जब-जब बात कपूर खानदान की लाडली खान की आती है तो उनकी हसीन अदाएं, कमाल का फैशन सेंस और स्टाइलिश अवतार का जिक्र जेहन में घूमने लगता है। बेबो बॉलीवुड की ऐसी पहली एक्ट्रेस हैं जिनके स्टाइल का मुकाबला करना हर किसी के बस की बात नहीं हैं। हेड टू टोस फैशन का चोला पहनने वाली करीना कपूर अपने एफर्टलेस स्टाइल के लिए जानी जाती हैं, चाहे वह रेड कार्पेट पर हों या अपने परिवार के साथ फ्लाइट पकड़ने के लिए एयरपोर्ट पर निकली हों, वह हर बार अपने स्टाइल से सभी को मंत्रमुग्ध करने का माद्दा रखती हैं। ऐसा ही कुछ हमें करीना कपूर और सैफ अली खान की शादी के संगीत पार्टी में देखने को मिला, जहां बॉलीवुड की बेगम फेमस डिज़ाइनर मनीष मल्होत्रा के डिज़ाइन किए हुए जड़ाऊ कढ़ाई वाले पीले रंग के लहंगा-चोली में नजर आईं। जहां एक तरफ दुल्हन के लिबास में सजी-धजीं करीना कमाल की नजर आ रही थीं वहीं गहनों के मामले में वह मात खा गईं। जी हां, इतने बड़े फंक्शन में करीना को एक नहीं बल्कि कई साल पुराने गहनों को पहनना पड़ा था। करीना कपूर के ओवरऑल लुक की बात करें तो उन्होंने अपने संगीत की रस्म में ऑरेंज एंड येलो रंग के जड़ाऊ एम्ब्रोडरी वाले लहंगा और सीक्वेंस चोली को पहना हुआ था। जिसके साथ उन्होंने हरे रंग की चूड़ियां और सोने की चोकर ज्वेलरी डाली हुई थी। हालांकि, करीना की यह ज्वेलरी काफी पुरानी थी। उन्होंने इस एंटीक गोल्डन चोकर और इयरिंग्स को अपनी बहन करिश्मा कपूर की शादी के मौके में भी पहना था। यही नहीं, शादी की रिसेप्शन पार्टी दुल्हन की बहन यानी करिश्मा कपूर ने भी अपनी शादी की ज्वेलरी को पहनकर अपनी उपस्थिति दर्ज कराई थी। जी हां, मनीष मल्होत्रा की डिजाइन किए हुए हैंडमेड कढ़ाई वाली अनारकली के साथ करिश्मा ने उसी हार को पहना था जिसे उन्होंने अपनी मेंहदी संगीत की रस्म में पहना था। खैर, कहने की जरूरत नहीं है कि दोनों ही बहनें इस दौरान काफी प्यारी लग रही थीं। आप सभी के लिए विश्वास करना थोड़ा मुश्किल हो सकता है कि फैशन के मामले में कपूर बहनें एक-दूसरे से काफी प्रभावित हैं, दोनों ने अपने ज्वेलरी को रिपीट हुए इस बात को साबित कर दिया कि पुराने कपड़ों से लेकर ज्वेलरी तक पहनने में कोई बुराई नहीं है।
गोविंदा और जूही चावला ने कई हिट फिल्में दी हैं। इस वजह से इस जोड़ी को काफी पसंद किया जाता था और फोटोशूट तक के लिए कास्ट किया जाता था। हालांकि, एक फोटोशूट ऐसा भी था, जिसकी तस्वीरें तो शायद ये सितारे खुद भी नहीं देखना चाहेंगे। ये फोटोज ऐसे थे, जिनमें गोविंदा और जूही का अंदाज जिसने भी देखा, उसके लिए अपनी हंसी पर कंट्रोल करना मुश्किल हो गया। सोशल मीडिया पर आज भी मौजूद इन तस्वीरों में अपने टाइम के ये बेहद फेमस सितारे पन्नी से बने कपड़े पहने नजर आए थे। जूही चावला के लिए पिंक कलर की चमकीली पन्नी से शॉर्ट ड्रेस तैयार की गई थी, जिसमें ऊपर की ओर से वन शोल्डर और स्ट्रेटकट नेकलाइन डिजाइन थी। वहीं जूलरी के नाम पर उनके हाथ पर ऐल्युमिनियम फॉइल को देखा जा सकता है, जिसे रिस्ट कफ का रूप दिया गया था। कानों में भी उन्होंने इससे मैच करते ईयररिंग्स पहने थे। जूही की तरह गोविंदा के कपड़े भी चमकीली पन्नी से बने हुए थे। उनकी इस कॉस्ट्यूम का कलर ब्लू था और इसमें भी वन शोल्डर डिजाइन दी गई थी। गोविंदा की ड्रेस भी शॉर्ट लेंथ थी और उनके हाथों में भी फॉइल से बने रिस्ट कफ देखे जा सकते थे। इसके साथ ही उन्होंने कंधे पर इसी मटीरियल से बना लंबा दुपट्टा भी लिया हुआ था। इन सितारों के कपड़ों को ध्यान से देखा जाए, तो ये रोमन ग्लैडीऐटर के क्लोद्स से मिलते-जुलते लगते हैं। इससे अंदाजा लगाया जा सकता है कि शायद इस फोटोशूट की थीम भी यही रही होगी, जिसके बेस पर पन्नी और फॉइल से कपड़े तैयार किए गए। वैसे एक बात तो तय है कि इस फोटोशूट का करने का इरादा भले ही कुछ भी रहा हो, लेकिन तस्वीरें देख आती हंसी ही है।
