Kelly Rowland is one of the sweetest people.

Seriously, though. I had the chance to meet her a few years ago at an event and she was just a ray of light in a stunning blunt bob. She even made the time to talk to us earlier this week about her new book, Whoa, Baby!: A Guide for New Moms Who Feel Overwhelmed and Freaked Out (and Wonder What the #*$& Just Happened). So imagine our sadness when we saw that her book tour was recently ambushed by animal rights protesters who were quite aggressive.

While at a signing event in New Jersey, Rowland thought she was preparing to take a photo with fans when a few people unrolled posters that said, “Fur is worn by animals and ugly people” and “I don’t want to die. Say no to fur.” They also chanted “Fur trade, death trade.” Her book signing ended up being used as an opportunity for a platform to be created for folks who don’t support the decision of stars like Rowland to wear fur. (How often has she been seen draped in fur, though? Beyoncé maybe, but we can’t recall Rowland consistently wearing such things.)

Rowland seemed pretty confused during the incident, especially at the fact that the protesters were able to stay put and chant “Kelly Rowland has blood on her hands” for so long. She inevitably walked out of the room.

But the good news is that despite the chaotic moment, Rowland was able to laugh off the incident later. Literally.

She was approached by TMZ photogs at LAX on Thursday, on her way to Coachella, and was asked if such forms of protest actually would deter her from wearing fur again. Her response was a hearty laugh.

Image via WENN 

The post Kelly Rowland’s Book Signing Crashed By Animal Rights Protesters None Too Happy With Her Love Of Fur appeared first on MadameNoire.

Save inspiring stories/images/messages

Always read memoirs

Make time for good friends

Don’t hang out with negative people

Take fish oil

Eat food that sustains your energy

Start your day with a gratitude list

Make goals and timelines

Fight every bad thought with a good one

Be in touch with someone in need

Be around animals

Talk about bad feelings, but don’t dwell on them

Make your bed every day

Slow down

Look at the big picture

Remember the only real threat is death, not failure

Play happy music and watch comedies

See critiques as a chance to improve

Know that nothing is personal

Focus on the task at hand

The post How To Become More Positive Today appeared first on MadameNoire.

If you’ve ever lived in the same house as a toddler, you know that each day is filled with highs and lows. In the span of a few minutes my daughter can go from hysterically laughing at how the dog laps up water to having a meltdown because she can’t get the preview guide off the TV screen. There isn’t a day where I’m not shocked by the fact that she’s learned a new phrase whether it’s “Shut up” or “shoes” and most days I feel like even I’m still getting to know her even though she once was neighbors with my spleen. So it always amazes me when family members and total strangers alike utter, “I don’t think your kid likes me.”

Whether she’s seeing one of my friends for what may be the third time in her life or meeting a new co-worker, if my kid isn’t serving a huge smile with a “Ms. America” wave because she you’ve said, “Hi!”, don’t take it personally. She’s not throwing shade, she’s being a toddler. And you, my friend, are just one part of the big colorful and confusing world she’s still figuring out. When I came across the story, “Sorry, But I’m Never Going to Force My Kid to Say ‘Hi’ To You”, author Latifah Miles reminded me that there are still many people, both parents and child-free folks that could use a crash course in ages and stages, particularly when it comes to social development. Here’s the cliff notes version: Most children won’t start to fall into formation with society when it comes to social skills until age 5 or 6. Until then, children can be very selfish creatures who don’t care about anyone else’s feelings or comfort level. And that’s totally normal behavior, because until then it’s the parent’s job to teach them how to conduct themselves in the world regarding manners, social cues, boundaries and other things that contribute to us being able to function in a world alongside one another respectfully.

Miles also reminds us that in addition to understanding a child’s developmental stage, there also should be an understanding that yes even children have their own personalities, and like her son, some are more reserved than others:

“Looking back, I understand most of my mother’s rules now that I’m a parent but making my kid say hello to strangers is not one of them.”

“Outside of close family, he simply never really expresses a desire to entertain conversations with strangers. And honestly? I’ve never seen an issue with it.”

