Issue 5: A Look In
11/13/25
she believed she could, so she did
Hi, and welcome to the fifth installment of “Pretty in Print”. Each week, we will explore the headlines, share the critiques, and romanticize our lives. So grab your chai, get comfy, and let’s dive in!
The Scoop
The British Fashion Council (BFC) names Anok Yai the 2025 Model of the Year. (Source)
After 14 years as the creative director of Balmain, Oliver Rousteing has stepped down. (Source)
Condé Nast announces Teen Vogue will be absorbed by Vogue, eliminating it as an independent brand. (Source)
Atlanta hip-hop group Outkast was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Source)
The Devil Wears Prada 2 teaser has been released, featuring the return of Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. (Source)
Kim Kardashian’s brand SKIMS is valued at $5 billion. (Source)
Vogue opinion piece “Is Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing Now?” by Chanté Joseph goes viral on social media. (Source)
Chic Critique
At Least Hollywood Recycles
Turns out Hollywood is very environmentally conscious; they reuse and recycle all the time! Every time I have stepped into a movie theater over the past two years, the trailers have all been sequels 20 years too late or a remake of a project that should’ve just stayed in the past. After seeing The Devil Wears Prada 2 teaser come out, I’ve been wondering: Is Hollywood out of ideas?
According to Google, nearly 40 movies that came out in 2025 were sequels. But this honestly goes back to post-pandemic. Following the succession of COVID and the writers’ strikes, it seems as if Hollywood has been at a loss for new ideas.
I first noticed it when they brought back Coming to America, the first movie, a staple in the Black community. The sequel, coming out 33 years after the original, was an obvious attempt at a money grab. The plot was nonexistent, and it was filled with various celebrity cameos. The actual substance of the movie was lacking entirely. It was clear to me, and hopefully a majority of viewers, that the movie was an attempt to make money following the economic struggles of the pandemic.
Then it happened again with Bad Boys, the second movie came out in 2003, then 17 years later they released Bad Boys for Life (2020) and Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024). The later movies feature a visibly older and less agile Martin Lawrence and Will Smith. The movies had an acceptable plot, but behind every die-hard fan was one question: “Why bring it back 17 years later?”
The goal was obvious: studios want to make money. And they succeeded in their mission, the two movies collectively grossing $831.5 million. But in this pursuit of monetary gain, we have lost the integrity and value of movies.
This year, with the teaser for The Devil Wears Prada and a live-action Moana, I began questioning how many genuine movies I’ve seen in the past three to four years. I’m not saying they don’t exist, but they are harder to find. Even highly anticipated original films like The Materialist and HIM faced a lot of backlash and lacked the qualities of a “great movie.”
Hollywood has become boring and monotonous. A cycle of the same movies, plots, and actors. In a time where everything in the world is unsteady, the arts need to be the grounding force for people. Movies are unfortunately lacking in that space, but after seeing movies like Everything, Everywhere, All at Once and Anoura, there is hope for a resurgence of “great movies.” But once we stop looking at the monetary and start looking for the moments, Hollywood will truly be great.
Pretty in Pink
Black Girl Beauty Brands
Representation is important when it comes to beauty. Makeup is such a powerful thing in the power it can give to empower people to be their best selves. For Black women, there is an added difficulty in finding brands that genuinely care about our melanin.
Look at the Youthforia scandal; the brand began by promoting it as makeup you could sleep in. But after releasing a foundation that was said to be for dark skin tones, which was in fact just the color black. Moments like this show why it’s important for beauty products to be made by people who understand the nuances of melanated skin. Here are three Black-owned beauty companies that know Black skin through and through.
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna
Fenty Beauty was the first Black owned complexion product I used, as well as the last. Their “Eaze Drop Lightweight Blurring Skin Tint” has been a staple in my makeup routine since I was in elementary school. The brand’s liquid foundations have a range of 50 shades, and the skin tint and tint stick have 25 shades. The shades falling under all kinds of undertones, this is the perfect complexion brand for melanated skin.
Pat McGrath Labs
A 2019 Time’s 100 most influential people pick, Pat McGrath is a British make-up artist known for her touch on some of the world’s most famous stars. This brand also has a 30+ shade range of foundations, as well as blushes and other products that are flattering on Black and Brown skin. Although this brand is on the pricey side, the legacy behind the brand is worth it.
Juvia’s Place
Juvia’s Place was created to celebrate the creativity and technique of African royalty. Founder ChiChi Eburu created the brand to find complexion products that would match her and also enhance her features, while still being inclusive of all people. This brand is known for the vibrant colors, which enhance the beauty of melanated people.
Beauty is for all, and everybody should have the ability to feel beautiful. Hopefully, this list provides solid brands for all those embarking or continuing on their journey of artistry.
Sof’s Edit
Stop Forgiving Others For Treating You Wrong
I am undoubtedly a people pleaser. I like to put my own emotions on the back burner in order to appease others. Recently, I had gotten into a situation with someone I found myself growing very close to. I had really mourned the friendship when it ended. I looked back at myself, asking, “What did I do wrong?” and “How did I mess up the relationship?”. But that's just the thing, I did nothing wrong. And accepting that was nearly impossible.
Every time I had told that story, family and friends had told me I was wronged and I was being too forgiving. It never hit me until one night I was doomscrolling and came upon this TikTok.
For some reason, this hit me really hard. I thought to myself, “I am a good person.” Why was I putting myself at fault when I knew from the beginning I did nothing but be myself and put my best foot forward?
What hurt me more than anything in the situation was the questioning of my character and the unwillingness to hear my side of the story. But even with this hurt, I had forgiven the situation so easily. This is not to say that forgiveness isn’t important and that you should dwell on situations.
Rather, I think it’s important to forgive but not forget. Yes, I was treated wrong, and yes, I must acknowledge that. I cannot just go back to being buddy-buddy on someone else’s time frame. Your feelings matter, how you are treated matters, and the people you surround yourself with matter.
Everyone is a dime piece and deserves to be treated as such, so when someone has wronged you and tries to move on like it’s nothing, remember who you are and what you stand for. Respect is the minimum, and it is up to me and you to respect ourselves enough not to let others walk over us.
Thanks for tuning in to this week’s issue of Pretty in Print. This week’s Pretty Playlist Pick is Earrings by Malcolm Todd.