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Black Lives Still Matter

It's time to look back and celebrate how Black people and communities have shaped our history. This year in particular, the celebration is bittersweet.

With a backdrop of Covid-19, which disproportionately affected the Black community, the stark inequalities in our society are brought to the forefront. Black workers are more likely to work in lower paid public service jobs and are at higher risk of exposure to the virus as a result. Back in June, a Public Health England report on the effects of Covid-19 on Black workers highlighted that ‘historic racism and poorer experience of healthcare means that people from Black backgrounds are less likely to seek care when they need it.

In the NHS has shown that Black NHS workers are less likely to speak up when they have concerns about personal protective equipment, testing, or risk.

The scandal there, is not that the virus has disproportionately affected certain groups, but that it has taken a global pandemic to shine a light on deeply entrenched social and economic inequality in our society. Racism, discrimination and stigma have also been identified as factors that increase the prevalence of conditions and the severity of the disease.  These inequalities are manifestations of the structural barriers and systemic discrimination faced by people from Black backgrounds.

Black History Month is a time to reflect on the important steps forward made by Black activists in society, but we must do more than look back. We must also deal with the situations we face today and look forward to the future.

Recent events in the US, with the brutal killing of George Floyd, who died after a white police officer pressed his knee to Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes, sparked protests worldwide, and the Black Lives Matter movement was thrust into the headlines. In the UK, there were widespread protests and as a result, an increased awareness of Black history, in particular of Britain’s part in the slave trade. The removal of statues commemorating slave owners is welcomed, but it must be combined with the inclusion of Black history on school curriculums. Whilst we cannot erase the past, we must educate future generations if we are to eradicate racism for good.

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Racism Is a Pandemic.

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What Do You Need To Know About The Stop Asian Hate Movement.

Ever since it came to light that the COVID-19 virus originated in Wuhan, China, incidents of hate against Asians in America have been steadily on the rise. According to a study by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, there has been an increase of 150 percent in hate crimes against Asians in the US in 2020 — more than double of 2019. These include attacks on people of Asian origin as well as the businesses run by them. The study found that two of the cities, where Asians have been targeted the most are Los Angeles and New York.

Experts such as Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and director of demographic data and policy research non-profit AAPI Data, believe that part of the hatred against Asians has been fuelled by the repeated use of “China virus” and “Kung Flu” by former US President Donald Trump, conservative media outlets as well as his supporters when referring to COVID-19. Commenting on the stereotypes that Asian Americans face in the US, John C. Yang President and Executive Director of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) told CNN, “Unfortunately, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders often are invisible to the public. Or, where we are visible, it falls into a couple of different stereotypes. One stereotype is the so called ‘model minority’ — the suggestion that there are no issues that really affect the Asian American community.”

This hate, marginalisation and stereotype assumed a horrific shape on March 16, 2021, in Georgia which sent shockwaves among Asians living in America and other parts of the world.

What Happend In Georgia?

Robert Aaron Long, a 21-year-old white American, shot dead eight people at three massage parlours in Cherokee County and Atlanta city. Six of those killed were women of Asian descent. Long has been arrested and charged with eight counts of murder — four each in Cherokee and Atlanta, besides charges related to aggravated assault, attempt to murder and use of a firearm. Though Long claimed he was not motivated by the race of the victims and hate crime is not part of the charges against him, many, including Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, believe the mass shooting was an act of hate crime.

Has There Been Any Incident Post The Georgia Spa Shooting?

Multiple attacks on people of Asian origin have been reported across the US in the week since the Georgia spa shootings. A day after the incident, a 75-year-old woman was brutally assaulted in San Francisco. In three separate incidents on March 21 in New York City, a 54-year-old was hospitalised after being attacked, a 41-year-old was attacked from behind and a 37-year-old was assaulted on her way to an anti-Asian violence protest. While a man has been charged in the San Francisco incident, two men and a woman have been charged in the three NY incidents.

What Has Been The Response To The Attacks?

People have been highlighting these hate crime incidents on social media, raising awareness and asking everyone to look out for their Asian American family, friends and neighbours. Thousands took to the streets in New York, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Washington and even Montreal in Canada in the last few days speaking out against anti-Asian hate, calling for police reforms and criticising Trump for his hateful rhetoric against China during the pandemic.

During one of the marches, San Antonio Mayor Juliàn Castro told demonstrators that “For generations, Asian Americans have been discriminated against. I don’t have to tell that to anybody in this crowd.”

Following the March 16 incident, the US House Judiciary Committee’s civil rights committee held a hearing on the anti-Asian bias — a first in over 30 years.

Are Prominent People Speaking Out On This Issue?

In the backdrop of the rise in hate crimes against the community, numerous celebrities have extended their support to rights groups and families of victims while expressing solidarity with Asians in America. Among them are actors Awkwafina, Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Olivia Munn, and Ken Jeong, designers Prabal Gurung and Yoon Ahn, models Mona Matsuoka and Soo Joo Park besides several others.

In an emotional Instagram video after the Georgia attacks, Tony Award-winning Ashley Park of Emily in Paris fame drew attention to the systemic racism that Asians face daily even “starting with children, when every Asian kid should be able to be good at math and play a classical instrument…”

“This racism starts at a very small level. It starts with things that you say. It starts when someone calls a virus that shut down the whole world the ‘Kung Flu virus.’ It also starts when you roll your eyes or make fun of Asian waiters or Chinese food delivery people and the nail artist,” she says in the post calling to stop Asian hate that has been viewed over three million times.

