Fashion is a statement that you make about who you are and what’s important to you before saying a word. Fashion is also a conversation starter, from sharing a deal of the century to your story about that cherished gift from a loved one. It has the ability to connect and unite us. For these two Rochester community women, fashion is more than what they choose to wear every day—it is passion; it is purpose.
Trina Morris is the brain and beauty behind social media platform, @theheadwrapsocialite. Morris shares trendy, yet timeless outfits and new beauty products with just the right amount of soul and levity to stop your doom-scrolling in its tracks.
How was @theheadwrapsocialite conceived?
@theheadwrapsocialite has always been a part of who I am, but it was birthed right around the time the pandemic started. I missed volunteering, getting dressed up every day, meeting up with girlfriends for lunch. Even if I wasn’t able to do those things in the ways that I was used to, one thing I could do was get up and get dressed. I decided to post these pictures on my Instagram page and talk about what I was wearing as a part of my selfcare routine.
Also, when George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis, I felt the need as an African American mother of four biracial young men to use my platform to speak up and have conversations around the racial injustices in our world. So really, @theheadwrapsocialite was born from a place of love, wanting to put some smiles, happiness and positivity into the world while creating a unique community of people who wanted to do the same.
How do you view fashion as a link to social justice and an opportunity for advocacy?
Fashion has always been intertwined with the political and social aspects of our society. There is an opportunity to see movements and bringing awareness to inequalities.
Seeing those things highlighted by fashion can start a movement. It is also a conduit through which many stories can be shown and told. Now more than ever we can be mindful consumers, supporting BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) fashion businesses so that they can thrive and be seen and celebrated throughout the world.
Where do you get your style inspiration?
I draw my fashion inspiration from everything and everyone around me from my past and present, from nature to music to art. I draw inspiration from my grandmother, my mom and the people who have surrounded me all my life, both men and women, from aunts and cousins to neighbors and friends.
What is your authentic style, and how has it changed throughout different seasons of your life?
I really feel that my authentic style is a mixture of vintage, high-end and street wear. I change up my fashion often because I love wearing different things. My style constantly evolves. Fashion changes constantly. I follow what’s trending, but I also wear what makes me happy. Being comfortable and loving what you wear allows you the freedom to express yourself. Head wraps are a big part of my style repertoire; I’ve been wearing head wraps or scarves since I was a little girl.
I’m hoping that women who read this article truly know that we are not just one thing or another. We are multifaceted. We should all feel empowered to be our beautiful, unique selves. There is beauty in diversity, and together we are stronger!
Owner of local brand Damsel and Fox, Hannah Eidem creates beautiful and thoughtful jewelry. Her recent experience as a juror on a sexual crime case led Eidem to say, “This isn’t about just earrings anymore.” The Justice Collection was born in partnership with Love Justice International, a nonprofit dedicated to combating social injustice and putting a stop to the sex trafficking industry. This limited run of earrings sold out (more than once) in record time, creating impact far beyond Eidem’s expectations, both locally and abroad.
What was your fundraising goal for The Justice Collection? And how much did you exceed it?
My thought process was, “What if I save three lives?” That is how many kids I have. I knew this wasn’t a huge number sales-wise, but I also knew even one life would be impactful. Just like in my jury duty experience—it started with one. I (we) surpassed that goal by over double, saving roughly eight and a half lives from human trafficking.
How would you describe the local impact of this collection and your campaign?
We are changing the narrative here that this isn’t a shameful topic. We are a part of the overall story when it comes to saving those who are impacted and preventing those who may be impacted!
I also got a call from one of my followers shortly after the launch, and she shared with me that she was about to leave social media because she was so discouraged by the negative talk that goes on in these platforms. She said the day she was going to delete her account she stumbled across my story. She went out and got her ears re-pierced (that’s right—she didn’t even have her ears pierced but bought the entire collection), so she could support in this way and also paid forward a free-will donation.
What was your biggest challenge throughout this experience and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge that I had to overcome was honestly self-talk. I wasted so much time telling myself, “This isn’t going to work. No one is going to read or care or listen, and you don’t have a big enough audience.” Networking with other powerhouse business women in the area cleansed me of this negativity and helped me look at the big picture. It helped me round off my perspective concerning how much or what kind of impact I really could make through this idea.
Do you have plans for another campaign or other advocacy in the future?
Damsel and Fox has been asked to be an official partner with Love Justice International! Nothing is solidified except that this will be a yearly event in my business and I have even more connections now to assist in raising awareness. And ultimately, I will not stop this discussion. It is now a regular topic in my brand and on my platforms. We have to keep the ball rolling to raise awareness, and I am committed to this conversation.
