“Raise Ya Crowns:HERstory'' with Lauren Hill aka LaLa of StylistLaLaTooDope

What’s good yall?? We’re so excited to bring you our SECOND entry of the “Raise Ya Crowns:HERstory'' series!

This week we have one of our favorite Jersey creatives on the blog, Lauren Hill aka LaLa of StylistLaLaTooDope!

We go a little ways back with LaLa to our first photo shoot as SSA in 2018! The love and support has been real from the start, so it was only right to show it back and give La the flowers she rightfully deserves. 

Check out our interview below to get to know more about LaLa as a creative, her inspiration, how she puts on for Jersey by carving out her own lane as a fashion powerhouse and the impact her “Stylemates” have had on her career.

 

SSA: Hey Sis! Go ahead and let the people know who we got we us today!

LAUREN: Hey, what’s up y'all ! It’s ya girl Lala aka LalaTooDope aka StylistLalaTooDope but my real name is Lauren Hill! 

SSA: Okay period, the name will always ring bells! Lol We want to go ahead and get right to it. 

What led to your love of fashion? Especially with being in such a highly competitive field, how do you stay true to yourself while still being able to stand out from others doing the same as you?

LAUREN: My love for Fashion came from my family. Dressing fly and looking good is a part of our language. My OG (grandma) has always been the flyest person to me and she has instilled what having a fashion sense truly means. Which means having your own personal style, but most importantly being yourself. I take those basic principles and apply them to all aspects of my life especially as it pertains to my career. 

I value staying true to who I am because I truly think I am dope asf! I am genuinely myself, through my personal style, my personality and my aura, it is all 100% me. Despite being in an oversaturated industry, I honestly think there's room for everyone but there's nothing like having some  healthy competition. 

Let’s be honest, we are all doing something similar but in different fonts. I think what helps me stand out from others doing the same as me is the flavor I bring into anything that I am doing. The sauce that I bring can’t be duplicated because you’ll know something was done by me just by the way it can make a person feel. When something has my touch on it, you’ll definitely be able to tell, almost right away too lol. 

SSA: Heard you! Someone can definitely have the same recipe but if they cant cook it up like you, then the sauce can't be duplicated. And best believe we see the way they are out here trying to make our sauce without our soul, especially with big companies. As a black woman in the fashion industry, we often see our likeness, ideas, and perspectives on mood boards but limited when it comes to decision making and final say so’s in board rooms. 

How important is it to you to carve out your own lane and make sure your voice is heard on your own terms? What are some black women owned brands you see making this happen?

LAUREN: Carving my own lane is literally how I became who I am today. I am the brand. I’ve cultivated a community of people who share the same likeness as I do. Which not only enjoys speaking about said topics, but also enjoys supporting other artists in the same field or different lane as themselves. Being that I am the brand and face behind my blog, people often gravitate to hear my opinion on things. 

My audience of lovely supporters, who I call my Stylemates, are people who allow my voice to be heard because your voice can’t be heard if nobody’s listening. My audience of wonderful individuals know I am going to keep it real with them and have the courage to say what others might be thinking. Not only do I let my voice be heard from actually speaking up for myself, but I let my voice be heard through actually putting in the work. From allowing people to witness my journey to showing up for myself and the people that support me each and every day. 

I literally run into black women running their own brands and empires that are making things happen each and everyday. I could go on and on with a list of great representations of that to be fair. I’ve worked with a few personally, like Butter’d Up Bodycare, Pholk Beauty & The Give Back Sisters that are walking testimonies of that,  just to name a few that but there are so many more!

SSA: We definitely agree, it’s so important to have people around you that share similar interests and show support while still being authentic to you and what drove them to you and your energy in the first place!

We love to hear that you are not only inspired by so many great women owned brands but you also have worked with and partnered with some amazing ones too! Last Thanksgiving you participated in a giveback drive with The Giveback Sisters.

How was that experience for you and do you see yourself dabbling in the community service field with your brand in the future?

LAUREN: Giving back was such a fulfilling experience for me. I have never felt such euphoria like that in my life. I literally felt like I was floating on air, no exaggeration. Before last year, I haven't given back in a while so it felt really good to be a part of it and I can't wait to do it again! Shoutout to The Give Back Sisters!

I definitely want to dabble into the community service field with my brand as well. Especially being that the brand/blog is based around community and fashion, I definitely want to do something this year combining the two, for sure.

SSA: Okayy we can definitely picture a Stylemates service opportunity eventually, so dope. Community has such a huge influence on us both as individuals and our brands, sometimes being the reason as to why people even begin their businesses.

It's no surprise that we all have different reasons on why we start our businesses or projects and more times than not we endure things on our journey that makes us have to pause and remind ourselves why we started. 

When it's time to grind it out and get to work, What are your “why”s and how do they keep you motivated?