Min Jin Lee, the celebrated author of Pachinko, in support of the Stop Asian Hate movement, tweeted, “In less than 48 hours, we had a historic Asian Oscar moment with multiple firsts in 93 years — then a mass shooting targeting 3 Asian-owned businesses. This is how terrorism works — you’re not allowed to feel safe, accepted, or valued. We can resist. Take up space. Make noise.”

Appearing before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties on March 18, The Good Doctor producer and actor Daniel Dae Kim called for the passage of the No Hate Bill and the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act. Referring to the failure of the bill’s passage last year, he said, “I was disheartened to find that for a bill that required no money or resources, just a simple condemnation of acts of hate against people of Asian descent, 164 members of Congress, all Republican voted against it. And now here I am again, because as every witness in this hearing has pointed out, the situation has gotten worse, much worse.”

He told the committee that even though the country Asians call their home “may consider us statistically insignificant now, but one more fact that has no alternative is that we are the fastest-growing racial demographic in the country. We are 23 million strong. We are united, and we are waking up.”

Many celebrities have been raising the issue of hate incidents against members of the community for a long time. Others who have been vocal about it include tennis star and multiple Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka, who, in a Tweet on February 7, wrote, “The amount of hate, racism, and blame for COVID towards the Asian community is disgusting. The fact that this topic is not very widely covered makes me concerned. I only found videos and information because I was scrolling through my IG feed and by some algorithm it appeared.”

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Can Palestinian Lives Matter?

“Palestinians don’t exist,” they said. With time this moment would blur, but not fade, mingling with innumerable interactions in which strangers would likewise inform me of my nonexistence. In that moment, though, it was a wholly new experience. I felt the brief flicker of a laugh before the sick sense of outrage landed in my gut. Before I could find the words to respond, the accuser was gone.

How strange, to tell a living, breathing human being, to their face, that they are “unreal.” And what would be the proper defense? How does one reply to a delusion?

Because something happens at the mention of that word Palestinian. In the moment it is uttered.

Palestinians as a people, are visible but rarely seen. We do not “exist” as others do; we have neither a formal country nor any economic or military power to speak of. We have a history and culture, but these are eroded and appropriated more with every passing year. Mostly, we are collectively obscured by what people think they know, what they think we are: threats, troublemakers, terrorists.

This is how we can be in so many headlines and yet die such endless deaths. We die, in part, because that is what the world expects of us. Our name is invoked only in connection to brutality and strife, which are presented as inevitable, our natural state. Reports read like weather reports: The “climate” “heats up” then “boils over” into “another wave of violence.” Our casualties are like the seasons — a crop of dead every few years, usually in Gaza.

All this because we are among the world’s disposable people. What kills us is not only Israeli state violence but the international community’s collective failure to imagine us as human beings. It is the same failure that has allowed so many Black bodies to be murdered in the broad daylight of viral videos, with so little systemic change. As Elizabeth Alexander has written, “Black bodies in pain for public consumption have been an American national spectacle for centuries.” With such a violent collective memory, it’s no wonder white Americans have been so egregiously slow and equivocal in responding to anti-Black violence. For who is more visible in the U.S. than a Black person? Yet who is the most seldom seen?

This is the lethal contradiction that generations of Black intellectuals and activists have worked to dismantle. The “problem of the color line,” as W.E.B. DuBois called it, will only be solved when the U.S., as a whole, grasps the full humanity of Black people, who have been systematically dehumanized. There can be no going forward, in short, until the U.S. internalizes the most basic truth that Black Lives Matter.

In this way, the U.S. and Israel confront a similar moral failing: Years of intentional disenfranchisement, abuse of and theft from a people in the name of another group’s supremacy — in one case, under the banner of whiteness, and in the other, Zionism. Both have gambled on their ability to suppress these peoples’ efforts to resist their oppression, through the means of mass incarceration, state violence, and legal discrimination. And both have seen that even the most brutal crackdowns cannot squelch the human spirit forever.

Black Americans has shown us, again and again, that they will not allow themselves to be made unreal — and this last year, many more people seemed to listen. For Black Americans who routinely face state violence, the murder of George Floyd was tragically unsurprising. Yet this particular death seemed to penetrate the larger American imagination, managing, somehow, to puncture the gloss of indifference with its sheer visceral force, its specificity. Floyd was seen as an individual, a human being, and his name became a movement. “Black Lives Matter” had a resurgence, thanks in part to the sudden recognition by white Americans of a particular Black life, and death.

Palestinians were quick to respond to the George Floyd movement, protesting in solidarity, drawing parallels between their own experiences of mass incarceration, militarized law enforcement, legal discrimination, knees on civilian necks. Floyd’s face decorated stretches of the Israeli barrier wall, alongside murals of Palestinians killed by Israeli police and soldiers, including Iyad Hallaq, an unarmed man with autism, shot on his way home from school. Floyd’s death also prompted discussions in the Palestinian and wider Arab communities about their own anti-Blackness. This internationalism is not new: For years, Palestinian activists have looked to the American civil rights movement, the South African struggle against apartheid, and others for inspiration. They have also offered their solidarity and support to movements abroad, including the Standing Rock protests and other efforts for Indigenous rights.

