PPT's Black Female Style Icons (Part II)

I promised it so here it is, on the last day of our so-called Black History Month. Peep last year's list here. And do leave me a comment to let me know who I missed.

GRACE JONES

I honestly don't know too much about Ms. Jones, the Jamaican native who started her career as a model in New York City and Paris. Apparently she was a regular at infamous spots like Studio 54 and became a muse to cats like Andy Warhol back in the 70s. I most remember her for the 80s hit Slave to the Rhythym and her role in the 90s flick Boomerang. But chick is a bad ass fo' real. From sporting a short natural do when everyone wanted long, flowing locks to pushing the envelope with her androgynous look. Every now and again the game needs someone like Grace Jones to shake things up a bit.

RIHANNA

I might catch some heat for including RiRi in the midst of this Chris Brown drama. Know that I don't take domestic violence lightly, not in the least. But one thing that Rihanna has demonstrated in her brief career is the ability to evolve and 50 years from now, folks will still be giving her props for being a trendsetter -- trust me. (Hopefully we'll be giving her props for having the strength to walk away too.) When she first came on the scene with her dancehall inspired Pon the Replay, she was heavily styled with the A&R prerequisites for an up and coming R&B singer: long, light weaves, Seventeen mag-friendly gear and an all-around middle-America ready image. It didn't take but a minute for Rihanna to get her mojo together and bring her own distinct fierceness to the world. From her short tresses (yeah, I admitted that she wasn't the first to sport this look but she took it mainstream) to her risk-taking garb. Baby girl looks so much more comfortable now with her rocker edged look then she did during her pop bubblegum debut. Now I sincerely hope she gets her mind right emotionally.

DIANA ROSS

From her days as a Supreme to her memorable role in Mahogany, Ms. Ross has been the boss. When I look back at old pics of her in her hey day I'm in awe. She was bringing it long before artists has professional stylists to dress them. The feathers, the sequins, the platforms...I'm so jealous that her daughter Tracee has access to all this ridiculously fly gear. Even with all her over-the-top costumes, she was equally (if not more) beautiful in shots like the one above wearing a simple tee and jeans. Modern-day divas take note.

LISA BONET

I have a confession: I LOVE The Cosby Show. And Denise was the Huxtable who made the show just a little more interesting for me every Thursday night during my formative years. See Lisa is one of those actresses who you know told the costume designer on set, "I got this". To me, she is a pioneer of the boho-chic era of the 90s to present. She never matched, never had perfectly coiffed hair yet still managed to look fly in every episode and whenever photographed out and about. Sure, she was/is pretty but lots of pretty girls still can't pull this off. Then Lisa and her ex-hubby Lenny went and passed that "it" factor to their daughter Zoe. Geesh.

JAN'ET DUBOIS

Ja'Net played the beloved Willona Woods on the hit sitcom Good Times in the late 70s. Thanks to TVOne, I've been catching up on some old episodes and I admittedly want everything Willona (and Thelma) wore. Everything. I can't say that Good Times demonstrated amazing acting but Willona's character was probably my first introduction to a strong, independent Black woman on the small-screen (I wasn't around for Julia.). Plus, her character adopted which is one of my life long dreams. All the while she was as sexy as she wanted to be in her body hugging frocks and jumpsuits. HA! It's so good to see that Ja'Net is still out and about too.

EARTHA KITT

Last Christmas, while my family sat around and ate second and third helpings of grub in between games of Taboo, I received a text message from a coworker about Eartha Kitt's death. Initially I was a little annoyed; it was Christmas and I was with my fam after all... But after I shared the breaking news with my loved ones, I actually appreciated the info. The older relatives present began to share with the younger ones about how gangsta Ms. Kitt was. My cousins and I listened in awe of stories about how she spoke out against the Vietnam War at The White House, causing her to lose a lucrative Hollywood career for standing up for what she believed in. Dang, they don't make 'em like that anymore. Sometimes I feel like my generation are such cowards (another post for another day). Anyhoo, Eartha demonstrated such tenacity and grace all the while demonstronating oodles of feminity and sex appeal. She showed that it is possible to rock a sick pair of heels with a booty hugging pencil skirt and still keep abreast of global affairs and be a voice to the voiceless. What a fabulous personification of "smart style".

