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Posts published in “Fashion”

New Fashion Web Series "The Reclaim" Aims to Change the Negative Imagery of Black Men (VIDEO)

The New Stereotype: The Reclaim
The New Stereotype: The Reclaim (photo via Shadow And Act)

A new web series on Vimeo has been launched this month called “The New Stereotype: The Reclaim” which aims to change the perception of black men in the media.
Conceived by Harlem-based Marquelle Turner-Gilchrist, who is an assistant buyer for a luxury fashion company, he says that he came up with the idea for the series to “show the diversity and strength of black males.”
He then reached out to friends and others willing participants through social media to be a part of the project, and created it to be all inclusive, taking into account skin tones, fashion styles, careers and backgrounds from all over the world, such as Ghana, the Virgin Islands, North Carolina, Brooklyn, New Jersey, and Georgia.
The result is basically a fashion show for young, successful, upwardly mobile brothers (or “dandies” as I call them) who are eager to show a different image from the sagging pants and gold teeth that the media offers too often..
But if the idea of the series is to break away from the usual stereotypes of black men, then why use the word “stereotypes” in the title of his series? Well Mr. Turner-Gilchrist has an answer for that: “In order to truly create a ‘stereotype’ there must be frequency and consistency… For now, the idea is to continue to spread the imagery and message and investigate ways to elevate the project.”

article by Sergio via Shadow and Act

THE GOODS: Great Gift Guides for Last-Minute Finds – GBN

Best Gift Guides
Today for the GOODS we are doing a serious full court press and bringing you some of the best gift guides out there. The clock is ticking… and the shipping days are dwindling, so here’s a quick collection of guides with something for everyone (cross fingers). And, yeah… there are always gift cards… or simply the gift of your company and LOVE. So don’t stress… and enjoy the holidays!
Elle Gift Guide’s got something for everyone:
http://www.elle.com/gifts/
Target Hot Toys of the Year:
http://www.target.com/c/kids-toys-gifts-ways-to-shop/-/N-5cgh5
GQ Ultimate Gift Guide for Everyone
http://www.gq.com/gallery/ultimate-holiday-gift-guide-wife-girlfriend-family-buy-christmas-hanukkah#2

Consumer Reports Holiday Gift Guide:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/shopping/holiday-shopping-and-gift-guide/index.htm
For Tech Lovers check out:
http://www.cnet.com/holiday-gift-guide/
Harpers Bazaar Holiday Gifts:
http://www.harpersbazaar.com/holiday-gifts/
Barnes & Noble Holiday Gift Guide
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/holiday-gift-guide/
The Honest Company:
https://www.honest.com/gift/guide
Yahoo Tech Gifts For DAD:
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/christmas-gift-guide-perfect-tech-173718267/photo-asus-chromebook-flip-c100-1450463114991.html
Global Grind Last-Minute Gifts for Bae:
http://globalgrind.com/2015/12/15/gift-guide-for-bae/
Urban Outfitters:
http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/category.jsp?id=GENERAL_CATEGORY
And one final guide for kicks and giggles… and honestly, she does curate some cool (if stratospherically overpriced) items. GOOP is always worth a look… and there are affordable finds.
http://goop.com/the-goop-gift-guides/
Lesa Lakin
Lesa Lakin

THE GOODS: Do Some Good, Get Some Good – H&M Garment Collecting – GBN

Dr. Thomas G. Lakin
Dr. Thomas G. Lakin

Today we are doing the Holiday Gift Guide a little differently. We’d like you to GIVE for sure. But this time how about giving AND helping the planet at the same time?
The picture above is of my father, Dr. Thomas G. Lakin. He was an educator, the first African-American chancellor of the Ventura County Community College District in California, in fact.
He believed whole-heartedly in the art of giving back… that knowledge is power… and that the Earth was ours to protect and nurture. With that instilled in us, my sister decided to do her part in giving back by creating what she hoped would become an online archive of all the great things that African-Americans do. Thus, Good Black News began. And yes, it is great to have a site that only reports on the GOOD we do (because, um…there is a lot of it!)

