Category: Fashion Icons

Naomi Osaka’s Nike x Ambush US Open Outfit

In a nod to Japanese culture, Naomi Osaka hit the US Open in style with a Nike x Ambush green outfit. Bows, tulle and ruffles were designed for the tennis star and she absolutely glowed and made quite the fashion statement. The outfit had a removable tutu and windbreaker that she took off to reveal a green tennis ensemble. She was returning to the court after a break for her mental health as well as a pregnancy. Check out more of the tennis champs’ look and original sketch below.

Photo Credit: Mike Stobe; Robert Prange/Getty Images

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda F. Knowles

Dr. Jill Biden’s Sequined Democratic National Convention Dress

So, regardless of your politics, there are some very interesting and some great, historic moments from the Democratic National Convention and even the Republican Convention. I just had to ask, did you see Dr. Jill Biden’s sequined periwinkle dress last night at the Democratic National Convention? I thought it was the perfect serve of fashion, style and politics for the first night of the convention. Supposedly it was made for the first lady by Ralph Lauren. What did you think of it and are you registered to vote? If you’re not registered, make sure you sign up (click here).

Photo Credit: AFP

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda F. Knowles

Vice President Kamala Harris’ Style

So, can you imagine that the next President of the United States could be a woman? Nevertheless, a black woman at that. If you haven’t heard, President Biden dropped out of the Presidential race and has officially endorsed Kamala Harris. Now, she is not quite on Michelle Obama’s level. But, if the fashion industry rallies around her, perhaps we can get some great fashion moments if she becomes President. 

So, supposedly Vice President Kamala Harris loves Converse sneakers and will throw on a gay pride Levi’s sequined jacket for Pride Month as well. She loves power dressing but will add her spin to it, even for the cover of Vogue. What would you like to see Kamala wear?

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda F. Knowles 

Beyoncé and The Best Spaghetti and Meatballs

Good afternoon! How are you doing today? Have you been following everything my sister Beyoncé is doing? Well, I actually had a craving for some spaghetti and meatballs, came across this Beyoncé post and decided to make the best spaghetti I’ve ever had from the Kitchenista’s (Angela Davis’) recipe

The meatballs are made with beef, pork and veal and the tomato sauce is homemade with fresh basil and italian seasoning. My Aunt Martha taught me to put a little brown sugar in tomato sauce to take away some of the tanginess. I made this recipe this past weekend and have been enjoying ever since. When was the last time you made spaghetti and meatballs?

So, here goes! Happy cooking!
 
Some notes on the recipe and substitutions, before we get down to business:
 
  • If you buy your ground meat from the counter, it’s easier to ask for the exact amount you need. Otherwise, you’re typically stuck with buying 1 pound or more at a time, pre-packaged. (When I’m in that predicament I just freeze my extra ground meat, or make more meatballs.)
  • If you can’t find veal, use additional beef or pork. But they’re so much better with veal!
  • If you don’t eat pork at all, try ground lamb or ground turkey. Please get ground turkey thigh, and don’t try to make meatballs with super lean white meat. You can find it at Whole Foods. Turkey meatballs are not as succulent as the pork version, to me, but I do make them often for clients who enjoy them.
  • Gluten-free bread crumbs behave completely differently when soaked with milk or stock, as this recipe calls for. The last time I attempted was disastrous and I wasn’t able to completely break up the clumps of breadcrumbs that formed. I’ve used ground oats in a pinch, which was moderately successful. I welcome your gluten-free modifications in the comments if you try my recipe out! (For a good gluten-free pasta, my clients like the Jovial brand.)
  • San Marzano tomatoes are usually worth the extra couple dollars to me in sauces, but lately I’ve been trying domestic tomatoes. I liked San Merican’s tomato puree, despite their questionable marketing which tricked me into thinking I was buying San Marzanos.
  • I do use a tomato puree here, because I liked the consistency of the finished sauce. If you want a chunkier sauce, by all means, start with whole tomatoes and just crush them in the pot.
  • Use real parm, not the green can. A small wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano will set you back around $8, but lasts through several recipes. You can also save the rinds and simmer them in stocks, soups, and pasta sauces for more flavor.
  • Practice smart food safety. Make sure to wash your hands immediately after any steps involving raw meat, and be extra vigilant cleaning up afterward.
Spaghetti & Meatballs
 

Ingredients for the spaghetti sauce:
Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
1 large onion, finely diced
Kosher salt, to taste
2 tbsp grated garlic (about 10 cloves)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 28-oz cans of tomato puree
2 tsp Italian herb seasoning
2 bay leaves
Several sprigs of fresh basil, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 to 2 tsp sugar (optional)

