The reality TV breakout is stepping into fashion and beauty on her own terms while reminding her supporters that caring for themselves should always come first.
As Clarke Carraway gets ready for a busy day at New York Fashion Week, every detail is coming together. Hair, makeup, nails and, before she heads out the door, plenty of fragrance. For Clarke, the full look is about more than what people see. It is also about the energy she carries into the room and the impression she leaves behind.
“You have to spray your fragrance before you leave the door,” Clarke says. “And I’m going to drown myself because I want to walk past someone and they say, ‘Wow, she’s beautiful.’ They meet me and say, ‘Wow, she’s really nice and sweet, and she smells so good!’ That’s what I need.”
It is a playful answer, delivered with the kind of confidence audiences have come to expect from Clarke. But underneath the humor is a clear understanding of how she wants to move through this next era of her life: fully present, memorable and assured in who she is.
In the middle of her get-ready-with-me, that confidence is already reflected in her beauty look for the day. “For the makeup, it’s giving naturally beautiful. It’s giving Danessa Myricks on the whole face. If you know, you know,” she says.
Stepping Outside Her Style Comfort Zone
Since leaving the villa, Clarke has been experimenting more with her personal style. She still knows what feels most like her, but she is giving herself room to try something new without forcing a complete transformation.
“I feel like when I was in the villa, I was a very simple girl. Lately, I’ve been switching it up,” she says. “I’m a silver girl, but you’re going to see me in gold here and there. I like my black, white and neutrals, but you’re going to see me in a pop of color here and there. Just making sure that I dip my toe in the water.”
That willingness to experiment arrived with perfect timing. At New York Fashion Week, Clarke found herself surrounded by the people who help shape style and beauty from every angle. Rather than simply attending, she approached the experience as an opportunity to connect, learn and build genuine relationships.
“I think that while I’m here for New York Fashion Week, getting to know so many designers, stylists, hairstylists and makeup artists, just connecting with everyone, partnering with some designers and just indulging in the space that I’m currently in,” she says of making the shift from reality star to a voice in fashion, beauty and lifestyle.
Prioritizing Herself in the Spotlight
For Clarke, stepping into a new space does not mean leaving every part of her old life behind. It means expanding the way people see her and, perhaps more importantly, the way she sees herself. Life in the spotlight has brought outside opinions and increased visibility, but it has also reinforced a lesson she plans to carry with her.
“Navigating this new life taught me to always prioritize yourself. You are number one, and I’m that girl even when I don’t feel like it,” she says. “I am that girl.”
The statement feels like both an affirmation and a reminder. Confidence is not always a constant feeling. Sometimes, it is a choice to return to yourself, even on the days when it takes more effort.
That idea of returning to yourself is central to what Clarke wants to build next. While fashion and beauty are becoming a larger part of her public identity, mental health and self-care are equally important to the future she imagines.
“For me, I think what’s next is making sure that the people who support me are supporting themselves,” she says. “Mental health is something I want to focus on more, and it’s something I care about. The people around me know that I am super big on taking care of yourself. I want the people who support me to also prioritize mental health.”
Pouring Back Into Her Community
Her vision is not a one-way relationship in which followers simply watch her life unfold. Clarke wants her platform to feel reciprocal, creating a community where encouragement moves in both directions.
When asked what kind of community she hopes to create through her platform, her answer circles back to that commitment to mutual care: “I think just a community where I’m supporting my supporters. Give and take. I think the mental health thing is so important. We should be focusing on self-care, reminding each other that it’s extremely important and that we should all be taking time every day. It’s not that hard. We make it harder than what it really is, but we should be taking time every day to pour back into ourselves.”
By the time Clarke’s NYFW look is complete, it is clear that getting ready is only one part of the transformation taking place. She may be dipping her toe into new waters, but she is not entering this chapter without intention. She is experimenting with color, connecting with creatives and exploring what her voice can become beyond reality television.
The next version of Clarke Carraway is still taking shape, and that is part of what makes her exciting to watch. She is allowing herself to explore and define this next chapter on her own terms. What she does know is that the relationship she builds with her audience should encourage them to show up for themselves, too.
Clarke is making space to grow without losing sight of herself or the community she hopes to bring with her.
Glam Credits
Nail Artist: @nailzbylily
Hair: @lati.stylez
Makeup: @kadialor using Danessa Myricks Beauty
Fashion Credits
AMARI Carter Presentation: Full look by AMARI Carter @amaricarter
Sergio Hudson Show: Dress by Sergio Hudson, bag by Brandon Blackwood, shoes by Louis Vuitton and bracelet by Cartier @sergiohudson
Editorial Credits
Written by: Keturah Moody @moodinthemedia
Content Producer: Tammy @tammyt1pt0n
Photography: Donjai Gilmore @donjaididit
