The New Style Icon: Solange Knowles written by: Kayla Y. Brown
Those are the people that have nothing but positive things to say.” Not everyone can pull off the Solange Knowles has never cally and emotionally makes me all nautarl look and some people may cared what people thought of her or happy. I was that little girl that feel like its a fad that everyone is just her style which is one of the reasons wanted to wear the tutu and tap jumping on. However Solange, has put why many respect her. She covered shoes as my nanny is sitting next her own twist into the “All natural look” and has the fashion world buzing about. Honey Magazine with some pretty to me shaking her head ‘Yes, fierce photos and has this to say re- yes.’ All through high school I Her look is more about incorperatgarding the people reaction from her got made fun of because of what ing Afrocentricity into glamour meets decision to chop off all her hair. I wore and what music I listened retro hippie chic. Her new look helps “It’s interesting how the first to, so this is just junior high for her break away from all the black R&B day I had it, I had nothing but nega- me all over again. I don’t care, sterotypes while still seeming appealing fashionably and musically. tive, evil, cruel things in my inbox and I don’t think I ever will I interviewed 2 college students and then yesterday [after Oprah aired]because at the end of the day, I had 300,000 people saying ‘Oh my these are not the people who are that have expressed a great interest and experience in the “go natural” moveGod, you looked amazing, so beauti- going to be there to change a ful, and you made us proud.’ People flat tire or who help you in ways ment. Alexa Bailey, a former student were able to hear my reasoning, that you really need it. This is a of Hampton University, had this to say which is good and bad because we really fickle and materialistic and about cutting hair off. “I cannot even lie, when first should be able to just express ournarcissistic industry. I try not to cut my hair off I was crying while she selves. put too much into that because I knew what the reaction it will eat you alive. The people shaved it. I didn’t have to begin with the would be before it happened. I’ve that I love and that I really care fact that it was shaved down lie a boy always been in-tune with what physi- about — their opinions matter. really shook me up. Later on I reminded
Love Advice from Today's Hottest Musicians Big Boi (Outkast)
What's the best way for a woman to approach a guy? If she does it with class, it can be a good thing if a woman's aggressive: It means she knows what she wants and will go for it. Know you're a respectable woman and that just because you're showing interest doesn't mean you're an easy catch. Opportunities can pass you by because you were afraid of what MAY happen. Don't let those moments slip away. What relationship tip do you think most women could benefit from? A lot of times, men feel women get caught up in comparing their relationships to others and what you read in (gulp!) magazines. What works for one couple may not work for the other, so just focus on the two of you and you'll be fine.
John Legend
What's a relationship crime you think women are guilty of? I think men are a lot more straightforward and matter-of-fact than women, and sometimes we get into conflict because a guy will say something without any sort of hidden meaning that a woman will twist into all sorts of interesting things that he never intended. Don't think so deeply about it. Most of the time, we really are being straightforward. You can interpret our signals pretty easily. What's something that keeps you and your girlfriend feeling connected? We have very similar tastes in humor. In general, I usually bond with people over stuff that's not so connected to what I do every day, like favorite TV shows or movies. My girlfriend and I are always TiVoing things like Family Guy, the Daily Show, Colbert Report, and The Office.
