WHAT PERSONAL STYLE MEANS TO ME + 5 INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN MY NETWORK

CURATED BY SHARRA GREENE

Working with women on their personal style has taught me so much about how deeply… personal it really is. It truly holds a different meaning to everyone individually. I’m constantly seeking new ways to connect with others in a way that makes fashion and style a tailored experience for them. So, I decided to ask myself, and 5 powerful women that I know, “What does personal style mean to you?” Here’s what we said… I’ll go first!

“Anyone who’s known me for years, knows that I’ve gone through SO MANY different phases within my style. As my work has changed, as my ideals have changed, and as my confidence has changed, my style has changed with it every single time. But I’m forever inspired by that versatility, and I do my best to encourage that same versatility and freedom to explore, with every woman I style…. personal style, to me, means embracing the complexity of who we are as ever-evolving individuals. It means allowing yourself to explore different worlds through a well-intentioned look, and allowing your confidence, poise, and attitude to be positively impacted by what you’re wearing… it’s about being intentional, but leaving room for fun and mystery.” - Sharra

Sharra Greene

Womenswear Fashion Stylist | Creator

@styledbysharra

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“Knowing myself is a huge indicator. There are some things I just won’t wear no matter how hot the trend is -like bodysuits for example. Then other items like a chic blazer jacket, is my go-to staple. I’ve grown to realize style is about dressing for your own good, because what may look good on the next woman may not flatter my figure (and I’m okay with that)” - Taylar

Taylar Broadnax

Fashion Storyteller | Online Magazine Contributor

@taylar.chanell

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“For me, I feel like personal style has been an ever changing concept in my life. When I first really tapped into what I feel is my style, it was always about dressing in a way that made me feel confident, but in a way that also complimented my body. So, it’s always been about that but now, with me being a 30 year old, it’s completely different. There’s a lot more sex appeal that I have now, and a lot more confidence, and I’m really trying to exude that through my clothing, meaning that I want to feel powerful when I put on clothes. I wanna feel like I’m walking out, and I feel like that bitch. So, I feel like personal style ultimately is a reflection of not only who you are, but ultimately who you want to be, because it changes over time, and you can change your mind, whenever the f*ck you want.” - Court

Court Kim

Journalist | Model | Creative

@thecourtkim

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“My personal style is a direct reflection of the things I’ve grown to love about myself . My sense of personal expression has come from years of self doubt turned into undeniable confidence. I was embarrassed of my culture , now that’s why I rock headwraps and Afrocentric designs . I hated being so petite , so now I rock oversized clothes for fun…it took years to get here!” -Tene’A

Tene’A Cummings

Model | Fashion & Beauty Influencer

@_locstarrr

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“I credit my mom for helping me establish my personal style. I've always been into fashion as early as 6 or 7 years old and my mom would never discourage me from wearing something; Even if she hated it lol. That gave me the confidence I have today to express myself through style.” -Ashlee

Ashlee Jackson

CEO & Designer of House of Rehab

@ashleemademedoit | @houseofrehab

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“Style makes me feel like my most authentic self. Whether I’m wearing something edgy or elegant. I like to express myself, whether I’m having a bad day or a bomb ass day. I feel like the person I’m destined to be and I put my best self forward.” - Nioby

Nioby Scarbrough

Fashion, Lifestyle, & Beauty Model

@nioby_

What does personal style mean to you? Let us know in the comments!

"AUTHENTICALLY HERSELF": MY INTERVIEW WITH DESIGNER, BRAND OWNER, & AMAZON PRIME'S "MAKING THE CUT" COMPETITOR MEGAN SMITH

WRITTEN BY SHARRA GREENE & FEATURING MEGAN SMITH

Megan Smith.

If you’ve been watching the hit Amazon Prime fashion series “Making the Cut”, you should be hip to women’s ready-to-wear designer Megan Smith of the growing brand, Megan Renee. Upon binging the series, I was instantly drawn to her, both as a resilient woman who comes from humble beginnings and as an immaculate designer who’s mastered balance when it comes to sultriness and sophistication. Rooting for her from the couch, I watched her kill challenge after challenge, showcasing innovative silhouettes and impressing the likes of Tim Gunn and the legendary Naomi Campbell. I was so inspired that I HAD to connect with her and learn more.

Looks from Megan’s SS’18 & SS ‘19 collection.

In my latest episode of Style With Sharra: The Podcast Series, Megan and I chop it up about the ways she navigates the ever changing fashion industry. I interview her on various topics ranging from where she started her career in design, her experience as a contestant on “Making the Cut”, the support she’s received from Naomi Campbell, and ways we can elevate each other as black women in fashion.

Megan consulting Tim Gunn on “Making the Cut”.

