I first stumbled upon Style Like U a couple of years back. At the time, they were doing closets and interviewing all these cool women, one of whom was Kenyan, maybe I was googling the Kenyan..I’m not sure. Anyway since then, the site has grown in terms of content, there are enough episodes to keep you warm for a long long time. When I checked it out again, it felt like coming home. StyleLikeU feels like one of those online spaces where it’s okay to be a woman who does not necessarily fit into society’s mould, the quirky woman, the sexually ambiguous woman, the shy but lovely, the dark skinned beauty, all are welcome.
So, I Iaunched into watching and I will pick three of my favourites, you will notice they are black, I was drawn to these particular stories because I was fascinated by how their stories they represented the complexity and intersectionality of race, colour, beauty, immigration, life and survival and how each of them triumphed through the very things that could have killed them. For them to still be here standing, smiling laughing and living their best lives … it will really inspire you.
Also a heads up, the whole idea is to take off items of clothing as you slowly reveal more about yourself, exploring vulnerability and self love.
First, Renee Gunter, her life story spans two continents, misacarriages, career switches to where she is right now, an urban organic farmer and landscaper in Carlifornia
Second, Olivia Campbell whose journey to self love has come full circle. from teasing and bullying some of which involved being sexually harassed at just 11 years old to being the woman she is today, confident, beautiful and self possessed.
“Choose to use good words, make someone feel good rather than make someone feel bad because you don’t know how much you can damage a person by just one sentence”
And third, a former refugee turned model, Mari Malek tells she learned to embrace her beautiful black skin and who she is unapologetically despite everything she went through.
“We have been made to feel so bad about the darkness of our skin to the point where some of us secretly think about bleaching their skin … what changed that thought completely was when I joined the modeling industry, now my ‘dark ugly’ skin that had been made fun of was fabulous, people loved it!”
For more check out: stylelikeu.com
