Who Rocked the Oscars? Take the Poll!

Posted on March 8, 2010 by ibwff

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There’s something to be said for Oscar(tm) fashions… the competition is usually fiercer than the actual award ceremony!

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Sisters came out in glamorous and fabulous dresses that were sophisticated, tasteful, and beautifully structured. When it comes to the Oscars(tm), Black actresses seemed to have a more flavorful flair than some of their peers –good or bad.
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In 2002, Halle Berry set the standard for dreamy, higher end couture that made all of the press notice that we are gorgeous, too!

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This year was a standout year, and curvy sisters ruled the runway!

Unlike the unflattering, shapeless, and drab plus-size dresses of the past, these actresses found a happy medium in the plus-size realm.

What was the trend?

Flowing trains! It seemed like almost every actress had a clueless actor stepping all over her dress, including the gorgeous George Clooney fumbling over her royal highness’ train, Queen Latifah. During the Red Carpet event, E! Channel’s Ryan Seacrest pulled Queen over for an impromptu interview. Less than 30-seconds into the interview, George Clooney stepped and tugged on her train like some tipsy frat boy. All ended well when Clooney profusely apologized and was genuinely clueless to the latest Oscar(tm) dress trend.

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The other trends ranged from soft, muted pastels and ombres, to an on-going favorite of bright, rich, jewel-tones –which look fabulous on darker skin tones!

Judge for yourself! Who rocked it?

Leona Lewis’ Unrecognizable Shoot

Posted on March 4, 2010 by ibwff

(*Any ad that may appear in banners to promote skin lightening is absolutely not endorsed by the International Black Women’s Film Festival or it’s web-site.)

Beautiful Brit singer Leona Lewis was recently featured in British fashion magazine, “Grazia.” A wonderfully shot layout featured the season’s newest trends in pale pastels, and included a ballet theme.

What was the issue?

Well, Ms. Lewis is not as well known in the United States, so no one would necessarily remark on her extreme weight loss. But one thing we can remark on is the extreme washing out of her skin tone.

Normally, this wouldn’t be an issue. However, there are several issues going on with this particular layout:

1. It’s still a little to close to “Beyonce-Gate” when cosmetics giant, L’Oreal, was accused of intentionally lightening the already light performer in order to appeal to a wider audience

2. The pale pastel wardrobe selection for Spring 2010 is reminiscent of Vanity Fair’s recent “pastel cover” featuring “New Hollywood” …and not one Black woman (or Asian) was featured, and

3. Why is the media obsessed with making Black, multi-racial, and Latina women lighter than they actually are…even considering how lighting can change your skin tone?

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Brit blog Stylelist seemed more concerned with Ms. Lewis’ weight loss, but readers were a touchstone to the other issue of skin lightening, or at least the perception of skin lightening, to make non-white women appear more acceptable, even to their own community. Although Leona Lewis is multi-racial, one reader writers:

Leon is black, regardless how she is airbrushed to look more caucasian. Black is beautiful and nothing can change that! Why change her colour when she was more beautiful before. A paler skin does not prove anything….

I know very few examples (outside of the late-Michael Jackson) of this same principle being applied to Black men in fashion magazines. Hopefully, film, television and media will understand that women of African heritage come in a multitude of shades, colors, hues, and ethnicity, and we don’t need someone else defining what is beautiful to us.

Janelle Monae makes an appearance at MTV’s Woodie Awards

Posted on December 6, 2009 by ibwff

ATLien Janelle Monae has been rocking the scene lately making a number of appearances at such underground events as New York’s Afro-Punk Festival, and elsewhere.

In 2008, she was featured in Interview Magazine as an up-and-comer. However, most folks may recognize her –in a less alien appearance– from fellow ATLiens OutKast’s movie IDLEWILD, even appearing on the soundtrack. Like creative, independent funkstresses before her, Miss Janelle has run across a lot of stereotypes that try to impede her progress as an artist. According to her Interview Magazine feature, she states, ““It’s unfortunate that a lot of people think African-American female artists are monolithically R&B this-or-that …I don’t have to do anything by default.”
In 2009, was re-imagined and reworked to her current persona as a renegade alien who’s in love with an earthling on her creative album “Metropolis.” The incredibly lush orchestration of Ms. Monae’s music are a wonderful accompaniment to her lilting, bird-like vocals that are reminiscent of Edith Piaf and Marilyn McCoo, all wrapped up in one funky, Mothership package! On Friday, December 4, 2009, Miss Janelle appeared on MTV’s (literally) hot mess of an award show, the Woodies. Nominees –which included Ms. Monae– were selected by college students, who are the barometers of cool.
Not only was Ms. Monae nominated, but she even let her funky android out to present one of the awards!

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Miss Janelle isn’t finished, and her epic album has more to go! Also, check out her label Wondaland Arts Society.

Interview Magazine – http://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/janelle-monae/
Janelle Monae’s Official Site – http://www.jmonae.com/

Grace Jones Redux

Posted on December 6, 2009 by ibwff

Though some of these sisters may not even know who Grace Jones is, they all still embody the inimitable style of the daring Disco-era diva.

In the 1970′s and 80′s Grace Jones (A VIEW TO A KILL, BOOMERANG) was the “It” Girl. She was in every cutting edge art, fashion and music magazine, and was on the A-List for every disco in the world.

A native of Jamaica, Ms. Jones made her mark in the fashion-world, and soon broke apart the accepted standards of feminine beauty. She was bold, brash and regal, though many accused her of playing into the hyper-sexualized imagery of the Black woman.

Her style is still avant-garde, but it was her closely cropped, natural hair that made her sultry face stand out in the crowd!

Her unique style turned off a lot of mainstream people, including many in the African American community, who just didn’t understand her commitment to art and style. Little did many of us know that she was light years ahead of her time! Her spirit embodied such independent past divas as Josephine Baker, Eartha Kitt, and others! Check out these 21st century divas who are sporting Ms. Jones’ spirit with funky, cutting edge, short do’s!