Blackface inBeyon Fashion: Why is This Even an Issue in 2013?

Beyonce in a recent shoot paying tribute to her "roots"

As an avid procrastinator, I mean... researcher, I am a often hunting through the pages of various websites. I love buzzfeed.com which publishes on everything your cat could ever dream of, to fashion fancies, to the latest celebrity news gossip and world events.
I actually find a lot of content to post on from the site, and this was one I just had to share.


As a mixed raced woman in the South, I am no stranger to the delicacies of race.  It may be the only issue more complicated to me than the healthcare bill. Buzzfeed posted a great compilation this week on the fashion industries frivolous and inconsiderate use of black-face in fashion editorials and I had to post a link.
Seeing as Vogue was not doing a Tropic Thunder themed spread I am not sure how I feel about these issues. Mostly I think they are just irresponsible in consideration of their consumers and a great gauge of how they view their audience.
I am not going to write more on this for now. I just want you to check the link and let me know what you think...
x


Here is the link: http://www.buzzfeed.com/alexrees/15-terrible-blackface-fashion-moments

Is race far enough past that this shouldn't be an issue? Or is this a disgusting display at an attempt to gain publicity? Comment below!

Colors of the Season

All you have to do is walk into a local clothing store to see that pastels are taking over for Spring / Summer 2013. And I have to admit, a small part of me (not the 80's fashionista of course) is slightly glad to have a trendy way to take a break from neon  I love neon for summer afternoons with friends and especially for the beach, but over the past few years, as my style is maturing I have been looking for a more sophisticated way to be fresh and fun without looking drab. If I didn't live in Texas, where the sun begins melting your soul away by 6 am all summer, I would totally live my whole life in black and gray... I should be a cosmetologist  my closet is so shadowed. But as I try to break out of that I am embracing this trend full force. 

For those of you who do not know, I am secretly a mermaid, when I am not moonlighting as a ninja of course! But because of my oceanic upbringing I am always instantly in love with colors of the ocean and the pastel corals and pistachio that have become readily available make me miss my cavernous hideouts of whatchamacallits and dealybobs.... wait that's the little mermaid. OK  so I am landlocked and really just like the sea, whatever.

There are points to be made! The reason these colors are my top picks for Spring/Summer obsessions is that they truly look good on everyone. No really. I am not kidding. I dare you to prove me wrong! Because pastels are in, you can vary the shades and go as pale as you need to in order to tailor to your skin tone. They look beautiful and elegant on the porcelain skinned beauties like Lily Collins while looking fresh and simple on the bronze babes like Eva Mendez. 

If you are worried about making these colors work in your wardrobe, even though I should have been totally convincing by comparing you to celebrities, then try hunting for accessories in these tones. Actually, you won't need to hunt because it is a trend...hence they are pretty common. This necklace is on my paycheck wish list to wear with a great creme-colored flowy top I have and it is one of those affordable pieces that will work for multiple occasions  i.e. church, lunch, shopping, work, WHATEVER!

So try out the look! Send me pictures of your successes or even your failures and maybe we can work it out together! Trust me, if you haven't jumped on the "P" train yet, you won't regret it.