Too Black?

I have a dream that one day my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character…

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Since it is the day we celebrate Martin Luther King day, I decided this was the most appropriate time for this post. Often people do not realize what it is like to be Black in this society. Even as an educated black women there are times I face prejudiced situations, whether people are aware or not. I am afraid to go into interviews with my natural fro, or my braids, sometimes even my long weave because I don’t want to be portrayed as “Too black”. I make sure I book my hair appointment to get a natural blow out, just to prove that black people have hair.

The key to this outfit is simplicity. I did not want to over do it, because the background speaks for itself. I could not find any stores in Charlotte that sold the type of shirt I was looking for, and the shipping for the online sites would not come in time. So I decided to DIY my own shirt, with my own saying, “Too Black?” The reason behind this quote is that sometimes I have to ask myself, Is this outfit too black? Is my hair too black? My answer is NO and yours should be also.

This whole outfit was a DIY or “Do it yourself”. Being that I graduated with a degree in fashion I always find myself cutting up shirts, or trying to change the look of something. The scarf was made for a Rihanna look I wanted to give in my graduation pictures. The main supplies for this scarf included some faux fur, lining fabric, and a sewing machine. This shirt was actually a shirt I picked up from Rainbow for about $6 and I can’t tell my secret but if you want to know how this shirt was made just contact me! Just know Hobby Lobby, and Joann’s are my favorite craft stores. The jeans are some of the $7 jeans from Forever 21 that I distressed a little, and the shoes…I don’t want to say.

The background is the building of Tattoo Renaissance located in Charlotte, NC, which is a popular shop on my side of town. The painting was done by the owner of the business, Patrick Hairston. He stated that he needed a portfolio piece showing other people what he was capable of doing. He wants people to trust his word on price matching his worth. He is a really great artist and tattoo artist!

I am still working on purchasing a camera for top quality photos. As of now all these photos were taken on an iPhone 7+

What is your favorite quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr? Share some of your favorite DIY’s with me!