The game piece is a trouble piece.
Category Archives: Response
John and David are Brothers
A close up. Take a look at the black buttons and his personal pick of dark tie.
Good dressing comes natural to some and others merely try. His attitude was that of someone with patience. His dressing reflects his attitude. He did not have blue jeans on like most guys his age. He wore khakis and seemed temperate. His name is David.
The Snowy Day
A Saturday ago, I went to the Jewish Museum to see The Snowy Day exhibit. Prior to my visit, I had very little knowledge of Ezra Jack Keats. I only remembered reading The Snowy Day as a child. It wasn’t even a favorite book of mine. I don’t know why I felt I really needed to go see the exhibit. Anyway, I went and was glad I did.
I went with preconceived ideas about the book and it’s illustrator/ author. I thought Ezra Jack Keats was black and was surprised to learn that he was Jewish. I was also surprised when I learned that his book was the first children’s book to include a black protagonist. He knew what it felt like to be ignored because of something about yourself you can’t change and did not only use Black characters but Hispanic and White.
“My book would have him there simply because he should have been there all along” he said in response to Pete’s character.
As I walked through the exhibit, I felt so inspired. The art in itself was amazing. He started drawing as a child and even though he did not have that great of a relationship with his mom, she encouraged him to draw.
What I remembered and spoke about the most was the letters he received from people concerned about the color of his skin and the color of his characters. One person wanted an edition of a book he illustrated, but wanted him to changed the color of the character. His response was:
“Like life, there is only one edition.”
Heidi Merrick
I found out about designer Heidi Merrick from Refinery 29.com.
She doesn’t seem to have an outlet in New York so what I learned about her and her clothes is from her website.
The two skirts pictured here are two of my favorite designs I saw on the website.
The denim high-waisted skirt goes for 231.00. It’s very different and original. It looks a little asymmetric. The asymmetric look may be created from the way the model is standing; however, if you look closely at the skirt, the lines are all not the same shape. It’s a great design.
The black lace-layered skirt is more common. I’ve seen skirts like it before or at least the idea. The Heidi Merrick skirt goes for 300.00.
Check her out at her website HeidiMerrick.com
Father’s Day Gifts
Another ad just in time for Father’s Day…
A Sad Father’s Day
Is it me or is the excitement for Mother’s Day totally different for Father’s Day?
As soon as the month of May came around it was impossible to forget that Mother’s Day was right around the corner. Mother’s Day was mentioned in every newsletter and pictures of mothers’ were posted on almost every website. I thought for sure the same would happen for the opposite sex!
It seems no one is jumping on this holiday to sell their product.
Very few designers are marketing much for Father’s Day.
Around Mother’s Day, Michael Kors actually created a bag, the Joan Bag, for his mother and introduced it to his customers for Mother’s Day, as the perfect gift. Why not create a watch or a sport’s bag for Father’s Day? In comparison to the newsletter for Mother’s Day, Michael Kors newsletter in preparation for Father’s Day, doesn’t seem too happy: it’s a picture of a watch and it reads: Make Dad’s Day Unforgettable.
In addition, Cole Hann, who actually makes very comfortable and stylish shoes for men, did not do much to market for Father’s Day. As a matter of fact, a note to the buyer that reads ‘Don’t Forget Dad’ was added at the end of a ‘SALE’ newsletter.
The Brooks Brothers jumped on the Father’s Day wagon telling their buyers not to ‘forget dad’ even though their newsletters weren’t that exciting.
It seems all of the companies manged to use the word forget.
Nonetheless, not all are ignoring Dad.
I enjoyed Steven Alan and Kate Spade newsletter’s the best. Steven Alan’s creative way to spell dad is eye-catching. At least some one cares enough for dad to make letters out of clothes. Kate Spade Father’s Day gift guide show’s us that someone is putting effort forward for dad!
Maybe everyone is waiting for June 19 to post the words: We are Happy, Father’s Day is here and gone tomorrow.
Color Blocking Defined
Color Blocking is a term that has been used a lot lately. I didn’t know what it was until I read a blog post on Bitchie Life titled The 411 on Color Blocking.
I first saw the term on facebook. It was used in a post and everyone who commented seemed to understand the term but not know what it really meant or how to define it.
