Brandy Is Choosing Self-Love Over A Dating Life
I had only been in this world for one year when Brandy dropped the album that stopped the world, but I felt it in my spirit. I, too, have loved somebody so much it made me cry––and that somebody is me.
While many of us are well aware that self-love is the best love, we also know that good d*ck and a few glasses of wine will have you out here forgetting who you are. Luckily, our good sis Brandy just slid through with a word that will help you survive your self-quarantined single season without lowering your standards.
In a recent interview on The Yes, Girl! Podcast,the singer revealed that upon the release of her latest album, B7, which she calls a love letter to her highest-self, she's decided to put her romantic life on the back burner and focus on falling in love with herself:
"I've learned boundaries for myself. I've learned how to take care of myself. I learned that self-love is really what I've been looking for all my life, and I've looked for it in the wrong places."
Despite fame and celebrity, megastars aren't immune to the self-love struggle and Brandy knows this firsthand. Last year, in a previous interview with ESSENCE, the singer shared that although she once held the title as one of the biggest R&B singers in the industry, she still battled with feelings of insecurity.
"I didn't love myself when I was in my so-called prime. I used to think my life was a gift and a curse. But then as the years went by and I went through more crazy things and really on a search for God, I finally found my way. But I didn't find my way until recently—at 39 and now 40."
According to Brandy, with an 18-year-old daughter and chaotic career, she's now at a place in her life where her DMs are closed and her heart is open to any and every opportunity that aligns with the highest version of herself:
"You can't love anybody unless you love yourself, I've really learned that the hard way. I have a love for myself now, to the point, I don't want to see nobody else right now. I'm not trying to go down that road. I don't want nobody having my phone number. I don't want to go out on a date. I'm really good. I'm really good."
Despite pressing pause on her dating life for now, Brandy says that she has faith that in the future, she'll manifest the perfect partner as long as she's walking in her purpose.
"My mom always says, 'God is going to bless you. Somebody going to pop up and you're going to be like.' I'm like, I'm open to what God has for me, my eyes are not open to anyone right now. I'm just staying focused on me and my daughter."
To read Brandy's full interview, click here!
Featured image via Giphy
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
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Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
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Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
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Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy