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How Stylists Help WNBA Players Improve Their Looks – Andscape

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4 months ago

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There are more eyes on the WNBA this season than ever before. The increased visibility also brought more attention to the players themselves, including their style. According to , the W Tunnel became the “hottest runway of the year,” and he stated that “officially a fashion destination.”

Nowadays, brands are demanding cooperation with WNBA players. More and more often, female players are hiring stylists to assist them look their best, and athletes like Angel Reese, Cameron BrinkSkylar Diggins-Smith and DiJonai Carrington are each legitimate fashion icons. But so are players who wear more masculine or androgynous clothing, like Arike Ogunbowale, Courtney Williams and Diamond DeShields, whose looks don’t get the eye or praise they deserve.

“Sometimes when we look at female athletes, we assume that fashionable means ‘feminine,’ and a lot of the WNBA players who present themselves more masculinely actually have style,” said Amadi Brooks of Styling by Amadi B.who works with Sydney Colson and A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces. “That’s the beautiful thing about the W — it’s such a broad scope.”

Styling masculine women is an art form in itself, and curating fashionable looks that transcend traditionally feminine silhouettes takes thought and intention. Players like Connecticut Sun star Alyssa Thomas are elevating their fashion this yr with stylists who help them achieve that, while others have been doing it quietly for years.

“Having a stylist isn’t as niche anymore, and it doesn’t have to be a secret,” Brooks said.

“Until this year we were only here on business, you know?” Thomas said “We used to come in to do our job… But now when we put on clothes and stop to take a picture, people are so fascinated by it, and I mean, I’m super into it.”

The WNBA has probably the most gender-diverse sense of fashion almost every other skilled sports league on the planet, and that is a part of what makes W unique. “The WNBA fan subculture respects and celebrates men’s fashion choices without stripping these players of their femininity,” Lauren Hindman, Ajhanai Keaton, and Nefertiti Walker wrote in . But it happens all too often that players whose style is highlighted by the media are those whose clothing tends to evolve to conventionally feminine standards and modes of self-expression.

The WNBA players have fought hard to be themselves on and off the court. As the WNBA grows in popularity, it’s much more necessary to make sure that visible queerness and gender diversity of the league usually are not erased. Helping players find a mode that’s true to who they’re is vital, not just for their very own comfort, but additionally for his or her performance on the court.

“I want to make sure I stay true to the athlete,” Brooks said of her approach to dressing her clients, who include NBA and WNBA players. “That’s even more important when you’re working with an athlete, because their confidence going into a big moment like a game can affect them, so you don’t want them to feel out of their body or not being themselves.”

Marisa Ripepi Marisa Styled dressed Connecticut Sun star Alyssa Thomas (together along with her teammate and fiancée DeWanna Bonner) for the reason that starting of this season. Ripepi stressed how necessary comfort is for somebody like Thomas, and that is where her choice of items begins.

“When we started working together, she told me she really admired Devin Booker’s style,” Ripepi said. “Alyssa’s style is comfortable and stylish, but casual. We always try to take it up a notch.”

For Ripepi, that meant slowly getting Thomas to try latest things. They style one another every month, and Ripepi said Thomas’ outfits began to evolve over the course of the season, as denim set She appeared within the Sun’s match against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 18.

“When she first came to me and said she wanted a certain look, I would give her exactly that so she knew I understood her vision,” Ripepi said. “But as we worked together for a while and built trust, that’s when I started throwing in more stuff. The goal is to elevate the look, but for her style.”

Some players, like Washington Mystics point guard Brittney “Slim” Sykes, don’t have any problem pushing the boundaries in terms of what they wear, but they need skilled guidance on which direction to go. “She likes to expand her horizons and try new things,” says Sykes’ stylist, Juwan Williams of Styling: Cozhe said. “I love it when someone likes to be open to new things.”

Williams, who has been working with Sykes for several seasons, said the push into streetwear helped her find her voice. Her confidence grew as she learned to decorate her body and see positive feedback on her outfits, including last season in GQ Sports“Now that she’s a little more confident, she consults with me about fittings,” Williams said. “She chooses her own outfits, and I approve them.”

Another key to styling women in men’s clothing is all the time being attentive to fit—and having a very good tailor on speed dial. “Although (we can) dress Syd in men’s clothing, we have to be picky about how the clothes fit her waist,” Brooks said. “What fits a man’s thigh might not fit a woman, so we might have to go up a size and change her waist, for example.”

