All About Neveah's Style on Tiny Pretty Things — Straight From Kylie Jefferson Herself
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Kylie Jefferson is first and foremost a contemporary ballet dancer. Now, the Debbie Allen Dance Academy alum stars as Neveah Stroyer on Tiny Pretty Things, which is the Netflix series adaptation of the YA novel of the same name, written by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton. Neveah arrives at Chicago's elite ballet academy, Archer School of Ballet, to show her talent and rise to the top, and she immediately stands out due to her bright, confident personality and, TBH, her outfits, which mix the traditional ballet aesthetic with modern streetwear.
"Especially being the only Black girl on screen, it was really important to me that [Neveah] was not seen as the poor one but . . . as a girl who was just different from everyone else."
Jefferson confirmed that working with the wardrobe team, led by renowned costume designer Debra Hanson, was essential in the shaping of Neveah's character, and she definitely had input. "The collaboration was amazing. Once we really started to talk about who Neveah was, especially being the only Black girl on screen, it was really important to me that she was not seen as the poor one, but that she was seen as a girl who was just different from everyone else and just didn't know their world. The pieces brought in were perfect," Kylie said, giving POPSUGAR the full rundown on the great Joah Brown sweats she got to mix with her bodysuits and leg warmers.
Kylie's a fan of everything she wore on the show IRL, too, which she was sure to mention since she doesn't always get to discuss fashion. "I really enjoy being part of the conversation. That was so great for me because, being a dancer, we don't get that opportunity. I realized that I really do have a brain for all parts of the process when it comes to putting any project of this caliber together. I'm always really interested in what's going on behind the scenes, what the costumes are saying about the character, and how the costume department's decisions or choices support the storyline," she said.
Ahead, enjoy scrolling through Neveah's countless cool style moments on Tiny Pretty Things, and learn more about Jefferson's own approach to style in the ballet studio. It's easy to see how her finesse for marrying sportswear and tutus rubbed off on Neveah, that's for sure.
Neveah's Best Outfit on Tiny Pretty Things
In Jefferson's opinion, Neveah's best style moment comes in the first episode of the series: "She has on a rustic orange-colored sports bra with green sweatpants. It's not that elaborate of an outfit, but it definitely made her stamp there. It said she doesn't need much, but she's here. She's the type of woman that doesn't need to have all the most expensive clothes in the room, but she is the most expensive person in the room."
Neveah's Dance Outfits on Tiny Pretty Things
We see Neveah style her dance bodysuits and tights with plenty of sweats throughout the series. "I'm always good for some leg warmers. Always. Even if I don't need them. I love a good sweater, but I'm also really notorious for sweatpants," Jefferson said about how she likes to style her bodysuits.
Neveah's Sweatpants on Tiny Pretty Things
"A lot of Joah Brown is seen on Tiny Pretty Things," Jefferson confirmed. "It was a sweatpants line I was already into for myself, but I couldn't afford it at the time [we started filming]. Once I had the opportunity, I said, 'Well, hey. I've been looking at this clothing line, and it really seems, top to bottom, like it'd be a great aesthetic starting point for Neveah.' She wears a lot of Joah Brown, and even a lot of the other characters ended up wearing Joah Brown, too."
The Ballet Costumes on Tiny Pretty Things
"It was absolutely amazing collaborating with award-winning costume designer Debra Hanson," Jefferson said. "It was especially refreshing, as a dancer, to see someone who effectively created looks that looked great on camera, but were also comfortable to dance in." Jefferson said the wardrobe department tapped into a lot of natural dancewear lines like Capezio, Bloch, Russian Pointe (for the shoes), and Maria.
Kylie Jefferson's Personal Style
"For presentation purposes, darling, [my go-to dance outfit] would be a long-sleeved leotard with a low v-cut in the back with black stirrup tights and brown ballet shoes or pointe shoes. Or, if we're in rehearsal, I love a good sports bra with some sweatpants and socks," Jefferson said. As for designers she's interested in outside of the studio, she loves Joah Brown and House of CB. "I'm a Nike girl. I love Jordans. My favorite designer sneaker would be a Balenciaga runner. Yeah. I get a little bougie sometimes."