The key to surviving a hot summer day in Washington, DC is by wearing the appropriate attire. Your closet wardrobe should be stock full of vibrant colors and free flowing garments. A typical fashion tip for the summertime involves avoiding dark colors especially black, but people have gone against that advice and made it work for the summer. Bohemian, Grunge and Afrocentric style usually encompass the DC summer fashion scene. My personal favorite is the Afrocentric style. During my junior year of high school I went through an Afrocentric phase. I would wear colorful shirts, maxi dresses and skirts paired with wooden jewelry. Even though I grew out of the phase I still buy Afrocentric pieces from time to time to complete my summer wardrobe. Â The vibrant colors and prints are a must for this season.
The Fashionista featured above did a great job of translating Afrocentric style into her personal style. This past semester she did a study abroad program in South Africa. While there she learned about their culture and even brought back some fashion goodies. She purchased her printed clutch in South Africa and it adds an authentic touch to her Afrocentric look. She pulled the rest of the outfit together by pairing it with a black knit strappy crop top, maxi side slit tie dye skirt and black TOMS. She also rocked two arm bands to add to the look. The top arm band had brown and gold wires with a cowry shell and the bottom arm band had gold tribal print detailing.
I absolutely loved this look because it pulls various statement pieces together and creates an effortless outfit to walk the streets of DC. Sometimes when you have too many statement pieces together they can clash, but her pieces complement each other really well.
How To: It’s really easy to achieve the Afrocentric look. First you will need to decide what type of Afrocentric look you are going for. You can choose colorful and vibrant hues or a more relaxed outfit with neutral colors. Then you need to compliment the outfit with the proper jewelry and purse!
