Tiffany Hill’s wardrobe is a reflection of her essence: multi-layered and timeless.
Exploring her closet feels like time traveling. It is filled with meaningful vintage and thrifted pieces that have history and unique stories. The 30-year-old fashion stylist, model and wardrobe and style consultant collects pieces that have dimension, color, texture and can create defined silhouettes.
“I purchase clothing with the intention of not just wearing it once or twice,” Hill says. “I have this rule of thumb when I’m trying on clothes: I have to be able to automatically create three outfits in my mind (with that item).”
|
|
|
Poking out of her curated closet: a plaid flannel long-sleeve shirt, a silk patterned bomber jacket and an ’80s-style blazer. There’s a cropped, green, long-sleeve with a texture like bubble-wrap. A cream-colored coat looks simultaneously fuzzy and cozy. Hill reimagines and mixes staple and statement pieces in fresh ways.
On her Instagram, the California native shares video diaries of her clothing.
One unexpected outfit combines a camouflage baseball cap, a fitted tank, a vintage ankle-length skirt with a tiger-like pattern, a metal-chain waist belt, long gray socks and Birkenstock slides. Mixed metal accessories, like a stack of necklaces, bracelets, rings and gold hoops, add shine and complete the look. This exploratory blend of masculine and feminine is Hill’s speciality.
“I really love when my clothes lay on my body in a beautiful way,” she says.
She loves to play with contrast. Think: cozy and polished or baggy and structured. For her, flipping traditional looks on their head is a reminder of what style is about: freedom of expression.
Since she was a child, her parents encouraged her to explore her authentic style. She played dress-up in her mother’s heels, wore large black tutus to the mall, dyed her hair with red Kool-Aid and tried every hairstyle under the sun. The freedom she was given as a child only grew as an adult. She continues to push herself to think outside of the box for her personal and professional styling services.
“I love belts,” Hill says. “I don’t ever wear belts for the purpose of how they’re supposed to be worn. I like my clothes to be tailored. If I have a belt that’s going through my belt loops, it’s not there to serve its purpose as far as holding up my pants. It’s there to add an extra element of style.”
She has a generous collection of belts rolled up in a purse, not to mention an assortment of hats that scream it-girl; statement sneakers, boots and mules; shelves of artsy jewelry in an elegant jewelry box; and a variety of mixed metal necklaces and chains showcased on a necklace stand.
For Hill, shopping secondhand is deeper than a trend—it means opting out of fast fashion and its harmful impacts on the environment. She values the clothes and accessories that were made before her time, giving them new life and bringing the love they carry into the next generation—all while expressing her truest self through fashion.
“My style is a reflection of my confident, graceful and dope essence. Confidence is what solidifies the outfit. Grace allows me to give myself space to evolve with my style as I am evolving as a woman,” she says. “I get to tell a story everyday through my clothing. And that’s dope.” tlashae.com
One of her favorite pieces of jewelry
|
|
|
Hill worked for more than two years at Time Warp, the area’s biggest vintage clothing store. There, she discovered a twisted, vintage sterling silver bracelet inscribed with “December 26,1979“ and “I love you.” The bracelet reminds her of how infinite love is and how jewelry and clothing can hold memories and meaning.
This article originally appeared in the February 2024 issue of 225 magazine.