एक्ट्रेस प्रियंका चोपड़ा () ने मिस वर्ल्ड का खिताब जीतने से लेकर हिंदी सिनेमा की सुपरस्टार बनने तक, उन्होंने हमेशा अपनी बहुमुखी प्रतिभा से यह साबित किया है कि उनकी जैसी कोई और नहीं। अपनी शानदार एक्टिंग के अलावा अपने कमाल के ड्रेसिंग सेंस को लेकर जाने जानी वाली प्रियंका कभी भी अपने स्टाइल स्टेटमेंट से एक्सपेरिमेंट करने से नहीं कतरातीं। यही एक वजह है कि मेट गाला इवेंट से लेकर ग्रैमी अवॉर्ड्स तक, उन्होंने हर बार अपने शानदार लुक्स के साथ सुर्खियां बटोरी हैं। इस बात में कोई दोराय नहीं है कि जो कुछ भी पहनती हैं उसमें कमाल की नजर आती हैं। मेट गाला इवेंट में 'मैड हैटर' तरीके से अपने लुक को फ्लॉन्ट करने वाली प्रियंका ने घुंघराले हेअरस्टाइल, स्फटिक हेडगियर और स्टाइलिश झुमके के साथ जिस तरह अपने लुक को स्टाइल किया, वह हर किसी के लिए काफी हैरान करने वाला था। ऐसा ही कुछ हमें अभिनेत्री के ऑस्कर अवॉर्ड्स डेब्यू के दौरान भी देखने को मिला। जहां वाइट शीर स्ट्रैपलेस गाउन के साथ लगभग उन्होंने 50 करोड़ रुपए की ज्वेलरी पहनकर हर किसी को चौंका दिया था। साल 2016 में अपने ऑस्कर अवॉर्ड्स की शुरुआत करने वाली प्रियंका चोपड़ा इस दौरान फेमस लेबनानी फैशन डिजाइनर ज़ुहैर मुराद के डिज़ाइन किए हुए वाइट शीर स्ट्रैपलेस लॉन्ग टेल गाउन में नजर आई थीं, जिसके साथ सटल मेकअप, न्यूड लिप्स और मिडिल पार्टेड पोनी टेल हेयर्स और स्टाइलिश एक्ससेरीज से उन्होंने अपने लुक को कम्पलीट किया। पूर्व मिस वर्ल्ड ने भले ही अपने पारदर्शी सफेद गाउन के साथ सभी का ध्यान अपनी तरफ खींचा हो लेकिन असली ग्लिट्ज और ग्लैमर उनके कानों और उंगलियों में लटका हुआ था। मीडिया रिपोर्ट्स के मुताबिक, प्रियंका ने इस बड़े इवेंट के लिए लोरेन श्वार्ट्ज के डिज़ाइन किए हुए 50 कैरेट के डायमंड इयरिंग्स पहने हुए थे जिनकी 3.2 मिलियन डॉलर और भारतीय करेंसी के हिसाब से तकरीबन 21.22 करोड़ रुपए हैं। वहीं, बात करें उनके हाथों में पड़ी रिंग्स की तो उन्होंने अपनी अलग-अलग उंगलियों में 22 कैरेट हीरे की अंगूठी पहनी हुई थीं जिनकी कीमत 22 मिलियन यानी 23.18 करोड़ रुपए के करीब थी। इसके अलावा हाथ की उंगली में $10,000 की 10-कैरेट हीरे की भी अंगूठी थी, जिसकी तक़रीबन कीमत 5.7 करोड़ रुपए है। यही नहीं, प्रियंका ने 8,000 डॉलर की एक डायमंड बाईपास रिंग भी पहनी थी जिसकी कीमत 2.04 करोड़ रुपए है। उनके आभूषणों की कुल राशि लगभग 8 मिलियन डॉलर है, जिनकी भारतीय कीमत 54 करोड़ रुपए के आसपास है। खैर, जो भी हो प्रियंका चोपड़ा का ज्वेलरी कलेक्शन भी उन्हीं की तरह काफी स्टाइलिश है। वैसे आपका प्रियंका की इस ओवरऑल ज्वेलरी को देखकर क्या कहना है? हमें कमेंट करके जरूर बताएं।
Depop — the peer-to-peer shopping app that, in the nine years since its launch, has also become a community-based platform for creatives — recognizes that fashion is an integral mode of self-expression for the queer community. That’s why, in celebration of Pride Month, the popular app offered some of its LGBTQIA+ sellers a platform to share their thoughts — on style, identity, and more — with the entire Depop community.
“Fashion helps queer individuals figure out their personal style,” Vivienne Gomez, a trans fashion designer featured in the campaign, told Refinery29. “But I think it goes deeper than that.” Gomez sells her designs through her Depop store page @parkavenueputa. “Wearing things that I create is the biggest way that I express myself through fashion,” she says. “Fashion plays a role in self-discovery and protection. Identifiers like clothing help the queer community stand in solidarity with each other, without having to say much or nothing at all.” Gomez designs clothing that makes her feel beautiful and comfortable as a trans woman, she says. In doing so, she hopes she makes her customers feel beautiful, too.
Some of the other sellers that Depop highlighted include Michael Board II, a performance and visual artist who sells inclusive fashion at his eclectic shop @thekahlo; Finn Barrett, an artist who prints his drawings on T-shirts and sweatshirts and sells them via his shop @fnnngn; artist Xiah Perry of the store @hevviflo; Jade Laurice, a painter, poet, and entrepreneur who sells her poetry printed on clothing at her shop @pocalondon; and Naeeja, a writer and musician who sells vintage clothing both on Instagram and through their Depop shop @hoodornamence.