No doubt Dr. Lakin (if he were still alive) would be really proud of Good Black News. I am, and that is why I help out when time permits. In the photo above, our Dad is wearing a “Funky Planet “ T-shirt from a now-defunct, eco-conscious clothing venture of my sister Lori Lakin Hutcherson and her partners Teddy Tenenbaum and Bill Kuluva (I was the artist). My Dad loved it… and would often be photographed in Funky Planet product since it was “his daughters’” and well, he liked the idea of a cool planet.
Logo of an H and M store pictured in WarsawMy father was also one of the first guys I knew to get into health food and recycling… and that whole “earthy” thing way before it was the norm. So today, we’d like to help the Earth and get you a little discount on holiday shopping at the same time.
H&M is doing something great for the planet. Bring in your old clothes – no matter what brand or condition. And for every bag you turn in, you get a 15% discount card to be used on any purchase. Its GARMENT COLLECTING initiative earns H&M the proud label of being the first fashion company to collect clothes we no longer want and recycle or repurpose them. And for this we receive a 15% discount! Yep… it’s a Win Win.
For more information:
http://about.hm.com/en/About/sustainability/commitments/reduce-waste/garment-collecting.html
Shop H&M for affordable fashion: http://www.hm.com/us/
Lesa Lakin
article by Lesa Lakin

THE GOODS: So Good for Her – Target Plus Size Finds – GBN

Lesa Lakin
Lesa Lakin

I’m not one of those types of people who can stay in Target for hours combing through everything. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Target, but shopping there for me is always purposeful. I go early when nobody is there. Pass on the crowds, the parking hustle… “in and out” is my motto. But on the rare occasion when my daughter is home and suggests going to Target, I suck it up and go for the “bonding” time. But it’s usually only ten minutes before she wants to stay and I want to leave.
The other day we ventured out and I’ve got to say, she was relatively quick. She’d only tried to stick a few extra things in my basket (deodorant, razors, toothpaste, a random pair of Little Mermaid pajamas)… okay you’re a college kid… my treat. But then we chose to separate. I went to the travel section and she to electronics. I grabbed my travel accessories in two seconds and she was NOT in the electronics section when I went to find her. The frantic, ignored “Where are you?” texts started poppin’.
Okay, okay, I know… I was with one of those professional Target shoppers and I let her loose. Who can blame her… they’ve got everything. But come on, she has to scour every little inch of the store until I pop and give her the old, ”I’m getting in line and leaving in five minutes with or without you!”? Really? Every time? But this time, I actually got a little sidetracked when I saw a flash of leopard out of the corner of my eye. It called me.

I knew whatever I was seeing was going to be perfect for my mother, the collector of leopard apparel. Eureka! It was a robe… who doesn’t need a leopard robe? (I imagined her saying that after opening her present). And I was thrilled to see that it was in plus size… in fact, I had ventured into the plus-size section and was LOVING what I was seeing. Jackpot! Not only had I nailed the perfect gift for my mother… the robe also came in sizes XS – 3X! I had flashes of being in it on a cold morning with a cup of whatever doing whatever. Thanks for covering all bases, Target. I needed the robe, too. It was somehow chic and I had to have it.

By the time my daughter found me, I had the robe over my clothes looking completely nuts, admiring myself in a column that wasn’t exactly a mirror. But that’s the beauty of Target – nobody really questions or cares. We are all on our individual adventures. I guess it was my turn to be dragged out of Target… but not before seeing some great plus-size finds (and giving my daughter a lecture about driving herself next time)…

Women's Plus Size Cozy Robe - Gilligan & O'Malley®

WOMEN’S PLUS SIZE COZY ROBE – Gilligan & O’Malley® $27.99

I have a running dialogue with my brother-in-law about women and their animal prints… yeah, we like them… what? This robe is screaming my name. LOVE it! Want it! #leopard
http://www.target.com/p/women-s-plus-size-cozy-robe-gilligan-o-malley/-/A- 21552899

Plus Size Long Sleeve Knit Top - Lily Star

PLUS SIZE LONG SLEEVE KNIT TOP – Lily Star -$19.99

This lightweight sweater is a cool find that makes for a nice, reasonably-priced gift.
http://www.target.com/p/plus-size-long-sleeve-knit-top-lily-star/-/A- 46783683#prodSlot=large_6_26&term=plus+size+women
Women's Plus Size Flannel Pajama Set - Nick & Nora®

WOMEN’S PLUS SIZE FLANNEL PAJAMA SET – Nick & Nora® $32.99

Every year, I ask for a new pair of pajamas and I make it super easy. “Please get me Nick & Nora p.j.’s from Target.” But without fail, I amend my list because I really don’t like being cold and I get my own way before Christmas rolls around. Great buy and they last a long time. They come in sizes XS – 3X. Highly recommend. Great gift.
http://www.target.com/p/women-s-plus-size-flannel-pajama-set-nick-nora/-/A-46796401

