Who can believe that last year marked the tenth anniversary of Love Jones‘s release? Whether you first saw it on a date, with friends, or a special someone in your life, Love Jones became, for all of us, one of the definitive cultural statements about African-American men, women, and relationships in the 1990s.
And, unassumingly, fashion. Set at a moment when fashion was transitioning from the minimalist ’90s to the label-conscious 2000s, the movie’s understated, boho-urban style is also a time capsule of modern young, upwardly mobile Black fashion, not to mention an influence of today’s neo-soul aesthetic.
The characters, like the movie itself, are swathed in earth tones; rich sweaters, black leather jackets, boot-cut jeans, and motorcycle boots comprise the wardrobe’s signature looks. The clothes are quietly stylish, as if to contrast the flash that accompanies other movies of the decade (Belly, Boomerang) documenting the adult African-American experience. Nia Long’s much-copied bob and the movie’s hit soundtrack are also two of the film’s legacies.
Did you have any Love Jones style back in the day?
Adriana