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Let’s Talk About It: Luxury Fashion’s Obsession with Sagging – Essence

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Sagging burst onto the style scene within the ’80s and ’90s, as hip-hop became an outlet for artists and listeners. Impressed youth naturally desired to emulate their idols, donning baggy clothes with pants that hung below the waist. In 2021, Balenciaga released $1,200 sweatpants with a boxer-waist detail to mimic sagging. That sparked outrage online after a TikTok video of the pants was posted in the shop.

“I think my initial observations [on the sagging trend] it was especially true of celebrity culture. White celebrities, even some models like Hailey Bieber; that whole group that the media promotes over and over again,” he said Julian Randallauthor and PhD candidate in black consumer studies, “I was forced to think more critically about it when Balenciaga was selling these saggy sweatpants. The whole discourse around it was the first time I was confronted with it in a way I had never been before,” he explained.

The brand is currently known for its often controversial designs which can be designed to impress a response or grab attention. Non-Black celebrities like pop star Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish and Troye Sivan often fall short on other fronts. They have adopted styles just like traditional African American fashion, with oversized, baggy T-shirts, jorts or jeans that hit well below the waist. Eilish’s approach to fashion will be seen as a part of “Gen Z” fashion, as this younger generation is driven by quite a lot of aesthetics. What’s fascinating about her style, nonetheless, is that her music doesn’t reflect anything near hip-hop, but quite the alternative. This raises questions on how Black or African American style is perceived. Often, white consumers play on cultural approval because they see blackness because the epitome of elegance, but reject it for a “cleaner” look when it now not serves them.

Let's Talk About It: Luxury Fashion's Obsession with Sagging
Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

The sagging trend has taken on a brand new meaning, with the illusion of wearing multiple pairs of pants or matching underwear now considered fashionable. Despite the controversy surrounding Balenciaga, brands like Miu Miu, Hed Mayner, and All-In have also embraced the trend. However, it has raised some concerns. To explore the growing interest in sagging, we delved into its history and interviewed experts on this once-significant phenomenon turned microtrend.

According to historian and creator Tanisha C. Ford, the sagging trend seems to have began intangibly. Sagging has often been linked to homosexuality in prison, but Ford believes it’s a gray area. She told NPR, “I don’t think we can definitively say that sagging started in prison.” Another specification of the trend comes from creator and fashion curator on the Cleveland Museum of Art, Darnell-Jamal Lisbywhich suggests that it could have began in prison for other reasons. Loose uniforms and clothing got to prisoners without belts to stop suicide attempts. Loose uniforms without belts got to prisoners to stop suicide attempts, which some consider is a reference to the practices of slave catchers who did the identical thing to stop enslaved people from escaping. This prompted government officials to take motion.

What’s most annoying about seeing sagging as a broader trend beyond blackness is that it has historically only negatively affected black participants. In 2007, Ocala, Florida city council member Mary Sue Rich was so upset about sagging black youth that she led a law that required young men to wear their pants too low to face a $500 wonderful or as much as six months in jail, in accordance with NPR. The law was repealed in 2020 after 13 years in a predominantly Black or African American county. That’s no surprise, because the Black Lives Matter movement gained traction in 2020 with the goal of creating real changes to the standard of life and safety of Black people in America. Other states have enacted similar bans in Wildwood, New Jersey, and Pikeville, Tennessee. “I’ve never supported this, even as a resident,” said Deputy Mayor Chris Davis, who sponsored the repeal in Florida and “I thought it disproportionately affected a certain segment of our population, which is young African-American males.” Even President Barack Obama made a press release on MTV’s Sway in 2008, saying, “Brothers, pull up your pants.” But he said legislating against the trend was “a waste of time.”

Let's Talk About It: Luxury Fashion's Obsession with Sagging
Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

The politics of sagging and the prospect of dressing like a thug or dressing dangerously have plagued the black community for a long time. But punishing young black men solely for his or her clothing has been much more dangerous. Black consumer analyst and author Julian Randall has spoken out in regards to the high fashion space that has deemed sagging problematic: “Historically, [brands have studied Black consumers] to some extent. For example, stylists for hip-hop artists couldn’t draw from European high-end fashion brands. They didn’t need to work with them due to these stereotypes of what rap and hip-hop is. Eventually, as young white men began embracing hip-hop styles, big brands began taking notice. They’re using elements of black culture to maintain it cool or culturally relevant. They know that hip-hop is essentially the most influential phenomenon on the planet.”