Perhaps something, this time, will be different. With the newfound skepticism of law enforcement and incarceration wrought by the George Floyd movement, many in the “woke” world seem to have found resonance with the scenes of Palestinian civilian protests throughout the territories and Israel, launching marches of their own around the globe. Perhaps, after a year in which the words “decolonization” and “intersectionality” have become memes, in which social media has become a streamlined highway for outrage and mobilization, this “clash” will be recognized at last for what it is: a fight for the Palestinian right to be human.

Such a shift would be a breakthrough: Just as the U.S. will remain haunted until Black lives are fully, truly, and equally valued, there can be no peace in Israel-Palestine until all the lives involved are reckoned with as human. Such a reckoning is understandably terrifying for nations built on the systematic denial of certain humanities, but there is no other way. And if the last year has taught us anything, it is that no odds can outmatch the individual’s need for dignity.

“The myths of self-defense” — Israel’s — “and both sides are becoming more and more penetrable,” Mohammed el-Kurd, whose family is facing forced displacement from their home in Sheikh Jarrah, said in a CNN interview this week. “People are being able to see through these myths and call an occupation for what it is and an aggressor for what it is.”

And perhaps, too, they will begin to see us.

[orikoaurora]

Trend To Try: Soft Girl Makeup

When it comes to the soft girl makeup aesthetic, it’s all about embracing an ultra-girly, youthful feminine look. Think fresh and dewy skin, layers of sweet peachy pink blush, overly glossy lips, and even a patch or two of faux freckles. Add a few pastel-toned hair clips to really embrace the trend, and voilà—you’re a soft girl.

Scroll down to check out our step-by-step guide to creating a soft girl makeup look that will have all of your TikTok followers clicking that “like” button.

Prep + Prime

Go through your skincare routine as you normally would, and then smooth your primer over your face to blur imperfections and prep your skin for the rest of your makeup.

Create a Flawless Base

Apply your foundation of choice, we recommend a moisturizing liquid foundation because of its hydrating ingredients to help even out your skin tone.

Correct + Conceal

To get that bright-eyed, youthful look, use your color correcting to hide dark circles and follow it up with your concealer on any blemishes or problem areas.

Add Pops of Pink

Rosy pink cheeks are the key to this look, and you can go as heavy-handed as your want. To take things up a notch, sweep any leftover product onto the bridge of your nose and your eyelids.

Glow It Up

Add a soft touch of shimmer to really bring home that sweet, fresh aesthetic by dabbing your highlighter onto your cheekbones, eyelids, Cupid’s bow, inner eye corners, and the bridge of your nose follow the less is more rule.

Groom Your Brows

You don’t want to overdo it with too bold of a brow, so your best bet is to use your clear brow gel to comb your arches into place if you need to fill-in empty spots, use your brow pencil with a delicate hand.

Lashes + Liner

Create the illusion of bigger eyes by swiping on several coats of your mascara, using the brush to volumize and fluff your lashes. If you prefer a bolder look, use your liquid liner to create a wide, doe-eyed appearance.

Gloss Your Pout

It’s all about a glossy, pillowy pout, and your sheer gloss. For richer color, layer your gloss to your lip cream.

Optional: Add Freckles

Want to go all in? As a final touch, draw on freckles (or enhance your own) with your creamy brow pencil to play up the #softgirlmakeup aesthetic.

[orikoaurora]

A thief never becomes an owner.

[orikoaurora]

The “dark” in dark academia does not come from wearing dark colors but murdering people in schools babe. Read a book sometimes.

i’m only referring it to the outfits aesthetic babe🤍

[orikoaurora]

The cottagecore trend ~ here's how to get the look in your home

Cottagecore is the newest of the lifestyle interior design trends to emerge – embracing simplicity and encouraging people to enjoy being in the comfort of their own homes, this new trend isn't surprising given most of the world has the spent past few months inside.

According to Daisy Oakley, Author of Cottagecore: Inspirational Ideas, Crafts and Recipes for Wholesome Country Living: 'Like so many movements, cottagecore  gained popularity through social media, but in reality it exists far from technology, amongst sprawling meadows and wild gardens

1. Setting The Table

A  beautifully laid table need not be restricted to formal occasions, but is something that can be done every day to make all meal times special.

It needn’t be expensive; paper or linen napkins and a plain white tablecloth create a simple but effective result, as do freshly  picked flowers from the garden in a jam jar, a spray of spring leaves or a hoard of beach finds clustered in the centre of the table. Candles and  glass provide instant ambience and sparkle.

2. Introduce Nature To Your Home

Nature acts like a healing balm for our body and mind, and creates a relaxing, welcoming environment.

As the days start to get cooler, you can start to bring nature inside so you can enjoy it year-round. Houseplants and fresh-cut flowers are the obvious place to start. They brighten up any space and fill the air with glorious scents.

For a natural look, pick a few flowers from your garden and place them into jam  jars; collect pretty pebbles, shells and driftwood; and make table decorations out of bark, leaves, berries and pine cones things that you have found on a country  or  seaside walk.

3. Relax With an Open Fire

Relaxing in front of a log fire is one of life’s great pleasures. A log fire, be it an open hearth or a modern wood burner, creates a warm, cozy atmosphere with its crackles and flickering flames. The comforting aroma of wood smoke calms and soothes, evoking primal connection and a sense of belonging.

The fireplace is the meeting point and the warm heart of the home, the place where stories are shared and celebrations are toasted. Welcome family and friends to gather at the fireside and enjoy simple pleasures, such as cooking marshmallows or playing board games, or lose yourself in the reverie of watching the flames dance.