When it comes to my own childhood, I can remember my mother’s rules coinciding with rules that are common in African-American culture like, “Respect your elders.” “Don’t speak unless spoken to.” “Stay in a child’s place.” And “When you enter a room you greet people.” I get that these rules are supposed to encourage respect and manners, and while I want to raise my child to be polite (a trait that I worry is becoming a rarity) I also want her to not feel like she has to ever apologize for her personality, whether she’s a welcoming committee all by herself or just wants to quietly observe. Miles points out the fact that all too often folks don’t take into consideration that children are allowed to have feelings too:

“Often times, society treats babies and young children as these little humans with only two settings: on and off. When they’re on, they’re expected to be on: happy and smiling and doing something cute. When they’re off, it’s only because they’re asleep. The truth is that my child, and yours too, are human — allowed to have a bad day, irritated emotions, and to be in moods where they don’t want to talk to people.”

She points out that just as she has bad days as an adult where she’s feeling slightly anti-social and avoids small talk, her son has “off days” too and that’s OK:

“Sometimes he’ll want to speak to every single person he passes — the mailman, the guy walking his dog across the street, it doesn’t matter. On any given day his mood towards strangers and friends varies and I have a difficult time seeing the problem why I should force him to be ‘more friendly.’”

Whether I’m at a family dinner meeting “Cousin So and So” from down South or I’m dropping my two-year-old off at Grandma’s house early in the morning, sometimes she’ll get clingy, hide behind my leg or look away when someone says, “Good morning.” Before anyone gets all offended I’m quick to remind them that every kid isn’t going to be like Caillou greeting the world and getting into mischief; sometimes they just want to be left alone and it isn’t about you. I feel like one of my main responsibilities as a mother is to make sure my daughter has a childhood and enjoys it. My first obligation is to her developing feelings and not your insecurities. She’ll have plenty of time for awkward small talk and shallow morning greetings with colleagues that she’ll forced to do out of the social norms that come with being an adult. For now she has right to observe the world and see what makes sense to her as far as functioning in it, a right that all children should have according to Miles:

“I understand that kids are undoubtedly significantly less complex than adults when it comes to deep emotions, but let’s not forget that they still have feelings. The purpose of not forcing my son to entertain the pleasantries of strangers when he doesn’t feel like it is because I want to honor and respect his autonomy. He doesn’t always have to do things because I said so.”

“If he doesn’t want to say hi to the neighbor today because the only things on his mind are kicking off his velcro sneakers, sipping on some cold chocolate milk, and watching a Disney channel until he falls asleep, I totally get it. I don’t think it’s rude. I see it as my son beginning to work through the emotions, desires, and thoughts that are only going to get more and more complicated as he gets older.”

I always say that as a parent, my first priority is to raise my child to be the person whose behavior I’d be proud of even when she isn’t right up under me. For me that means having a daughter who has manners and can interact with others politely but authentically, be a decent judge of character and be honest about when she doesn’t want to be bothered. It’s not that I’m grooming my child to be an entitled, impolite jerk, but I am allowing her to express her inner, “I’m just not that into you,” instead of forcing her to engage with folks she’d prefer not to for the sake of their fragile egos. And that goes for whether she’s three or twenty-three.

Toya Sharee is a Health Resource Specialist who has a  passion for helping young women build their self-esteem and make well-informed choices about their sexual health. She also advocates for women’s reproductive rights and blogs about  everything from beauty to love and relationships. Follow her on Twitter @TheTrueTSharee or visit her blog, Bullets and Blessings.

The post Get Over It, My Toddler Doesn’t Want to Talk To You appeared first on MadameNoire.

Remember that joke that goes, “What’s the best way to lessen your chances of getting a divorce? Never get married.”? Well apparently, millennials took that advice to heart and are all the better because of it. We may be busy being entitled and overly-sensitive, but it turns out millennials are winning at one thing in life that our parents must have missed the memo on: Marriage. According to an article posted on Brit.co,  data released in late 2016 from Bowling Green State University’s National Center for Family and Marriage Research’s 2015 family profiles show that for the past three years in a row divorce rates have been dropping. As of 2015 the divorce rate was down 25 percent compared to 1980. And researchers believe the generation gap has a lot to do with that.

