Whether you’re dark chocolate, honey, caramel or coffee you can look good in just about anything. Bright bold colors and prints especially look good on Melanin. Gold Jewellery and other accessories look gorgeous on that caramel skin. Now is the time to flaunt your melanin!

THE STORY OF ANN LOWE

Ann Lowe was born in Clayton, Alabama in 1898 and learned her dressmaking skills from her mother, who made dresses for society women in the South.

Ann was left to finish her mother’s last job: The creation of four ball gowns for the First Lady of Alabama.

She moved to New York and enrolled in S.T. Taylor Design School, which hadn’t realized they’d admitted a Black woman so were required to segregate.

In 1950, Lowe opened Ann Lowe’s Gowns in Harlem and became the go-to dress designer for the highest of high society-the Rockefellers, the Roosevelts, the du Ponts.

She was called “Society’s best kept secret.” Lowe was highly selective with her clientele: “I love my clothes, and I’m particular about who wears them. I’m not interested in sewing for cafe society or social climbers,” she said.She made the dress that Olivia de Havilland wore to accept her Oscar. but her name was not on the label. Unfortunately, this wouldn’t be the last time that Lowe failed to receive credit.

 In 1953, Lowe scored a historical commission when she was hired to create the wedding dress of Jacqueline Bouvier (Jackie O). When asked, Jackie O simply said it was by “a colored designer.” Financially, Lowe was taken advantage of by her clientele and by the mid-60s she was in debt, which was paid off by an anonymous friend—some say Jackie O. In 1968 Lowe became the first Black woman to own a store on Madison Avenue.

MAN like CHOCOLATE – Melanin Pride

In 1998, Patrick Kelly became the first American designer accepted into the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-porter in Paris, the prestigious French ready-to-wear association. After college, Kelly moved to Atlanta to work as a window dresser at the Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche boutique. Supermodel Pat Cleveland encouraged Kelly to move to Paris in 1980. Initially, Kelly struggled in Paris, freelancing for Paco Rabanne and making clothes for nightclubs to get by. His big break came when he became the first American designer sold in French boutique Victoire. This led to a feature in ELLE France and his first show in 1985. 

Kelly’s pieces were beloved by Grace Jones, Madonna, and Princess Diana. He was known for his bright and bold garments, flashy body-con dresses, big buttons, and loud prints. Above all, Kelly was influenced by Black culture: “In one pew at Sunday church in Vicksburg, there’s more fashion to be seen than on a Paris runway.” As a Black man designing couture collections with Black women in mind, he was an anomaly. With a background in African history, Kelly used his brand as a way to confront racism by reclaiming symbols of Black oppression, such as the blackface he used as his logo.

There’s a variety of ways to go about dressing yourself. You can choose to dress with trends in mind, or you can stick to timeless staples that are guaranteed to still look good in another decade.The staples in a classic men’s wardrobe are consistent. Polos, ties, chinos and dress shoes. As a Black man the ‘classic’ look fits very well into your structure and masculine appeal, complimenting it perfectly with that beautiful color and rugged edge.

Well dressed Brother

‘Well dressed brother’ covers the Fall essentials for a brothers wardrobe 

One of the essentials to good fall style is, like we’ve gone through. LAYERING. That means sweaters (this section) and coats (the next). Two sweaters you need:

Cardigans:

A classic wool cardigan will elevate a casual look to a “smart casual” look, and softens the chill in the air when you’re out and about.

If you’re into the preppy or more classic type outfit, you can pair this with a casual white / blue button down. To glass it up, think of a louder / patterned shirt underneath.

V-Neck Pullovers:

Combining a crisp button down and a classic V-Neck sweater over it can be worn in a variety of occasions, whether in the office or at the party. This combo works well for date night too.

More fashionable than white folks

A controversial one but yes this is true. The African community and black culture has a lot to fall back on historically and traditionally that inspires fashion and looks even in today’s modern society. Speaking of ‘Culture’ can’t say the same for the white folks out there, no offense to y’all. Some key factors drive its popularity, among them increased globalization, the Internet, and the desire of millennials of African descent to feel ownership of and know more about their African ancestry and history.

Today’s blossoming Afrocentric fashion goes hand in hand with the robust Black Lives Matter movement against racial injustice.

“Grandma Ada’s high dress-code standards were passed down to her daughter, my mother.

While money was tight, my four sisters and I, along with my brother, were always impeccably dressed; hair braided, tight and neat; ashy knees and elbows rubbed shiny with gobs of Vaseline. During the summer, every day in late afternoon, we were called in for our daily ritual of taking our baths, getting our hair combed, and changing in to what was referred to as our “clean clothes” ensembles, which often included bright sundresses or matching shorts and tops made by Grandma Ada, who was a gifted seamstress. Once cleaned up, we were forbidden to have any contact with sweat or dirt.”

Says Judy Belk, CEO of the California Wellness Foundation.

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