“What’s your name?”
“Nyjia”
“What would you say your favorite thing on right now is?”
“Umm, shit. I dunno! I don’t have like a favorite piece. My earrings, I really love, I got em, my friend owns a vintage store, so those are really cool… And my shoes, my shoes, they were like 200 dollars, but I got em for like, fifty dollars at the Betsy Jo outlet. I was like yes, like stacked heels yes!”
Bystander: “I like your haircut.”
“How would you describe your outfit tonight? Or your look, or the feeling that’s going on.”
“I dunno. I initially was gonna wear it to work today, but I didn’t end up going to work, so I was like, I’ll wear it tonight! And that’s minus the shirt. Um, I’m in fact really random. I was like, I’ll throw some stuff on and try to make it… Like every, most of my outfits coordinate, but with most of them it’s like, piece, piece, piece, and if it works it works. If it doesn’t, I’ll change it.”
“What would you like to see more or less of people wearing in Philadelphia?”
“Less of in Philadelphia. Um…No more plastic belts for girls. I hate that shit, like I hate that, you know, I’ve got a t-shirt with a belt on?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“No more of that.”
“Yeah you know that’s the second time someone’s mentioned that.”
“Oh. And guys and hoodies. I hate that shit. I’m so over it, for real.” (dude in background starts laughing)
“Yeah, the streetwear hoodie …”
“I hate that shit, with all the patterns? I’m like no, can you kill it? It’s just…It’s a hundred degrees outside, make it go away.”
“Yeah, yeah. Um, where are you from?”
“I’m from DC.”
“And how long have you been in Philly?”
“Two and a half years.”
“Where do you live in Philly?”
“South Philly.”
“What’s have we got… What’s your current obsession?”
“My current obsession in terms of…?”
“Anything. It doesn’t have to be fashion related. In fact, I’d prefer it not to be fashion related.”
“I’m like a music head. Who am I feeling right now… I’m obsessed with Gil Scott-Heron, like obsessed with him. I’m overdosing on him and Janelle Monet. She’s from Atlanta – well, she’s not, but she’s with Big Boi and them. And so I think them two, oh and Stevie Wonder – obsessed.”
“You’re from DC. There’s a lot of crazier fashion it seems, in DC. Or I’ve chilled with some kids from DC and they show me their friends on Myspace, and I know it’s Myspace, but I don’t see Philly kids’ myspaces all crazy outfits and fashion shoots.”
“I think it’s because there it’s mad conservative, so people are repressed. So when they rebel, it’s just extra. Like in a lot of other places it’s like oh I can be extra and I can be different, but I think there it’s a lot more different cause it’s so conservative. Like despite the fact that, like, I dunno, they have a decent art scene, but when people go overboard there, they really go overboard.”
“Damn. Um, what else, there’s a final thing to ask… Oh, what are the comments on your hair?”
“Um, I get really weird ones. The first time I got my hair and I went home, my mom was like, you look like a butch.”
(Me laughing)
“Oh but I get good ones, like I get people going ‘oh my god I looove it.’ The best is coming from older women, like that forty-five to seventy range, they love it. But a lot of younger people are kinda like, I guess, hm. But for the most part, people love it.”
“Yeah. Interesting. Okay, I can’t think of anything else, so I guess this is over!”