Brooks said that working with Colson is fun because her style is a combination of masculinity and femininity. She cited Sheila Rashid’s Jumpsuit which Colson wore to the Aces’ May 25 game against the Indiana Fever for example of this duality. Colson had previously worn more androgynous looks on game day and decided to vary that as much as be unpredictable. So they decided to wear her topless under Colson’s cropped blazer, giving it a female twist.

What Colson wears is just as necessary as what she wears. “It’s important to Syd to represent both sides of masculinity and femininity, but also to highlight underrepresented brands, Black-owned brands,” Brooks said. “She’s mindful of that and would rather highlight those brands than the typical big fashion brands.”

But for a lot of players, having a stylist is about greater than just looking good. Many athletes have their very own innate sense of fashion and may do an incredible job dressing, but putting together outfits takes mental energy and time. An expert athlete’s schedule is already exhausting and demanding, and having a stylist can allow players to delegate their outfits to another person.

“A lot of players want to look their best, and maybe that means getting a stylist to take some of that pressure off of them, but they still feel good about how they look,” Brooks said. “People don’t consider how much time having a stylist can save them, but for some of my clients it’s one less thing to think about on game day.”

Frankie de la Cretaz is a contract author whose work focuses on the intersection of sports and gender. They are the co-authors of Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women’s Football League.


This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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Billionaire Jeff Bezos’ fiancée reacted harshly to marriage plans days after ‘low cost and classless’ selfie shocks fans

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3 hours ago

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November 25, 2024

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Journalist Lauren Sánchez resides proof that life after 50 may be filled with surprises and billionaire weddings.

The former “Good Day LA” host and current fiancée of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos stopped by “Today with Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie” to talk to the hosts about some pretty essential topics, like awarding $110 million to 40 scholarship recipients to fight homelessness and her upcoming space adventure with an all-female crew.

But naturally, the conversation turned to what everyone really wants to know: When will she walk down the aisle with the third-richest man on this planet?

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 10: Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos attend the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscars Party hosted by Radhika Jones at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo: Karwai Tang/WireImage)
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 10: Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos attend the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscars Party hosted by Radhika Jones on the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo: Karwai Tang/WireImage)

When asked concerning the alleged winter wedding, Sánchez initially acted shy. “So you asked?” – she said with a sly smile, looking around as her face turned pink. Her nervousness made Hoda and Savannah burst out laughing.

Trying to change the situation, Sánchez began talking about her busy schedule, but eventually let her excitement get the higher of her.

“You, as far as the book tour goes, we’ve been talking about the book tour and, you know, getting grantees… takes up a lot of my time and then the holidays… That’s what I’m getting to,” she said previously, adding, “I’m very excited thinking about the dress.”

She even admitted that despite her billionaire fiancé, she is just like several other bride.

“I have to admit, I have Pinterest. I’m just like any other bride. So I have a Pinterest board,” she said. Then, reflecting on where she is now, Sánchez added: “I never thought that at the age of 54… I would become a writer, that I would get married. I mean, life is just beginning. When I was 20, I thought, “Oh my God, life ends at 50.” Let me tell you, that’s not the case, ladies. It’s not over yet. It just keeps getting better.”

While the helicopter pilot’s luck is clear, the web stays skeptical. Daily Mail readers weren’t ashamed participatory their opinions.

“There seemed to be something off about her reaction about the wedding. This is not the man of her dreams. It was hard for her to say it and she said it twice,” wrote one commenter. Another joked: “This is the bank account of her dreams.”

Some have speculated concerning the delay in wedding planning. “She is not interested in wedding issues because he has no plans to ever marry her,” one commenter suggested, while one other said: “Lawyers on either side are still negotiating and arguing concerning the terms of the marriage, details about how much money. ought to be allocated to her cosmetic surgery fund. Some are asking for thousands and thousands, others for billions.

However, it doesn’t appear that this murmuring has reached Sánchez in any respect.

In November, she gave Vogue a sneak peek at her wedding plans, or lack thereof.

“We are still thinking about getting married. What will it be? Will it be big? Will it be abroad? We don’t know yet. We’ve only been engaged for five months!” she said, hinting at a possible destination wedding.

Despite all of the talk, Lauren resides her best life. She recently posted a horny photo of herself wearing a skimpy black minidress, knee-high boots and a red trench coat, accessorized with a diamond necklace with the letter “B” on it – likely a nod to her man’s name, Bezos. But even her fashion selections have drawn criticism. Some said her appearance was tacky, while others accused her of trying too hard to flaunt her wealth and status.

