Style: Tierra in New York

Introduce yourself!
T: Good Day! My name is Tierra Benton. I live in Queens, New York and I am a model.

What is your style philosophy?
T: I believe that whatever you wear, you should feel comfortable.

How would you describe your sense of style?
T: I would describe it as hip. It’s cool.

What is the process of deciding what to wear in the morning?
T: Most times I decide my fit for the day in the shower when I begin to really wake up and decide what vibe I’m feeling for that particular day.

What are the three favorite things in your closet?
T: My favorite pieces in my closet are my purple jeans and my black motorcycle jacket. I scooped both of these at Park Avenue Thrift in Gainesville, Georgia. Where I might add, my favorite humans live.

What are some of your favorite shops/websites for clothes, shoes and accessories?
T: My favorite places to shop begin with thrift and vintage stores. I also ADORE H&M. My mother actually hand makes my accessories, and her online boutique is shop-karmaboutique.com.

How long have you been natural?
T: I’ve been creamy crack free since January 2009 (5 years).

How and why did you transition into natural hair?
T: As a freshman in college I became more exposed to “Naturalistas”. Nearly every girl at my school (Georgia State University) was as they stated, “Team Natural”. I felt that if I could maintain the same styles and cause less harm to my hair, why not try? I cut my hair into a bob and kept that same length until all the permed hair had grown out. Just like that, after about a year, I too was a member of the team.

What is your signature hairstyle?
T: I have two actually. The curly braid out fro and the silky press with a part down the middle.

Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.
T: I press my hair quite frequently. I currently use Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner, as well as the Suave Keratin Infusion Heat Defense Leave-In Conditioner. After washing and conditioning I blow it all out and press it with a ceramic flat iron. On days that I wear my curly fro, coconut oil is my best friend. I typically wash my hair and condition it, then part it into several sections and apply the coconut oil. I then braid my hair and roll the ends with the red flexi rods while wet. In the morning once my hair has dried, I take out the flexi rods, undo the braids, and I am left with a huge fluffy textured afro. 🙂

Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
T: My website and model portfolio can be viewed via www.tierrabenton.com. My Tumblr is tall-tea.tumblr.com.