“Growing up Black and queer, I had always felt undervalued and casted out. Fashion is where my confidence and sense of belonging stems from,” Michael Board II told Depop’s blog. Finn Barrett uses clothing as a means of protection. “Clothing is an extremely crucial safety net for someone like me,” he told Depop. “Personally, as a trans individual, clothing and having just the right fit is pivotal to my day to day struggle with dysphoria.”
“Fashion allows me to channel my emotions and my inner self into a look,” Naeeja told R29. “Whenever I go out — and now that I am staying in — I wear something that represents how I’m feeling, or sometimes if I’m in a mood, how I want to feel. I love dressing myself up to get out of a funk and doing a photoshoot just for myself.”
“I believe how members of the LGBTQIA+ fashion themselves can be a lifeline,” they continue. “For many, it’s the initial glimpse of what it would look and feel like to live out what’s in your soul. And sometimes, it may start small, with just one pair of heels, or one loose-fitting shirt that allows one to look in the mirror and see a side of themselves they aren’t familiar with but would like to get to know.” For Naeeja, fashion allowed them to also discover parts of themselves. “Even before I knew I was nonbinary, I began to dress in ways that I previously didn’t think I was allowed to, yet I began to create space for myself, for all of the facets of my identity.”
When the pandemic hit, Thrilling, an online marketplace that offers vintage and secondhand clothing from small businesses around the country, cut its commissions for the first two months. After brick-and-mortar businesses were forced to close their doors, and thus lose their main source of income, founder and CEO Shilla Kim-Parker knew that those owners needed every dollar they could make. Thrilling then released custom-printed vintage T-shirts to raise money for the 100+ stores it carries (you can still purchase them or donate to stores here). When protests started around the country, following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of the police, Thrilling curated a collection of clothing from Black-owned vintage stores — although, as a Black woman, Kim-Parker had amplified these businesses since the start of Thrilling, giving them the exposure they desperately need in a fashion industry that still prioritizes whiteness.
Kim-Parker, whose prior careers were in industries ranging from finance to media and nonprofit arts, founded Thrilling as a way to support local businesses. “My grandparents started the first Black-owned business in the small town of Kinston in North Carolina in the 1940s, and it was a dry-cleaning business. At the time, the world was against them, and they suffered a lot of harassment and abuse and trauma and violence, but managed to survive and thrive for 50 years,” Kim-Parker told me over a Zoom call last week. “I’ve always had a lot of kinship for small business owners and helping support their place in the world.”
A vintage lover, Kim-Parker grew up secondhand shopping in New York City. “It’s my favorite and only way to shop. I think it’s where you find high-quality, well-made, one-of-a-kind items that are also truly environmentally friendly,” she said. She saw Thrilling as a way to not only support these stores but also broaden their customer base by making the offerings available online: “Secondhand and vintage business owners have been very frustrated about the lack of support from the tech community in helping get their business out to more customers around the world. I started this business to really partner with them and help bring them more revenue, so that they can continue to build their business and continue to be cornerstones of their communities.”
Kim-Parker says that the hardest part of the pandemic has been seeing these businesses face real fear about the future of their livelihoods. “It has been enormously stressful for our stores. They have had to shut their doors. In-person sales are the primary way that they earn revenue, and many of their landlords are unforgiving. They were shut out of a lot of federal grant programs, and so they’ve been under an enormous amount of strain,” she said. “There’s magic to the environments that a lot of stores have created in their stores that’s really important to preserve. There’s a real physical element, and social element, of being part of a neighborhood that I think is super important.” There is also, of course, the thrill of finding a one-of-a-kind gem after physically going through the racks.
Not only does Thrilling carry fashion from vintage stores around the country but it also curates collections by categories and themes, and offers a large range of sizing — still, unfortunately, a somewhat rare occurrence in vintage fashion (Kim-Parker says she is “proud that we work with some of the best plus-size vintage boutiques across the U.S.”). Prior to the pandemic, Thrilling also worked with the stores to photograph the clothing and upload it online, as well as help process the order. With COVID-19 putting a stop to physical visits, Thrilling pivoted to working with the stores to provide digital solutions so the owners could do it themselves. “The most rewarding part has been how much we’ve stuck together, how much we’ve sacrificed for each other to ensure our collective livelihood. I am sure our investors may have wondered about us giving up our commissions for two months, but it was undoubtedly the right thing to do because we’re a values-first, mission-oriented, and humanity-oriented organization,” she says. “Thrilling is about community first and business second.”
That sentiment is infectious: When, in April, Thrilling partnered with Banana Republic — which, interestingly, started as a small mom-and-pop shop selling vintage — on a collection of vintage pieces from the stores on the site, the clothing giant (owned by Gap since 1983), in response to Thrilling giving up its commissions on sales, also decided to give up its commission; every dollar of that collection went to the stores.
As Thrilling’s sales have grown month over month since the pandemic began, Kim-Parker says it’s been exciting to see customers respond to the business. “Something that’s been really nice is that people are becoming activated, so they’re realizing that they can be part of progress and activists in many different ways, including voting with their dollars,” she said. “We’re so grateful for support from people who not only just love fashion but also love supporting Black women-, people of color-owned businesses and are really passionate about supporting small businesses and really passionate about mitigating the impact of the apparel industry on the environment. We are seeing a lot of people aligning their consumption choices around their values.”
