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I Heart the ’90s

Paying tribute to the “bold and unapologetic” Black hair and beauty styles of 30 years ago

Photographs and text by Jessica Pettway

 

Hair, beauty, and style are such an essential part of Black culture, and it was beyond fun to assemble a Black team to celebrate ourselves through this project. Collaborating with The Coily Collective founder Jaxcee Challenger and their resident braider Babette Nicole, we pulled inspiration from pop culture and fond memories to home in on the hair and makeup styles we wanted to highlight.

Together, we represented three different age groups and experiences of that era, which was key to showing a diverse range of styles within the hair, makeup, and wardrobe styling. Jaxcee and Babette also were key to guiding our wardrobe pulls from our local thrift stores.

 

Our biggest inspirations for this project came from some of our favorite movies, TV shows, artists, and celebs from the time: BAPS, Destiny’s Child, Clueless, Moesha, Naomi Campbell, and Halle Berry. I captured a vibrant mix of NYC-based friends and models sourced via Cast Partner to sport sculpted updos, waves, and braided bobs worn with nostalgic prints, colors, layers, and silhouettes from the decade.

 

Our models brought high energy and a loud sense of play to each look, while also adding their authentic personalities to each “character” or hairstyle. Pulling all of our inspirations together was a warm and fuzzy trip down memory lane. 

CREDITS

Hair
The Coily Collective: Jaxcee Challenger, Babette Nicole, Shay Gomez, Leanna Elizabeth

Makeup
Ehlie Luna, Aliyah Abeni-Taylor

Wardrobe Styling
Jaxcee Challenger, Babette Nicole

Casting
Cast Partner

Retouching
Jinx Studios

DP
Kelsey Smith

Talent
Gilly Chan, Nyawal Tut, Taphari, Ayodele Myers, Brianna Bene-Espinal,
Somalia Knight, James G. Williams, Katherine Harrington, Kendra Austin

 

 Jessica Pettway is a Brooklyn-based photographer.