thisminimalist:

maplekoyo:

The cultish ideology that drives the engine of Abercrombie is not unlike the ideology that led Disney’s Little Mermaid, Ariel, after falling in love with the beautiful white prince, to give up her birth identity (even as a princess of the Mer-people) in exchange for her legs (and more importantly her vagina, not to put too fine a point on t hat matter), so that she can, in the words of her principle number in the movie-musical, be “part of that world” (the world of people). Abercrombie, through its strategy of marketing “the good white life” in what is already a deeply racist society, has convinced a U.S. public—whites (some young and some not so young), some people of color, and gay men—that if we buy their label, we are really buying membership into a privileged fraternity that has eluded us all for so long, even if for such vastly different reasons. In order for such a marketing strategy to work, in all of the diverse ways that this one clearly does, the consumer must necessarily bring to his or her understanding that A&F, and what association with the the brand offers him or her, a fundamentally racist belief that this lifestyle—this young, white, natural, all-American, upper-class lifestyle—being offered by the label is what we all are, aspire to be, or are hopelessly alienated from ever being.

YES to this!!! Why I refuse to shop from brands that promote whiteness and conformity (Victoria Secret, Hollister, Aero, Urban Outfitters etc) 

This is, in other words, what I like to call “the illusion of buying privilege.”

I know a girl who loves to shop (and “love” is an understatement). At first, I just assumed she enjoyed the idea of looking her best and looking her best at all times. But I noticed that she shopped exclusively at stores like Coach, Louis, Abercrombie, etc. And once she called me “ghetto” when I told her I still check out VIM once in a while. Her obsession with name brands was more than her fulfilling a  fashionista lifestyle. She was compensating for something- ultimately, she was filling a void. Later she l told me she was frequently teased for weight and dark skin growing up. But it was as if when she put on those brands, she was “pretty,” she was visible and not so different anymore. By putting on layers of those brands, she buried her body and the image of being the “unattractive” dark skinned girl so that all you saw was a shield of Louis, Coach and Prada. That’s when she felt safe. Safe from the teasing, safe from the marginalization and humiliation. But she didn’t realize this at the time.That it is what marketers want. They want customers to feel like they can be “a part of their world” but only if the customer conforms (as best as they can) to white society. And who wouldn’t want to fit in?! The commercials and ads always make it appear as if life and being white was one great party of happiness and delight! “Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that world?” As marginalized people (anyone outside of whiteness and heterosexuality), those products/ads inform us that we can buy our way into that greater group- that we can buy our way into “prettiness.” In the case of my friend, “you may not look like any of those pretty white girls in the ads, but once you have our  product, you can feel pretty/beautiful if by association. Welcome to our world.”

whatsgoingon12:

Just a continuation

(via thisminimalist)

(via one-mentally-fucked-individual)

othousandtieredsky:

attention hipsters: this is why you don’t get to wear a war bonnet.

(via queennubian)

vvvivacious:

It’s a penguin. With a penguin backpack.

 

(via queennubian)

(via livelaughlovelocs)

tranqualizer:

the-whorax:

golgibodies:

my-imperfect-verdict:

katersgunkate:

stayburned:

optimisticrealist:

gregory-pecks:

cumbersam:

anywaygleewantsit:

Popcorn popping in slow motion. 

It’s like a fucking transformer.

^

It’s a fucking pokemon.

I just sat here way too long watching this. 

its like attacking the air omfg

Its fucking evolving

this is an MRI of a brain dying have some respect

i hope you all fucking die.

^That

y’all, this is a baby coming into the world. don’t abort fetuses.

you are looking at mechanically separated chicken

(via mafindor)

Lauryn during her first pregnancy.

(via aniqueyaminah)

mindoncoffee:

Abundance’s locs

so pretty

mindoncoffee:

Naturalglow08 w/red locs

blkgirlsrock:

http://greatbixby.tumblr.com/

Great Bixby Photography ©2012

khefari:

My first set back in 08…i miss them :(

there is hope yet for puffy locks!

(via livelaughlovelocs)

khefari:

My 1st set of locs

(via livelaughlovelocs)