Style Idols: Kid Sister Issue #35

Pro style: The club beat queen mixes it up, works it out, and wants you to stretch those pants

By Sara Graham
Published: March 1st, 2008 | 2:56pm

No matter how big she gets, hip-hop maven Melisa Young a.k.a. Kid Sister keeps it real. When we caught up with her via cell phone in the to talk about her fantastically flashy look, she was in the midst of shopping at Target to replace items lost in an O’Hare airport suitcase debacle. “Right now I’m channeling a bum,” she says. “I still shop like I’m poor even though I’m not struggling like I was. I was lookin’ homeless as hell. My dusty-ass shoes, they were not cute.”

On any normal day, especially when performing her whip-smart rhymes, her ensembles are inspired by the likes of neon-clad Deee-Lite’s Lady Miss Kier or, as she calls it, the “casual luxury” look á la Kate Moss.

As evidenced in her stage getups — a genius mix of comfort, glamour, and a double dose of color — Kid Sister’s style mantra is all about working with what you’ve got. Whether it’s a Barney’s Co-Op designer splurge, a Village Discount thrift find, or a Target basic, Kid Sister’s style is effortless and fresh. “It’s all about getting a few key pieces,” she says.

Her single, “Pro Nails” (featuring fellow Chicagoan Kanye West), makes no bones about it: a manicured lady is a put-together lady. How can one achieve a perfect airbrushed adornment that takes Kid Sister’s Technicolor happy-fun look to the next level? “If the designs that the salon has on display don’t look super cool, it could be so that people can’t rip off the good ones,” she says. “Look for the bogus designs — that means they probably actually do a good job.”

A trend trailblazer with a full-length album called Koko B. Ware in the works for summer 2008 release, Kid Sister muses on styles that won’t die. Even though they’ve reached ultimate saturation, leggings give her power. “I’m a big proponent of girls eating, and some pants encourage you to eat,” she says. “I call them stretch pants, ‘cause I intend to stretch them. I’m like, ‘How many slabs of ribs can I eat and wear those?’”

Hit up venuszine.com to read the rest of the Kid Sister interview.