Women's Plus Size Faux Leather Sweater Jacket - U-Knit

WOMEN’S PLUS SIZE FAUX LEATHER SWEATER JACKET – U-Knit $63.00

It’s still in! Faux fur. This vest gives a special touch with leather accents.
http://www.target.com/p/women-s-plus-size-faux-leather-sweater-jacket-u-knit/-/A-50087805#prodSlot=large_4_4&term=plus+size+women
#GBN #goodblacknews.org #giftideas #PlusSize #Target

THE GOODS: Party Season with Banana Republic – Gift Ideas – GBN

Lesa Lakin
Lesa Lakin

It’s holiday party season and we found a few reasonably-priced items from a store I hadn’t been in for quite some time. No reason in particular… Banana Republic has just never really been my speed (a little conservative – or so I thought). But when I walked in, I was surprised by how far Banana Republic had come.
Full disclosure – I was in there trying to exchange a birthday gift. And after my no-nonsense return haggle… I really looked around and boy, was I pleasantly impressed. Yes, you can still find and always will find classic and conservative pieces, but there are also edgier, fun pieces throughout the store.
First, I have to commend Banana Republic on the store lighting. It looked great in there. Good enough for the woman “on day five” of her facial peel to take her glasses off and sit next to me to try on shoes. She’d made the assumption I was staring at her face. I wasn’t – I was looking at the shoes in her hand – but I was happy she was comfortable enough to sit with me and explain what the big black spots on her cheeks were. Banana Republic actually felt very warm and friendly.
I was shown the following pieces and I gotta say… I bought myself a few things. Sales are going on now and there are some serious on-line and in-store bargains to be had:
Braided Chain Line Bracelet - Banana Republic

BRAIDED CHAIN LINE BRACELET $58.00

Not everyone is a jewelry person… but here’s an easy piece even jewelry lovers may want. It’s a great bracelet to spark up any outfit.
http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=13896&vid=1&pid=175220002
Faux-Fur Trim Open Sweater Vest - Banana Republic

FAUX-FUR TRIM OPEN SWEATER VEST $78.00

A young saleswoman looked at me and in whisper tones she said, “I have something you will appreciate. Not everyone gets it, but I know you will.” Even if it was a hustle, I bought it. She had me because she liked my style. She was right… I got it and I like it! Look, sometimes I like to save my faux fur for my Vegas trips… but other days I’m in my faux fur, T-shirts and jeans and shopping at Whole Foods. This piece isn’t your average vest… it’s different and special!
http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?vid=1&pid=724045002
Daphne Lace-Up Bootie - Banana Republic

DAPHNE LACE-UP BOOTIE $148.00 (Check in-store I got these for 60% off)

While these camo booties may not be the most practical choice, they are certainly a fun wardrobe addition. I have no idea where or when I am wearing them, but I know it will be a good fashion moment.
http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=33942&vid=1&pid=722248012
#GBN #goodblacknews.org #giftideas #holidaygiftideas #women’sfashion #bananarepublic

THE GOODS – Holiday Gifts GAP for Kids – GIRLS – GBN

Lesa Lakin
Lesa Lakin

Today we are going back to the GAP in search of the perfect gift for GIRLS. There is just so much to choose from, and so many deals to be had. We’ve found some good ones.
Take it from me, it’s not always easy to pick for a girl with her own very distinct sense of style… but cute is cute… PERIOD. We’ve taken a stab at finding some things she may enjoy.
Here are a few of our affordable finds…

Happy face pom-pom beanie - The Gap

HAPPY FACE POM-POM BEANIE $13.56 (on sale)

It’s cheeky, fun, and we LOVE it. It’s the fun-colored beanie for the youngster that likes a smile.

Embellished love sweater dress  - The Gap

EMBELLISHED LOVE SWEATER DRESS $35.96 (on sale)

This cute message dress has just the right combination of comfort and fun.
http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?vid=1&pid=684340002
Shine long tie-belt puffer - The Gap

SHINE LONG TIE-BELT PUFFER $73.99 (on sale)

I want one! This classic puffer has a sophisticated feel, but it is still kid friendly enough to make a statement. Comes in a matte putty color as well.
http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=1039255&vid=1&pid=678112002

