Wear is She Wednesday: Balquis Ismail
Wear is She Wednesday: Balquis Ismail
By Veronica Viccora
3.30.22
Between her tattoos, her eclectic style and her air of insouciance, Balquis is probably one of the coolest people on the internet. A writer for fun and self proclaimed "mall goth," she draws inspiration from some super interesting places. She has a refreshing view on the world and creativity, reminding us all that fictional characters are often way more fun to admire than real people, and that the most iconic styles are formed from looking in places nearly forgotten. So keep reading for her thoughts on bad movies, secret writing projects and Barbie from The Princess and the Pauper.
Hi Balquis, please introduce your wonderful self!
Hello! My name is Balquis Ismail. I go by gremlinnn__ on instagram but I’m always changing my username so it could be something different the next time you check. I’m from Atlanta. Arguably the only interesting part of Georgia. I like to write short stories for fun and only my friends have seen them but every now and then I post little excerpts on my other account, balquis_notes. I’m a big lover of bad movies and cheesy rom coms and will rewatch them several times before I ever bore of them.
How would you describe your style in 3 words?
I’d describe my style as mall goth, wannabe hippie, and Tumblr girl aesthetic. My style is all over the place and I like it that way.
Who or what are your current biggest style inspirations?
My biggest style inspirations are Serena from Downtown, Nancy from The Craft, and Lisa Bonet. Mostly fictional characters because they usually have the most outlandish style as a way of self expression.
What's the best outfit you've ever worn?
The best outfit I’ve ever worn is one that I unfortunately didn’t get many pics of. It was a silk black top and a knitted blazer with a black velvet skirt. I absolutely love that outfit and I can’t figure out how I did my makeup so well that day.
What's on your wish list right now?
I have these cute black boots from Unif on my wishlist along with a black dress from Urban Outfitters and a good quality black scarf.
Who would you invite to your fantasy dinner party?
For a fantasy dinner, Zoe Kravitz would be at the top of the list. I’m obsessed with her. Next would be Jade from Victorious, Barbie from The Princess and the Pauper, Timothee Chalamet and Sza.
What's something you're really proud of right now?
I’m really proud of my writing. Even though I have no desire to monetize it, it’s interesting to see how much I’ve progressed. I can’t even bear to look at some of my writing from a year ago.
Where else can we find you Balquis?
You can find me on TikTok @gremlingirl_ as well as twitter @gremlinnn__ where I give too many opinions about euphoria instead of indulging in real life.