all over so I had my haircut. Cur- -For other styling ideas visit Natural myself why I had to cut it. I really wasn’t taking good care of my rently I am in love with it and even and Transition Hair Styles for Black hair so it got so damaged from the though the process is so long, it is Women perms, weaves, and constant dying so worth it.” It’s so important for us as -Braids and/or extensions- you can it. However, 5 months later from have your hair braided until it grows the actual cut I am so happy with women of color to embrace our afro-centricity rather than to shun it. to a length where you feel comfortable the results. My hair is so curly, I And even though going allnatural cutting off the new growth and going have a little fro now and I am so with the hair may not be for every- with other styling options proud of it. I’m ecstatic that my SisterlocksTM- SisterLocks can be hair is back to being healthy again.” one, it sure is a perfect start. started with one and one half inches So like Alexa many people decided to go natural because their How to Make the Transition of new growth at the scalp. They are similar to dread locks but with a look hair was so damaged nothing else to Natural Hair more like micro braids or very small could be done with it. Aisha Folkes There are a few basic ways to (a sophomore at Temple University)make the transition to natural hair. twists. They leave you with many styling options. For more information had a similar story except she was The simplest is to just cut off the more about proving the point that topermed hair and live with a short (including pictures) go to http://www. be a beautiful black women we do hair style for several months. This sisterlocks.com not need to stray away from what is the boldest way. But, takes the If you are going to try to mainleast amount of work and there’s no makes us unique. Which is our tain your length while transitioning, worry about breakage. thick hair. keep these things in mind. Your hair is “I used to wear weaves all the time then the summer after my -Cut off the relaxed hair- depending very fragile during this time. Handle it freshman year in college I went on on how much new growth and your as little as possible and make sure you keep it well moisturized. Sleep with a spiritual retreat with my church preferences you have a few styling options. You can wear a TWA a silk cap or scarf at night to prevent and it made me realize a lot of things. The importance of embrac- (tweeny weeny afro) or twists (two friction on your pillow and to maintain strand or comb twists) pretty easily moisture in your hair. ing my culture was one of them. When I came back I wanted to start with almost any length hair.
J. Cole Talks about G.O.O.D Friday Verse, Jay Electronica & “Friday Night Lights” (via Complex magazine) Roc Nation is having the best week ever. Not only has their founder and biggest star, Jay-Z, been on a media blitz promoting his new book Decoded, but they also announced signing one of the hottest (and most elusive) rappers hip-hop has seen in years, Jay Electronica. Their trifecta was completed by J. Cole. The young North Carolina-based spitter dropped his mixtape Friday Night Lights last week to much fanfare and praise. Of course, he dropped the mixtape only a week after the killer guest spot he did on Kanye West’s recent G.O.O.D. Friday leak “Looking For Trouble.” With so much going on in his career, we had to chop it up with the “Who Dat?” star , so we spoke to Cole about the response he’s gotten to Friday Night Lights, how his Kanye feature came about, and what his relationship with Jay Electronica is like… On the response he’s received to Friday Night Lights… “When The Warm Up dropped, I watched that grow legs and work for me for a year straight. I saw it reaching people every day. With this, what’s really overwhelming—in a good way—is the amount of people. It’s all positive feedback, but the amount of people who hit On Jay Electronica Signing To Roc Nation… “I’m such a Jay Electronica fan; he’s out of this world good. And I wanted to work with him before he was on Roc Nation. So I’m sure [we’ll collaborate] in the future when our schedules permit. I’m sure he’s with it. I have as much [of a personal relationship] as you can have with Jay Electronica. We’re cool, but he just changes his number so much that whenever I try to hit him, it’s tough. He’s a free spirit, man, he just goes where the wind takes him. If he thinks about you, he’ll hit you up. And I’m the same way. And this is before the Roc Nation thing. I literally have four or five Jay
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J. Cole Talks About G.O.O.D Friday Verse Jay Electronica & Friday Night Lights
The First Issue Featuring Solange Knowles
Make-up Tips For the fall Love Advice from Today’s Hottest Musicians Big Boi and John Legend
On Jay Electronica Signing To Roc Nation….. “I’m such a Jay Electronica fan; he’s out of this world good. And I wanted to work with him before he was on Roc Nation. So I’m sure [we'll collaborate] in the future when our schedules permit. I’m sure he’s with it. I have as much [of a personal relationship] as you can have with Jay Electronica. We’re cool, but he just changes his number so much that whenever I try to hit him, it’s tough. He’s a free spirit, man, he just goes where the wind takes him. If he thinks about you, he’ll hit you up. And I’m the same way. And this is before the Roc Nation thing. I literally have four or five Jay Electronica phone numbers in my phone. He’s super-mysterious. But that’s his aura. That’s the ill thing about him as an artist. His voice on the track, he sounds like Thor. It’s exciting to be able to say I’m on the same label as Jay-Z and Jay Electronica. It’s fun as a rapper.”
