Elevate Your Everyday ... Style Takeover for ThriftVIP
The Fresh Princess ‘T’…
Tanatswa Chihoro aka The Fresh Princess ‘T’: Youth Activist, University Student and Self-styled Extraordinaire does a Style Takeover for ThriftVIP, with some fresh takes on 8 pieces across our collections from each season, including the in-between.
I first heard T at the Black Lives Matter Protest in Nottingham in June 2020 and it’s thanks to NextGenMovement and our social media platforms that we were easily able to connect and arrange this shoot. Luckily, I just caught T before she went off to uni to concentrate on her career in Business & Marketing.
This is just one small step towards our responsibility to invest in black representation on our platforms and to take action on this, post-protest. Young women like Tanatswa should be out enjoying life and focusing on their career, not fighting constantly to get into ‘white spaces.’
‘Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation’
Coretta Scott King
(The Remix - 2019, Netflix)
It would have been nice to make this blog purely about fashion, just showing the clothes and styles, but then what is fashion, without the culture, inspiration and creativity of the people behind it.
Fashion though, has not been representative enough of black culture over the years. If you follow me on instagram, you will have seen some recent posts and in my BLM story highlight, regarding cultural appropriation, including my own further education on the popularity of the Kangol hat.
Its cultural significance lies in its success and popularity in the 1980’s, mainly in part due to the Harlem sub cultures of the time, which made it cool. You can now find Dapper Dan’s Gucci atelier in Harlem, one of my favourite neighbourhoods when I went to New York back in 2014.
Dapper Dan, Misa Hylton & April Walker are amongst some of the originators of street style who are finally gaining recognition many years on, for work they were failed to be recognised and credited for at the time.
I don’t remember being taught about this during my fashion degree course, where white designers were the main focus because they most likely had more opportunities to enter the profession and were currently in vogue at the time, operating at the forefront of the fashion industry. Even looking back through design and fashion historically, there is little representation or creditation within this industry, of the major influences via the subcultures of the time. You had to look harder to find it.
Artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring were doing great work during this time too. This article from 2020 celebrates this unity years later, and this article, another championing the work of both artists, today:
I’d have been interested to know more about the Harlem movement too, and this is where our pro-active self education as adults needs to come into play.
It is nourishing and enriching learning about the cultures that have somehow fallen below the radar of the mainstream for so long. The way these creative worlds of art, fashion and music often collide within culture, and cross-over, is testament to the integrity of true art for arts sake, and for purpose and political change.
I highly recommend watching Netflix documentary ‘The Remix’ for an insight into Black visionaries in fashion who translated hip-hop style into a global phenomenon. This is just a small slice of what went on behind the scenes within this pivotal subculture during this time. Only now is its value gaining the creditation it deserves.
What bought Tanatswa and myself together for this shoot and blog, was the Black Lives Matter Peaceful Protest, organised by NextGenMovement where I listened to this teenage woman, who was a speaker at the event, voicing her tiredness and exasperation for the battle to be seen as a black person. Therefore, it is of great importance to highlight this within the fashion industry too, on this platform, in times in which we are still asking for real, big change to come.
I’ll be posting more about the work of Misa Hylton and her collaboration with MCM on the grid soon, alongside more takeaways from British Vogue’s September issue ‘Activism Now.’
It’s so great to have black representation with Edward Enninful as editor, taking the reigns of this magazine now, and I’m loving learning more about black culture within the fashion industry, which only serves to add richness, and at times, justification for the successes of white owned corporations who have been riding on the backs of sub-cultures to catapult their brands to cult status and success. Now the real story is being revealed and it feels so right. Long overdue, but so necessary.
‘People need to see and hear Black women’s pain for what it is and fight in their corner. The start is making feminism intersectional and further pushing for our talents and intelligence to be recognized, giving Black women the credit they deserve. I want the world to stop trying to build a black woman that is a Becky or a Ghetto girl, institutions need to let go of this false narrative of black women they push onto people and to understand the consequences of slavery are still very much alive.
To be a Black woman is to be unapologetically yourself.’
You can find Tanatswa’s article ˜To Be A black Woman’ in full on WahadNotts
YOU GOT STYLE. WE GOT STYLE.
it’s the STYLE TAKEOVEr
What with Zoom meetings and socials, working from home, living in bubbles and making the new normal work for you, we’re changing our mood in terms of dressing for the everyday, with a more comfortable vibe, yet holding onto our own sense of style.
For the new season, we’re seeing embellished statement collars and shoes, belted jackets, big sleeve energy, tonal layers and some great ways to uplift those classic pieces; with neutral tones and monochromatic looks. Classic cross-over pieces are the way forward to thrifty sustainable style for smart, savvy shoppers.
During the pandemic, it’s even more relevant to make what you already own work for you, throwing in a few unique pieces to elevate your existing wardrobe.
ThriftVIP is inspired by trends but not dictated by them. Thrift Lovers know what they like & what suits them and they put their creativity and personality into the mix, just as T has done here, adding her own unique style. The idea is to update these pieces for now, to have fun and experiment with them and play around with how you might wear them. To make them work for your hard-earned coffers.
Try a knitted tank top with a bright or pattered shirt underneath, then layer with a blazer, pulling your collars over your blazer lapels; and elevate your lounge wear for maximum impact.
We’ve got plenty of separates for you to bring these looks together on the site for AW and beyond, such as patterned floral ties, knitted tanks, big sleeves and neutrals, both in clothing and accessories, so take a good look around and shop savvy.
