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nagirambles · 2 years

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You got any unpopular opinions ? For an example I wished Erza had an scar across her eye , wished Natsu kept his long hair (bonus if he put it in a ponytail 😍) it be cool seeing Gray wearing ear piercing 👀 as for Lucy maybe blue eyes so she doesn’t look to much like her mother (that and her dad has blue eyes ) as much as I love plue it be cool if she summoned Pyxis more (that and I think he be a very useful spirit for plot purposes🤷‍♀️) Wendy miss her Bob hair style , exceeds another arc ?

I don't think those are unpopular opinions, but I get what you mean!

I have quite a few, but generally, I super agree with all of what you’ve said. Lucy having different colour eyes would be cool too! Honestly, she, Layla, and Anna should have more differences than clothing... like, give Layla some wrinkles, like she had in her first appearance in Phantom Arc. Hell, give her longer hair maybe? Like, floor length kind of long that is always tied up elaborately? So Lucy can keep the shoulderlength? And Anna would be interesting with short hair, because back then wars and all, it would fit. I would love to see Anna having tattoos or scars, tattoos maybe related to spirits would be cool! Kind of like the Aquarius mark that Lucy has around her collar, but related to the CSK... or maybe even related to acnologia, it would add so much potential lore.

I want more characters to have piercings and tattoos! Very few characters have non-guildmark tattoos. One of them is Laxus, and it looks super cool. More characters should have stuff like that!

On the topic of guild marks, though, I do really think it’d have been cute to see Lisanna have her guild mark at her ankle or calf, instead of the upper thigh. I know it’s to match Mira, but a spot unique to her would be nice. Alas, she isn’t really written well or at all, so oh well.

I think it’d be cool if Erza had an eye scar, definitely! I also think a lot about her having her mark on her back, the same place as Grandpa Rob, instead of her arm. I actually want all of the TOH kids, including O6, to have permanent injuries or scars of some sort, like Jellal having a permanent wrist injury from getting hung by them for weeks. Millianna and Sho being underdeveloped/stunted from malnutrition. Maybe Erza should get tattoos to cover some of the worst scars she’s had, and it would be sweet to see that it matches someone in the guild, like Gray or Cana for example. Maybe they got it with her because she was apprehensive of the needle?

Oh! Speaking of Erza! I want her to stand on the hilt of her sword and ride it to fly. I want her to have a sword that can do that, because she wanted to fly in the sky when she was in the tower. She should definitely have an ability that lets her fly, not with wings, but while sitting or standing on something like a cute witch!

So, I want to say I love the long, curly hairstyle that Sherry, Meredy, Evergreen, Cana, and Juvia have. But I hate it, because Mashima seems to think that’s the only ‘glowup’ a girl can have. Seriously, keep Juvia’s short hair, that was so cute! Laki has similar hair, but at least she has a ponytail. Meredy just looks like Sherry but with a pastel colouring? Evergreen should have kept the bun. My problem isn’t that it’s not pretty-- they’re gorgeous and I love that hairstyle so much... but add this on to Cana and you have at least half a dozen girls that all look exactly the same in a black and white medium. This is not good character design variety at all! Among these type of hairstyle redesigns, I think Romeo’s look stupid with the chestnut-ish shape whatever, and somehow, Kinana has turned out to look exactly like Ur at the end of the show?? Seriously they should have all just stayed in their initial designs. It’s not like Natsu or Erza changed, why did they need so many pointless changes? Why did Vijeeter turn middle eastern? Why did Jura change religions??

I was talking about hair. But my point is that yes. everyone who had short hair(/long hair for Natsu) at some point should have kept it that way, including Wendy, that was so important to her development. One of the things Mashima tries to do but fails is give characters important ‘development haircuts’ to mark a huge turning point or growth. A good example is Sakura’s haircut in Naruto. Mashima fails to give nearly the same amount of impact because 1. Lucy’s hair changes so often, her 1y timeskip long hair just feels like a new hairstyle rather than ‘oh, she’s grown up now!’. and 2. Wendy’s hair at the end of the FACE confrontation would have been perfect as her peak statement of resolve, and her short hair should have been kept as a physical reminder of that fact. But they immediately gave the long hair back, so we cannot physically mark down the point where Wendy arrived at the climax of her development. She doesn’t look like she’s changed at all. This is manga, You can’t just tell us things and forget about it, you have to show it to us and mark it down with a permanent reminder somewhere, anywhere, like Gray’s brow scar after Galuna, Erza’s new armor design after TOH, and Juvia’s complete style change after TOH, just to timestamp this change for the readers. Instead of committing to these changes, Mashima gave Wendy’s hair back immediately and Juvia’s hair back after the peak of her arc in Fantasia. Instead, Mashima gave and kept ‘I’ve grown up now’ hairstyles for Sherry and Evergreen, both of whom hardly got any focus beyond some resolve lines twenty chapters after the reveal of the new hair. Mashima... please...

