From Baltimore classrooms to viral outfit videos, the creator behind @DippedInButter1990 talks sneaker culture, handling internet hate, working with brands, and why matching is overrated.
Some people follow fashion trends. Others build their entire identity around refusing to follow them. Baltimore-based style creator Wizard Kelly also known as Dipped In Butter (@DippedInButter1990) falls firmly into the second category.
With an eye for unexpected color combinations, a sneaker collection approaching 200 pairs, and a personality that’s as distinctive as his outfits, Dipped In Butter has carved out his own space in the streetwear conversation. What started as simply getting dressed for his job as a para-educator has grown into viral Instagram and TikTok content, recognition from major streetwear pages, and collaborations with brands like Jordan Craig.
But his journey hasn’t been all fresh sneakers and free clothes. Behind the outfit videos is a creator who nearly walked away after discovering that internet recognition doesn’t always translate into growth. He’s also learned that sometimes the very thing that makes you different is what makes people pay attention.
FITGRADES caught up with Dipped in Butter to talk about his unconventional approach to personal style, finding his voice online, dealing with critics, and turning a passion for fashion into something much bigger.
The Name, the Culture, and the Beginning
FITGRADES: First things first. Dipped in Butter is a name you don’t forget. Where did it come from?
Dipped in Butter: You ever watched The Boondocks? There’s an episode where Granddad goes out of town and leaves Huey and Riley some money. Riley ends up taking the money, going to the mall, and buying himself an outfit.
When he gets home, he gets into a fight and messes up his collar. He’s mad about it, and he says something like, “You see me shining, dipped in butter.”
That line always stuck with me. When I was creating my page, I wanted something that would set me apart. I didn’t want a generic name, and that was the first thing that came to mind.
Plus, being from Baltimore, it makes sense. We love our crabs and butter. I also wanted a name I could eventually market because I’ve always wanted to get into streetwear.
FITGRADES: You work as a paraeducator. How did getting dressed for work turn into creating fashion content?
Dipped in Butter: It really started with a friend pushing me to do it.
Working in a school building, I wasn’t getting many opportunities to wear my clothes. I wasn’t dressing bummy or anything, but I’d usually throw on some sweats and sneakers.
Eventually, I got tired of having all these clothes and not wearing them. So I started putting my outfits together for work.
People started complimenting me, saying I dressed nice and should post my outfits. My friends were telling me I had the personality for content creation, too.
But I didn’t want to do it. I really don’t like attention.
One of my friends kept pushing me. He started his own page, saw how things were going, and kept telling me I needed to get involved.
Finally, I said, “All right, I’m going to do it.”
I had no expectations. I didn’t even think anybody would follow me.
Next thing I knew, my content started taking off on Instagram and TikTok.
I didn’t know anything about UGC [user-generated content] at the time. My friend just told me to tag the brands I was wearing whenever I posted.
So that’s what I did. Then brands started reaching out, and I’m sitting there confused, trying to figure out what’s happening.
I still don’t know exactly what it is about my content, but I’ve been blessed with opportunities to work with brands.
From Posting Fits to Working With Brands
FITGRADES: When brands first started reaching out, how did you separate legitimate opportunities from scams?
Dipped in Butter: You have to do your due diligence.
With a brand like Jordan Craig, everybody knows who they are. But when it’s a smaller company, I’m checking for verifiable information.
I’ll look at their Instagram, the type of content they post, how they communicate, and whether there’s an actual business behind the message.
If somebody is hitting you with those generic, AI-generated messages or trying to move everything to WhatsApp, you have to pay attention.
Legitimate companies might reach out through a representative instead of their official page, but you can usually find information that confirms who they are.
If everything checks out, I’m cool. If not, I ignore it.
FITGRADES: You’ve been featured by major streetwear platforms, including Outfit Grid. What was that first big recognition like?
Dipped in Butter: It was definitely gratifying, but it also taught me a lesson.
The first time Outfit Grid featured me, I’d probably only been making content for about a month.
I had just gotten my J Tips sneakers, and I was excited about them, so I posted an outfit.
Next thing I know, this platform with over a quarter-million followers reposts my picture.
I’m thinking, “Oh yeah, it’s up from here!”
I figured people would start following me, brands would reach out, and my page would take off.
Bro, I probably got about 10 followers from that post.