4. Buy Vintage and Reclaimed Furniture

Before purchasing new, think of all the old furniture out there, the preloved tables and chairs that find their way to second-hand stores and online auction sites – you could even call it ‘vintage’ to make it sound more appealing!

There are many outlets that sell second-hand furniture nowadays, and with a bit of creative flair you can adapt your finds into something unique and truly special.

5. Introduce a Breath of Fresh Air

In winter you may not get as many opportunities to get out in nature, so bring greenery into your home instead.

Many houseplants are amazing purifiers for indoor environments. They cleanse the air in your home by filtering out harmful toxins and pollutants.

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5 ‘Bridgerton’ Fashion Trends You Can Actually Wear in 2021

Fancy House Dresses

If empire-waist Bridgerton dresses aren’t really your thing, you can still invoke the show’s vibe by wearing a dress that has puff sleeves. It’s ideal because puff sleeves are typically seen on comfy casual garments, such as the nap dress that was everywhere last year. While a house dress usually consists of a breezy fabric and a silhouette that’s easy to move around in, the puff elevates it to something special. Think of these as Bridgerton light.

Elaborate hair adornments

Mirojnick may not have allowed any of the characters to wear bonnets, but there is rarely a bare head seen in the show. From the Bridgertons to the Featheringtons to every high-society lady in between, bejeweled tiaras, ribbon headbands, feather headpieces, and floral hair decor are the accessories of choice.

Elegant Necklaces

Like hair accessories, jewelry is another important element of Bridgerton fashion, and it comes with just as much variety. While Daphne usually wears more understated necklaces like ribbon chokers and delicate crystals, the other characters, like Lady Danbury and the Featheringtons, tend to wear more opulent, statement pieces. The only rule for necklaces is that they should be choker length or close to it. No long chains here!

Dainty Flats

If you have an aversion to high heels or your feet have just gotten used to wearing house slippers all day, you’ll appreciate this Bridgerton-inspired shoe trend: flats! Regency-era shoes were usually reminiscent of ballet slippers, so a pair of leather ballerina flats (embellished or not) is the perfect tribute in the form of footwear.

Extravagant Gloves

Gloves are usually restricted to being a wintertime necessity, but this old-school accessory is long overdue for some time in the spotlight. The high-society ladies of Bridgerton are seen in a wide variety of glove styles, from wrist-length lace to opera-length satin. It may be the most far-flung trend of the bunch, but if you’re looking to make a statement at your next picnic, look no further.

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10 Types of Aesthetics If You Want to Switch up Your Wardrobe ~Vibes~

1. E-girl

Borrowing its looks from anime, "e-girls" typically have dyed hair (mostly concentrated to the two front sections like Dua Lipa here) and hyper-stylized makeup that exaggerates their eyes and cheeks. Many even draw on tiny hearts or freckles on their faces and pile on the blush to give their cheeks an extra-rosy hue, although there are also those who opt for no or minimal makeup. Hair clips, mesh clothing, choker necklaces, and silver jewelry are some key items to pull off the extremely online vibe, and while gaming culture is part of it, you don't necessarily have to be on World of Warcraft to partake.

2. AngelCore

Angelcore is a contemporary aesthetic inspired by imagery and depictions of angels, and is adjacent to devilcore. The aesthetic is designed to emulate the same unearthly beauty that European angels are described and depicted with, though it can also include non-European angel aesthetics.

3. Soft Girls

It fully leans into bright hair barrettes and pastel colors. The outfits look ultra-romantic and often include pinks and purples, pleated skirts, florals, sweater vests, and cardigans. Some iterations, however, also incorporate edgy contrasting items like chunky boots, black baguette bags, or statement sunglasses, but it can still be "soft" because it's about the overall ~aura~ you're giving off. Click for some soft girl outfit ideas for even more examples.

4. Grunge

Think back to the late '80s and early '90s when bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam reigned and flannels were *the* fashion staple. Marc Jacobs also released a now-iconic grunge collection for Perry Ellis in 1992 that was inspired by the burgeoning music scene coming out of the Pacific Northwest. The fashion result of the aesthetic is loads of mesh, plaid, mixed prints, combat boots, and layered choker necklaces. A guitar or two in the background of a photo doesn't hurt either, like singer beabadoobee here.

5. Cottagecore

Imagine wearing a prairie dress or a breezy nightgown and living in a cute tiny cottage surrounded by a garden you tend to everyday. Sounds like pure bliss, right? The cottage and garden might be a stretch, but at least you can attain the illusion that you own both by wearing a floral or eyelet number reminiscent of The Little House on the Prairie. Brands like Christy Dawn, DÔEN, and Hill House Home (with its viral "Nap Dress") can help you in this department.

6. Art Hoe

This movement originated on Tumblr with the Black and LGBTQ+ community expressing themselves through art and collages.

While the term "hoe" can be controversial, the gender-fluid co-creator of the aesthetic, Mars, explained to The Guardian: “‘Art hoe’ or ‘art ho’ is a term used by me and my co-founder Jam to empower and uplift participants of color in this movement... it's normally a derogatory way to refer to women–especially Black women–as being promiscuous, within the male gaze. Using the term in an arbitrary way diminishes its harmful origin in light of something better.”

The color yellow is often affiliated with this aesthetic as is a vintage-looking outfit that channels nature or art, like this adorable House of Sunny cardigan above.

