Category: Events

Yes, We Vote

Hey y’all, how are you doing? Got your Halloween plans in line? What are you planning to be? Well, it’s also Midterm Election time. Meaning we are halfway through the years for the presidential election and are looking to vote for members of the House of Representatives, the Senate and even state governors.

You may not think that your vote will matter but it definitely will. Many of our problems with voting exist because people think that they cannot do anything to create change. If we all just go to the polls, we can (as Obama used to say) make a difference in. More than a 100 million people will cast ballots this year and as of recently, a record $3.8 billion has been spent on political advertisements. Elon Musk has given about half a billion dollars to support his Republican associates, according to campaign finance records.

Money is being spent because your vote matters. Check out Blue Voter Guide where you can register to vote, research candidates and even sign up to volunteer.

Go out and vote.

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda Frances Knowles

Cardi B x NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Hey, how are yall doing? Yesterday, I was up trying to get some things done and came across an email with Cardi B’s NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert clip. Cardi B is probably one of the best female rappers of our time. She just has that it factor amplified by beautiful acoustic sounds and background singers, the video made my night. On top of that, they are fundraising as NPR is a non-profit that offers these concerts, podcasts, radio shows and more for free to listeners. Music, entertainment and creative industries can lose steam being owned by big-box companies. Selling vs. innovation. Cardi B’s clip has raised over $236K. Donate today.

Credits:

SET LIST “Hello” “ErrTime” “Man of Your Word” “Be Careful” “Up” “AH HA” “Bodak Yellow” “I Like It”

MUSICIANS Cardi B: vocals Adam Blackstone: bass, keys, music director DJ Ray G: DJ Eugene Roberts: keys Clayton Sears: guitar Cedric Thompson: drums Kenneth Whalum: sax Melvin Jones: trumpet Tiffany Stevens: background vocals Ebony Franklin: background vocals

TINY DESK TEAM Producers: Alanté Serene, Bobby Carter Director/Editor: Kara Frame Audio Director/Mix: Josh Newell Videographers: Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Mitra I. Arthur Audio Engineer: Tiffany Vera Castro Production Assistant: Dora Levite Tiny Desk Team: Ashley Pointer, Felix Contreras Series Editor: Lars Gotrich Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed Executive Director: Sonali Mehta Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda Frances Knowles

Fancy Gloves, Cheetah Print and Black, Edgy City Looks at Milan Fashion Week’s Elisabetta Franchi Spring/Summer 2027 Runway Show

So, it’s Milan Fashion Week and the runway has been full of fabulous styles for the upcoming Spring/Summer 2027. I was especially intrigued by Elisabetta Franchi’s show that included fancy gloves, edgy black city looks and cheetah print. Full length gloves are usually reserved for more formal wear but hey, who says you can’t wear them for a daytime look? I also spotted several styles with bandeau tops. It looks like crop top styling will definitely be a trend for next spring as New York Fashion Week’s Christian Siriano Spring/Summer 2027 show featured several formal crop top gowns. Sequins and see-through clothing are also still prominent trends that have been on the runway for many years now. Check out some more highlights from the show below and tell me what you think?


Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda Frances Knowles

Beautiful Crop-Top Christian Siriano Spring NYFW 2027 Dresses

Hey there, how are you all doing? Ah, fashion month! I recently came across some gorgeous crop-top dresses from Christian Siriano on the runway for Spring 2027. The style really pushes the limit for casual vs. evening wear. He’s been pumping out fabulous looks ever since he was on Project Runway in 2007. Crop tops and bandeau tops have been a prominent trend for a long time. And, whether you have washboard abs or not, the style can be cute. I came across a video by Carl Curry who is the Sales Director of Christian Siriano that captured some of the dresses. Would you wear the look to a spring event?

Photo Credit: Rodin Banica 

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda Frances Knowles

Porsha William’s Versace-Inspired Pop Art Dress for Atlanta Pride

Hey y’all, how are you doing? So, I just loved Porsha Williams from the Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Versace-inspired pop art dress that she wore to Atlanta Pride. I’ve been a fan of hers and the Housewives franchise for many years and love watching her on the show. She is also indeed in a relationship with Patrice “Sway” McKinney and stands up for the gay community in Atlanta. 

Anyway, did you see her dress? It was custom made by Rey Ortiz and is a recreation of the 1991 Marilyn Monroe x Andy Warhol Versace pop art printed dress. I believe her face was printed on the dress and shoes. Porsha also wore signature custom jewelry by Emmanuel Constantinos Tsakiris of House of Emmanuele couture jewelry. Just fabulous.

