Yara Shahidi's Mom, Keri, Gave Her a “No Boundaries” Sense of Style, and We Support It

Yara Shahidi never ceases to amaze us when it comes to her style. Whether she’s hitting the red carpet in a showstopping ensemble or wearing a cool and casual fit for the ‘gram, the 20-year-old star knows how to rock an outfit. But if you asked the actress about her wide range of threads and what inspires them, she’d credit a special someone with helping her in the wardrobe department: her mom, Keri. The world got a peek inside their process of picking fresh looks on Netflix’s Styling Hollywood. In episode six, the mother-daughter duo worked with stylist Jason Bolden to find an outfit worthy of the 2019 SAG Awards. They did just that, landing on a gorgeous rose-gold tulle catsuit, embellished with beads, sequins, and embroidery.

Speaking to POPSUGAR about her love of fashion, Yara shared how her eclectic sense of style stems from her mother’s belief in unlimited self-expression. “She made me feel like there are no boundaries,” she said. “I spent most of my childhood and young adulthood shopping in the boys’ section because that’s what I liked. I would live in vests and button-up shirts and high-tops. Then there was a phase in which I refused to wear pants and would only wear skirts and high-tops. And then, sometimes, I would decide that I’m only wearing Oxford shoes and knee-high socks with a skirt.”

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Yara and Keri, who recently joined Samsung’s Put Mom in the Picture campaign, have continued to help each other develop their sartorial tastes – a journey the Grown-ish star is especially thankful for. “I love that I’ve been able to move through every fashion space with her,” Yara said. “There have never been confines based on gender or how one, theoretically, ought to dress. So moving into the space of carpet styling, that sense of freedom has applied. There is no such thing as what you’re supposed to do.”

The mutual trust between Yara and Keri extends beyond aesthetics when they’re piecing together a look. Yara consults with her mom when carefully examining a garment’s construction. “She knows me better than I know me, so what’s helpful is that we go to these events together and even run through the things we know are inevitable,” Yara said. “Like, ‘Are your feet going to hurt in those heels? Can you sit down in that?’ All those practical things that, if you get swept up in an outfit, you may forget, and then you’re standing at the function uncomfortable.” Well, it’s true what they say: Mama knows best.