The Power of Style: How Fashion & Beauty are Being Used to Reclaim Cultures

Ages 12 And Up

Style is not just the clothes on our backs—it is self-expression, representation, and transformation.As a fashion-obsessed Ojibwe teen, Christian Allaire rarely saw anyone that looked like him in the magazines or movies he looked to for inspiration. Now the Fashion and Style Writer for Vogue, he is

working to change that—because clothes are never just clothes. Men’s heels are a statement of pride in the face of LGTBQ+ discrimination, while ribbon shirts honor Indigenous ancestors and keep culture alive. Allaire takes the reader through boldly designed chapters to discuss additional topics like cosplay, make up, hijabs, and hair, probing the connections between fashion and history, culture, politics, and social justice.

About the Author

Christian Allaire is an Ojibwe writer who grew up on the Nipissing First Nation reserve in Ontario,

Canada. His writing has appeared in Elle, Flare, and of course, Vogue, among other outlets. He is based in New York City.