​THE YEAR OF THE GALLANT GIRL
NEW YORK'S ARMOR GIRL GETS REAL ABOUT INSPIRATION, RISK, AND BRAVERY
You have become a true viral icon as the ‘Armor Girl’ of New York City. However, we want to get to know the girl beneath the breastplate. Where are you from? How did you end up in New York City?
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I am originally from New York City. I was born and raised here, and yeah, that's pretty much it. Even though I was born and raised in New York City, I wouldn't say my experience is like the typical New York City experience that everyone thinks about when they live in New York City. I would say that I grew up sort of like sheltered, not really sheltered, but like sheltered, because my schools were always a few blocks away from where I lived and I didn't really, like, go anywhere or do anything until I went to college. I originally went to Binghamton University, which was like my ‘dream university’.
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My actual dream university was Cornell, but I didn't end up applying. The second dream was Binghamton, and I got in and also got a really good scholarship for Binghamton. But I ended up leaving, taking a year and a half off and going to FIT. And in that year and a half off, I think that's where I really, truly like exploring New York City, exploring myself in my FIT days.
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I feel like if it's like a really interesting school, because when you think of the college experience, you think about like football games and things like that. But my college experience was fashion week, parties, MET gala parties and just random things like that. So I think that's very interesting.
That's a little bit about where I'm from.
How did you first begin to experiment with fashion? What made you want to buy and experiment with armor?
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So, I feel like I was always sort of into fashion. I just had more means to experiment when I got my first job. Well, as soon as I turned 18. And honestly, I wouldn't even say that I have a great fashion sense. Fashion to me is just like experimentation and putting things on my body more. So what I feel like wearing at the time. I felt like wearing armor, which is why I brought armor, funnily enough, literally about five minutes ago I got asked, why did I buy the armor? Because I just rented it out, but I brought the armor for Coachella. I like to be bold in my outfit choices, so I was literally sitting on the toilet. And that happens with all my ideas. I get all of my ideas sitting on the toilet and just from random things popping into my head, and I just quite literally write them down in my notes up, and then make them a reality. Whether it's going to be today, whether it's going to be ten years from now, everything in my notes app will become a reality.
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I remember the moment I was sitting on the toilet thinking of my Coachella outfits.
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Speaking of Coachella, my outfits are all planned for this year. But I was thinking of armor because obviously who the f*ck would wear armor to the desert, but me? So, that's when I did my research and bought my pieces. And they came in March, and I literally did an unboxing for my friend, who I sort of convinced/forced to go to Coachella with me, with my Coachella outfits I like to, plan them out, and I always like creative direct outfits with a friend and each year I've done that, they've gone super viral.
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My brain just creates these fun little outfits and ideas, and then I just have to do my part in executing them, which I would say my biggest advice is like, if you have an idea, then it's most likely doable. So literally just do it. A lot of people spend a lot of time ideating, I get my ideas from the toilet, I write them down and then my next steps are executing these ideas. Yes, my first pieces were worn at Coachella. I didn't get to wear the full suit. I mean the full pieces that I brought, I did not have a full suit by then because I didn't know how to wear armor, so I just put on what I could wear, which were the pauldrons, the chainmail bra, the chainmail skirt, and then the chainmail headpiece. I had the legs and the shoes at the time, which I think arguably are people's favorite pieces. But I had to wait. I had a whole team. We all did not know how to put it on, and it was very heavy.
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Honestly, it wasn't- I don't think it was my most iconic Coachella outfit.
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I think it was my coolest. Maybe I just had a bad experience that day- because it was a day. But it ended up becoming something super iconic. And then after Coachella, I was just like, oh, I own armor now that's cool, right? I have the full suit because I remember that the Met Metropolitan Museum of Art has an arms and armor exhibit, and I wanted to shoot there with a friend that I went to Coachella with, and I had a little princess costume for them, and then I ended up buying the full suit of pieces for that. I honestly wasn't even going to buy the full suited pieces, but I was like, I have to commit to the bit, like, you can't just shoot, Knight and Princess shoot and not have a full suit of armor. So the full suit of armor would not have even been a thing if I didn't make that funky decision. Which is why I always say, just do, don’t think. Because if I had not done that, who knows where I would be today? Yes, in my year and a half off, that's when I started experimenting with fashion. I used to thrift a lot. Most of my clothes are thrifted or handmade. There are rare times where I would like to get last minute things I need off, like Amazon or something.