The reason why researchers think millennials are killing it at matrimony? It may be because they’re actually taking these types lifetime commitments more seriously and therefore making them at a later time. In other words, we’re getting a lot more life experiences up under our belt before making major commitments allowing us to use a bit of better judgment (Yayy us!). Samantha Daniels, relationship expert and founder of The Dating Lounge app, also credits pickiness and lack of marriage pressure with this trend:

“The societal ideals of getting married and starting a family in your 20’s are fading fast, thanks to millennials.”

“This generation is less likely to settle down immediately post-college, since the time is ripe for career development. At this point, [millennials] have a strong sense of self and are ready to find someone who accepts them as they are.”

We’re also navigating our way to success and happiness one Google search at a time. According to wedding planner Bianca Ricks, millennials are more likely to research and plan major decisions and make them when they’ve fully considered their options:

“Millennials are taking their time. They’re college-educated, get a job after school, and are living at home longer. They believe they’re taking the time to get to know one another and live together. They do research when it comes to making major life decisions.”

For me, when it came to marriage it was important for me to have my life in order, independent of a partner first. I wanted to be with someone who enhanced my life, not defined it. I think taking time to take girls’ trips to different countries, having a couple of crazy nights followed by a few hangovers, getting to know myself sexually and just generally having a life where I didn’t have to balance making myself happy with the needs of someone else made me better prepared to be a wife one day. I think that for me, not having those experiences would have left too much room for “What if’s?” and resentment, after spending my life always having to consider someone else.

It was also important to me that I spent time dating and getting to know and grow with someone over sometime. I didn’t get married until I was 30 (my husband was 32 at the time) and like I always say, it was long after I had met “his crackhead relatives”. OK, I have never actually met anyone in his family that has abused drugs, but it is a metaphor I often use for not just taking the time to know an individual, but also how his/her life functions as a whole and how all of the people, places, things, backgrounds and bad habits function within it.

In fact it’s no secret that many millennials are waiting longer to make that kind of long-term commitment, if they ever even actually make it at all. 2016 Census data reveals that the average for a first marriage has been steadily increasing over several decades with the average women walking down the aisle at 27 and most men carrying their spouses over the threshold at 29. I can’t speak for everyone, but I get the general feeling that my generation doesn’t consider marriage as important as our mothers and fathers used to. I have friends that had parents that were legally married and witnessed a range of unhealthy behaviors in their childhood homes that were as serious as trauma and physical abuse and as “simple” as just being unhappy and unfulfilled with your spouse. Some internalized that and began to associate marriage with unhappiness before swearing it off. Others realized that a marriage certificate doesn’t necessarily make or break your quality of life with your partner, and if anything is more about the legalities of your union.

More importantly, I think millennials are living their life less on the “American Dream” checklist and more on what makes them happy as individuals. Even more so, maybe that American Dream is being redefined completely. My mother has always been about her business and instilled in her daughters the idea of maintaining independence while choosing someone who enhances your life instead of completing it. To this day, she and my father are a great example of enjoying being in a marriage and not just being in a marriage to be able to claim a spouse (for both taxes AND public appearances). But for women like her mother, my grandma, finding a spouse was more about finding security and fulfilling some “perfect life quota” than about being happy. And until this day I see women from her generation who glorify men that in all reality were disrespectful, selfish and abusive. So maybe millennials’ success at marriage isn’t as much about declining divorce rates as much as it is about a generation taking true ownership about what they want out of long-term relationships and life in general.

Toya Sharee is a Health Resource Specialist who has a  passion for helping young women build their self-esteem and make well-informed choices about their sexual health. She also advocates for women’s reproductive rights and blogs about  everything from beauty to love and relationships. Follow her on Twitter @TheTrueTSharee or visit her blog, Bullets and Blessings.

The post Why Millennials Are More Successful At Marriage Than Their Parents appeared first on MadameNoire.

Janet Jackson made a recent appearance on Instagram fresh-faced and unfazed by the news and social media buzz of her split from husband Wissam Al Mana. Much to her fans’ amusement she was joined by her son, Eissa, who is now 3-months-old.

The picture was taken shortly after the pair had a nap and Ms. Jackson’s adorable baby boy is giving the camera a big yawn along with some epic cuteness.

According to VIBE, the couple split shortly after Eissa’s birth in January citing “cultural differences”.  A source states:

“The cultural differences between her and Wissam became even more obvious [after Eissa arrived]. They come from very different worlds. For years, Janet tried to adapt to his culture. Since it’s not a culture she grew up with, it’s been challenging for her. She often felt she disappointed Wissam.”

