Allaire, Christian. The Power of Style, Apr. 2021. 96p. Annick Press, $19.95. (9781773214900). Grades 7-12
Self-described fashion-obsessed author of The Power of Style, Christian Allaire, presents fashion through a lens of inclusion. Allaire, Indigenous Ojibwe from the Nipissing First Nation Reserve in Ontario, never saw anyone that looked like him in the mainstream fashion spaces. Now as fashion and style writer for Vogue, he hopes to change that. His book is a celebration of style and identity, cultural activism and empowerment, making space for those that are historically underrepresented and erased.
Colorful and bold, young adult readers can explore and learn about many different expressions of identity and fashion, and image presentations associated with them. It is divided into six sections: Sewing Traditions (focusing on ribbon work by Indigenous designers from several nations), Hair (especially in Black and Indigenous communities as an act of love and resistance), Cosplay and Body Positivity, Headcoverings, High Heels (for men, and in queer fashion), and Makeup. Throughout each chapter Allaire provides space for contributors to write their own thoughts while giving readers more context to the subject matter via definitions, infographics, and photographs. The sections are simple, but do well as a first snapshot or introduction to these topics.
In the fourth section titled Head Strong, Allaire discusses Muslim women and the hijab (or headscarf). The definitions for hijab and modest fashion are presented on the same page early on in the section. This gives readers an idea of how these concepts intersect while also showing that modest fashion is a concept that falls outside of religion, which is a pretty important distinction to have in a book like this. Head Strong features two main Muslim women who identify as hijabi. The first is Haute Hijab designer and owner, Melanie Elturk. The second is Leah Vernon, fashion influencer, model, and author of Unashamed: Musings of a Fat, Black Muslim. Allaire includes a discussion about hijab on the runway as well as in professional sports. This section includes a diversity of images and contributors of Muslim women; there is no one image or fashion that is highlighted as to what “hijabi” looks like. Also, when discussing performance hijabs, instead of naming large corporations, Allaire highlights a small Muslim owned brand. This chapter is a great introduction to hijabi fashion and frames a moment for Muslims and non-Muslims alike to learn about its different aspects and expressions.
Fashion is quite personal and connects many aspects of a person’s identity. Allaire creates the opportunity for minoritized groups to see the fashion that embraces identity and cultural expressions within a book, while opening the metaphorical door for readers to learn about other fashions and identities. The Power of Style is a powerful and highly anticipated release that should be in every young adult nonfiction collection.
