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With so much discourse surrounding internet “It” girls in the days after Charli XCX dropped the music video for her new song “360” — which features appearances from people like Julia Fox, Emma Chamberlain, and Gabbriette — now seems like as good a time as any to give Justine Skye her flowers. If you didn’t spend your formative years scrolling through Lana Del Rey GIFs, the 1975 fan fiction, and photos of fishnet tights, you might not know that the R&B singer and star of ABC’s Grown-ish actually got her start on Tumblr. She was the internet “It” girl in the 2010s, amassing a large following on the social platform for covering popular songs like Drake’s “Headlines,” having the edgy style and pastel-colored hair that my middle-school self could only dream of, and looking extremely cool in Mac Photo Booth pics. Skye — who runs in a high-profile circle of celebrities like Hailey Bieber — cemented her internet “It” girl status nearly a decade ago. And during her trip to the Miami F1 Grand Prix with Tommy Hilfiger, she shared the fashion, friendship, etiquette, and social-media rules that help her maintain it.
What’s in your purse right now?
The number-one thing I have to bring with me — and this is here at the Grand Prix or anywhere in the world — is my Rhode Lip Peptide. Right now I’m wearing the tinted one in Toast. When my makeup is done but I want to add a little color on my lips, that’s what I use. And also, blotting pads. I didn’t bring them yesterday, but I have them today.
What’s your number-one fashion rule?
This is so cliché, but don’t be afraid to take risks. You hear it all the time, but once it actually clicks, you’ll be like, You know what? I’m not going to play it safe anymore. Being from New York, I always wanted to wear black and was in that mindset forever because I was scared to get my clothes dirty. But I finally realized I can’t limit myself like that. And now that my hair is blonde, I’m trying to put more thought into what I’m wearing because pretty much everything looks good with the blonde.
You’re making me want to bleach my eyebrows. How do you maintain that color?
Well, I’m very new to the bleached-eyebrow gang. I’m a Virgo, so I really don’t want to see my roots growing in. Everyone says I can’t bleach my hair and eyebrows every single day. I’m like, “Are you sure?” And they are sure because my hair is not surviving that well, but I’m going to pretend it is and be delusional for a little bit.
What are your rules for backstage before a show?
I try to keep my space as Zen as possible. I don’t like to have too many people in my dressing room. I’ve been to a couple of my friends’ shows where the green room is just insane. That’s fine afterwards, but I need to be locked in before a show. I don’t want to be mad at anyone in the room because they disrupted me beforehand, if that makes sense?
How do you survive an F1 weekend?
You absolutely need a Tommy Hilfiger hat. This is saving my life today. You absolutely need to wear comfortable shoes, too, because there’s a lot of walking. I have on my Tommy Hilfiger sneakers. You need to dress for comfort because you’re here all day. If you actually want to be a part of it and get the full scope of what’s happening at the Grand Prix, you have to be here for a very long time. It’s such a luxurious sport as well, so everyone has their best fit. It’s kind of like Coachella; everyone has their Coachella fits but now it’s like where’s your Grand Prix fit?
Do you have any rules for posting on social media?
I’m very big on Close Friends. I love posting, I just don’t always love the reaction because I overthink everything. I come from the era of Tumblr and being on social media. Anything I felt or thought, I would post on the internet immediately. But as I’ve gotten further into my career, I realized I don’t need to share everything that’s on my mind. Social media can also be detrimental to your mental health, which is the main reason I deleted my Twitter. I was addicted to looking at what people were saying about me and it was becoming unhealthy. It’s weird that something someone says online can affect your day so deeply.
Do you try to limit your screen time?
No. Like I said, I’m addicted to my phone. I’m always scrolling on TikTok.
How is your hair and makeup staying in place during this heat? I need to know.
I always use the One/Size setting spray. I mean, I’m a glam girl. I just love a full beat. But I don’t know if that’s recommended for the Grand Prix … I recommend doing a light beat and not following my lead because it’s so hot.
Are you the hostess of your friend group?
I’m the co-host. Hosting gives me a bit of anxiety, and my friends are way better at it than I am. I’ll be there for moral support. I help set up and invite people in. I also provide entertainment; I’m kind of the life of the party. Everyone else does the heavy lifting when it comes to hosting duties.
How do you keep everyone entertained and engaged?
Games! I love games. Nintendo Switch gets very serious. And Sorry! the board game? That one starts arguments in the house.
What’s your rule for meeting other famous people?
I always like to tell people how I feel about them in a positive way. If I really enjoy something they do, whether it’s acting or singing or something else, I try to tell them if I have the opportunity. Because I might never get that opportunity again.
Any dating rules?
Don’t.
Incredible advice. Do you think it’s okay to ghost after the first date?
Umm, yeah. For so long, I just tried not to offend other people. But then it would get to the point where I’m uncomfortable. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized it’s important to do what makes me happy. It’s not anything personal towards that person, either. I’m just not into them.
