What: HelloBeautiful and Colored Girls Hustle are teaming up for The “Beautiful Hustle” Sip and See
Launch Extravaganza: a launch party featuring a trunk sale and fashion show of
handmade accessories including bowties and earrings. All major credit cards will be
accepted.

Friday May 18th, 2012 || 7:00pm – 10:00pm || FREE || 21+

People’s Lounge || 163 Allen Street || New York, NY 10002

Why: As women of African descent, Kelly Thomas (HelloBeautiful) and Taja Lindley (Colored Girls
Hustle) understand firsthand that style and intentional dress are an integral part of a
liberatory practice of the body. They are using their creative talents and vision to
emphasize and promote this practice” within their communities. The Sip & See Launch
Extravaganza is a commencement and celebration of their community-minded businesses.

Who: HelloBeautiful offers products, services and experiences that support all people in embracing the
spirit of beauty within themselves, others and our surrounding world. As a creative power
initiative, HelloBeautiful regards dressing as a daily art and meditation. HelloBeautiful
offers guidance in developing rituals of Intentional Dress, Meditative Aesthetics and
Personal Beauty Culture. HelloBeautiful is a ministry: administering image healing to
all of us who’s bodies, styles and psyches are judged, attacked, poked and prodded by
everything and everyone, including ourselves. HelloBeautiful provides:
 HB signature
Style Salon sessions, radical beauty workshops for all occasions, styling for
photo-shoots and special events, referrals for other beauty & wellness services
and The HB AfraVintage Royale Collection: unique arts accessories and apparel for
the radical beauty in you.

Colored Girls Hustle uses art, writing, activism and creativity to heal and transform our
communities, and to honor and adorn our bodies. Colored Girls Hustle also leverages
critical thinking and the reproductive justice framework to tell the truth about our lives
in a moment when lies are informing public opinion and public policy about our bodies,
love and labor. “Luminary Sol” is the inaugural summer collection of handmade
accessories from Colored Girls Hustle and features paper beads, fabric button earrings,
an array of peacock feathers, volcanic rocks and long beaded earrings. “Luminary Sol”
requires us to think of our bodies as a universe, challenging us to tap into our so(u)ls and
behave like luminaries: radiating and vibrating, bringing our core golden energy on the
surface of our skin through adornment.

Sweden’s minister of culture Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth has sparked outrage over her participation in a “racist spectacle” during which she cut into a cake depicting a naked black woman at an art show in Stockholm on Sunday, Sweden’s English newspaper The Local reported. 

The cake was part of a World Art Day celebration meant to draw attention to the practice of female circumcision, the Moderna Musset museum told Business Insider. The cake was created by male artist Makode Aj Linde, who also played the cake’s head, screaming in pain as Liljeroth and others cut into it.  However the screaming is made to be comical rather than in a serious tone of voice, making the spectacle a far leap from the serious topic of female circumcision. 

Makode Aj Linde - artist of mutilation of black women cake

It was stated on the artists facebook page “This is after getting my vagaga mutilated by the minister of culture, Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth,” and further “Before cutting me up she whispered ‘Your life will be better after this’ in my ear.” I would personally like to know what she meant by that comment as I cannot see how this artist career should in anyway be promoted to spiral upwards based on his lack of compassion, sense and parameter of racially acceptable art.

The National Afro-Swedish Association expressed its outrage at the minister for taking part in the installation. 

“In our view, this simply adds to the mockery of racism in Sweden,” Kitimbwa Sabuni, the spokesperson for the National Afro-Swedish Association, told the Local. “This was a racist spectacle.” Sabuni and others have called for Liljeroth’s resignation over the incident. 

It is outrageous to think that the mutilation of a black women in the representation of a cake could be used as amusing entertainment, the topic of the art has little effect on those that participate in the cutting up of a black woman, whilst they laugh, drink and eat cake, showing little respect or compassion for those women who have been victims to female circumcision. 

To add insult to injury the black woman mutilation cake is of a black woman who looks exactly like the post slavery racist cartoons of coons, tar black skin, bright red lips, white spikey teeth and clown white paint around the eyes. Is this some kind of joke? I originally asked to find that it was in fact in the name of art. How could anyone in this day and age present a black woman in such a horrifically racist manner? Much less encourage the mutilation and the cannibalism of the black female body. Now let’s also rub some salt in that wound, a black man created this tragically horrifying piece?