7. Baddie

This is that look that is made for the IG grid. A tight-fitting dress, full makeup, and designer pieces are giveaways for this aesthetic. Beauty bloggers and the Kardashian/Jenner clan are pros at channeling the vibe, as well as Lori Harvey here with her full Dior ensemble. Like, WOW.

8. Dark Academia

Tweed blazers, sweater vests, and anything that reminds you of prep school or a fancy (and much-too-expensive) East Coast university are staples for this aesthetic. The "dark" wording though simply means the tones of your outfit skew on the darker side and typically include browns and blacks.

9. Light Academia

The same but lighter colors! A very simple explanation, I know. Whites, creams, and beiges are the tones you should wear to get in on this vibe.

10. Fairycore

The beauty of fairycore is that there is no recipe: Each item looks individually crafted because the aesthetic embraces the uniqueness of the wearer, even if there are staple pieces to complete the fairy look. For example, elements of fairycore can be traced back to recent history, long before it hit the internet mainstream (and our social media feeds) in 2021. From young women wearing flower crowns at music festivals to even little girls wearing tutus to school, the spirit of fairycore has always been within us. It’s just seeing a massive resurgence now, especially with fairy-adjacent media like Winx Club.

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The 1800 Fashion History

The year 1800 heralded a new century and a new world. The fashion landscape had changed radically and rapidly; the way that women dressed in 1800 stood in stark contrast to the dress of a generation earlier. The wide panniers, conical stays, and figured silks of the eighteenth century had melted into a neoclassical dress that revealed the natural body, with a high waist and lightweight draping muslins (Fig. 1). The origin of this garment was the chemise dress of the 1780s, worn by influential women such as Marie Antoinette and Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (Ashelford 174-175). The chemise dress, in part, reflected a neoclassicism that was beginning to emerge in fashion. Interest in classical antiquity had been growing throughout the second half of the eighteenth century, following the excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Classical revivals appeared not only in fashion, but in architecture, the fine arts, and interior design (Davidson 30). However, it was the violently shifting politics at the end of the eighteenth century that spurred this style to the forefront. The French Revolution brought the old world hierarchy crashing down, forever altering dress during the 1790s. The new classical style, imitating the clothing of ancient democracies, seemed to be evidence of a political philosophy on the rise.

.By 1800, the high-waisted silhouette was the prevailing fashion across the Western world (le Bourhis 72). The most extreme manifestations of the Revolutionary classical dress, such as the dampening of gowns so that they clung to the body, were rarely seen after 1800; indeed, those radical fashions had seldom ever been seen outside of France (C.W. Cunnington 26). Still, neoclassicism continued to dominate fashionable dress (Fig. 2). Fashionable women consciously sought to reproduce the supposed fashions of Ancient Greece or Rome. Everything from the hairstyles to the draping shawls evoked antiquity; the preeminence of white as a dress color was due, in part, to the incorrect assumption drawn from classical statuary that classical women only wore white. The slim, vertical line of the garments themselves reflected the neoclassical preference for clean geometry expressed in other visual and applied arts. Fashion historian Philippe Séguy wrote that early 1800s dress “would have been at home in the days of Hadrian” (le Bourhis 73). However, neoclassicism was not the only influence on fashion during the 1800s. Notably, the campaigns of Napoleon Bonaparte brought inspiration from all over the world. For example, his occupation of Egypt popularized turbans for evening wear, and sketches of Egyptian ruins inspired palm motifs (Tortora 313; Foster 13). Towards the end of the decade, Spanish ornamentation, such as slashed sleeves, and a heavy use of fur imported from Russia, Poland, and Prussia was the result of Napoleon’s incursions in those countries (le Bourhis 108-109; C.W. Cunnington 27). Gothic ornament began to appear by 1810, and fanciful elements of pastoral dress were also seen.

In addition to the very high waistline, directly under the bust, the signature feature of womenswear was the prominent use of fine cotton muslin; it achieved a lightness and drape that could not be accomplished with wool or silk (Byrde 23; Foster 12). The main form of dress construction was the “stomacher” or “fall front” dress. This consisted of a bodice front attached to the skirt which was partially cut in a flap; once the wearer pulled on the sleeves and fastened the inner bodice lining, the skirt flap was pulled up where it was fastened with ties around the “waist” and the bodice front was pinned into place (Johnston 166; C.W. Cunnington 31-32). Figure 3 illustrates this construction method. This type of dress was known as a “round gown.” Around 1804, some dresses were made with button fastenings up the center back of the bodice; these were referred to as frocks (Davidson 26).

Dresses saw minor changes during the 1800s, losing much of the rounded volume of the previous decade. By 1810, skirts were much straighter, and the fullness that was left in the skirt was concentrated at the back, while the front was flat, falling straight to the floor (Fig. 4). In the early years, long trains were common on fashionable gowns, for both day and evening wear, but these began to gradually disappear around 1807 (Byrde 24; Foster 21, 29). The straighter, slimmer appearance of the 1800s was also echoed in the bodice back which featured seams that created a distinctive “kite” or “diamond” shape and gave a very slim, small-backed effect. Finally, straight, narrow sleeves too reinforced the clean lines (Davidson 26; Johnston 56). Importantly, part of the neoclassical ideal was the beauty of the natural, nude body. Fashion legends abound that tell of women leaving off their stays entirely, and appearing with very little underwear at all; while it seems that some women really did abandon their stays, the practice was not widespread or mainstream. Instead, nudity was suggested in the revealing cut of dresses. Large portions of the chest and back were bared even in day dresses, sleeves were short, and draping muslin revealed the shape of the leg (Fig. 5) (C.W. Cunnington 28; Davidson 63-64; Laver 155). Of course, this new style of dress did force a change in underwear. The narrowed skirt only required a single petticoat; indeed one was necessary for modesty beneath the nearly-transparent muslin (Byrde 25). Both long and short stays were worn; the new term “corset” referred to lightly boned or even simply corded supports, and these were often worn instead of stays. The chief goal of any supportive undergarment was to raise and shape the breasts, as their natural roundness was desirable for the first time (Davidson 64). Finally, throughout the decade, the fullness in the back of the gown was supported by a bustle pad attached to the inside of the skirt (Johnston 166; C.W. Cunnington 32-33).

