My love of fashion is genetic, or at least that’s what I’d like to think. My grandmother was a seamstress and entrepreneur. She drew fashion inspiration from things she saw outside, on tv, and in magazines, and she influenced me to do the same. My grandmother also firmly believed that no one should ever leave their house without looking their very best. Although I might not have completely agreed with that one (because sweatpants exist and they are fantastic), I think a big part of accomplishing that feat is having clothes that are in line with one’s personal style that can easily be mixed, matched, and styled. The issue for many people is how difficult it can be to articulate and shop for your personal style when you haven’t quite pinned it down. That’s where I come in. That’s where I thrive.
Background
I’m a television writer who came to the job by way of a doctoral program in which I studied representations of Black women in film and television. The journey to that program began when I was a Stylist Assistant the summer before my senior year of college in the city that still never sleeps: New York, New York. One night after a magazine shoot, my boss told me that I was the Louise to their Carrie Bradshaw (a reference to Sex and the City: The Movie). They weren’t wrong. I’d done pulls, take-backs, a model’s manicure, gotten my boss out of a car lease, and moved them from a sub-level apartment to a fourth floor walk-up. I was Louise and I didn’t like what that meant at all.
From that experience, I decided that fashion styling couldn’t be for me though fashion remained an important part of my life. I ended up going down the path of academia and then realized that I was more interested in crafting representations of Black women on screen than I was in critiquing them once they’d aired. I took a chance on something I really wanted, and it was the best career decision I ever made. My first staff job, Freeform’s The Bold Type, allowed me to marry my creative loves: writing and fashion.
As the years continued, I frequently had friends ask for help crafting capsule wardrobes, wardrobe refreshes, event styling, and more as the years continued. I learned I love styling—but just not doing it for magazines or celebrities. Personal styling was, and is, my niche; helping people find their personal style is what I love because style is for all.
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There is no better way to say this - Nikita got me looking right!
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/ Satisfied client /
Experience
One New York summer internship, 30+ years of being the granddaughter of a fashionista, and years of on-the-ground training with real people helping them develop their style.
STYLIST ASSISTANT
summer 2008
Personal Stylist
2021 – Present
Photos below are from shoots as a Stylist Assistant:
