When God Cancels Your Trip to Miami, Take Pictures

A few weeks ago my husband and I planned a trip to Miami to celebrate my birthday. Our bags were packed, paid time-off from work scheduled, tickets to the Miami Heat and Oklahoma Thunder basketball game waiting for us upon arrival. God had another plan, because our flight was cancelled due to ten inches of snow! Anyone living in Virginia knows that's unheard of, especially since it was the second snowfall in just two weeks.

Whatever the circumstances we always try to make the best of it. So I'm sharing a few pictures we took to help pass the time of being snowed in for three days.

Tortoise shell, Gucci aviator sunglasses. Leopard, Tasha hairclip which doubles as a brooch. MAC Cosmetics Ruby Woo, layered with Covergirl Wetslicks Fruit Spritzers # 546.

Navy floppy hat, BP Brand. Ivory Steve Madden coat with faux leather belt loops. Joe's Jeans ponte knit pant. Steve Madden military-inspired Troopa boot.

Camel Mackage coat with leather and pleated cuff and collar. Burgundy floppy hat, BP Brand. Burgundy Tory Burch sunglasses with gold handle details.

If it were up to my husband and I we would have been enjoying the 80 degree Miami weather-taking a break from the cold in Virginia. Sometimes our plans don't align with God's and we're left wondering about His mysterious ways. Either way, I think we made pretty good use of our time. At least for a few minutes.

First Black Cover Girl: Vogue and Beverly Johnson Celebrate 40th Anniversary of Cover

At 21-years-old Beverly Johnson made history and helped to usher in a new era of beauty in America. In 1974 she graced Vogue magazine, breaking barriers as the first Black woman to be featured on the cover. 40-years-ago it was viewed as a risk to put Beverly on the cover of a mainstream magazine, particularly one as hallowed as Vogue. This cover feature helped to catapult her modeling career into the international stratosphere and aided in the fashion industry's realization that Black is beautiful. 

 















It's important to reverence this accomplishment, because perhaps without it, the fashion industry would have taken longer to acknowledge that beauty of all shades should be celebrated. In one bold, calculated effort the industry lifted its blinders and Vogue proved it had a keen sense of consciousness of the delicate, fierceness of the Black woman.

 

Beverly's cover ensured that Black women would no longer be excluded from the proverbial table of beauty. She opened the door for not only other Black models, but also for Black female music artists. 

 

Although Beverly has made great strides in the fashion world, she concedes there is still room for improvement concerning diversity. In an article entitled, 1st Black Vogue Cover Girl Beverly Johnson Celebrates 35th Anniversary written in 2009 for the SunSentinel Beverly states, “You know I was on the Tyra show with Chanel Iman, Noemie Lenoir and all these young models of color and I listened to them and their frustrations and it’s the same frustrations I went through - the same sad song I was singing in the 70s…They continue to try to exclude us." Johnson said of the runway castings and photo shoot selections. "They don’t realize they are doing it. It is so ingrained.”

Beverly advises young models of color to have something to fall back on. She urges them to “be in charge of your own destiny and capitalize off of your name.” Beverly speaks from experience as an entrepreneur. She has developed The Beverly Johnson Skin Care System and The Beverly Johnson Hair Collection. These are available in beauty supply stores around the nation. 

Great advice Ms. Johnson. Thank you for your contributions to fashion and the beauty industry, but most importantly for helping to expand the world’s view of beauty to include Black women. 

I do not claim ownership to the above images.

Misty Copeland Brings Beauty and Black Back to Ballet

Misty Copeland is a 31-year-old Kansas City, MO native with humble beginnings who has authored her life story with careful precision, mirroring the cautious execution of each feathered leap and glide. This professional ballet dancer is the first Black female soloist for the American Ballet Theatre in more than two decades. Misty has starred in a Blackberry commercial, toured with the legendary musician Prince, and  has plans to unveil a line of dance apparel for curvy women. 

 

One of her latest ventures is an effort she is spearheading called Project Plié between the Boys and Girls Club of America and the American Ballet Theatre to introduce young girls of color to the art form of ballet through educational workshops, training seminars and scholarships. This effort is especially close to Misty’s heart as she was discovered on a basketball court at the Boys and Girls Club of America when she was 13-years-old by a ballet teacher named Cynthia Bradley.   

 

Check out Misty as she and Under Amour team up to redefine what it means to be an athlete. With poses like these, Misty’s incredible athleticism is undeniable.  She is single-handedly changing the world’s perception of what a ballerina looks like. Misty is unapologetically curvy, muscular, but most importantly-Black. 

Misty Copeland is also writing a memoir entitled, Life in Motion, An Unlikely Ballerina. 

I do not claim ownership to the above images.

Hollywood Hot

Award season is the time when most celebrities put their best fashion-foot forward on the red carpet, hoping to avoid the dreaded ‘worst dressed’ lists. 2014 is off to a great start. My favorite trend this year is in men's fashion. Velvet or colors like navy and plum are great ways to add style to the traditional tuxedo. 

These couples make working the red carpet look so easy.

Idris Elba and pregnant Naiyana Garth

Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves

Seth Meyers and Alexi Ashe

 

John Legend, Chrissy Teigen and Paula Patton, Robin Thicke

These ladies of Hollywood didn't disappoint.

Rihanna, Jennifer Hudson, Ashanti, and Fantasia

Alecia Keys, Ciara and  Beyonce

I do not claim ownership to the above images.

Flawless FLOTUS

In just a few short years our First Lady, Michelle Obama has solidified herself as a fashion icon. This title is usually reserved for fashion moguls and insiders-but, whatever side of the political aisle you sit on, her style can’t be denied. Not only is she personally helping to bring awareness to, and reduce the obesity rate of our youth, but she looks amazing while doing it.

 

  

  

 Even in menswear inspired looks she’s flawless.

Casually cute too!

I do not claim ownership to the above images.

 

Another African-American First

25-year-old Philadelphia native, Dom Streater debuts her collection at New York Fashion Week. This creative force, first made a name for herself by becoming the first African-American winner of Project Runway. She says this fall/winter 2014 collection was inspired by a photograph of Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. 

No stranger to prints this young, fashion visionary sews a piece of her personality into every garment she constructs. Don’t believe me? Take a look for yourself.

I do not claim ownership to the above images.