Samantha Elise began Instagramming her outfit photos just for fun while in high school in Missouri. People took notice, and she’s now working as a stylist in Chicago. “I’m finally getting to a place where I can celebrate who I am and what I do,” she says. “It feels liberating.” Here, Samantha shares five looks she wore in a week and talks about ballet, growing up adopted, and where to find perfect blazers…

Shirt: Everlane. Sweater: ASOS. Glasses: Jimmy Fairly. Watch: “hand-me-down from my mom.” Purse: vintage.

“I call this my ‘no-fuss uniform.’ The jeans are loose, so I can eat happily. It’s layered, so I can wear it in lots of spaces, like a museum where the AC is blasting or with the sweater thrown over my shoulders outside if it’s warmer.”

Vest: Madewell. Pants: Naked Wardrobe. Glasses: Jimmy Fairly.

“You can wear a vest by itself or over a T-shirt or turtleneck. Just play around and embrace the trial-and-error of figuring out what feels good. I don’t know anybody who comes up with their favorite outfits the first time they put something together.”

“My sister drew this window tattoo. It shows my apartment in Boston, where I lived for six years while dancing for the Boston Ballet School. I danced ballet from age three to 19. I loved it for a long time, but the transition from doing it locally to dancing for a company was surreal. It’s similar to how the media portrays it — very intense and competitive. The whole atmosphere felt like Black Swan.”

“I wore a leotard eight hours a day, six days a week. The only time I put on real clothes was Sundays, my day off. I’d put together outfits and go people watch. Boston has a ton of colleges, so I’d see cool, inspiring streetwear. I also saw people walking around in refined office wear, like amazing suits and dresses. It felt so different from St. Louis, where the clothes leaned towards comfort, like sweatpants and Uggs.”

Tank: Madewell. Skirt: Madewell.

“I’m adopted, and as a kid, I thought a lot about my identity. My whole family is white, except for my other adopted sister who’s Black and Puerto Rican. And ballet is a predominantly white space — I was the only Black girl during my time at the Boston Ballet School. For the longest time, I was really quiet because I couldn’t figure out where I belonged. But I always expressed myself through clothes.”

“You know that TikTok video of horses running free on the beach? That’s how I felt the moment I stopped dancing. About two weeks after leaving the program, I chopped my hair off. To meet the company uniform standards, I’d had to heat train my hair, which left it damaged. I also started getting tattoos and committed to dressing myself every single day. Back then my #1 thing was resisting anything skin tight. It felt too similar to a leotard, and I wanted nothing to do with that.”

Blazer: thrifted. Shorts: Dissh. Poplin shirt: Gap Factory. Loafers: Dole.

“I love a good blazer — they instantly make me feel confident. The best place to get them is a thrift store. I’ve found vintage Ralph Lauren blazers for $5! And always search the men’s section. Men’s blazers are the best because the shoulders are huge; they add drama and feel so chic.”

“As a kid, I shopped for clothes at Goodwill with my mom. It felt like a big treasure chest, and everything was affordable. In middle school, I’d find patterned blouses with massive shoulder pads and pair them with my Jordans. My #1 thrifting rule is to never skip an aisle. These days, I like to walk in with a playlist that’s at least an hour long. Then I’ll listen to it as I comb through every single piece of clothing. It feels therapeutic.”

Shirt: Target. Jeans: Madewell, similar.

“When you understand denim washes, you can make denim-on-denim look effortless. I wore this outfit 50 times this summer. People think it’s a set, but the jeans are Madewell and the top is from an old Target collab that I found on Poshmark for $10. Still, because they’re both a medium wash, they work together.”

“I’m an intuitive dresser. Before choosing my clothes, I check-in with myself. If I’m not confident, I’m going to put on something that helps me feel confident. And those pieces change over time. For a while, I loved bolder pieces, like fire-truck red pants. But today I like to wear neutral colors with loose silhouettes. They just feel like me.”

Thank you so much, Samantha! You are wonderful.

P.S. More people share their week of outfits, including an architecture professor with a pink power suit and antique dealer with the best button-downs.

(Photos by Kendra Lynece for Cup of Jo.)

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