Maya Angelou was renowned for her vibrant, eclectic style of dress. She often contrasted sharply against the traditional, conservatively dressed figures in the Civil Rights Movement. Her clothing and her bold, daring accessories attracted attention, helped her to stand out in the crowd and epitomized her unique boldness and confidence.
By all accounts, Maya Angelou’s attention to her wardrobe was no casual affair. She spent time shopping, searching for the perfect items to create the statement she desired. She was highly particular about her wardrobe and would often design her own clothes. She was a fan of bright colors and patterns, especially the African-inspired prints that reminded her of her roots.
Maya Angelou often clutched a leather-bound organizer or attaché and accessorized with earrings, scarves and hats. Commonly pictured donning a bold head wrap, her headwear was often inspired by diverse African cultures. In a popular New York Times article, she said, “I feel I am more a reflection of African pride, African strength and African unity, which is what I wanted to support with all my fashions.”
Maya Angelou was not shy when it came to her wardrobe. Depending on the occasion, she donned vibrant and bold African-inspired prints, often paired with statement accessories and hats. Reflective of her strong personality and activist lifestyle, her clothes were described as having a quiet, yet strong impact.
Maya Angelou favored fabric patterns like dashiki, kente cloth, gele, and African-print fabric, which were all traditionally inspired from various African cultures. Many of the fabric prints were loose-fitting, dramatic and paired with her selection of bold circle earrings.
Dashikis and Other African-Inspired Patterns
Maya Angelou was known for donning colorful, African-inspired patterns in her wardrobe like Dashikis. Dashikis are traditionally worn in African countries and many cultures, such as Nigerians, Senegalese and Ghanaians; they have also become popular and fashionable across the African Diaspora. Not only did they help the writer feel connected to her African roots, but she also used her style to make powerful statements to fight the global struggle and racism against African-Americans.
Whenever Maya Angelou could be found wearing a Dashiki or another African-inspired fabric, she was almost sure to layer a large statement piece of jewelry to make a bold statement. Her aim was to promote awareness and pride in her African heritage with her choice of fashion.
In fact, her willingness to stand out from the crowd and stand up for what she believed in became widely influential and is noted even today. In fact, some of the African-inspired prints she favored, like the Ankara print, have become widely fashionable.
Scarves and Hats
Maya Angelou was quite the fashionista and was known for her multitude of colorful scarves and hats. She often boosted her African-inspired look with bold and daring head wraps. Her preference for head must-haves shied away from the more conservative styles that were popular in the public eye at the time, and instead opted to stand out with intricate wraps with bright, printed fabrics.
The writer was also noted for accessories like large earrings or silver necklaces. Maya Angelou ditched the classic pearl earrings that were popular at the time and instead stood out with unique circular studs which she paired with countless scarves.
While her headwear, jewelry and clothing were integral parts to her style, they weren’t the only items she wore with pride. Maya Angelou also owned an array of statement bags and iconic leather-bound organizers which many attributed to her success as a writer.
Clothes That Make a Statement
Not only was Maya Angelou’s style a reflection of her African heritage and connectedness, but her clothing and accessories made a definite impact. Maya Angelou was often the only person wearing African-inspired prints and was unafraid to boldly bring more awareness to the issue and protection of African-Americans.
When Maya Angelou wore her African-inspired garments and jewelry, she was making a statement about her identity and openly rejecting certain modes of dress and speech that were considered more polite or accepted in the 1950s and 1960s. Her unique clothing; accessories and even bags were a big part of her identity and her fight for the rights of African-Americans.
Her clothing and personal accessories showed her style and her desire to embrace her African heritage and to celebrate the diversity of African cultures around the world. Her clothing, accessories and headwrap styles; became widely influential, and some of her favorites, like the Ankara print, have become widely fashionable.
Clothing as a Form of Art
Maya Angelou was an artist and she used her clothing as a way to showcase her artwork. Her loose-fitting clothing and bright colors reflected her personality and made a statement wherever she went.
Not only was her dramatic clothing a symbol of her civil rights activism; but for her, clothing was also an art form. From her brightly patterned African-inspired prints to her signature head wrap, Maya Angelou wore her clothing with pride and as a way to make a statement about her culture and heritage.
Her African-inspired clothing also served a purpose beyond just fashion. For example; the bright colors of a Dashiki not only made an important statement, helping to note her African heritage and a move away from the more conservative clothing found on the Civil Rights Movement at the time; but they also made a statement of change and the advancement of acceptance of African-Americans in American culture.
Her Love of Bold Hats
Maya Angelou was a fashion icon and often chose carefully curated items for her wardrobe. Her hats and head wraps were like a symbol of her pride and culture.
The iconic wordsmith was well-known for her bright, colorful headscarves and hats and went against the grain in more subtle, conservative ways. She had what some called a “signature style” of hats and scarves; including wraps with intricate patterns and vibrant colors. It was her way of standing out and making a statement.
Maya Angelou’s unique style helped to pave the way for the modern fashion movement. Even today, her style remains iconic and has been featured in many magazines, articles and publications.
Mixing Patterns and Colors
For Maya Angelou, fashion was a form of expression and she often combined colors and patterns in different ways to express her beliefs and culture. Her wardrobe was loud and proud, reflective of her personality and attitude.
Maya Angelou was a pioneer in the fashion industry, as she kept up with what was in vogue and current at the time. She was a fan of bold colors and patterns, especially African-inspired prints, which reminded her of her roots.
While some people in the public eye often avoided bright colors, Maya Angelou stood out in the crowd by donning brighter fabrics and statement earrings.
Conclusion
Maya Angelou was a fashionista and always stood out in the crowd with her signature head wraps, colorful dashikis and unique fashion choices. She often mixed colors, patterns and textures to create an ode to her African roots.
Her iconic style reflected her personality and her courage to stand out and make a statement. She was at the forefront of the civil rights movement, standing out in the crowd and standing up for what she believed in. Her fashion choices soon made an impact on the fashion industry, with many of her fabrics and statement pieces becoming fashionable in the present day.
