Girls on Instagram
An amalgamative meditation on fashion, curation, and evolution (the fun kind—nothing Paleolithic)
Change is always in the air this time of year, but I personally have been smacked over the head with it a lot this past month. I can’t help but constantly think back to my conversation about the very same thing with Sara Delgado six months ago just after the last eclipse season (ps she is thriving in NYC, to no one’s surprise), though the vibes right now feel a little different.
Walk with me on this one.
Maybe it’s because I’ve entered a season of life I never thought I’d be in or maybe it’s because Taylor Swift fucking finally announced the re-release of Speak Now, an album that so deftly and honestly describes this very sensation (and the album that, after some emotional soul-searching, I have realized is and has always been my favorite of hers), but as of late, I’ve become as preoccupied with evolution as a concerned parent begging their school board to teach creationism.
Evolution, to me, is just a fancier change; it’s Whole Foods brie compared to shredded Kraft cheddar mix in a plastic bag. Both will inevitably be a part of your life and both will wreak havoc on your digestive system, but one feels like an elegant transition from one era to the next and one is what you eat drunk with a three-finger pinch and the fridge door open at 2 am. Plainly, evolution feels like a choice whereas change, as Sara and I discussed, happens to us whether we remember purchasing the cheese or not.
I’ve also come to the conclusion that evolution requires a strong sense of self to begin because, to paraphrase RuPaul a little, if you don’t know yourself how the hell are you going to become someone else? Can I get an amen? Additionally, you need to be a little crafty to evolve because who wants to evolve into a more boring version of themselves? You have to have vision, imagination, pizzazz to become who you are supposed (or simply want) to be.
As I continue to evolve, I’m curious to learn how those who are unabashedly themselves get that way. So, once again using this platform for selfish purposes and then bringing you all along for the ride, I talked with Mikhala Allen and Shannon Lawrence—two of the most creative and evolved people I know—about how they have built their lives, their aesthetic, and their art, as well as how they share that with others.
My name is Mikhala! I’m studying fashion PR and communications at the London College of Fashion. I went to Georgia State and SCAD for undergrad, and I’m a freelance sample coordinator at Stich Fix when I'm not working I'm baking or rewatching 2000s teen dramas. Lately, I've been talking about Scandoval to anyone that will listen (I hope that Ariana and Katie get their own spinoff show). I'm currently obsessed with James Baldwin, Kai Collective, and lavender cookies. I hope to make fashion a safe place for people of every shape, size, and background.
Shannon Lawrence is a creative strategist specializing in digital marketing for luxury brands.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Atlanta, her approach to copywriting, art direction, and partnerships is informed by a nuanced grasp on youth culture at large. She lives and works in New York City.
Now That’s What I Call Culture
At no point in today’s piece will we be asking what art is, as that is up to the graduates of the Jack and Elizabeth Donaghy High School for Teen Drama, the Arts, and Feelings.
But I did want to kick things off by asking:
Emily: What has drawn both of you towards living and building a more creative life than most?
Mikhala: I have always felt at home in artistic spaces. I like how fast-paced fashion is and it’s constantly evolving with technology. Pursuing a creative path in life is what gave me the least anxiety, believe it or not.
Shannon: I’m always drawn to express myself, and of course that comes across in the art of living—which is everything, from how we dress and eat, to what we read and wear. Since moving back to New York in December 2020, I’ve been even more encouraged to cultivate my life and creative expression how I see fit.
When thinking about what I wanted to discuss with Mikhala and Shannon today, my mind kept circling around the word aesthetic. It’s a word I aggressively overused in my Tumblr years but also one that kind of captures the general je ne sais quoi surrounding today’s guests that I really wanted to know more about.
I asked:
Emily: How have you developed a personal aesthetic, and how would you describe it?
Mikhala: I’m not sure if I have a personal aesthetic anymore. I feel like I had more of a personal aesthetic as a teenager, and now I just put on anything. I’m drawn to bright colors and patterns. All of the important women in my life wore bright and expressive clothing. My motto when picking out clothes is to wear colors that make me feel beautiful and empowered.
I think that I was also heavily influenced by my mother because she is very stylish. She taught me that a great outfit is essential to everyday life. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of us watching the Met Gala together or Project Runway. When I was in high school, she let me borrow her old Gloria Vanderbilt jeans and that’s a core memory for me.
My mother taught me the beauty of the patterned sweater vest and white blouse combo, and although I thought I looked a little dorky, I can never say I didn’t go to school in age-appropriate and semi-groundbreaking looks.