It’s to make it easier for people to further vote with their dollars that prompted Thrilling to curate the Black Vintage collection, though Kim-Parker notes that — given that most of the stores Thrilling carries are not only woman-owned but Black-owned and people of color-owned — every collection supports them. Still, she is happy to see others in the industry focusing on supporting and highlighting Black-owned businesses and committing to making the industry more diverse — a movement that’s long overdue. “There’s an enormous amount of important work to do ahead. It’s not a flash in the pan moment, it doesn’t go away with surface solutions and press releases. There is important work to be done about changing the nature of systemic racism in our institutions, including fashion institutions,” she said. “We embrace it, look forward to being a part of the solution and seeing how other organizations and leaders, who have expressed support for the movement, address these issues, not just in the heat of the moment but a month from now, a year from now, 10 years from now.”
In the meantime, Kim-Parker won’t stop doing her part to support small, women-, and Black- and people of color-owned businesses, as well as customers who want accessibly priced and sized clothing that won’t hurt the environment. “I come from a family with generations of persecution and trauma, and so much of what we encounter today and what our greater family and community encounter today is still problematic and unjust,” she said. “You have to fight for all of us or else you stand for none of us. And I’ve been given the privilege of starting my own company and being able to define who we are and what we stand for from day one, and so we are going to do just that.”
With businesses like Thrilling, the future of fashion — and the world at large — is something to be excited about.
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Ever since a majority of the world’s population moved indoors amidst the pandemic, a number of interesting fashion trends have come to light. There was the #QuarantinePillowChallenge, which involved influencers swapping out mini dresses for pillows and accessorizing with Gucci and Chanel belts and bags. Then there was #JacquemusAtHome, a strangely satisfying viral trend, coined by designer Simon Porte Jacquemus, that involved making bras out of croissants and heels out of tropical fruit and toilet rolls. Then there was the nightgown dress trend, as if we needed yet another excuse not to get dressed in the morning. But the latest fashion item to garner attention during the pandemic is not entirely surprising: mask accessories.
If you’ve spent time on Instagram lately, you’ve probably noticed an uptick in face masks that aren’t just protective and fashionable, but also feature additional accessories, from éliou pearl chains reminiscent of Croakies to oversize ribbons that come with Collina Strada's version. Scrunchie-like "ties," chunky acetate chains, and beaded designs that go over the masks are some of the other accessories that have come to decorate this essential item lately.
Ahead, see accessories that are giving masks — that we should all continue to wear to curb the spread of the virus — a stylish twist.
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Collina Strada Fashion Face Mask With Bows, $, available at Collina Strada
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दुनिया के सबसे मशहूर फैशन डिजानर्स में से एक भी हैं। उन्हें खासतौर पर उनके ब्राइडल वेअर कलेक्शन के लिए जाना जाता है। वेरा ने दुनिया की कई बड़ी और नामी लेडीज के लिए वेडिंग गाउन्स डिजाइन किए हैं। वैसे अपने शानदार काम के साथ ही उन्हें उनकी ऐजलेस ब्यूटी के लिए भी जाना जाता है। इस डिजाइनर ने हाल ही में अपना बर्थडे सेलिब्रेट किया था, जिसके बाद उनकी उम्र 71 साल हो गई है। हालांकि, उनकी तस्वीरें देखने पर लगेगा, जैसे वह महज 25 साल की ही हैं। वेरा की इस उम्र को धोखा देने वाली ब्यूटी को देख सोशल मीडिया पर भी फैन्स तारीफ करते नहीं थकते हैं। ज्यादातर कॉमेंट्स तो यही होते हैं कि इस फेमस डिजाइनर की उम्र के बारे में पता ही नहीं चलता है। वैसे खुद को फिट और हेल्दी रखने के लिए वह काफी मेहनत भी करती हैं। वर्कआउट एक इंटरव्यू में उन्होंने खुद बताया था कि वह रोज वर्कआउट जरूर करती हैं। उनके इस शेड्यूल में ट्रेडमिल पर वॉकिंग, लाइट वेट लिफ्टिंग और साइकलिंग शामिल रहती है। यह उनकी मसल्स को टोन रखने के साथ ही उनके एनर्जी लेवल को बनाए रखने में मदद मिलती है। डायट वह खाना कभी मिस नहीं करती हैं। अपनी मील्स में वह ब्राउन राइस, सशिमी, ब्रॉकली, चिकन, सलाद और फिश शामिल करती हैं। हालांकि, कभी-कभी वह चिप्स का स्वाद लेना भी पसंद करती हैं, क्योंकि उन्हें ये बहुत पसंद हैं। इसके अलावा वेरा वांग हाइड्रेशन का भी पूरा ध्यान रखती हैं। उन्होंने बताया था कि वह पानी के अलावा कुछ भी नहीं पीती हैं। पहले उन्हें कोक पीने की आदत थी, लेकिन उन्होंने उसे काफी स्ट्रगल के बाद आखिरकार छोड़ ही दिया। 