Have you ever thought about how many fashion styles there are in the world? Minimalist, grunge, soft girl, and everything in between. These are not just trends; they are genres in fashion.

Let’s call them niches.

Dive a little deeper…

Have you ever considered the niches of African-American fashion? Streetwear, formal wear, suburban wear (ok, I might have made that one up).

The point is there are so many ways in which Black people dress.

And these niches communicate some pretty loaded messages. Each conveys a certain message about the wearer—their values, preferences, and perhaps even their lifestyle.

Let’s decode some of them.

Take streetwear or urban fashion—bold patterns, fabrics, and colors mixed with loose, effortlessly slouchy fits. Visions of New York or L.A. pedestrians fill most people’s heads when the phrase “streetwear” is uttered. Perhaps hip-hop or rap music floats around the brain.

Formal wear. Black excellence. Jewels and jewel tones. Tailored suits and form-fitting formal gowns. The Nigerian wedding; corporate girl boss pantsuit; girls annual trip to Turks and Caicos. Ideals of wealth and success permeate this niche in Black fashion. Oftentimes, through the gritty mechanism of hard work, the battle for social justice, and an overall “rising above.”

Suburban wear (which sounds mostly fictitious but exists if you take a closer look). All-day wearable workout gear and yoga sets. Expensive sneakers that rush the kids to practice. A signature purse that gets taken on the errands. This is the dream for some African Americans—a life of comfort, predictability, and rest—the result of generations of striving for better.

Black fashion has many forms and phases, each unique and beautiful in its own right. But oftentimes, people use Black fashion to categorize Blackness. If you’re into streetwear, you can be labeled “hood” or “ghetto.” On the flip side, if your niche is suburban fashion, you are “not Black enough.”

Do away with the “Blackness scale,” why don’t we? Niches in Black fashion should all be appreciated, not used as a measure of how Black you are.

Streetwear is inventive and refreshing. Formal wear is glamorous and beautiful. Suburban wear is comforting and homey.

All are Black.

All are Beautiful.