- 11 hours ago
- #blacklivesmatter
- #blackgirlmagic
On this week's episode: Donovan Ramsey, Christina Coleman, Dante Berry and February cover girl Johnetta Elzie talk politics, #BlackLivesMatter and #BlackGirlMagic, Demetria McKinney dishes on her engagement to Roger Bobb, RHOA drama and new music, we
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00:00Today on Essence Live, Demetria McKinney gives us the tea on her engagement to Roger Bob,
00:07the leaders of Black Lives Matter movement talk politics and race,
00:10and we're going to help you get your closet all the way together in our Happy New Year series,
00:15Fresh for 2016. But right now, it's the hot list, the biggest stories you're buzzing about today.
00:24It seems that not everyone loves the hashtag Black Girl Magic as much as we do.
00:28L Magazine's Linda Chavers, who is Black, wrote that the hashtag perpetuates the myth of the strong Black woman.
00:35And of course, Twitter would not let her win that argument.
00:37A stylish Jedi said, here's my problem with Tribe Called Quest.
00:41They know exactly what the scenario is. Hashtag Chavers next article.
00:45And one more from Send Me My Angel. Here's my problem with Dr. Maya Angelou's Still I Rise.
00:51Sometimes I just lay there. Hashtag Chavers next article.
00:54MTV has released a 1983 interview with the late, great David Bowie,
01:00criticizing the network for neglecting Black artists.
01:03Watch as MTV's Mark Goodman tries unsuccessfully to answer Bowie's questions.
01:07We're a rock and roll station now.
01:10The question would be asked, well, should, since we're in New York,
01:14should PLJ play, you know, the Isley Brothers?
01:21Well, you and I might say, yeah, because we have grown up in an era
01:23when the Isley Brothers mean something to me,
01:26and so do the Spinners, even way after the Isley Brothers.
01:29But what does it mean to a 17-year-old?
01:30Well, if you talk on the phones to these guys like I did when I was on radio,
01:34it's scary.
01:35Well, I'll tell you what it means.
01:36I'll tell you what maybe the Isley Brothers or Marvin Gaye means
01:38to a black 17-year-old.
01:44After weeks of folks driving across state lines to get their tickets,
01:47someone finally hit the jackpot in last night's Powerball drawing.
01:51Three-some ones, if you want to be exact.
01:53The winning tickets were purchased in Florida, Tennessee, and California.
01:56The amount the winners will split, $1.6 billion.
02:02Now, after our first guest may not have won the Powerball,
02:05but the new Rock She's Sporting is definitely on $100,000 trillion.
02:10Former Real Housewives of Atlanta star Demetria McKinney gives us all of the tea
02:13on her new engagement next.
02:15It's Thursday, January 14th, and Essence Live starts right now.
02:26Hey, hey, Essence Live.
02:27We're going to catch up with Demetria a little bit later.
02:30As you know, she's an actress, so she's pretty busy on set right now.
02:33But first, Layla Hathaway reveals why having locks doesn't necessarily make you a vegan
02:37or even conscious for that matter.
02:39Check it out.
02:40Someone almost talked me out of it, and my sister said,
02:43Just do it.
02:44Just go do it.
02:49I decided first in 1992 to lock my hair, and my label talked me out of it.
02:54There was some sort of, I mean, you know,
02:57stuff that people say doesn't fit in with the flow of what everyone else is doing.
03:01Having an urban look.
03:03Being too ethnic.
03:04All those things that people tell you to keep you from doing what you want to do.
03:09Then I decided again, I'm going to lock my hair.
03:12And someone almost talked me out of it.
03:14And my sister said, Just do it.
03:16Just go do it.
03:17And I locked my hair in 1998.
03:19I get a really good feedback on my hair.
03:23I don't remember guys really talking about my hair before.
03:27People saying, Wow, your locks are so beautiful.
03:29The color is so pretty.
03:30How long have you been locked?
03:31A lot of strangers touch my hair, which I'm not too keen on.
03:35But I understand because it's so gorgeous, and they just want to touch it, you know.
03:38I did have people ask me once, you know, what does your hair say about your spirituality?
03:44And I said, Nothing, because it's hair.
03:46So I think there's a weird stereotype that goes with the natural hair.
