'Secular Girl' by Victoire Simonney and Anna de Rijk Makes Real-Life Fashion Point

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'Secular Girl' by Victoire Simonney and Anna de Rijk Makes Real-Life Fashion Point AOC Fashion

Model Anna de Rijk appears as a ‘Secular Girl’, reminding AOC of fashion stories from a decade ago — stories with an undercurrent and something to say beyond “buy me”.

If AOC could have one wish around fashion media, it would be for more ideas to be expressed in fashion pages, moving them beyond selling stuff, with no other purpose. I frankly don’t care if a high-end flower delivery services sponsors fashion stories. There’s no need to dumb everything down to a box of Fruit Loops.

The 2010 forward fall-off of “statement” fashion stories was dramatic to watch. Granted, AOC scans published work with a very critical eyes. Yet images as simple as these — photographer and stylist Victoire Simonney’s ‘Secular Girl’ is — caught our eye, prompting a visit to Sixteen Journal, where we read: “Victoire Simonney studies womanhood and identity in ‘Secular Girl’ story. Then on to Simonney’s IG.

As a deeply-political women’s rights and racial justice activist, I worry that the right-wing is winning — based on new laws in red states. As we speak, the Georgia state government is moving to take over voting in Fulton County in Atlanta — home to the largest Black population in the state.

America’s right-wing is trying to destroy confidence in voting in the US, while it pursue its authoritarian agenda. With its commitment to storytelling generally, Sixteen Journal [IG] becomes a relevant chef in the creative discussion.

Rev. Dr. Barber II, Beto O'Rourke on First Leg of 27-Mile Texas Voter Rights March to Austin

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They're off in Texas — marching south from Georgetown to Austin over four days, led by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II and and former presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke. The early stage of the Georgetown-to-Austin March for Democracy is limited to about 100 people, because they are practicing social distancing, masking -- all the protocols.

I know how I felt coming out of a torrid session in the gym today. In the 93-degree heat, all I wanted was to get home as quickly as possible. So I worry about Rev. Dr. Barber. I just do. He's such a great leader, and I worry about him the same way I worry about Simone Biles, every time she goes into orbit.

I can't imagine Rev. Barber walking all that way in this heat. I trust they have air-conditioned medical vans with them, in case anybody has a heat stroke.

It's so sad that America has come to this place again. Texas already has the most restrictive voting laws in America. But for Texas Republicans, they're not strict enough.

It blows my mind frankly, in 2021. I never thought it would be like this with our beloved country totally divided. Stupid me.

I'm so sorry Texas Democrats. I'll be praying for Rev. Dr. Barber. He dishes it out with concerns for his people. But given the temperature in Texas, he needs us praying for him and his wellbeing. Beto O’Rourke, I’m not worried about.

Make good trouble, my fellow Americans. We’re with you in spirit, and AOC will be following you to Austin. ~ Anne

Follow the March at the Texas Tribune: Voting Rights Activists Begin Selma-to-Montgomery-Style March in Texas

Amanda Gorman's 'Call Us What We Carry', Simone Biles and Weight of Expectations

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Dec. 7, 2021 Publication Date for ‘Call Us What We Carry’ by Amanda Gorman

Amanda Gorman, featured this week’s cover story for Net-a-Porter, will release a book of poetry ‘Call Us What We Carry’ on December 7, 2021. The 80-page collection, formerly titled ‘The Hill We Climb and Other Poems’, will include her famed 2021 President Joe Biden inaugural poem, while exploring new “themes of identity, grief, and memory.” According to the publisher Viking Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, Gorman will narrate the audiobook, which will be published concurrently by Penguin Random House Audio.

The Lyrics of Hope

Gorman’s poetic elegance, rich with connection and insights into America’s deepest wounds and achievements, will continue to express itself in a hopeful way in ‘Call Us What We Carry’.

