Outside of My Scrubs: Served by Dre
One of the difficult things to task oneself with as a social media figure is the personal choice of association with brands. With so many dishonest companies taking advantage of our young moguls' platforms just to push a quick dollar, even some with ill intent towards truly speaking for the oppressed, it's pretty easy to get lost in translation... in the language of money, the language of monotony, the language of conforming.
I know a lot of young individuals strive to increase their followers for the sole reason of partnering with brands just for that check/free sample/free clothing. I would caution against this. For one, this isn't responsible, as companies make mistakes ALL THE TIME, with their branding, advertising towards the consumer, and through commentary from those in ownership. If you represent one of the brands who, Lord forbid, makes a mistake, you don't want your personal brand to suffer along with it, just because you needed that aforementioned dollar or freebie. Secondly, it's also not fair to you; you want to represent a brand that truly represents your core ideals, not the ideals and brands that everyone and their mama, sister, and hairdresser are advertising. Everyone wants to be, and IS, unique; you want to find one that you feel comfortable being the face of, and one that speaks for and pushes your individual brand.
Honestly, I am so grateful that I have been blessed with a steady paycheck so that I can pick and choose which brands to represent. I would encourage you all to make a career first and foremost, THEN build your brand secondly. Of course, let your own intuition drive you, but let your brain push the brake when you need a reality check.
Now why is Mama Dre PREACHING right now? Because I have done something that I thought I would never do: I partnered with a company. Of course they are the creators of the shirt I'm featuring in this blog. My reasonings for partnering with them can be found in the quotes of two of my favorite Afro-American political figures: the great Malcolm X and MLK, two faces you can't mistake on this powerful shirt.
"The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses."
- Malcolm X
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The media picks and chooses what they want to portray about dark skinned individuals. We are cast as inmates, inner city youths, poor and victims of famine in "third world countries," angry women, educated only in music, dance, performing. We are all drowned in these images, even to the point where we ourselves have been drawn into the continual loop of abyss.
"When we see that our problem is so complicated and so all-encompassing in its intent and content, then we realize that it is no longer a Negro problem, confined only to the American Negro; that it is no longer an American problem, confined only to America, but it is a problem for humanity."
- Malcolm X
"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"The true Islam has shown me that a blanket indictment of all white people is as wrong as when whites make blanket indictments against blacks."
- Malcolm X
"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"America preaches integration and practices segregation."
- Malcolm
I love Served Fresh because they choose to highlight positive individuals in the media who have done nothing more than provide uplift in our communities, such as though seen below.
"You can't hate the roots of a tree and not hate the tree. You can't hate Africa and not hate yourself."
- Malcolm X
"A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything."
- Malcolm X
Served Fresh may be a black owned business, but they stand for uniting all diasporas and empowering all causes that push the progressive agenda in this country, with something as simple yet innovative as clothing.
Charlamagne Tha God in Served Fresh attire.
"Dr. King wants the same thing I want -- freedom!"
- Malcolm X
"You're not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it."
- Malcolm X
"The time is always right to do what is right."
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it's for or against."
- Malcolm X
"The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people."
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Now I'm going to be honest, I did have some trouble with only one of my many orders; but PLEASE remember first and foremost that this is a small business: they don't outsource to third world countries for child labor for their pieces, (which would be the more "business savvy" and cheaper route). They increase the job market by hiring from our own soil. And all of their pieces are hand-made! I also love that they use quality materials, not that cheap unforgiving cotton material that tires out after it's been washed like, once. All of my shirts remain untainted in color or quality, after owning them for about 3 months; and trust, I wear them quite often.
"Stumbling is not falling."
- Malcolm X
Keep pushing the agenda, no matter what you're wearing; but I hope you find inspiration with this clothing line to keep doing so, as I did. :) See below for outfit details!
If you are interested in saving on your purchases on ServedFresh.com, please use the code "ServedByDre" (not case sensitive) for an additional 20% off of your order, plus free shipping!
Outfit Details
Shirt: Served Fresh (click here)
Pants: Zara (sold out; click here for similar)
Belt: Top Shop Clearance (sold out; click here or here for similar)
Purse: Aldo, sold out online, may vary in stores (click here for same bag in burgundy)
Pom Pom Keychain: A'gaci (click here)
Shoes: Christian Louboutin (please note that these were a very generous gift! You can find these on Ebay for MUCH cheaper!