On the making of his “Looking For Trouble” verse… “[That verse] was last minute. I got the beat the night before from my manager. But nobody told me they wanted to do it for G.O.O.D. Friday, and definitely not that G.O.O.D. Friday. I was like, ‘Oh man, that beat is dope. I’ll write to it soon.’ The next day I woke up in Kalamazoo, Michigan— I was on tour—and I was getting ready to go to Detroit because I had a radio promo event to do. So I got a call from Kanye and he was like, ‘What’s up? It’s Kanye. Can
Electronica phone numbers in my phone. He’s super-mysterious. But that’s his aura. That’s the ill thing about him as an artist. His voice on the track, he sounds like Thor. It’s exciting to be able to say I’m on the same label as Jay-Z and Jay Electronica. It’s fun as a rapper.” me on Twitter or sent a text or quote lines on Twitter has been overwhelming. I seen people who I knew from college make comments like, ‘Wow, everybody on my timeline is quoting J. Cole.’ It’s a really cool feeling knowing that I reached a group of people I wasn’t reaching before. Hopefully, more people will see the type of music I’m trying to bring to the people. “This mixtape was a part of my plan. I told everybody I didn’t want to release an album that was really good you get that verse today? I’m I drove back to Kalamazoo and did the show. When I got offtryna put the song out tonight.’ I honestly didn’t think stage, he had just put the song I could do it in time so I told out, and I sat back and watched him that. He said, ‘I’ll wait. all the comments as people went We got engineers up all night crazy. It was a beautiful night. “I don’t know what it is [when so you got a while to do it. But if you can, have it done it comes to features]. What it by today.’ I said, ‘I’ll make it comes from is fear, that’s why I go so hard [on guest spots]. happen somehow.’ I’m a real competitor. It’s just “I wrote my verse on the a fear of somebody besting me hour-and-a-half ride to Deand dominating me with a better troit, did the radio promos, left that, went directly to the verse. Not every song is like that, but on a song like ‘Looking For studio, laid the verse, and Trouble’ it is. It’s that spirit of sent it to him by 5 o’clock. hip-hop: Let’s see who can come Mind you, I didn’t hear the best. I don’t know if I’m goanybody else’s verses or ing to have the best verse, but I the song itself, I just heard know ain’t nobody just gonna the beat and did my verse. kill me.”
Tis the Season: Spa Catchi We know you’ve been buzzing around the city, hustling and bustling. We know city life can take a toll on you and breaks are not only necessary but also well deserved. When you find yourself in a “woe is me” spell, retreat to the urban oasis, Spa Catchi. It is the first and only day spa located inside the brand new, state-of-the-art House of Beauty, featuring an adjoining cosmetic/ aesthetic surgery center and a hair styling and restoration salon. Located in Murray Hill, the blackowned sparadise is a one-stop beauty shop that offers services to treat the body and spirit from the inside out. Their services include customizable facials, skin treatments, massages, hair removal, eye brow Guest post by Julia Allison, styling and professional makeup Media Personality and “maapplication. They have also been chine of happiness” reported to give some of the best manicures/pedicures in New York Sufficiently relaxed *thanks City. to Spa Merge’s massage,* Spa Catchi will provide 20% off to I hopped on my pink & all Honey readers until the end of white bike, Cupcake (yes, I 2010 if you say we sent you! A holi- named my bicycle) for the day gift from us to you! 15 block ride downtown to *Note: The discount does not apply Spa Catchi. Located at 115 to other specials – no double disEast 39th Street, on a quiet, counts. leafy block in the no man’s For more information visit Spa land of Midtown East, Spa Catchi and/or follow them on Twit- Catchi was designed as a ter. companion to their plastic surgery center, just next door. In theory, you could get breast implants followed
