'The Way We Wore: Black Style Then' Showcases Styles Of African Americans Throughout The Decades

In The Way We Wore: Black Style Then, designer and professional photographer Michael McCollum provides a fashion archive of African Americans – the famous and the not-so-famous – from the 1940s through to today.

Click here to see more photos from the book!

Among the celebrities cataloged in The Way We Wore are models Iman, Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks; actors James Baldwin (below, left) and Marlene Clark (above); and media mogul Oprah Winfrey.

Lesser known African Americans in the photo book include cosmetic line owner Arlene Hawkins (below), who posed leaning against a car in a fur-trimmed coat in 1960 New York City.

Chronicling the decades, McCollum shows the profound influence that African Americans had in shaping the trends of the times. From bell-bottoms and chunky shoes to couture gowns and Sunday bests, the fashions tell a story of a culture and a country.

The Way We Wore: Black Style Then, published by Glitterati Incorporated, was released earlier in Black History Month on Feb. 16.

– Chelsea Regan

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