Call Us What We Carry: Poems

By Gorman, Amanda

Buy on Amazon

Gorman, who was appointed the first National Youth Poet Laureate in 2017 and was the United States’ youngest inaugural poet, said: “I wrote ‘Call Us What We Carry’ as a lyric of hope and healing. I wanted to pen a reckoning with the communal grief wrought by the pandemic. It’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever written, but I knew it had to be. For me, this book is a receptacle, a time capsule both made by and for its era. What is poetry if not a mirror for our present and a message for our future?”

In Monday’s Net-a-Porter interview, Amanda Gorman added energy and direct purpose to the definition of being a poet. “I often call it ‘poeting’ because, for me, it is to get involved in a movement. I think back to Audre Lorde, who was so wise in saying that it’s the poets who create a language for pains, emotions and solutions.”

Amanda Gorman and Simone Biles

It’s impossible for AOC not to reflect on Amanda Gorman and Simone Biles in the same thought bubble. Gorman spoke on Twitter to Tuesday’s news that The GOAT Simone Biles was dropping out of the team competition at the Tokyo Olympics, over mental health concerns.

Retweeting Meena Harris, Amanda rolled many current events related to Biles’ life into one analytical opinion, and we’ll leave the analysis on Gorman’s Twitter feed.

What is relevant to me about the two women’s mutual stardom is the incredible weight it puts on their shoulders as humans, as women, and as Black women who have avidly grabbed the torch of leadership in America.

I heard a Black woman host on MSNBC declare last week that Black women hold up half the world.

My response to her staggering mathematical hyperbole was to think of Simone Biles, one of several star Black women athletes cited by the host. The pressure on Biles and Gorman comes from people — and especially women — of every skin color. There are MANY white women who think the world of both young women. Of course Black women are especially proud and thrilled with their success. But it seems unwise to build such territorial walls around the best of humanity that a wide swath of humanity can’t celebrate them.

More Amanda Gorman and Simone Biles

American Ballet Theatre Dancers by AB+DM for InStyle July 2021

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American Ballet Theatre Dancers by AB+DM for InStyle July 2021 AOC Fashion

The first ‘to do’ in reading ‘Ballet Is Back, Baby’ a fashion story shot by AB+DM for Instyle US and published early June online for the July issue, is to verify the facts. Julia von Boehm styles dancers from American Ballet Theatre in a heady mix of Alexander McQueen, Commando, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Givenchy, JW Anderson, Khaite, Mônot, Spanx,Thom Brown and more./ Hair by Shin Arima; makeup by Frankie Boyd

The Dancers include Isabella Boylston, ABT Principal Dancer; James Whiteside, ABT Principal Dancer; ABT Corp dancers: Anabel Katsnelson, Betsy McBride, Emily Hayes, João Menegussi, Melvin Lawovi and Yoon Jung Seo, ABT Studio Corps.

“Verifying the facts” refers to a bus tour select American Ballet Theatre dancers were scheduled to make across America, as they faced another cancelled official season in 2021.

In fact, the #ABTAcrossAmerica US tour did happen — at outside venues and not the predictable ones for a ballet tour. These shots on ABT’s IG — not in geographical order — show the dancers bringing joy to lawn-lovers in Minneapolis, MN; Middleburg, VA; Chicago, MI; Iowa City, IA; Lincoln NE. Other stops included St. Louis, Mo and Charleston, SC. The dancers made it back to New York City for a special closing performance last week, July 21.

An Injured Simone Biles Pulls Out of Team USA at Tokyo Olympics

Doug Mills/The New York Times

USA Gymnastics team powerhouse Simone Biles has pulled out of the team competition at the Tokyo Olympics. Biles bailed out of her Yurchenko vault with 2 1/2 twists, downsizing the difficulty to 1 1/2 twists and then stumbling out of the landing Tuesday evening.

Biles left the competition floor with a team trainer, while coach Cecile Landi, gathered the team. Biles returned to the floor, rejoining her teammates, hugging them before watching them perform their routines from the sideline.

Team USA will compete for their their consecutive Olympics gold medal without Biles. Follow all the Olympic competition from the New York Times.