00:00I would describe my personal style as structured, classic, but with a little bit of camp.
00:05I always like to have a little something in there that's a little off.
00:11I'm K.J. Moody, celebrity stylist, and you are watching Essences in the studio powered by Tide.
00:17What sparked my love for fashion was really watching my aunt that is an incredible designer and a stylist.
00:24So I watched her create costumes for Destiny's Child,
00:26and just that glamour of the hair and the makeup and the sequins.
00:30I would describe my personal style as structured, classic, but with a little bit of camp.
00:36I always like to have a little something in there that's a little off.
00:39Like today, my shoes, you know, there's always a little something there.
00:45I really wanted to find some dope pieces today thrifting, so I went over to Rose Garden Remake Boutique,
00:51which is a boutique that I love here in Dallas, Texas.
00:55I love thrifting, and I think when you're browsing a rack, the best thing to do is to stop at
01:01whatever jumps at you first.
01:04And I think that's what you should purchase always.
01:06I think there aren't very many Black-owned thrift stores or vintage shops.
01:11And then there's a special essence that they have.
01:14You know, it's sizing that they have, personalization that Black-owned businesses and thrift stores have
01:20that is somewhat of a dying art sometimes.
01:23This store, there's a little bit of everything.
01:26You know, there's fashion, there's art, there's furniture.
01:30And this business supports women, and it's also a charity, which I also think is beautiful.
01:36So I'm standing in this thrift store, and I find an affirmation station, which I am, like, obsessed with doing
01:44affirmations.
01:45So I have to do one of my own.
01:47I will stand firm in my talents and abilities.
01:59I think as a Black creative, sometimes I feel like my talent isn't enough, or I'm not, you know, good
02:07enough as an artist.
02:08As a celebrity stylist, a lot of things are last minute.
02:11You know, there's a lot of times where you get things made and it doesn't look right.
02:15Or you get things sent in and it doesn't fit.
02:18Or you feel like, oh, I have it.
02:20And then the day of the event, the client doesn't like it anymore.
02:22But you just have to trust the process.
02:24You have to trust your talent.
02:25You have to trust, I want to say trust God, really.
02:28You know, I think that's so important because you never know what the outcome is going to be.
02:33Would you let me use your sewing machine and let me create something and repurpose and recycle?
02:40My sewing machine?
02:42Your baby.
02:43My baby?
02:44In the nonprofit, we work with women coming out of prison and recovery.
02:48Oh, wow.
02:48So this is me teaching them how to do something different.
02:53And it could be sewing, it could be building, it could be crocheting, it could be everything.
02:59Just holler if you need me.
03:00Okay.
03:00The owner, Kelly, she let me use her sewing machine.
03:03I was able to sew a patch on my denim jacket, which was so much fun because I haven't used
03:08a sewing machine in so long.
03:10Yeah, it does.
03:10That's a part of the design.
03:12What did I do?
03:12I always tell people that it's no mistakes.
03:16It's all a part of the design.
03:19This is what I ended up deciding.
03:22You can't go wrong with a light denim.
03:23This denim jacket, and I'm obsessed with this zipper.
03:27A polo that has a really cool collar.
03:29And then this repurposed tie that I'm going to literally wear with everything.
03:34My tradition now is to go to a laundromat.
03:37It's common that there's like a couple of like pesty little stains and stuff when you're thrifting.
03:41I typically would try to pre-treat the stain, but with Tide, I don't even need to do so.
03:46It works on all machine washable fabrics.
03:49In a black household, it is so important to have your laundry day.
03:53And you know, mom did not play about that at all.
03:56You know, I believe that smell is important.
03:58I believe in smelling clean is important.
04:00You know, it's funny.
04:01I would always walk into a class and my teacher would always say,
04:03you smell like the dry cleaners.
04:05Because every single morning, my uniform, I would put in the dryer with a dryer sheet.
04:09And I make sure that my clothes smell good.
04:13Because I think the way you smell is like the way you dress.
04:15And you want people to remember you.
04:17I love when people hug me and they say,
04:18ooh, you smell so clean.
04:20To me, that is very, very important.