4 हजार करोड़ से ज्यादा की दौलत अमेरिकन फैशन डिजाइनर वेरा वांग फैशन की दुनिया का बड़ा नाम हैं। उनकी क्लाइंट की लिस्ट में इवांका ट्रंप, मिशेल ओबामा और न जाने कितनी हॉलिवुड ऐक्ट्रेसेस और सिंगर्स आदि मौजूद हैं। रिपोर्ट्स की मानें तो वेरा की टोटल नेट वर्थ 650 मिलियन डॉलर्स है, जो भारतीय रुपये में करीब 4 हजार 900 करोड़ रुपये से भी ज्यादा है।
'बालिका वधू' से सभी के दिल में बस जाने वाली ऐक्ट्रेस अविका गौर 23 साल की हो गई हैं। कभी क्यूटनेस के लिए पहचानी जाने वाली अविका अब स्टाइलिश गर्ल बन चुकी हैं और इसका सबूत उनकी तस्वीरों में साफ दिखता है।
प्रियंका चोपड़ा और निक जोनस ने साल 2018 में जोधपुर में बेहद ग्रैंड वेडिंग की थी। इस शादी के हर लम्हे को परफेक्ट बनाने के लिए करोड़ों रुपये खर्च किए गए थे। दूल्हा और दुल्हन के कपड़े तक लाखों रुपये के थे। अब जब इतना पैसा खर्च हो रहा हो, तो भला तोहफे सस्ते कैसे हो सकते हैं। रिपोर्ट्स की मानें, तो पीसी को शादी में अपनी सास से स्पेशल गहना मिला था, जिसे हाथ से तैयार किया गया था और इसकी कीमत इतनी थी कि कोई उसमें घर तक खरीद ले। बताया जाता है कि प्रियंका चोपड़ा को उनकी सास डेनिस मिलर जोनस से डायमंड के ईयररिंग्स मिले थे। इन्हें Van Cleef & Arpels से लिया गया गया था। स्नोफ्लेक ईयररिंग्स को गोल्ड बेस पर तैयार किया गया था और इनमें करीब 170 हीरे लगाए गए थे। स्नो फ्लैक्स से इंस्पायर्ड इन ईयररिंग्स को परफेक्ट बनाने के लिए डायमंड्स को राउंड शेप में काटा गया था। इन ईयररिंग्स की कॉस्ट ऑफिशल वेबसाइट पर 79,500 अमेरिकी डॉलर्स लिखी गई थी। इसे अगर भारतीय मुद्रा में कन्वर्ट किया जाए, तो यह प्राइस करीब 60 लाख रुपये होती है। अब भई जब कोई हॉलिवुड के सबसे फेमस सिंगर्स में से एक की मां हो और प्रियंका चोपड़ा जैसी बहू मिले, तो उसके लिए इतना महंगा तोहफा लेना तो शायद बनता ही है। वैसे इस बात में कोई शक नहीं कि प्रियंका चोपड़ा को उनके सास-ससुर काफी पसंद करते हैं। इस बात को वह तस्वीरों के जरिए भी अपने इंस्टाग्राम पेजों पर कई बार जाहिर करते दिखाई दे चुके हैं।
सोनाक्षी सिन्हा ने फिल्म 'दबंग' से बॉलिवुड में कदम रखा, तो उनके यूनीक फीचर्स और कर्वी फिगर के लिए उन्हें काफी पसंद किया गया। लोगों ने उन्हें ट्रू इंडियन ब्यूटी बताया। हालांकि, यही चीजें बाद में उनके लिए ट्रोलिंग की वजह बनती गईं। ट्रोल्स ने उन्हें वेट से लेकर उनके कपड़ों के सिलेक्शन को लेकर शिकार बनाना शुरू कर दिया। ऐसा ही एक इंसिडेंट तब हुआ था, जब इस अदाकारा ने ट्रांसपैरंट ड्रेस पहनकर एक अवॉर्ड फंक्शन में शिरकत की थी। इस फंक्शन में सोनाक्षी ने रेड कलर की फिगर हगिंग ड्रेस पहनी थी, जिसका बेस शीयर मटीरियल था। इस पर ओवरऑल रेड वर्क किया गया था। ड्रेस पर नीचे की ओर फिश टेल फिनिश दी गई थी। ड्रेस के फॉल को परफेक्ट बनाने के लिए उसमें नीचे की ओर ब्रॉड फॉल भी जोड़ी गई थी। इस गॉरजस ड्रेस में सामने से प्लंजिंग नेकलाइन दी गई थी, जिसे मिडिल में टूल फैब्रिक से अटैच किया गया था। वहीं फुल स्लीव्स को शोल्डर पर पफ्ड डिजाइन दी गई थी। ड्रेस में अंदर से न्यूड कलर का शॉर्ट लेंथ बॉडी सूट अटैच्ड था, जो सोनाक्षी की स्किन से परफेक्टली मैच कर इल्यूशन क्रिएट कर रहा था। डिजाइनर मोहित राय की इस परफेक्टली स्टिच ड्रेस में सोनाक्षी बेहद गॉरजस ऐंड ग्लैमरस नजर आ रही थीं। यही वजह है कि वह उस दिन सभी अदाकाराओं पर भारी पड़ गई थीं। हालांकि, कुछ लोगों को सोनाक्षी की यह सी-थ्रू ड्रेस बिल्कुल पसंद नहीं आई थी। उन्होंने इसे 'चीप' और 'वल्गर' बताया था। वहीं कुछ ने इस अदाकारा को 'बेशर्म' बताते हुए'संस्कार' तक याद दिला दिए थे। यूजर्स इस सब के बीच सोनाक्षी के पिता शत्रुघन सिन्हा को भी घसीटने से बाज नहीं आए थे और ऐक्टर से अपनी बेटी को 'सलीके के कपड़े पहनना सिखाने' की सलाह दे डाली थी। वैसे बेबाक सोनाक्षी को इस पूरी ट्रोलिंग से कोई फर्क नहीं पड़ा था और उन्होंने ये बात कॉमेंट के जरिए भी साफ कर दी थी। वहीं दूसरी ओर ऐक्ट्रेस के फैन्स उनके फेवर में उतर आए थे और सोनाक्षी को एक के बाद एक कई कॉम्प्लिमेंट्स दिए थे।
The canals in Venice are clear again. Cows are returning to the sea. My feet, soft from 100 days of walking around barefoot inside, look like they haven’t known a day of suffering — not a single tan line, callous, or blister. I have not seen my feet look like this since my infant brain could first differentiate my own body parts from a houseplant. Now, when I look down, I get vertigo: My feet, serene and chill, peer up at the rest of me, which is roiling with chaos. I have stress rashes on my face, my hands are like blocks of concrete, and my guts burn each time I read the news. My head and my heart are world-weary, but my feet are brand-new.
My feet are healing. Shoes are their virus.
The other day, I put on a pair of shoes just to see what would happen. I was doing a lot of this kind of visceral revisiting during this latest month in quarantine, trying on many aspects of my old life just to experience the sensation: Ordering a meal via a delivery app, watching a reality TV show that used to feel cathartic, straightening my hair in front of the mirror. Each made me feel a sense of sadness but not exactly in a yearning way. It felt like a bummer, a once-familiar, now-foreign thing that didn’t comfort nor satiate me. It didn’t fit with my current life, and I couldn’t imagine a future one in which that takeout, trash TV, and a flat iron would play a role. Too much had changed, myself included.
But when I put on those shoes — mules with apple-sized red orbs for heels that I had always considered too ridiculous to wear in the Before Times — I didn’t feel sad. In my maternity sweatsuit and the topknot bun that’s become my standard work-from-home look, I looked ridiculous, but I still stood a little taller, and felt a little lighter. Walking from room to room, it felt good not to plod. It didn’t matter that I only wore them for a couple of hours, most of which were spent at my desk taking Zoom calls, but the shift boosted my disposition for the rest of the day. I can’t explain the psychology; why my mood was lifted with the addition of a hard sole makes no sense. But all I can say is that it felt strange and new to wear shoes inside, and it felt good to experience strangeness that didn’t crush me.
Shoes have never been part of my indoor life. Like lots of city dwellers and neat freaks (and Asians, too — hey guys), I leave them at the front door so I can preserve some sort of threshold between the grime and burdens of outside and the controlled serenity of inside. But these days, I find myself wanting to bring shoes inside. I’ve found all my old house slippers, acquired some new ones, and matched them to my inside clothes. When I need an extra pick-me-up, I’ve been reaching for pairs of rarely worn, clean-soled shoes — fussy slippers, too-small heels, obscenely patterned clogs. I wear them for no one to witness but myself. Inside shoes have helped me feel comfortable in navigating unusualness, and settled in these new patterns of solitude and chaos. I doubt they’ll be part of my After Times, but I feel like they’re helping me arrive there with some good humor and lighter spirits.
Below, we’ve asked a few of our favorite stylists to show us their Inside Shoes. Hope they provide a mood boost for you, like it did for us.
Christine Nicholson — “I turned 30 last year, and I’ve finally found comfort and joy in my style. I love UGGs (sue me); they’re incredibly comfortable and feel like an outside slipper on days when I have to make a grocery run. My socks are by Comme Si. They’re very soft and perfect for doing the shoe-with-sock look.”
Margaret Williamson Bechtold — “I’m barefoot most days, so I had to dust off my shoe shelves for this assignment. Featuring my favorite gloves I uncovered when reorganizing my styling kit for the billionth time during quar.”
Danasia Sutton — “This look was inspired by how I would like to feel about summer right now. Unfortunately, COVID-19 had other plans for us. So I decided to bring a spring/summer feel to this look! The white reminds me of the beach and clear skies, while colorful socks remind me of all the pretty flowers that flourish during this time.”
Doria Santlofer — During quarantine, I try to wear things that made me feel good that also visually give me some pleasure, like a fuzzy red sock or a colorful beaded ankle bracelet. My outfit here includes vintage moccasins (a pair I’ve been cleaning and refurbishing for over a decade), a sweatsuit from Entireworld, a California-based brand that uses primarily organic or recycled fabrics and who enforces strict fair trade factory standards, plus accessories from two local, independent NYC designers: Comme Si socks and Sasha Samuel jewelry. Being home the past few months made me realize how much less I need to own and consume and the value in supporting brands who have responsible sustainability practices and stand for social justice.
Anahita Moussavian — These slides from American Eagle have been my vacation slides for the last two or three years, but have become my go-to shoe during this stay-at-home time. Slip-on and shiny: instant mood lifter! A prop styling bonus: this sweet little rainbow, flowery sculpture lives at the gallery space where I have been quarantining, and has provided a lot of joy during these strange days.”
Kimberley Gordon — “I’m quite the homebody, regardless of COVID-19; as a designer who works from home, I need a relief from fashion. I have lots of things I love to do, but collecting and creating miniatures is one of my most relaxing pastimes. I like wearing colorful slippers pretty much all day. I have a collection of fancy feathery slides also from one of my favorite brands, Brother Vellies. My dress is from my own line, Selkie.”
Eliza Huber — “I bought these loafers right before quarantine began after months spent contemplating whether or not they were worth the splurge. I got to wear them one time before storing them away for the first six weeks spent at home. Then, one day, I decided to put them on, just to wear them from the kitchen to my bedroom and back again (for my sixth snack of the day, of course). I wear them all the time now, whether I’m going anywhere or not (usually not).”
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Amidst a pandemic, the 2020 BET Awards took place on Sunday night with virtual performances and acceptance speeches. For its 20th anniversary, the award ceremony, hosted by Amanda Seales, set the bar at an all-time high for award shows to come, with a powerful speech by Beyoncé, who was awarded the 2020 Humanitarian Award by none other than former (and present in our hearts) First Lady Michelle Obama and an emotional performance by Alicia Keys.
There were also a number of fashion moments that stood out, from Queen Bey's stunning ensembles in the trailer for her new Disney+ virtual album, Black Is King, to Megan Thee Stallion’s velvet co-ord and Lizzo’s Old Hollywood-esque gown (her second look of the night!), which the artists wore to accept their BET Awards for Best Female Hip Hop Artist and Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, respectively, virtually.
