Actor Tyler Lepley Says Love Hits Different When You're Aligned With Purpose
If you've been watching Starz for the past few weeks, you'd know that P-Valley'sTyler Lepley is all that and a bag of chips and we, as a collective, are hungry.
But after a recent interview with xoNecole, we learned that Tyler is not only a snack, he's a whole damn garden, one that needs to pursue his purpose in order to grow. And that's exactly why he's been intentional about finding a partner who could keep that same energy. In an intimate chat with Dana Blair, the actor gave us the tea on his current relationship and how he learned the difference between puppy love and finding a life partner. He explained:
"I am in love. I do want to say this about love though; love is a tricky thing too. My love is different than what I thought love was when I was in high school. I remember having puppy love and there wasn't nothing you could tell me about it. It was different than what I thought when I got to college after I'd experienced my first heartache, and then when I had to move away to chase what it is that I wanted to do in life, then love looked different. Even now as I figure out what dragon it is that I'm trying to slay, like what I'm here to do. That's very important to me as a man."
The P-Valley star said that although he has encountered love before, there's something about dating with intention that hit different:
"When I had a different priority set, me chasing fast money was no different than me chasing fast tail. When you're younger, you have a fast mindframe. 'I wanna get rich overnight. I wanna do everything overnight or I'm just about the aesthetics.' It was more towards the surface level."
"As I got mature and I started thinking, feeling on a deeper level, I started having perspective on what was important and that's when I was like, 'Yo, this is somebody that starts to check those things off when I reach these deeper levels of life and a relationship.' I have those checklists with everything; with work, with a significant other, my money. Everything's really got a checklist on what does it mean or what is it doing for me, back to the big picture."
Tyler said that as a creative professional with a chaotic schedule, it is comforting to know that he has a partner who can align with his purpose in the bigger picture:
"Not to get into our relationship, but like one thing that fits with my girlfriend is she understands who I am, what it is that I represent and what it is that I feel I'm here for. I always use the analogy of life being like chess, but we know what that king and queen relationship is like on the chessboard, those aren't the only two pieces there. There's lots of things in what I'm trying to establish within my purpose, my legacy, all those things are important to me."
To watch Tyler's full interview with xoNecole, click here!
Featured image by Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
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.
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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