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda Frances Knowles

What The F*cK Hell Been Goin On

   

Hey y’all, how are you doing? Know it’s been a while. What the f*ck hell been going on you say? Everything. I’ve been keeping it low key this summer. A few trips to the beach with my boo, dog park with my Vivi and throwing down in the kitchen. Still running from a domestic violence offender I saw a a few times in 2011. Chile. There’s a lot of R. Kelly’s out there, the police turn often turn a blind eye and expect women and children to fend for themselves until there’s some kind of public outcry. 

Other than that, I’ve been wearing jean shorts because it is extremely hot in Florida. Also, copped this ALC Simone Studded Leather handbag which is actually on sale. Paired it with this denim Good American dress that has proved to be a really good buy. This past weekend I went out to a new club downtown and wore this cute JLorraine Designs polka dot jumpsuit. It was so comfortable and cute. I also pulled out my Sammy B. butterfly crop top and recently wore this cute see-through Fashion Nova bodysuit for my birthday this past April. It was cute for the occasion. Shout out to Elisabetta’s Ristorante downtown, their pasta and food is delicious. Peep more photos below. What have y’all been wearing in this heat?
 

Favorite “Fashion is Art” Met Gala 2026 Looks

Hey y’alll, how are you doing? Did you watch some of the Met Gala looks featured on the carpet last night? The gala’s co-chairs—Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour—were joined by a host committee that included Zoë Kravitz, Doja Cat, and Sabrina Carpenter. Jeff Bezos and his wife sponsored the event as well to much controversy. Either way, according to the museum CEO Max Hollein, the Met Gala broke its fundraising ceiling with a whopping $42 million. ‘Fashion is Art’ has been a trend for some time now and, as a visual artist, I just loved some of the looks.

Eileen Gu wore a bubble dress by Iris Van Herpen that took 2550 hours to make. The dress actually also blew real bubbles as a nod to the ever-evolving fashion technology scene. Sabrina Carpenter wore a Dior slit tulle dress accented by rhinestone film strips inspired by the 1954 film Sabrina. Beyoncé Knowles-Carter wore a skeleton dress by Olivier Rousteing, the former head of Balmain. I’ll just say this- women’s bodies should never be considered some kind of plaything. Women of African descent are often still seen as the “Jezebel,” even in the face of domestic violence offenders and rapists. 

Anyway, check out some other notable looks from Demi Lovato, Emma Chamberlain, a beautiful AI image proposed for Lady Gaga and another from Toyin Lawani below. Toast to the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute!

 

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda Frances Knowles

These Fall 2026 Prada Shoes at Milan Fashion Week

Hey y’all, how are you doing? Well, yep, it’s Fashion Month. Where we check out the latest styles for the upcoming Fall. What have been some of your favorite shows? I’ve owned one pair of black Mary Jane Prada shoes from one of my beloved shops Bergdorf Goodman and they have lastest me over a decade. Even though it might be a bit pricier, buying designer items are sometimes really worth it. 

Anyway, I really loved the delicate balance of floral details, ribbons and fur in the recent Fall 2026 Milan Fashion Week Prada runway show. The blossomy print on some of the socks and skirts reminded me of my “Bougainvilleas on a Sunday” painting. Flowers can really soften a Fall wardrobe. As I bootstrap for my blog and M2, make sure you check out some of my “Bougainvilleas on a Sunday” merchandise.

What do you think of these Prada shoes and designs for the upcoming Fall?

Photo Credit: Photo: Umberto Fratini / Gorunway.com

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda Frances Knowles

Stella Jean’s Hand-Painted Haitian Olympic Costumes

So, have you been watching the Winter Olympics in Milan? I’ve caught a few segments here and there. Must say I’m kind of into figure skating on ice. They jump and twirl and attempt seemingly dangerous moves and do it with such perfection and grace. I just say wow. 

Well, I was really in awe of the Haitian Olympic competitor’s hand-painted uniforms. There’s only two Haitian athletes competing- Richardson Viano, an alpine skier, and Stevenson Savart, a cross-country skier. Haitian-Italian designer Stella Jean created these beautiful costumes that really tell a Haitian story. She also designed the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. 

The costumes were based on a 2006 painting of the formerly enslaved revolutionary Toussaint Louverture riding a horse by the Haitian artist Edouard Duval-Carrié. Stella Jean actually had to redo her original design after being told it did not comply with International Olympic Committee rules on athletic expression. The IOC guidelines stipulate: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious, or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.” So, they redid the design to only feature the horse.

They also added a traditional headwrap symbolizing how enslaved Africans were forced to cover their hair. Stella worried that the rain forecast might dissolve the paint and reveal Toussaint’s face underneath. In any case, I just love these costumes. What do you think?

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda Frances Knowles