places and spaces that they haven’t been before — the more people become accepting of it. That’s just human nature, and the more they understand it’s possible.
Third, it opens a door, potentially, to other people. It’s a reflection of what “How to Slay” is about. We’re in a moment where African-Americans’ influence and style in fashion and the African Diaspora’s influence on the world is huge and growing. And it’s getting bigger because it’s being translated into a lot of mainstream areas (e.g., the “Black Panther” movie).
A: For me, I never want to see a man over 35 wearing butt-crack pants.
?
A: There are so many trends happening now at the same time, it’s hard to be wrong. Stores such as Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s have stylists which are much more readily available to you, so you don’t have to do it all by yourself.
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