*Video Review* Wale -- Lotus Flower Bomb ft. Miguel

Of course, being on Twitter, you get to view everyone else's opinion about e v e r y t h i n g before you even get a chance to form your own.  This was the case for the 'Lotus Flower Bomb' video for me.  I didn't see too many people say good things about it, but decided to check it out anyway to form my own opinion.

The Girl -- Many people addressed the young lady in the video (Bre, a former America's Next Top Model contestant) as basic, amongst other negative terms.  Yes, I did notice a few pimples, but she also sported her natural hair, light makeup and a subdued wardrobe, however, that is not basic, that is normal.  We're so used to seeing music videos with only racially ambiguous, light-eyed, ultra curvy, scantily clad ladies with tons of weave and mountains of makeup.  Don't get me wrong, they are generally quite beautiful, but the way Taj (the video's director) & Wale collaborated to emphasize natural, everyday, realistic beauty was like a breath of fresh air.

The Concept -- For Wale to be a new, but not really new, artist, this was a nice video.  The storyline was cute and simple.  The fact that Wale a)daydreamed & b)didn't get the girl at the end of the video, simply add to the overall realness factor that was so heavily prominent throughout.  

Oh, and Miguel's hair was disturbing.  Other than that, I liked it.  Check it out below if you haven't seen it.

  

Geometric Recreation

This time, on my regular journey to Pretty Please Nail Salon, I drew inspiration from a different source.  Rather than going to Google or just trying to come up with something, I took advantage of a piece of jewelry I admire. I loved this pattern & figured it'd be rather flattering on my nails, especially with their shape.  




The inspiration: 

I didn't expect, nor did I want, an exact replica of the design, but it still came out surpassing my expectations.

High Fashion. High Tech.

When most people think of gamers, they think nerdy, socially inept individuals who could care less about fashion or anything having to do with aesthetics, really.  But thanks to Dior, we can take a different point of view as far as gaming is concerned.  Just recently, they released an ad portraying their latest collection of cosmetics as components of timeless video games such as Tetris, Pacman and Pong.  Although the cosmetics are not obviously displayed on a face, this ad is much more intriguing than a photograph of an overly emaciated model that's been photoshopped to death.  You be the judge: 

However, this isn't the first time in high fashion history that technology has had an influence on the portrayal of products.  Earlier this year, Chanel released an ad featuring robots as a means to present their most recent cosmetic line as well.

[Leave Your MARC] Fashion Show

Last Friday, the Auburn University Modeling Board as well as a few other modelesque  and stylish students that I chose, had the privilege of participating in Mr. Tuskegee University's "Leave Your Marc" fashion show.  The show was put together by Marc McMillan, who holds the Mr. Tuskegee University title.  It was a walk-off style show and AU came in 3rd despite a few mishaps.  Overall it was a great experience and we had fun.


Scene 1: "Rep Your School" -- we displayed our school spirit by sporting an assortment of orange and blue ensembles.

(above photos courtesy of YNOT iMages)

(above photos courtesy of Infinite Creation Images)

Scene 2: "Leave Your Marc" -- each model expressed their personal style as they pleased.

 (above photos courtesy of Infinite Creation Images)

(above photos courtesy of YNOT iMages)

Please be sure to check out more work by the wonderful photographers who are both dear associates of mine.  Go like Infinite Creation Images and YNOT iMages on Facebook. 

Betsey Johnson S/S 2012 Collection

 Black, white, floral patterns, leopard print, pastels, studs, stripes and skulls were just a few elements that Betsey Johnson included in her Spring/Summer 2012 collection which she debuted on last Monday of NYFW.  It streamed live but unfortunately I wasn't able to catch it, so I absolutely had to research what I missed.

Some things I appreciated: The models sported Stila cosmetics, which I've been a fan of for years.  In addition, all of the models wore the "Lightning Bolt" earrings by Melody Ehsani, one of my personal favorite designers. 

More Photos: 

 

*New Song* Wale ft. Kevin Cossom & Rick Ross -- "Best Night Ever"

Word is this is one of the singles off the "Ambition" album.  From Wale's poetic flow and artistic content to Kevin Cossom's refreshing hook, this song is everything I need.  I personally love when sampled music is put together properly and here, the use of Maze & Frankie Beverly's "Can't Get Over You" really takes this song to a totally different level. Enjoy.

Frank Ocean -- two new [artistic expressions]

This week, Frank Ocean has released two visuals; one for 'Swim Good' off of his Nostalgia, Ultra mixtape and another for 'Thinking About You'.



Swim Good


To be honest, this video is simple, yet it totally epitomizes the thoughts I personally have when I hear this song.  Although a rather complex storyline, in the song, the video conveys a message to those who may need a clearer understanding of the song.


frank ocean [swim good] from christopher francis ocean on Vimeo.


Thinking About You

I absolutely love this visual representation.  As opposed to 'Swim Good' and it's video, the song 'Thinking About You' relays a simpler message, but the video is much more complex.  I tend to be quite analytical so I admire all of the thought that went into the creation of this metaphoric and parallel storyline. 


Frank Ocean - Thinking About You (music video) from High5Collective on Vimeo.

One thing I've noticed about all of the Frank Ocean videos I've seen is that they are open-ended, in that they leave room for further reflection and let the viewer finish the storyline in their own way.  While already quite imaginative, they still allow the viewer to use their imagination for interpretation.