Although, it appears the 50-year-old entertainer will soon be a single parent, you have to admit she and Al Mana made a beautiful baby. We wish the family all the best.

The post Mommy and Me: Janet Jackson Finally Shares Photo Of Baby Boy Eissa appeared first on MadameNoire.

Another day brings another celeb who believes they’re the authority on the beauty standards of African-American women. Athlete Gilbert Arenas recently found himself on black women’s bad side after launching into tirade against dark-skinned women. He seemingly got in his feelings out of nowhere and proceeded to bash the beauty of dark-skinned women, even slamming actress Lupita Nyong’o personally.

His comments followed a post from user ProBlkThought celebrating women of color that apparently hit a nerve:

Arenas responded by nit-picking the nuances of brown-skin like he was applying for a quality assurance position at the Crayola factory:

“How black are we talking??? Not to be funny can u name a beautiful black women on the outside … not brown skin … like tyrese black … top 50 most beautiful women off [sic] all time … the darkest women they have is (Keshia Knight Pulliam aka Rudy) (gab)) union) (taral hicks) (Serena Williams).”

“When u say African features black then u have (#1 lupita nyong’o) and she’s cute when the lights are off second is (Ajuma nasenyana) sorry but ewww so the black beautiful women u try to boost up is technically light skinned or brown skinned.”

The account responded simply by posting a collage of woman of color of all shades. Realizing that he had misinterpreted the intention of the post, Arenas then offered the most pathetic pseudo-apology known to man:

“I never say sorry for the sh*t I say but it’s my fault I read this wrong and got into my feelings. I thought it was saying,if ur mixed ur not considered black and beautiful and my kids are mixed and dark skinned so I perceived it how I wanted to.”

Arenas quickly deleted the apology (HelloBeautiful still has the text) and stated his limited upbringing was to blame:

“I erased to kinda say sorry but not say sorry becuz u can’t truly blame me for reading it wrong (I went to public school).”

The basketball player who goes posts under the name “No.Chill. Gil” and has four children with reality star Laura Govan also refused to apologize for sharing his opinion that Nyong’o is “not cute”.

This wouldn’t be the first time the basketball player has expressed his distaste in women’s appearance, once remarking in regards to the WNBA that “men don’t want to watch women act like men”.

Lawd, help this poor child. He just better be happy I’m saved. In the meantime, he might want to help himself to a small helping of “chill” before some offended woman force feeds him some. Meanwhile we’re sure Ms. Lupita is out making money, killing some movie role and not giving a damn.

The post Gilbert Arenas Bashes Dark-Skinned Women Proving That He Should Just Walk Away From Social Media appeared first on MadameNoire.

TLC fans, rejoice! After tons of chatter, the legendary girl group plans on finally releasing their Kickstarter-funded album this summer.

To get the ball rolling on the highly-anticipated body of work, the ladies released the first single from the album on Thursday (April 12). Titled “Way Back,” the slow-rolling, body-rolling inducing jam that reminisces on romances of youth, debuted on iHeartRadio. The ladies even hinted at the fact that the song features a verse from Snoop Dogg, though he is clearly not present on the audio provided.

The group’s forthcoming album is slated to drop on June 30.

Press play and take “Way Back” for an inaugural spin. Are y’all feeling it or what?

The post Take A Listen To TLC’s First Single From Their Fan-Funded Album appeared first on MadameNoire.

Without a doubt, Yara Shahidi is goals.

Just weeks ago, we reported that the 17-year-old Black-ish actress was preparing for college with the always-hectic application process. However, unlike most, Shahidi was blessed by receiving a recommendation letter from none other than Michelle Obama.

Well, the verdict is now is. And of course, it’s amazing news for the star. In a recent interview with Seventeen Magazine, Shahidi shared that she was accepted into every college where she applied.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

A post shared by Yara (يارا‎) Shahidi (@yarashahidi) on Jan 10, 2017 at 11:32pm PST

“I did get all of my college acceptances, and I’m keeping them close to the belt as of right now, but I got into every college I applied to,” she said. “So that’s really exciting. I found all of that out last week. My college plans are all up in the air, but I will choose within the next month.”

