When fashion is often defined by excess, it’s easy to forget that style is more about authenticity than affordability. Complex and Chime's Ball on a Budget reminds us exactly that, emphatically proving that money doesn't equal style. Hosted by sports journalist and cultural commentator Ashley Nicole Moss, the series recently welcomed multifaceted artist Teyana Taylor, fresh off her new album Escape Room, for a challenge at Varsity Los Angeles: curating a perfect ensemble for a spontaneous "Harlem pizza run" with a strict budget of $300 or less.
Taylor, a quintessential "mix and matcher," swiftly dismantles the myth that high fashion necessitates a hefty investment. Her personal style ethos is a "high-low vibe," where she seamlessly integrates pieces from everyday stores like Target with potentially more upscale items, often choosing not to wear luxury purchases immediately. This pragmatic approach is deeply rooted in her upbringing in a city like New York, where being "fly" was never contingent on lavish spending. Indeed, Taylor is widely credited with defining a distinct New York fashion for women, one that eschewed traditional heels and restrictive bandage dresses for a more authentic, walkable aesthetic—a necessity in a city where "we be walking". Her long-standing habit of collecting vintage military wear from army surplus stores, where she could achieve a "fresh" look for a mere $20 or $30, further illustrates her lifelong commitment to accessible and impactful style.
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Teyana Taylor - Chime’s Ball on A Budget
Her style trajectory has seen a fascinating evolution, from her "emo era" as a "super rocker kid" listening to Blink 182 and My Chemical Romance, embracing a "team nerd" identity in Harlem, to her current iconic status. While acknowledging her mother's foundational influence on her early style, Taylor now observes her own children embodying different facets of her aesthetic, with her youngest being "super-duper like on a girly side" and her other child, Juny, reminiscent of "sweet 16 Tiana". Through these shifts, her core belief remains unwavering: "your style is just who you are and what you put on". She deliberately avoids cultivating an "untouchable" public image, preferring to be relatable and inspiring rather than fostering an environment where others feel pressured to "keep up with the Joneses". This profound sense of responsibility extends to her role as a public figure, where she takes pride in speaking her truth and advocating for women, encouraging them to "escape" whatever no longer serves them, much like her own principled decision to retire from music when it ceased to align with her personal truth. A poignant anecdote further underscores this: she once based an entire Christmas shopping outfit around boots her children had made for her, wearing them for days because they were special.
For the "Harlem pizza run" challenge—a concept perfectly encapsulating New York's dynamic nightlife where a pizza spot can swiftly lead to a club within 20 minutes—Taylor aimed for an outfit consistent with her signature aesthetic: crop tops, loose pants, particularly cargo jeans or "nasty leather pants" (biker pants), even in summer. As she navigated the racks, items such as a vest, a unique jacket, and cargo pants piqued her interest. However, the $300 budget presented a genuine constraint, especially when a pair of "real leather" pants, potentially from Italy, carried a prohibitive $698 price tag, necessitating their swift elimination from consideration. Despite the temptation, Taylor successfully curated an outfit that totaled $274, well within the $300 limit. This practical demonstration, coupled with her candid insights, resoundingly affirms her message: it is entirely possible to save money and still achieve an incredibly stylish look. Her ability to craft a compelling outfit while leaving money on the table powerfully reinforces the series' core premise, making it clear that personal connection, authenticity, and self-expression are the true hallmarks of style, not mere expense.
Ultimately, Teyana Taylor's appearance on "Ball on a Budget" serves as a powerful testament to the idea that true style transcends financial constraints. Her approach to fashion—rooted in authenticity, personal expression, and a keen eye for value—offers a refreshing antidote to consumerism. The key takeaway is not just that one can dress well on a budget, but that doing so often fosters a deeper, more genuine connection to one's personal style, making it clear that confidence, individuality, and self-expression are the true hallmarks of fashion, not mere expense
