Oh, boy! Here we go again. The trailer for America’s Next Top Model Cycle 15 recently started hitting the CW airwaves, and one auctioneer in particular, Ann, caught the attention of all the viewers:
Tall and skinny, and with a waist small enough for Ms. Jay to fit his hand perfectly around, closing both ends, her appearance seemed to upset a lot of viewers:
“There’s no way she’s not starving herself! Look at her!”
“How can Tyra Banks and America’s Next Top Model send out this kind of message?”
“Are they really getting to let her on the show?”
“Ohmagod, is that real?”
No matter what questions are asked, and yes its real, one thing is clear: its an unhealthy body image to promote, especially when the fashion industry is still fighting the issue of eating disorders. The 6′2″ ANTM hopeful strutted in as skinny and awkward as ever, and immediately had the judges attention. Tyra even went on to say “there’s something about her that I like!” *abruptly stops the car in the middle of traffic* Do you now, Tyra? Could it be the pro-curves retired model who usually praises a woman with curves, and speaks out against unhealthy body image is… Dare I say it… Promoting this? Read more…
By now, I’m sure you read about Essence hiring a white woman as their new Fashion Director, and it seems like not everyone has taken the news lightly. Michaela Angela Davis, who once held that position, especially didn’t take to the news. I gave my 2 cents on Twitter, and I have decided to elaborate here. So, here I go:
After meeting Michaela Angela Davis and speaking with her on several occasions, I have found that she is not only very well accomplished, but very open, intelligent, and a very down to earth woman who appeals to us young folk as our Mom’s cool friend, who we would much rather share our problems with because she “get’s it.” And in return, I get her. So when I read about her disappointment with Essence hiring a White fashion director, a publication she once worked for in the coveted position as Fashion Editor, I was a bit puzzled. Here is what she had to say about the hiring of Ellianna Placas, a former employee of O: The Oprah Magazine and US Weekly:
“It’s with a heavy heart I’ve learned Essence Magazine has engaged a white Fashion Director. I love Essence and I love fashion. I hate this news and this feeling. It hurts, literally. The fashion industry has historically been so hostile to black people–especially women. The 1 seat reserved for black women once held by Susan Taylor, Ionia Dunn-Lee, Harriette Cole(+ me) is now-I can’t. It’s a dark day for me. How do you feel?”
Miley Cyrus always comes under public scrutiny for doing things deemed “inappropriate” by the media. Whether its her pole dancing at the Kids Choice Awards, flicking her tongue at her model boyfriend, or taking flirty camera phone pictures, the public has always felt she was growing up too fast and doing too much for her age. And at some of her recent performances, the teenager has been wearing lingerie inspired clothing, and clothes that leave a little less to the imagination:
She began cultivating a more sexual, adult image mid to late 2009, and continued this year with her album Can’t Be Tamed, along with the video for her lead single “Can’t Be Tamed” which showed the 17-year-old Miley barely dressed and looking a little less Disney friendly than usual:
And I get that the public doesn’t get it, and although I’ve made my comments in the past about her adult-acting ways, she’s a growing girl. Not to be mistaken with grown, but had Miley came out at 17 Read more…
As soon as I saw the new pictures of Gucci’s Pre-Fall 2010 ad campaign with Joan Smalls and Raquel Zimmerman, I immediately flashed back to last year when I was working on a documentary about the fashion industry and black models. During the research for the documentary, I was looking about Gucci’s use of black models in their ad campaigns, and saw none. As far back as Spring/Summer 2005, they have used no Black models. I mean, they may give them a shot on the runway, but I have yet to see a black model in their ad campaigns.
I mean, I may be pushing it to say Joan Smalls is the first to land a Gucci ad campaign (and no, Rihanna doesn’t count. She was a celebrity endorser, not a model), but I even as I look through there past campaigns, nothing. Don’t believe me? Then take a look:
Posted by Tara Decoda on Jun 16, 2010 in Hair, My 2 Cents
It seems like every celebrity has been hopping on the “natural” ban wagon as of late, cutting off their lock’s borrowed by folks from other cultures deemed to have “prettier” hair. Everyone from Solange Knowles to Chrisette Michele have traded in their hair glue and Velvet Remi in an effort to pull the inner beauty, out. But what does going natural really mean? It seems like every article I read when a celebrity decides to “go natural,” they seem to take little jabs at those who have decided to stay on the relaxed, permed, texturized, and weaved wave. Saying little things like “Unlike others, I am not defined by my hair” or “I don’t need to feel accepted by a larger society by the texture and length of my hair,” like, what is that supposed to mean?