Shahidi hasn’t revealed where she’s decided to continue her education, but she does plan to double-major.

We see you, Yara!

The post Yara Shahidi Was Accepted Into Every College She Applied For appeared first on MadameNoire.

Tracee Ellis Ross has got beauty, brains and booty (seriously though, #bodygoals). But what we love most is how her beauty radiates from the inside out and emits a natural glow and aura of positive vibes around her like a halo of humility.

Even though we see Ross on our television screens dolled up, she’s quite transparent on social media. In particular, her Instagram account is a safe haven for self-love and self-care, as she casually sports a bare face and her natural curls. If only we could learn from Ross first-hand about embracing natural beauty, right?

Well, while we don’t spend one-on-one time with Ross, her Black-ish costar 17-year-old Yara Shahidi does and has been gifted many gems.

“She’s really taught me how to demonstrate that I have an opinion, especially when it comes to beauty,” Shahidi told PeopleStyle.

“Growing up on the small screen, I had to confront how I felt about beauty at a younger age because I was putting on a full face of makeup to get into character. I had to learn not to feel makeup-dependent, as though I wasn’t finished without it, so it could stay a fun experience of experimenting and self-expression.”

Well, there you have it ladies, right from Ms. Ross herself.

The post We Can’t Agree Enough With Tracee Ellis Ross’ Thoughts On Beauty appeared first on MadameNoire.

We’re half way through April, which means swimsuit season has basically arrived. And as we all know, finding the perfect bathing suit to frolic around the beach or your local pool is a hassle.

However, it may not be as bad as you expected thanks to one of our favorite trendy online retailers, Reformation.

The brand just recently launched its first-ever swimwear collection, and we already can’t stop obsessing over it. The line is vintage-inspired, boasting of eye-catching solid one-pieces, gingham prints, high-waisted bikinis and cutout monokinis for the gal that doesn’t mind those odd tan lines.

Nevertheless, we’ve already got our eyes on a few of the swimsuits, and are even more thrilled at the fact that the price range isn’t too shabby ($78 to $168).

Take a look at the pieces below and shop them here before they’re gone!

The post We’re Obsessing Over Reformation’s New Vintage-Inspired Swimsuit Line appeared first on MadameNoire.

Well, the that time of year is upon us. South by Southwest came and went and now it’s onto Coachella. Yes, the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California is underway, and many are excited to hear about the live performances although we’re all still recovering from the news of Beyoncé having to reschedule her headlining duties until next year, due to being pregnant with twins.

However, the rest of the lineup boasts of some super exciting acts that will be sure to make the annual festival a memorable one. There’s Kendrick Lamar, Kehlani, D.R.A.M., Travis Scott, NAO, Gucci Mane, Future, DJ Khaled, Sampha and many more performing the first weekend of the festival, which runs April 14 to April 16, and the second weekend that runs April 22 through April 24.

While everyone won’t be able to make it out to the west coast and set foot on the grounds for fun in the sun, the folks over at Coachella were nice enough to save us coins by putting together a live stream so fans can watch from home. Take a look at the weekend’s schedule, as well as the ongoing live broadcast, below.

The post Here’s How You Can Stream Coachella Performances This Weekend appeared first on MadameNoire.

Shaquille O’Neal is stepping up to help one family during a difficult time. NBC 11 reports the former basketball star is offering to cover the funeral of a 13-year-old who recently shot himself accidentally on Instagram’s live feature.

Shaniqua Stephens had just heard her godson, Malachi Hill take the trash out before she heard the gunshot. The woman and her daughter rushed upstairs to find the 13-year-old lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Stephens recalls:

“I heard a big boom. I couldn’t tell if it was a gun shot or what. I just knew that it was something that was wrong.”

“My daughter screamed and said, ‘Mom turn his phone off!’ As I proceeded to look at his phone he was on Instagram Live.”

The teen was rushed to nearby Grady Hospital where he later died. About 40-50 teens, many of whom were watching the video, arrived at the house shortly after the incident. Some of the teens say Hemphill was told to put the safety on while displaying the firearm on social media, but when he did, the gun went off.