I’m not even going to lie. That was one of those moments when I thought about quitting.
I had this big expectation, and nothing moved. No major increase in followers. No big change in engagement.
It made me question whether I wanted to keep putting all that time and energy into creating content.
People don’t realize how much work goes into it. They see the views and the finished videos, but they don’t see how time-consuming and tiring it can be.
Some days, I don’t feel like doing it. I have friends who check on me when I haven’t posted, telling me I need to get back to it.
But looking back, I’m glad that happened early.
It taught me that getting featured somewhere doesn’t automatically mean you’re going to blow up. You still have to put in the work.
“People don’t realize how much work goes into it. They see the views and the finished videos, but they don’t see how time-consuming and tiring it can be.”
Going Viral by Being Himself
FITGRADES: If getting reposted wasn’t the breakthrough, what actually changed the trajectory of your content?
Dipped in Butter: I think it was my personality and finally letting people see who I really am.
When I first started posting, people didn’t hear me speak much. And when I did talk, I was code-switching because I wanted everybody to understand me.
Then I went viral for an Air Max outfit.
Before that, I hadn’t really experienced hate on my page. People would compliment my outfits, and everything was cool.
But once that video went viral, all the negative comments started coming.
Where I’m from, we joke on people. We roast each other. That’s just part of how we communicate.
So I’m looking at these comments thinking, “Y’all really don’t know who you’re talking to.”
One morning, I woke up to a bunch of notifications. The first comment I saw was somebody saying my outfit was trash.
That wasn’t even what made me mad.
I looked at the time and realized somebody had been on my page at two in the morning hating on my outfit.
I’m thinking, “Bro, you were up at two o’clock in the morning worried about what I’m wearing?”
So I got out of bed, sat at my computer, and started talking.
I wasn’t planning anything. I was just saying whatever came to mind.
And because I wasn’t thinking about how I sounded, my Baltimore accent came out. My real personality came through.
People hadn’t seen that side of me before.
I think that’s when everything changed.
People weren’t just looking at the clothes anymore. They were engaging with me as a person.
FITGRADES: Some creators avoid negative comments altogether. You turned them into content. Was that intentional?
Dipped in Butter: It wasn’t about creating controversy.
I just think people need to remember that the person they’re talking about has feelings, too.
The internet gives everybody a platform to say whatever they want to somebody they’ve never met.
You don’t know how your words might affect somebody.
And the funny part is, you’re so busy telling me how you feel about me that you don’t even know how I feel about you.
You think you’re funny? I’m hilarious.
Once I started responding to people and making those videos, it gave my audience something else to connect with.
It wasn’t just about putting on a fit anymore.
FITGRADES: Beyond showing your personality, what has been the biggest driver of your growth?
Dipped in Butter: Networking, engagement, and consistency.
When I started working with Jordan Craig and tagging the brand, I got a lot of exposure through their page. That helped my content grow.
But you have to stay consistent.
You have to put yourself in the algorithm. You have to do the work.
Sometimes something takes off unexpectedly, but you can’t depend on that happening every time.
Especially with UGC, brands are looking at your content and your views.
If a company is sending you clothes, that’s an investment. Those clothes are basically currency to them.
They need to see a return on that investment.
So I try to keep my content engaging and think about new ways to switch things up.
I don’t want people to see my video and think, “Oh, he’s just kicking his foot out again.”
I want them to be interested in what I’m doing and what I’m talking about.
“You have to put yourself in the algorithm. You have to do the work.”
Why Matching Is Overrated
FITGRADES: Your outfits have a distinct identity, especially the way you combine colors and sneakers. How would you describe your personal style?
Dipped in Butter: My whole style is built on the idea that matching is overrated.
You’ll see somebody with a blue hat, blue shirt, blue jeans, and blue shoes.
To me, that gets boring. It’s redundant.
When I was about 18, one of my homeboys told me, “Bro, matching is overrated.”
I didn’t understand what he meant at first.
Then he explained that as long as the colors go together, you match.
That changed how I looked at getting dressed.
I started paying attention to how he put outfits together, studying different color combinations, and experimenting with my own style.
Now, when I’m putting a fit together, my goal is to make something that I don’t think anybody else would put together the same way.
I like pushing the boundaries of what people think goes together.
