Teino Evans, Staff Reporter

Too much to count? Garth Sample of Sample 6 shows off a boot from his collection of 'kicks'.

The STAR takes a look at the styles of the new 'fashion icons' of the dancehall, the dancers. If you know anything about dancers, you know that their outfits form part of their image. Today, take a look at the fashions of the 'Sample Six'.

The fashion statement of the Sample Six dancers is one that cannot go unnoticed, as the trio agrees that their 'sample' way of dressing is part of how they got their name in the first place.

From boots, outstanding hairstyles and jewellery to tattoos and 'name-brand' attire, Garth says, "certain things we haffi do different from people. Mi wear a lot of sleeveless, but a brands like Versace, Moschino, Valentino and dem way deh, but it just look simple same way."

And where shoes are concerned, it's all about Air Force Ones, Hedady, All Star and the works.

"Di Air Force One an di All Stars," Garth says, suit dancers, "because di bottom a di shoes flat an it comfortable. Anybody know Sample, wi foot likkle, a size six mi wear and that's part of how we got our name, everything wi wear and do jus sample."

THREE DIFFERENT COLOGNES

(From left) Showas Sample, Garth Sample and Scotty Sample showing off outfits from their collections. - Teino Evans photos

According to Garth, "all a night time, all three different cologne wi beat one time, cause dancer haffi smell good. one a fi like $7,000 and $8,000, like Versace, Issi Miyaki, Iceberg and Perry Ellis."

But, the trio are uniformed but never dress identically. Garth explains, "if one a wi inna full white, one wi inna full yellow an di other inna full red, a bright colours a wear now."

Scotty, another member of the group, agrees that they like the simple things in fashion, but warns, "Mi cyan si nobody else inna my shirt. mi have shirt weh mi si people inna, an mi not even wear it inna di yard."

According to Scotty, "wi have people weh come from foreign all every month weh bring in wi stuff weh wi wear, suh wi wear clothes an tings based on the last shipment of new stock."

It is no wonder that their stock piles up, as THE STAR team observed numerous pairs of shoes and sneakers when they visited Sample Six.

With the many pairs of shoes that Scotty and other Sample Six members have in their collection, there are some that THE STAR team did not even see, as Scotty says, "mi have ova 50 pair a shoes and a next suitcase a shoes underneath mi bed."

Showers, another member of the group, says, their fashion just comes naturally, but in any event, each member has his trademark and preference.

"A me a one a dem weh have di most tattoo, di tattoo a my image, dat a how people mark me, because tru some people nuh know wi by name dem haffi use certain things fi mark me. So me a di tattoo person. Garth a him hairstyle (taken care of by the 'Star Girls' from Portmore), him alone have dah style deh, an Scotty, fi him style a like cut-off foot pants. Some dancer wi beat dat fi all a one night, but Scotty wi beat it all a month an den switch it up," Showers explained.

DRESS TO THE MOOD

Garth Sample of Sample 6 poses and shows that a black 'tims' and a black shirt go quite well with a 'jesus piece'.

According to Showers, how they dress on any given night is all up to how they feel and the mood they are in.

"Some night wi would a put on like di pointed mouth shoes, suh is a 'no sneakers, no t-shirt ting a just how wi feel, cause a jus natural wi do it. We like do some sample tings, a suh comes wi get wi name, people cyan really predict we wah wi a guh wear come a dance. sometimes wi hair do up, or wi roll up one foot a jeans, yuh nuh, just keep di fans guessing," Showers said.

Shopping for their next style is done both locally and abroad, as they 'sample' stores in Manhattan, New York and, of course, the downtown arcade. Garth says, "mostly in Manhattan, down inna di village, cause me guh shopp'n more time fi di man dem, but more time wi have wi store dem inna arcade (downtown), suh like if wi need a shirt fi match a pants weh wi have wi jus run guh down deh. And like the chains and watches, a me guh buy dem inna Manhattan, down inna di village."

But there is one rule that these dancers hold dear to them when it comes to dancing in the video light and fashion. Garth says, they have to keep their fashion fresh because, "when wi wear one sum'n wi cyan really wear it again suh like when di video catch yuh inna one ting, wi cyan really guh wear it again."