BOOKS
Tanisha is the author of three books and countless articles.
“Writing books is challenging, but something in me can’t resist showing up to the page.” -Tanisha

Dressed in Dreams: A Black Girl’s Love Letter to the Power of Fashion
St. Martins, June 2019
From sneakers to leather jackets, a bold, witty, and deeply personal dive into Black America's closet.
In this highly engaging book, fashionista and pop culture expert Tanisha C. Ford investigates Afros and dashikis, go-go boots and hotpants of the sixties, hip hop's baggy jeans and bamboo earrings, and the #BlackLivesMatter-inspired hoodies of today.
Dressed in Dreams is a story of desire, access, conformity, and black innovation that explains things like the importance of knockoff culture; the role of “ghetto fabulous” full-length furs and colorful leather in the 1990s; how black girls make magic out of a dollar store t-shirt, rhinestones, and airbrushed paint; and black parents' emphasis on dressing nice. Ford talks about the pain of seeing black style appropriated by the mainstream fashion industry and fashion’s power, especially in middle America. In this richly evocative narrative, she shares her lifelong fashion revolution―from figuring out her own personal style to discovering what makes Midwestern fashion a real thing too.

MEDIA COVERAGE
Praise











The last stop on the Dressed in Dreams book tour! Tanisha and radio host Natalie Moore chat about all things style and Blackness in the Midwest at the 2019 Chicago Humanities Festival.

In this highly engaging book, fashionista and pop culture expert Tanisha C. Ford investigates Afros and dashikis, go-go boots and hotpants of the sixties, hip hop’s baggy jeans and bamboo earrings, and the #BlackLivesMatter-inspired hoodies of today.