Ingredients for the meatballs:
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup buttermilk, milk, or stock
2 eggs
6 cloves garlic, grated
1 small onion, shredded on a box grater
1/4 cup minced Italian parsley
2 tsp Italian herb seasoning
2 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp crushed fennel seeds
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup gratedParmigiano Reggiano
3/4 lb ground beef (80/20 or 85/15)
3/4 lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground veal

Other ingredients:
1 lb dried spaghetti

Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Yield:Makes about 3 dozen meatballs. Serves 6 to 8.
Special Equipment: You’ll need a Dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot, another large pot for boiling pasta, a colanderheavy duty sheet panfine grater, and a box grater.

Part One: Spaghetti Sauce

I like to start the sauce first so that it can simmer away while I make the meatballs. To get started, warm your Dutch oven pot over medium heat. Coat the bottom of your pot with a generous amount of olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the diced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook the onions until they are soft and starting to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Lower the heat if the onions start to brown too fast.
 
Stir in the grated garlic, red pepper, and tomato paste.
 
Cook this gorgeous mixture for a couple minutes, until the tomato paste has darkened.
 
Then pour in the tomato puree.
 
Throw in the bay leaves, a couple basil sprigs, the Italian seasoning, and a good pinch of salt.
 
Let the sauce simmer on low heat for twenty to thirty minutes, until it’s thickened slightly and flavors meld. Discard the bay leaves and basil. Tear up the rest of the basil and fold that in – I like the punch of freshness it adds. Stir in the grated parm. Season to taste with Kosher salt – just keep in mind you’ll be adding some of the salted pasta water later. If your sauce is too tangy, add a teaspoon or so of sugar to balance the acidity.
 
Cover the sauce and keep warm until needed. Give it a stir occasionally to prevent scorching.
 

Part Two: Meatballs

In a small dish, moisten the bread crumbs with milk or stock. You may not need all the liquid; use only what the bread crumbs absorb easily. Give it a stir and set aside.
 
In a larger bowl, measure out all the other meatball ingredients, except for the meat. (I’ve got an extra egg in my photo because I made a larger batch here.) For the fennel seeds, you can crush them in a mortar & pestle, or in a spice grinder with the peppercorns. If you have none of that, you could crush them with a heavy can.
 

Stir all these ingredients together and then incorporate the bread crumbs. You want to mix this up really well so that no clumps of bread remain.

Then add your meat.

The next step might make some folks squeamish but you’ll survive. Use your hands to mix the meatball mixture. Really get in there and squeeze the meat through your fingers as you incorporate it with the breading. You want the three types of meat to be evenly blended with no pockets of bread crumbs.

Note: If you’d like, you can pinch some of this meatball mixture off and cook in a pan to test it out before proceeding. I do this if I’m changing my recipe up, to check the seasonings.

Aim for 1″ meatballs when you roll them out. They should hold their shape — if you find that the mixture is too wet, add additional dry bread crumbs. Keep a small dish filled with water nearby so that you can wet the palms of your hands periodically, to prevent the meat from sticking. Arrange meatballs on a lined sheet pan with just enough space in between so that they don’t touch.
 
Heat your oven to 375F. Cook the meatballs until they are browned, about 25 minutes. You can cut one in half to check that it is cooked through or to be super safe just prick a few with a meat thermometer to confirm that the internal temperature is at least 165F.
 
Transfer the cooked meatballs to a clean bowl and ladle in some of the sauce; toss to coat. (I actually just re-use the pot after draining my pasta, because it’s less to clean up later.)
 
Note – this is also how I control the final amount of sauce that will be tossed with the pasta in the next step. If you’re afraid of it being too saucy, reserve more of the sauce here. You can always add it back to the pot if you need more.
 
 
Part Three: Spaghetti & Meatballs
 
Now it’s time to bring this all together. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add a tablespoon or so of salt; enough that you can taste it in the water. Cook the spaghetti for two minutes shy of the package directions for al dente – usually this will mean around 10 minutes.
 
Before you drain the pasta, scoop out a half cup of the starchy water and add it to your sauce. Then toss the cooked spaghetti and sauce together for a couple minutes, until the sauce clings to the pasta.
 
Finally, add the sauced meatballs back to the pot. Finish with lots of grated parm.
“The Dutchess” pot by Great Jones is one of my favorite things in the kitchen right now.
I also like to drizzle some good olive oil over the top when plating the spaghetti & meatballs. Serve with more grated parm, of course!
 
