CREATORS TO FOLLOW // #DIVERSIFYYOURFEED
Today I am sharing a few incredible creators that I follow on Instagram. Many of you asked for me to share my favorite follows to help #diversifyyourfeed. Below I’m articulating why I love to follow each and what initially drew me to their handles/sites. They all have unique individual styles that should be recognized and celebrated – and followed! I have been following most of these amazing people for some time and in this movement to amplify melanated voices I want to celebrate these creatives and share them with all of you.
As I continue to evaluate how I can help amplify Black voices and identify more ways to be anti-racist on Atlantic-Pacific, I will be doing so through the lens of fashion. This site and my feed have always been about fashion and style first, making promoting Black designers, creators, and style the most effective way to reach all of you, my audience. Today and everyday I am thankful for your views, likes, comments and feedback, and I hope I influence you in some way to take action. So, without further delay…
https://www.instagram.com/p/B68OmeUFTZR/
Makeda is a fashion force. I began following her about a year ago and discovered we both have a deep love for big hats, midi length everything, oversized sunglasses, and generally over-the-top style. She is a kind as she is fashionable and while I can barely cook frozen chicken nuggets myself, she is always whipping up some amazing meal on her IG Stories. Makeda is consistently a bright light on my feed and I’m thankful to call her a friend. Follow her on IG here and on her blog here.
TAMU MCPHERSON // ALL THE PRETTY BIRDS
https://www.instagram.com/p/B97bMyeim5w/
I met Tamu IRL through my friend Chloe, although I have been following her for as long as I can remember. While she is frequently traveling the world, Tamu lives full-time in Milan and is such a feel good follow. Her sense of style is totally out of this world (she dreams up the most beautiful combinations that I would never even think of) and she will also remind you to take care of yourself ( I always love her running/work out moments). Tamu has always been inspiring, holding a strong position and voice on topics like injustice and social change. Some of my favorite posts she does are her video posts, such as this one and this one. Tamu is also the founder of All The Pretty Birds which you can check out here. Give her an IG follow here!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAFyJgkhwnQ/
Karen is just one of those people who truly gets fashion. She mixes and matches high and low and new and old. Her vintage and thrift finds are drool-worthy awesome and I am constantly discovering new brands and pieces from her edits and outfit posts. In fact, I am still trying to track down this puffer coat! Karen and I met way back in 2011 when we both were tapped for a CoverGirl ad in the September issue of Vogue. She is uber-cool and can pull off menswear, vintage, and a dress paired with chunky boots better than anyone else. Oh also, still not over this color combination. She is a style chameleon and is always surprising me. Follow her on IG here and youtube here and check out her site here.
COURTNEY QUINN // COLOR ME COURTNEY
https://www.instagram.com/p/CA_n0-1DEgD/
Well, well, well. When I started following Courtney I realized there is someone out there who does indeed love to wear color just as much as I do…she is the original queen of color! I have had the pleasure of getting to know Courtney and she is not only a creator but also a strategic business woman. She has her MBA and has also worked in the fashion industry on the other side (in product development) so she really understands it all. We’ve also had a good laugh figuring out that we actually lived in the same apartment building in San Francisco, only at different times. So, it was fate that we would finally meet in NYC years later! While she is a fashion lover and style queen, she has so many other interests such as Disney, her dog Waffles, creating stop motion videos that rule, and so much more. Follow her on IG here and on her site here. And, if you love all things Disney, you’ll want to see her Disney-centric handle here.
RANTI ONAYEMI BLANCHARD // RANTI IN REVIEW
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4KjLUZHFQG/
Ranti’s style is minimal, yet complex, and and oh so cool. She typically sticks to a more neutral palette but will throw in pops of color, and is always leaving me surprised to see what she will dream up next. I am constantly finding ASOS gems through her, but also discovering luxury pieces that I love. Ranti has a knack for layering and creative styling – this post and this post are a few my favorites of hers. You can follow her here on IG and visit her site here.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CA458hdCzfk/
Ellie is probably my newest follow on this list…and I have fallen deeply, deeply in love with her style! I am sorry but this? And this! And also this!? I hope our paths cross someday in real life so I can let her know how much I love and appreciate her style and voice. But for now I suppose I will write this embarrassing gushy post about a stranger I’ve yet to meet. You can follow her here!
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByMAclenW5E/
Okay her account is the most dreamy. Her photography and editing paired with her beautiful aesthetics make her account one of my all time favorite follows. I began following her years ago and may or may not have copied her in buying this dress in orange. She also happens to be the founder and creative director of the apparel and accessories brand A.Au. This top, this maxi dress, and this dress are my personal favorites from her collection. You can follow her here and check out her shop here.
JANELLE MARIE LLYOD // WAIT YOU NEED THIS
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-W3quiFg9s/
Janelle can pull off a whole range of styles from oversized to casual, to the most feminine dress. She has been running her blog full time since 2018, but has an incredibly diverse background from being a Buyer at Bloomingdales, to receiving her MBA, to working at Google, to studying interior design. Phew! Give her a follow here on IG and visit her site here.
ROCHELLE JOHNSON // BEAUTI CURVE
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9o2lpIl84x/
Rochelle, or Ro, launched Beauti Curve in 2013 to highlight her personal style. She is a plus size style expert and focuses mostly on fashion but will infuse some lifestyle, home and beauty into her posts! She loves color, a bold print and her ability to accessorize is second to none. Some of my favorite posts from her include this video (duh), this pink lewk and this sequin suit. Follow her here on IG and here on her site!
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7lsB3zgIiJ/
Ryan is one of the few men’s influencers I follow and he is a must follow. His style is chic and polished and cool. I have had the pleasure of working with Ryan on several projects and being seated at a few dinners with him. The one thing that has always struck me outside of how stylish he is (which is one of the first things you notice) is how present he is. That might sound strange, but at these very lively events, dinners, sets, etc. there is always a lot going on and many people understandably can seem distracted. When you are talking to Ryan he 100% listening, engaged, and interested and it always feels amazing to be in his presence. Give him a follow here.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_u1RdeHY90/
I met Clare my first year living in NYC. She is an influencer and has also spent time working in the industry holding positions at Maybelline as well as freelancing. Clare has since left NYC and lives in Richmond with her beautiful family. Her feed shows snippets of her life, including lots of snaps of her two precious daughters. Even if you don’t know her personally, following her feed feels like following a friend. Her posts are honest and funny and casual and make you feel right at home. I MISS YOU CLARE. You can follow her on IG here.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4fJTAxHDPE/
Monica’s style is so fun, yet totally classic. While I initially followed her for her style and fashion, she shares inspiring beauty, home and lifestyle content as well. I am partial to her amazing cold weather looks, like these, but she is equally as chic in every season. You can follow her on IG here and visit her site here.
KIM MITCHELL // J’ADORE COUTURE
https://www.instagram.com/p/BylGSfnBfaO/
Kim is the ultimate do-it-all woman and I don’t know how she manages to balance it all, it’s so impressive. She is an influencer but also holds an Art Director position at Banana Republic corporate – she truly has an amazing eye. Some days she is dressed in head to toe sparkles, some days she is in joggers and sneaks, and some days she mixes it up in the coolest, most surprising ways. This color combination is still on my mind. Ah sorry one more- this is also a top for me! I am thankful we became friends almost a decade ago, give her a follow here on IG and here on her site.
