When a black woman with a shaved head, high cheekbones and a red lip graces your FYP, you stop and you listen. On this particular day, it was Sunday Times Bestselling Author, journalist and podcaster Candice Brathwaite. Her lighthearted insight takes on the plight of black bodies, primarily Black women, whose style tends to not fall into the category of what is considered chic.
In this particular video, Candice says:
Having some thoughts. Hmmm. Is it chic or is it just on a white, thin body? Been seeing a lot of these things I find chic trend videos. Do you know what I find chic? Gold grills, baby hairs, a colored wig slayed to perfection, crop tops, booty shorts, a shit ton of gold jewelry (I wanna hear you jingle jangle), a trim with some good waves, a good red lip, a great fake lash. Hmmm. Is it chic or not? or is it just on a black body so you wanna say it's ghetto. I don't know. but I'm just not feeling the 90s beige nail, silk scrunchie. I want more, and more and more.
Candice brings up a subject that has been addressed on a multitude of levels and platforms with minimal change. This inquiry cuts to the core of a problematic history with cultural appropriation, selective approval and the double standards within the fashion and beauty industry that often marginalizes Black women and their contributions to style. Far too often, trends pioneered by Black women are often dismissed as “ghetto” until they are repackaged, and worn by individuals who do not know of or understand the cultural origins. It is only at that point this style becomes “chic.”
The evidence of this is everywhere—trends that originate in Black communities being frequently co-opted by the high end fashion industry, only gaining widespread acceptance and praise once they are deemed palatable for a certain audience. This is not by coincidence, but rather by design and it is par for the course.
For instance, Candice mentions things she finds chic—colored wigs, a shit ton of gold jewelry, a trim with some good waves— and let me add a name plate, long acrylic nail, braids, cornrows, nail art and hoop earrings to name a few. These are elements of style that are deeply rooted in Black culture, yet they are often stigmatized when worn by Black women. Once these same elements are embraced by the fashion industry, they are suddenly seen as trendy and avant-garde, receiving praise from designers, and down to influencers who capitalize on trends they probably do not identify with.
The problem here is not the adoption of these styles by others, but rather the erasure of the Black women who have long embraced these trends and the way their contributions are often ignored or trivialized. This is not just about fashion—it’s about the way we are made into guests looking in even when we are the originators of these trends.
I remembered watching season 1 of Netflix's Next in Fashion with competitors Kianga "Kiki" Milele and Farai Simoyi. These two accomplished women—one of whom Kiki, a pioneer in street/urban wear—were tasked with creating a street wear themed look. This episode was one to be seen, because the judges placed the team last on the totem pole, except for Haitian- American guest judge Kerby Jean-Raymond, founder and creative director of New York-based label Pyer Moss and Vice President of Creative Direction at Reebok. Farai addressed the decision by countering with this:
We were given street wear and we designed from our perspective and the thing that I've noticed in the fashion industry is it's mostly one voice that's heard. The high-end brands and designers are taking ideas from us very single day. And it only becomes cool when it's high end. For a lot of us, minorities, the underpriviledged, we want you to see us, but it's so hard to be seen. It's really frustrating.…
Now whether or not you liked the looks they created, that is a different story, but she was correct in everything she said in front of the judges. Needless to say, her plight wasn’t heard, but if "all heroes don't wear capes was a person," it would be Kerby. He disagreed steadfastly with the conclusion brought forth by the other judges that their design was the worst, and stated they he actually liked their look. He also gave us insight into his own journey and how difficult it was for him to break into the fashion industry. Kerby eventually walked off the staging refusing to return. There was no elimination in that episode, but this highly uncomfortable and controversial situation gave us a look into the fashion industry's issues with race particularly with recognizing the contributions of Black women designers.
Another great example is the infamous boxer braids controversy. The issue again wasn’t that the Kardashians wore the hairstyle—it was the repeat offense of Black culture being mined for its creative output by the fashion and beauty industry. People can wear cornrows and braids every day of the week if they would like to, but this "trend" is not new to us, nor do we need celebrities and influencers who aren't discriminated against for their hair to tell us what is hot or not.
It was only in June 2019, after years of advocacy, that The CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) was implemented. This law ensures protection against discrimination based on race-based hairstyles by extending statutory protection to hair texture and protective styles in the workplace and public schools. The CROWN Act is a significant step forward, but it also underscores the fact that Black women have had to fight for the right to wear their hair naturally—a right that should never have been in question.
The reality is that Black style is the nexus of fashion. We are the source of many trends that have taken the world by storm and we deserve our flowers. The tide has been turning and with the rise of social media and the increasing visibility of Black creators, there is a growing awareness of these issues. Black women are reclaiming their contributions to fashion, demanding recognition, and challenging the industry to do better.
As we move forward, it’s important to continue this conversation and to ensure that Black women’s voices are not only heard but celebrated. Chic is not determined by who wears it—it’s about the creativity, confidence, and culture behind the style. We've been chic all along. It is they who need to catch up.
(Photos: Woman with red lip @candicebrathwaite/Instagram, woman in cornrows @jordandunn/Instagram, woman with pink hair How Black Women Pioneered Nail Art/Boulevard, final photo Next in Fashion Season 1 /Farai Simoyi and Kianga "Kiki" Milele)
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