Life & Work with Emerald Johnson of Charleston SC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emerald Johnson

Hi Emerald, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Charleston, South Carolina. My mom and dad weren’t together when I was born but I had 2 older sisters that lived with me and I loved them to death. From a very early age I knew i wanted to do something with fashion. I quickly started getting into different subcultures even though I didn’t know what that was at the time. In 3rd grade I started making my own clothes! I’d rip up old ones that I had to make outfits I loved. My first time “dying” my hair was me coloring on the tips of my hair with a purple washable marker. It actually worked even though I have pretty dark hair naturally. As I’ve gotten older I’ve jumped into the alternative fashion community. I’ve always loved discovering new looks and experimenting with makeup and accessories. I hope to one day have my own small line of clothing!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely has not been a smooth journey. I grew up very poor and at the time you got made fun of for dressing even slightly differently than everyone else. But I knew what made me feel comfortable and confident and I wasn’t gonna stop. Going to school and getting called names all the time was never fun. Nor was always getting stared at in public. But i know I’ve influenced people to be who they are and that makes this all worth it.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m typically known as “the hot topic girl” by people I don’t know personally. I worked there for about 2 years so I made a lot of great connections in the alternative community here In Charleston. People have also known me best by my hair because I’ve had every color under the sun. My most common is a bright green with black highlights. Unfortunately though I have a natural color right now due to my weekend job at Hooters. Despite all of that though I specialize in fashion. I don’t have a small business or anything at the moment but it’s absolutely something I’d love to do. I don’t stick to just one style, I jump between a few different ones. My main color scheme is pink, black, and green. I think people really admire that diversity. I get stopped a lot when I’m out and about by people who just have the sweetest things to say and I love and appreciate them so much.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is to be yourself. As corny as that might sound, it really is true. If you go through life pretending to be someone else you’re never going to be happy. Wear what you want. What makes you happy, comfortable, and confident. Don’t worry about how others perceive you, even though that is one of the hardest things to do. You can’t let the world decide who you are. The only one who can do that is you.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Emeraldlatay333