SLUG Style: Adaline Rae

Meet Adaline Rae

Boldly stunning and always ready for the runway, Adaline Rae Orton shows off true empowerment in every aspect. They’re the boss of the new generation, inspired by the Y2K looks brought forth by Ed Hardy and Juicy Couture. However, it’s their raised fist for political activism and their background in modeling that keeps the party going. 

Every month, SLUG Style features a distinct member of the community and asks them why they do what they do. Exploring more than just clothing, SLUG Style is an attempt to feature the people who give Salt Lake City flavor through personality and panache.

What are your stylistic influences? This could be a band, decade, fictional character — anything.

My biggest fashion inspirations have to be Doechii, Megan Thee Stallion and my favorite duo, Snooki and Jwoww. Growing up, I went through many different style phases, from shirts covering my shoulders and shorts to my knees to wearing a bunch of silver necklaces around my neck and a wannabe skater style. I seriously went through styles like no other, and these women showed me that I don’t have to stick to a single aesthetic or style.

Doechii and Megan can be styled in 100+ different styles and look amazing in every piece — it truly inspires me to not stick to one style because I can look amazing in all of them. Snooki and Jwoww inspire me the most, though, from Jwoww’s leather outfits to Snooki’s confidence to go out in the most bummy fit imaginable. Even their iconic Ed Hardy and Juicy Couture collection inspires me to unapologetically show skin, wear my favorite dress even if I’m not going anywhere crazy and not give a shit about other people’s opinions.

What are your interests or hobbies? What is the hobby or interest that you have that no one would realize to ask you about?

I’m a hula dancer, and I’ve been extremely involved in political activism since I was 14 years old! I started hula when I was 11 years old, when my mom saw a local ad for hula classes. So to get me off the couch, she decided to sign me up! Mind you, I hated the idea of doing anything besides watching Nacho Libre on my couch, so I was extremely opposed, but after my first class I was absolutely obsessed.

I learned hula ‘auana from the sweetest teacher named Kumu Ami and I learned Ori Tahiti along with Ori fusion with a studio called Siva Pasefika! I’ve danced for family gatherings, parties, school performances, vow renewals and even in Maui for my dad’s company. I stopped dancing after I moved up to Salt Lake City due to not knowing any studios, but I still dance in my free time to make sure I don’t lose that talent!

Besides hula, I’m involved in political activism. My whole entire existence is political, so from a young age I made it my goal to educate myself about my history and be loud when it comes to Black and brown liberation. My mom helped a lot when it came to keeping me educated and involved. When I was a kid, she encouraged me to learn about Black history beyond the pain and suffering — the powerful Black women who weren’t in the media despite their major impact in society (such as Angela Davis, Assata Shakur, Harriet Tubman and Sarah Goode) — and use my voice as much as I can, even if people don’t want to listen.

When I was 14 years old, I created and led protests, did service for my community, posted about issues that should be addressed and gave speeches at protests in St. George. One time, during a protest, we lay on the ground for eight minutes in honor of George Floyd, and when a counter protester started screaming the National Anthem while we stayed silent, I stood up, approached him, and made sure he knew he didn’t belong there at all.

After a big screaming match, he left extremely embarrassed (I would too if i was a grown man who got screamed at by a smartass 14 year old). I even made it in the local newspaper for getting into it with that man and for being at the front of protests. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been protesting, posting about issues that matter, educating myself and my peers and screaming, “BLACK LIVES MATTER, CHINGA LA MIGRA, HANDS OFF WOMENS RIGHTS, PROTECT OUR LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY AND FREE PALESTINE!!!!!!”

How did you get into modeling? What has that journey been like?

I got into modeling when I was 3 years old! My mom had some photographer friends looking for a muse, and the second they saw me, they wanted to photograph me! I was a beautiful baby with a serious afro, so when I say people were obsessed, people were OBSESSED. My first photoshoot is definitely my best work, though — my mom dressed me up in a pink tutu and leotard that was a gift from a family friend and left my hair all curly and beautiful, and they put me on top of my mom’s vintage World War II trunk with a backdrop behind me.

Right away, I was a natural and the camera and I grew a very loving relationship! The photographer and their company loved the picture so much, it’s still hanging in their company building to this day. After that, my child modeling career skyrocketed, and a star was born! With the best mom-ager — she got me to work with a company called Focused on You Photography. I appeared in a local magazine, modeled for a child ballet clothing line, and more!

After a while, my interest died down, so I decided to focus on singing, hula and acting. After they asked me to walk in a Juneteenth runway following my long break from modeling, I decided to return to it. Since then, I’ve been KILLINGGGGG the game! I’ve walked in runway after runway while wearing the most incredible pieces. I’m preparing to walk in New York Fashion Week 2026, I worked with my favorite jewelry brand called Hard Jewelry (and I was absolutely OBSESSED with them when I was a teenager so it was a major accomplishment), I was featured in Envy Magazine and I got on my first billboard wearing a badass clown outfit.

I became a representation for curvy Afro Latina women, I’ve done shoots that honor my cultures, I have met amazing and talented people who have given me so much wisdom and knowledge, I’ve created friendships with people who genuinely want to see me win and I’ve grown an unbreakable love for myself! The journey itself has been an absolute roller coaster, but I’ve experienced so many things I wouldn’t have expected! 

Are you always “on” or would someone see you at the grocery store, for example, with less elements of your style?

HELL NO!!!!!!! I swear I’m a shapeshifter because one day, I’ll go to the gas station looking like I just got ran over and the next day I’ll look like a 2000s model. I love being a shapeshifter and I’m comfortable going out in oversized shorts or sweatpants, a sweatshirt three times my size with a few Taco Bell stains here and there, my pink fuzzy slippers and my hot pink bonnet.