Shannon: I have my parents to thank for instilling the importance of getting dressed. It was always a “thing” in our house. My mommy is an OG, born and raised in Brooklyn, where she met my dad, a Jamaican immigrant who has always had impeccable taste. My style is chill, modern, and classic. I’m always pulling inspiration from my environment.
I have an infatuation with Paris Hilton, The Row, God, Mercedes Benz, Ferrari, vintage cotton tees, linen sheets, architecture, unique textures, love letters, old people, comfort, and quiet. I think it shows.
Emily: How do you continue to refine your personal aesthetic?
Mikhala: I create mood boards at the beginning of the year, one for what I want my life to be and one for style. I try to buy slowly and intentionally. I try to put money where my mouth is and shop for clothes made by female designers.
Shannon: This might be vague, but I think I go off of natural instinct a lot. If something doesn’t feel right, something has to change. That might start within and end up changing externally but in that metamorphosis, I might hibernate, cry, laugh, scream, discover a new book or movie, make new memories with the people I love, etc. In the end, it’s all about the feeling.
Certainly, today’s guests are two of the most fashionable people I know, and the way that I’ve been thinking about evolution and aesthetics and eras (oh my!) does have something to do with fashion as self-presentation. But what I’m thinking about also feels a little bit bigger than just that. Before we dive all the way into how Mikhala and Shannon share their personalities and communicate their creativity with others, I wanted to first lay the groundwork by asking specifically about their sources of inspiration.
Emily: What is one piece of art that best defines your personal aesthetic?
Mikhala: I consider this a piece of art, only because it’s a timeless classic. I think that being obsessed with Carmen Jones as a child helped me down a creative path. I wanted to dress as elegant and bold as the titular character. I’m still obsessed with Dorthy Dandridge to be honest, what an icon.
But if we’re talking about the more traditional pieces of art then the painting, La Baker by Lois Mailou Jones because I’m inspired by the women that paved the way and came before me.
Shannon: Gates of Hell by Auguste Rodin, or maybe Richard Serra’s Torqued Eclipses. There’s a bit of a monastic quality, and a somber, transformative energy surrounding these sculptures. I feel my aesthetic and expression is never far from here.
Emily: Where do you each find inspiration for your work, and how have your inspirations influenced your creativity?
Mikhala: Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of inspiration from my great-grandmother, Geda. I think fashion and creativity are big parts of Caribbean culture and identity. She talks a lot about how she didn’t have enough money to go to university back then but would take free classes around the island. She took a sewing class back in the day and was a seamstress back home. Sometimes, I just call her so she can tell me her “alteration tales.”
I’m inspired by fashion books, media, and podcasts. I recently finished The Glass of Fashion by Cecil Beaton and now I’m obsessed with Dior gowns from the 50s. I would say the biggest inspiration would be going to fashion school and my classmates.
Shannon: I find inspiration through lived experiences and fantasy. If I can communicate what I’ve lived or imagined, then I’ve done my job.
Emily: Which artists inspire you the most and why?
Mikhala: I’m so inspired by Fisayo Longe, Andrea Iyamah, and Bianca Saunders. I feel like their roots are evident in their brand and who they market to. Fisayo Longe is the creative director of the brand Kai Collective and seeing her clothes make me feel nostalgic. I lived in southern Florida until I was seven, and her designs remind me of the beautiful colors my mom and my aunts wear. It reminds me of the beach and family gatherings.
Even though I don’t do publish my writing that much anymore, I think I owe a lot to Judy Blume and Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. I had a lot of questions about womanhood and I was too intimated to ask my mom questions about puberty. As a child, reading their books inspired me to write.
Shannon: Deanna Lawson, Nan Goldin, Linda Goode Bryant, Auguste Rodin, Virgil Abloh, Georgia O’Keefe, Gerald Lovell, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Bill Cunningham—these artists resonate with me through discipline in practice, and the vulnerability that seeps out of their expression. Whether I’m writing, producing a project, or even cooking a meal, I hope to do the same.
I spend a lot of time thinking about what others think of me, which is usually more of a curse than a blessing but for the sake of this segue, it’s kind of a big slay blessing. I’m a little bit preoccupied with how I present myself and what assumptions people will make based on what I do—essentially, in a description that is very forgiving to me and my anxiety, I am always trying to communicate myself in a certain way to others.
In some ways, I think that’s what I mean when I use the word aesthetic: it is what we are trying to tell the outside world about ourselves save for walking around with a lit-up billboard screaming every part of our identities. It is also the thing that evolves when we make the decision to, when you think about it. Whether it’s something that is consciously and intentionally put together (and let’s be honest, we all thought of at least one person in each of our lives when we read that) or it’s just the general vibe you give off by being yourself, we all have an aesthetic—and yes, it is taking everything to not feed into the capitalistic desire to call this our brand.