R.I.P. Eartha Kitt.

PPT’s Favorite Black Style Icons

Howdy!

They say it's Black History Month... So I thought it would be a good time to post some of my favorite stylish ladies who happen to be Black. Of course this could have easily been posted in October or May. I think I'll follow with the dudes.

Again, this is a partial list. There is no way to include everybody but do let me know if you think I'm missing someone BIG.

Angela Davis - The Rebel

I’ve been told (by a very reliable source) that she actually dislikes being lauded as a style icon. I can understand why. The work that she and the Panthers did being marginalized to physical appearance is an insult. But I had to include her in this list. Like everyone else I chose however, the work she did (does) is a large part of the reason she’s even on this list; clothes aside. Her signature afro is legendary and the black leather jackets partnered with bell bottom jeans always managed to be the perfect marriage of femininity and toughness.

Billie Holiday - The Not-So Quiet Storm

Who knew that a flower could be so doggone powerful? Neatly placed alongside a perfectly coiffed hairdo, that simplistic white lily is now immediately tied to the historic singer. Something so simple and inexpensive has now become synonymous with sophistication and effortless style. The blues hasn't looked this good since.

Lauryn Hill - The Door Buster

My style maybe you could rent it but it still won’t be yours/Kinda like the clothes in your videos you return to the stores… L-Boogie warned us about her flyness but still few could predict the New Jersey native would cause the ruckus she did both in and out of the fashion industry. She kept us guessing as she effortlessly moved from b-girl bombshell to uptown fashionista to thrift/vintage maven. During her peak in the 90s as front woman of The Fugees and eventually a solo artist, she managed to land the covers of British GQ, Details, Elle, Rolling Stone and Time Out New York. Too bad she now seems to be as crazy as a bedbug. *sigh*

Queens Cleopatra and Nefertiti - The Originators


Elizabeth Taylor my ass. (I normally don’t curse but I simply could not help it in this case.) Hollywood might want us to think Cleopatra was White but we know the truth. It’s no accident that the noses of ancient Egyptian artifacts are so often "removed". These two historic and quite savvy women arguably became just as powerful as the men they were attached to, kept a fly hairdo and understood the importance of accessories. For proof of the latter, check out the Egyptian exhibit at the MET pronto. It’s an accessory lovers dream…

Josephine Baker - The Fire Cracker

Too hot for the United States to handle, this banana skirt wearing diva took her show to Paris. Many claim that she became a minstrel show of sorts but I maintain that she was truly groundbreaking in the entertainment and style worlds. Not afraid to take chances, she rocked her hair short and wore revealing costumes to show off her curvy frame. Her confidence seemed palpable. Dang.

Lena Horne - The Original "It" Girl

Her quiet sex appeal matched with genuine talent and grace are undeniable. But what I really appreciate about Ms. Horne is that she exudes such polished, sophisticated style. That old-school glamour. Like most Black women in her time, she mastered being able to look fabulous (always) with very little resources. Remember, her peak was before entertainers had professional stylists and huge wardrobe budgets. Couple that with the fact that she was forced to use sub-standard dressing rooms and not able to shop in top-notch stores that only allowed White customers because she was Black. (You thought she was exempt from all that because she’s light? Nope.) But, when you got it, you just got it.

Salt ‘N Pepa - The International ‘Round the Way Girls

One word: asymmetrical. Two decades ago, this dynamic duo made spandex and leather (Push It video), ripped denim and tees (Shake Your Thang video) and doorknocker earrings (Tramp video) appear on many a brown girl's wish list. They were flyness personafied. They also fearlessly opened the door for countless female hip-hop artists. But I wouldn't expect much less from two chicks from Queens. :-)