Willow Smith's reintroduction into the music world as a pop-punk artist last year was quite the success—her first single featured Travis Barker, her song "Meet Me at Our Spot" went viral on TikTok, and she worked with pop-punk legend Avril Lavigne. Now, as she releases her fifth studio album Coping Mechanism, fans can expect this rising star to continue her ascent to superstardom.
The daughter of Jada and Will Smith, Willow first became a star in her own right with the release of "Whip My Hair" at only nine years old. Who could forget "I whip my hair back and forth/ I whip my hair back and forth (Just whip it)/ I whip my hair back and forth/ I whip my hair back and forth (Whip it real good)."
Since then, Smith's style and musical offerings have both evolved with a steady climb towards something both unique and undoubtedly chic.
"Whip My Hair," a paint-splattered earworm of a tune, ruled 2010. In the video, Smith can be seen rocking a number of elaborate looks, and followed those up with a series of quirky, Disney Channel-esque outfits on red carpets.
A few years later, Smith had found herself a slightly more grown up style. Brightly colored vests and hair streaks were left behind in favor of chic jumpsuits and boots.
By 2016, Smith had started to refine the aesthetic we now know and love her for: eclecticism. She began painting her face with dots and swirling lines, donning everything from space suits to tailored suits, looking dashing all the while. The fashion world had no choice but to take the budding star seriously as she became the new face of Chanel.
Willow Smith's style was all grown up as the singer turned 18 in 2019. Smith turned to darker, more daring ensembles as she dove back into her music career and a tour with her equally fashionable brother, Jaden.
In 2021, there are traces of Smith's old favorites in her current aesthetic: colorful makeup, quirky hairstyles, and eclectic pieces. But something is different as well; her style feels wholly authentic and realized. She's not figuring it out anymore. Smith has landed on a unique fashion point-of-view, now copied and twisted into others' wardrobes, as they hope to emulate a bit of her perspective.
In the lead-up to her fifth studio album, Smith has maintained her punk aesthetic with a signature futuristic approach. While the pop-punk icons of the 2000s were all about simplicity—ripped jeans, Converse sneakers, band tees—like her fellow Gen Zers, Smith prefers to accessorize to the max, leaving no stone unturned when it comes to opportunities to showcase her style.