Either way, the young lady who sat behind the category because she had dyslexia will now turn out to be one among the richest women on this planet, so she is going to have the last laugh. Rumors say that the marriage will happen later this yr.

Say what you would like about Sánchez, but she’s clearly benefiting from her middle-aged glow.

Whether the marriage is a small, intimate affair or a billionaire’s blunder, one thing is definite: she doesn’t let anything – or anyone – dim her shine. After all, as she says: “Life keeps getting better.”

This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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‘Wicked’ star Cynthia Erivo gets pushed aside for Ariana Grande in British newspapers despite being British

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6 hours ago

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November 25, 2024

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Everywhere you switch you can find some promotion for the highly anticipated film “Wicked” starring two of its leading castmates, Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda.

However, fans on social media have noticed something strange: the British press – in fact, just some elements of it – as a substitute of highlighting Erivo – a homegrown talent and the lead in the film – appear to put Ariana Grande at the middle of their coverage.

The British press is using Ariana Grande to advertise the movie “Wicked”, not her hometown star, Cynthia Erivo. (Promotional photo)

The irony here is nearly too palpable. “Wicked” tells the story of Elphaba, who was rejected and overshadowed by Glinda due to her green skin. Replace green with black and the real-world similarities turn into inconceivable to disregard.

Elphaba Erivo, the emotional heart of the story, is once more overshadowed – this time by a blonde and white star on newspaper covers. Fans saw it as a textbook example of racial prejudice, turning what must have been a celebration of British talent into an uncomfortable reminder of persistent inequality.

Many fans find it painfully ironic that Erivo’s country is reluctant to spotlight her while supporting Grande, who, let’s face it, is not even starring.

“Cynthia Eviro has never appeared on the cover of this newspaper. She literally plays the MAIN character Elphaba and it’s so easy to find a picture of both of them. I hate what the white media is doing in the UK” – one among the X users he tweeted together with a viral video featuring the front few pages of The Times, The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mail. All three newspapers are News Corp. publications, owned by the identical conservative-leaning media conglomerate that has subsidiaries resembling Fox News in the United States.

One newspaper only highlighted Grande’s appearance on the London premiere, but not Erivo, who was also present.

Another person sent“Cynthia Erivo is the HEAD lady, she is also British. Do you know how racist the British media is by cutting out THEIR OWN HOME LADY from photos to focus on a White American woman?! SMDH.”

Third comment To read“The British press does not show Cynthia erivo on the covers of newspapers… the aggression is not so micro.”

The irony of this lack of respect is that Erivo may be very happy with her British identity.

A couple of years ago, quite a few tweets got here to light in which she appeared to make disparaging comments about black Americans and emphasize her Nigerian and English heritage. In one tweet from 2013, she was called out for saying that she used the “ghetto America” ​​style when writing words in an African-American language.

The backlash was swift, with critics questioning her for insulting black Americans when her biggest roles were playing characters from the United States.

“Well, there’s something like this. Cynthia Ervio desires to play famous black Americans while disrespecting black Americans. That’s my problem,” one person wrote on Twitter.

For a story about difficult norms and supporting marginalized people, “Wicked”‘s media premiere struck a sour note with some fans.

Many people in America focused not on the story, but on the small size of each stars. People say that each Erivo and Grande look extremely slim, which has sparked discussion that each are competing to be smaller than the opposite.

Another controversy arose when the Nigerian-British woman complained a couple of fan-made poster posted online that appeared to cover her face but clearly featured Grande. The original artwork shows her face prominently.

“This is the wildest and most offensive thing I have ever seen, comparable to the terrible artificial intelligence of our fight… Our poster is a tribute, not an imitation. Editing my face and hiding my eyes means erasing me. This is just deeply painful,” she wrote on Twitter.

For her, it was a matter of erasure. Fans consider the identical erasure is going on in the media in her home country.

“Cynthia Erivo is an award-winning triple threat, TALENT on at least two continents” – one fan he argued before declaring: “The British press is rubbish.”

The United Nations Working Group on People of African Descent conducted a study in 2012 which found that the UK has an issue with the mistreatment of black people in the press and in on a regular basis life.

This is clearly visible in the British media’s treatment of former Duchess Meghan Markle, throwing mud at her in various headlines and, in one case, promoting that she is just not black.