This is an unforgivable offense as it was has gone to far out of the parameter of bad taste to be hushed away as a misunderstanding or misconception of the artist true intentions, which I’m sure will be describe as good. Hmmmm???!!!!

The video showing this spectacle is below but I can almost assure you that despite the video being less than 2 minutes long, you will not want to watch it to the end. I’m sorry to have to share this black day in the history of black women with you and hope that you will leave you comments to show that we as black women consider this unacceptable.

What does ‘pretty for a black girl mean’? What are we expected to look like? Well for a black girl, would imply that black women are ugly in general and that the person in receipt of the “compliment” is in fact a rare exception. 

If we take “you have such beautiful skin it’s really not so dark”, then it can only be presumed that dark skin is not favored or considered beautiful, whereas lighter complexions are worthy of compliments. 

Often when a black women is beautiful there is a desire to disassociate her from her race in any way possible, or to speak as though she is some form of super exception. What is wrong with simply accepting that a black woman is beautiful simple for being who she is, a black woman?

How I wish people both black and white would STOP discuss rationale for the beauty of a black woman. Often when seeing beautiful black women, rather than hearing ‘O wow she is a beautiful black women’, there is a tendency to hear instead ‘she is really beautiful she must be mixed with something’. Does that mean that black women can only reach the bar of beauty if we are not fully black? If a black woman is beautiful her features will be associated as closely as possible to being European or her hair being indian or her being Latino or anything that is possible so long as her beauty can be recognized for anything other than black. Do people still really associate the physical feature of black women with the below early post slavery propaganda images used to degrade people of African descent in America?

Due to the negative propaganda, stereo-typing of black women and the stigma of slavery which has left still today a high level of racism, we have been brainwashed to believe that black physical features only mean having kinky hair, very dark skin and a broad nose, all of which to me are beautiful african features, but Africa is a large and widely varied continent in terms of the make-up  of its people. The people of Africa range from light to dark, straight to kinky hair and straight to rounder noses, plump lips to finer lips. With the immense diversity of black people both of Africa and those that have settled in other countries earlier in history, it’s impossible to take five physical aspects to be associate with every black person on earth. 

To assist the understanding of the wide variation of people in Africa there is colour chart below and although I have some reservation about using this chart, it does give some idea of the variation in colour of African people. As for black people being those of African descent, it is clear to see that we do not fall under one strict prototype.

The Wiki definition of black is very interesting as according to Wiki the societal classification of black can be adapted to making those who have less positive aspects black and more positive aspects white. I see this when reference is made to the beauty of black women, as Europeans try to give beautiful black women the stamp of less black and closer to white approval. 

[quote author="- Wiki"]The term black people is used in some socially-based systems of racial classification for humans of a dark-skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups represented in a particular social context. Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as “black”, and often social variables such as class and socio-economic status also play a role, so that relatively dark-skinned people can be classified as white if they fulfill other social criteria of “whiteness” and relatively light-skinned people can be classified as black if they fulfill the social criteria for “blackness” in a particular setting. As a biological phenotype being “black” is often associated with the very dark skin colors of some people who are classified as “black”. But, particularly in the United States, the racial or ethnic classification also refers to people with all possible kinds of skin pigmentation from the darkest through to the very lightest skin colors, including albinos, if they are believed by others to have African ancestry, or to exhibit cultural traits associated with being “African-American”. As a result, in the United States the term “black people” is not an indicator of skin color but of socially based racial classification.[/quote]

Black women are so very beautiful because our features come from a rich and wealthy source of our ancestry from Africa’s varied people. As black people we need to move away from the restrictive mentality that has a strangle hold on the accepted beauty of black women. In whatever shade, wherever in the world, we must all remember that black is beautiful and you are beautiful as a black woman. The next time that someone tells you that you are beautiful for a black girl, tell them that black people are too beautiful to allow you to accept such an insult! Do not allow yourself to be pushed into the black but better than black because you have been stamped by whites “not like other black people”, as at the end of the day, you are what you are. A black woman and a beautiful black woman at that!

It is our responsibility to make change happen!

Here are some of the comments so far of our facebook fans, let us know what you think and what your experience is!

The photos were taken for Allure’s annual “The Naked Truth” issue and features Heidi Klum, Maria Menounos, Debra Messing, Leslie Bibb and Morena Baccarin. Photographer Patrick Demarchelier shoots the girls in a New York City apartment with a lounge bedroom design. 