03:50You know, maybe I'm vegan.
03:51I have a certain ethic or aesthetic about the rest of the things in my life.
03:57And while some of those things are true, my hair is just one thing.
04:01If you're thinking about locking your hair, by all means do it.
04:06It's a lot, the amount of money I've saved and time on a daily basis thinking about my hair.
04:13What's it going to, who's going to be there?
04:14What are they going to do with their hair?
04:16What color is it going to be?
04:17And I don't have to go to someone's house and wait to get braided for 22 hours,
04:20which every black girl knows the saga of.
04:24It definitely freed me in a way.
04:31Hey, what's up?
04:34I'm Christina Milian, and this is Essence Live.
04:46Welcome back to Essence Live.
04:47I'm your host, Dana Blair.
04:48And joining me in studio are some people at the forefront of the Black Lives Matter movement.
04:53Please welcome Donovan Ramsey, a journalism fellow for Demos,
04:56who writes about race for The New York Times, GQ, and more.
04:58Dante Berry, executive director of Million Hoodies Movement for Justice.
05:02And Ms. Christina Coleman, managing editor for news and host of the Global Grimes, The Retweet.
05:07And finally, via Skype, our very own February Black Girl Magic cover girl and activist, Ms. Janetta Elzey.
05:12Hello, everyone.
05:13Thank you for joining us.
05:14Thank you for having me.
05:16Now, before we jump into the real issues here,
05:19I have to touch on the L.com piece saying that Black Girl Magic perpetuates stereotypes.
05:25Janetta, as you can see, I have your cover here.
05:27You are our cover girl, 2016 class for Black Girl Magic.
05:31Yes, clap it up for her.
05:33I mean, clearly Elze Magazine does not get it,
05:36but what were your thoughts when you heard about this piece?
05:39Janetta?
05:40I had to read it, and I was so surprised to see that the author of the actual piece follows me on Twitter.
05:47Oh, really?
05:48Because the piece is just the complete opposite of what I understand Black Girl Magic to be.
05:56And I felt like, you know, maybe the writer isn't tapped into her Black Girl Magic or doesn't have enough Black woman friends to surround her and point out what parts of her are magical.
06:09Because I know that that's definitely a part of the process, but I don't know.
06:14They really missed the mark.
06:16They definitely did miss the mark.
06:18And Janetta just mentioned that the writer of the piece follows her on social media via Twitter.
06:22Christina, you're a woman in this movement, a powerful Black girl with magic, I believe.
06:27What are your thoughts?
06:28You know, it was just a too literal take on this thing.
06:35Yeah, we're not saying we're magicians.
06:37Like, it's not magic, obviously.
06:39But we are saying we can celebrate our existence, and that's really what it was created for.
06:43And it's not just because Ned is on the cover of Essence or Michelle Obama is Michelle Obama,
06:48but it's just celebrating our existence in society that is forever erasing us and forever telling us that we aren't important.
06:55And it's really sad that a Black woman, of all, would write this piece,
06:59because it's really Black women who are Black women's biggest advocates.
07:03No one else advocates for us like we do.
07:05Like we do, exactly.
07:07Donovan, what are your thoughts on how the media in general is perpetrating the Black Lives Matter movement?
07:13You know, well, first, one thing about the Black Girl Magic thing is that you can really gauge what Elle's interest is in Black Girl Magic
07:18by the fact that it's their only article on the topic.
07:21Gotcha.
07:21So beyond that, I think that media is very interested in what's hot,
07:26but I think that there's definitely a conversation African Americans are having,
07:29and there's a conversation that white audiences want to have about these topics.
07:33So as a writer, I myself am very cautious if I'm writing for a white publication,
07:37you know, to make sure that the intent that I'm putting into an article,
07:40that the perspective that I bring to it isn't dwindled down or used in a way to titillate or, you know, make someone else angry.
07:50Definitely, definitely. It's an election year, okay?
07:53Dante, I'm going to start with you.
07:55What do you want to see from politicians who are trying to get that Democratic vote nomination or that Republican nomination?
08:01What do you want to see from the candidates as far as it relates to the Black Lives Matter movement and the issues of our community?
08:07I want all candidates to pop off on white supremacy.