Hemphill’s story made headlines last week and hit home with many teens and their parents when it comes to the part social media plays in so many young people’s lives and the dangers that sometime accompany it. O’Neal, who has been helping families for years in the city of Atlanta where he resides, reached out to the family in their time of need. Stephens expresses how much the help was needed:

“We just broke down and started crying because Malachi didn’t have any insurance.”

“We wasn’t prepared to bury him this young. We didn’t have insurance for him. So to have that from Shaquille O’Neal it was a blessing and very touching, and we appreciate everything he do for the community.”

In a statement O’Neal shared why he felt compelled to help:

“No mother should have to go through this. I can only imagine the pain that she and all of Malachi’s family must be feeling. I just wanted to do what I could to help them at such a terrible time.”

Shantirea Bankston, the teen’s grandmother said that something can be learned from this situation o that no other family has to experience such a tragedy:

“If one person, one or two people would have called his mom and let her know that he was playing with this gun, he may still be here today. That’s the message we are trying to put out there: if you see something, say something. And Maybe Malachi would still be here with his friends dancing and joking around.”

She also has some insight for parents:

“Check your kids’ book bag. Check your kids’ room. Be involved with your kids, too, and see what they are doing and hopefully a good message will come out of this.”

We hope the family is able to find peace at this difficult time and thanks to the kindness of O’Neal are able to focus on celebrating Malachi’s life.

The post Shaquille O’Neal Will Cover Funeral Costs Of Teen Who Accidentally Killed Himself On Instagram appeared first on MadameNoire.

Vanessa Simmons is proof that the oldest sibling is often the overachiever. BET recently sat down with the 33-year-old mother, model and fashion designer among other things to discuss all of the power moves she’s been making since growing up literally in front of the camera from one of “Daddy’s Girls” to a grown woman.

Simmons just wrapped up a debut of her fashion line Bad Butterfly at LA Fashion Week, a project she created with fellow Project Runway alum Candice Cuoco. She talks about the line which is described as “celebrating women who dress to conquer” and what the butterfly symbol means to her:

“[The butterfly] is symbolic of how we as women are ever-evolving, ever-changing and how we become more powerful through our experiences and our stories.”

“And ‘bad’ doesn’t mean bad. Bad means good… like badass.”

Simmons says that she hopes the line helps women to not only “look pretty but feel powerful” and she feels personally her job in life is to empower and inspire women to be all they can be.

Speaking of empowering women, Simmons is clear that her first priority is to her 3-year-old daughter, Ava, whom she is raising with partner, Mike Wayans. Crediting Ava as her “best accomplishment” she says she hopes she can be a good example to her daughter, despite the conflicting messages that sometime fill the world:

“I want her to have a positive image to look up to. There’s a lot of riff-raff going on in the world – some of it’s fun, some of it’s good – but I want to make sure I set a positive example for my daughter so she sees that at home.”

When it comes to raising Ava, Simmons knows firsthand what can come with having a celebrated last name and speaks of how coming from a famous family has impacted being able to develop her own identity in her career:

“Having the last name is both a blessing and – I won’t say a curse, it’s not a curse – but a blessing and a hindrance.”

The hindrance? “People don’t allow [the Simmons kids] to grow at a normal rate,” according to Simmons. She reveals that she and her siblings have often felt pressure from the public to have certain accomplishments up under their belts and how that pressure doesn’t allow them to learn, live and love at their own pace:

“You came from this family, you should be a unicorn already.”

“It takes time to grow that horn; it takes time to become a unicorn, you have to give us that time.”

Simmons is definitely making the best use of her time and multi-tasking to accomplish her goals which include a partnership with Colgate, being creator and co-owner of Miss Teenage California and filming a third season of Growing Up Hip-Hop. How does she do it all? By reminding herself of advice given by the coolest person she say she knows, father “Reverend Run” Simmons:

“Do your best and forget the rest. We can get so wrapped up, trying to do so much, trying to hit all these goals, but honestly the only thing we can do is just do our best and let everything else fall where it may.”

You can read the feature in its entirety here.

The post Vanessa Simmons Talks ‘Bad Butterfly’ And How Family Name Can Be A ‘Hindrance’ appeared first on MadameNoire.