Ahead, we rounded up a list of our favorite style moments from the 2020 BET Awards.
Beyoncé
Originally meant to run alongside The Lion King: The Gift soundtrack, Beyoncé's Black Is King film is more relevant now than ever before. In addition to a very powerful message, the trailer for the film also showcased an array of beautiful fashion, including an ensemble worn by Beyoncé while atop a horse: metallic heels, a horned headpiece, and cow-print dress.
Lizzo (Pt. 1)
Who says you can't wear lingerie to an award show? And while you're at it, drink a tropical cocktail? Every aspect of Lizzo's first look of the night was, without a doubt, "Good As Hell."
Lizzo (Pt. 2)
For her second fashion moment of the night, Lizzo chose a stunning off-the-shoulder custom Mônot gown, in which she graciously accepted her award for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist of the Year.
Alicia Keys
For her performance of the song "Perfect Way To Die," that honored the lives lost at the hands of police violence, Alicia Keys wore a long black leather trench coat, paired with a crop top, hoop earrings, and matching leather pants styled by Jason Bolden.
Amanda Seales
Amanda Seales proved last night that award show hosts are essential — but only if you pick the right one. Seales, styled by Bryon Javar, wore a total of 13 looks — all of which were designed by Black designers — over the course of the night.
Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Thee Stallion's BET look was the subject of every viewer's "Fever" dream last night. How could it — it being an ultra-sexy velvet co-ord — not be?
Chloe x Halle
Powerhouse duo Chloe x Halle debuted their latest hit from the Ungodly Hour album with a visually stunning performance, which featured a number of looks, all of which were styled by Zerina Akers, who is also Beyoncé's stylist, and designed by TLZ L'FEMME. From all-black latex ensembles to tracksuits made of 3M reflective fabric, this video is fashion at its finest.
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There’s no question about it: We’re living in unprecedented times, and change is (finally) happening on all fronts — locally, nationally, and globally. This season, Unbothered and Target are proud to partner on a platform to keep that momentum going by sharing the stories of Black women who are reclaiming joy, defying stereotypes, and proving that summer is definitively not canceled.
The ocean beckons us all in radically different ways. For some, simply sunbathing where the water kisses the shores is the extent of their relationship with the waves. But for Natasha Brown, a 32-year-old Bronx-bred surfer from New York, the water is where she surrenders herself entirely — and where she found her identity.
Brown was first drawn to the ocean — the rhythm of its waves, its depth, its range of blue hues — at the age of four. The then-preschooler would jump into the water without warning, prompting her mother to enroll her in weekly swimming lessons to ensure the tiny risk-taker could safely explore her aquatic interests.
“We had to take the train and transfer quite a bit just so that I could attend classes in Manhattan,” she recalls. “And from there, as I got older, I discovered and became infatuated with surfing.”
After seeing one particular surfer on TV, Brown’s fire and curiosity for the sport swelled. While the pro-wave rider wasn’t a physical representation of her, she still inspired Brown, resulting in her begging her mother to take her to a Long Island beach for her first surfing experience. “I was around seven and there were all these crappy waves,” she recalls. “But I was still able to touch a surfboard and dance on the wave. That meant the world to me.”
Given Brown’s hometown borough’s lack of surfing beaches, she constantly chased undulating waves in faraway places. As a teen, she and her mother traveled frequently to Jamaica, where she spent entire days on the beach with her cousins. During her senior year of high school, she scoured the nation for a college near a body of water, but ending up landing at a university in New York on a scholarship. It wasn’t until she moved to New Orleans in 2010 to become an educator that she would catch swells consistently — every few weeks, she would drive several hours to surf the gulf near Pensacola, FL.
But as much joy as surfing brought her, Brown wrestled with issues — as early as seventh grade, in fact — surrounding her body image and natural hair. She was acutely aware that she was the lone Black girl in most surfing circles and felt shame for developing a curvier shape than her fellow surfers. It took her years, well into her adulthood, to accept her body. “It was almost a forced acceptance,” she admits, “because if you’re surfing for four hours a day, you can’t just eat a salad.”
She also faced inner conflict over protective hairstyles that wouldn’t weigh her down on the board and would also look presentable at work. But the freedom she found in surfing ended up outweighing these concerns, and over the years, she learned to accept herself — her body, her hair, everything — on dry land as well.
“When I tried other sports, they just didn’t feel like me, similar to when I would straighten my natural hair,” she says. “I thought wearing my hair in ways that appeased others is what I was supposed to do, but I knew it wasn’t authentic to me.”
When she moved to California in 2016, she started volunteering at Brown Girl Surf, an Oakland-based community-driven nonprofit that promotes diversity and gives surfers of color access to resources. Since she didn’t have a Black female surfer to admire growing up, it became increasingly important for her to mentor others.
“I can’t imagine the impact it would have made on a younger me to see a female of color riding the waves, so volunteering with them was really monumental,” Brown says. “It was really special to help young girls who look like me and had that same connection to water and help foster that relationship.”
She had moved to the Bay Area after spending a couple of years in Costa Rica, where she resided in an uber-diverse community bursting with Black, Latinx, and other people from all across the world. Initially, she left the colorful, lively surf town due to pressure from her family to focus on a more career-oriented future. As a compromise, Brown settled briefly in Oakland where she could build a career in educational technology and maintain her involvement in a surfing community.