The photographs have been described as tasteful, however, I have to ask what is this new trend of more and more mature celebrity women getting naked for magazines. Today’s most prominent women’s magazines want to show more and more women naked and I’m not sure why. Do we women really want to see naked celebrity? I fail to recognize a demand amongst the women that I know for nakedness. And if you are one of those curious people who wants to see whether they have cellulite or imperfections, there’s just one word PHOTOSHOP. 

It’s clear that apart from Heidi Klum the other women’s careers are not in the main spotlight currently and this leads to ask whether failing stars use the naked card to boost their fame? 

Taraji expresses her complete comfort with nudity for Allure with the following statements:

[quote author="- Taraji"]Whenever we go to the beach, I’m like, ‘Is this a nude beach? Can I take my top off?[/quote]

[quote author="- Taraji"]As long as it’s all still looking good and not falling and you know, sagging, I’ll be nude. As long as people want to see me naked, I’m here.[/quote]

Naturally different people are comfortable with different levels of nudity, however, recently there does appear to be a correlation between the levels of comfort to be nude for a magazine and the level of a woman’s fame. 

Call me old fashioned but what ever happened to appreciating celebrities and so-called stars for their talent? Which should be a long step ahead of exposure of their bodies to boost popularity.

ABW - Fashion Hit & Miss Rihanna & Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington in a beautiful blue Stella McCartney Barnes Dress from the designer’s 2012 Pre-Fall collection, at a photo call for her new film “Django Unchained.” Kerry’s look is elegant, sophisticated and she has chosen a style that not only compliments well her figure but is also bold and confident. We just love to see our black women looking effortlessly wonderful!

Rihanna sporting Chanel 2012 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival held at the Empire Polo Club on April 15, 2012 in Indio, California. We know it’s a festival and not a movie photo shoot so the two styles are not really comparable, but we are not comparing. Despite it being a festival there is still little explanation for what Rihanna is wearing. This outfit reminds me of the 1980s hooker outfits in the movie Pretty Women before the shopping spree. If you think that this critique is too harsh, just ask yourself, would you be caught dead in this?

Let us know what you think about this weeks fashion hit and miss!

A Poem for All Beautiful Black Women by Queen Sheba

Please feel free to share more poem recommendations in the comments box below!

What is most striking about Linsanity is Jeremy Lin’s impact on the perception of Asian men. Jeremy Lin’s strength, finesse on the court and overall swag seem to debunk stereotypes of Asian-American men as effeminate, weak, timid, nerdy and socially awkward.  The world is taking notice.  A viral YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5GVMWl2Z-Y depicts an Asian-American female college student leaving her white boyfriend for an Asian-American man after seeing footage of Jeremy Lin playing basketball.  Her stereotype of Asian-American men being effeminate and nerdy dissipates and she suddenly finds an Asian-American man irresistible while acknowledging their cultural connection.  Since Linsanity began, several Asian-American men have reported that they have begun receiving more replies on Internet dating sites.

I’m pleased by these developments.  As a black woman, I am no stranger to harmful gender and race-based stereotypes.  Just recently, a branding and technology consultant who is helping me upgrade my romantic networking site for black women and all men, Loveessence.com, presented me with the following quote in order to demonstrate the reactions to the site that we may sometimes encounter.

[quote author="- Anonymous White Man"]Just the term ‘black women’ conjures up thoughts of an overweight, dark-skinned, loud, poorly educated person with gold teeth yelling at somebody in public. I hope that doesn’t make me racist but honestly that’s the 1st thing I think of.[/quote]

I was horrified.  The white man quoted seems incredibly confused.  Some of the most stunningly beautifully women that I have ever seen have dark-skin.  Further, I don’t personally know any black woman who fits the rest of that description.

It seems that despite the very lovely images of beautiful, intelligent, feminine and glamorous black women from all walks of life such as Lena Horne, Josephine Baker, Shirley Chisholm, Dianne Carroll, Dianna Ross, Iman, Michelle Obama and many more, wicked stereotypes still persist.

With the presence of these vicious stereotypes, it is not entirely surprising that black women and Asian-American men are the least likely groups to marry and date interracially in the United States. http://yourlife.usatoday.com/sex-relationships/marriage/story/2011-11-07/Interracial-marriage-More-accepted-still-growing/51115322/1  Although it is important to note that black women appear to be far less interested in dating out of their race than all other women in the United States, according to scholars who study this issue such as Professor Ralph Richard Banks.

