Fun fact: Nordstrom currently has nearly 1600 pairs of flat shoes to choose from. This is both exciting and scary, if you ask me. But all of this inventory means that every flat-shoe trend you could possibly ask for is present and accounted for at Nordstrom. The tricky part is picking your poison.
The Color Purple tells the story of Celie, a poor Black girl in Georgia (the young version played by Phylicia Pearl Mpasi) who has been dealt, like so many Black women before her, a life of abuse, racism, loneliness and self-loathing. As Celie survives domestic violence from her father, her husband Mister (Domingo), and has her children stripped from her, she is on a journey of resilience, redemption, and self-discovery. Self-love and community care are the two forces that save Celie, and the beautiful message of The Color Purple is that the bonds of Black sisterhood can heal even the deepest wounds. In the original text, those bonds are tethered by romantic and platonic love — Celie clearly falls in love with the charismatic blues singer Shug, and her friendship with Sofia and unconditional love for her estranged sister Nettie (played by Halle Bailey and Ciara, respectively) carry her through her darkest moments. In the 1985 movie and the Broadway musical adaptation, Celie and Shug’s romance is more implied than explicit and the erasure of Celie’s queerness does a disservice to both. In the 2023 version, the oversight is an egregious misuse of Barrino and Henson’s talent. The omission of a true queer love story (they still kiss but its meaning is left slightly ambiguous) takes away from the beauty and potential boldness of this remake.
As we switch from lighter-jacket season to “sweater with a huge coat and scarf” season, it’s time to consider investing in outerwear to see us through to the spring. Given just how sensible the coats are on the market right now, you’d be hard-pressed to make any categorically “bad” decisions. Many of us wear our winter coats every day for at least five months out of the year, so selecting the right one to spend our money on isn’t just an aesthetic decision. It’s a practical one too. This season, the styles on offer are skewing much more timeless and classic, like tried-and-true wool styles, but there are, of course, standout shearling styles, puffers, and everything in between.
For electric, provocative, insanely creative makeup inspiration (glitter and otherwise), follow makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench. If you like what you see, consider the new Liplacq 2.0, a maximizing lip serum featuring a sparkle derived from iron oxide and a “proprietary botanical lip puffer,” that stimulates circulation for a volumizing, warming effect. More, sometimes really is more.
I currently have five pairs of black boots in my rotation; a knee-high pair, three ankle boots with varying heel heights, and some hiker-style lace-ups that have were incredibly useful during the January cold snap. Typically, boots cost more than other shoe styles as they require considerably more fabric than, say, a pair of slingbacks or loafers, so I always view them as an investment. However, it’s one with no real risk—versatile and incredibly sleek, black boots are the cornerstone of every good outfit I see on Instagram right now. From knee-high to ankle, flat to heeled, it seems fashion people are forgoing the more statement boot trends of the season for failsafe black, just as I have always done. The big question is, with so many pairs out there, which black boots are the best black boots? I’ve assembled a handful for every style below.
