IN HONOR OF US International Black Women’s History | 10th Anniversary | Legacy. Style. Continuation.
- VSG-VeryStylishGirl
- Mar 21
- 6 min read
Updated: May 13
There is a quiet truth woven through our story.
Not just in what is remembered…but in what was carried.
Uncredited — but never unimportant.With receipts written in history, in labor, in legacy.
We have held space in every place. Even when we were not named. Nor whispered..
Now we echo.
Take your place.
You cannot erase what has always been.
The Women Who Carried Us Forward
Later, Greater — The Legacy Was Already Written
Ann Lowe was not just a designer.
She was one of the original American designers.
An African American woman—born on December 14, 1898, in Clayton, Alabama—
into a lineage of dressmakers whose hands carried skill, precision, and excellence long
before fashion houses gave it a name.
Her grandmother, Georgia—born into slavery—was freed in 1860, when her husband,
a "Freeman"11% of the total black
population at the time, purchased her freedom—
Shifting the course of their family’s future.
From that foundation, her mother created
gowns for society women—
Quietly shaping American elegance from within.
Shaping American style from the inside out.
By the time the world was watching in 1953, she was already a master.
At 54 years old, she designed one of the most iconic wedding dresses in American history—
the gown worn by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis when she married John F. Kennedy.
But here’s what they don’t always tell you—
Just days before the wedding, her studio flooded.The dress…destroyed.
And still—
She remade it.
By hand.
In time.
Without recognition.
No credit.
No headlines.
Just excellence.
For decades, she dressed and styled the most powerful women in America—
Quietly.
Precisely.
Intentionally.
They called her“society’s best kept secret.”
But we call her something else.
The foundation.
Proof that American fashion did not begin where they said it did.
Proof that your second act is not a step down—it’s a step into mastery.
Proof that being overlooked does not mean you are not exceptional.
Proof that later… can be greater.
Later wasn’t the end—
It continued—through voices, through hands, through presence.
Marian Anderson A world-renowned contralto whose voice carried far beyond music.
she was denied the right to perform at Constitution Hall because she was Black.
With the support of Eleanor Roosevelt, she stood instead on the steps of the
Lincoln Memorial in 1939, singing “My Country,’Tis of Thee” before more than 75,000 people — and a nation listening.
She would go on to become the first African American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in 1955, and later serve as a delegate to the United Nations.
Her presence was not just heard —it was felt across the world.
Blanche Burton-Lyles
A musician, educator, and cultural steward,
She served as a pianist for Marian Anderson
in her later years — supporting one of the world’s most revered voices with quiet
excellence and discipline.
Beyond performance, she became a caretaker of Anderson’s legacy, helping to preserve and maintain the Marian Anderson Museum in Philadelphia —
At 67 Years old it was time for "Act Two". ensuring that the story, the music, and the history would continue to live beyond the stage.
Her work reminds us that legacy is not only carried in the spotlight —but also in the hands of
those who protect it, sustain it, and pass it forward.
Jean Blackwell Hutson A scholar, librarian, and cultural guardian, she served as Chief of the
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture — one of the most important archives of
Black history in the world. Capped a 50 - year career, She preserved our stories,
Our literature, our voices — ensuring that our history would not be erased or forgotten.
Because of her, our legacy is documented, protected, and passed forward.
A Personal Thread
I stood in spaces where history lived.
And I carry it with me still.
This is my mother, Sterling…Blanche Burton-Lyles…and me.
Three generations.
Three expressions of grace, strength, and presence.
Not just remembered —but lived.
Not just history —but continuation.
We are not separate from the story.
We are the story.
Strength. Service. Sky. Legacy.
Across the world, women continue to rise — in ways both seen and unseen.
In some parts of the world, women serve in extraordinary numbers. North Korea
holds one of the highest percentages of women in military service — nearly 40%.
In India, women have taken to the skies as fighter pilots — stepping into roles once closed,
and opening pathways and carving space still unfolding.
And here at home…
Shawna Rochelle Kimbrell earned her wings at just 23, mastering the F-16 Fighting Falcon
and serving nearly 22 years.
In October 2023, Romay Davis was celebrated at 104 years young — a World War II veteran
of the all-Black, all-female 6888th battalion, a woman who served her country, then went on
to live boldly, beautifully, and fully on her own terms, whose service and legacy continue to
inspire long after her passing in 2024.
A lighthouse of enduring strength.
Lorna Mahlock—a trailblazing leader in the United States Marine Corps—
became the first Black woman to achieve the rank of general officer, beginning as a Brigadier General (1-star).She rose to Major General (2-star), and now serves as a Lieutenant General (3-star)—one of the highest levels of command.
She also served as the Marine Corps’ first female Chief Information Officer, and today stands as Deputy Commander of U.S. Cyber Command—leading in spaces once never imagined.
From overlooked… to command.
Oorah.
A Truth That Cannot Be Denied
As Anna Julia Cooper —an African American woman born into slavery —
carried her voice across generations, reminding us:
United States of America Navy Blue Passport, page 27.
“The cause of freedom is not the cause of a race or a sect, a party or a class —
it is the cause of humankind, the very birthright of humanity.”
If you have not yet gotten a passport, let this be your door opener.
And if you already have one…check your expiration date.
There is a world waiting to meet you —
Exactly as you are.
Open the Door
This is not about absence.
Black is not exclusion.
It is inclusion.
Of all.
Of everywhere.
Of every woman who chooses to stand fully in herself.
From India to Indiana…from hallways to runways…
We are present.
Not separate.
Not aside.
Included.
Across the world, women continue to rise
— in places once never imagined.
Black & Silver | The Language of Legacy
Black holds us. Silver reflects us.
Strength. Presence. Continuation.
This is not about trends.
This is about expression.
A sequin suit that commands the room before you speak.
A silver-threaded pant that catches light with every step.
A black glitter lace stud tank elongated silhouette tank that moves with ease and intention.
A book that reminds you — elegance is not an age, it is a decision.
A statement earring that says,
without words:
I am here.
In Honor of Us
In honor of the women who came before us…and the women we are today…
Enjoy complimentary shipping April 6–12.
No code.
No pressure.
Just an open invitation.
Wear It Well
Shop the pieces that meet you where you are —and carry you into where you’re going.
Because all grown women are welcome here.
— VSG Your Style. Your Power. Your Terms.
Share your thought below. Your voice belongs in The X-Factor.
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