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Outfit A Day: Danyelle

December 8, 2009 by Wlada

Danyelle, currently in graduate school working on her PhD in Educational Psychology.

Disclaimer: This is not a style-guide. This is not about fashion. This is not even judgmental. This column is about people on DC’s streets. People, who seem as if they put a thought or two into their outfits before leaving the house. People, whose look is working – for them, in their own opinion.
Every day we follow passersbys at their heels for five minutes to find out where and how they shopped and have them answer five quick questions about their look.
No particular scheme. No particular price range. No particular beauty standards. Just an outfit that for any reason caught our eye.

Why her? The button pinned to her coat. It said: “I’m not invisible.”

Jeans: $190, Citizens of Humanity
Combat boots: $150, Steve Madden
Coat: $50, Target

Scarf: $25 or so, purchased from the store “Gallery Africa” in Greenbelt. Danyelle has about 6 of them in different colors

Sterling silver balls: $8,from a street vendor in New York years ago

Button: free, from an event hosted by the National Crittendon Foundation, an organization that helps to empower young girls and teen mothers.

Ring: don’t remember the price, purchased from Nordstrom’s BP section.

What’s the story behind the “I’m not invisible” button? Is being invisible the worst thing imaginable for you?
I’ve explained where I got it above. It’s my favorite of all the buttons and I grabbed because it makes such a bold statement. It makes me feel strong. Being invisible is not necessarily the worst thing imaginable. In fact, it is sometimes better to be under the radar. But there are few things worse than wanting to be seen/heard and being ignored.

How important are clothes for you?
People seem to think I have a nice sense of style. What I love most about my “style” is that I wear what I want to. I don’t care what people think or feel about it. Sometimes in life I get insecure and lack confidence, but when it comes to what I wear, I know what I like. I once had a boyfriend who criticized me for wearing hoodies and converse chuck taylors too often. But at that time it was what I thought I looked and felt cool in. Liking what I wear and how I look in my clothes matters to me more than anything else. It doesn’t have to match, or be in the magazines, or even be brand new.

Is there a clothing item that makes you immediately like / dislike a stranger?
No. In fact, some items that I hated last week, I might grow to love next week. I can be finicky like that.

Do you judge people by their outfit?
Of course I do! We all do! I try not to judge a person’s character or ability based on clothes, but you can certainly judge style! Especially with guys.

How much time / money do you spend on shopping per month?
I will admit, I am a binge shopper and I engage in retail therapy. I don’t have a lot of money so I don’t typically spend a lot on clothes on the regular. But when extra money comes my way, you can bet a significant amount will be spent on building my wardrobe with pieces i’ve been “meaning to buy”…like those combat boots!

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