Jeremy Lin reminds us of the fallacy of race and gender-based stereotypes.  I think that it would be wise if we all stop ourselves the next time we find ourselves thinking that white men have no swag, white women are “easy”, Asian-American men are less endowed, Asian-American women are submissive, Latina women are fiery, Latino men are hot-tempered, black women are overly-demanding, black men are players or any other silly stereotypes.  

I have a radical idea.  Why don’t we all try to get to know people as individuals while keeping in mind that the human race is brimming with diversity? We should try to acknowledge the fact that variety is abundant within the very groups that people perceive as representative of a single “race”.  Can we actually get to love’s essence by opening our minds to discover whether a person, regardless of his or her race, can actually give us the love for which we yearn?  The increasing frequency of Asian men and black women from Africa getting married shows us the viability of love across racial and cultural lines. http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/06/chinese-workers-in-africa-who-marry-locals-face-puzzled-reception-at-home/240662/   

Linsanity may end tomorrow or it could already be over but if Jeremy Lin has caused people to question their race and gender-based stereotypes in the dating world, even for a millisecond, then count me Lin.– 

Ama Yawson

Co-Founder Loveessence LLC

http://loveessence.com/

When I was younger I lived in an urban area but i’ve always lived amongst many different races. Being surrounded by so many different races made me oblivious to racism. I never judged people by their skin color because at that time I didnt feel as if I was getting judged by my skin color. Even in high school I never felt that I had to hang around the “Black clique” because once again my environment was so mixed. But as I get older things have changed. I have taken notice to racism in so many different forms some of it being obvious and some not so much. Honestly, the Trayvon Martin case has made me so much more aware of racism and way more sensitive to the way other races treat me.

I have never encountered obvious racism. When I say obvious racism I mean that I have never been called a nigger or any other racial slur to my face. To my knowledge I have never been excluded from anything because of my race. I have never felt like someone clearly stated that my race was an issue BUT I have dealt with indirect racism. Unfortunately I have seen many cases on TV and heard of many situations where race was an issue but i’ve never dealt with it myself. The problem with indirect racism is that it frustrates me but I don’t know if people are oblivious to their words or actions or if they are purposely being racist. Indirect racism is an action or words that you feel is based on your race. For example, at my job I work with a high population of White older people which has never been a problem for me because I truly like helping all people. As I get to know my patients through conversation they tend to ask questions which is also fine but sometimes I have a problem with how the question is asked. I have been asked “How many children do you have?” instead of “Do you have children?” and when I tell them I don’t have any children it seems like they are amazed by it. When I tell them I am fully independent the level of amazement is multiplied by a million which doesn’t sound bad initially. The bad part is that when my coworkers that aren’t Black say the same things the reaction is different. The patient gives them a reaction as if my non-Black coworkers are living at their potential but me doing the same thing is just AMAZING as if Black people don’t reach these goals on a regular basis.

Sometimes I give people the benefit of the doubt and believe that maybe they aren’t aware of their words or actions. I truly believe that some people will never understand the struggle of Black people in this country. I believe that some people believe that racism is a thing of the past because Black people now have “equality”. Now i’m not oblivious to fact that we are no longer slaves and no longer do we have to ride in the back of the bus but I don’t believe complete equality has been reached and that is CLEAR with the Trayvon Martin case. There is also other things that prove equality hasn’t been reached. For example when you look at the CEOs of large companies in this country how many of them are Black? How many Black positive role models are their plastered on TV? Not too many. Yes we have a Black president but he is only the beginning of the potential of Black people. There is still many walls and barriers to be broken down in order to reach complete equality in this country.

The protest for Trayvon Martin all around the country has definitely shown what change we can make if we all come together as one. It was amazing to see so much action being taken and our message being presented in a strong but peaceful way. I know that the unity in our community will continue as we support Trayvon and his family. My hope is that this unity continues beyond Trayvon for all the issues we face in the Black community. Change can be made and it WILL be made if we stick together. We have to realize as a community that in order for anyone to take us seriously we have to take our causes and our actions seriously. We have to be organized informed and relentless to produce change.

Lastly I would like to leave you with a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King about producing change. Most importantly thought i’d like to just say a couple things. I can’t say that I am totally convinced that George Zimmerman will get the sentence that he deserves. I can say one thing Trayvon Martin will forever impact the Black community. Trayvon Martin could of been anyone. Your cousin, brother, son, etc. He did not deserve to die at such an early age in such a tragic way but he did not die in vain. He has brought the Black community back together and he’s personally given me hope in our community and our country. RIP Trayvon.