Lisby, a fashion curator on the Cleveland Museum of Art, explained that the push to appropriate saggy clothing has to do with the undeniable fact that black history has not yet been reconciled with that of other oppressed cultures, which is why perceived disrespect and cosplaying of black people is so quickly worn and unworn by their white counterparts.

“It comes down to how the world views black people and can we, as a global society, reconcile the history of black people around the world? And because we haven’t and we still haven’t. It all comes down to this idea of ​​policing blackness and constantly demeaning blackness and then moving through history without coming to terms with the past, which as a byproduct is disrespecting or disrespecting black culture.”


This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Health and Wellness

Vice President Kamala Harris’ ascension and derailment to the White House is the story of many Black women, including me

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2024 Election, Concerned, black women


Written by Dr. Dionne Mahaffey

My heart is heavy. My mind is racing and I am unable to help but take into consideration what this latest era under Donald Trump means for me and for ladies who appear like me and who wanted Vice President Kamala Harris to win, not simply because of her policies and competence or its historical significance. We wanted her to win because having her as a black woman in charge could be a robust statement for a rustic that so often seems reluctant to recognize our strength, talent and humanity.

Madame Harris’s candidacy was deeply personal. Black women identified together with her story, her rise, her spirit. Like me, she grew up in a single mother’s home. She’s my sorority sister. I felt hopeful in the concept that for the first time a Black woman was on the verge of real power, not only next to it. She represented every part we are sometimes told we can’t be: good, uncompromisingly ambitious, compassionate, and yet fiercely independent. Her presence defied the “angry black woman” stereotype, and her resilience reminded us of the countless ways during which Black women have long been pillars of American progress.

But now plainly this dream has been placed on the back burner. Trump’s victory brings back a well-recognized fear. His administration has at all times signaled a disregard for racial equality and women’s rights. We’ve seen what happens when hard-won protections are dismantled: voting rights are violated, police grow to be more aggressive, access to health care is restricted, and social justice is sidelined. For me as a black woman, these changes aren’t abstract political moves; these are issues of survival and dignity. The rhetoric surrounding us is a direct reflection of how protected, valued and vulnerable we feel in our own country.

With Trump’s victory comes the specter of Project 2025, a conservative motion plan that would severely limit civil rights, access to health care and economic resources, especially for Black Americans. Proposed cuts and restructuring of health care, housing and education could reverse years of progress and disproportionately harm marginalized communities. In my work, I see the potential impact on Black-owned businesses that already face enormous barriers to accessing capital. My clients – small business owners who’ve put every part into their ventures – are actually apprehensive about surviving in an economy that will push them further aside. Their concerns echo my very own, underscoring a reality we all know all too well: for us, progress is never linear and actually not guaranteed.

Twice nearly as good

But she didn’t win. We know that Black women often have to be twice nearly as good to achieve half nearly as good. Instead, America selected a criminal over an experienced black woman and it hurts. His victory brought back memories of my very own profession, after I began my first job in the technology industry over 30 years ago. I earned a formidable six-figure salary and came upon that my white friend made $30,000 greater than me. I had a diploma; he didn’t do it. While I used to be promoted to manager, he was promoted to director, and the company ended up paying for his education while I self-funded my MBA. That was the first time I understood how much white men were pampered and given opportunities to achieve perfection that black women were simply expected to earn.

Kamala was greater than qualified — she had worked as a prosecutor for 13 years, was the first Black and South Asian woman elected as a district attorney in California, the first Black and South Asian woman in the United States Senate, and the first woman of color to function vice chairman. By contrast, Trump is a convicted felon, born into privilege, who paid someone to take the SATs, filed for bankruptcy six times, was found guilty of sexual assault, incited a deadly revolt and denied the results of the 2020 presidential election. But by some means he won.

For Black Americans, Trump’s return to office is greater than symbolic. The reality of Trump’s latest presidency appears to be looming. Project 2025 plans to dismantle civil rights protections, access to health care, and economic opportunity that our communities have fought to provide. For those of us who in the past were forced to work twice as hard to achieve half as much, the stakes couldn’t seem higher.

Peace priority

The consequences of these selections aren’t just political – they’re deeply personal. As a therapist, I actually have seen firsthand how alternative anxiety affects my clients. After the elections, this tension will only deepen. Many people struggle with concerns about their future safety, rights and dignity in an environment where they feel increasingly unheard and invisible. Advising clients in these times is difficult, especially knowing that they may face renewed threats to their mental health and well-being. They carry the burden of this country’s instability, and sometimes that burden is greater than anyone should bear.