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But other than that, I don't really like online shop or things like that because it overwhelms me.
I don't even shop a lot, period. If I just have an idea or something, I will make it. Shopping really overwhelms me. So I think that's something that I'm trying to figure out this year. But a lot of the fashion I wear are things that I make and I just perceive as wearable art. And a lot of the things that I put on my body are just because I feel like putting them on if that makes sense. I'll start putting on a piece of clothing or an outfit and I'll be like, okay, I'm not feeling like this today, and then I'll take it off and put something else on that suits how I'm feeling.
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A lot of people, which I do kind of find annoying, when I'm wearing a regular outfit, which realistically I'm mostly in regular outfits rather than these outlandish pieces, they’ll, comment on it and be like,
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“This is the most normal I've seen you” or “What are you wearing?” - things like that. And I'm like, I am a normal person guys like, what's the problem?
We first saw you on our for you pages about two years ago attending FIT in your suit of armor. We were totally hooked. Your sense of humor is something that is so beautiful and key to your presentation. How do you feel this essence of play and humor inform your personal sense of style?
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So I'm a very, very, very funny person in general. Like, and not even to toot my own horn, because I don't even like to talk about myself in general. But, one thing I can say is that I am very, very, very funny, and I would say universally funny as well. Like every space I've been in, I just made people laugh and that's the first thing people notice about me, how funny I am. So it's nice that it gets translated well on social media. Honestly, I've always wanted to do social media, but I've always found it difficult to translate my personality onto social media because I think I'm very naturally funny. I don't think that I could be like a stand up comedian or anything, which is so funny because I recently went to a comedy show and they were laughing at me more than the comedian? So maybe I could be a stand up comedian, but I liked that it translated well online, because that's quite literally how I am in person.
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And I've always found it hard to make regular talking videos and things like that. Which is funny because I am making a podcast. Well, releasing a podcast very soon, which is where I'm going to be more raw because I feel like no one really knows anything about me. But I'm really glad my humor translated well and I hope I can continue doing that online.
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What advice would you give to someone looking to experiment with fashion?
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So I've said it in all my interviews, literally just do it. If you're sitting around questioning, waiting, doing all these things, you're never going to get to your destination. Everyone knows I'm a very fast paced person, and that's because I have a history of making things happen. I could literally go out one day with no intention at all, and literally end up in a room that no one else would be in. Like, I've been in rooms where, like most people would never be in, or that people dream to be in, just because I put myself out there and I actually just do. Sometimes I'm very conflicted with this because, you know, I'm a human. I can be lazy, and obviously everyone has doubt, but you can't really let your doubt lead your life. I would not have half the opportunities I have now, if I didn't get up and go, or get up and do. Obviously I went to FIT but, I did not go for fashion design. In my brain I'm like, ‘okay, I'm a fashion designer, I can do this.’
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So, I make pieces. I put it out there. People love it. I'm not a fashion designer. (laughs) That’s something I do as well, - I'll just label myself the person I want to be that day.
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Like, if you ever pay attention to my Instagram bio, it changes a lot. Like one day it’ll say DJ, one day it’ll say fashion designer, one day it'll say this, one day it’ll say that.
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Because I'm embodying the person I want to be.
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That's a very common theme in New York, a lot of people will fake it till they make it. If you tell someone that you are something or that you do something, who are they to question you? They will automatically, you know, just believe you because that's the person that you are embodying especially if you do it well, and if you do it with confidence. So if you're looking to experiment with fashion, just do it and do it well and do it with confidence. Whatever that means to you is what it will mean to you. But put yourself out there. It doesn't hurt to try on a piece or dress a certain way. Like me personally, I don't even have a certain aesthetic.
Honestly, Armor Girl has been an aesthetic that was, you know, bestowed upon me. But that's not like my aesthetic every day. One day I can decide to wake up and put on armor, and that is who I'll be for the day, but that's not my identity. So it really just depends on if you want to make something your identity. And I really do value people with their own personal style and niche. But again, I don't have that because I like to believe in free will. You can dress how you want, you can be who you want. And I feel like the people that I judge are just people who are scared to do that themselves.
