What To Look For In African Style On American Streets

You don’t need to travel to Africa to pick up truly authentic-looking African fashion. If you look around, you’ll start seeing these African styles all over American streets.

Head wraps

Especially as summer heats up and women look for ways to dress up their pony tails you can get ready to see head wraps in distinctly African prints and Sub-Saharan colors. This one is from Stella Jean.

Romper and Jumpers

The playful colors of African patterns work perfectly on comfortable, airy rompers and jumpers. You’ll see tribal-looking prints and tropical colors on this comfy-cute item everywhere this summer. This one is from Tina Kalivas.

Bandeau tops

In the heat of Africa, bandeau tops are lifesavers. In this photo, the model has taken a scarf from TJ Maxx and twisted it into a fun, midriff-baring top—a smart move if you ask us since you can typically find scarves for much cheaper than tops, and in lighter, airy materials.

Blue Ombre

Blue ombre — basically darker at one end and lighter at the other — can’t help but stir up visions of alternating crystal-clear and deep-blue waters off African beaches, and the pearly white sand. This one is from BCBG. You’ll see this on maxi dresses and skirts everywhere.

 

Botanical dresses

This is another gem from Stella Jean. Expect to see a lot of clean prints that focus on just one natural item, like a tropical flower or the sub-Saharan wildlife of Africa.

Crop tops and long skirts

You may have noticed women in the city donning maxi skirts and crop tops. If you visit tribes in Africa, you’ll see this is almost the uniform for many African women. How can you not love the flowy long skirts and the air on your tummy on a hot day? This outfit is from Kiki Clothing.

 

Giraffe Print

Forget cheetah print — giraffe print will be all the rage this summer! It’s fierce but youthful, and accommodates bright and bold jewelry so well. This romper is from T J Maxx.

Wooden Beads

Rough, unpolished wooden beads are far less expensive than glass ones, but look classy in a Bohemian way, and they remind us of the handmade jewelry you’d find in African villages. These dramatic strands are from MarthaStewart.com.

Lion’s Mane Tops

We love to call this a lion’s mane top because it really gives the wearer the ferocity and royal air of the king of the African jungle. This piece is from Township, a nonprofit social enterprise that partners with women-owned companies.

African Drum Earrings

These earrings from Adeniyi — spotted at African Fashion Week — remind us of the ropes and twines of traditional African drums. You’ll spot these at street vendors everywhere as summer approaches.