 
 
 
“Fashionably-Late”
 
Malinda F. Knowles

Furry Bags and Shoes at the Moncler NYFW FW 2024 Show

So, happy New York Fashion Week! On the Moncler Grenoble Fall/Winter 2024 runway, furry bags and shoes were included in many of the looks. Other brands like Louis Vuitton (pictured on Kim Kardashian below) have picked up on the trend as well. I found a few fur boots (below) that you can grab now, check them and other looks from the Moncler runway.

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda Knowles

Camoflauge Ivy Park

So, even though there may be no more Ivy Park after the Noir collection, I am still rocking some of the outfits. I have some great workout gear as well as just cute clothes for a nice date night. I just love this sheer Camouflage Ivy Park catsuit, part of what my sister Beyoncé wore on her Renaissance Tour. Paired with a cute hat and some Louboutins, I am definitely “feelin myself.” Do you think Beyoncé will design more clothing?

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda F. Knowles

Fave LUISAVIAROMA x British Vogue Iconic Looks

So, LUISAVIAROMA and Vogue teamed up recently to show some of the most iconic designer looks on the runway. I just couldn’t help but be in awe with the selection curated by Edward Enninful, British Vogue Editor-in-Chief. From Moncler to Alexander McQueen, there were some gorgeous looks in the show. Which do you like? You can see more of the show here.

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda F. Knowles

 

Queen Elizabeth II’s Iconic Fashion Moments

PHOTO: SERGE LEMOINE/HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY ; TIM GRAHAM PHOTO LIBRARY ; SERGE LEMOINE/HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY ; INDIGO/GETTY

What will we do without Queen Elizabeth II? I am deeply saddened by her passing but I know she lived a ripe full life well into her 90s and was very blessed. I wish I could jet over there now. Her work in communities and around the world is highly notable. She even challenged me to fight like a queen and break out of very dangerous, negative situations. Just like a warm, loving grandmother. But, today, I wanted to touch on the fact that she wore beautiful fashion pieces. 

Above you can see her on her Coronotion Day in January 1953, dress by Sir Norman Hartnell.

According to Caroline Rush of the British Fashion Council, many of her outfits will be on display at Buckingham Palace. The Queen’s long-term personal stylist Angela Kelly explained why the Queen often opted for bold color schemes in her 2019 memoir, The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, The Dresser and the Wardrobe. “The Queen is conscious that she must be easily visible to as many people as possible when she is out and about, so I choose mainly striking colors that will be easily seen,” Kelly wrote.

FOX PHOTOS/HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY

 

Queen Elizabeth II was the first monarch to visit Australia in 1954 and she wore this beautiful emerald green dress. She also wore a bright green suit (seen below) along with Meghan Duchess of Sussex to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge in 2018.

And, lastly, Her Majesty wore a gorgeous wedding gown back in 1947 designed by Sir Norman Hartnell. The dress incorporated 10,000 seed pearls and crystals in an iconographic scheme of national and Commonwealth floral emblems. Her train was 15 feet long and she looked as happy as could be. I’m sure that she is with her husband now Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Let’s keep the Queen’s memory alive, God Bless the Queen. 

 

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda Knowles

The Fashion at Inauguration Day 2021

So I just had to take another look at all of the beautiful fashion on display at Joe Biden’s Inauguration Day ceremony. Michelle Obama looks absolutely amazing in Sergio Hudson, a Black designer from South Carolina. Dr. Jill Biden wore an ocean-blue wool tweed coat over a dress by American designer Alexandra O’Neill of the Markarian label. And, Vice President Kamala Harris wore a purple outfit by a young black designer Christopher John Rogers.

Jennifer Lopez sang in a Chanel number and Lady Gaga stunned in a gorgeous Schiaparelli design. Lastly, a young poet laureate Amanda Gorman wore a yellow Prada coat. It was a moment that will go down in history. Congratulations to Vice President Kamala Harris and President Biden!

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda F. Knowles

High-Fashion Durag

So Rihanna is gracing the cover of British Vogue in a durag. And, well, durags have been making their appearance on the red carpet too. Guapdad reportedly wore an 11 foot durag “train” and Solange Knowles wore a durag to the Met Gala in 2018. I find the trend to be really cool but I feel like you have to have some guts to wear a durag on the red carpet.

What do you think of the trend?

 

Sincerely,

“Fashionably-Late”

Malinda F. Knowles