Alecia Hawkins: Finessing with Fashion and Rap 101

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Alecia Hawkins' hair is part of her outfit / BYRON MASON II

B: Tell me what's going on with your outfit today.

A: I got on my ones. They just came out. I got on some ripped jeans and I got a black tee on with Chief Keef on it. You know, gotta wear the GOAT. But my hair is a part of my outfit ‘cause my hair [is] colored. So I gotta wear certain clothes with my hair ‘cause I can’t go out too crazy.

 

B: What made you go with that hairstyle?

A: I’m from Chicago, so they’re just doing that a lot in Chicago now. And I’ve seen a lot of people with like red and black and blonde and black. But I wanted to be extra.

 

B: Tell me about your t-shirt. Where’d you get it?

A: Forman Mills? I got it from there. I was just looking for black t-shirts up in the store.

 

B: So are you a big Chief Keef fan?

A: Yeah I listen to a lot of his music. But I listen to a lot of Chicago music.

 

B: Who are some of your favorite Chicago rappers or artists?

A: Chief Keef. Lud Foe. Lil Bibby. Lil Herb. You know Cdot.

 

B: I think there’s two sides to Chicago rap. You have Chief Keef and those guys. But then you have rappers like Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa. What do you think about that kind of difference in Chicago rap?

A: I’m just so used to drill music. That’s just what I’m always around when I’m in Chicago. Not Chance the Rapper and Vic and stuff like that. But I like their stuff.

 

B: What do you think about the Chicago music scene right now?

A: It’s getting harder and harder. The drill music is getting more drill.

 

B: What do you mean by that?

A: You know they talk about the streets in their music. And the streets are getting worse. It’s getting more explicit.

 

B: What do you mean that the streets are getting worse?

A: Before I just came back out here from the summer, I’m like “man I need to move around.” ‘Cause there’s so much stuff going on in Chicago. They’re doing mad shootings at parties that everyone is going to. They’re kidnapping people. All types of stuff.

 

B: How does that make you feel?

A: It just makes me want to move around.

 

B: Move around? Or move out of Chicago?
A: Move out of Chicago. ‘Cause you know you’re in Chicago, you get attached to it. You get attached to that lifestyle. But it’s just… I was ready to leave.

 

B: Does your love for Chicago for Chicago influence your style at all?

A: Definitely. I’ve done moved around a lot. I ain’t always lived in Chicago. When I was younger, I stayed in the suburbs. But I moved to Chicago in like third grade. I know if I didn’t live in Chicago, I wouldn’t have the style that I got because a lot of people that I was in grade school with in my other town, they stayed the same. They look exactly the same as when I left. In Chicago, you’re around a whole bunch of people that are all your age. Everybody’s glowing up together. You get your influence from others.

 

B: You got the jacket too. How do you decide what jackets to wear?

A: That’s the best part of the outfit. I got jean jackets. Rain jackets. I’m trying to make this rain jacket clothing line.

 

B: Your clothing line. Tell me a little about that.

A: I’m gonna call it Black Effect. But I don’t know how I really want to go with it yet. But I’m gonna have jogging suits and stuff. And I’m gonna have everybody wearing it so word gets around.

 

B: If someone was looking for tips on how to get their style game up, what would you tell them?

A: That’s deep. Just do what I do. I take note on everybody’s outfit. You wear outfits everyday so out of one of those days , at least somebody told you “I like your outfit. Then just wear a whole bunch of outfits just like that one outfit. Just switch it up.

 

B: So it’s more how people perceive you than what you like?

A: Nah. It makes you feel better when people tell you they like what you’re wearing.  But as long as you feel comfortable with what you’re wearing.