The neckline of dresses, for both day and night, was quite low and could be either square or V-neck. During the day, the low neckline could be filled in with a chemisette or tucker (Foster 22). In the early years, the most fashionable sleeve was short for both day and night. Later in the decade, long sleeves were also worn, and they began to gain some fullness at the sleeve head (Davidson 288-289). In the evening, there was a fashion for short overdresses or tunics which borrowed from the ancient Greek chlamys (Fig. 6). While white was considered correct for evening, the nearly transparent muslins were sometimes worn over colored silk slips, creating shimmering pastels (Fig. 4) (Byrde 25-27; C.W. Cunnington 29-30).

Textiles of the 1800s were often enriched with embroidery, one of the few elements permitted to disrupt the classical line. Whitework, colored and gilt threads, and chenille were all employed to decorate gowns with a variety of embroidered designs (Figs. 2, 7) (Johnston 146, le Bourhis 95, 104). While white was undoubtedly the most modish color for dresses, it was difficult and costly to maintain. Sturdier printed cottons and patterned silks were common for daywear, and warmer wools were acceptable in the winter months (Figs. 3, 8) (Byrde 27).

A discussion of 1800s textiles would be incomplete without mention of the resurgence of French silk. In 1804, Napoleon declared the Empire, becoming Emperor, and he revived the luxury and pomp of the ancien régime, instituting lavish court dress once again. Napoleon gave the silk industry a much-needed boost in an imperial decree that French silk be worn at formal ceremonies (Fig. 9). The imperial commissions alone saved the French fashion industry which had been decimated during the Revolution (Fukai 125; le Bourhis 84-94, 100). While Paris was the center of women’s fashion, the best cottons originated in Britain and India; Napoleon forbade the wearing of foreign cotton in order to stimulate French manufacturing. His wife, Joséphine, was the most fashionable woman of the era, the undisputed leader of la mode, and she negotiated the contradictions of a fashion that preferred simple muslin with the demands of court dress expertly (Fig. 10) (Jensen).

Outerwear and accessories were essential elements of the period, often introducing pops of color (Ashelford 178). By far, the most important accessory of the neoclassical period was the shawl, specifically Indian kashmiris/cashmere (Figs. 2, 5). Lightweight muslin gowns did not provide much protection from the cold, and shawls became a necessary accessory; not only did they provide warmth, they added to the classical draped effect. Imported Indian shawls were wildly expensive luxuries, and a favorite of Empress Joséphine (Fig. 10) (Jensen). European weavers quickly began to create cheaper imitations, most notably in Paisley, Scotland, and that city’s name would become synonymous with the pine or buta/boteh motif (Laver 155; Johnston 40; le Bourhis 77, 81). Other forms of outerwear included the pelisse (Fig. 11) and the redingote, both types of coat, and the spencer, a cropped jacket (Ashelford 179; C.W. Cunnington 34-38). Other smaller accessories also mark the era, such as swansdown boas and large fur muffs. Notably, the reticule, a small drawstring handbag, became a standard element of a woman’s outfit (Fig. 12). Reticules became essential as the era’s narrowly-cut skirts prevented the wearing of pockets beneath the dress (Byrde 25-29).

Hairdressing further underscored the classical inspiration of the era; styles were frequently given names from antiquity such à l’Agrippine and à la Phèdre (le Bourhis 80). The most extreme style was à la Titus, in which the hair was cropped short and messily tousled. More frequently, a woman’s hair was arranged in ringlets and curls, often entwined with bandeaux, ribbons, and jeweled combs (Figs. 1, 5, 10) (Tortora 317; Foster 22, 26). There was an astonishing variety of millinery. Jockey caps, lavish evening turbans, wide-brimmed bonnets, face-shielding poke bonnets, and veiled caps were all modish choices (Figs. 4, 6, 13) (C.W. Cunnington 29, 52-53).

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Slavery.

By the beginning of the 19th century, slavery in the U.S. was firmly established with a series of statutes and penal codes enacted in various states to regulate the activity of slaves and all conduct involving slaves and free blacks. With the Louisiana Purchase, the question of slavery became both geographical and political, and ushered in a period of national debate between pro- and anti-slavery states to gain political and economic advantage. But by 1820, Congress was embroiled in the debate over how to divide the newly acquired territories into slave and free states.