[quote author="- Dr. Martin Luther King"]Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.[/quote]

Source: Young Black Female – Trayvon & Beyond… 

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The oldest photographs of African people show that they had a strong sense of fashion and a keen eye for intricate design, even today in many African tribal societies fashion is widely significant and varied. Different tribes could then and now easily be distinguished by their attire as with a person’s occupation, age and social status. Items of clothing in ancient and today’s tribal Africa has even more significance than that of the Western world, where fashion for the most part today is a matter of status, choice and fun, rather than order, etiquette, spirituality and symbolism. 

Ancient Africa

The attire of early African civilization was greatly varied as still is today. The attire would include vibrant and richly dyed lengthy clothes, feathers, animal skins, jewels of both precious stones and natural items such as woods and seeds. Traditionally it was the village women who would produce the garments, by spinning cloth, dying, sewing and styling. However, weaving was done by both men and women.

Slave Trade

Most Africans who were captures and carried away on ships to arrive in the Caribbean and the Americas as slaves were brought over near to if not completely naked. The women would make homemade spun cloths for clothing garments and the children would help with spinning of cotton and wool. The women upon recognition of their skilled hands were soon after were given sewing instruments and patterns by the slave masters so that they would make clothes also for their owners. During the 18th century African-American women slaves despite taking on a prominent role as dressmakers had no influence on the design of the clothes made for their owners, they would follow the contemporary and European designs of clothe making, including for clothing which they made for themselves.

As Africans in American began to gain their freedom, talented African-American designers turned their skills into professions. It was not until the early 19th century that black women began to be recognized as fashion designers in the full sense of creating personal designs. Thanks to Elizabeth Keckly, Francis Criss, Ann Lowe and Zelda Wynn Valdes, African-American women began to  gain recognition for their skill as fashion designers.

Elizabeth Keckly

Elizabeth Keckly began her own dressmaking business in 1860 in Baltimore and later in Washington, shortly after buying her freedom from slavery and escaping harsh and both physically and sexually abusive at the hands of her slave masters (the Burwell family). She went on to support herself and her son with the business of dressmaking and design.  

Among her prominent clients were Robert E. Lee, Varina Davis, wife of Jefferson Davis, and, perhaps most significantly, the First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. Elizabeth Keckly became much more than a dressmaker to the First Lady, she was also in the words of Mary Lincoln “her best friend.” Elizabeth Keckly made a real achievement from being a slave to a prominent dressmaker, business woman and friend of the first lady and further she worked towards the abolition of slavery through her well-connected white clients.

Francis Criss

Born in Virginia Francis Criss was known in Richmond as a talented seamstress. In 1915, she moved to New York City, where she designed and made garments for Broadway stars as well as actress Gloria Swanson. A flamboyant and free spirited personality, her home in New York was a center for influential African-Americans.

Ann Lowe 

Ann Lowe was born in Alabama in 1899 and moved to New York at the age of 16. She attended design school and opened a shop on Madison Avenue. Her clients included members of the Vanderbilt, Roosevelt, and Rockefeller families. She made more than 1,000 dresses per year for society clients and sold her designs in Henri Bendel, Neiman Marcus and I. Magnin. In 1953, Ann Lowe designed the dresses for the entire bridal party, the mother of the bride and the bridal dress for the wedding of Jacqueline Bouvier to John F. Kennedy.

Zelda Wynn Valdes 

Zelda Wynn Valdes opened her own shop in Broadway in New York in 1948. She was known for her sexy hip-hugging styles and numbered among her clientele many of the notable black women of that era including Dorothy Dandridge, Josephine Baker, Marian Anderson, Ella Fitzgerald and Gladys Knight. Wynn started out by cutting her patterns out of newsprint, studying her grandmother’s seamstress and working in her uncle’s tailoring shop. Little known to many, her work even caught the eye of Hugh Hefner, who commissioned her  to design the original and most popularly known costumes for the Playboy bunnies. She also helped found the National Association of Fashion and Accessory Designers, an organisation of black designers. 

Zelda Wynn trademark dress worn by Joyce Bryant and Zelda Wynn

Black women have certainly made a most worthy contribution to the growth of the fashion industry and to the elegance of women’s wardrobes dating back to ancient Africa. Given the history of fashion design for black women our presence in today’s fashion industry is considerably low. However, we can change this by ensuring that black female and male fashion designers receive our support as did Zelda Wynn Valdes from black stars such as Josephine Baker. 

