November 2017Faces of Black Fashion: November 2017

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Queen of Hearts, Davina Bennett Stuns at the Miss Universe Pageant



I've written about hair politics as it relates to black women and pageants previously, and so I'm beaming with pride after seeing the photos of  Davina Bennett walking the Miss Universe stage in all her beautiful Afro-haired glory. THIS IS HUGE.  In the face of Eurocentric beauty standards, Davina dared to set a new standard by highlighting the natural beauty of black women, which is often overlooked or rendered invisible. I can't remember a black woman  rocking an Afro in any pageant much less the Miss Universe pageant. Have you? I am beyond proud, and because representation is so important, I am happy that little brown-skinned curly-haired girls everywhere can see their beauty affirmed on an international stage.

In an interview with The Fix, Ms. Bennett shared that she big chopped last year, around the time she lost her dear grandmother.  She also shared that she received nothing but positive affirmation and support regarding her natural hair. After being crowned Ms. Jamaica, supporters encouraged her to rock her natural hair as it was her crowning glory. 

 Not only is Ms. Bennett making a mark on the international stage, she's also making an important cultural mark in her homeland of Jamaica, which she spoke about in the same interview. As the saying goes, to be Miss Jamaica you had to be "brown and from uptown," or in other words lighter skinned and from the middle to upper class urban community of Uptown Kingston. As a child growing up in Jamaica that's the mold, I saw on my television screen. To be fair, Jamaica has been making progress in this arena, but Ms. Bennett doesn't fit the typical  "brown and uptown" norm.  She is a brown-skinned beauty (with beautiful natural hair to match) and hails from the rural parish of Clarendon. We salute her for her strength, beauty, grace and courage in helping to create a new norm and by celebrating (by her mere presence) the beauty of a brown girl!

Big up Davina!











Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Five Ways to Wear the Long Cardigan

I've been somewhat obsessed with long cardigans lately. It's such a chic way to layer during the fall and winter seasons.Check out the inspiration from some of our favorite bloggers on how to wear this look. Enjoy. 

 All photos via Pinterest.

1. Patricia Bright - Go casual with jeans and a sweater.



2. Shirley B. Eniang -  Layer over a simple dress.


3. Ashleigh. Wear with cropped pants and statement heels. 


4. Olivia Fabuleuse. A sweater dress, over-the-knee boots and a long cardigan make for a statement making outfit. 



5. Olivia Fabuleuse. Layer over a long dress for a sophisticated nighttime look. This is perfect for date night.


Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Two of Our favorite Jamaicans, Usain Bolt and Yendi Phillips, Star in Ad for G.H. Mumm Champagne



Photo via Jamrockone.com


Two of our favorite Jamaicans, Yendi Phillips and Usain Bolt, teamed up to star in ad for, French Champagne Giant,  GH Mumm Champagne.  The Olympic superstar and former Miss Jamaica Universe shared the ad on their respective Instagram accounts to accolades and words or pride from Jamaicans all over the world. 

With the title "Celebrate Your Next Victory," Yendi sizzles  in a gold dress reminiscent of the Roaring Twenties and Usain looks sharp in a green suit. The gold, black and green colors throughout the ad pay homage to their Jamaican heritage. True to its title, the ad opens with a celebration. We see a band, dancing, and of course champagne. Later, Usain transitions from the party to the track field, and we see him preparing to run - well to win. The ad closes with the message "don't win to celebrate, celebrate to win."  

Just last year, GH Champagne named Usain Bolt as its Chief Entertainment Officer to feature in a multi-million dollar promotional campaign. We are beginning to see the campaign's unveiling , and so far I love what I see. I especially love that Usain chose another Jamaican to star alongside him for the first ad. See the ad below!