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The man responsible for the style of hollywood’s most recognized women of color, Jason Bolden, is a man of many creative passions and pursuits. Jason’s client list boasts of some familiar names like Gabrielle Union, La La Anthony, Mary J. Blige and Taraji P. Henson just to name a few.

However, a huge part of what he does as Co-Founder and Executive Creative Director of JSN Studio, a multi-disciplined creative studio, is interior design, property development and staging.

Come through talents and wearing many hats!

There are a few life and style lessons that can be observed throughout Jason’s career. Get out your notepad and take a few notes!

Explore and be Open to the Process. Jason began his career as a partner at the Garment Room in Soho where he focused on design inspiration and curating vintage collections. Designers of major brands would come to the boutique and shop to find inspiration for their work. He would see all these new collections coming out and be able to pinpoint where designers were influenced by what they purchased from the boutique.

“It was an exciting time but I wanted more. I decided to leave The Garment Room and focus on styling and haven’t looked back since.

Look for the Opportunities. Jason has beautifully transitioned from boutique owner to celebrity stylist to creative director because his eyes were open to the opportunities.

“I see so many opportunities around me all the time. Each milestone in my career was brought on by necessity. The need to grow and evolve.

Tap Into Your Courage. Style is so much more than just putting together a look and wearing it. There’s a psychological aspect tied to clothing and how a person feels about themselves. Jason’s best style advice is “the thing every woman needs first is to tap in to her courage”. The courage will give her the ability to try things she wouldn’t normally try and not really care about how she’s being perceived. He, also, adds that “fit is everything. Go with things that flatter your fit and you’ll always slay.”

“The thing every woman needs first is to tap in to her courage.”

Don’t be a Slave to the Trends. Style is more about the person and what message they want to convey and less about what’s being predicted in the trend forecasts. As a stylist, it’s important to know the trends to keep looks current but you don’t have to be a slave to them. Although Jason and his clients are never ones to chase trends. This season, he’s inspired by really deep reds, burgundies and wine colored bordeaux.

Let the Music Move You! Music is an integral part of the process for many women while getting dressed. The right music can inspire some of the most creative looks. Jason’s go-to songs of the moment for outfit inspiration are:

  • Anything from Alice Smith
  • Jay-Z –  “Change Clothes”
  • Drake – “Hot Line Bling”
  • Fleetwood Mac – ” Dreams”
  • Bryson Tiller – “Exchange”

Go ahead and update that “Getting Dressed” playlist!

So, what’s next for Jason? After his appearance on Being Mary Jane with client and friend Gabrielle Union, he is excited about more opportunities to be on camera. Also, look out for more home design projects and JSN Studio’s first product launch.

Keep up with Jason on InstagramFacebook and  Twitter.

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