First Lady Of New York City Rama Duwaji Is Already A Style Icon
There's a growing consensus that Rama Duwaji is a style superstar for Gen Z. The newly minted First Lady of New York City is unique without being out of place, trendy without being repetitive, and like fashion-forward Zillenials, focused on elevated minimalism, sustainability, and individuality. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Duwaji is an artist whose creativity extends beyond her work and into the outfits she puts together. One of the world's first grand introductions to her style was when photographer Kara McCurdy shared photos of Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Duwaji's wedding on Instagram in May 2025.
The illustrator and artist leaned into the anti-bride wedding dress trend with a casual-looking white, lace dress and up-styled it with stacked necklaces, a neck scarf, a furry jacket, and leather boots, which we've come to identify as a wardrobe staple for her. The combination was so gorgeously chic that it set pretty high expectations of upcoming appearances from Duwaji, but it's safe to say that she hasn't disappointed since thanks to her intentional approach to style.
Rama Duwaji's wardrobe frequently features cute shorts and boots
Rama Duwaji clearly loves a good shorts-and-boots combo, and she totally makes it work. In this photo shared to her Instagram in May 2025, she paired a one-shouldered top and shorts with a thick leather belt in a shade of brown that matches the boots. The boots and shorts not only balance out the asymmetrical effect from the top, but they also push the outfit from a fun summer look into something more urban and stylish, inspiring our next outing.
Rama Duwaji's outfit at the election watch party was denim styled right
Rama Duwaji's outfit at Zohran Mamdani's election watch party is perhaps one of her most political outfits yet. She chose a denim top with laser-etched symbols designed by Palestinian-Jordanian designer Zeid Hijazi. She paired the top with a black skirt from Ulla Johnson and an elegant scarf draped over her arms. Beyond being visually unique, Duwaji's outfit was a stylish example of the ways to wear denim beyond jeans. It's also a solid reminder that almost any fabric can be formal if you style it right.
Key pieces from Rama Duwaji's swearing-in outfit were vintage rentals
Rama Duwaji began her role as First Lady of New York City in vintage style. At Zohran Mamdani's midnight swearing-in on January 1, 2026, she wore a vintage Balenciaga coat paired with wide-leg shorts and rented boots from Miista. The coat and shorts were also borrowed pieces from Albright Fashion Library and The Frankie Shop, respectively. Duwaji's choice to rent and repurpose these pieces echoes one of the important sustainable questions we advocate you ask before buying fashion pieces: Why buy when you can rent? For accessories, she chose rented gold earrings from New York Vintage.
Rama Duwaji's inauguration outfit was a chic political statement
Rama Duwaji's second outfit of the day was worn to Zohran Mamdani's public inauguration, and it featured more rented vintage pieces. The brown coat with faux fur fringes was designed by Cynthia Merhej, a Palestinian-Lebanese designer, and was undoubtedly a way to reaffirm her politics. Rama finished the look with simple silver jewelry and chunky lace-up boots in a deep, rich brown color that looked swoon-worthy both up close and from afar.
Rama Duwaji's take on the boots and dress trend was minimalist
Rama Duwaji's Election Day outfit did justice to the dresses and boots trend, the outfit combo that peaked again in 2023. She paired a black dress with a simple lace panel with chunky knee-high boots. For accessories, she went minimal with a brown leather belt to cinch the waist and gold earrings and a bracelet to match the belt's buckle. Like many of Duwaji's outfits, this combination is strategically styled to upgrade basic pieces into a cool and comprehensive look.
She leans into Gen Z makeup trends and intentional accessorizing
Rama Duwaji often leans into the no-makeup makeup look that's become popular with Gen Z. She tends to wear soft lips and natural-looking brows, but takes it up a notch with winged eyeliner. In this photo shared to Instagram in April 2025, her outfit does a great job at taking the sheer top trend from runway to real life, and she definitely gets bonus points for her accessorizing. Beyond the gold bracelets, rings, and earrings, she picked a necklace that was dainty enough for the outfit, yet the right color and size to stand out.