by a mani-pedi – or a facial chased with lipo. I’m not quite sure who actually wants to combine such procedures, but my sense is that Spa Catchi, which just opened a few months back, is attempting to establish this as a one-stop-shop for all your beauty maintenance needs. The Spa itself is quite small – more like a nail salon than anything else – but the people are super-friendly, and exceptionally good at their jobs. I was scheduled for a 60 minute Catchi Signature Facial followed by
importantly, the manicurist was top-notch. They had a small selection of colors (unfortunately none of the trendy “alt” hues like yellow/blue/green/brown), but the shade I selected, a pretty purple which just so happened to match my iPhone cover, has elicited many compliments in the intervening week. They didn’t have a gel technician to administer the type of calgel mani I’ve been doing for the past six months, so we went natural – just paint, no acrylics or silk wraps or gels or tips. a 135 minute combination Catchi laughed (apparently it’s not the Nada. And yet, after MiSingature Mani-Pedi. I’m not re- first time she’s heard such a rechelle was finished, there ally a facial kind of girl (although quest), she followed up by saying wasn’t a single smudge, I’ve always felt that I could be, that she “works incredibly hard” and the nails – both on my were I to discover the right sort on her skin, and it requires facials toes and my hands, which of facialist, and, uh … a surfeit AT LEAST once a month. I was get quite a bit of abuse with of discretionary income), but I sold. Why even bother to adverall the typing I do – are still certainly know when something tise? practically perfect a week feels good. And ohhhh, did this later. facial feel good. Good enough, Now, I may not know a lot about Hands down (har), one of in fact, that I lapsed into a trance- facials, but I practically have a the top manicures/pedilike pleasure coma for a solid 40 PhD in mani-pedi. I get them cures in New York City. of the 60 minutes. Plus, when I at least once every two weeks, emerged, my skin looked tighter, and have for the past five years firmer and almost … pore-less. (hey, some people have a wine Now, I have absolutely no idea habit or a shoe habit or a drug how or why this worked, but I’m habit. I have a mani-pedi habit.) not about to argue with results. Although the salon itself isn’t Especially when the facialist, particularly fancy – and until I Yelena, herself had the most gor- asked them to turn it off, they had geous skin I’ve seen outside of a a headache-inducing five-minute fake, totally airbrushed magazine. informercial for their plastic I actually pointed at her and said surgery center running on an end“That! I want that!!” When she less loop – it was clean and, most
lulu frost statement necklace do-it-yourself 'tis the season! lulu frost's lisa salzer crafts the ultimate statement necklace with vintage jewels and chains galore. What began as a cherished childhood pastime—frequenting her grandmother's jewelry store in Pennsylvania and scouring flea markets for vintage heirlooms—quickly flourished into a triumphant business for Long Island, New York, native Lisa Salzer. The Dartmouth art-history grad crafted her first Lulu Frost collection from her college digs senior year. She now counts Oscar winner Meryl Streep and her daughters Mamie and Grace Gummer as repeat customers. But for Salzer, it's all about the backstory. Lulu Frost takes its name from her beloved late grandmother Elizabeth Frost combined with Salzer's own winsome nickname, Lulu. "I try to not be overly influenced by trends," she says. "I just go back to what speaks to me." We're all ears. —ANA DRAGOVIC (VIA TEEN VOGUE)
what you’ll need.... pliers ten jump rings chain with lobster clasp and extension links three or four extra chains 1950s-style crystal necklaces jeweled dress clips or pendants
chain gang With pliers, use the jump rings to connect several chains of varying lengths to one main chain. Hook them together in the back with the lobster clasp.
linked in Create colorful layers by adding vintage necklaces to the extension links on the main chain.
more is more Use the jump rings to attach the jeweled dress clips to the necklace. Then pin the pendants through the chains.
the results...