

Wearing the latest high fashion trends came to an abrupt end earlier this year as the pandemic caused a dramatic pause on many aspects of our lives. While at home these last several months, shopping for leisurewear and affordable basics to mix and match throughout my current wardrobe was the number one priority when browsing online. As the year quickly progresses and the weather cools down, I'm beginning to expand my shopping range to include appropriate items for bracing the outside world now that life seems to be resuming slowly.
After a huge closet cleanout, making space for all of the fall trends I can get my hands on, I discovered an effortlessly sleek brand created to offer the missing pieces needed in our wardrobe. Established in 2020 during the height of the pandemic, BASIXX was founded by style blogger Taylor Marie, who began working from home when she realized no time was more important than now to start her own business. BASIXX's curated collections of apparel are comfortable, simplistic, and chic with versatility to style from day to night or paired under a blazer as an addition to a layered look.
There's at least one piece in this collection every woman needs in her closet as the brand offers super chic contemporary basics to be worn in unlimited amounts of ways. In terms of being an inclusive brand that serves a range of women, Taylor states, "Being a tall girl, oftentimes I feel left out of fashion trends because they never make those trendy items in my size/length. When I started BASIXX, I had a vision to create a brand that is size-inclusive and offered a full-size range so nobody felt left out. We all want trendy/fashionable pieces. We just need it to be available in our size."
With bold styles, there's also a sense of liberation when wearing the not-so-basic, BASIXX collection. For advice on how to slay TF out of this all-inclusive Black-owned brand, scroll below!
For the Love of Cocoa
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
I paired the cocoa brown one-armed high neck mini dress with a black leather blazer and slouchy boots for a super chic fall look. Taking advantage of seasonal hues, I love the color combination of the deep dark brown and black with a bold yet subtle pop of a zebra printed mini bag. Perfect for a weekend slay, I loved wearing this BASIXX asymmetrical body con with a boot and blazer however, it can also be worn with white sneakers and a denim jacket for an alternative weekend look.
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Hourglass Bawdysuit
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
As I am feeling blessed to be outside finally returning to a sense of normalcy, this BASIXX hourglass bodysuit paired with a leather midi skirt and black boots achieves the street style I've missed so dearly. With contrast stitching contouring the upper body along with soft, stretchy, and breathable material, this bodysuit was a much-needed addition to my fall wardrobe. The opportunities are endless when creating casual chic to relaxed looks in this hourglass-shaped bodysuit.
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Just Breathe
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Growing up a Cali girl, I hardly ever experience extremely cold temperatures during fall as to why it's easy to incorporate cropped tops into my outfits this time of year. This BASIXX long sleeve crop is a super comfortable and lightweight crew neck with an exposed back for a bold-yet-fun transitional outfit, making it one of my seasonal favorites. Paired with a wide brim hat and snake print boots, I couldn't complete this outfit without my 90s flared jeans to elevate this western-inspired look.
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
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Featured image by Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com.
Eva Marcille On Starring In 'Jason’s Lyric Live' & Being An Audacious Black Woman
Eva Marcille has taken her talents to the stage. The model-turned-actress is starring in her first play, Jason’s Lyric Live alongside Allen Payne, K. Michelle, Treach, and others.
The play, produced by Je’Caryous Johnson, is an adaptation of the film, which starred Allen Payne as Jason and Jada Pinkett Smith as Lyric. Allen reprised his role as Jason for the play and Eva plays Lyric.
While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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Feature image by Leon Bennett/WireImage
'Leave Quicker': Keri Hilson Opens Up About Learning When To Walk Away In Love
What you might call Black love goals, Keri Hilson is kindly saying, “Nah.”
In a recent appearance on Cam Newton’s Funky Friday podcast, the We Need to Talk: Love singer opened up about a past relationship that once had the public rooting for her and former NBA star Serge Ibaka. According to Cam, the pair looked “immaculate” together. Keri agreed, admitting, “We looked good.” But her demeanor made it clear that everything that looks good isn't always a good look for you.
That was all but confirmed when Cam asked what the relationship taught her. Keri sighed deeply before replying, “Whew. Leave quicker.”
It was the kind of answer that doesn’t need to be packaged to be received, just raw truth from someone who’s done the work. “Ten months in, I should have [left],” she continued. “But I was believing. I was wanting to not believe [the signs].”
Keri revealed to Cam that despite their efforts to repair the relationship at the time, including couples counseling, individual therapy, and even sitting with Serge’s pastor, it just wasn’t meant to be. A large part of that, she said, was the seven-year age gap. “He was [in his] mid-twenties,” she said, attributing a lot of their misalignment to his youth and the temptations that came with fame, money, and status.
“There were happenings,” she shared, choosing her words carefully. “He deserved to live that… I want what you want. I don’t want anything different. So if I would’ve told him how to love me better, it would’ve denied him the experience of being ‘the man’ in the world.”
But she also made it clear that just because you understand someone’s path doesn’t mean you have to ride it out with them. Instead, you can practice compassionate detachment like our girl Keri. “You can have what you want, but you may not have me and that.”
When Cam jokingly questioned what if there was a reality where a man wanted to have both “you and a dab of that,” Keri didn’t hesitate with her stance: “No,” adding, “I can remove myself and [then you] have it. Enjoy it.” Sis said what she said.
Still, she shared that they dated for a couple of years and remain cool to this day. For Keri, being on good terms with an ex isn’t a sign of weakness; it's a reflection of where she is in her healing. In a time when blocking an ex is often seen as the ultimate sign of growth, Keri offers an alternate route: one where healing looks like resolution, not resentment. “I think because I have such a disgust for ugliness in my life. Like, I don't do well without peace between me and everyone in my life. Like, I really try to resolve issues,” she explained to Cam.
Adding, “I think that's what makes things difficult when you're like sweeping things under the rug or harboring ill feelings towards someone. When you're healed, when you've done your work, you can speak to anybody when you've healed from things. I think maybe that's the bottom line.”
Watch Keri's appearance on Funky Friday in full here.
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Featured image by Paras Griffin/Getty Images