Hit the button below to listen to our full interview on Style With Sharra, available here, on iTunes, and in your Apple Podcasts app.

Check out Megan’s amazing collections and shop her line at shopmeganrenee.com

Follow her brand here and keep up with her journey on Instagram here!

Make sure y’all let me know your favorite part of the interview in the comments!

Sharra,

“The definition of walking art.”

P.S. New style advice is coming up next on The Walking Art Blog very soon. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss a post!

I'M FASHION BOMBSHELL OF THE DAY ON FASHION BOMB DAILY

WRITTEN BY FASHION BOMB DAILY | SHARED BY SHARRA GREENE

So y’all know how I feel about Claire Sulmers and her multicultural platform, Fashion Bomb Daily. It’s my absolute favorite fashion blog and it’s the reason I started blogging in the first place. Well, today they chose ya girl as their Fashion Bombshell of the Day! You guys can check out the full article where I talk about my personal style philosophy here as well as their post on IG here and let me know what your favorite look is in the comments! Also, don’t forget to vote for me as #fashionbombshelloftheweek at the end of the week!

New posts coming your way very soon!

Sources: Sharra Greene Styling, Fashion Bomb Daily

Sharra,

“The definition of walking art.”

OKAY, BUT WHERE TF IS THE DOCUMENTARY FOR MY ICONIC FASHION MENTOR FROM AFAR??? A CRASH COURSE ON BLACK FASHION HISTORY'S HIDDEN FIGURE EUNICE WALKER JOHNSON

WRITTEN BY SHARRA GREENE

Eunice sitting front row at the Bill Blass show, circa ‘71. This photo says so much.

Self quarantining has me watching and rewatching fashion documentaries both old and relatively new. As I’m revisiting some of my favs (House of Z, The September Issue, In Vogue: The Editor’s Eye, etc.) I couldn’t help but notice how many of the most influential blacks in fashion do not have a highlight reel for me to indulge in during this time. (Disappointed? Yes. Surprised? Not at all.) One in particular came to mind as it was so painfully obvious that she of all people is way overdue for a fashion film covering her life and legacy. Let me find out I gotta switch career paths real quick just to make sure it’s done and done right! (I’m probably bluffing so somebody in the film industry, please get on it ASAP. It’s so necessary!)

If you listen to my podcast or follow this blog, I’m pretty sure you’ve heard me rant about the iconic Eunice Walker Johnson at least once before. I’m obsessed. She’s been my blueprint and one of my biggest inspirations when it comes to being proactive with my goals in fashion and not waiting for someone else to hand me an opportunity. If you’ve been living under a rock (or are just uninformed because not enough fashion platforms speak on her impact) let me school you real quick.

Model Pat Cleveland at an annual Ebony Fashion Fair showcase in Versace couture.

Seeking to raise money for local charities in the black community, Eunice Walker started the Ebony Fashion Fair back in 1958, an exhibition, named after the magazine that she and her husband John H. Johnson founded as part of their growing publishing company (yes, I’m referring to THE Ebony Magazine). The showcase brought high fashion and haute couture to a new audience, a black one. Walker’s exhibit ended up raising over 50 million dollars for charity along with introducing countless black models, artists, and coordinators to an industry that was typically discriminatory and closed off to them, by hiring and casting them in the annual production.

Eunice and some of her models at the 33rd annual Fashion Fair, themed “Freedom Explosion”.

Throughout the 60’s and 70’s, much of Eunice’s time was spent curating the show and networking to make the necessary connections needed to make her showcase great year after year. She spent a lot of time collaborating with emerging designers in the black community as well as traveling to top mainstream designers’ shows, even sitting front row at many of them. You can imagine that this created friction in the industry, as Eunice and her team often struggled with getting into the shows that they had so diligently earned the right to attend, due to the racism and nepotism that plagues the fashion industry. But numbers don’t lie. The monetary success of Ebony which, keep in mind, Eunice’s husband John was the founder of, often played a role in making the gatekeepers budge. Walker would bring back pieces from some of the most sought after designers to feature in her showcase, which had a strategic theme each year.

An exhibit of some archived pieces from the showcase over the years.

In addition to her success in the fashion space, Eunice essentially was the Fenty Beauty before Fenty Beauty. She founded Fashion Fair Cosmetics, THE FIRST beauty line made specifically for women of color. The high demand of quality makeup products for darker skin tones made her an innovator in the cosmetic industry and forced other competing companies to look at the quality and availability of makeup that they provided for black women, or lack thereof.

Enough said. Run my idol her documentary ASAP. Maybe it’s just not on my radar. If you know any cool documentaries that cover Eunice Walker Johnson, beyond the 5 minute clips found here and there on the internet, please send them my way! Link them below! See more of my fave images of Eunice in her element in the gallery above.

Sharra,

“The definition of walking art.”