Tracee Ellis Ross Recreates One of Her Mom Diana Ross’s Iconic Photos

When it comes to the phrase “I got it from my mama,” Tracee Ellis Ross takes it literally. Going straight to the source material, the actress channeled an image of Diana Ross from a ‘70s editorial, wearing the exact same beaded necklace and a similar golden top. Of course, she capped it off by mimicking Diana’s pose with her hands behind her head and sharing side-by-side snaps of both on her Instagram. Why did she pay homage to her mom this time? Well, just because, it seems.

It’s not the first time Tracee has raided her mom’s closet or imitated her likeness in a photo. At this point, she is famous for sharing vintage snaps of her mother on Instagram and Twitter. Sometimes, she even takes the clothes straight out of her mother’s closet. She once told W magazine that her love of clothes began when she was a toddler, and she tried on a pair of her mom’s high heels. “For my entire life I’ve been trying to get back to being that little girl!” she said. “From the age of 11 or 12, I’d steal clothes from my mom’s closet. Most of my ideas about dressing came from that closet.”

Tracee appears to still be lifting an outfit from her mother’s wardrobe from time to time. In 2017, she borrowed a look from her mom to present Diana with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017 American Music Awards: a white pantsuit with a sequined blouse and black bowtie that her mother originally wore in 1981. And for her 2020 rom-com, The High Note, Tracee can be seen in the film wearing outfits not unlike the ones her mother designed and wore for Mahogany. And now, she seems to just be borrowing accessories, as is the case with the most recent tribute, and the necklace she wore for her shoot.

All of the comparisons between the two do not lead to any sort of competition, however. They’re both icons in their own right, and Tracee has been adamant about the fact that she has never felt as if she was living in her mother’s shadow. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, after all.