Style Spotlight: FitsxJo

By: Zuri Fearon

Joelle Everett took a suggestion from a friend to start her FitsxJo Instagram page over a year ago now. Since then, it has soared to a place where she can explore her creativity and inspire others through her fashion choices. “I want to give people the confidence to wear things that they want, encourage them to not be afraid to dress for themselves, and for them to be comfortable in their own unique style,” she told Monumental Magazine.

Joelle, known as FitsxJo, is a senior Information Science major at the University of Maryland. She’s also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, the President of the National Pan-Hellenic Council at UMD, a Cabinet member of the Black Student Union, and a member of the Black Alliance Network. Along with her campus involvement, Joelle is able to express her creative side by sharing her interest in styling, fashion, and creativity through the creation of her @fitsxjo persona on Instagram, where she showcases her unique and colorful style.

Joelle has been interested in clothing and styling for as long as she can remember. She prefers to wear bright, vibrant, and “think-outside-the-box” pieces, as she feels it’s a reflection of her personality. Her eyes are always drawn to color and she often likes to mix in prints too. When she spots a unique color combination she puts it in her notes app to recreate it later.

Before Joelle styles herself or anyone else she always asks, “how do you want to feel?” She says it’s the core of anything she does because it helps her create her vision. Joelle wants to inspire her followers to dress for themselves and give them the confidence to dress in their own unique style.

When reflecting on creating @fitsxjo and the impact she hopes to have on those that come across it, Joelle said, “anything that you’re passionate about, you should find a way to share it with others. When you really care about something you will put the work into it to make something that people can enjoy and share with you. Always be your biggest cheerleader and don’t spend too much time thinking about what can go wrong because the possibility for success is just as great and you’ll never know unless you try.”

“I want to give people the confidence to wear things that they want, encourage them to not be afraid to dress for themselves, and for them to be comfortable in their own unique style.”