Danielle, the author of the post, breaks it down for those who are into fashion:
(following the colors on the color wheel)
1. Colors directly next to each other (i.e. yellow and yellow-orange; yellow and yellow-green; violet and blue-violet, etc.)
2. Colors that form right (90 degree) angles with each other (i.e. yellow and red-orange; blue and violet-red; green and orange, etc.)
3. Colors directly across from each other (i.e. yellow and violet; blue and orange; red and green, etc.)
4. Colors that form a T (i.e. blue, orange, and violet-red; yellow, violet, and red-orange; yellow, blue-green, and red-orange, etc.)
5. Colors that form an X (i.e. blue, orange, violet-red, and yellow, violet, blue-green, and red-orange, etc.)
click here to visit the full blog.
Dear God, Save Us
It snipped utility lines like thread
and pulverized St. Mary’s Church and school
yet left the giant cross towering over the rubble,
Unscathed.
David Von Drehle in Time on the tornado in Joplin, MO.
picture credits: Mario Tama / Getty Images
Rowing with Crew
I am a J.Crew fan. I love J. Crew.
Last night I went to their site like if I was checking my facebook. It’s a habit. It’s a daily routine for me.
On their home page they introduced me to the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and two designers who were the recipients of this award. After looking at Prabal Gurung collection and watching the Billy Reid videos, I was impressed. A part of me wanted to buy something of Gurung and another part of me wanted to visit Reid’s store in Alabama.
As I got ready for bed, I ruminated about the fashion scene and silently wished I saw more African-American artist and designers.
With that said, I give kudos to Harlem Fashion Row, an organization in Harlem whose main objective is to ‘create diversity in fashion’. After browsing through their site and voting for a designer whose clothing line I would love to see in stores (Joseph Bethune), I realize that there was really no need to wish to see more African-American artist and designers as there is a need to want African-Americans to be given the opportunities that are often given to their counterparts.
There are African-American artist out there, we just don’t see them.
As the founder and CEO of Harlem Fashion Row, Brandice N. Henderson, mentioned in the video posted on their site, “80% of Successful American designers come out of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion fund and in the last six years there has not been one men’s wear or women’s wear designer of African descent.”
She continued to say that “African-Americans and Latinos spend 22 billion dollars a year on apparel but this group of [designers that] represents ‘us’ is less than one percent of designers that are available in our major department stores.”
This makes me as an American, not as an African-American, but as an American think about my country and exactly where I should channel my money. Are African-Americans really not being given the chance? Are they really being kept out of the industry?
Am I rowing with the wrong crew?
The Bethune Brothers
On Friday night after church the young people were in a frenzy.
Yes, God is good all the time and all the time God is good. Yes, we were happy to see one another.
However, when we gathered together to talk, it was about something new, something peculiar, something authentic.
It was about the Bethune Brothers.
Joseph Bethune, a member of our church, was mentioned in the New York Daily News on Sunday, May15 as a member of Harlem’s Fashion Row. According to the article, Harlem’s Fashion Row is one part networking group and one part fashion incubator which also offers seminars and conversation series. Harlem’s Fashion Row picked 6 of their top designers out of 15 to compete for a spot during fashion week this fall.
Joseph is among the six young African American designer’s who are competing for a show during fashion week in New York.
The founder of Bethune Brothers, grew up along with the rest of his siblings in the South Bronx. As someone apart of his church family, I noticed that Joseph was more quite and almost shy compared to his rough brothers.
On Friday, when the youth were talking about his clothing line and how excited they were for him, his mom chimed in that she taught him how to sew when he was younger.
In hope and anticipation for Joseph, many of us walked away vowing to vote for Joseph as soon as we got home. Especially my sister’s in Christ who know Joseph knows how hard it is for us to shop when looking for something modest.
I am happy for Joseph and hope he would be on the runway in Harlem this year.
Picking Joseph is like picking hope- not to sound ‘Obama’- hope for his parents who raised 15 children in the Bronx and gave them all they had and hope for his Church family who are hoping for designers who understand the concept of something modest but chic.
Vote for Joseph at http://harlemsfashionrow.com/
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