The first stab and jab at the woman he finds refuge in the hair salon, torturing herself to look good (as I do), was when Tyra Banks revealed her “natural” hair on her show and declared the day “Real Hair Day.” #GirlPlease. The question I propose, why when a sister decides to go natural, she all of a sudden feels like others who have not experienced the same epiphany as her, at the same time as her, is somewhat less? And when you so choose to go “natural” does your extra 15 lbs of make-up now compensate for the “beauty” you now “lack?” I mean, hear me on this one.
The last time I have been natural, was when I was 8 years old, when I begged my mother for my first Read more…
It looks like Hollywood has caught drift of a new trend, and it’s actually surprising! While all the 50-something year old’s are running to the salon to touch up their roots, in an effort to cover their ages, the younger stars are going gray!
Bold boss chicks, from Kelis, to Lady Gaga, to Kelly Osbourne have all been caught rocking the granny gray hair. And while “other” media sources are giving the trend setter credit to the Gaga and others, it’s a well known fact that Kelis was the first to start it.
First rocking her gray mullet back in January, starting first as a streak, she then dyed the whole head and rocked it everywhere from LAX, to the Data Awards, to the club. And while everyone denounced it at first, saying she was “weird,” now everyone is on it.
Tyra Banks announced late last year that she will be ending her high-rated Tyra Show. The talk show finally came to a conclusion yesterday, after 5 seasons:
Here is the final goodbye that was written on her website on Thursday, the day before the final episode:
It’s our final bow.
It’s been an incredible ride, but the time has come to say goodbye. With five seasons and two Emmys under our belt, the “Tyra Show” is proud to reflect — and look toward the future and say thank you to the people who made this incredible experience what it was: that’s you, our viewers. So join Tyra as she celebrates this amazing experience, discusses her plans for the future, and takes her final catwalk.
Many may speculate she ended her show because Oprah was ending her show, since shes even made it clear she is closely following in Lady O’s footsteps, but no one knows for sure. Whatever the reason, it ended. And the question now is, what does it really mean? Read more…
Oh, for real? Well, New York State Senator Eric Adams of Brooklyn thinks so! He has launched a “Stop The Sag” campaign, which currently has six billboards up in Brooklyn and plans to erect more throughout the greater New York City area:
I think this campaign is imbecilic and simple-minded. The problem is with this society and politics at large, and this has been a consistent issue for eons now, they try to force personal beliefs upon a larger society. You see, when greater powers come together they try to influence the majority to sway their way, hoping that their minority opinions and positions of power can persuade people to think, breathe, and behave as them.
Now, I’m not defending this trend, I am defending individuality. As a pop culture influenced generation, we have more influences around us than the older generations did so we can afford to think and be different. Politics has a very missionary way of doing things, where we are more relaxed in our approaches, and especially in our style of dress. I think it is very much Read more…
I posted my very humble, but honest, opinion on my views about Vogue Blackright here on this very blog, but I don’t think some people got it, so I decided to make a video of it and post it on YouTube:
Vogue Italia recently launched their new websites Vogue Black, Vogue Curvy and Vogue Talents. I’m guessing they didn’t do this out of the great appreciation of black beauty, but because they wanted the hounds to get off their back every time they conveniently forgot to support and promote images of original and diverse black beauty. On to the next one..
But what does these simultaneous launches really mean to us, as a people? Does it help with the perception of beauty and what it is? Or does it further divide blacks in fashion and gives reason for them not to include us in mainstream Vogue? I have mixed feelings about this. Anyone who knows me know I don’t like the whole separation of black movement. The “first black”, “youngest African-American”, etc., all of that separates us. And if Vogue Black is black 24/7, is Vogue white 24/7? Because people get so caught up in color that they forget that there other races in fashion that remain a minority: Asian, Hispanic, all of that.
And how does this uplift and empower us as a people? Because all I’m seeing is an immense amount of separation and future disclaimers. I see even less models of color getting spots in the print edition of Vogue than ever before. And a cover? Justfuggedaboutit! Vogue Black to me says “here, now don’t say I never gave you anything” or even “take this, now shut up and stop complaining”. There’s nothing uplifting or empowering about them “giving us our own outlet or avenue”. It’s demeaning and it’s an insult to our intelligence, it also manipulates the very fiber of what all of our heroes fought for. To be seen as an equal, not a stand out. Blacks in fashion, to me, has always been the elephant in the room. Everyone sees it, but no one chooses to acknowledge it. It’s an uncomfortable silence. Vogue Black gives reason for separation.
