I have always been a fashion girlie, and this is based on early documentation from my mother who dressed me in Calvin Klein Jeans before I could walk. My memories provide a framework of a girl who loved putting a look together whether it was a suede skirt suit and ruffled blouse á la Prince in the third grade, custom airbrushed jeans with my name on one leg and Bugs Bunny on the other to match a Looney Tune's hip-hop inspired shirt, OR planning out an entire week of Tommy Hilfiger ensembles to wear on the last week of my senior year. Clothing and the meaning behind them always moved me, because what we wear goes far beyond just a "look", it's a moment in time, a reminder both to ourselves and sometimes to others. It's a connection to the past and sometimes even family if you're lucky enough to have things passed down.

So, when I had the opportunity to attend the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute press preview of Superfine: Tailoring Black Style by way of my day job, I was ecstatic. When the exhibition was first announced the first thing I did was pick up Slaves to Fashion: BlackDandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity by Monica L. Miller, which inspired the exhibition. Miller who is professor and chair of Africana Studies at Barnard College, Columbia University, New York also serves as the Guest Curator of the exhibition.

Per The Met, "The Costume Institute’s spring 2025 exhibition presents a cultural and historical examination of Black style over three hundred years through the concept of dandyism. In the 18th-century Atlantic world, a new culture of consumption, fueled by the slave trade, colonialism, and imperialism, enabled access to clothing and goods that indicated wealth, distinction, and taste. Black dandyism sprung from the intersection of African and European style traditions.

Superfine: Tailoring Black Style explores the importance of style to the formation of Black identities in the Atlantic diaspora, particularly in the United States and Europe. Through a presentation of garments and accessories, paintings, photographs, decorative arts, and more, from the 18th century to today, the exhibition interprets the concept of dandyism as both an aesthetic and a strategy that allowed for new social and political possibilities. Superfine is organized into 12 sections, each representing a characteristic that defines the style, such as Champion, Respectability, Heritage, Beauty, and Cosmopolitanism. Together, these characteristics demonstrate how one’s self-presentation is a mode of distinction and resistance—within a society impacted by race, gender, class, and sexuality."

Having viewed multiple spring exhibitions of The Costume Institute I have to say this one is at the top of my list. With each section building upon the next, I learned so much, but also "felt" so much. Pieces that reminded me of family, myself, specific time periods, and the magnificence of being Black.

Update: I had yet another amazing opportunity to see Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, but this time as a part of a private tour at The Met. All I can say is wow! Seeing the exhibition with a small group, during a tour led by Kai Marcel was both moving and amazing. Learning the intricacies of the exhibition, the pieces, and the history made it even more special. Check out more photos below!