Whether you are new or old to Etsy, you should check out our Etsy favourite stores for african inspired handcrafted goods. We picked these stores especially as the items sold are beautiful and certainly not going to be easy to find on the high street.  

Most of these stores have a small collection as they cater to a niche market and for some the store on Etsy represent the start of up of their business. We hope that you will enjoy and also support the efforts of the women of African descent to turn their valuable skills into profitable business.

Quellyrue Designs

QuellyRue Designs offers a spectacular range of handmade tote bags, hair accessories, African jewelry, contemporary jewelry, crocheted hats and scarves, brooches, tech accessories…and more. The designs are ethnic and fun, there’s sure to be an item you will love.  

http://www.etsy.com/shop/quellyruedesigns

Beautiful Afrique

For jewellery and pillow cased made from African fabrics and beads. We especially like the African handmade bangles made from recycles plastic from rugs and prayer mats throughout Western Africa. The bangles and earrings sold come in a beautiful variations of colours and patterns. 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/BeautifulAfrique?ref=ss_profile

DorisandDoris

Modern African clothing fashion is the basis of Doris and Doris that use traditional African prints to create contemporary fashion garments. The style is specifically to the taste of the all natural chic. 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/dorisanddoris?ref=ss_profile

Creativesque

Beautiful watercolor bookmarks, cards and paintings inspired by the beauty of African American women are created by creativesque in an eloquent and dreamy fashion. 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/creativesque?ref=ss_profile

Sister Batik

A must have item in every woman of African descents home are these beautiful cushion covers made from African wax pattern material (specifically Batik). The designer only makes of a few items pure design and can also make to order. Although these items are on the higher end of the price range for pillow cases the quality and detail in the design make them worth their price tag.  

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SISTERBATIK?ref=ss_profile

Let us know about your favourite African inspired Etsy stores by leaving your comments and recommendations for other readers. 

Is fashion really a choice? No one wants to be a fashion victim but in fact we are all victims of fashion. If you think you’re a trendsetter ask yourselves these questions first, do you wear bell bottoms, poker dots, an afro, jeans jackets with jeans? why not? Because they are not in fashion! We all whether consciously or not move with the fashion trends, we do not choose to follow all but we all certainly follow the main streams ones so much so that we can usually tell what year a photo was taken by observing the clothes of the people in the picture. 

Now for those that follow religiously fashion trends a bad blow comes when magazines and bloggers post one of the new years favourite article “top ten worst fashion trends of 2011”. O yes, now someone is bursting the bubble on those hideous shoes you spent loads on because they were the latest “in” thing and the worst part of it all is that what’s said was in fact your original opinion, but somehow the label fashion has a habit of making ugly items appear attractive. 

What most of us wear is dictated by a few, the fashion designers season by season create and recreate the clothing image that we follow, we choose to wear what they present and only few of us wear what we truly desire. Celebrities plant deeper the desire to want to follow the trends set by the designers as its a luxury to be cladded out from head to toe in expensive designer apparel. Then we watch on TV or see the magazines and saw “OMG I love her look it’s so original!”, is it really? Really? Usually not! And certainly not for long. 

The psychology of fashion means that we dress to fit, fit in that is. You will be judge in for instance by what you are wearing against stereo-typical concepts and the less up to date with the fashion trends you are the less likely you are to fit into a conventional situation and the most likely you are to stand out. As children when playing dress up we didn’t think about whether what we chose was in fashion but instead but together items that we liked and made us feel pretty and we wanted to stand out not fit in. Our individuality little known to us at that time was our pride and joy. 

I’m not at all suggesting that we throw out all our designer clothes and only wear woolly jumpers and jeans for the rest of our lives, as that not about to give anyone a boost of self esteem, what I am suggestion is that you create your own sense of fashion, be playful, experiment with different clothing types, find what suits you best and work with what makes you feel happy, comfortable and attractive. As finally looking good has nothing to do with being fashion but everything to do with how well what you are wearing compliments you. 

Solange Knowles is a celebrity example of fashion experimentation, she has varied her style rapidly and almost continuously in a playful but tasteful manner, showing that it’s OK to have your own sense of fashion. Now it’s your turn to try out some of those fashion ideas you’ve never previously dared to. 