Mid heel moccasins with GG mirrored hardware and a pleated skirt and jacket feature in the new #GucciPreFall17 campaign shot by @_glen_luchford. Creative direction and styling: #AlessandroMichele Art director: @christophersimmonds

A post shared by Gucci (@gucci) on Apr 14, 2017 at 11:19am PDT

Nearly two months ago, we predicted that Gucci’s’ next campaign would feature only black models after the Italian luxury brand posted a series of videos featuring only black models on their Instagram account tagged with the hashtag #GucciPreFall17.

Well, we were correct. Just earlier this week, the fashion house debuted their pre-fall 2017 campaign and there’s nothing but beautiful melanin to gawk at.

Presenting the #GucciPreFall17 campaign: referencing the spirit of England’s underground Northern Soul movement of the 60s. Photographer: @_glen_luchford Creative direction and styling: #AlessandroMichele Art director: @christophersimmonds

A post shared by Gucci (@gucci) on Apr 13, 2017 at 2:52am PDT

The line is heavily influenced by the black youth of the 60s, including England’s Northern Soul movement, the campaign, which is appropriately titled “Soul Scene,” also tips it hat to “Made You Look,” an exhibition focused on “black masculinity” and “dandyism” at London’s Photographer’s Gallery, according to a release.

Set in the rich and colorful dancehalls of the Mildmay Club in London, a short preview of the #GucciPreFall17 campaign film, launching soon. Photographer: @_glen_luchford Creative direction and styling: #AlessandroMichele Art director: @christophersimmonds Soundtrack: “The Night” Written by: Bob Gaudio e Al Ruzicka Performed by: Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons © EMI Music Publishing Italia S.r.l.

A post shared by Gucci (@gucci) on Apr 13, 2017 at 5:36am PDT

The post Gucci’s New Campaign Features Only Black Models appeared first on MadameNoire.

Lately, Lauryn Hill has been making headlines and not necessarily for the best reasons. Mostly because she’s been either a no-show or ridiculously late to booked shows across the country.

Well, Hill surely surprised all when she made an appearance at Coachella during DJ Snake’s set where she performed some of her legendary songs. From “Ready Or Not” to “Killing Me Softly” to “Lost Ones,” L Boogie had the crowd rocking and didn’t miss a beat.

Back in 2014, Hill took the stage of Coachella alongside Nas, performing their classic hit “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That).”

The post Lauryn Hill Made A Surprise Appearance At Coachella appeared first on MadameNoire.

Prioritize Your Tasks

Take Your Time

Celebrate The Small Victories

Set Realistic Expectations

Don't Be Afraid To Embrace Help

Exercise

Speak Up

Consider Meditation

Get Your Beauty Rest

Understand You're Only Human

The post Don’t Panic: 10 Effective Ways To Combat Stress appeared first on MadameNoire.

The post Kimberly Elise Is 50 Y’all appeared first on MadameNoire.

Do stay clean and moisturized

Don’t use scented products

Do wear fabric that breathes

Don’t wear new clothes without cleaning them

Do get a humidifier

Don’t take extra hot showers

Do keep up treatment, even if symptoms subside

Don’t put petroleum on your skin

Do keep a journal of irritants

Don’t scratch, no matter how irritated you are

Do clean off pets when they come indoors

Don’t rely on a regular vacuum

Do get dust-mite-proof mattress covers

Don’t forget to thoroughly wash bedding

Do use small samples of products at first

Don’t put makeup on severe eczema

Do wear sunscreen

Don’t spend too much time in the sun

Do acknowledge you have it

Don’t obsess over it

The post Dos And Don’ts For Eczema Sufferers appeared first on MadameNoire.

I am fully aware that after you read this, you’re all going to call me 50 shades of stupid. And that’s OK. That’s what this column is for–learning lessons. So flex your trigger fingers, because this one is going to get under your skin.

You should never give a man money. I’m not sure if my mom taught me that, or I just heard it in a movie once and it stuck. But there are a lot of hangups around money in relationships. Borrowing money is a strange concept early on in the relationship. You’re building trust and security in your partner’s ability to depend on you. So if they ask and you have it, in a archetypal world, you’d give it. But it’s complicated and circumstantial. And what about the gender roles of it all? Most of us are fine when a man is giving a woman money (if she asks), but vice versa? Well, that’s just against the rules!

Do you or don’t you? Your relationship depends on your choice.