08:10Frankly, I think this movement has been unapologetic about being up and close and personal with all candidates,
08:18regardless of if they're Republican or Democrat.
08:21And I think what we've seen here is that we really completely need to stand up against the Democratic Party
08:28and really disrupt every single aspect of the party because we want to say that the Democratic Party hasn't been working for us in any of these elections.
08:37And we really need to center black folks in this election.
08:41I was actually really disappointed in President Obama's State of the Union address
08:46because he did not even mention anything about black people or even recognize that a black person has been killed every single day
08:55or even just the fact that Timur Rice, a 12-year-old black boy, was found guilty of holding a toy gun.
09:03So what grade would you give President Obama?
09:05An F.
09:06Really?
09:06An F.
09:07Across the whole blanket in terms ofā
09:08Across the whole blanket.
09:09Okay, let me clarify here.
09:10Would you give him an F as a whole as a president or as it pertains to this movement in particular?
09:15Both.
09:16Because it took this movement for him to actually speak up about black people, for one,
09:21but also he did not talk anything about black women and girls in his speech at all.
09:26When black women and girls are the most affected by joblessness, right?
09:30He talked about in his State of the Union speech that the private sector has been the highest of job creation
09:37in history, right?
09:39But let's think about who's actually most impacted by that job creation
09:43and the invisibility of black women and girls in that context.
09:47May I have quick grades from you, Donovan?
09:49I would give him a C.
09:51A C?
09:51Yeah, as a president overall.
09:54Okay.
09:54Christina?
09:55You took mine.
09:56I'm going to give him a C because he's Obama, obviously,
10:00but I am a little disappointed in his State of the Union address.
10:02And he does pick his audiences.
10:03Like, he talked about black women and the importance of black women in America
10:07at his CBC speech, but he didn't talk about it in front of the entire world.
10:13The entire world.
10:14Janetta, what grade would you give President Obama?
10:17I would give his presidency an N.A.
10:24I'm still not decided on how I feel about just the entire eight years.
10:29But as far as the State of the Union address, I was very disappointed and I tweeted about it
10:34that every time protesters are mentioned in this space, in the public space where all
10:41of America is watching, we're always compared to the good police officers.
10:46And it disappointed me because if there were so many good police officers, the movement wouldn't
10:51even be what it is today because of police violence in general in America.
10:57I'm not exactly sure how many good police are out there if the number of people killed
11:03in 2016 so far is already over 20 and over a thousand people were killed in 2015.
11:10And Janetta, I want to come right back to you.
11:12How would you like folks to get involved in the Black Lives Matter movement?
11:15What would you like them to do?
11:16Because some may not necessarily feel comfortable taking to the streets, if you will, and protesting.
11:21What's something that you would like to see more people doing?
11:23I think that a lot of people are becoming more engaged every day just by reading, reading
11:30people's timelines or reading materials that people tweet.
11:35I remember I tweeted this like an encyclopedia almost of what white people who want to be
11:43allies in this work need to read and understand in order to be a part of Black liberation without
11:49centering themselves first.
11:51And it got so many retweets and so many people were talking about it.
11:55So many white folks who want to be allies just had never done the reading or had never
12:01had the resources before.
12:03So I think it's all about just doing self-educating and then getting out there.
12:08You don't have to be in the streets, but there are other roles to play.
12:11So you could be the person gathering supplies in your house or in your basement.
12:17We have a woman who sends us news articles every day since the newsletter days.
12:22She's a white woman in D.C. who can't get out because she does have two small children.
12:27But her contribution is sending us news links all day long.
12:31So it's just like the smallest thing to the biggest thing.
12:35All of it makes a difference.
12:36And that's a great segue into one of my final thoughts.
12:39Monday is MLK.
12:40Some people look at it as a three-day holiday.
12:43It's their day to be off, if you will.
12:45But there's such a bigger story and a bigger legacy and a bigger history to that.
12:49Final thoughts, and I'll start here with you, Donovan.
12:51What would you like people to do on that day?
12:54You know, honestly, I think that people should do whatever, Black people in particular, should
12:59do whatever we want to do on MLK Day.
13:01Because, you know, Black service matters, Black rest matters, Black barbecues matter.
