This era also marked her first major magazine spread—a Teen Vogue digital feature where she styled three looks under $200. The shoot highlighted her thrifting philosophy. "Vintage has a soul," she said in the interview. "When I wear a 1970s leather jacket, I feel like I'm carrying someone else's story with me. That’s better than any runway label."
This editorial eye is evident in her social media. Her Instagram grid is curated like a minimalist art gallery—clean white spaces, high contrast, and a focus on silhouette. She rarely posts mirror selfies; instead, she commissions photographer friends to capture her in natural light, often against brutalist architecture or in golden hour fields. The clothes are never the subject; they are the medium through which she expresses mood. Laya Deleon Hayes Nude
This is the "cocoon stage" of her style evolution. Designers like Staud, Ganni, and Sergio Hudson began appearing in her rotation. At the 2019 premiere of The Lie at the Toronto International Film Festival, Hayes arrived in a tailored, burnt-orange blazer dress with exaggerated shoulders and matching stiletto boots. The look was a statement: I am no longer a child actor. Her hair, worn in a dramatic side-part with sleek, defined curls, framed a face that had traded baby softness for high cheekbones and a knowing gaze. This era also marked her first major magazine
During this period, her style gallery is dominated by A-line dresses, floral prints, and soft pastels. Think lavender tulle overlays, white kitten heels, and hair styled in neat, high buns or natural curls. At the 2016 Emmy Awards (where Doc McStuffins won for Outstanding Children's Animated Series), Hayes wore a custom navy blue number with a sequined bodice and a flowing chiffon skirt. The look was age-appropriate but never childish—a first hint of the discerning fashion eye she would later develop. "When I wear a 1970s leather jacket, I
In an industry that often asks young women to dress for the gaze of others, Laya DeLeon Hayes dresses for her own reflection. And that reflection, as her gallery proves, is nothing short of stunning.
What set her apart even then was the attention to detail. She frequently wore small lockets or bracelets that paid homage to her Afro-Latina heritage, and she was often photographed with her mother, whose own classic style clearly influenced Laya’s early understanding of grooming and grace. In these photos, Hayes smiles wide, but her posture is straight, her hand placement deliberate. Even at ten years old, she understood the camera.