Going Out Tonight

In a few hours I'm getting all dressed and glammed up so that I can attend the local ACLU dinner being held at the Muhammad Ali Center in downtown Louisville.

I enjoy these events not only because I'll once again get to rub elbows with the rich, not so rich and famous, the power peeps in town and represent the community at the same time, but I get an opportunity to actually wear some of these nice clothes I have in my closet

Most of my working life I've been in jobs in which I've had to wear uniforms. While I don't mind it and that saves me on one hand from clothing wear and tear and the 'what do I wear to work?' quandaries, on the other hand I inherited the fashion diva gene from my mom that she passed on to my sister as well.

There are times I do envy the sisters that get to wear their own clothes to work. I get to check out their individual senses of style, good and bad and get ideas that I may want to try for myself.

I also have a constant stream of catalogs coming to the house from various stores for me to peruse that I check out as well to add to my mini Imelda Marcos sized shoe collection.

Yes, as I've said here on many occasions, femininity is about more than the clothes, it's a lifetime journey of discovery.

But I'll ponder some of those questions later. Time to get my glam on.

2009 New York Spring Fashion Week- Will The Blackout Continue?

Fashion Week cranked up in New York yesterday and one of the things I and other interested observers will be scrutinizing is not if they use a transgender model like they did in Brazil, but how many African descended models participate in the various fashion shows in the mid town Bryant Park tent village that's Ground Zero for the event?

In the wake of last year's biannual shows that were overwhelmingly melanin free and Italian Vogue doing an all Black models filled July 2008 issue to highlight the racist reluctance of designers and advertisers to use Black models, the question that we'll be pondering is did the designers and advertisers get the message, or will the catwalks continue to be overrun by Eastern European glamazons and little or no models of color despite a historic presidential election here in the States?

There was an event held by the African Fashion Collective last night that starred Grace Jones and a diverse lineup of models from a dozen countries that included Ethiopia, Namibia, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Russia, China and the Netherlands. It also included male supermodel Tyson Beckford, and runway supermodels Alek Wek and Chanel Iman.

The show featured an array of African inspired collections and presidential prints by designers Xuly Bet from Mali, Nkhensani Nkosi who designs the South African label Stoned Cherrie, and Nigerians Fati Asibelua of Momo and Tiffany Amber.

Now after the African Fashion Collective showed them how it's supposed to be done and threw in some flava as well, will the rest of the fashion world's designers follow suit, or will it be the same tired-ass business as usual as Fashion Week continues?

Transwomen And The Great Pantyhose Debate

When it comes to pantyhose, women are in two camps.

They either are ambivalent about them or despise them, and that attitude only begins to shift when the weather turns cold.

Where do transwomen fit into the Great Pantyhose Debate? Depends on the transwoman and what generation she belongs to.

Personally, I like wearing hose. I think they add an extra polished touch to whatever outfit I'm wearing. When it comes to what I wear to church, whether it's dress suits, pant suits or dresses, pantyhose are a must with them even if the temps are climbing for me.

Yeah, they can be uncomfortable when the waistband rolls on you or they slide down your legs if they're not quite the right size for us long legged people. But they also add extra insurance for pre-ops against neoclits popping out at inopportune times as well as improve the looks of my legs.

So what side are you on in the Great Pantyhose Debate?

Are Sistahs Still In Fashion?

While we were all justifiably proud of our sis Isis' history making turn on America's Next Top Model, the question still remains unanswered whether she or any African-American model, biowoman or transgender will be able to consistently find work in a sadly segregated fashion industry.

After the spring Fashion Week shows in New York and the European fashion capitals of London, Paris and Milan were roundly criticized for the lack of melanin on the runways and the weak excuses and justifications for it coming from many designers, all eyes were on the recently completed round of Fashion Week shows in which designers highlighted their Spring 2009 collections.

While there was some slight improvement, there were still far more African-American women in the audience than strutting the runways.