13:07That, like, he didn't die for us to be, you know, guilty into, you know, putting in work.
13:12But that, you know, it's a day that, honestly, if you work 365 days of a year, if you have
13:16a full-time job, rest.
13:18Okay.
13:19You know what I mean?
13:19Dante?
13:19Right.
13:20We were just talking about this.
13:22I think, ultimately, Black people need to do whatever is going to keep them alive,
13:27whatever is going to keep them restful and spirited and joy, because it's hard being
13:31Black 24-7, and we don't just need one day to recognize that.
13:35And I think that, ultimately, whatever anyone does within the rest of the 364 days that exists
13:42in a year, is that we still need Black people to be active and engaged within the larger
13:46movement.
13:47And one day of rest can be something that we can still live up to.
13:51Christina, quickly.
13:51And this is not diluting King's groundwork, the groundwork that he laid for this movement.
13:56It obviously is a springboard into this bigger Black liberation movement we're in now, but
14:01when I say we were just talking about this, self-care is so important, and that's not
14:05a conversation we're having enough.
14:07We're organizing, we're mobilizing, and we're telling the stories as journalists, and that's
14:10traumatizing.
14:11Black trauma is real, and we see it every day, and we can't just connect from it, because
14:15not only is it our job, but it's our passion, it's our commitment, it's what we do.
14:19So if we're going to take a day, I don't see what's wrong with sleeping in an MLK day.
14:24Or going to the spa, or doing whatever you want to do, or playing your house music,
14:28and just relaxing and really taking care of yourself and doing what you love to do to
14:32make sure that you're the best Black person that you can be when you go back out there
14:36in the world.
14:36And that's a great way to close this segment.
14:37Thank you so very much, Donovan, Dante, Christina, for joining me.
14:40Thank you so much, Jonetta, on Skype for joining me.
14:43Coming up, we are reinventing all of your closet basics and making them fresh for 2016 in our
14:47Happy New Year series.
14:48But first, how many of you watched our Men on Hair video from our Natural vs Relaxed Hair special?
14:53Well, here's part two, where the fellas try to dissect your hair terms.
15:04Cold wash is when you put, uh, you probably got to wash the weave, and then wash your own
15:15hair, and then that's a cold wash.
15:18You wash weave?
15:19You got to rip it off the horse and stick it on your head.
15:20Cold partner, washing together, maybe.
15:23When two people are washing your hair?
15:24Terms from Atlanta when they be like, let's go to the cold wash.
15:28Oh, you so done.
15:31Sounds like an apartment.
15:32A cream?
15:33Four cylinder or something?
15:34Is that some type of dynamite?
15:36I foresee you a block away that you are wearing a weave.
15:39Weave.
15:40Maybe I go to the beauty salon and order it.
15:42Hi, I need 4C.
15:43I know I had 3B the last time.
15:45I foresee me not knowing what that means in relation to hair.
15:49And it's not necessarily curls, but it's somewhere in between with a hint of nap.
15:54And that's...
15:55No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
15:57That's the one word my mother said don't use.
15:58No, what's wrong with naps?
15:59It's like the last of the strands.
16:01It's like the black woman strand.
16:05A pre-poo.
16:06A pre-poo?
16:08I don't know if I want to know what that means.
16:10I know what it sounds like.
16:11It's like fertilizer going in your hair instead of shea butter.
16:15Sounds crazy.
16:15Sounds funny.
16:16Sounds disgusting.
16:17It sounds gross.
16:17Like something that they should do in private.
16:19That's what you do right before you're about to get your second meal in.
16:23What animals do before they go to the bathroom.
16:25Oh, but the leak out.
16:27That doesn't even sound sanitary.
16:28Oh, I know. Maybe it's like when you're there unraveling their weave on the toilet.
16:32Probably.
16:33I hope that none of you guys are putting pre-poo on your hair.
16:35I'm like, oh, babe, your hair is really soft.
16:37Oh, that's that pre-poo.
16:39Don't tell me that.
16:41Closure is what you get when you break up with somebody.
16:43When their relationship's over.
16:44That's the last part after you break up with that eight-ish Negro.
16:49What's that got to do with hair?
16:51That's like with your girl.
16:54I'm like, yo, babe, what you did today?