The Missouri Compromise—also referred to as the Compromise of 1820—was an agreement between the pro- and anti-slavery factions regulating slavery in the western territories. It prohibited slavery in new states north of the border of the Arkansas territory, excluding Missouri. Constitutionally, the Compromise of 1820 established a precedent for the exclusion of slavery from public territory acquired after the Constitution, and also recognized that Congress had no right to impose upon states seeking admission to the Union conditions that did not apply to those states already in the Union. After Missouri's admission to the Union in 1821, no other states were admitted until 1836 when Arkansas became a slave state, followed by Michigan in 1837 as a free state. Indeed, the debate over slave and free states remained relatively calm for almost 30 years. However by the late 1840s, several events occurred that upset the balance: the U.S. added new territory as a result of the Mexican war, and the question of whether that territory would be slave or free arose again. California, beneficiary of an increased population because of the gold rush—petitioned Congress to enter the Union as a free state. At the same time, Texas laid claim to territory extending all the way to Santa Fe. Of course Washington, D.C., the nation’s capital, not only allowed slavery but was home to the largest slave market in North America.

In January 1850, Henry Clay presented a bill that would become known as the Compromise of 1850. The terms of the bill included a provision that Texas relinquish its disputed land in exchange for $10 million to be paid to Mexico. The territories of New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah were defined while leaving the question of slavery off the table, on the understanding that the issue would be decided when the territories applied for statehood. In addition, the slave trade would be abolished in the District of Columbia, although slavery would still be permitted in the nation’s capitol. It was agreed that California would be admitted as a free state, but the Fugitive Slave Act was passed to mollify pro-slavery states. This bill was the most controversial of all the bills that made up the Compromise of 1850. According to its tenets, citizens were required to aid in the recovery of fugitive slaves. Fugitives had no right to a jury trial. The cases were handled by special commissioners, who were paid $5 if a fugitive was released and $10 if the captive was returned to slavery. In addition, the act called for changes that made the process for filing a claim against a fugitive easier for slave owners. The new law was devastating. Many former slaves who had been attempting to build lives in the North left their homes and fled to Canada, which added approximately 20,000 blacks to its population over the following decade. Harriet Jacobs, a fugitive living in New York, described this period as “the beginning of a reign of terror to the colored population.” She was one of the runaways who remained in New York, despite learning that slave catchers had been hired to track her down. Many were captured and returned to slavery, however, including Anthony Burns, a fugitive living in Boston. Even free blacks, too, were captured and sent to the South, completely defenseless with no legal rights. The compromise lasted until the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854, when Illinois Senator Stephen Douglas proposed legislation allowing the issue of slavery to be decided in the new territories.

In 1801, Congress extended Virginia and Maryland slavery laws to the District of Columbia, establishing a federally sanctioned slave code.

In 1803, the Louisiana Purchase added Creoles and French settlers to the U.S. population. Congress approved the Louisiana Purchase from France for $15 million, which virtually doubled the country’s land size. It also re-ignited controversy over the spread of slavery in the territory.

In 1807, Congress banned the importation of slaves into the U.S., although smuggling continued in some parts of the South. Once the transatlantic slave trade was prohibited, domestic slave trading throughout the South increased.

The 1820 census added free colored persons to its racial categories.

In 1820, the Missouri Compromise brought Missouri and Maine into the Union. By this time more than 20,000 Indians lived in virtual slavery on California missions. The same year, Congress made trade in foreign slaves an act of piracy.

In 1821, Missouri entered the Union as the 24th state and a slave-holding state, maintaining the balance of slave and free states.

The Office of Indian Affairs was created in 1824.

In 1825, a ship operated by the U.S. Revenue seized a slave ship, the Antelope, sailing under a Venezuelan flag with a cargo of 281 Africans. The case was brought before the U.S. Supreme Court, which issued a unanimous opinion declaring the slave trade to be a violation of natural law. Only some of the Africans were set free, however, since the ruling also held that the U.S. could not prescribe law for other nations, and the slave trade was legal in Spain, Portugal and Venezuela. The 39 Africans designated by the court as property of Spain and the Antelope itself were restored to their owners.

The Compromise of 1850 admitted California as a free state; voters in New Mexico and Utah territories would decide whether they would be slave or free upon applying for statehood.

The new Fugitive Slave Act, also passed in 1850, made the federal government responsible for apprehending fugitive slaves in the North, and sending them back to the South. This extended slavery and its enforcement beyond the South. The South, however, felt that even this law was not strong enough, and the demand for more effective legislation resulted in enactment of a second Fugitive Slave Act that same year. However, the law was so severe that its implementation was open to abuses that defeated its purpose. Even during the Civil War, the Fugitive Slave Acts were used to prosecute blacks fleeing their masters in border states that were loyal to the Union. The acts were eventually repealed, but not until June of 1864.

In 1851 Shadrach Minkins, an African American working as a waiter in Boston, was abducted by slave catchers. Before he could be freed by legal means in a challenge to the Fugitive Slave law, Minkins was rescued by a group of African Americans.

In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act passed, dividing the region along the 40th parallel, with Kansas to the south and Nebraska to the north, and providing both territories the right to vote on whether to be slave or free. For all practical purposes the act effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850, which had attempted to regulate the spread of slavery. As a result of the new law, both pro- and anti-slavery supporters tried to convince settlers to move to Kansas in order to sway the vote. The New England Emigrant Aid Company, an anti-slavery group, was very successful, and a group of anti-slavery activists was established around the town of Lawrence, Kansas. At the same time, pro-slavery settlers from Missouri began moving across the border to Kansas, some establishing themselves as residents of the territory, others simply coming across to vote. They were called “border ruffians” by their opponents. Lecompton, Kansas, the territorial capital, boiled with tension over the issue, and so-called “free-soilers” felt so threatened there that they set up their own unofficial legislature at Topeka. The enmity between the sides verged on civil war, and the period became known as "Bleeding Kansas."