That's despite Bethann Hardison calling two summits to discuss the issue and the all Black model July Italian VOGUE issue selling out. Tracy Reese, DKNY and Diane von Furstenberg used a large number of African-American models this season while others such as Vivienne Tam, did not use any.

"Visually on the runways, it has improved," said Hardison, "But the results are still racist. You choose the same white and you never go towards the brown or the dark."

Designer Tracy Reese said the question of diversity on the runway needs to be brought up again and again to ensure change.

"If it's too exclusionary, it puts me off," she said.

One thing I'd like to suggest is that the NAACP or some watchdog group start tracking the diversity of fashion shows. That way those of us who are inclined to spend money on designer fashions have an idea and a record of which designers are consistently hiring sistah models, which ones are dissing us, and adjust our considerable fashion dollar spending accordingly.

It would also be a good idea to keep an eye on the modeling agencies as well and see if they are doing their part in signing and getting work for sistah models.

What's sad about this situation is that if I want to see a fashion show that has African-American models strutting the runway, I'll have to wait until the EBONY Fashion Fair hits town.

Oh well, at least if I attend the EBONY Fashion Fair, some of the money I spend on that ticket will go to a local charity.

Fashion Blackout

It seems incredible to hear that in a year in which we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the EBONY Fashion Fair fashion show, been buzzing about the first transgender contestant on America's Next Top Model and had a long list of African-American women who broke ground as models that we'd even be talking in the early 21st century about how racism still impacts the fashion world.

Even if Isis manages to win the upcoming cycle of the show, she may find it hard getting work when African-American biofemale models aren't rocking the runways like they used to.

The blackout in the modelling world has gotten so bad that if you want to see an African-American model strutting her stuff on stage in a fashion show, you'd better buy a ticket to the Ebony Fashion Fair when it hits your town.

The September 2008 issue of EBONY magazine contains a fascinating Constance CR White article entitled 'Black Out-What Has Happened To The Black Fashion Models?'

The February New York fashion shows were melanin-free, and in the European fashion capitals of London, Milan and Paris the situation was far worse. The article even reported that the situation is so bad that Miuccia Prada has gone ten years without using a Black model.

It's not like they can't find them. The modeling agencies have plenty of beautiful sisters that they're willing, able and ready to book, they just aren't getting called.

It's nothing like the 90's when sisters such as Iman, Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, Georgianna Robertson, Veronica Webb, Roshumba, Gail O'Neill, Cynthia Bailey and Phina were getting called and getting paid as well.

They were the heirs to a legacy of doors broken down by models such as Pat Cleveland, actor Kadeem Hardison's mother Bethann Hardison, Beverly Johnson, Mounia, Wanakee, Katoucha, Lana Ogilvy, Alva Chinn, and Peggy Dillard.

Today, you can count the number of superstar Black models on one hand. Liya Kebede, Jaunel McKenzie, Chanel Iman and up and comer Jourdan Dunn.

The article delves into some causes for the blackout. Bethann Hardison points out that this problem isn't a recent phenomenon, it has been a decade in the making.

In addition to the racism in the industry, it cited the flood of Eastern European models that mirror the blond hair blue eyes beauty standard into the mix. It also touched on Asian designers preference to feature Asian models in their shows, the rising power of casting directors for fashion shows and the lack of African-Americans in decision making capacities in the fashion industry.

Whatever is causing the blackout, it needs to be fixed. The people buying those high end clothes aren't exclusively of European or Asian ancestry. The models strutting those catwalks need to reflect not only that reality, but the reality that this is a diverse, multicultural world as well.

Decisions, Decisions

Transition is an interesting journey at times, especially when you are beginning it. You have some basic ideas about what's going to happen when you start taking hormones, some of the positive and negative reactions you'll get, and some of the issues you'll face such as the need for a heightened awareness of your personal security.

But the nuts and bolts mundane stuff can be maddening at times as well along with the choices that go into every phase of putting together your feminine presentation.