16:55Just went and got a closure.
16:56Just like got my hair done.
16:57I took her hat off.
16:58She got the closure.
16:59And I'm like, uh-oh.
17:00Is there something you need to tell me?
17:02Closure has something to do with wigs.
17:04Your closure, if it's not tight, it's not right.
17:06Good closure is almost like it's flowing out of your head like Jesus at the Last Supper.
17:12And that's as best as an educated guess I can give.
17:15How about that?
17:15Pop, just whoop my time.
17:21Pop, just whoop my time.
17:23Pop, just whoop my time.
17:28Gotta love that pop.
17:29All right.
17:30So my next guest is an actress, a singer, and a soon-to-be Atlanta housewife.
17:34For real, though.
17:35Not just for TV.
17:36So please welcome to the show via Skype, Ms. Demetria McKinney.
17:39Hello.
17:42How are you?
17:45I am great.
17:46Thank you so much.
17:47Thank you so much for joining us and joining us from set.
17:50Congratulations.
17:51So we know you're getting married to TV and film producer Roger Bob.
17:54How did he propose?
17:55Fill all the tea.
17:57Girl, it was a fool.
17:59I've been involved with Roger off and on for going on 10 years now.
18:04And so we were, I was opening for R. Kelly in Detroit.
18:08And I had been hoping and hoping and hoping.
18:11And he let me have it.
18:12It got all the way to the ball drop.
18:14And he still hadn't proposed.
18:15So then when we got to the house and we were at the hotel and I take my wig off.
18:19And I take my makeup off.
18:20That's when he decides to pop the question.
18:22I'm sitting here like, yeah, let me look like Beetlejuice.
18:25Good job.
18:26So he literally waited.
18:26However it happened, I was just happy.
18:29Oh, absolutely.
18:30Twelve and a half.
18:31And so as you just mentioned, you've been dating off and on for roughly 10 years now.
18:35So what do you think made him finally propose now?
18:40I think everybody has to do things in their own timing.
18:42You know, it's not about rushing somebody because I'm ready.
18:44You both have to be in a space where you're ready and you're committed.
18:47And you know that's what you want to do for the rest of your life.
18:49So as long as he got there, I ain't mind the time.
18:52Did you have a cutoff time in your head?
18:53Like if he doesn't do this in 2016.
18:56Girl, yeah, absolutely.
18:58You know, he's my best friend.
19:00So we're always going to be in each other's life regardless.
19:02But in my mind, yes.
19:03He may not have known the date, but Demi McKinney did.
19:06I heard that.
19:07So when you were on Real Housewives of Atlanta, everyone was claiming to date Roger.
19:11Were you still together during filming?
19:13And how did you handle everyone saying that they had your man?
19:18We were definitely dating while we were together.
19:20We talked every night about every scene, about everything.
19:22And how did I handle it, honey?
19:24People want to false claim all kinds of stuff.
19:26People claiming Beyonce.
19:28People claiming, you know, Holly Berry.
19:30It just happens, especially when they're spelling his name wrong.
19:33You don't know him and I'm happy.
19:34I'm cool.
19:35So once the show wrapped, did it change your relationship?
19:39How did it affect the way you two guys interacted or the status of your relationship?
19:44Our relationship was actually stronger.
19:46You know, reality television has a tendency to either make you or break you.
19:49And most of the people, it just absolutely breaks.
19:51So the fact that we were able to still be together, still be stronger, and, you know, keep our relationship intact speaks volumes.
19:58Now, Demetria, I have to ask you, what advice would you give to women in long-term relationships looking to get that proposal?
20:05Would you recommend that others hang on for nine to ten years or so?
20:10I wouldn't recommend any amount of time to anybody.
20:12I would just recommend that you get comfortable with you, whether you're with that person or whether you're not.
20:17Because I've always been a woman who knows who I am, who knows what I want, and makes it happen for myself.
20:22So even if Roger just ended up being my best friend for the rest of my life versus my husband, I was still going to be happy with who I am.
20:29That's a very, very important message, and I'm really happy that you said that.
20:33But now, when and where is the wedding?
20:35Have you picked out a date yet?
20:36Have you picked out colors, bridesmaids?
