Weekend Reads #110

How to Help

Founded in 1973 after the simple act of a mother publicly supporting her gay son, PFLAG is the first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents and families, and allies. Last year I walked with PFLAG Metro DC in the DC Pride parade and have been donating to this organization ever since. PFLAG envisions a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed inclusive of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. PFLAG's mission is to build on a foundation of loving families united with LGBTQ+ people and allies who support one another, and to educate ourselves and our communities to speak up as advocates until all hearts and minds respect, value, and affirm LGBTQ people. Advocacy is a big part of the mission of PFLAG, with members and supporters working to achieve LGBTQ+ equality through changing hearts, minds, and laws. They work at the community level, at the city and state level, and at the federal level to effect change so that people who are LGBTQ+ are safe and equal in their communities.   Click here to find your local PFLAG chapter and click here to donate to PFLAG. As with all organizations featured on Wardrobe Oxygen, an additional donation has been made to this organization.

Weekend Reads

Fashion was broken even before the pandemic. A reboot could be just what it needs. (Washington Post)

On private anxiety during a very public pandemic. (Literary Hub)

What does Pride mean now? (New York Times)

Soma has 30% off your entire purchase this weekend! Y'all KNOW I love Soma.  You can see all my Soma reviews at this link but here's a quick list of my very favorite items:

• Bras: The Enbliss Bralette is the perfect wireless lounge/sleep/casual bra up to a D cup.  If you are larger, this wireless bra is my JAM. And this is by far my favorite summer bra – it's cooling, smooth under lightweight knits, and the straps are slim and pretty enough that if they peek out of a tank it's not terrible.
• Undies: These are my favorite for feeling like you have nothing on and not worrying about them rolling down mid-day and they come in five skin tones. These are my favorite for wearing under dresses when I don't want a line showing at my waist and come in three skin tones.  And these are the best to wear under most anything because they don't leave panty lines, don't shift or roll or ride, feel comfy, aren't too high rise on my 5'3″ frame and come in pretty prints and colors as well as multiple skin tones.
• Sleep: The Cool Nights line by far is my favorite pajamas. If you sleep hot or are dealing with hot flashes, you need these.  The fabric is so great they even have pillowcases from the fabric. For a great summer weight robe in a perfect length, this is my absolute favorite.  I love the cropped Cool Nights pants and wear them all summer long, often with one of their soft support sleep camis.
• Apparel: Some of the oldest and best-looking loungewear and dresses in my wardrobe are from Soma. This is the kind of maxi dress you can wear hanging out at home or glam up for a night out. These leggings are soft and thin and perfect under dresses and longer tunics or for lounging at home.  I wear these tanks under blazers and cardigans, as activewear, as loungewear, and find them so comfy, polished, and wash up great. These are my favorite joggers, and dozens of you said you also love this cocoon wrap. And this t-shirt is a sleeper hit.  It has the trendy slub effect while being completely opaque and has an amazing shape and washes beautifully.

Without Black women, plus size fashion wouldn't exist. (StyleCaster)

The Nordstrom Clearance Sale is happening and it's worth taking a peek.  There are some fantastic pieces on major discount.  These wedge espadrille sandals from Born are perfect with all your sundresses and under wide-leg linen trousers.  I have a version of this dress (seen here) and it's one of the best summer dresses I've even owned and still own! These slip-on sneakers are cool, low-profile, and neutral enough to go with your whole summer wardrobe. Want a stylish heeled sandal that is also stable and can be worn for hours?  This is a great choice for around $65. And finally, these perfect silky pants from Eileen Fisher are 70% off and will make a simple sweater look formal. With 60% off and more, this is a sale you do not want to miss.

The Gentlemanly Hater’s Guide to Gone With the Wind. (New Republic)

For those who are a fan of Bon Appétit, this is a must-read. (Heated via Medium)

A Senegal-raised, Silicon Valley-based designer shares her vision for a more sustainable and inclusive future. (Vogue)

How to join the Black Lives Matter movement without protesting. (Politics & Fashion on YouTube)

See/Hear/Read

Okay, K and I totally went down a rabbit hole this week.  It started innocently enough – we finished The Great on Hulu, loved it, and wanted to watch another series that was quirky, witty, maybe dark but not as violent. So I researched and in an article, I think on Vanity Fair, I heard about Dispatches from Elsewhere, a series on AMC created by and starring Jason Segal as well as other fab people like Sally Field and Andre Benjamin.  We watched the first two episodes and were fascinated and began doing some research. Well, this wacky TV series is based on a true story, and there is a documentary called The Institute (we were able to watch it free on Tubi which is part of our Xfinity OnDemand but it's also on Amazon Prime and a few other places).  So we watched that.  And read a bunch of articles we could find about it all and couldn't figure out what is true, what is fantasy, do we even care, then went back to the series.  We have watched four episodes so far and really enjoy it. If you do decide to watch this series and go down a rabbit hole:

• An article about The Jejune Institute in the New York Times 
• An interview in Rolling Stone with Jason Segal on why he made this series 
• We so far thought it could be something E could watch at age 11 but she doesn't like it; Commonsense Media's thoughts on the series.
• Nonchalance.com (click the icon at the top to access different pages and sites)

Right now reading White Fragility, but on the nightstand is How to Be an Antiracist, So You Want to Talk About Race, and Wow, No Thank You. 

Listening to RomComPods, a new podcast by my friend Becca Freeman that is like a Hallmark movie and an old radio show joined forces. A nice fun distraction for your drive, walk, or while preparing dinner. 

For Your Entertainment

“I Can't Breathe” by H.E.R.

Trying times all the time
Destruction of minds, bodies, and human rights
Stripped of bloodlines, whipped and confined
This is the American pride
It's justifying a genocide
Romanticizing the theft and bloodshed
That made America the land of the free
To take a black life, land of the free
To bring a gun to a peaceful fight for civil rights
You are desensitized to pulling triggers on innocent lives
Because that's how we got here in the first place
These wounds sink deeper than the bullet
Your entitled hands could ever reach
Generations and generations of pain, fear, and anxiety
Equality is walking without intuition
Saying the protector and the killer is wearing the same uniform
The revolution is not televised
Media perception is forced down the throats of closed minds
So it's lies in the headlines
And generations of supremacy resulting in your ignorant, privileged eyes
We breathe the same and we bleed the same
But still, we don't see the same
Be thankful we are God-fearing
Because we do not seek revenge
We seek justice, we are past fear
We are fed up eating your shit
Because you think your so-called “black friend”
Validates your wokeness and erases your racism
That kind of uncomfortable conversation is too hard for your trust-fund pockets to swallow
To swallow the strange fruit hanging from my family tree
Because of your audacity
To say all men are created equal in the eyes of God
But disparage a man based on the color of his skin
Do not say you do not see color
When you see us, see us
We can't breathe