Outside of the obvious one that men's and women's shoe and clothing sizes are different, one of the things you'll quickly discover on your clothes shopping safari for the new you is that standardized sizing for women's clothes doesn't exist. You either have letter or number sizes and they vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Once you figure out what size you wear, the fun begins.

For suits, would you like a pantsuit or a skirted one? Which look is more flattering to your figure? Do you prefer the skirt length to be above or below the knee? What style dresses not only do you like, are they flattering to your figure?

Now let's talk about undergarments.

The various things we wear to lift, separate, shape, hide, support and sculpt our bodies also have different sizes, styles, lengths and colors. Pre-op and non-op transwomen have the added problem of making sure the neoclit doesn't pop out at inopportune times and stays neatly tucked away.

The question you have to ask yourself is how much shape wear do I want (or need to) put on so that I look good and it doesn't impede my ability to quickly take it off if I need to make an emergency restroom pit stop? One thing I learned early in my transition is that on this side of the gender spectrum, Moni has to potty far more often.

Then there's finding the correct size bra to keep 'the girls' in place. You not only have to have the correct bra for your cup size, but also have to consider what style and type is needed for a particular outfit. Do you need a strapless, push-up, convertible strap, underwire or support one?

And what's your cup size? Is it an A, B, C, D or larger?

Then there's pantyhose. Do you want to wear them or not? If you do (and I'm old school in the fact that I don't think an outfit is complete without them) what size do you wear? Do you need control top, sheer to waist, sheer toe or reinforced toe? Do you wear them inside or outside your panties? What shades not only complement your shoes and outfit, but your skin tone as well?

Let's move on to hair. What color do you want it? Do you want highlights and in what color if you do? Do you want to wear it short, long, shoulder length or down your back? Do you want a weave or not? Do you wish to wear wigs or not and in what styles if the answer is yes to that question?

What hairstyles do you like? Do you want a bob, curly, straight or wavy? What hairstyles are flattering to your head shape and your overall feminine presentation and sense of style?

Speaking of looking good, makeup is another area that has a dizzying array of choices. What foundation shades in which makeup collection match your skin tone? What colors work best for you? Do you have oily, dry, or combination skin and how does it affect your makeup choices? How do you apply it so it doesn't look like you used a trowel to put it on?

Ah, nails. Do you want them long, short or medium length? Do you want acrylic, nail tips, or natural? Do you want them polished, French or American manicured? What color polish would you like on your nails, and does that color complement your skin tone as well? Would you like that same color on your toes?

And finally, my favorite, shoes. Do you want high heel, mid heel, low heel or flats? Pump, sandal or open toe? Dressy, business, casual or trendy fashion?

Betcha didn't think women had to put this much decision making into looking good, did you?

The Most Important Man in Black America

Tavis Smiley frequently says (and I agree with him on that point) that Dr. Martin Luther King is the greatest American we ever produced.

The most important man in contemporary Black history next to Carter G. Woodson or Dr. Martin Luther King I would argue is John H. Johnson.

John H. Johnson is the Arkansas born man from humble beginnings. His father died in a sawmill accident in 1926. His mother Gertrude saved her money in order to move herself and John to Chicago. Upon their arrival in Chcago in 1933 he was enrolled at all-Black DuSable High and was exposed for the first time to middle class African-Americans. Some of his DuBale classmates were Redd Foxx, Nat King Cole and entrepreneur William Abernathy. He studied hard during the day and devoured self-improvement books at night.

In 1942 he took a $500 loan against his mother's furniture and started Johnson Publishing Company. He launched Negro Digest which was the forerunner to Ebony. By June 1942 the circulation of his magazine was up to 50,000 copies and doubled to 100,000 copies in October 1943 when First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt penned one of his regular guest columns called "If I Were A Negro."