20:40We've literally been in a whirlwind since I made the announcement.
20:42We're going away next week.
20:45Just sit, talk, chop everything up, figure out the destination.
20:48Wait, wait, going away.
20:48Are you eloping?
20:51Huh?
20:51Does that mean eloping when you say going away?
20:54I'm trying to get a scoop.
20:55No, but I think we may do, like, a destination wedding.
20:58Just to make it kind of special, get out of the city, you know, and just make sure that the people we really want there are going to be there.
21:04Because, you know, some people won't be able to show up.
21:06That's so rude, but it's so true.
21:08Are you going to have some housewives there?
21:10I may have a couple of, you know, I'm still really cool with Claudia.
21:15I love, love, love Cynthia and Candy Ace.
21:18Hi, they are more than welcome.
21:19Now that you're taking your relationship into the next level, and you did mention that reality show, reality TV, excuse me, can be pretty heavy on a relationship.
21:29Do you think you would go back on the show once you're married?
21:32Do you see my eye?
21:34No, T-I-S.
21:35Oh, I thought that was a special effect, since you're on set.
21:38No, that was really me doing that in answer to your question.
21:43Got you.
21:44I went on the show to get the music out, and thank goodness it worked.
21:47You know, Unnecessary Trouble is charting so well.
21:50100 did amazingly.
21:51But even though I would actually be an official housewife this time, me, me, nope, don't see it happening.
21:57I'm good.
21:58I'm happy.
21:59I'm doing some work with Bounce TV, and I'm doing some stuff with Centric as well.
22:03Well, Demetria, thank you so very much for joining us.
22:05I know you're pretty busy on set.
22:06And again, congratulations on the engagement.
22:09Demetria's new song, Unnecessary Trouble, is on sale now.
22:12So make sure you go and get it.
22:13As you know, all month long, we're celebrating a happy new you.
22:17And today, we're focusing on your closets.
22:19That's right.
22:20We're stepping into some of our viewers' wardrobes and reinventing their staple pieces for 2016
22:24with the help of celeb stylist, Rory Weiss.
22:26Who's that?
22:27This man right here.
22:28He has worked with Alicia Keys, Kerry Washington, Viola Davis, just to name a few.
22:32And now he's working with you, our Essence viewers.
22:34Thank you for joining us.
22:35Well, thank you for having me.
22:36Happy New Year, Dana.
22:38Oh, we're both fellow Capricorns.
22:39Oh.
22:39Well, happy belated birthday.
22:40Happy belated birthday to you, too.
22:42All right.
22:43So we're going to jump right on into it.
22:44Before we get started, what is the one staple piece that you think every woman would be
22:49surprised to know that they should have as a part of their fashion closet?
22:54I would probably say the Christian Louboutin nude shoe.
22:58It's a nude pump.
23:00And the reason why I chose that specific pump and that designer, because he has it literally
23:05in every shade and every hue, from an alabaster woman to the most chocolate woman that exists.
23:10So you definitely recommend investing in the nude shoe?
23:13That isn't an investment in the shoe, because it's an investment in yourself as well.
23:17A nude shoe, you can never go wrong.
23:19You can totally mix and match.
23:20It goes with black.
23:21It goes with blue.
23:22It goes up.
23:22It goes down.
23:23It makes everything chic.
23:25Okay.
23:25Nudes the new black.
23:26Nudes the new black.
23:28A nude pump.
23:28That's the new tweet.
23:28We're not talking about dancing in your living room, Dana.
23:31But that's what I do.
23:32Tuesday for Thursday.
23:33So our first look is the white button-down shirt, which everyone has in their closet.
23:39Absolutely.
23:39So let's talk about it.
23:40The white button-down shirt is something that's super easy.
23:44It's a transitional piece.
23:45You can make it day and night.
23:46We've seen Diane Keaton do it on the red carpet.
23:48A lot of girls have them from the Gap just for their everyday wardrobe.
23:52And then 2015, we saw a lot of girls wearing the white button-down shirt with the statement
23:56necklace, the bib collar, you know, really pumping their egos and their feelings.
24:01And they had their sleeves rolled down because they were being chic and such.
24:04Well, here's the thing.
24:05It's 2016, and we've had a revelation.