There are little details that make everything work. One color might bring out something in another piece. You might need to balance one color because another piece already has a lot going on.
There’s a real science to it.
FITGRADES: So the goal isn’t necessarily to match every piece. It’s to make the entire outfit work together?
Dipped in Butter: Exactly.
I love playing with colors.
Olive green and red, for example. That’s a combination I really like.
You can mix colors people wouldn’t normally think to put together, and when you get it right, the whole outfit comes alive.
That’s what makes getting dressed fun to me.
Nearly 200 Sneakers and Counting
FITGRADES: We can’t talk about your style without talking sneakers. How many pairs are in the collection right now?
Dipped in Butter: I haven’t counted recently, but I want to say I’m getting close to 200 pairs.
I’ve been telling myself I need to chill out for a while now.
But then something else drops, and I can’t help myself.
FITGRADES: That’s a serious collection. Give us your top three pairs that you own.
Dipped in Butter: That’s hard.
I’d have to say my Galaxy Foamposites, even though I just got them.
Then my Royal 1s. I’ve been chasing those for a while, so finally having them means something.
And my Brick by Bricks.
That’s a solid three right there.
FITGRADES: With a collection that big, how much do sneakers influence the way you build an outfit?
Dipped in Butter: I like playing with how everything works together.
For me, it’s about finding those combinations that people might not immediately think of.
I want the whole outfit to feel different. Something that looks like I put it together my way.
Building Something Bigger Than Instagram
FITGRADES: You’ve built an audience, worked with brands, and developed a recognizable style. Is content creation the destination, or are you building toward something bigger?
Dipped in Butter: I definitely want to turn it into something bigger.
My friends have been trying to get me back into making music.
I want to get into acting, too.
I’m an artist, so I want to incorporate my artwork into what I’m doing.
And I’ve wanted to design clothes for a long time.
I have a lot of ideas. Right now, I’m using this platform to get into the right rooms and build the revenue to explore those other opportunities.
That’s really the goal.
FITGRADES: Since you’re already an artist with a strong fashion identity, have you considered customizing existing clothes as a way to introduce your own designs?
Dipped in Butter: I was literally just thinking about that the other day.
I was watching somebody paint on something, and I remember thinking, “I should try doing that.”
It’s something I definitely want to explore.
FITGRADES: Artists like Ron Bass have shown how painting on clothing can evolve into major fashion collaborations. You already have the clothes, the artistic ability, and the audience. That could be a natural next step.
Dipped in Butter: One hundred percent.
I have so many different things I want to do creatively. It’s really about getting to the point where I can start bringing those ideas to life.
FITGRADES: Before we let you go, what’s it been like watching your content turn into actual brand relationships?
Dipped in Butter: I appreciate all of it because I wasn’t expecting any of this.
When I started getting clothes from Jordan Craig, even my dad got excited.
He was like, “Tell them what size I wear.”
I’m like, “Pops, it don’t work like that!”
But it’s been a blessing.
I didn’t start doing this thinking brands were going to send me clothes or that people would recognize my style.
I was just wearing my clothes and posting my outfits.
Everything else came from there.
And I want to keep building on it.
The FITGRADES Takeaway
Dipped in Butter’s story is about more than sneakers, viral videos, and putting together a good fit. It’s a reminder that developing your own identity is often more valuable than following somebody else’s formula.
- Personal style beats perfect matching. Stop worrying about whether every color matches exactly. Learn how colors complement each other, experiment with unexpected combinations, and build outfits that reflect your personality.
- Visibility isn’t the same as growth. A repost from a major platform might feel like a breakthrough, but sustainable growth comes from consistency, audience engagement, and giving people a reason to return.
- Your personality is part of your value. Dipped in Butter’s content found another gear when he stopped code-switching and let his Baltimore personality come through. Whether you’re building a personal brand or trying to attract fashion partnerships, authenticity can be your strongest differentiator.
The bottom line: Dipped in Butter didn’t build his following by dressing like everybody else. He built it by developing his own style, finding his voice, and continuing to create even when the results didn’t meet his expectations.
And with plans to explore fashion design, art, music, and acting, his next chapter could be bigger than his sneaker collection.
Follow Dipped in Butter on Instagram for his latest outfits, sneaker rotations, and creative projects. If you want more influencer interviews click here.