JPC (now run by his daughter Linda Johnson Rice) grew to become the largest black-owned publishing company in the world. The iconic Ebony magazine he founded in 1945 is the nation's number one African-American oriented magazine with a circulation of 1.7 million and a monthly readership of 11 million. Jet Magazine, the newsweekly magazine he founded in 1951 also became a staple in African-American homes. JPC not only publishes books, it produces the Ebony Fashion Fair traveling fashion show and owns Fashion Fair Cosmetics as well.

Ebony became the African-American version of Life magazine. Without the existence of Ebony, the words of an Atlanta born preacher by the name of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wouldn't have been exposed to millions of people. The early civil rights marches and events would have gone uncovered.

In the 80's a Chicago DJ by the name of Tom Joyner was hired to host the Ebony-Jet Showcase TV show. That exposure led to Tom Joyner's radio show becoming a syndicated property that's heard by 11 million people daily courtesy of Cathy Hughes' Radio One.

His wife Eunice Johnson started executive producing the Ebony Fashion Fair shows in 1963. The show is celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2008. The shows proved that not only do African-American women have a unique sense of style and flair, we look good strutting down runways wearing those couture outfits as well. Those traveling shows not only have raised $57 million for local charities, they jump started the acting careers of former Ebony Fashion Fair models Richard Roundtree, Judy Pace and Diahann Carroll.

Before Pat Cleveland became an internationally known supermodel, she strutted her stuff at Ebony Fashion Fair fashion shows during the 60's. Fashion Fair model alumni Janet Langhart Cohen, Sue Simmons and B. Smith used their time there as springboards to greater success in other fields. The Ebony Fashion Fair shows also give Black fashion designers such as Tracy Reese and others a chance to showcase their talents as well.

The best selling Fashion Fair cosmetics line is the largest cosmetics company that caters to women of color. Over time it eventually forced white-oriented makeup lines to broaden their products and make shades compatible with our skin tones.

So as you can see, the influence of John H. Johnson and his company have had far reaching ripple effects on not only our culture, but profound effects on our country over the last 60 plus years as well.

It's A Shoe Thang...You Wouldn't Understand

One of my biowomen friends on another Internet list I'm a member of posted that she'd just received a pair of shoes she ordered online. Sadge tried them on and discovered they were a little tight but declared she was keeping them. She admitted that she has a weakness for shoes and then asked the question to the group as to why that is so after we chimed in with how large our various shoe collections were.

If there is one thing that we share in common with our genetic sisters, it's a weakness for shoes. Whether it's Imelda Marcos' infamous collection of 7000 plus shoes, various celebrities like Patti LaBelle's large collections or the average woman's shoe closet of ten to twenty-five pairs or more, we gotta have 'em. Sometimes we'll risk raising the ire of our podiatrists and go to the torturous lengths of cramming our foot into a shoe that's a half to a full size too small in the name of fashion to do so.

Guys may shake their heads, joke or grouse to their friends about the amount of closet space taken up by a woman's shoe collection, but get them in a room and they'll freely admit that they're turned on by a woman that's wearing hose and a pair of sexy heels that complements their outfit.

So why do we have so many shoes? I think it comes down to six basic reasons:

*The shoe matches an outfit we have in our closet.

*We buy the shoe to potentially match a future clothing purchase.

*We bought it because it was cute.

*We bought it becase it made us feel sexy and powerful when we put it on.

*We bought it on sale.

*We bought it off the clearance rack and can't take it back.

I'll cosign on Point 4. I love heels. My six foot plus behind doesn't like them any shorter than 2.5 inches or taller than three. When I slip on any of my numerous pairs of three inch heels along with my fly clothes, then combine it with trips to the nail and beauty shops I feel like the sexiest woman alive.

Heels also are a distinctive gender thing that scream 'female'. Yeah, there are cute flat and feminine shoes that I own to wear with my suits. But when I want to look my feminine best and feel the estrogen coursing through my body heels are a must have-must wear accessory.

On that note, time to go shopping and see if those pumps I was checking out last week are on sale.