MORAL OF THE STORY: HOW I GOT FEATURED ON ELLE.COM

02/28/23

This year, I closed out Black history month in the best way possible: In a feature in an Elle.com article about box braid inspiration.

One day, I’m simply a gworl binge watching tv shows. The next day, I’m on Elle.com…like 🧍🏾‍♀️

How in the world did that happen?

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My best friend Jaya came through with the alley-oop!  One day we were texting and she sent me a screenshot from a photography slack group they’re in. The screenshot was of someone on the Elle USA team looking for people for box braid inspiration. 

The screenshot asked a few questions relating to box braids, photos of me in box braids, and general info about myself. 

This all sounded amazing, but the only thing missing was the email where I’m supposed to send the info. 

I went through the most wild goose chase for an email address. It was a series of inspector gadget sleuthing and putting the context clues together.

I finally figured it out and sent over my information. I had no clue what it was for or when the info would be of use, but hey! Mission accomplished.

Maybe a day or two after I got an email back from the person the address belonged to: THEE Digital Beauty Director of Elle, Danielle James✨

She replied and told me that she would be posting her box braid article that same day 👁️👄👁️

…but my photo submissions weren’t loading on the email 🥲

Thankfully, I resent one photo because I forgot the photographer credit in the first message; that photo became THEE photo. 

She posted the article an hour or so after that. I was SHOOK! At the time, I was back home. I rushed into my mom’s room and all I could say was “She posted it”. BABYYYY WE WAS TOO EXCITED! I had a big cheesy grin for at least an hour.

I shared the article on social media, went back to read the article again, and noticed that my first name was spelled wrong 😭 By one letter! The last letter!!!

At first, I was just gonna accept the typo and take the win of being featured. That didn’t last too long though. 

My name is important and this was a huuuuge accomplishment! The least I could do was ask for a correction. 

Ms. James replied and fixed the error realllll smooth. I love Black women so much cause she came clutch with that quick fix. 

Yes, the process was pretty simple. The info needed was simple. I still had to jump some small hurdles to make it happen. Those little moments would’ve made it sooo easy to give up on it.

If my friend didn’t support me enough to share the post, I wouldn’t have known about that opportunity. 

If I didn’t take the time to find her email, I could’ve thrown the towel in.

If I didn’t resend the picture, I wouldn’t have been featured. 

If I accepted that spelling error, the gworlies would’ve thought my name was Janay! On the last day of Black history month!! 

With all of that being said, I’m extremely PROUD of myself. I’m thankful for my community’s encouragement. I’m happy that I got to celebrate that with them too. 

I grew up reading magazines like Elle and Vogue, imagining myself in a feature or on the cover. I circled my favorite pieces and hairstyles in any issue I could get my hands on. 

…and there wasn’t a lot of Black girl inspo in those magazines at that time, outside of Black-centered publications. 

 Now, I can say that I’m the inspiration and representation I wanted to see. My younger self is still weeping tears of joy.

Today, I’m on Elle.com

Tomorrow, I’m the cover star. 

It’s only up from here.

Check out the article here. 

Best, 

J-A-N-A-Y-A 

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Braids: @hairbydaaay (IG)

Earrings: SHEIN 

Photographer: Jamie Rivers /@Vintagesoulx3 (IG)

Article written by Danielle James