Continued from #RelationshipGoals: I Don’t Have The Energy to Meet Someone New

I knew my silence was killing him and I finally broke it, “I’ll call you back later.”

I froze. The funny thing was, I was so sure what to do in that moment, but I was against doing it. I knew immediately that I shouldn’t give Eric the money…and here comes the “but.” But, I knew that we were reigniting something we once had and rebuilding everything, especially trust.

I battled back and forth in my head. I wanted to be someone Eric could count on, but I also didn’t want to have loaning him money hanging over my head in case he didn’t pay me back. Or possibly feel some type of way as I watch him spend the money he owes me. But then again, I am building trust with this man, why wouldn’t he pay me back when he said he would? Why would he sabotage us being back together again, which is something he wanted more than me.

I called in reinforcements–my girls. I felt foolish because I decided to wait a few months in before I told them about me getting back together with my first love from my freshman year of college. I wanted to make sure we weren’t just casually walking down memory lane, but instead on a mission, or quest, for our love. Ha! I’m rolling my own eyes at myself for that one.

I was back home for the holidays (with a broken foot) and decided to meet a few of my girls (from high school and college) for brunch. I needed to talk this through, even though I knew what I should have been doing.

“So let me get this straight,” my friend Veronica said, cutting to the chase when we were only one mimosa in. “You just reconnected with ol’ boy and already he’s comfortable enough to ask you for money?”

I took a sip, “I mean, that does sound like the facts. But it’s more than that. It’s just an unfortunate circumstance that he was robbed.” I was defending Eric’s “honor.”

“Yeah, how convenient is that robbery though? They didn’t steal his TV, computer or any of his shoes or whatever. They specifically stole his 11-year-old daughter’s Christmas gifts?” My friend Delilah spoke up. She typically plays devil’s advocate, but she wasn’t having it this time.

“He said most of what was stolen was hers,” I took another sip and looked around for the waiter to top me off. “It was all neatly packed and piled into a corner because he’d just gone shopping. So maybe it was easier to rob what was already bagged up?” Here I was taking on Delilah’s typical role because I didn’t want this situation to end up being what I felt way in the back of my gut: Eric was playing me.

I still hadn’t given Eric an answer about letting him borrow the money. It was inching closer to Christmas and now I would be home longer than expected and would actually get to see him.

A couple days later, I called Eric. “Hey stranger,” he said.

“Hey Eric,” I took a breath.

“Where you been Dee?”

“Thinking, breaking my foot, hobbling to doctor’s appointments and on planes,” I laughed.

“Do you know how I felt? Like a clown. Low.” Eric sighed.

“I know. I was thinking all of that over and I didn’t want to talk to you until I had an answer.”

“You could have just told me that,” Eric said.

I could have. Instead I told him, “I know it took a lot for you to even ask me for the money. I don’t have money to be handing out all crazy, so I will need it back. But since I cancelled my rental car, I’ll give you what I was going to spend on that. I hope it helps. And I’m glad I can help.” I was still uneasy with my choice. I could hear Veronica and Delilah now, “Girl, you did what? You should have given that to your mom as a Christmas gift, especially because you’re laid up in her house with a broken foot!”

“Thank you baby. This really does mean a lot to me,” Eric sounded genuinely grateful.

“You’re welcome,” I swallowed hard. “This really makes me uncomfortable, so I don’t want any issues with getting it back. And I need it back by January.”

“I got you,” Eric said.

I hung up with nothing but questions circling around in my head: Why was there no one else to borrow the money from? Why doesn’t he have any emergency funds? Credit cards? Did I just throw the biggest monkey wrench ever into our relationship? Is this going to break us up? What if he doesn’t pay me back?

Find out what happens next in next week’s column.

The post #RelationshipGoals: You Should Never Give A Man Money? appeared first on MadameNoire.

When you first move in together

When you plan the wedding

When somebody gets a new job

When somebody puts on a little weight

When somebody hurts their back

Cold and flu season

When someone gets fired

After having a baby

When someone has a sick relative

The new puppy

Financial hardship

Change of birth control

When you get a temporary roommate

Your close friends divorce or break up

After someone gets hurt during sex

The post Sex Droughts Every Couple Experiences appeared first on MadameNoire.