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I'm not someone who conforms. My family is Muslim, very religious, does not wear, or dress, or even understand how I do. But I don't let their, you know, opinions of me or what I'm doing get in the way. If I did, I would not be in the position that I am in now. You can't really care about what other people think. You really just have to do what will make you happy and what makes you feel good. And even if you experiment and something doesn't make you feel good, you can always, you know, change. Or it's like that just because you put a piece of clothing on that, that doesn't define who you are forever.
WE ARE AVATARS LIKE WE'RE ABLE TO PUT ON AND TAKE OFF CLOTHES, SO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, YOU KNOW?
​With experimentation comes attention. How would you say wearing the armor impacts your interactions with others?
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So honestly, everyone finds it super cool. Who wouldn't find it cool? Sometimes I literally try to sit and imagine me being like someone else and like running into me in the armor in the street and see how I would react, because I'm so desensitized to it now. Like recently, I did a shoot for DAZED and the photographer commented on how well I am with attention and it's because it's just so normal to me and people think that this attention is new to me, but that's not true. I was getting attention like this even before I wore the armor. I really do feel like it has to do with aura and just how you present yourself, because even, I won't even be wearing something fabulous, or something I perceive as fabulous. And people would just come up to me and think like, I'm a celebrity or I'm special and things like that. So I'm always used to attention. If you ask any of my friends, every time we go out, like people literally like swarm me or are attracted to me like flies. And I do just think it's energy and authenticity. But yeah, so I'm even like, the armor thing, I was so used to attention that it didn't really bother me. My eye is very trained to like when people take pictures of me and things like that, because like, I'm used to that happening. (laughs) Especially at Coachella. Coachella is madness. Like my first Coachella, I literally could not breathe.
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People wanted to take pictures with me every five seconds. Even at the recent Coachella I went to, I warned my friend (that was sort of forced to go to Coachella with me) - that it's going to be insane. And at some point they got overwhelmed and was like, ‘no, we can't take any more pictures.’ I'm very used to attention. I don't mind it because I've never really received negative attention. It's always, you know, admiration, and I always appreciate the admiration. The armor makes me feel good though, especially when I get reactions from people who you wouldn't normally expect to get good reactions from. Like older people, obviously they're a different generation, but they always find it cool.
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I've been out in all armor and I've met cool people like medievalists and things like that who are just so interested and intrigued. So it's definitely all good interactions. Even like I ran into one of my trolls, which was probably my only real troll. And even they had a positive interaction with me. We took a video, we had a good time, and we had a good conversation. So I just think it leaves room for good conversation. People are shocked and impressed by it, especially because the armor is so heavy they're always like “Is that real metal? Can I touch it?” and things like that. It's always a positive interaction and it honestly always humors me. It humors the people I interact with.
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You recently spoke with Polyester Zine on identity and your work. You explained, “-armor symbolizes power and protection. Armor typically isn’t seen on Black people let alone Black women who are the least protected and least in power.”
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How would you say that your identity informs your experience as a modern knight?
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So honestly, me wearing this armor isn't really to make a statement or anything. Obviously my videos are very comical and they lean towards more comedy rather than me trying to make a statement or be historically accurate.
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I recently got posted on this armor page where they actually care about armor and the fit and all of that. And a lot of the comments were like roasting me. I guess that's like recent ‘hate’, it wasn't really negative. Like people enjoyed the photos, and me, but they didn't like that the armor didn't fit me. But I had to explain to them, - ‘Number one, I'm the only black person on this page. So that's outstanding in itself. Number two, I'm wearing it more so for fashion and art, rather than to make a statement or for cosplay.’ I really do respect that community. I had to explain, well, it doesn't really matter because even though you don't like the fit, and people are so dedicated to this community, I'm in Vogue. I'm in DAZED. I'm in magazines and on TV because of doing this. So regardless of your opinion, people like it, I like it. I can obviously buy armor that fits. I have armor that fits.
