Best Dressed Winner: Ashanti Tate

417 Magazine: What three words define your personal style?
Ashanti Tate: Feminine, bold and contemporary. Many times, people will tell me, “I cannot believe you pulled that off!” This statement is applicable to my various, drastic hairstyles as well as my clothing style.

417: What person—public figure or private citizen—would make your best dressed list?
A.T.: Meghan Markle. Every picture I see of her, she personifies class, sophistication, and feminism; the same can be said for Michelle Obama. I admire the way these two ladies can turn heads in a room while fully dressed. That is class at its finest!

417: What one item is on your wish list for this year?
A.T.: A distressed denim jacket; I like the way the jacket can be worn with different types of attire

417: Where do you find inspiration for your closet?
A.T.: Believe it or not, Facebook ads. One day I was at dinner with my cousin and she said, “That’s an actual real outfit? I thought it was just spam on the internet!” Facebook will randomly pop-up ads that have the cutest outfits, and I quickly take advantage of them.

417: What is your favorite fashion trend right now?
A.T.: I’m not sure I have a [favorite] fashion trend. If I see something I like, I buy it and accessorize with my favorite jewelry. I rely on my teenage girls to know what’s trending, but our styles of clothing generally always clash.

417: Who are your fashion role models?
A.T.: Michelle Obama.

417: If you could wear one brand or designer for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A.T.: I am not into brands. I can take a shirt from Walmart and pair it with accessories and feel 100% confident next to any other woman. I believe confidence is key to every piece of clothing.

417: What is the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever worn?
A.T.: I wore a black, see-through dress with black pantyhose. Opposed to wearing thigh-high pantyhose, I wore the pantyhose up to my bellybutton, which looked horrific as I look back on it.