Other unpopular opinions... in general I hate the way Lucy’s magic is written. She just keeps spamming spirits back and forth. She runs out of magic, then she learns how to summon Leo without a key. And then she learns how to summon two spirits back and forth! Then she learns Star Dresses, so now she can spam different dresses back and forth! Like, Mashima. What the hell, man? We emphasize so much on her not having enough magic to open too many gates a day, but instead of trying to work around that, we just keep finding loopholes (Loke coming himself, Star Dresses) so we can keep doing it anyway. What’s the point? ‘Lucy does not have a lot of magic’ is emphasized so much as her magic’s main drawback, and yet, she never attempts to work around it. She just keeps doing it to look cool, and then when she runs out of magic, ‘oh no, I’m out of magic!’ like, what did you expect to happen? Mashima, don’t do her dirty like that! She’s smarter than this! Seriously what happened to the whip... I love the idea of Celestial Spirit magic so much, but after Edolas, Lucy was devolved into a Pokemon Master, and none of the spirits themselves ever got any development ever again. it’s such a shame.

Sorry. Rambled about that again. But that aside.

The silver spiritttttss!! Like, I don’t really care for Plue, we all know he’s just around to fill up panel space. I don’t care that Plue isn’t contributing to this story because Plue is just an Easter egg, non-talking plushie of a creature, and doesn’t need to. But seriously, Mashima only cares about Plue and Horologium! We should have seen more CS mages and Silver spirits over the course of the story. I don’t care if we see three thousand more Nicola, I want to see a random kid hugging one in the background because Plue is apparently a popular pet spirit. I just want to see CS having more significance in this world. Let Lucy fight another CS mage, why are there no silver-exclusive CS mages? Does anyone remember how damn cool Caelum was? There’s more Caelum out there since it’s a silver key, so why is no one using it?! T^T

Also... this is a real unpopular opinion I think... but I wish Loke kept his furry hoodie style. The suit doesn’t really suit him, and clashes with Capricorn. The suit feels more ‘Blue Pegasus’, you know? I think he looks badass and really cool in the suit and I go hype seeing him in it, but I also feel like the punk, comfy hoodie style suits him more as the ‘Loke’ that is Lucy’s treasured friend, you know? He doesn’t have to stick to professional even though he’s gone back to being a Celestial Spirit. I feel it’d be nice. Though I don’t feel very strongly about this one, it’s just a thought I’ve had.

#it's an ask #it's a headcanon #i'm reaching #i have biases i'm sorry #just a ramble #the menace celestials #fairy tail #fic related rambles

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dippedanddripped · 3 years

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One cannot look back on 2001 R&B/hip-hop without paying homage to the fits, the fits, the fits! Designer monogrammed wigs, bedazzled denim from head to toe, the occasional inexplicable trend (Nelly, looking at you), and, of course, Destiny's Child never leaving the house without three glamorous variations of the same fabric.

"[Hip-hop fashion] was creative and custom," says Derek Lee, former stylist to R&B icon, Aaliyah. "It wasn't driven totally by designers, you could still show up with some street stuff and it'd be acceptable." Lee, who styled the beloved singer from 1996 to 2001, pioneered the "sensual tomboy" aesthetic, central to today's fashion landscape, and evident in the wardrobes of R&B stars like Ciara, Teyana Taylor and Rihanna.

Lee recalled his own customizing experiences, adding glitz to streetwear pieces for the late singer. "We were flying to Paris and I'd be bedazzling Enyce sweatsuits for Aaliyah," he explains. Lee paid homage to fellow stylist June Ambrose for her work with Missy Elliott in further establishing the craze surrounding bedazzled pieces.

Ambrose, who styled over 200 music videos, was Missy's right-hand woman, costume designing for every major Missy Elliott production including "Get Ur Freak On," "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)," "One Minute Man," and "Lose Control." She was a go-to designer for R&B/hip-hop heavyweights including Diddy, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige and Mariah Carey, and currently works as a creative director for Puma.

