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April Kae, a self-described “silly person,” has a playful style that reflects her energetic spirit. By day, she works for an non-profit that helps fight educational inequality, and at night she sings and writes songs (her band Imanigold just released its debut single). Here, the multi-hyphenated Harlem resident shows us five outfits she wore in a week…
Sweater: via Poshmark, similar. Skirt: American Apparel, similar. Socks: Smartwool. Shoes: Dr. Martens.
“I’ve played music my whole life. As a teen, I played bass in a blues band and toured Texas in an all-girl rock group. My current project, Imanigold, is quirky pop, but I love all music and different genres, so I hope it comes out like a hodgepodge. I like wearing skirts and Docs to perform. This outfit is inspired by the ’90s cartoon Daria — I’m influenced by her love of skirts and big ol’ boots. Daria is smart yet insecure; she’s wonderfully flawed in that she’s always calling out everyone else, but has issues with introspection. The show encourages me to practice what I preach.”
Dress: Brandy Melville via Poshmark. Shirt: vintage, similar. Shoes: Doc Martens.
“I dress like a little kid sometimes. I like stripes and flowers and having my legs out in the winter. I had to grow up quickly — I moved out when I was 16 — so playfulness and childishness weren’t always available to me. Now that I have a stable place to live, a good education, a steady income and great insurance, I’ve got it covered and can be a kid. As a black woman with a curvy body, I’ve felt restricted with my clothes in other ways, though. Personally, I love wearing little shorts and tops because that’s how I grew up dressing in Austin, where it’s so hot! But in New York, men on the street make inappropriate comments. For a while, I wanted to be invisible and wore all loose things. But I’ve lived in Harlem for two years now, and even though I still get comments, I’ve decided that I will wear what I want up here. Also, there are lots of people around that I know — door guys, people working at the businesses, neighbors — that make me feel familiar and safer.”
Tunic: thrifted, similar. Pants: bought in Thailand, similar. Shoes: Sperry.
“I wore this outfit to my latest work conference. A hippie vibe is part of me. When I was eight, my mom started taking me to the Quaker church, where we’d do silent worship and speak only if we were moved by our inner light. One of their main tenets is simplicity, which means dressing plainly, avoiding labels, shopping secondhand and buying only what you need. I still love muted vintage prints and am good at getting interesting things without purchasing them. My friends and I constantly trade our clothes, and I’ll even find things on the street. It’s exciting and helps me be more creative.”
Earrings: from Costa Rica, similar. Bracelets: Bing Bang NYC and Completely Hammered. Watch: vintage, similar.
“I love long dangly earrings — they’re like pieces of art. I also always wear my Texas necklace and layers of bracelets I’ve collected over the years. I love jewelry from Altar, and I find things on Etsy. Right now, I’m coveting this and this.”
Dress, flannel and backpack: from a friend, similar, similar and similar. Jean jacket: found on street, similar.
“I can’t escape the ’90s vibe! Flannels are nice because you can button them up, unbutton them, wear them around your waist as a belt — I always keep one in my backpack. I also like mixing patterns, and I consider stripes and plaid to be neutrals.”
Jacket: gifted, similar. Tank: thrifted, similar. Jeans: American Apparel. Shoes: Converse.
“My mom is very curvy and petite, like I am. She taught me that clothes are not made for us, so we have to be innovative. Designers seem to think, ‘Oh, you have a big butt, you must have a big everything else.’ When I was 15, we had to go to the suburbs to the one store that sold bras in our size. Now, I buy mine online at Bare Necessities — this is the best T-shirt bra ever.”
“When I was growing up, low-rise jeans were in but they didn’t cover my butt. When I tried on my first pair of high-waisted jeans, I was like, ‘I have found my home.’ I have four pairs of these, in medium and large — if it’s that time of the month or I’m going out to eat, I wear the large, and if I’m running around I’ll wear the medium. I like to be a little punk rock, so I go for the black ones.”
Thank you so much, April!
P.S. More women’s weeks of outfits, and the best affordable jeans.
(Photos by Christine Han for Cup of Jo. Interview by Megan Cahn.)
