There's nothing sexier than keeping it simple and Tracee Ellis Ross is living proof of this fact. Our good sis has been turning heads and breaking necks with her sleek and chic style for decades, and as she approaches her 48th birthday, it's clear that Tracee doesn't plan on letting up anytime soon.
According to Tracee, while her style has been carefully crafted to fit her unique personality, she can't help but think she got it from her mama:
"Mom gave me an innate love of glamour. My mom [Diana Ross] was extremely glamorous at home, not just on the stage. That's probably why I never go out in full sweats. During my childhood, she would only wear tracksuits if they were fancy and with high heels."
"It fed into a persona I put on to cover my insecurities. It was a way to present an identity – if I wore a great outfit, I could conquer the world. When I was a toddler, I'd wrap myself in a bedsheet, wear Mom's heels and become a queen. Now, clothing is a form of creative expression."
Although Tracee has made a mark on the entertainment industry as an actress, red carpet moments and NYFW cameos have slowly but surely made her one of our favorite fashionistas in the game, and one of her most recent fits to grace the 'gram is no exception.
Rocking a two-piece pant set by Mary Kate and Ashley's brand The Row, accompanied by a Gucci purse and Nike trainers, Tracee proved that monochromatic fashion isn't just a trending style of the summer, issa look all damn year. For more moments that prove Tracee is the true queen of monochrome, scroll below!
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
Raymond Hall/GC Images
Amy Sussman/Getty Images
Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Marc Jacobs
Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for JNSQ Wines
Featured image by Instagram/@TraceeEllisRoss.
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To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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