Health and Wellness
6 Stylish Must-Haves DonYé Taylor Bought Recently – Essence
Hot Picks is a column where fashion experts reveal their latest obsessions – sharing their latest purchases and wardrobe must-haves.
DonYé Taylor, an individual of many stripes, has the makings of a mode expert. Taylor, who hails from Accokeek, a suburban community in Prince George’s County, Maryland, shares that on an emotional level, her sense of fashion is internal and smart. This idea drives her, explaining that she doesn’t wear or buy something unless she truly loves it. This concept has led her to wear fascinating pieces from Ottolinger, Simone Rocha, Chanel and other brands, as her fashion decisions currently have been the other of straightforward. If you scroll through her Instagram feed, you’ll see statement accessories like sunglasses and kitschy earrings. But you’ll also quickly realize that Taylor has fun getting dressed, which is something we want more of as of late.
On the Daily, Taylor shares insightful lifestyle suggestions for her followers, in addition to her purposeful outfits. Her flair for creativity stems from her adolescence, when she was the editor of her highschool yearbook years ago. “I was a little-known person on Tumblr, and in high school I started all the MySpace pages, [and] “burned CDs,” she explained. “Art classes were my favorite things to do—I got to spend weeks working on an art project instead of other kids rushing around.” Taylor’s artistic inclinations led her to a graphic design summer camp, and at one point she even felt like she desired to be an art teacher. Selling earrings she made out of Lego bricks is a special memory from her highschool days. “I was creative, but I was also really nerdy,” she shared.
“I grew up wearing uniforms, so when I graduated from high school and went to college, going to class was like dressing up for the weekend.” Taylor’s art-oriented youth is a thread that connects to why her style is so essential to how she presents herself to the world. She says her personal style evolves every two years or so, and is essentially informed by her current projects. For example, when she took the stage at ESSENCE Fashion House this yr on behalf of smartwater, she was certain she would wear something memorable—a protracted Ottolinger dress in a daring shade of blue. “I always like to be professional when I’m in a role like this because I know a lot of people are seeing me for the first time, so I try to make a good impression,” she notes. Taylor adds that with each latest start and latest chapter in her life, she finds herself expanding what she considers stylish, and sometimes even edgy or unique.
With the resurgence of 2000s style and Taylor’s expansive wardrobe sometimes feeling very much 2000s-style, it’s only fitting that she considers this era of fashion influential. Figures in her life, including her older cousins Ericka and Brian, hint at why she has a passion for the era—her older siblings are also sources she grew up close with, watching them live within the era. Musical influences from this era include Amerie, Aaliyah, UGK, OutKast, and Jay-Z. Each of those artists has a relevant style that exists within the canon of 2000s fashion. “It’s in my blood—I grew up with it.”
How exactly does Taylor come up together with her outfits? She shares that her outfits often start with elements like shoes or a brand new haircut, which she feels set the tone. Music may encourage her. “I like to make sure that the dynamic of my look is consistent with what inspired it, from head to toe,” she adds.
01 Hondura Hair Batana Oil
02 Breromi Magnetic Flower Clip
03 Tyler Morgan Studios Circle Bag
04 Valentine Witmur Lab Mosaic Polo
05 Chanel Round Sunglasses
06 Ottolinger One-Shoulder Long Dress
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