THE GOODS: Festive Affordable Holiday Gift Picks – GAP – GBN

Lesa Lakin
Lesa Lakin

This year give the gift of peace and love with the cozy beanies we found at the GAP.  Affordable and practical these hats make for great gifts.  I LOVE the LOVE hat!
Also we found sweaters on sale now. Have you checked out the GAP lately? There seems to be a sale every time I blink.  They’ve got great things right now, so don’t miss out.  Here are a few of our finds….
Word Logo Pom-Pom Beanie

WORD LOGO POM-POM BEANIE $24.95

No one can argue that we don’t need a little more peace and love in our lives. These beanies make for great gifts.
http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?vid=1&pid=721218032
Floral jacquard pullover sweater

FLORAL JACQUARD PULLOVER SWEATER $29.97

On sale now, this 100% cotton floral sweater is a great buy.
http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=1026493&vid=1&pid=529088002
Slim cropped pants  (in garnet)

SLIM CROPPED PANTS  (IN GARNET) $41.96

These stretch double weave pants in garnet are perfect for any festive occasion.
http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=1011765&vid=1&pid=112329052
#GBN #goodblacknews.org #giftideas #gap
 

"School of Thought" Clothing Line Imagines Black Leaders as University Namesakes

Models in clothing in a photo Philadelphia Printworks’ “School of Thought” lookbook, provided to Colorlines by Philadelphia Printworks on December 11, 2015.  (Photo: Mark Ryan/birchxbirch.com)
Those of you dismayed by the backlash against university activism might wish that you’d attended an institution named after your favorite Black thinker, inventor or writer. Now, a new apparel line gives you the next best thing.
Philadelphia-based screen printing company Philadelphia Printworks just released the “School of Thought” collection, which features sweatshirts from fictional universities bearing the names of Black leaders. The company describes the inspiration behind the collection on their Facebook page:

The “School of Thought” collection, designed by Mars Five and Philadelphia Printworks, imagines a different world where colleges and institutions have been established based on the philosophies of Marcus Garvey, Audre Lorde, Ida B. Wells, Harriet Tubman, George Washington Carver and James Baldwin. The collection represents the double consciousness experienced by African diaspora in America and creates a safe space for the praxis of liberation.

Designer Mars Five, whose real name is Donte Neal, elaborated in a statement emailed to Colorlines:

From a graphic design perspective, I’ve always appreciated the visual aesthetics of universities, colleges and similar institutions. I believe we all apply and belong to our own particular schools of thought. Though sometimes multiple, conflicting or harmonious, these theoretical institutions are where we take responsibility for our own educations. Where we craft our social, political and economical morals and values. In collaboration with Philadelphia Printworks, my goal was to give these schools a manifested and wearable pride.

The company’s other products explore similar progessive and anti-racist themes, with shirts reading “Assata is Welcome Here” and “No Justice No Peace.” Check out the “School of Thought” lookbook here.
article by Sameer Rao via colorlines.com

THE GOODS: Holiday Gifts for Him – Superdry – GBN

Lesa Lakin
Lesa Lakin

Superdry is an exciting brand that offers high-quality products that fuse vintage Americana and Japanese-inspired graphics with a British style.
The pieces are unique, fun and super comfy. Here are a couple of gift picks for him.
 

GEL TARP LAPTOP BAG USD $69.50

http://www.superdry.com/us/mens/bags/details/57246/gel-tarp-laptop-bag
Check out the entire online selection here:
http://www.superdry.com/us/
#GBN #goodblacknews.org #giftideas #superdry

THE GOODS: Holiday Gifts That Do Some Good – (RED) – GBN

Lesa Lakin
Lesa Lakin

This holiday season, why not do some good and purchase (RED) products. (RED) was founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2006 with a simple mission to fight AIDS and an ultimate goal of an AIDS-free generation. Through the years, companies have partnered with (RED) to offer great products. When we buy these products, 100% of the money goes directly to work in the fight against AIDS.
Throughout the past decade, (RED) has raised $320 million… but more can be raised and hopefully an AIDS-free generation is coming…  This year why not give the gift that helps save a life.

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SUGA (RED) LIP TREATMENT SPF 22.50

Gimme some suga! A limited-edition Sugar Lip Treatment wrapped in red to support the fight against AIDS. Can’t think of a better stocking stuffer.
Gap X (RED) T

GAP X (RED) WORD CREW TEE $29. 95

Mens:
http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=1997410020002&cid=1046545
Women’s:
http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?vid=1&pid=199742002
For all (RED) products click here: https://red.org/products/
#GBN #goodblacknews.org #giftideas #(RED) #TheGap #Suga(RED)LipTreatment