While helping others, I also need to concentrate to my very own mental health. It’s hard to support others when your spirit is drained, when their fears mirror yours. Taking care of yourself is not just a buzzword for me now – it is a necessity. Every day I remind myself that I cannot pour from an empty cup; so as to serve my clients and community, I need to provide myself with a spot to rest, recharge, and find peace inside myself.

Protecting our peace in times like these requires intention and care. It starts with tuning out the noise – setting boundaries around the news to stay on top of things and prevent anxiety from creeping in. Community is a balm, a reminder that we’re on this together. Leaning on friends, family and networks keeps us grounded and resilient. Mindfulness practices, corresponding to just a few minutes of quiet reflection or deep respiratory, can show you how to regain calm in the face of stress. Taking small actions, volunteering, supporting essential causes restores a way of control and purpose.

And still we rise

When I take into consideration this moment, I do not forget that Black women have faced adversity for generations and proceed to thrive. Kamala Harris’s candidacy, irrespective of the end result, has ignited something inside us – the determination to claim our space, construct our communities, and defend justice. The fight for equality and progress doesn’t end with one election; it is a lifelong journey and we’re uniquely equipped to sail it.

So today I hold space for my disappointment. But tomorrow, like all Black women who know that our value, power, and stories are greater than any single person or alternative, I’ll return to work. We will proceed to move forward, not just for ourselves, but for generations who will look back on this moment and know that we never gave up. Together we embody resilience and together we are going to rise.


This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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Health and Wellness

WATCH: In the studio: Who decides on the war – Essence

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“; } }); // Drag and scroll functionality const playlistContainer = document.getElementById(‘playlist’); let isDown = false; let startY; let scrollTop; playlistContainer.addEventListener(‘mousedown’, (e) => { isDown = true; playlistContainer.classList.add(‘active’); startY = e.pageY – playlistContainer.offsetTop = playlistContainer.addEventListener(‘mouseleave’; playlistContainer.classList.remove(‘active’); playlistContainer.addEventListener(‘mouseup’, () => { isDown = false; playlistContainer.classList.remove(‘active’); }); mousemove’, (e) => { if (!isDown) return; e.preventDefault(); const y = e.pageY – playlistContainer.offsetTop; const walk = (y – startY) * 3; .scrollTop = scrollTop – walk; }); } } if (” !== ‘efoc24’) { // Check DoubleVerify Quality Targeting signals before rendering the player if ( ‘unknown’ !== typeof PQ ) { PQ.cmd. push(function() { // If DVQT signals are not available after 500 ms, render the player anyway. const timeout_id = setTimeout( jwPlayerRender, 500 ); // Get “Authentic Direct” signals. PQ.getTargeting({ signals: [‘abs’] }, function(error, targetingData) { clearTimeout(timeout_id); jwPlayerRender(error? undefined: targetingData); }); }); } else { jwPlayerRender(); } function jwPlayerRender( dvqt_signals=”” ) { let jw_ad_tag ​​= {“client”:”googima”,”adscheduleid”:”G7hR9pQ2″,”schedule”:[{“tag”:”https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?correlator=&iu=/21698916284/ess/VideoNews&env=vp&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&sz=400×300%7C640x480%7C1000x1%7C1920x1080&description_url=__page-url__&tfcd=0&npa=0&vpmute=1&vpa=auto&vad_type=linear&url=__page-url__&vpos=preroll&unviewed_position_start=1&v=BHeaONV5&pmnd=0&pmxd=60000&ad_rule=1&cust_params=ttid%3DBHeaONV5%26frnch%3D__item-franchise__%26environment%3Dproduction%26kwblock%3Ddis%2CAbb%2CAir%2CDIS+2%2CCapOne%2CCapOne2%2CLincoln%2CUPS%2CVG%2CATTCric%2Cmcd%2CTargetbos%2CEFOC_Tar.%2CToyota%2CNationwide%2CDisney%2CKISQALI+420491%2CPubW+Precision%2Cattefoc3%2CWalmart%2CHyundai2023%2CHuluPMP%2CCokeBWIH%2CAxSpA”,”offset”:”pre”},{“tag”:”https://vid.springserve.com/vast/670880?url=https://www.essence.com/news/watch-in-the-studio-who-decides-war/h=450&w=800&cb=2735″,”offset”:”50%”}]”offers”:{“bidders”:[{“id”:”jw-video-BHeaONV5″,”name”:”jwdemand”,”publisherId”:”evcxFIDZ”,”siteId”:”WT5iFegj”,”placementId”:”24399785″}]”settings”:{“disableConsentManagementOnNoCmp”:true,”mediationLayerAdServer”:”dfp”,”floorPriceCents”:200,”floorPriceCurrency”:”usd”,”buckets”:[{“increment”:0.1,”max”:30,”min”:0},{“increment”:0.5,”max”:50,”min”:30}]}}}; // Configure ad tag on the fly… let additional_params = {}; // Input DVQT signals. if ( dvqt_signals && dvqt_signals.ABS.length > 0 ) { additional_params.ABS = dvqt_signals.ABS.join(“,”); } // Create a string of additional_parameters. let extra_params_str=””; for (enter additional_parameters) { let value = additional_parameters[key]; additional_params_str += `${key}=${value}`; if ( key !== Object.keys( additional_params .pop() ) { additional_params_str += ‘&’; } } // Update ad tag cust_params (must be URL encoded). if ( Object.keys( additional_parameters ). length > 0 ) { let ad_schedule = jw_ad_tag.schedule; if ( ‘undefined’ !== ad schedule type ) { for (let i = 0; i < ad_schedule. length; i++) { let ad_url = new URL(jw_ad_tag. schedule[i].label); let query_params = new URLSearchParams(ad_url.search); query_params.set("cust_params", query_params.get("cust_params") + `&${additional_params_str}`); ad_url.search = query_params.toString(); jw_ad_tag.schedule[i].tag = ad_url.toString(); } } } let playerId; if ("undefined" !== type jwplayerQueue) { playerId = 'jw-video-BHeaONV5'; jwplayerQueue.push({ 'instanceId': 'playerInstance_BHeaONV5', 'playerId': playerId, 'config': { pid: 't6KP9zcV', playlist: "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/BHeaONV5", autostart: !jw_ad_tag, repeat: true, mute: true, aspect ratio: "16:9", share: {sites: ["facebook", "twitter", "email", "linkedin"]}, cast: {}, float: {disibility: true}, autoPause: {viewability: true}, displaytitle: true, displaydescription: true, controls: true, related: {displayMode: 'shelfWidget'}, interactive: {} , ad: jw_ad_tag ​​​​} }); } // Load video. jQuery(window).trigger("jw:loadplayers"); function waitForJWPlayer(callback) { if (type jwplayer !== 'undefined') { callback(); } else { setTimeout(function() { waitForJWPlayer(callback); }, 500); } } waitForJWPlayer(function() { jwplayer(playerId).on('adsManager', function (adsManagerLoaded) { let adsManager = adsManagerLoaded.adsManager; let videoElement = document.getElementById(playerId ); let config = { anId: '929481' , campId: '640x360', ias_xps: "autoplay", // autoplay status ias_xbp: "2", // video destination type ias_xar: "1" // autoplay status }; // Start IAS integration googleImaVansAdapter .init(google, adsmanager, videoitem, config } } });

