The queen Toni Braxton is not just some artist, she is THE artist. And she's the ultimate muse for reinventing herself, maintaining a career that spans over nearly three decades. She is notorious for switching up her looks for the people, and she is notorious for slaying each look every time.
And her most recent look is no different, as she hit us with the ultimate flex.
How? Well, because auntie is rocking the cutest, sleekest, blonde pixie, and we can't help but to swoon. While promoting her latest album, Spell My Name, which was released on vinyl December 4, the 53-year-old singer took to social media to model her new look. Sis stunned us all in a bold red lip, in a sheer black top, and stylish rose-tinted sunglasses. In her debut for the look, she said:
"They say blondes have more fun! I'll let you know after Thanksgiving! Wishing you and your family a healthy and happy Holiday!"
And make no mistake about it, we all know Toni isn't new to the pixie cut. She first stepped on the scene in 1993 with an iconic short look for her debut album. Additionally, her music catapulted to the top of the charts, having us all running to the salon asking for "the Toni Braxton cut" (it actually was the most requested hairstyle among black women that year). And since then, she's known for keeping us on our toes and basically single-handedly switching it up for entire generations (even with Beyonce releasing images dressed up as Braxton for Halloween in 2018).
And it has remained this way, for as long as I can remember. Even her most iconic looks were all accompanied with new hair.
From her jaw-dropping Grammys ensemble:
The night she picked up the award for best female R&B vocal performance, she wore a dazzling barely-there dress and golden locks as she worked the room. She told People:
"I've always gone a little risque with all my other awards [show outfits]. I decided that before I got married and had babies, I'd wear this."
To that time she asked bae to un-break her heart:
YouTube
Braxton's most known single had recently been recognized by YouTube for surpassing 500 million views. Of the accolade, she told the December issue of Harper's Baazar Vietnam:
"The day I received the notification call from YouTube, I was shocked! The milestone of 500 million views is so surreal. [I] remind myself of it every day. I am grateful and happy with everything God gave me."
To her recently stunning in barely-there Christmas attire.
...she can slay it all.
But don't expect her to stop giving us style envy anytime soon, when asked in an interview with Soul Train if she preferred short or long hair, the singer, who has been battling lupus, said:
"Today it's long hair. Tomorrow it could be short hair."
A.K.A. she doesn't have a preference, but that she can certainly keep up.
And although we don't know quite yet what she's going to serves us with next, we can gladly say we'll be tuned in...as we have been for almost 30 years.
Are you a member of our insiders squad? Join us in the xoTribe Members Community today!
Feature image via Toni Braxton/Instagram
In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