The part of this I wanted to ask Mikhala and Shannon about collectively and individually is how they go about communicating themselves and their creativity with others. As an observer, their originality is a core part of the aesthetic they present and it is something I am personally very intrigued by:
Emily: In your life, are art and creativity more collective or personal pursuits? Are they more vessels you use to connect with others who see the world as you do or is it a component of your identity that you tend to develop in private?
Mikhala: I would say that it’s a healthy balance of both. I hope that what I learn through life I can be able to use it to give back to my community. Fashion is seen as a small and insignificant industry because of the world’s misogynistic and homophobic paradigm, but fashion is a large industry and it can be used to better the lives around us. I am a big believer in using fashion for positive change.
Emily: Do you like sharing your creativity with others? If so, how do you try to convey what you're thinking and how do you wish your work will be received?
Mikhala: I do like to share my creativity with others. My goal is to use my creativity to help brands connect with people and make valuable connections. I have helped influencers shoot photos and edit videos and content (I’m remembering my influencer’s assistant era and cringing). I hope that I can be helpful to others and help them gain visibility.
Shannon: Always, when it feels safe (have you ever been in a situation where it’s almost like a little voice in your head is urging you to shhh?). I’m in love with writing because I can be quite literal or figurative with it, depending on the mood. But I find it’s best to relinquish all control when it comes to how others might receive it.
I didn’t end up asking either guest about evolution per se, but I did talk with them about how they have and continue to build their lives which answers some of the same change-related questions in their own way. For anyone like me who is standing at a bit of a crossroads with their identity—trying to figure out which parts of yourself you can take with you on the next leg of your journey and which are meant to be left behind—hearing from those who are, at least at this moment, authentically themselves can scratch an itch you might not have known you had but certainly couldn’t reach alone.
Mikhala Wears Prada
I got to witness the start of Mikhala’s rebirth as a fashion girlie and can say it’s really heartening to see someone genuinely find themselves at any part of their life. I know we can all realize who we really are or want to be at any age (I just realized last week that there is such a thing as a language and linguistics columnist, a slay) but that doesn’t make it any less special to watch when it does happen.
Which is why I made sure to ask:
Emily: What prompted you to go back to school for fashion? What are the goals you have for yourself and your future?
Mikhala: Growing up, my parents decided that I was going to be a doctor and that was my “life trajectory.” I was in my junior year of the premed program at Georgia State and I felt like I was suppressing myself. Fashion and independence have become interchangeable words for me.
I started by writing for my school’s chapter of Her Campus and fell in love with fashion journalism. I liked the way we were told to write to girls like they were our best friends. At first, I wanted to seek out random internships to diversify my resume, but I started to get more and more fashion opportunities. Fashion was a place where I felt like I could truly be myself.
By the summer of 2020, I was switched not only majors but schools. Deciding to go back to school for fashion was my first “rebellious” act. I realized I wanted to live for me, and only me. I feel like I realized there are other ways that I could give back to the community using my interests. My goal is to have at least three degrees by 2028 (I also just really love school), and to create a PR firm that represents black women in the fashion, wellness, and beauty industry.
Emily: What do you wish you had known about the world of fashion before pursuing a life in it? Do you think knowing that would have changed your trajectory?
Mikhala: I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when I transitioned into the fashion industry. I was definitely overwhelmed and the first thing that I remember thinking was, “Yeah, I’m going to need experience.” The pandemic was a terrible time, but since everything was online and remote, I could do two internships at once without ever leaving my house. I sacrificed a lot of sleep and a lot of my social life, but I knew that I needed the experience.
I wish that there were better resources for finding fashion opportunities, and one thing that I didn’t know is that you basically have to find most opportunities on your own. My advice to my younger self is to never ever stop researching and creating vision boards—I feel like I achieved a lot in my life through obsession. I also wish that I had better coping skills and learned the luxury of CBD tea and meditation a little earlier.
Also, believing in yourself is enough. I felt overwhelmed when thinking about transitioning into the fashion industry because I felt like I didn’t have a support system or a community. I wish that I knew that the key to success is putting myself out there and making a community of my own.
Did you just get chills? Because I did.
The reason why change often feels so scary is because it is scary—it is the result of unknown things that will inevitably always happen whether we want them to or not. That’s fucking terrifying. But I think the main reason why evolution—the kind Mikhala undertook to become the person she wanted to be—feels so strong and powerful is because, shockingly, it is strong and powerful. It is both change itself and our fear of it harnessed, and a fuck you to any doubt that what you’re doing is wrong.
Designing the life you want for yourself and doing it against all odds is so fucking cool!!!! But instead of asking any more about that, I—with my big head and undying love for Meryl Streep1—went ahead and pitched Mikhala the question:
Emily: You're pursuing communications and PR—does your life look anything like The Devil Wears Prada?
Mikhala: It used to be before I decided to research the companies I was applying to before I applied. My favorite fashion memory is actually when I had to get 26 robes for models before a fashion show, and the bag broke in front of Salt Bae’s restaurant (I did also cry in front of the restaurant). There are times when bosses have tried to be toxic, and they definitely make you do the work to try to prove yourself, but remember that you deserve to be there.
Unfortunately, running around for people and fulfilling pointless demands is in every walk of life. I think the difference between Andy and I is that I am making my own firm to decrease the Devil Wears Prada-ness of the fashion world. I would talk about my time as a stylist’s assistant but I’m still working through that in therapy (kidding).
So yes, minus the unsupportive boyfriend. I’m thankful that people are a lot nicer than we were in 2006.
The Museum Where It Happened
In the 11 years that I’ve been on Instagram, my relationship with it has seen countless iterations, running the gambit from being “Mastermind”-level calculated2 to sharing a shoddy edit of Robert Mueller that was posted as haphazardly as it was made.3 I'm not exactly sure if there is a single way Instagram is actually intended to be used but if I had to guess, I think Shannon might be one of the few users out of the 2.35 billion people on the app who does it right.
Shannon’s social media presence is a careful collection, but one that doesn’t seem to be presenting a fake or forced image of herself. That’s why I wanted to ask her:
Emily: What thoughts go into curating and presenting your social media content? How do you decide first what to collect and second what gets shared?
Shannon: No thoughts, just vibes. Just kidding.
I just collect what I love and end up sharing it as a feeling. It’s always fun to see the full picture, (let’s say through an IG feed) and see the synchronicities.
Emily: What are some things you do to nourish yourself and your creativity?
Shannon: I feed my soul through long, long walks throughout Brooklyn, especially in my neighborhood. On a typical day, I might see a cute baby x puppy combo, or a chic looking old couple! I like trying new ice cream flavors! I’m big on journaling! Try it—and you might be surprised by what comes out on the page.
I call my people—I want to know how they’re doing, and it helps me do better. I like to shake it out!!!! Dance in front of the mirror. I used to do hot yoga before COVID, and have been slowly getting back to it. Anything that helps me clear my mind usually helps me to nourish my creativity.
Talking with Shannon is a very dreamy experience, one that prompted a lot more creative and philosophical questions than I was prepared to ask. There was one question in particular that felt right to ask and include, which was:
Emily: If your life was a museum, what would it look like?
Shannon: This is my favorite question.
The museum is designed by John Pawson. It’s filled with furniture from B&B Italia and art by friends. There’s probably a huge Pollock painting near the entryway. The ticket is one you’ll want to keep…on beautiful card stock that feels like money, but thicker.
Guests are invited to release all inhibitions over a hot cup of tea. The smell of fresh roses, lilac, and vetiver fills the room. The art on the walls is probably photos of our rarest moments sprinkled in with the highlights. I hope I have kids. They make the best art. So that’ll be there, too.
I see a gallery of my favorite clothes in frames and on mannequins. I see a gallery of letters sent and received over time. Maybe I could curate an immersive multi-sensory experience where my favorite artists share recordings of my poems.
Something like that.
I want to live in a world where we all exist for ourselves like Mikhala strives to, in rooms that Shannon designs. It’s a world that feels authentic and unique and really fucking fun.
And yes, I realize moments of change or evolution or any flavor medley of the two make me wistful (a fact we learned together back in November), but maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe this is a stage of life where I and so many others craft together the people we’re meant to be for now with the scraps of who we were, who we are, and who we want to be and you need a kind of starry-eyeness to do so. Or maybe this is just a me-thing, spawned out of some light sleep deprivation and mooniness over the news of getting to hear Sparks Fly (Taylor’s Version) very soon.
Honestly, who really knows?
Thank you SO MUCH to both Mikhala and Shannon for not only being so fucking cool and brilliant, but flexible and willing to make this piece happen.
Fun fact: Mikhala and I actually dreamt up a gorgeous Oscar-bait movie co-starring Meryl and Zendaya, but studios are too scared to pay writers so that masterpiece may never truly see the light of day.
Read: I had a private feed account where I would post my existing grid and hypothetical future posts to see how the images would look next to one another.
Read: in the middle of astronomy class because I was bored and also didn’t get what we were discussing.