Have you ever looked at a bottle of Hidden Valley ranch dressing or a bag of Ruffles potato chips and thought, That would look cute as a purse? That’s exactly what Jada Holmes thinks. Photos of the 23-year-old Richmond, California, resident have permeated social media that show her taking everyday items—including a gasoline canister and a literal table—and turning them into unexpected accessories, and the results are oddly enticing.
Using the handle @afropuffjada, Holmes has amassed more than 525,000 followers on TikTok and 103,000 on Instagram for her unique style, though her intention wasn’t to showcase her creative sense of style. Holmes said she initially joined TikTok to try her hand at posting comedy videos, but after seeing the reaction people had to her outfits, she decided to lean more into her love of fashion and see what happened.
Social media is, obviously, a space that’s packed—some might say overcrowded—with fashion influencers trying to stand out, but few people manage to keep followers guessing like Holmes. Is it performance art? Is it an earnest approach to sustainability? Is she for real? Whether you’re inspired to take a container for bleach and make it a bag or you simply appreciate her commitment to clever crafting, you can’t look away. Everything Jada Holmes showcases is readily accessible, and she tops off each post with a color-coordinated outfit, her signature hairstyle, and a witty one-line caption.
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As is often the case on public platforms, Holmes says it’s not always fun—especially as a Black creator. “Mostly, I try to ignore trolls—it’s kind of what comes with being hypervisible online,” she says. Still, Black women can face higher rates of online abuse than their counterparts and deal with non-Black creators stealing their content and unfairly getting more notoriety and opportunities. “I have to keep pushing forward and pushing my craft out there.”
We talked to Holmes about her social media rise, her inspiration, the power of repurposing household items in the name of fashion, and what she has planned next.
Glamour: When did you first start dipping a toe into social media?
Jada Holmes: I was in high school when I really started putting time into my social media by taking photos, putting outfits together, and starting to make a name for myself.
Your approach to style is highly creative and unusual—who inspires you?
The designers Dapper Dan and Telfar Clemens. Notably, Telfar bags themselves really inspire me.
What goes into picking your outfits for the day?
I mostly get all my inspiration from punch lines in the music I listen to. The song that inspired me to create the toilet purse was “All Me” by Drake, 2 Chainz, and Big Sean. I really liked a specific line [“I’m on a roll like Cottonelle”] and decided to use it as a caption and create an entire look around it.
Artists like Nicki Minaj also inspire me because she’s known for her punch lines. Kanye West has a lot of weird lyrics you can twist and make something out of. Joyner Lucas also.
Can you speak to the power of repurposing household items and using them in fashion?
I get so inspired by daily objects. I know that may sound weird. Even with the case of water, it was just sitting there, and I thought to myself, This water case matches my outfit. And I couldn’t find a bag that matched, so I thought, Why not just turn it into a purse? It’s the same thing with the Ruffles chips. They were sitting on my dresser, and I was like, I should take this because it matches what I have on perfectly. And that’s just really how it happens.
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Where do you get your materials? How much time would it take to make one of your signature pieces.
I get most of the material for my purses from my local craft store. I can get everything thing from handles to the fabric for my outfits. On average a single bag takes about a week to create, but the longest it took was a month; that was the cereal purse. I made a lot of changes before the idea was finalized.
Is there a story behind your signature hairstyle?
My ponytails are derived directly from my childhood. I was reminiscing and looking back at photos of me when I was younger, and I really wanted to bring that specific hairstyle back; I had previously been wearing my hair in an afro puff and decided I should switch my hair up a bit.
Outside of fashion and beauty, what are some of your other interests?
Cooking—I love to create new recipes with my mom. I enjoy reading lots of autobiographies and books on women’s empowerment.
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