When Spike Lee released his iconic film, Do the Right Thing in 1989 the world was introduced to Bedford Stuyvesant, one of Brooklyn’s most notorious neighborhoods.  But rather than display the area as a crime ridden mess, Lee gave it a more human feel.

To commemorate the film’s 25th anniversary and celebrate it’s role in helping to shift the negative perception of Bed Stuy, the city of New York renamed Stuyvesant Street between Lexington and Quincy, “Do the Right Thing Way” since many of the scenes were filmed there.  Spike Lee celebrated the honor by throwing a free block party this this past weekend that featured appearances by Public Enemy, Erykah Badu, and Wesley Snipes. Check out my style sightings from the event below.

Some of the ladies wore clothing to honor Spike Lee.

Check out her “Doin’ the Butt” School Daze sweatshirt.  E yay E yay E, E yay E yay E yay E yeah, lol!  I had to.

Doesn’t she look a bit like Solange (Left)?  Plus she’s wearing the Pumas designed by Solo.

I loved her “Brooklyn Before Gentrification” T shirt featuring a young Spike Lee.

The guys kept it cool and interesting.

share!

While strolling through Fort Greene, I ran into a few lovely ladies with cool style and talent to match.

First I met Nnena who is multi-talented.  Not only is she a dancer, she’s also a makeup artist and stylist.  The fiery orange streak in her hair caught my eye from across Cuyler Gore Park.

Then I stumbled upon artist and photographer Naa-Abeka as she was getting the word “Warrior” painted on the side of her head by artist, Evan T. Bishop.

I loved her hair and accessories.  Plus these “A Different World” prints have been on my radar.

On my way back to Dekalb Avenue I met Ebony Brown.  She and her partners were selling cool vintage and contemporary wear.  She’s also a multi-talented stylist and artist who has dabbled in DJing.

We talked about how rare and insanely cool her vintage sweatshirt is.

I loved her vibrant accessories.

share!

Williamsburg is known for grungy hipster-esqe style.  But during my time there last week, I was drawn to a more subtle edge.  This gentleman really stood out in this simple yet stylish look.

Then I ran into Alicia Alexis, Creative Director of Artsy Magazine.  She also kept it simple and cool.

share!

Within the span of 15 years twerking went from an average hip-hop dance to the internet’s worst kept secret.   Twerking was reportedly introduced to United States in the early 90s by DJ Jubilee, who created the first recorded song using the word “twerk.” Since then it’s been popularized by the likes of New Orleans’ “Queen of Bounce,” Ms. Freedia. In the early 2000s artists like the Ying Yang Twins, Beyonce, and Ciara referenced it in their music and performances. But twerking remained a mere dance on the list of many within hip-hop culture. Things started to shift after Youtube became a playpen for camera thirsty Twerk enthusiasts.

Whether you warmed up to the provocative dance or not, there’s no question that it sparked a phenomenon in culture and fashion. Who could scroll through their Instagram feed without seeing someone wearing a T-Shirt referencing their support for twerking? Almost everyone was a twerk team captain.

share!

You never know what you’ll see and who you’ll meet in Union Square.  This past weekend I spotted two women who were on opposite ends of the style spectrum, but they were both equally alluring.

First I ran into Sharae.  Her lovely silk skirt and tube top caught my eye immediately.

She accessorized this look nicely. Her belt and Tory Burch bag added to her Girly-girl elegance.

Then I ran into Breezy, who has quite an interesting story.  The 23-year-old is one half of the popular trendy eye wear brand, Coco and Breezy.  She and her twin sister moved to New York from Minnesota and later launched their company.  Their eye wear has been seen on the likes of Rihanna, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, and other celebs.

Sharae and Breezy…

share!

It’s common to stumble upon an indie film set here in New York City, but this set was special.  “I think she might be a sighting” my friend told me when she spotted Gabby from across Fort Greene Park acting out a scene for a movie.  I turned towards where she stood and noticed her luscious locks and her fabulous get-up.  Indeed, she was a sighting.

Gabby….

share!

I spotted Abdul in front of his store on Nostrand Ave in Bedstuy.  I love how his hat gave him an unexpected burst of color and print.

share!

I spent Father’s Day having brunch with my amazing husband and our 10 month old daughter.  So in true “Brooklyn Sunday brunch” fashion, I wore a classic bright linen sheath dress from J. Crew and a long strand of pearls that I layered up.  To jazz things up, I threw on a pair of funky spotted shades.

I love this envelope clutch I got a few years ago from Asos.  It’s stylish, it holds so much, and it has a classic feel.

share!

When I spotted these two ladies walking down the street in Fort Greene, I thought of the vintage New York City street photos taken by Jamel Shabazz during the late 70s to the early 80s (see examples below).  As a nod to Shabazz’s aesthetic, I decided to edit these pictures to have an old school feel.

Her acid wash jeans give the old school vibe while her Beats headphones and sneakers are unmistakably current.

I love how Jamel Shabazz captured such an important time in urban culture.  Hip Hop was a budding musical genre and black street style was the epitome of cool.

Clearly this time in urban history can’t be duplicated.  But at least we have the photos to reflect on.

To all my 2014 Around the Way Girls…

share!

Bring Back Our Girls rally, Union Square

On April 14 Boko Haram, a Nigerian Islamic terrorist group, kidnapped over 200 girls from their school in the rural town of Chibok located in Borno State in Northern Nigeria. They reportedly planned to convert each of the girls into Muslims and sell them off as brides. Boko Haram later released video footage of some of the girls reciting Muslim prayers.

The incident sparked an outcry on social media, which resulted in the popular hashtag, #BringBackOurGirls. Protestors across the globe also took to the streets.

The organizers for one demonstration held last month in New York City asked female attendees to “rock a crown” (a head wrap), to show solidarity with the mothers of the young women who were violently stolen.

When I first saw the invitation to the rally, my emotions kicked into full gear for the young women of Chibok. I thought about how on-trend head wraps have become. A part of me wanted all of us to put our good fashion sense on pause. Did the mothers of these young women really need us to wear a gele or a turban to show solidarity? Clearly our headgear would be the furthest thing from their minds at such a trying time.

I went to the protest and snapped the photo above, among others. To date, I think it’s one of the best images I’ve taken since I began conceptualizing my idea for ScriptsandSightings.com. The ladies in the photo exude a sense of dignity, which I believe is a protest in and of itself. Their head wraps simply added to that power.

Then I remembered how other articles of clothing have been an important symbol for various protests and revolutions—particularly involving Africans and African Americans—throughout the years. Here are a few examples:

Huntsville Alabama—Blue Jeans Sunday

In the 1960s, African American residents in Huntsville, Alabama were not allowed to use restrooms at department stores or even try on clothes and shoes. Members of the city grew tired of the prejudice and decided to take action.

On Easter Sunday, April 21, 1962 African Americans were encouraged to wear blue jeans and denim skirts to church instead of fancy Easter clothing. The little known boycott— which was dubbed Blue Jeans Sunday—was designed to hit the merchants where it hurt: their profits. Easter was a time when stores in the area sold the most suits and dresses. After the boycott, it was estimated that those businesses lost nearly one million dollars that Easter weekend.   Three months later Huntsville merchants decided to end segregation in their establishments, making it the first integrated city in Alabama.

Keep in mind, wearing denim in the 1960s wasn’t the fashion statement that it is today. So I imagine, going to church on Easter Sunday in jeans was a real sacrifice for the people of Huntsville. It eventually paid off.

share!