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I do think it is more of a statement now because I have had, like, you know, copycats who have grown a bigger following than me, and obviously they don't look like me. They're, you know, White and I’m Black, but that doesn't really matter to me much because obviously I'm having more of an impact than them. Although they have more followers, and maybe, you know, society accepts them a little bit more. I'm the one that's, you know, in magazines that gets to go to Fashion Week after parties. That has these connections and relationships with people. And I feel like that's what matters most to me, you know? You look up my name, things will come up. If you look up their name...it's just going to be their social media. So, I do respect that, and a lot of these, ‘copycats’ tell me that I was an inspiration for them and they always give me credit. But obviously we're different. So, you know, society accepts that more. But again, I'm not doing it to make a statement, and I'm really appreciative of all the opportunities that I have received from, you know, being myself, being authentic, and speaking about these things.
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How has this affected you as a creator in online spaces?
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So the most recent, it wasn't really disheartening but it was like ‘be fucking for real,’-
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Pinterest and all these AI trends they made up. They created something called Castle Core. Obviously Gallant Girl has been going around it literally is in DAZED. It's in Vogue, like the phrase itself. So it's like Pinterest has had to see that. And they recently worked with, a creator, who's actually my mutual and who funnily enough, actually borrowed my armor to wear to a New York Fashion Week show. And they also worked with another bigger creator, and it's like, why not work with the people who actually, you know, embody this trend?
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Even though I'm more comical there’s actually people who, that's their whole aesthetic that's their whole vibe. They cosplay like? If you were trying to actually create a moment and trying to really respect the trend, you would actually go to the trendsetters.So it definitely was disheartening, and I was tagged in the comments multiple times. What they did instead of acknowledging it...
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They hid all the comments, deleted comments, and just didn't acknowledge it at all. And it's like, we see you. Everyone sees you, you know?
I already mentioned, obviously creators that don't look like me are, you know, doing better in that sense, which doesn't really bother me. I've always wanted to be a creator. So, I would like to see, my following grow and my impact grow. But I think that's just more of a reflection on me and the content that I need to put out. Especially as someone who looks like me.
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After creating a post analyzing medieval fashion trends, of course including you amongst the imagery, writer and SWTP founder Rebecca Doyle questioned “As we leave Brat Summer are we entering Gallant Girl fall ?”
Now, Gallant Girl has taken on an entirely new life. So, I ask you, what does it mean to be a Gallant Girl?
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So honestly, to me, what being Gallant is, or being a Gallant Girl is, is just being authentic and just putting yourself out there despite adversity, you know?
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I feel like I am authentic all the time. And recently, I've had someone or some people, question that. But anyone who's not me just really, will always mention, unprovoked, how authentic I am. Even at my workplace, everywhere. I'm the same all the time. I always put myself out there. Any ideas I have, I always do, I always pitch. I just think being authentically yourself is what's going to make you the most happy.
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Do you think my mother understood me prancing around in a whole suit of armor? Or me asking her to, put on my suit of armor? She's very conservative and she doesn't like to put herself out there in that sense, so it was definitely a shock. But she supports it now. Did she support it in the beginning? No, but there were times I asked her “Can you buckle this? Can you buckle me in?” and she's done it. So it's just like being authentic despite what other people are going to think and perceive you as.
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Again, I put myself out there and I didn't really even receive that much hate at all. I've been authentic and that has helped me go into these spaces.
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I got an article written about me for DAZED because I got a job, “From Knightlife to Corporate Life.” And it's been over a year with this, you know, ‘armor thing,’ and it's still going strong and people are still super interested in it because I keep, being authentic and putting it out there because I think it's cool. Other people think it's cool. There are people who think I'm milking it, and so what?
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It's like what if I stop milking? It recently got viral again because I begged my friend to come take content with me at FIT, and then right after that, it went viral again and I got an article in DAZED. It's like, just do you.
People are always watching you. I didn't know an editor was following me on TikTok and watching my TikToks. My work TikToks were getting less than 100 likes, but she saw them and thought they were impactful. Just put yourself out there, be authentic, be brave and believe in yourself and what you want to put into this world.
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Even if that changes, one thing about me, I'm very sporadic. My brain runs a mile a minute. I'm very creative. I always have a bunch of ideas. So my ideas for myself and how I want my life to go change all the time, and I just go with the flow. I do.
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Wherever I end up, is where I'm going to end up. So, being Gallant is just being brave, being authentic, putting yourself out there and challenging the norm. You don't have to be normal. I literally take the train in armor. My life is better because of it.