Confidence truly flows through my veins, so I don’t care how many weird Utah stares I get — I will always run my errands in whatever fit I want. No matter what, I own it as a bad bitch whether I dress like someone’s uncle or step out in a full face of makeup and a Pinterest-worthy outfit.

If you had to describe Adaline Rae in three words, what would those be? 

UNFORGETTABLE, UNTOUCHABLE, UNFUCKWITABLE.

I’m unforgettable because I leave my mark in every room I enter and I make my name loud and clear. I’m untouchable because no matter how much bullshit life throws at me, it couldn’t disturb my peace and motivation. And I’m unfuckwitable because at the end of the day, no matter how many people try to drag me down, I will never let them bring me to my lowest. I truly am a force to be reckoned with, and I definitely believe those words describe me best.

What is the hardest part of modeling that people would never expect?

People can be wolves sheep’s clothing [when it comes to] the treatment of models and how hard it is to get opportunities as a woman of color. People in the industry can be very deceitful; a lot of the time, people are only in the industry because they want the fame or they want to try flirting with beautiful models. Not only that, but many people claim to be inclusive and diverse while they only book certain models, steal pieces and claim them as their own, pretend to care about models but leave them backstage without a chair or water, and act as if they can take opportunities away from you just because “they don’t like you.” You must stay extremely resilient, stay true to yourself, and refuse to compromise your morals for an opportunity because some people actively try to deceive you and bring you down to make themselves feel better.

The treatment of models is a different story, though. A lot of higher ups usually don’t care about their models even though MODELING IS A JOB!!!!! I have participated in many shows where the organizers leave us in a steaming hot backstage for 5-8 hours without water, snacks, a private place to change, a comfortable place to sit, a proper runway to walk on, or clear instructions on what I should do as a model.

People think it’s all glitz and glamour, but sometimes people have the mindset that a model’s job isn’t hard and shouldn’t be honored to the best of their abilities. It’s not hard at all to treat a model like a human, and I don’t understand why it’s so hard for people to understand that. 

Another thing that people don’t expect about modeling is that the racism within the industry runs deep and comes off extremely passive aggressive! From ignoring or denying me opportunities because “I don’t fit their niche” and telling me “I’ll keep you in mind for the future,” to discrediting the women of color working behind the scenes to make the magic happen, to refusing to do my hair and makeup because “they don’t know how to do it,” to comparing my features to other people’s, and repeatedly booking only one look for runways or photoshoots.

There’s unfortunately someone out there who doesn’t like you for the color of your skin and the texture of your hair. However, I’ve learned that even if I don’t fit their niche, someone out there will always love me, embrace my beauty, and honor me for the person I am and the background I bring. So trying to get in the spotlight as a Black and Mexican queer person who is extremely loud about my opinions has been the hardest journey, but throughout it I’ve done it with unapologetic confidence, massive amounts of self-reassurance and lots of determination. 

You identify as Afro Latina. How do you think your cultural heritage has influenced your style?

My cultures have influenced my style by showing me I can make political statements and look good while doing it. Besides the absolute bombshells I mentioned, I take a lot of inspiration from black and brown activists, hoochie culture and what my child self would want me to look like. Growing up, people always called me names, and strangers touched my hair without my permission. I wore my hair straight for years because it helped me fit in and not deal with that stuff.

Now that I’m more grown up, I wear my crown to honor the little girl who was afraid their hair would get violated and in the way Black liberation activists did to make a statement in a time when our features were demonized. Along with my afro, I wear my long nails, big hoops, tiny eyebrows, brown lip liner, bold eyeliner, pins with statements that I believe in, bangles, accessories with my flags on it, shirts that have bold political statements and more with pride and remembrance of the brave Black and Latina women who broke fashion barriers and set the trends people love to this day. 

How has your personal style evolved over time?

My style went from “I’m insecure and I need to follow the standard” to “fuck the standard i’m going to set a new one!” Growing up Mormon and in a small town is genuinely not for the weak ESPECIALLY if you’re a future icon. I went from strict, old-school

Mormon fashion rules, to dressing like a VSCO girl to fit in, to dressing like an e-girl to try to stand out and finally to not caring about outside perspectives and wearing whatever I wanted to wear. Deep down I knew I didn’t belong in the church at all, so I tried so hard to belong, but in the end I couldn’t even if I tried. Even most of the people I grew up with recognized that I belonged for more and that I stood out in every crowd.

So instead of living in that mindset I decided to switch it! Little St. I caught George completely off guard with the crop top and Daisy Duke monster I became, but I felt absolutely proud of myself for breaking out of the bubble I had kept myself in. Mormon Addy would have a stroke if she saw what I was wearing today, but she would also be so happy that I’m finally wearing the clothes I dreamed of wearing! 

If you could give a piece of advice to young Adaline Rae, what would it be?

Don’t ever shut up and don’t let people think you aren’t the most perfect version of yourself. Your skin is beautiful, your curls are beautiful, your nose is beautiful, your silly glasses are beautiful, your soul is beautiful, your voice is beautiful, your culture is beautiful and I can reassure you that you are about to be even more perfect over time. You are the best cheerleader in your life because you know exactly how you deserve to be celebrated and honored, so never stop celebrating the version you are because the version you’re about to become is even better!

Just trust the process, stay absolutely true to yourself even though you’re already good at it and continue screaming BLACK LIVES MATTER, NO ONE IS ILLEGAL ON STOLEN LAND AND FREE PALESTINE even if you don’t feel like anyone cares. You know EXACTLY who you are, so be that everyday and do it loud and unapologetically. I hear you, I honor you, I adore you, I healed for you and I love you!!!!!

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