The Dred Scott decision was handed down in 1857, which denied citizenship to free and enslaved blacks.

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Appreciation Post

Thomas

Andrew

Felton

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People's Princess

She passionately fought for the ban of landmines

Just a few months before she died in a car crash, Princess Diana travelled to Angola, and an enduring picture of her stepping out on to an active minefield remains in our minds and hearts. She advocated ardently for the ban of landmines and one more iconic image of her sitting alongside a young girl with an amputated leg also came out of the visit. This visit and the bold images became a turning point for the world to put the spotlight on Angola and its landmines. What’s heartening is that her younger son, Prince Harry, has taken on the mantle by continuing his mother’s work.

She worked ardently for HIV/AIDS awareness

When the world woke up to the horrors of HIV/AIDS in the early 80s, patients were shunned and stigmatised because the disease had a sexual connotation. Princess Diana was not one to shy away from battling for HIV/AIDS awareness as well. As early as 1987, we got to see her compassionate side when she visited AIDS patients at a hospital in London. She was also seen shaking a patient’s hand without wearing gloves, sending a message to the world that the disease could not be transmitted by touch. This single act by a Princess largely changed people’s perceptions towards HIV/AIDS.

She helped the young and homeless

Princess Diana became a patron of Centrepoint, which helps the young and homeless off the streets in 1992. She constantly visited shelters, taking her young sons, Prince William and Princess Harry, along. Later, Prince William, her older son became its patron in 2005. This year, Prince William also became a patron of The Passage, another charity for the homeless, whose shelter he visited with his mother as a child in 1993. He even helped in the preparation of food at the shelter by dishing up lunch for the homeless recently. Surely, his mother’s legacy is in good hands.

She advocated for awareness of leprosy

Like her visit to an active landmine in Angola, the Princess’s visit to Sitanala Leprosy Hospital in Indonesia was also mired in controversy. However, she did not let the naysayers bother her and proceeded to sit on the beds of leprosy patients in the hospital, shaking their hands and touching their wounds, putting the spotlight on much-needed leprosy awareness across the world. Princess Diana was also Patron of The Leprosy Mission England and Wales from 1990 until she died in 1997. Like with HIV/AIDS patients, she strived to remove the stigma surrounding leprosy, giving out a message that they too need to be treated with dignity and love.

She was not afraid to speak her mind or break protocol

The People’s Princess may have been the first among the Royals to speak her mind forcefully, even breaking protocol many times to make a point. Most of the time, she preferred not to wear hats or gloves, especially so she could feel one with the people she was shaking hands with. She did not shy away from showing her affection to her children in public and took them along on most royal tours, even when they were little babies. And, we all know what happened after her divorce with Prince Charles when she mentioned in the infamous interview that “there was a third person in my marriage”.

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As the world shifts and division and strife driven by patriarchal systems increase, it is critical that we, the women’s movement, does not lose focus. We must unite to end the exploitation and oppression of people and the planet.

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We Have The Rights

The environmental crisis, the struggle for control of finite natural resources, growing extremes in wealth inequality and the growth of the internet is feeding extremism, conservatism, organized crime, conflict, mistrust and division; provoking vast migrations of people around the world, generating poverty and increasing vulnerability to exploitation.

And it’s the women and girls that are inevitably hit the hardest.

Trafficking for sexual exploitation is a $99bn a year industry, where 96% of all victims are female

137 women across the world are killed by a member of their own family every day

Adolescent girls pay a particularly heavy price

- targeted as they reach puberty, they are vulnerable to sexual predators, victimized for having ‘asked for it’, subjected to harmful practices including child marriage, forced to become mothers after rape and left unprotected and without access to justice as they fall between laws that are designed to protect children or adults.

12 million girls under 18 are married each year

Worldwide, according to a UNICEF report, 'around 15 million adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 have experienced forced sex at some point in their lifetime'

We have it in our gift to define a new inclusive future, indeed, it is already happening.

Look at Sudan, where women came together to play a central role in the uprising against the dictator President Omar al-Bashir.

Or in India where, in February 2019 thousands of women from across society joined a 10,000 km to raise awareness about the prevalence of rape and demand access to justice.

Or right now, in Lebanon, where women from across social, religious and ethnic divides are joining together to stand on the front lines of protests against the government, pushing back against the power of corruption and elitism that is holding their country back. Standing between security forces and demonstrators, they prevented violence and allowed the people’s voice to be heard.

Let us continue to rise above the divisions created by the patriarchy and seek equality through inclusion.

Prevent: We must dismantle laws that leave girls, women and other marginalized genders vulnerable to exploitation and harm through legal inequality, by ensuring constitutional equality and equality in inheritance, property and tenancy law and employment law among many others.

Protect: We must ensure that laws covering sexual offences, prostitution, trafficking, maritime, immigration, child marriage, FGM, privacy and the internet acknowledge that girls, women and other marginalized genders are subjected to violence and exploitation through coercion - whether social, economic, physical or mental.

Prosecute: We must ensure that sexual violence laws, including definitions of rape and sexual assault, and pathways to justice explore fully the issues of willingness, consent and coercion, do not rely on the ‘use of force’, and address the specific vulnerabilities and needs of adolescent girls.

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there is nothing new except what has been forgotten

- Marie Antoinette