LAUREN: My why is literally “because why not?!”! For me personally, I love what I do and that goes for everything I do. I have a die hard passion that comes from deep inside of me that drives and motivates me to keep going. The journey is so much fun, even with the trials and tribulations. I have a vision of the life I see for myself and I can not stop until I see this dream that I see so vividly come to life. I’m not talking about the glitz, glam, or the fame either, (even though I don’t mind that lol) but I’m talking about real fulfillment in my life as it pertains to my art, my family, my friends, my space and my peace, everything else is a plus. Being able to get up and see another day is my motivation alone and that I don’t take for granted, not even for a second. That genuinely is my “why”.

SSA: You are preaching right now sis! That fire that's within you, within us, within anyone who has a passion and KNOWS what they want out of life, is something serious and we won't stop until the vision in our head is the reality in front of us.

That fire and passion drives us to take chances, bet on ourselves, and our talents and we know that you know all about that! You recently announced some big moves earlier this year. (Okayyy official business!) When it comes to anything we are passionate about, it takes tapping into a new level of faith and strength that we might’ve not dove into before. 

What made you realize it was finally time to take your brand StylistLaLaTooDope to the next level? 

LAUREN: Thank you so muchhhh! We are doing big girl things purrrr! I knew it was time to take my brand to the next level because God really said to me, “girl it’s time”. My brother actually gifted me my LLC almost 2 years ago, (shoutout to my tribe, they really be holding me down) at the time life was life-ing, not just for me, but my whole family and it was just never the right time to actually move forward with solidifying the LLC and getting it done. After I had my 5th Annual Stylemates Picnic, I was like, "oh we gonna have to start getting the business side of things in order.". I need to make sure I am legit in my business so that I can really start to expand all that I am doing in order to take it to the next level. It was about time I started to get my ducks in a row because eventually, I’m going to start looking for funding, creating my business plan, as well as financially setting myself up in my business that will benefit it. To be honest it was just the right time, and as opportunities continue to pour in, I need to make sure the business is right so that I receive the fruits of my labor and most importantly protect myself and my work.

SSA: As you should! We work way too hard in our businesses to not benefit from what can actually come from it. And the way people and other companies are out here stealing both our ideas and completed work, protecting your art is so important so congrats sis! Another major milestone up this year is the 6th anniversary of the Stylemates Picnic! Time has literally been flying by lol. 

What inspired you to take the platform you’ve built from the digital realm to in person? Can you tell us a favorite moment from one of your past events?

LAUREN: YES! & I am so excited for this year, I have a few tricks up my sleeve that I cannot wait to share! Bringing the platform from the digital realm to in person was very important to me because technology is flaky. A great example of that is what we see going on right now with the potential banning of Tik Tok. Being that social media can be here one day and gone the next, it’s important that we make sure that we are also connecting together as a community in the real world. I also felt like it was very important to get to know people by faces and not just by usernames.

Oftentimes you could be following and interacting with someone for years and if you were to see them in real life, you probably wouldn't speak to them but, you will always remember a face and how someone makes you feel. Personally I never really showed my personality to the fullest online so I definitely used my picnics as a way for my Stylemates to really get to know me and be shocked from their own perceptions of who I really am.

I have so many favorite moments from my picnics and I have so many memories that I cherish forever. One of my favorite moments from a couple years ago was when I was doing trivia questions. All of my stylemates were answering the questions and then we started to engage in a whole other conversation about mental health, beauty standards and trials and tribulations. That moment was so beautiful and special because people started to open up and express some really personal information about themselves that they typically wouldn't share and it just made me so grateful to know that I created a safe space for people to really connect and share their experiences with others.

SSA: And just so y'all know the picnic is bomb! So many dope and talented people coming together to not only show support but build relationships, share experiences, and have fun. We came to the 4th year as a participant and the 5th as a vendor so you know we are definitely in there for year 6!

With all the support and love you received through your business and picnic was there ever a time when you didn’t receive the support you thought you would? What did you do to get past that?

LAUREN: To be 100% honest, I know most people have had that experience of people not supporting you or congratulating you as you climb up the ladder but that is genuinely not my experience. Now I am not gonna sit up and say I’ve never experienced the lack of support from friends and fellow peers but I want to make it clear for me, I’ve had support from the very beginning. My mother is my biggest supporter, if no one else supports me I know she will. My mother believed in me before I ever believed in myself. She instilled so much confidence in me that whatever it is that I was doing, whether that was dance, playing sports or my fashion career, I knew I was blessed to already have a built in support system from my family. When you rage with confidence, people are gonna gravitate to that and support you. I also poured into those that support me as well. I show up for people just like they show up for me, which makes it all around genuine. You have to show love to the people that support you, the ones that don’t, don’t matter. 

Like I said previously, I don’t want to act like everyone supports me but for those that do not, I get past it by simply not giving it any energy. You can not force people to support you, your main focus should only be on the ones that do.

SSA: Yes! Love that you mentioned confidence because it's definitely needed when you are doing your own thing. Not everyone is gonna clap for you or see the things you have to deal with and fight through behind the scenes. Gotta be able to clap and big up yourself above all.  

Staying on the topic of support, your community really rides for you HEAVY! The ability to foster relationships and engage in community building sets us apart from others. 

How have your “stylemates” impacted you and your brand to be where it is today?