"We didn't have a point of reference that came before us," explains Ambrose. "We took the risk for the future." The "Rain" designer discussed the role of late '90s to early '00s designers as trailblazers, bursting through barriers between high-end labels and R&B/hip-hop culture. "I bridged high fashion with urban music," says Ambrose, "What felt so rebellious was taking a high fashion piece, and still keeping the same demeanor and swag that you wore in your neighborhood."

Dionne Alexander, the hairstylist behind Lil Kim's monogrammed wigs and Mary J. Blige's '90s updo's, agrees. "Look how free we are here," Alexander says. "It was very exciting, we were able to be extremely creative and we had to pull it from within. We didn't have Instagram, we had to go out and get magazines.

Tre Major, hairstylist to legendary celebrities including Aaliyah, Mary J. Blige, Patti LaBelle and Naomi Campbell, says the early '00s was "the best" era for fashion and hip-hop. "I was like an architect on the outside," Major explained. "Building the visuals, landscaping and making it gorgeous." Major was responsible for ushering in the lace-front wig into the world of R&B/hip-hop. "[The other stylists] were just geek because they never seen anything like it," says Major. "Now you can find a lace front wig on every corner, every boutique, every website."

On the 20th anniversary of this iconic, enduring year in fashion, Billboard caught up with the architects of the era, June Ambrose, Derek Lee, Tre Major and Dionne Alexander, to discuss some of the most memorable looks in '01 R&B/hip-hop and how these moments shaped the culture for decades to come.

Missy Elliott's Rhinestones, "Get Ur Freak On" Courtesy Photo Missy Elliott "Get Ur Freak On"

Missy Elliott's "Get Ur Freak On" bedazzled denim

In '01, rhinestones were all the craze, and we have June Ambrose to thank. "It was all about making Missy a rock star," says Ambrose. "I got her hooked on rhinestones -- and once that happened, forget about it." The 200-time music video stylist says the glittering look from Missy's Dave Meyers directed video was meant to create a dichotomy between Elvis-like glamour and sportswear. "The jean jacket silhouette was very comfortable and relatable to her, but taking a Bootsy Collins over the top approach is what made it really tangible and special."

Aaliyah's Catsuit, "More Than A Woman" Courtesy Photo Aaliyah "More Than A Woman"

Aaliyah's "More Than A Woman" Chanel catsuit

Aaliyah's Dapper Dan-designed faux Chanel catsuit from the "More Than a Woman" video is one of the late singer's most iconic moments. "I knew that it was going to be a feature, that it would be striking, if it was different from anything she has done before," says Lee. The decision to choose Chanel was a step away from edgier brands like Dolce & Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli, which the sweet singer was typically dressed in. But why not have Chanel design the piece themselves? "[The major brands] didn't want to be associated with rap music and this street culture," explains Lee, "That's why we had to create our own stuff or have it knocked off by [Dapper] Dan." When Aaliyah saw the design, Lee says she was feeling it. "I had decided to move Aaliyah into almost a cartoon character," he tells Billboard. "I was going down to Little Tokyo and getting all these anime books and had this entire idea."

Lil Kim Steve Wood/Shutterstock Lil Kim photographed at the Versace Haute couture show, Spring /Summer 2001 in Paris, France.

Lil Kim's monogrammed wigs

Monogrammed tresses have popped up on the heads of the rap's most iconic first ladies, including Nicki Minaj and Cardi B -- but similar to countless other signature hip-hop trends, it started with Lil Kim as the blueprint, and hairstylist Dionne Alexander the architect. "The inspiration totally comes from [Lil Kim] and who she is," says Alexander, the mastermind behind Lil Kim's Versace wig and equally iconic blue Chanel wig. "It was such a flow of creative energy, like a power that was coming through."

Alexander recalls coloring the Chanel wig Lil Kim wore for Manhattan File Magazine late into the night, until 5:00 in the morning. "I went to the art store and got trace paper and created the logo, then I cut it out." And her secret? Black magic marker. "With the Versace wig," Alexander says, "She called me and left this message on my machine that I literally kept for years. She went nuts, and it was the same with the Chanel."

Alexander says the present-day response to both wigs is surprising. "It's more of a buzz now than it was then. I'm so shocked at how many people call me about it now."

