I Heart the ’90s
Paying tribute to the “bold and unapologetic” Black hair and beauty styles of 30 years ago
Photographs and text by Jessica Pettway
Hair, beauty, and style are such an essential part of Black culture, and it was beyond fun to assemble a Black team to celebrate ourselves through this project. Collaborating with The Coily Collective founder Jaxcee Challenger and their resident braider Babette Nicole, we pulled inspiration from pop culture and fond memories to home in on the hair and makeup styles we wanted to highlight.
Together, we represented three different age groups and experiences of that era, which was key to showing a diverse range of styles within the hair, makeup, and wardrobe styling. Jaxcee and Babette also were key to guiding our wardrobe pulls from our local thrift stores.
Our biggest inspirations for this project came from some of our favorite movies, TV shows, artists, and celebs from the time: BAPS, Destiny’s Child, Clueless, Moesha, Naomi Campbell, and Halle Berry. I captured a vibrant mix of NYC-based friends and models sourced via Cast Partner to sport sculpted updos, waves, and braided bobs worn with nostalgic prints, colors, layers, and silhouettes from the decade.
Our models brought high energy and a loud sense of play to each look, while also adding their authentic personalities to each “character” or hairstyle. Pulling all of our inspirations together was a warm and fuzzy trip down memory lane.
CREDITS
Hair
The Coily Collective: Jaxcee Challenger, Babette Nicole, Shay Gomez, Leanna Elizabeth
Makeup
Ehlie Luna, Aliyah Abeni-Taylor
Wardrobe Styling
Jaxcee Challenger, Babette Nicole
Casting
Cast Partner
Retouching
Jinx Studios
Talent
Gilly Chan, Nyawal Tut, Taphari, Ayodele Myers, Brianna Bene-Espinal,
Somalia Knight, James G. Williams, Katherine Harrington, Kendra Austin
Jessica Pettway is a Brooklyn-based photographer.