The internet is abuzz about the newest editions to Vogue Italia : Vogue Black and Vogue Curvy.  I heard a bit about it on Twitter, but wasn’t sure if it was a new print issue, an ad campaign or what.  And then I find out that every Brown woman’s fairy blog mother: Patrice Elizabeth Grell Yursik of Afrobella has contributed!

I have nothing but good things to say about this website.  In fact, I’m elated. Beyond elated! In fact, I will probably stalk it.  It’s such a breath of fresh air for us!  The fact that Vogue has dedicated an entire site to the beauty of Black women is quite admirable.  And now, I’m hoping, praying, begging them to have some makeup articles!  It’s always interesting (to me) how the “ethnic” sections of publications deal with hair, for the most part. Whether it’s weaves, fro’s, or hair treatments, it seems to be the “Black Beauty Focus”.  Granted, I understand that hair is “our thing”, and that many of us spend more money and attention on our hair than our faces.  But still, we love makeup too!

Vogue Curvy might be (dare I say) even more genius than Vogue Black.  Woman larger than size 6 seem to be shunned in the fashion industry over the past few decades.  While there are many Black women who will find happiness reading Vogue Black, there are probably more people who relate and need to see women with shape! While I don’t necessarily fit into the “curvy” category for the new website, I’m almost taken back by the lack of plus-sized anything and everything!  I walked past Torrid and Lane Bryant in the mall one day and thought, “is this it”?  If the average size of a woman in the U.S. is a 16, where is the freakin’ variety?

I’ve bookmarked both websites into my “Daily Reads” folder.  Kudos to Vogue Italia for being leaders and creating something truly remarkable!

I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve never been a big fan of reading. I didn’t ever want to prove one of the worst Black stereotypes, but I guess I did. I don’t even know how I found “The Accidental Diva“, but I am so happy I did! I was 19, a broke beauty fanatic with major dreams of becoming a beauty editor. When I found a novel about a successful Black beauty editor living in New York and finding the man of her dreams, I read the book every chance that I had. I finished the book in 3 days, reading in between classes, my retail job and homework breaks. When I created Scandalous Beauty three and a half years ago, I distinctively remember being frustrated about the lack of Black beauty blogs. A little while later, I found Tia’s blog, Shake Your Beauty. To this date, I haven’t found wittier, more creative writing on a beauty blog. Her style is impeccable, really! Tia doesn’t do tutorials or anything like that, but she definitely keeps the world informed on what we have to have!