Jennifer Hudson’s on the cover of Vogue!!!

Concrete Loop has all the pics and the inside scoop. I’ve seen JHud look prettier, but I am so damn proud of her it doesn’t matter! And ecstatic that Vogue is FINALLY celebrating black, plus size beauty.

I love you, Andre Leon Talley – wherever you are. We all know that you’re the one who made this possible.

I personally haven’t bought a copy of Vogue in… ever. Now that I think about it, I always got my Vogue fix at the hairdresser’s or from the mailbox at work when a former coworker brought in old magazines. Why? Because Vogue doesn’t cater to my needs in terms of items I can afford or women I can identify with. But I’ll be buying this issue for sure, just to give my love to Jennifer Hudson and to send Anna Wintour a message — We’re here, we’re black, we’re not a size 2, and we’re fabulous!

So apparently I may not have been right about Janet Jackson’s hair. But still, she looks so pretty with the curls! Come back to natural, Janet! We miss you over here.

I Like Her Style takes us inside the Black Style Now exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York. Man, New York always has the coolest art shows and museum exhibitions. Can’t wait to visit! Learn more about the exhibit at Black Style Now.

Yikes, Valentine’s Day is tomorrow! Find some great product ideas over at Product Girl, The Makeup Girl, and there’s a great giveaway over at Young, Black, and Fabulous. Check ’em out!

So maybe you’ve been hearing the growing drumbeats about Amy Winehouse. I love her, The Smoking Section rhapsodized about her, Perez has been one of her biggest stateside champions, and Rich from FourFour is a recent convert.

Perhaps some of you read the gorgeously written Washington Post article about her. The article broke my heart. I really, really hope she gets her act together and doesn’t wind up fulfilling some kind of horrendous prophecy. And I really, really want her to do a cover of Randy Crawford’s One Day I’ll Fly Away (I have always loved that song, and Amy could infuse it with a whole new meaning).

Just listen. This is why I love her. Ooh, and this. Right now, Back to Black is my favorite song from the album, and yippee! It’s going to be her next single. This is a live performance from the tail end of a program called Brits are Coming, so excuse the wacky intro, edited lyrics, and end credits. I just found her so riveting here, I had to share.

The doorknockers. The eyeliner. The pink hoodie. Seriously, I can’t look away.

COMMENTS

PurlyQueen says:

February 13, 2007, 11:40 am

As a British reader I rarely buy a copy of US Vogue (way too many adverts and the styling is a bit too commercial for me). But I'll make an exception if Jennifer Hudson is on the cover. However Oprah had to go on a crash diet when she appeared on the US vogue cover, so it makes me wonder whether Jen had to do the same or how much the picture was retouched...

kinkygirl says:

February 13, 2007, 12:23 pm

im sooo proud of Jennifer, shes the 3rd black woman to have graced the covers of vogue, thats an incredible achievment. I dont like the pics they chose of her tho, shes much prettier that the pics show. Btw what does TWA mean?? relating to janets natural hair

sunsail says:

February 13, 2007, 12:39 pm

TWA= Teeny Weeny (sp?) Afro

mochachoc says:

February 13, 2007, 12:50 pm

Jennifer Hudson is flying high just now. She won the BAFTA (british equivalent of the erm Oscars) for best supporting actor. Afrobella i have to agree with you about Vogue. I thought the American version would be better. I love looking through vogue purely for the clothes but i always feel dispirited. They write as if the only people that exist are white and size 10(uk) and below. I notice that when they do use black models the theme is nearly always dark, chocolate, animal or "ethnic". they never write as if there are darker skinned women around. in the march issue they are debating the whole size 0 thing. the editor remarked that everyone agrees that clothes look better on slim women. Well when you start with that premise you know what they think of body shapes which are not stick thin. it makes me so mad. one of the reasons these clothes look better on slim women is because they were designed with these women in mind. for example there is no way anyone can tell me a corset looks better on a stick thin woman. it needs a fuller figure to really enhance it.

Coffy says:

February 13, 2007, 12:56 pm

wow, i wonder if Andre Leon Talley was the "push" to make this happen, cause you know Anna(Wintour)don't like fat people. i still can't believe Andre said that on Oprah. Jennifer looks so natural and happy in the photo. now if Andre could convince Miuccia Prada to use Black models in her runway shows then i will really be impressed.

diamond says:

February 13, 2007, 1:14 pm

thats a TERRIBLE pix of J.Hud... they couldve done better...

rkj says:

February 13, 2007, 3:42 pm

Not too impressed with Hudson's pictures. Was Annie Leibowitz on Nyquil or something when shooting this?? re: Winehouse. Ya'll consider yourselves warned. I feel like she's doing everything so late over here...but the cd isn't officially out here until March. I bought it last month (downloaded it last year) and I got Frank whenever it came out (download...) I hope she stays sober enough to put out music. Girl obviously has some demons.

girl stop says:

February 13, 2007, 4:09 pm

I like the photos--she doesn't look as plasticized as they tend to make folks look in magazines these days. She looks vibrant (well, in 2 of the 3). I'm shocked at Vogue--they even made Oprah diet down to size 8 before they gave her the cover, and as I recall Naomi Campbell had to share the cover with other, white models. I still won't buy it, but Brava, Jennifer!

girl stop says:

February 13, 2007, 4:16 pm

Actually, via C&D, Clay Cane has a list of all the black Vogue covergirls: http://claycane.blogspot.com/2007/02/hudson-on-vogue.html

Peajai says:

February 13, 2007, 5:26 pm

I read that too that she's only the third black woman, Oprah and Halle Berry being the others. But Beverly Johnson was on the cover of Vogue too. So what do they mean? Only third black woman that isn't a model?