Mary J. Blige has had my love and respect for years on years. Mary J. Blige has been a positive black female artist that we could be proud to associate with our race and have seen be a positive influence to women of all races. Seen as a real woman, a home girl, a person who had been through so much and reflected in the words of her songs real life situations that we could all relate, it is just so painful to see her do a commercial that we all know is way below her level of class. Mary J. what possessed you to sing the crispy chicken song for Burger King? 

Please see for yourselves, I’ve attached the video from youtube and hope that it isn’t removed before you get a chance to see it, since the commercial was retracted after  Burger King received numerous complaints about race discrimination and negative stereo-typing against black people.

For all of you that say, “whatever, she got two mil for it, if I was getting two mil I’d blah blah blah blah…”, so that is the price of dignity, self respect and the advancement of our race from racial discrimination and negative stereotypes. Pretty cheap! The words just keep ringing in my ear “crispy chicken”, OMG!

To break it down, I’m going to be super clear, unambiguous and plane about why I really do not like this commercial;

1. It’s such an awkward and uncomfortable feeling watching this commercial and if you don’t think so then watch it with your white friends and tell me how it feels. As I trust my inner voice, I know that if it doesn’t feel right, it’s not right.

2. Our forefathers have been fighting for years to raise the level of respect and self-esteem of black people and the Crispy Chicken song is certainly a step back.

3. Mary J. Blige sings the Crispy Chicken song as passionately as she sung no more drama.

4. Once again black people are assisting the stereotypical and racial negativity media outlet.

5. Black people are always joked about for the love f fried chicken already let alone the having not just anyone but the Queen of Soul, Mary J. Blige sing the Crispy Chicken song. 

6. Why didn’t they approach a white celebrity to sing this ridiculous song? Because its more humorous to have a black person act foolish on TV.

Mary J. is going to have to do something spectacular to get her game back on track after that and black people please remember that you can say no or renegotiate. We do not need to simply follow any nonsense because it’s the script. 

Sunset Eyes

Purple Blue – Easy Retro Black Barbie

Bright Eyes

Purple Inferno

Jamaican Flag

Youtube, the addictive junk food for the brain drew me in a few nights ago and as always you start constructively looking for something in particular and then curiosity gets the better of you a few too many times until you’re watching totally unrelated nonsense for hours. Any how…, I started with make-up tutorials for black women and end up with the worst and most hilarious auditions of American Idol, Pop Idol, Britain Got Talent and so on. I’m please to say that my time was not completely waste as the realisation that confidence to the point of delusion get people quite far despite the lack of talent, inspired me to write this article. 

I was at first entertain by the pure insanity of the idea that people with very little to no talent were able to place themselves on national television, in front of a live audience and at the mercy of panel of judges to sing, dance and perform whole heartedly as though they had transformed into the Mariah Careys and Lionel Richies of this world. I found them ridiculous, hilarious, crazy, delusional and desperate and as harsh at it sounds, yes I laughed to the point of tummy ache at their disbelief when they were told that they could not sing, dance or perform. Many even had to receive harsh critic on their look, ranging from unconventional (for a pop star) to too ordinary or slightly unusual.

All in just one hour my impression of the contestants changed from disbelief to pity, then from pity to curiosity and finally curiosity to admiration. In my eyes these people are a lot more worthy of admiration than being laughed at. They were following their dreams with everything they had, they travelled for miles and waited for days just to enter a competition  against thousands upon thousands of people, where there could only be one winner. How many of us have gone against all the odds fearlessly to realise our dreams?

They were not prohibited by any inhibitions, not going to let shyness nor nerves get the better of them and some even after being told they had no talent would even try to battle it out with the judges. Their level of confidence was absolutely insane in comparison to the level of talent and it was this level of insanity that lead them to do everything within their power to try and achieve their dreams, just imagine if they were talented?

There are so many of you out there who have talents that are far beyond average, talents that are excellent, unique, amazing, jaw dropping, inspirational and more but your talents are brushed under the carpet, laid aside or forgotten because of a lack of belief in ourself, fear of failure, avoidance of embarrassment, worry about other people’s opinion, all of which finally boils down to a lack of confidence. 

Before you say something like, ‘it’s easier for these people because they are naturally confident’ or ‘they have no shame’ or ‘they’re insane’, there are two things I have to say to you. One, there is no such thing as natural confidence, confidence is built up on experience, by speaking out, giving an opinion, standing up for something is how we train our confidence and secondly if you’ve been quashing your talents for a number of years whilst you’re enculfed in something that doesn’t interest or satisfy you, its time to kick out shame and team up with insanity. Most of the greatest men and women were considered insane when they first went about their endeavours. The only difference between being considered by others as sane and insane is success.