 LAUREN: Ughhh my Stylemates are my WORLDDDD, if you couldn’t tell from this interview already. My stylemates have impacted my brand so much because if it was not for them I would not have a brand as I know it today. They’ve impacted me personally with their genuine support. They give me the motivation and drive to keep going. It’s because of them that I am even able to put on a Stylemates Picnic, year after year. The main purpose of the picnic is for me to show my love and appreciation of their support and honor them with a day of fun fashionable activities.

SSA: The way you pour back into your audience is something that more brands and businesses really need to get with. Not only do you return the energy with your brand but you as an individual are always known to plug in other creatives and friends, and speak their names in rooms even when they aren't around. 

With so many wins going on in our communities, we still deal with many disadvantages of being black and a woman in creative spaces from lack of funding to opportunities and even recognition at times. 

What do you believe is your biggest advantage as a black woman creative and how can you change the narrative with it?

LAUREN: I think my biggest advantage is having my community by my side, putting the community on my back as well as representing myself as a known Jersey Creative. I like to call myself a “dot connector” because I really do know a lot of people and a lot of people know me. Having this to my advantage, my name is being brought up in rooms I am not even in sometimes. I have people that will advocate for my work, as will I do for them as well. Knowing people who know people is the biggest advantage of them all because you never know who knows who. Having a good rapport with people can bring so many opportunities to your door that you would never be able to obtain just on your own. I think I am changing the narrative because I am not scared to meet anyone, I thrive in a room by myself or with others. To the point by the end of day, I’ve gotten the chance to know the majority of everyone around me. Especially when I am with my peers who may not be the best with approaching people and scared to network or speak up, I am right by their side nugging them to speak or simply putting them right on blast. “Hey my name is Lauren and this is my friend____ they do _____ I think you guys should connect”

Doing this has gotten my vital information to help with the expansion of my business. I’ve connected people together who started companies together, built lifelong friendships and who genuinely support one another.

SSA: A girl’s girl , we love to see it! Just by doing that and connecting people with each other, you are amongst a good company of women who set out to elevate not only themselves, but make sure you bring others along with you. Women continue to break barriers and make their own seat at the table when it wasn't given to us directly. We have become leaders, innovators, and bosses in our own right all while busting down the same doors they closed in our face and leaving it open for the next woman to come through.

What does Women’s History mean to you?

LAUREN: Women’s History means continuing the marathon that our ancestors have paved for us. Watering the seeds they’ve planted for us to continue to grow, change and elevate and then eventually passing the baton to the next generation of women. Women History means standing up for not just yourself but for the women right next to you and the women that are coming up after you. Women History is about documentation. Documenting the History of the success of women so that we are given the proper praises and recognition to the WOMAN that started it all. This is so that history doesn’t get mishandled with misinformation and then acknowledgement is given to our male counterparts. Women’s History is about having a seat at the table and if there isn’t room for us, we aren’t scared to create our own tables with our seats!

SSA: LET’s GOOOO! iight that just got me so hype lmao. We are really out here doing the damn thing!! Making waves, breaking down doors for us and the next woman. Love that you mentioned making sure our history is mishandled or given recognition to those who didn’t put in the work to deserve it. Heavy on the documentation of your journey to the top.

So, when its all said and done, you’ve accomplished what you set out to do, when people look back at YOUR history, what is the impact you wish to leave behind?

LAUREN:  When people look back at my history, I want people to remember the impact I had on people's lives, whether I made you feel good, whether my work made you feel something or you got a feeling from who I am as a person.I want my impact to be felt to the point where I go down in History for putting my city/state on. I want people to be impacted by the community I built and the opportunities I’ve built not only for myself but for everyone. I want my fashions to live on longer than I ever will and my name to always ring bells and spark up long lasting memories.

SSA: “I aspire to inspire before I expire.” is one of my favorite quotes to live by and you are a breathing example of it girl!  

If you could, what would you want the younger Lauren and girls like her to know about following their dreams and holding their crowns up high?

LAUREN: I would want younger me or younger girls in general to know following their dreams and holding their crowns up high is that the best thing you can ever do for yourself and people around you is simply BE YOURSELF! Being you will outweigh tryna be anyone else. Being yourself is the hardest thing to do in a world full of clones but it’s also the most rewarding thing you can ever be. The other thing I would say is consistency. As cliche and as annoying it gets to hear, consistency is truly key. Consistency doesn’t mean everyday either, it just means you never gave up & that’s what’s important! 

SSA: Perfectly said sis! Thank you again so much for sharing your story and continue to stay true to yourself and the game. Forever part of the stylemates family, all love on this side.<3

 

As always you know Street Serenade has to add music to the mix.

We asked LaLa what her top 5 songs from women in hip-hop and r&b are that motivates and makes her feel like “that girl”. She definitely brought the fire with her so Check out what her and the stylemates are bumpin' to and go head and throw them in your rotation.

1. Alright - Victoria Monet
2. Gift & A Curse- Megan Thee Stallion
3. My Life- Nicki Minaj
4. What Did I Do ?- Anycia
5. Anything- SZA

Yall know what to do, leave a comment, show some love, share the interview! There were too many gems not to leave with something so let us know how we did and how did LaLa's story inspire YOU?