Bold, playful, and edgy – Joby Jay talks about her signature style

With a soulful voice, Joby Jay sets the tone as a top-notch talent — and she also makes the cut in another arena: fashion.

“Fashion is communication. When I put myself together and go out, I make a statement before even saying a word. If you don’t already know who I am, you’re probably gonna be curious after seeing me,” she told Living.

Although her style has evolved, it was first nurtured by her talented father, who was a tailor and a dressmaker. “Growing up, I would always use scraps from the materials left on the floor to make clothes for my dolls,” she explained.

This resulted in her childhood dream of one day becoming a fashion designer. “My good friend from primary school loves to remind me how I wanted to be a fashion designer,” the singer said, adding that she vividly remembers buying books and drawing different designs conceived in her mind.

Then there were those magical moments when her beautiful and bold mother would enter the room as a shining example of how to own different trends. “My mother had a really cool earring collection when I was growing up that I became obsessed with. She didn’t even have pierced ears. But she would have the most unique statement clip-ons. I think that’s where my love for jewellery began,” she shared.

These days, her sense of style is viewed as playful, bold and edgy, and she takes great pleasure in experimenting with colour, textures and shapes.

“I’m a quiet yet vibrant and expressive person, and it comes out in my make-up looks. My confidence and sense of self come out in how I wear and style my hair; it’s my signature look now. Some people love it, other persons hate it, but I wear it with great pride. How I put my looks together is just very representative of me, how I feel, and the vibe that I want to give,” she revealed.

Some of her favourite local brands include Rina Maria, Rhea Imani, DéNalli and Kadian Nicely Exclusive. For international brands, she loves everything from the Kai Collective and can’t wait to get some pieces from them.

“My fashion icon is Janelle Monáe. She is heavily influenced by style. I love how bold she is with her outfits; the colours, the different silhouettes, her hair, her choice of jewellery and just her overall confidence and aura when she wears an outfit. It has inspired me to have fun with fashion,” she shared.

Joby Jay is similarly motivated to play around with her style and explores blending genres and sounds that connect her to music. Her first single, Big Girl Ting, starts off as a ballad, then goes into a one-drop riddim before ending in a dub style. “That song takes you on an interesting journey, just like my style,” she highlighted.

For an artiste’s career, having a visual identity is important, as it relates to being intentional and consistent about style. Critically acclaimed megastars such as Rihanna, Beyoncé, Prince and Elvis Presley, she declared, have embodied this viewpoint. “It’s vital to not only sound good, but look good as well. It’s all a part of the package,” Joby Jay pointed out.

The singer usually styles herself, which she considers to be a truly fun experience. “I know how I want to look and feel, and I usually plan my looks days in advance if I can,” she said.

But then there are moments when she gets the opportunity to work with local stylist Karina Francis of Rina Maria Clothing, make-up artist Jaycie Lewis of Aura Creative Services and hair artist Angel-Lee Alexia of Hair By Angel-Lee.

As far as her most iconic look goes, Joby Jay credits her performance at the High Life Festival in April. “This outfit was designed and made by Rina Maria. I loved that whole look; the hair, make-up, jewellery, outfit, and shoes came together so well. It was so whimsical, and I felt so much like myself. It was a combination of two of my favourite things, denim and the colour pink. I got so many compliments that night, and it looked beautiful on stage with the pink tassels moving in the wind while I danced. It was perfect,” she said.

Big on sustainable fashion, she is a proud thrifting fan and enjoys seeing beautiful crochet pieces. She also loves the look and feel of clothing that is made well from good fabrics. “I don’t mind wearing pre-owned pieces. I’m loving the crochet designs I’ve been seeing locally and internationally. There’s a beautiful texture that crochet pieces have that I just really love and want to get into more,” she highlighted.

Her advice to persons seeking to find their style is to first look at the styles of those you admire and build a fashionable momentum from there. “Once you figure out what you like about how they put pieces together, take inspiration from them and make it your own. Have fun with fashion. And don’t be afraid to try new things. Come out of your comfort zone and break those style rules sometimes; you will shock yourself with what you discover,” she said.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com