While the ‘Harriet’ star is poised to deliver a shocking performance because the misunderstood Elphaba, the British press’s deal with the favored former Nickelodeon star and pop princess looks as if a missed opportunity for self-celebration.

Like Elphaba herself, Erivo can have the last word and prove that regardless of who’s on the quilt, it is the underdog’s story that counts.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Mother of woman shot by Alec Baldwin condemns ‘Rust’ actor for ‘unfairly profiting’ from daughter’s death

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9 hours ago

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November 25, 2024

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Even though his trial was dismissed with prejudice in July 2024, New York-born actor Alec Baldwin, 66, continues to be coping with the fallout from killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza on the set of “Rust” in October 2021.

Hutchins’ mother, Olga Solovey, is speaking out about her daughter’s death in response to the Nov. 20 screening of “Rust” in Poland.

Hutchins lost her life on the age of 42 when Baldwin held a gun loaded with live ammunition during filming. A fatal shooting occurred on the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Actor and producer Alec Baldwin catches the fad from the mother of a 42-year-old cinematographer who was shot while filming “Rust.” (Photo: Ramsay de Give-Pool/Getty Images)

The premiere of the film “Rust” will happen on the Camerimage International Film Festival in Poland. In addition to his role in “Rust,” Baldwin also produced the Western.

Solovey provided The Hollywood Reporter with an announcement explaining why she declined to attend the event.

“I always hoped to meet my daughter in Poland and see her work come to life on the screen” – Solovey he said. “Unfortunately, that was taken away from me when Alec Baldwin shot and killed my daughter.”

She added: “Alec Baldwin continues to add to my pain by refusing to apologize or take responsibility for her death.”

The Ukrainian woman accused Baldwin of attempting to “unlawfully benefit from the killing of my daughter. That’s why I refuse to participate in a festival promoting , especially now when there is still no justice for my daughter.”

“They did not get justice for their daughter. Even a court case was denied. This must be irritating,” one person said he wrote on X. However, Baldwin’s defender he tweeted“It’s time to move on… accidents happen. RIP Halinka.”

Commentators on Daily mailThe article about Halyna’s mother hitting Baldwin was also necessary. For example, someone wrote: “They shouldn’t have made this movie. Poor lady. RIP to her and condolences to her family.”

A like-minded commenter wrote: “No shame. The project should be rejected.” Others suggested boycotting “Rust.” The comment read: “I definitely won’t watch out of respect and I think a lot of people will think the same.”

The support concerned the premiere of the film distributed by The Avenue. The fan argued: “It’s a movie. There was a tragedy. Many famous films have death associated with them.”

The initial manslaughter charges filed against Baldwin in January 2023 were dropped before a New Mexico grand jury indicted the Emmy winner in January 2024 on manslaughter charges.

Baldwin’s criminal trial was dismissed since the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office improperly inventoried ammunition from the case. A judge ruled that the previous “30 Rock” solid member couldn’t receive a good trial since the defense team did not have access to evidence.

“As prosecutors, we have an obligation to disclose all evidence. “When I learned of the undisclosed evidence this morning, I believed it was the right decision to dismiss the case,” said Special Prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson. TMZ in July 2024

In February 2022, the American Hutchins family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin, the production of “Rust” and other defendants. In October 2022, a settlement was reached by which Halyna’s husband, Matthew Hutchins, received an executive producer credit on the film.

“We all imagine that Halina’s death was a terrible accident. “I’m grateful that producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s latest work,” Matthew said in an announcement to per. Hollywood reporter.

In response to the legal agreement, Baldwinattorney Luke Nikas stated, “Throughout this difficult trial, everyone had a special desire to do what was best for Halyna’s son. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to resolving this tragic and painful situation.”

There appears to be a disagreement amongst members of Halyna’s American and Ukrainian family regarding the Rust shooting. Attorney Gloria Allred represents the deceased operator’s mother, father and sister, who live in Ukraine.

Allred told The Hollywood Reporter: “The decision to not even call the family to say he’s sorry is cruel and a disgrace to Halyna and her memory. Now the choice has been made to advertise “Rust” to buyers in an effort to profit Alec Baldwin and others who played a task in Halyna’s death.

The Camerimage International Film Festival focuses on the art of cinematography. The interest in seeing “Rust” on the event was so great that a festival website was created apparently it crashed on November 19, when tickets for the premiere went on sale.

A message appeared on the web site: “The Camerimage portal is currently undergoing system maintenance.” Director Souza and recent cinematographer Bianca Cline were chosen as post-show panel speakers.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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