Fashion Profile: Ashanti Soldier

Year: 2015

Major: Cinema and Media Studies

Q: How would you describe your style?

Full of swag. Laid back. Spontaneous. International yet domestic, accessing the global through the local. It’s a hybrid aesthetic.

Q: Where do find your inspiration?

My style is inspired by new school hipsters. Not like the skinny jean hipsters but I’m talking about the bro hipsters. My style is a hybrid of a Matt Spevack and David Tullis kind of swag.

Q: Is there anyone on campus whose fashion style you admire?

One guy’s fashion style that I really like, who just swags it the fuck out, is Kevin Johnson. He was once wearing a lumberjack suit and it was quite delightful. Another guy’s style that I admire is Eric Wittenburg. Sam Cattau is the one who got me to look and make me realize, but after I witnessed for myself I realized his swagger is one of the most swaggish I have ever encountered. I just have this one memory of him wearing an all yellow jumpsuit with Crocs or something to that nature. The point being is that it was so carefree yet it paid so much attention to detail. It was such a complex combination.

Q: If you could live in any decade for fashion, which would it be and why?

I want to go back to the ages when the Vikings were. Just think about how dope their outfits were. They were fashionably ready to just fuck up people. I’m also digging the 1960s, you know, the vest with the little furry collars and the afros with the headbands and shit. That’s all me. They were big on accessories, which is one of the things I steal from that era anyway, so if I could go back to that era for real that would be dope.

Q: As the lead singer for the band Ashantology, do you think that your style changes when you perform on stage?

You know I’ve often thought about that but I think my regular dressing and outfits for shows are pretty similar. I don’t think I get prettier when I know I’m going to be on stage. An outfit I wear to class is the same I would wear on stage. Sometimes I add some accessories, like a big Victor watch, but no I don’t change that much. Sometimes though if I have an hour set I might start out with a jean jacket but leave with a tank top or something. My style actually changes on stage throughout the hour. I need to rock hard. Geologist.

Q: What’s your favorite thing in your wardrobe?

It would be this lion shark tooth chain that I’m wearing around my neck. I got it from a Jamaican store in Chicago about two years ago, but I recently rediscovered it and I wear it a lot. I actually never take it off, for no activity. When I touched it for the first time when I was going into the store just to see what was up, I felt the spirit of Musafa enter me so I couldn’t let it go. Whatever they were going to charge I just paid it. I’m a rude boy.

Q: What are some of your winter staples?

I have a black Carhartt jacket and a hand-knit Jamaican scarf with the word ‘boss’ knitted into it via Soren Hope. I also have a wooly fur multi-colored plaid swag jacket from New York City. I haven’t worn it a lot but I want to wear it today. The last thing is my black knitted hat that my grandma knit me that has 4 safety pins on the left side.

Q: What are the top 5 things you can’t live without?

I can’t live without Turkey burgers. I can’t live without my Blue Huffy bike. I can’t live without Downtown Tobacco. That would be tragic. I can’t live without Crack House. That would be sad. And I cant live without the Ashantologists on campus.

Q: What are you wearing right now?

Right now I have a minor league baseball cap that’s blue, orange, and black with hints of lime green. I have on this young cape cod sweater that was a gift from Last year’s Crack House residence. Then I have on 6 bracelet-type ya-digs. I have on the young tiger shark tooth necklace aka the rude boy. I have on my gold brass sailor belt with flag motifs on it. Then I have on True Religion light wash jeans with orange stitching. I’m all about little details that might not get picked up but I know that they’re there. They really matter. Then you go down to my shoes which are purple and wheat  XXV Nike Air Force 1 with neon orange laces that were made in Vietnam. I also have on a Croc camouflage phone case, which was a gift from a friend of mine from Chicago. I’m also wearing a black square cut diamond earring, and of course my black and gold Paul Frank glasses which have transitional lens, so a lot of time people think I have two pairs of the same glasses—one light and one dark. Ya-digs. The most key part of the outfit though is probably my superman underwear, which really bring the whole outfit together.

Q: Do you have any advice for the less fashionable Carls?

This is the procedure. First, you have to look at the man in the mirror. Second, look at the clothes in the closet. Third, repeat steps one and two, two more times. Fourth, look at your bank account; go live. And then… alternatively, find a more fashionable girl preferably to help you out.