Dj says:

February 13, 2007, 7:14 pm

I saw Amy Winehouse's video F**k me Pumps...I love that song!!

salmonella says:

February 14, 2007, 12:25 am

I don't like Vogue and I am not that into "Dreamgirl" the movie (yeah, so sue me!). But I will buy this issue of Vogue because it is historic and ground-breaking.

HONEY says:

February 14, 2007, 1:29 am

I'm not feeling the cover, but I'll still buy the magazine.

Nichelle says:

February 14, 2007, 2:46 am

Jennifer is not the third black woman to make the cover of American Vogue - she is the fourth black non-model celebrity to get a solo cover. Oprah, Halle and Marion Jones (the Olympian) preceded her. Beverly Johnson was the first black model to make the cover of American Vogue. I make the distinction because the American Vogue cover has more weight (to Madison Avenue, Hollywood and the ticket-buying American public) than the other international editions. Since 1993, Jennifer is only the 6th black woman period to get that coveted (SOLO) cover: http://55secretstreet.typepad.com/anovelista/2007/02/my_brain_in_a_p.html Hey Bella!

Niki says:

February 14, 2007, 11:21 am

I am proud of Jennifer's success, but Annie Leibowitz (who I think does lovely, iconic work of celebrities) seriously tripped on this one. Jennifer looks nice, but the pictures and styling or kind of "meh". She's gorgeous and I thought they could do more than a couple of photos of her upper body with her mouth open and one of her laying across a piano. Whoever did Alicia Keys photo shoot for Elle should have done Jennifer's--they showed a completely different look for Alicia. I still got love for Jen, but Vogue tripped. Thanks, Bella, for hipping me up to Amy Winehouse. That voice, that attitude--I love it. Hepfully she will be able to battle her demons without being taken over by them. She is a breath of fresh air from these bland, overly media-trained automatons and rebels without a clue that are on the music scene these days.

donna says:

February 14, 2007, 11:39 am

Wow I did not know Jennifer Hudson is on the cover of Vogue!!! She was my choice for American Idol winner, I love Fantashia along with a gang of others from that year, but Jennifer was my choice and I'm so happy that her career is going in the direction that it is. And she appears to be so humble, just lover! Love the site BTW, just came across it!

Dee says:

February 14, 2007, 2:58 pm

Bella, found a link today and thought of this entry... http://claycane.blogspot.com/2007/02/hudson-on-vogue.html

Apple Diva says:

February 14, 2007, 9:41 pm

Bella, I will be able to view the Brit Awards on Thursday where I live because I live near Canada. I will let you know how Amy Winehouse sounds on the show. :D A friend of her is supposed to ensure that she does not drink prior to her performance. It will probably be on YouTube by then.

aulelia says:

February 15, 2007, 7:39 am

A VOGUE cover does mean a lot in terms of visibility and wow, go jennifer hudson!! i think it is great. but british VOGUE is better stylistically and the fashion spreads in French VOGUE are amazing. love your post!

Lteefaw says:

February 15, 2007, 1:10 pm

So happy a full figured women of color will be gracing the cover of Vogue. But when I first saw the pictures I thought I was looking at photos from Sister 2 Sister magazine. Vogue could have done a much nice job. This was a MAJOR milestone for Vogue and J.Hud. When has someone came out of no were and landed the cover of Vogue? NEVER. You mean to tell me these are the best photo Vogue could come up with? J.Hud is a lovely women Vogue didn't caputure that beauty.

lulu says:

February 16, 2007, 2:37 am

I always wonder, why Jennifer was chosen for this cover...I mean over so many more that could grace the cover, She seeme to come out of nowhere and now she is on the cover of Vogue...???? I just wonder what it is about her, as to why they chose her...Oprah, Iman, Halle...and Jennifer Hudson?? It doesnt add up to me, And yes, I also agree, that this cover looks very "cheap", pale and unbalanced, and could have been styled much much better...this was definitely a political move for Vogue, as they just wanted to meet their "One every now and then" quota!

Jeneen Talbert says:

February 16, 2007, 10:09 pm

OMG!!!! Finally someone else knows about WINEHOUSE.....I have asked, asked, and asked...no one knew who I was talking about..her voice is amazing, she is amzaing...the girl is so down, and she tells stories through her songs like no other!! I have both albums and I listen to them daily...consider yourselves warned the girl is on some otha' shit...they are not ready

Zoe says:

February 17, 2007, 3:26 am

Thanks girl_stop for the link to all of the black covergirls - can't wait to take a look. I love that afrobella has brought so many like-minded people together: I used to think I was the only one who cared about our representation in fashion, etc. I don't at all want to take away from Jennifer Hudson's well-deserved success but a few things to consider: it is often February when Vogue chooses to be more 'inclusive' - not only is it America's Black History Month, but it also happens to be the thinnest issue of the year as it falls between the winter sales yet its publication precedes the next spring-summer collections. Vogue needs to be doing more -- and in context, they haven't done anything terribly groundbreaking here. I agree with fellow bellas who were disppointed by the esthetic of the cover.

Billynda says:

February 17, 2007, 7:08 pm

Thank you for introducing me to Amy Winehouse. Amazing!

designDiva says:

February 19, 2007, 6:04 pm

I love your site bella! I don't have a comment about j. hudson...sorry. I just wanted to let you know to keep bringing the eclectic music. I love Amy Winehouse and didn't know who she was until I was on this site. I now have an appreciation for black rock music (alice smith and raging geisha are 2 of my faves). And I just love checking into this page for the beauty advice and topics that appeal to black sistahs. LOVE IT!!

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