Styled for Life

Growing up, style ran in my family in ways I didn't fully understand until I made it my own.

From an early age, fashion was a part of my life. What I didn't realize at the time was that in her brief stint in college, my mom had majored in fashion, and years later my sister would follow her path, double majoring in Fashion and Psychology at Clark Atlanta — a decision I wouldn't fully appreciate until much later.

THE FOUNDATION

Fashion became personal as I started discovering my own style. As a child, we didn't have much, but fashion quickly and easily became my outlet. In high school, I spent a lot of time around my mom's job at United Way. Whenever they received boxes of unsold Izod polos, my mom would bring them home for me to pick through, no matter the size or color.

Around that same time, Kanye popularized layered polos with popped collars, while Nelly and the St. Lunatics made backward jerseys and crisp white Air Force 1s iconic. Since I couldn't afford the clothes I wanted, I learned to make the most of what I had.

So there I was — mixing Ye and Nelly in my own attempts at style, pairing a fresh polo with crisp white Forces as my staple look. Even before the yellow "Live Strong" bracelets became a trend, I wore knockoff Nike hair ties as bracelets to match my outfits, and people constantly asked me where I got them. The answer was simple: the Dollar Store.

Being the youngest in the household also taught me the importance of taking care of what was mine. I washed and ironed my clothes so they always looked fresh, scrubbed sneakers with hotel bar soap — a trick I still use today — and kept white shoes spotless with a touch of bathroom cleaner.

GEORGIA AND THE BROTHERHOOD

That foundation carried me into the next stage of my life. In 2012, when I moved to Georgia for graduate school, I discovered fashion on another level. I met a group of brothers who were always a step ahead of the curve. Whether it was Polos, Jordans, or Cole Haan tassel loafers, they were consistently dressed and pressed.

What I realized was that fashion wasn't just about clothes for them — it was a gateway into late-night conversations about growth, vision, and the lives we wanted to build as husbands, fathers, doctors, and professionals in corporate America. Those conversations built an everlasting brotherhood that still exists today.

LSU AND EVOLUTION

As I transitioned into my professional career, fashion followed me to LSU. At first, I leaned into the Eurocentric standard of pressed shirts, ties, short hair, and clean-shaven faces. Then 2020 happened.

Like many, I adjusted to "business on top, sweatpants on the bottom," experimenting with a beard and longer hair. Returning to in-person work and transitioning into collegiate athletics pushed me to embrace a new philosophy.

I wanted to be myself and do what I loved: professional yet casual, fashionable yet comfortable. The more comfortable I became with myself, the more freedom I felt to experiment with my style. I tried new things — not to fit in, but as an extension of my growth and confidence.

WHAT FASHION MEANS

What I love about fashion is that it reflects who you are. When Coach Prime coined one of his most famous lines, it struck me deeply — first as a young athlete and later as a professional. To be the flyest, the sharpest, the most put-together always meant something. Either you showed up with your A-game, or you didn't show up at all.

I live by the belief that how you do anything is how you do everything.

Clothing speaks before you do.

For me, what you see is what you get: confidence, boldness, elegance, and sophistication. But beyond that, fashion is also a way to honor your culture, express your individuality, and show that professional attire doesn't erase who you are.

Fashion is about more than style. Fashion is about embracing authenticity, creating space for everyone to show up fully, and redefining what professional elegance can look like for you.