24:08That is roll up your cuffs because we're going to work.
24:11And let's switch the place where we put our statement pieces.
24:15Okay.
24:15So we're moving from the neck, and we're bringing it down to the cuffs.
24:19Okay.
24:20And your arms.
24:21So it's a different placement.
24:22So maybe you might want to play with rings and different bracelets and things.
24:25To re-juzh.
24:26Today, we've re-juzhed it, and we put it on the wrist.
24:28And so this is what we have in our first model.
24:30Let's take a look.
24:30Virginia, come right on out.
24:32Virginia.
24:33Yes.
24:33And she's stormed on in.
24:36Okay.
24:36Let's talk about this look.
24:38Oh, I see the cup.
24:38Love it.
24:39We got you.
24:39Yeah.
24:40So we took a cup and put it on Virginia.
24:42It's something that is, it looks like a bunch of bangles, which you could also do.
24:46It's just about making that statement.
24:48So what we did is we took the neck down.
24:50Okay.
24:51So mind you, these are pieces that she already had in her closet.
24:54We just re-juzhed the way that it was dressed up.
24:56And before she was wearing a really heavy neck.
25:00So we just took it down.
25:01So we just brought more attention to her beautiful face.
25:03And now you just throw in a couple of delicate pieces of her in your neck.
25:06Less is more.
25:07Less is way more.
25:08And do you know, I love this because everybody has a black pant.
25:11Yeah.
25:11A white button down.
25:12What are your thoughts on black and brown?
25:13Because I really love this look.
25:14But some people may not necessarily play with black and brown.
25:16Well, you know what?
25:16It's the black, the brown, the gray.
25:18It's the color of her hair and the gold.
25:20And that just makes it fun.
25:22I think 2016 is all about taking risks in fashion.
25:25It's not about being safe anymore.
25:27So many people were safe at a ward show.
25:29Like, we don't need any more say.
25:31Take a chance.
25:32Fabulous.
25:32Thank you so very much.
25:33We're going to move on to our second look.
25:36The next staple is, she looks good, is the pencil skirt.
25:40All right, so let's talk the pencil skirt.
25:42Tell me a little bit about that.
25:43The pencil skirt.
25:44The pencil skirt.
25:46So most women that have pencil skirts in their closets are using them for their office look.
25:51Right.
25:52It's business or it's business casual and it's after work drinks, but I want to still have
25:56that dressy effect.
25:57So with that, we're taking kind of a detour a little bit.
26:01Okay.
26:01We're dressing the pencil skirt up.
26:03We're giving it a new zhuzh.
26:05We're putting on a little bit of a body bag.
26:08Let's see.
26:08Let's take a look.
26:09Yeah, well, she should.
26:10Brandy.
26:10Let's come on out so you can take it through the full.
26:12Look at that, baby.
26:13Okay, Brandy.
26:14So we took it from night to day.
26:16Yeah, a little crossbody bag, added a couple of interesting bracelets with metallics to
26:21it, you know, and added a sweatshirt with a t-shirt with a graphic layer underneath just
26:26to give it a different sensation and a different vibe.
26:28Same skirt, different feeling, you know, and the chunkier heel gives it a little bit more
26:33of a night effect.
26:34Now, do you have a recommendation?
26:35Just a little bit more about fun.
26:36Do you have a recommendation, depending upon height, where your pencil skirt should fall?
26:40I think mostly for all women, depending on your height, it's either at your knee or just
26:46below your knee.
26:47You look very shoot, Brandy.
26:49Thank you very much.
26:51All right.
26:51Thank you very much, Brandy.
26:53Our third look is the white t-shirt, which is a personal favorite of mine, even though
26:58I constantly spill on my t-shirt, but we're not going to talk about that.
27:01There are so many ways to wear this look, but people get stuck rocking it one way.
27:04And what's that one way?
27:05This is true.
27:06Everybody wants to tie a flannel around their waist, or you've got on a pair of joggers,
27:11or you've got on a cute pair of jeans, or something cute like that.
27:14There's always a way to dress things up.
27:15I'm a firm believer in that.
27:17Like, even in what I have on right now, take it from day to night, and I just go put on
27:21a pair of shoes and keep it moving.