You already have the talent, it cannot be brought or bargained for, you have it, there for anytime you decide to use it, so the least you can do train your confidence to bring you to the places that you need for your goals to flourish and flourish it will as true talent can never be denied. 

As black women I have noticed that we sit on many talents silently or that only our family know of. I’ve heard women sing in church better than most of the so called stars of today, mothers handle the family budget better than the President does for the country but yet still we continue to appear in national statistic as under achievers. Ladies its time to get some of that delusional insane confidence to step up your talents and bring success flooding into your life. 

God gave us free choice and we can choose whether we live this life doing what makes us happy or always wondering what if we had tried to use our talents.

I wish you many blessings on your endeavours along with a dose of delusion, two scopes of insanity and a whole heap of confidence.

Now, we are going to take a look at some of the fashion trends that we “modern day women” have for the most part fallen victim to.

1. High heels – or better yet high heel platform shoes, which are limitless in height.

   The stiletto shoe though first recorded in the 1940s did not become popular until the 1950s and have since been an undying fashion trend. They were in fact in the 40s worn by both men and women courtiers. Now the range of high heels shoes is widely varied and the higher they are the sexier they are. Standard height is between 2.5 cm and 5 cm but with the increasing popularity of a thicker plato high heels can be made much higher. In our heels we are much like skilled acrobats, that balance on stick to needle thin points that lift us higher in air. For the most part most women can become quickly accustomed to wearing high heels and the more regular the easier it becomes. However, despite looking great they are definitely not healthy for our feet and many of us suffer minor problems to deformity of the feet for the hardcore heel wearers, but who cares if we have to go through immense pain, risk breaking an ankle, walk at a significantly reduced speed and cripple our toes, so long as we look hot, right! I’m going to hold my hand up as victim to this fashion trend! What women do for fashion!

   

2. Corsets

   The corset both an item of lingerie and outer wear is also an older fashion trend which is not as popular today as it was in the Victorian days but is yet another great demonstration of what we women do for fashion. The corsets of the 16th century were made with Whale bone, wood, ivory, metal or horn that were inserted into the bodice to make it hold a particular shape, drawing in the waist and lifting the breast. A tiny waist was and still is considered to be feminine and flattering the the female figure but then prolonged use of the corset in extreme manners would disfigure the body to permanently maintain the shape that the corset would force it into when worn. A corset worn correctly can help to push up and pull in and even improve posture, but if you its tied so tight that you can’t eat or breathe you’re taking it too far. Hands up corset victims.

   

3. Wigs – human hair extensions

   Hair extensions are an age-old fashion trend seen even as far back as the Egyptians who would even prefer to shave their own heads and wear a wig as replacement. The reason this one appears on the list is for the simple fact that human hair wigs means that you’re walking around with a part of another persons body attached to your head in our own culture is very common and therefore seen as normal but I’m sure we can appreciate how this may seem odd to other cultures, after we would find wearing human finger nails or skin weird, wouldn’t we? Come on you have to admit whilst defiantly patting your weave down. Ok, I know don’t mess with a black women and “her” hair, so let’s move on swiftly.

   

4. Extra long false nails

   I’m all for nail art, french manicures and pedicures but super long nails or nail extensions is a trend that I just cannot comprehend for the following reasons. Take a look at the photo now, ok what to know what comes to my mind, how do you cook, eat, wash and whip your bum with nails that long.

   

5. Last but not least plastic surgery

   Arguably this could be considered more beauty than fashion but I felt it necessary to address all the same, especially as this is specifically in reference to cosmetic surgery. Early on in this article you may remember that I mentioned lip plates and neck elongation the reason being is that I have often heard Westerns give stern and critical judgement of more indigenous fashion trends forgetting that Western society has an every growing trend that is equally dangerous and bizarre, plastic surgery. 

   

Women will go to great lengths for fashion and beauty and the point here is not that we shouldn’t weave our hair or wear high heels because at the end of the day we are going to do whatever makes us look and feel good and there’s nothing wrong with that. Just remember that health comes before beauty because it doesn’t matter how fantastic your new Jimmy Choo shoes are if you can’t walk straight in them because you’ve crippled your feet, your whole look is over! Be healthy, be beautiful!