Now, she’s back in Costa Rica, having found a way to return to her “dream town rooted in Jamaican culture” by working at a company that provides a literacy app for students, and surfing for fun no fewer than three hours a day. Her time with Brown Girl Surf is currently limited because of distance, but she continues to help break down roadblocks for Black and Brown girls. “I focus on fundraising efforts and additional support to our youth of color in the surf community,” says Brown, whose philanthropic endeavors include raising money for competition fees and using social media to promote the organization.
It’s been tough for her to stay dry during this global pause, but she’s finding ways to stay fit for her return to the ocean, including daily 20-mile bike rides and doing yoga on balance-training boards to strengthen her core. It’s been especially difficult for her to see what’s happening to her community from another country.
“The feeling of frustration amongst Black people is nothing new — but what gives me hope is that we are no longer alone. It’s inspiring to see how many allies have shown themselves in my own personal life,” she says. “Does it mean I can sit back and do nothing? Of course not. But now there are others I can reach out to in support of creating a society where the experience of our Black children is no different than others of a different race.”
Current events prompted her and her friends to launch Wolaba Youth Project, an organization that provides BIPOC children with the support and resources of which they would otherwise not have access, including surf training, agricultural workshops, and classes on essential skills. The hope is to uplift and prepare children to become the next generation of leaders and make a positive impact on the community. Or, if anything, inspire them to love the water as much as she does. Because for her, the ocean is the only place where she truly finds solace. “For better or worse,” she says, “surfing has allowed me to be true to myself.”
Shop Brown’s top picks from Target:
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Most summers, we’re typically a selfie away from an Instagram-worthy moment: Venture outside with a straw hat, and boom. Drive to the beach and spend the day watching the waves roll in — done. Plan a rooftop party with your closest friends (and your friends' friends and their friends), and you have an entire album of mementos. But these days, with social-distancing guidelines implemented in most cities, finding fun moments will require a bit more creativity (and even with some parts of the country reopening, it's understandable if you were still cautious about social gatherings).
To help you find inspiration, Unbothered has partnered up with Target to round up 14 standout beauty and fashion items that promise to liven up any photo opp, whether it's from your bedroom or your backyard. There are dresses rich in bold hues, a head scarf in a fierce print, and a matte lipstick that packs a punch. And we included sunscreen in the mix, because we both know the rumor isn’t completely true — Black can crack. Shop our favorite pieces, ahead.
This summer dress may be simple in style, but it more than makes up for it with a color-rich, siren-red shade. Wear it alone or layer it with a cardigan or an open oversized button-down shirt.
A New Day Sleeveless Ballet Dress, $, available at TargetBelieve us, there’s nothing worse than wearing a cult-favorite sunscreen only to discover it leaves your skin looking ashy. That’s why we’re into this octinoxate-, silicone-, and aluminum-free sunscreen that's designed for Black girls: It guards against premature sun damage and keeps our melanin poppin’.
Black Girl Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30, $, available at TargetProtect your curls with a silk square scarf covered in a fierce print for a statement-making look (even if you're just in a white tee and jeans).
A New Day Animal Print Silk Square Scarf, $, available at TargetSoft neutrals are our jam for the summer, but finding a true beige on darker skin tones can be a challenge. This season, reach for a more playful color, like this pastel blue shade that screams, "Hello, summer!”
Essie Nail Polish in Bikini So Teeny, $, available at TargetWe love jewelry that’s perfect for any destination — in or out of our backyard —and this one fits the bill. Wear it around the pool or while walking around the block.
SUGARFIX by BaubleBar Geometric Resin Hoop Earrings, $, available at TargetA comfortable dress that’s perfect for lounging? Check. Welcome warm weather with this breezy floral number that was made for backyard fun or your next trip to the islands (it's okay to still want to plan ahead!).
A New Day Short Sleeve Ruffle Hem Dress, $, available at TargetIf you’re serious about getting a summer glow, you’ll want to snag this shimmer body oil that will make you look like an absolute snack. The best thing about it? Not only does the coconut oil have a sweet subtle scent, it also helps moisturize dry skin without leaving behind a greasy finish.
Olive + M Shimmer + Glow Body Oil, $, available at TargetIf you want your tie-dye sweatsuit in swimwear form, here it is: This brilliant blue bikini that boasts a tie-dye pattern that mimics the ocean waves.
Xhilaration Blue Tie-Dye Bralette Bikini Top, $, available at Target
Xhilaration Blue Tie-Dye Bikini Bottom, $, available at TargetInvite drama with this bright red lipstick with major staying power. It glides onto your lips as a gloss, but finishes in a beautiful matte that’s not super drying.
The Lip Bar Matte Liquid Lipstick, $, available at TargetSearching for ways to look chic while wearing a mask? We hear you, girl, which is why these shell drop earrings are everything you're looking for. And because of their neutral tones, you can style them with everything you own.
A New Day Shell Drop Earrings, $, available at TargetNothing makes your melanin pop more than a simple white cotton dress. Finish your look with loud, colorful accessories and a bright lip, or take a subtler approach with chic leather extras.
A New Day Sleeveless Tiered Dress, $, available at TargetMatch the sun's rays with this two-piece that's rich in a not-so-mellow yellow color. We especially love this set because the cinched top provides an extra lift.
Xhilaration Lemon Yellow Cinch-Front Bralette Bikini Top, $, available at Target
Xhilaration Lemon Yellow Bikini Bottom, $, available at TargetThe ultimate eyeshadow palette for whatever mood you're in: earth tones (for a subtle look), deep burgundy (for drama), and glitter (for experimentation).
Coloured Raine Eyeshadow Palette, $, available at TargetThese comfortable slides, which are crafted with a striped canvas criss-cross upper, somehow have the ability to elevate any look, and yet are still casual enough for everyday wear.
A New Day Knotted Bow Slide Sandals, $, available at Target
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