ELEVATE YOUR EVERYDAY
Let us show you how to elevate your everyday with some fresh takes from The Princess, ’T’ who has envisioned 8 pieces from across the collections at ThriftVIP, bringing a few pieces to life that had only so far been photographed on Celia, my mannequin. The first socially distanced shoot for ThriftVIP, a year on from my last shoot.
With oversize looks offering a more relaxed vibe, mixing relaxed and fitted silhouettes can be both comfortable and stylish.
Showing you how the same investment classics can crossover the seasons and the in-between, T has considered styling for daytime looks in summer and the in-between for a Vintage Riding Jacket; taken a pair of Kurt Geiger over-knee boots into evening over-drive, and offered us two takes on a Miu Miu camera bag for SS and AW….
PLAID PLEASE!
I love the way T brought three of her own plaid pieces into the mix, styling them beautifully with each selection . This trouser worked well with our black leather jacket, so well in fact that the jacket was snapped up by T following the shoot, so another one which never made it into collections, from a shoot. First dibs for T this time. Look how great it looks, it was meant to be!
Plaid, another continuing trend for this AW shows how another classic can crossover into all seasons, so yet another all-year-rounder for your fashion longevity list. See our Vintage Plaid Pencil Skirt, or this Berghaus Plaid Cape, for some AW cover in pure wool plaid.
The Caramel Biscuit Leather Swing style Jacket had a playful makeover with more plaid from T’s own wardrobe, and the new addition Miu Miu Camera Bag saw a slice of summer styling as well as a wintry take with autumnal tones. Wear a chunky high neck knit underneath this swing style jacket to make the most of that collar in Winter.
BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL
Slick looks for night-time, making those evenings count as the nights draw in.
Black soft leather over-knee boots for warmth and style. Wear with an over-size blazer and fitted shorts à la The Fresh Princess, then throw a siren-red dress coat over the top for pure elegance and poise. Accessorise with a pair of opera gloves for full-on glamour
HELL FOR LEATHER IN BOOTS AND BRAIDS
Go hell for leather in lockdown as you head out to your favourite bar before closing time. Embelish, elevate and uplift yourself through these times in relaxed over-size and fitted silhouettes, combined for maximum impact. Stride out in over-knee boots with confidence and class, in rich textured layers.
MELANIN GOLD
Black and Gold: Vintage Cocktail Jacket by Jaeger with Over-knee Kurt Geiger Leather Boots
sirens wear pillarbox red
When you wear the coat, not the other way round which can be tricky when you’re styling over-size pieces such as this stunning red coat. T shows us how it’s done.
#StyleQueen.
Like a dancer, T has beautiful elegance and poise, with never-ending poses, made for fashion editorial. An absolute joy to work with. I can’t tell you how much easier this makes my work. So enjoyable, I just kept shooting and T was on fire, just like this XXL red coat.
Bring some extra to your winter this year. Jacques Vert Pillar box Red Dress Coat Available soon.
go classic. go wild
A Vintage Riding Style Jacket, worn two ways for daytime in summer and the in-between. Just change up footwear for an evening look.
Go wild in a tiger print loafer, as animal print proves itself a classic staple for your wardrobe. Invest in longevity.
Both of these pieces are perfect for in-between seasons.
Classic girl style for summer pursuits
Belt up: cinch the waist with eye popping colour or utilise subtle tones for monochromatic layering.
‘A back-to-school style staple…
…the best loafers create a smooth path to help you transition from summer’s sandals to fall’s boots and are totally wearable all year long.'
VOGUE.COM
Thank you, Tanatswa, for agreeing to do a Style Takeover for ThriftVIP. Your contribution is of great value to what I do here at ThriftVIP, and that is to celebrate fashion, with purpose. I’m grateful to you for allowing me to share a bit about you too and extracts and quotes from your article.
I found the article so revealing as to how ingrained this problem has been for a very long time. I am certainly wanting to hear more of the lost stories that have been hidden from our British culture and beyond, over the years. I really hope others keep sharing them on platforms for us all to see. The good, the bad and the ugly.
The time is now.
I also hope that we can get extensive black history education into schools, because it is an absolute scandal that it’s been missing for so long. I feel extremely short-changed from my own education, but being pro-active is key here and new books and programmes are coming out all the time on these important and often complex subjects.
Ignorance has been compliant with perpetuating racism and I am always learning, researching and self educating.
Right now I am not so proud to be a white person, but feel privileged to have been able to approach this in a positive way, as a white person with an online space and platform, to utilise this towards voices for social change and anti-racism.
Let’s initiate healing, learning and growing further.
Madeleine x
Look out for T as the first to model one of our amazing Sweet Charity dancers dresses, for the new rental offering (coming soon), and find the complete Pringle cape and skirt suit, modelled by Tanatswa in the listing shortly. T has been the only model so far to fit the tiny skirt! I was so excited to finally see it on and it looks beautiful.
You can watch my videos from the Nottingham protest on ThriftVIP social, in the instagram BLM story highlight and on the grid.
The Fresh Princess, Tanatswa gives her take on a few of the pieces from the Style Takeover…
A final note from The Fresh Princess, Tanatswa…taken from the article:
To Be a Black Woman
‘Black women are at the bottom of the totem pole, there are so many traumatising experiences black girls share that go unheard because the world constantly reminds us that we do not matter; when they allow our murderers to run free and when our men fail to protect us. Society’s violent history against black women has left a detrimental future for many young black women growing up in today’s society.
The topic of conversation today and every day should be how we learn to ensure the safety and liberation of black women everywhere, breaking down barriers that prevent the black woman’s freedom to live outside of the box that was manufactured by her oppressor, which states what she can and cannot be limiting; her potential first as a black individual then furthermore as a woman.’
Thank you for reading