27:22So you've got to always have that kind of transition, because we live in a world where
27:26everything moves so fast.
27:27Yes.
27:27Especially when you're in New York.
27:28You've got to be able to make it one place to the next place.
27:31How are we going to do this?
27:32How do we do that?
27:33And again, these are pieces that the women have in their wardrobe.
27:35So a lot of people have these things.
27:38They just don't know how to use them.
27:39So we're going to show you now how to use it for the white t-shirt model.
27:43Can you please join us on sex?
27:45Absolutely.
27:47Okay, white t-shirt, Traiana.
27:50So you saw that Traiana had the flannel tied around her waist, and it just kind of downplayed
27:57it, but we took this beautiful Lariat necklace and paired it with a really simple blazer,
28:01you know, that had a short collar.
28:03Exactly.
28:04And you can wear this with the sleeves up, throw in a couple of bracelets or whatever.
28:07We put on a pump, a great Chant Laurent pump, and it's there.
28:11You look super, super chic.
28:12She can go out for the night, yeah.
28:13It looks super chic, and also, too, it's comfortable and pulled together.
28:16Exactly.
28:16Sometimes you can feel stuffy in a reshudged look.
28:19Well, you know what?
28:20It's funny, because we came through a place in fashion where there was a lot of structured clothing,
28:25and then it moved into that whole neoprene world.
28:28And neoprene, although it looks super sporty, is not comfortable and it's very hot.
28:32It's very hot.
28:33And now the technology that's in a lot of fabrics, we're seeing that there's a lot of
28:37breathable fabrics where there are, like, leisure suits, travel suits, and they actually
28:41look pulled up in chic, but they're actually very, very comfortable.
28:44I can't say that about the heels that she has on.
28:46But the heels are fierce.
28:47Thank you very much, Traiana.
28:48Thank you so much.
28:48Thank you so much.
28:49Now, finally, I have a submission from one of our viewers.
28:51As we mentioned, you know, we're here for you, Essence Live.
28:53And Tika Tuggle wants to know how she can revamp these two skirts.
28:59Oh, there's just one skirt, actually.
29:00There's just one skirt that looks like two.
29:01So, all right.
29:03So, what are our thoughts on how she can re-judge this color block skirt?
29:12We love this skirt.
29:14We really do.
29:17I'm going to say this.
29:18Let me just spin around and get a good look at it.
29:20Look at you taking a ganza.
29:22I have to.
29:22Yeah.
29:24Maybe something casual cute.
29:25Let's talk about it.
29:26It is.
29:26Well, my instant idea that would bring this skirt from, bring it to life, per se, would be color.
29:33It'd be something of a brighter hue or even something that's lace and see-through.
29:37So, maybe a great lace bodysuit.
29:40Under, you know, with a skirt.
29:42And then you can wear it with a high boot, depending on who she is.
29:45I think it's a really great skirt.
29:46It's a transitional piece.
29:47You can wear it from spring and fall.
29:48Now, do you think she should keep this piece?
29:50She should.
29:51Okay.
29:51She should.
29:51Well, there you go.
29:52It's something that she can mix-match, a little high-low, have fun with it.
29:56All right.
29:57Tika, thank you so very much for submitting that.
29:59I like that skirt, too.
30:00All right, Warren, thank you so very much for giving our Essence viewers super easy, cost-effective
30:04ways to reinvent their wardrobe for 2016.
30:07Absolutely.
30:07And I know you will be back spilling all the tea on fashion.
30:10I'd be happy to.
30:12Well, any time would you be.
30:13All right.
30:14Thank you to all of our guests today.
30:15Make sure to meet us right here, same place, same time, next Thursday for an all-new Essence
30:20Live, where Happy New You continues with a revamp of your love life.
30:23Can I come back just to sit on that?
30:25Yeah.
30:26All right.
30:27I'm your host, Dana Blair.
30:28That's Worry Weiss, and we'll see you next time.
30:30Bye-bye.
30:30Bye-bye.
30:31Bye-bye.
30:33Bye-bye.
30:33Bye-bye.
30:34Bye-bye.
30:50Bye-bye.
30:52Bye-bye.
30:54Bye-bye.
30:55Bye-bye.
30:55Bye-bye.
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