6 Stylish Must-Haves DonYé Taylor Recently Bought – Essence

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DonYé Taylor, a multi-hyphenate, has the makings of a style guru. Originally from Accokeek, a suburban community in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Taylor says her sense of style is intrinsic and smart on an emotional level. This ideal guides her, explaining that she doesn’t wear or buy an item unless she truly loves it. While this idea has led her to wear bedazzled pieces from Ottolinger, Simone Rocha, Chanel, and more, her fashion choices have lately been the opposite of simple. Scrolling through her Instagram feed, you’ll see sassy accessories like sunglasses and tacky earrings. But you’ll also quickly realize that Taylor has fun when it comes to dressing, something we need more of right now.

Taylor shares insightful lifestyle tips for her followers daily, alongside her intentional outfits. Her knack for creativity stems from her adolescence, as she shares that years ago in high school she was the editor of her school yearbook. “I was kind of Tumblr famous, I made everyone’s MySpace pages in high school, burned CDs,” she explained. “Art class was my favorite class — I would spend weeks on an art project instead of the other kids rushing.” Taylor’s artistic inclinations led her to a summer camp for graphic design, and at one point she even entertained the idea of ​​becoming an art teacher. A time selling earrings she made out of Lego stands out as a standout memory for her from her school days. “I was creative, but also very nerdy,” she shared.

“Growing up, I wore uniforms, so when I got out of high school and went to college, I went to school to get dressed for the weekend.” Taylor’s art-focused childhood is a common thread that carries over into why her style is so central to how she presents herself to the world. She says her personal style evolves about every two years and is heavily influenced by her ongoing projects. When she took the stage this year at ESSENCE Fashion House on behalf of smartwater, for example, she certainly wore a memorable outfit: a floor-length Ottolinger dress in a striking blue hue was her choice. “I always want to come across as professional when I’m working in that capacity because I know a lot of people are going to see me for the first time, so I try to make a good impression,” she noted. Taylor adds that with each launch and new part of her life, she finds herself expanding what she finds stylish and sometimes even biting or distinctive.

With the resurgence of 2000s style and Taylor’s extensive wardrobe that can sometimes feel very 2000s-coded, it’s fitting that she finds this era of fashion influential. Figures in her life, including her older cousins ​​Ericka and Brian, are indicative of why she has an affinity for this era—her older siblings are also sources of inspiration for what she grew up with—she’s seen them live in this era. Musical influences from this period include Amerie, Aaliyah, UGK, OutKast, and Jay-Z. Fittingly, each of these artists has styles that fall within the 2000s fashion canon. “That era is really in my blood—I really grew up with it.”

So how exactly does Taylor come up with her outfits? She says her ensembles typically start with elements like her shoes or a new haircut that she feels sets the tone. Music can even inspire her. “I like to make sure the momentum of my look is consistent with what inspired it in the first place, from head to toe,” she adds.

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