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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SEE: On my feed – Black women react with shock, resignation and anger to Donald Trump’s presidential victory – Essence

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“; } }); // Drag and scroll functionality const playlistContainer = document.getElementById(‘playlist’); let isDown = false; let startY; let scrollTop; playlistContainer.addEventListener(‘mousedown’, (e) => { isDown = true; playlistContainer.classList.add(‘active’); startY = e.pageY – playlistContainer.offsetTop = playlistContainer.addEventListener(‘mouseleave’; playlistContainer.classList.remove(‘active’); playlistContainer.addEventListener(‘mouseup’, () => { isDown = false; playlistContainer.classList.remove(‘active’); }); mousemove’, (e) => { if (!isDown) return; e.preventDefault(); const y = e.pageY – playlistContainer.offsetTop; const walk = (y – startY) * 3; .scrollTop = scrollTop – walk; }); } } if (” !== ‘efoc24’) { // Check DoubleVerify Quality Targeting signals before rendering the player if ( ‘unknown’ !== typeof PQ ) { PQ.cmd. push(function() { // If DVQT signals are not available after 500 ms, render the player anyway. const timeout_id = setTimeout( jwPlayerRender, 500 ); // Get “Authentic Direct” signals. PQ.getTargeting({ signals: [‘abs’] }, function(error, targetingData) { clearTimeout(timeout_id); jwPlayerRender(error? undefined: targetingData); }); }); } else { jwPlayerRender(); } function jwPlayerRender( dvqt_signals=”” ) { let jw_ad_tag ​​= {“client”:”googima”,”adscheduleid”:”G7hR9pQ2″,”schedule”:[{“tag”:”https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?correlator=&iu=/21698916284/ess/VideoNews&env=vp&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&sz=400×300%7C640x480%7C1000x1%7C1920x1080&description_url=__page-url__&tfcd=0&npa=0&vpmute=1&vpa=auto&vad_type=linear&url=__page-url__&vpos=preroll&unviewed_position_start=1&v=XwtX3gTf&pmnd=0&pmxd=60000&ad_rule=1&cust_params=ttid%3DXwtX3gTf%26frnch%3D__item-franchise__%26environment%3Dproduction%26kwblock%3Ddis%2CAbb%2CWal%2CAir%2CCapOne%2CLincoln%2CCoca%2CUPS%2CVG%2CATTCric%2CTargetbos%2CEFOC_Tar.%2CToyota%2CTylenol%2CNationwide%2CDisney%2CAT%26T+2023%2CAT%26T+Dream%2CKISQALI+420491%2CHulu%2CGM%2Cattefoc%2Cattefoc3%2CBuick2%2CGMBuick2%2CHuluPMP%2CCokeBWIH”,”offset”:”pre”},{“tag”:”https://vid.springserve.com/vast/670880?url=https://www.essence.com/news/watch-in-my-feed-black-women-respond-with-shock-resignation-and-anger-to-donald-trumps-presidential-win/h=450&w=800&cb=2436″,”offset”:”50%”}]”offers”:{“bidders”:[{“id”:”jw-video-XwtX3gTf”,”name”:”jwdemand”,”publisherId”:”evcxFIDZ”,”siteId”:”WT5iFegj”,”placementId”:”24399785″}]”settings”:{“disableConsentManagementOnNoCmp”:true,”mediationLayerAdServer”:”dfp”,”floorPriceCents”:200,”floorPriceCurrency”:”usd”,”buckets”:[{“increment”:0.1,”max”:30,”min”:0},{“increment”:0.5,”max”:50,”min”:30}]}}}; // Configure ad tag on the fly… let additional_params = {}; // Input DVQT signals. if ( dvqt_signals && dvqt_signals.ABS.length > 0 ) { additional_params.ABS = dvqt_signals.ABS.join(“,”); } // Create a string of additional_parameters. let extra_params_str=””; for (enter additional_parameters) { let value = additional_parameters[key]; additional_params_str += `${key}=${value}`; if ( key !== Object.keys( additional_params .pop() ) { additional_params_str += ‘&’; } } // Update ad tag cust_params (must be URL encoded). if ( Object.keys( additional_parameters ). length > 0 ) { let ad_schedule = jw_ad_tag.schedule; if ( ‘undefined’ !== ad schedule type ) { for (let i = 0; i < ad_schedule. length; i++) { let ad_url = new URL(jw_ad_tag. schedule[i].label); let query_params = new URLSearchParams(ad_url.search); query_params.set("cust_params", query_params.get("cust_params") + `&${additional_params_str}`); ad_url.search = query_params.toString(); jw_ad_tag.schedule[i].tag = ad_url.toString(); } } } let playerId; if ("undefined" !== type jwplayerQueue) { playerId = 'jw-video-XwtX3gTf'; jwplayerQueue.push({ 'instanceId': 'playerInstance_XwtX3gTf', 'playerId': playerId, 'config': { pid: 't6KP9zcV', playlist: "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/XwtX3gTf", autostart: !jw_ad_tag, repeat: true, mute: true, aspect ratio: "16:9", share: {sites: ["facebook", "twitter", "email", "linkedin"]}, cast: {}, float: {disibility: true}, autoPause: {viewability: true}, displaytitle: true, displaydescription: true, controls: true, related: {displayMode: 'shelfWidget'}, interactive: {} , ad: jw_ad_tag ​​​​} }); } // Load video. jQuery(window).trigger("jw:loadplayers"); function waitForJWPlayer(callback) { if (type jwplayer !== 'undefined') { callback(); } else { setTimeout(function() { waitForJWPlayer(callback); }, 500); } } waitForJWPlayer(function() { jwplayer(playerId).on('adsManager', function (adsManagerLoaded) { let adsManager = adsManagerLoaded.adsManager; let videoElement = document.getElementById(playerId ); let config = { anId: '929481' , campId: '640x360', ias_xps: "autoplay", // autoplay status ias_xbp: "2", // video destination type ias_xar: "1" // autoplay status }; // Start IAS integration googleImaVansAdapter .init(google, adsmanager, videoitem, config } } });

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