Tia Mowry Went From Tomboy to "That Girl" With Her Personal Style

The star is embracing new found fearlessness in both her life and style.

The way we get dressed every morning is as personal as it gets. There are outfit repeaters, vintage treasure hunters, and even emotional dressers. But while everyone loves a good fashion trend, here at InStyle, we’re interested in the deeper stuff, too: the way jewelry makes us feel, the way a beloved coat can spark joy on a cold day, the way a pair of shoes can pull a whole look together. How I Get Dressed unpacks fashion routines, rituals, and go-tos — straight from the fashion tastemakers we love

Tia Mowry may have started her three-decade career starring alongside her twin sister, Tamara, on the smash hit sitcom Sister, Sister, but over the years, she has evolved into an independent and multi-hyphenate talent. She has acted in and produced various TV shows and movies, hosts her own YouTube channel, “Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix,” writes a children’s cookbook, and is the founder of her beauty line, 4UbyTia.

It’s a lot. As she continues to juggle all of her professional commitments, the actress, producer, author, and entrepreneur is also entering a new phase in her life as a newly single mother. Her latest endeavor, a new reality show, My Next Act on We TV, promises to showcase her experiences for the first time on her own, both personally and professionally, after working so closely with her sister and her marriage of 14 years.

With this newfound freedom, Mowry is living life with more intention—especially when it comes to her style. Once a devout tomboy, Mowry admits that she is finally learning to lean into her femininity and to have more fun with the art of getting dressed up. “That’s the coolest thing about being in the feminine era—when you’re getting dressed how you want to, you’re just allowing yourself to walk with true authenticity,” she told InStyle. “I feel like I’ve always been that girl, just maybe afraid to embrace that girl fully, but not anymore.”

Read on below to learn more about her personal style, beauty advice, and how motherhood changed her. This is Tia Mowry’s How I Get Dressed.

Her Personal Style

“I like to balance edge with femininity. I’ll put on some sweats, but then I’ll put on some sort of leotard with the sweats and then add a really nice, sexy blazer to it. So it’s just kind of mixing and matching, a little edge with a little bit of femininity and lace. I love a lot of athleisure and building from there as well, making it something that you could wear throughout the day and feel comfortable but still stylish at the same time.”

How Her Style Has Evolved

“I used to be afraid to lean into my femininity. I never wore silk, lace, or strappy heels, like no. I’ve leaned more into that last year now that I’m single. Now, being in my feminine girl era, I’ll allow myself to be in that space. So, there was a shift for me, and I’ve been having lots of fun with it.”

Her Style Icon

“Tracee Ellis Ross—she’s just so fantastic. I love how original she is, but she’s also so classic. I love the way that she is into vintage pieces. She inspired me to start saving my clothes for my daughter because she said that she would tend to wear some items that her mother used to wear. So some of my favorite pieces, especially bags and shoes, that I’ve moved on from, I like to store them now for my daughter to wear later on.”

How Motherhood Has Changed Her

“I feel more empowered. Before being a mother, I was definitely more of a tomboy. But becoming a mother allowed me to tap into this power of being a woman and being able to express myself. I feel like more of a lioness, if that makes sense—you know, I just feel more like a boss.”

How She Plans Her Outfits

“Being able to express yourself according to whatever event or space you’re going to is one of my favorite things about fashion. So, I’m very intentional when it comes to that. For example, if I am doing my YouTube channel or doing some cooking segment, I always like to have puffy sleeves or a dramatic collar that has a lot of detail and [brings] attention to the shirt that I’m wearing. Or if I am headed to a business meeting, I’m all about that boss-ass bitch vibe, and you will always see me in a blazer.”

What She Packs to Travel

“I like to be very intentional with what I wear, especially when I travel. So if I’m going to Jamaica, you’ll see a lot of colors like green and red. The pieces that I choose lean into the culture. And I even went to Thailand last year with my family I was researching the national the colors and prints.”

Her Beauty Advice

“My advice would be to definitely be intentional about what products you use. The most important message we are getting across with my haircare line, 4UbyTia, is that you can have clean, safe ingredients and have the product be of high quality and science-backed, meaning there’s efficacy and it works. I believe that hair health starts with being mindful and aware of what actual ingredients you are using.”

Her Favorite Jewelry

“I mean, I’m a hoop girl! It just adds that little bit of edge. I feel like when I wear hoops or when I see girls with hoops, they seem fun and outgoing. And they’re super flattering—I love them at any size, really, but I love them big!”