Year: 2015

From Not Just a Label: The Contentious Topic of Cultural Appropriation

Published by

Here’s a reoccurring topic pop culture and fashion: cultural appropriation. From Miley Cyrus to Rick Owen’s show last season it seems that fashion and celebrities are always teetering the edge of going a bit too far. When is it appropriate to don another culture’s garb, costumes, traditions, and when it it not? Is it admiration? What about when money comes into play? Why is it beautiful when Ralph Lauren’s runways are filled with American Indian inspired buckskin fringe and turquoise and tasteless when Karlie Kloss struts down the Victoria Secret runway in a feathered headdress? Recently Not Just a Label tackled this tricky subject and I wanted to share it with you.

Perfect Stays#IslandGirlsDoItBetter – Rockhouse Travel Diary

Published by

Tommy Hilfiger finally caught on to what I’m sure you guys already knew. ;). A piece that I wrote for my fellow island girl, Tamu McPherson’s blog, All the Pretty Birds came out last week, where I shared a small taste of my amazing trip to Montego Bay & Negril with the Jamaican Tourism Board this past August. To accompany that, for this #FBF let’s take a little break from Fashion Month and get irie. Here’s my Rockhouse Hotel photo diary.

Fashion Week Reality Check from NJAL

Published by

In the decadence of fashion month, with its medicinal injection of thrill, fancy and indulgence, celebrating your own hard work as a designer can be somewhat hard to swallow. Designers might not be global policy decision makers, but we are all humans with the capacity to activate change, raise awareness and pique compassion. From donating to a charity to volunteering – NJAL looks to designers aiding the refugee crisis in practical and accessible ways.

Travel Beauty Essentials: Kiehl’s Refreshing Mist

Published by

I’m heading off to Milan — like literally typing this in the airport — and my new favorite travel essential as of late is my Kiehl’s Refreshing Mist from their Travel-Tested Solutions line. Being on an airplane a lot can be rough on my skin. I feel like the Obama before and after 8 years of presidency photos during my international flights! To prevent this I’m always sure to drink tons water to re-hydrate during flights (ladies, while tempting, boozing on flights is particularly bad for us, air pressure etc.) In line with this, I’m also constantly on the look out for a great facial mist. Since discovering Kiehl’s Travel-Tested Solutions collection, this Refreshing Mist has been my go to. I love the fresh scent of the Lavender, Rosemary, and Geranium essential oils in this concoction. It not only is a quick wake-me-up with Tibetan Ginseng and Cactus Flower, but also detoxifies and purifies skin — so necessary on petri planes ;). No one wants to come off of an airplane looking exhausted and haggard …

So I had this idea…

Published by

Upon hearing about BedStuy concept store, Sincerely, Tommy and meeting the owner, Kai Avent-deLeon, I knew I wanted her ‘Nomad story on ’N A Perfect World…. She was an intelligent, well travelled, black woman from Brooklyn — what’s there not to love. This also simultaneously was happening while I was meeting with a publishing house and close friend in the film industry about developing video content for you guys. Naturally, with Sincerely, Tommy being such an awesome space, Kai being so beautiful and rad, it was a perfect jumping point for the video series, ’N A Perfect World Hangs, where I bring you guys along as I explore different cultures and communities with a curated group of locals as my guides. Exciting right?! Well, schedules couldn’t align, my awesome friend in the film industry seemingly was on a never ending Diplo music video set and I was so excited to shoot Kai that I went rogue. I got a skeleton crew together of beginners at this, just like me (my always inspiring friend, Naomi Bishop, …