Dark-Skinned Girls Rock!: Raliat

Hey Everyone,

Hope you all are doing lovely and feeling great. Today for the Dark-skinned Girls Rock! series, we are featuring Raliat from  Fashion Fanatic. Find out more about her below!

Raliat Ola-Dauda

Everyone meet Raliat! Shes a 19 year old student and personal style blogger who was born and raised in Nigeria, but currently lives in Laurel, Maryland.

Describe yourself in 3 words: Chic, Hard-working and Sassy.

Tell us about your personal style.

  I would describe my style as classic, chic and colorful. I love colors and experimenting with them. I like to try out trends and put my own classic spin on it. I wear a lot of jeans as a student who is always on the go but I also love girly dresses and skirts.

Who are your style icons? Michelle Obama, Beyonce & The Kardashian Sisters.

 Have you ever struggled with self-identity issues because of your complexion? If so what are some things you did to accept yourself for who you are and love yourself?

I have never really had any [issues with] self-identity from my complexion issues because I was born and raised in Nigeria. My parents instilled in me to be proud of who I am no matter what; but when I moved to the United States at the age of 15, I found it a bit hard to adapt. I was scared of what people will think about me and I became very quiet and shy that I barely made any friends. After that first year, I realized I was doing my self no good being like that. so I started speaking out and making friends and I finally adapted. Fashion which had been my passion since I was a little girl also helped me in getting my confidence. It enabled me to express myself and explore my creative side.

Do you have any advice for other dark-skinned women that are struggling with accepting themselves because of the color of their skin? 

My only advice is love yourself and be proud of who you are! Do not let what people say about you influence the way you see yourself. At the end of the day, you going to live with yourself for the rest of your life. Why not just ignore what people say and start being confident in your self and love your beautiful black color.

What do you like most about being dark-skinned? 

I love the fact that I can wear bold colors and stand out in them because of my dark complexion. I believe that my beautiful dark skin adds to my beauty.

Thank you so much Raliat for participating in the series!  I too agree that we shouldn't let the opinions of others affect how we view ourselves. Don't forget to check out Raliat's blog, Fashion Fanatic and you can catch her tweeting @Raliat 11.

My dark-skinned ladies, if you are interested in participating in the DGR! series shoot me an email, cherrie.amore@gmail.com. I need you lovely ladies to submit interviews to keep this series going. So don't be shy! You DO NOT have to be a blogger, fashionista, vlogger, etc. This series is open to all! To find out more about the series, click here!

EMBRACE YOUR BEAUTY!