There’s no better time than now to be a Black woman. From Beyoncé’s Lemonade to the ascension of Maxine Waters to Serena Williams’s magical wedding, Black women are affirmed. We’ve even created a community of support that has long eluded us. Best of all, there are scores of Black women business owners who are creating products that cater to our desires. As we prepare to purchase holiday gifts for our family and friends, it’s crucial that we remember these independent creators and artists and patronize their businesses. In an effort to kickstart a commitment to small businesses, here’s a gift guide for the dope Black girl in your life.
1. Who doesn’t want a dope shower curtain?
Photo credit: Pardon My Fro
(Pardon My Fro, $60)
As the age old adage goes, home is where the heart is. Having a comfortable home is so important, especially in the dreary darkness of winter. Pardon My Fro’s vibrant shower curtains come in an array of colors and illustrations, but it doesn’t stop there. Founder Dana Bly also sells matching bath mats, toothbrush and soap dispensers, and throw blankets.
2. Pop culture–inspired clutch purses will light up your wardrobe
Photo credit: Kashmir VIII
(Kashmir VIII, $40 to $150)
Kashmir Thompson knows that pop culture evokes nostalgia, and she’s capitalized on that with her line of paintings, prints, and apparel. Her merchandise depicts everything from The Wiz to Martin to Beyoncé’s maternity photos. Thompson’s clutch purses, in particular, are wildly popular, and thankfully she sells them both individually and in bundles. The bundle costs $150 while the individual clutches range between $40 and $45. Plus, she routinely offers discounts and coupons, a perfect way to stack up and save some coins.
3. Give your homegirl a survival kit that will affirm her
Photo credit: The Homegirl Box
(Homegirl Box, $60)
Homegirls make the world go ‘round. Homegirls nourish and pour into each other, and the Homegirl Box honors that sacred sisterhood. Customers can choose from the Frida Box, the Assata Box, the Cardi Box, or the Audre Box, and each one comes with multiple items, such as t-shirts, journals, candles, earrings, prints, and even shea butter, and can either give the whole box to one homegirl or spread the gifts among multiple sister-friends.
4. Add a rich piece of artwork to your wall
Photo credit: Queen Apple Buuum/Society 6
(Queen Apple Buuum, $35.99 to $49.99)
Tay Monae, the artist behind Queen Apple Buuum, creates for curvy, chubby, shy, and quirky girls. Her dedication shines through her paintings and her prints, including this bomb depiction of a bad and boujee Black Daria. Her prints are affordable, ranging from $35 to $49, and she’s even available for custom paintings. Your walls will thank you.
5. Give the gift of literature and community.
Photo credit: Well-Read Black Girl/Kickstarter
(Well-Read Black Girl, $2 to $5 per month)
Book clubs are a dime a dozen, but Well-Read Black Girl is more than that: Glory Edim and her team have cultivated a community of Black women readers and writers who connect through literature. (Full disclosure, I am a member of Well-Read Black Girl.) While Brooklyn is WRBG’s home base, the club is using Drip, a members only platform, to make it accessible across the country. For between $2 and $5 per month, readers can access a livestream of the monthly book club meetings, get curated book recommendations from Edim, and get early access to WRBG events. If you have a friend who loves to read and commune with Black women, this is definitely a gift worth considering.
6. Declare your right to pettiness with a killer phone case
Photo credit: Petty Black Feminist
(Petty Black Feminist, $15)
Pettiness is a lifestyle, as the Black Joy Mixtape podcast knows all too well. Amber J. Phillips, the high priestess of Black joy, and Jazmine Walker, the king of the South, serve Black feminist greatness every week on their podcast. Their merchandise—sweatshirts, coffee mugs, and phone cases—has the phrase “petty Black feminist” emblazoned on it. It’s also affordable, and perfect for the petty Black feminist in your life.
7. Custom crochet dolls can be collected and even passed down to the magical Black girls in your life
Photo credit: MyKindaThing/Etsy
(My Kinda Thing, $160)
For so long, Black girls didn’t have dolls who reflected our varying hair textures and skin complexions, so we cherish dolls, like those sold at My Kinda Thing. These afro puff-clad crochet dolls come in an array of complexions with several outfits and matching hair ties. You can gift these dolls to friends or pass them on to a magical Black girl in your life.
8. Pucker up those lips with liquid matte lipstick
Photo credit: The Lip Bar
(The Lip Bar, $13)
Ordinarily, I prefer lip gloss, but the Lip Bar’s liquid matte changed my mind. It’s not drying, the pigment shines brightly, and the price tag is great. You can gift these liquid matte lipsticks to multiple friends or peruse the Lip Bar’s other products.
9. Keep those edges laid with a specialized headwrap
Photo credit: The Wrap Life
(Wrap Life, $24 to $28)
Most Black women cover their hair at night to protect it—or rock their wraps in the daytime as part of their outfits. While bonnets get the job done, they’re not exactly cute. Wrap Life offers multiple, affordable head wraps that be worn at all times of the day and night, and will protect your hair as well.
10. Decorate your jean jacket and bookbag with these inexpensive buttons.
Photo credit: Inclusive Randomness
(Inclusive Randomness, $1 to $2)
Jean jacket buttons are sold everywhere, but few purposefully affirm Black women. Inclusive Randomness sells cheap buttons that can be affixed on any jean shirt or jacket that you have, and given the price, you can give as many of these to as many friends as you’d like.
11. These bomb earrings offer a simple message: NOPE!
Photo credit: JXL
(JXL, $25)
Big, bold earrings will set any outfit off. These “NOPE!” earrings make it clear that you’re not about the bullshit. Give these to a friend who needs to take more risks in 2018.
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