These Are Hands Down the Best Dressed Black Politicians
Queen Latifah’s Best Hair Looks Through the Years
The Black Man Behind The Quarter-Zip Movement Explains the Deeper Purpose Behind It All
Do You Know Zelda Wynn Valdes, The Black Designer Who Helped Shape The Legendary Playboy Look?
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Rodarte: Where Black Beauty Blooms This Season
Women who inspire us? Well, these women most certainly do! We’re thanking Rodarte—the two-sister design team from Los Angeles—for bringing us these stunning images of strong, smart, stellar women to sweep us into spring style. Just in time for fashion week, their 2018 Fall-Winter portrait series features Tessa Thompson, star of HBO’s Westworld; Black Panther’s Danai…
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There’s Something About Mary: Why We Can’t Stop Talking About Mary J. Blige
Just when we think we know the unmitigated glory that is Mary J. Blige, she shape-shifts, leveling up her glamour to unimaginable new heights. This is the only way to describe her latest appearance on the cover of New York magazine, where she somehow seems to channel both Marlene Dietrich and Marilyn Monroe, but mostly…
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The (Other) Talk: What Last Week’s Grown-ish Got Right About Mothers, Daughters and Sexuality
Do you remember your first time? Was it awkward, exhilarating, overwhelming, tender, traumatic—or some combination of all of the above? Mine was all of those things. I was a high schooler in suburban Chicago, in the throes of my first—and at that age, what I believed would be my last—love. Even today, I can sincerely…
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Wanda Sykes Is the Sistah-Friend We All Need
Wanda Sykes’ recent tweet in support of fellow comedian Mo’Nique showed the power of black sisterhood in its full glory. When she brought receipts that showed that she, too, had been lowballed by Netflix to create a comedy special—and by less than half of Mo’Nique’s offer—err’body had to shut up and pay attention to the…
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Holding Out for a Shero: In Altered Carbon, Renée Elise Goldsberry Is a Superwoman for a New Age
Renée Elise Goldsberry isn’t afraid to have it all. As she speaks to The Glow Up from her suite at the Essex Hotel in New York City while getting “all glammed up,” she explains that her 8-year-old son is resting in a nearby suite. He’s out of school for the day because of a cough.…
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#28DaysBlackOfCosplay: Learning to Love Myself by Playing Dress-Up
I’m a cosplayer. A black geek. A black, queer, cosplaying geek in a plus-size body. I conduct a body-positivity panel at conventions called “Love Your Cosplay Body.” For about an hour, I wax philosophically about accepting yourself and ignoring the randos of the internet who comment on fat-black-girl pics with witty remarks like “whale” or…
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We Outchea! The Glow Up Takes a Field Trip
We love an event here at The Glow Up; it’s a treat to get away from the skin-depleting blue light of our laptops and out into the field. Our ultramodern, minimalist office space—although filled with laughter and camaraderie—drops to meat-locker-level temps when the mercury dips. Not to mention, we’re passionate about beauty. Our latest outing…
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Don’t Call It a Comeback: Are We Ready for a Real Cross Colours Revival?
It was, hands down, the most nostalgic moment of the 2018 Grammys: Building on the tremendous success of their In Living Color-inspired video, “Finesse,” Bruno Mars and Cardi B staged a technicolor takeover of the Grammys stage entirely outfitted in ’90s-juggernaut brand Cross Colours. It was a Gen X flashback come to life, filled with…
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From Living Single to Love Jones: How the ’90s Shaped My Style
Between Bruno Mars and our new president, Cardi B, taking us back to In Living Color with their video for “Finesse” and bingeing on Living Single after it made its way to Hulu last month, I’m in a ’90s mood. Listen, when Living Single debuted in August of ’93, I knew immediately that I wanted…