Outkast "So Fresh, So Clean" Courtesy Photo Outkast "So Fresh, So Clean"

Outkast's 'So Fresh' and 'So Clean' looks

The evolution of men's fashion in hip-hop is inextricably linked to the genius duo best known as Outkast. The pair defied longstanding tropes of how rappers were expected to present themselves and sent the media into frequent frenzies, with their delightfully shocking red carpet looks. In the "So Fresh, So Clean" music video, the eccentric Georgian duo rock a myriad of hairstyles, from a sleek, flipped perm, to a combed out, asymmetrical afro.

"That's some Southernplayalistic s--t right there," says Lee, in reference to the pair's '01 look. Alexander says Andre 3000 and Big Boi "revolutionized male confidence" through their unapologetic expression of creativity. Of Andre 3000, Major says, "He took a real gamble and went for it, just being his true artistic self and everyone loved it."

Macy Gray Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect Macy Gray arriving at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in New York City on Sept. 6, 2001.

Macy Gray's Vocal Dress at the MTV Video Music Awards

It was the dress seen (and read) around the world. Macy Gray, a performer known for her unconventional style and music, decided to transform her award show dress into a walking billboard. "That was totally Macy's idea, I just had to execute it," says Ambrose, the designer of Macy's immortal dress. "Working with Macy Gray was so much fun because she was an anomaly," Ambrose remembers. "In that moment, it was important that she sold albums, and she had she wanted to capitalize on the moment. It's like, where's the return on the investment? I'm getting hair and makeup and spending money on wardrobe. Is it gonna help me sell records? We wanted to just make sure that it did."

Destiny's Child "Survivor" Courtesy Photo Destiny's Child "Survivor"

Destiny's Child's coordinated camo

There are few things more memorable about the late '90s and early '00s than DC3's coordinated looks. Whether it was award shows, music videos or MTV appearances, you caught the trio out and about without perfect coordination. "Tina Knowles strikes again," says Ambrose, of Beyonce's mother and the group's resident designer. "Utilitarian was such a celebration of being tough and dominant," Ambrose explained. "It showed females in military can be sexy, that it's not just a man's game." Major drew comparisons to another always coordinated, ever-influential girl group. "Every time I looked at them, I saw the modern day Supremes," he said. "Everyone wanted to follow the camouflage trend."

Nelly Charles Sykes/Shutterstock Nelly photographed on Sept. 7, 2001.

Nelly's inexplicable face band-aid and double headbands

There are countless rumors circulating the World Wide Web about the explanation behind Nelly's little white Band-Aid and criss-crossed headbands. But regardless of the backstory, Nelly's creative face accessory was all people could talk about. "He created his own thing, like a left-eye kind of moment," says Major, who remembered considering rocking a Band-Aid himself. Ambrose says the bandage symbolized a "thug badge of honor," as iconic to Nelly as eye black is to football players.

Alicia Keys Anthony Barboza/Getty Images Alicia Keys photographed in New York in 2001.

Alicia Keys' beads and cornrows

Before Alicia Keys arrived on the scene, cornrows and beads were seldom seen in mainstream music. Ambrose, who styled Alicia in the early years of her career says the pianist extraordinaire's team always kept her identity in mind. "We wanted to always keep a sense of that New York girl and celebrate all the things that that spoke to her Blackness," says Ambrose. Not only was Alicia's hair aesthetically striking, it also played a roll in representation of Black women's natural tresses. "Universally, it told other young Black girls and it's okay to wear your braids and your beads," explained Ambrose. "That this isn't a Bo Derek moment, this is an African moment."

Mary J. Blige "Family Affair" Courtesy Photo Mary J. Blige "Family Affair"

Mary J. Blige's avant-garde "Family Affair" wigs

It's hard to say what part of the "Family Affair" experience was most unforgettable. Was it the futuristic outfits? Iconic choreographed moves? The fact that Mary basically invented three new words? In the world of fashion, it was most definitely the wigs. Tre Major, Mary's long-time hairstylist, says the chart-topping singer was ever-evolving, setting trend after trend along the way.

"I gave her edge and femininity," says Major. "I named that wig the Marvin Martian," Major says of Mary's salt and pepper avant-garde wig, a nod to the Looney Tunes character. Major says he custom made the wig on the R&B diva, since her head was "so small" compared to the mannequins. "She was the best muse because she was so daring," he explains. "She trusted me."

#missy elliott #june ambrose #derek lee #nelly #hiphop fashion #tre major #streetwear blog #fashion blog

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