Last year, Imani Randolph (she / her) was plagued by 2020 vision, aka having trouble seeing her future, her goals, and how her pristine wardrobe would fit into it all. (Seriously, her IG account is basically a how-to in style excellence.) But thanks to Vogue Eyewear—and especially these aviators designed in collaboration with Gen Z style star Millie Bobby Brown—she’s seeing 2021, looking ahead to a more confident and empowering season.

Together with Vogue Eyewear, we asked Imani how her closet has evolved during the sweatpants era, how sunglasses help frame her looks, and if social media is a love-it or leave-it tool.

How has your personal style changed this past year?
Because there have been limited opportunities to go out, I’ve been a lot more intentional about what I choose to wear. I want to make the most of these opportunities to get dressed, so it’s made me really learn what I appreciate and love most about my wardrobe, and really find the pieces that bring me joy and make me feel like the best version of myself.

Are there specific pieces you’ve gravitated towards lately?
Definitely! After a year of wearing a lot of sweatpants [laughing], I dedicated a lot of time to finding actual pants. I’m pretty tall—like I’m almost 6 feet—so finding pants long enough for me has been a struggle. I’m not really into the cropped look, especially with jeans, so some of the things I spend time trying to find and cherish lately have been cool jeans that are vintage denim, like the classic blue Levi’s style, or more funky stonewash ones. I’ve [also] been really into cargo pants, so finding options to have a bunch of pockets and feel utilitarian is something I like.

Are you going to single-handedly bring back cargo shorts?
I love cargo shorts. I lead the way for that.

What’s your current frame of mind?
Honestly, I’m in a transitional moment. I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do and digging a bit deeper into the way I spend my time. My general frame of mind is about taking stock and weighing pros and cons and being mindful. After each experience, after each week, after different professional opportunities—just taking a moment to review and see what I liked about it, what I didn’t, and if it’s something I want to continue doing.

On Imani: MBB x Collection Aviators in black

Where does eyewear come into play when choosing your outfits?
Eyewear, especially in the last year, has become more integral to my looks. Sometimes I’d be super excited to wear an outfit and try and get cute pics of it, then I noticed something was missing. I finally put my thumb on it, and it was that I didn’t have sunglasses! I wasn’t thinking about them as a core aspect of my outfits, because I’m not naturally a person who needs them. My eyes aren’t really sensitive to light, so I’m definitely using them more for aesthetic than function. I think that’s how I kept forgetting about them, but once I made that realization, like, “Okay, there are so many cool options that can be the finishing touch for my look,” I’ve been super satisfied with experimenting with eyewear.

What have you seen through new eyes lately?
Social media! For the longest time, I was very in the camp of drinking the Kool-Aid and seeing social media as a professional tool—which I still think it is—but the way Instagram is changing and TikTok is growing, I’m seeing things through a new lens, and the benefits and negative sides of it. As these apps evolve, they can be a detriment in the sense that there are all these functions and tricks that keep you glued to your phone. The older I’ve gotten, the more time I realize I’m spending on my phone, and I wish I didn’t need it as much.

So what’s the upside?
On the positive end of it, people who have been overlooked now have a platform. You learn so much about people’s personalities and stories and talents in a way that a still image can’t really showcase. I’m appreciative that the people who maybe weren’t given a chance because they didn’t perform well in one avenue are now able to [perform] in like 5 different ones.