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The Crown

The most-crowned moments of the last seven days.

  1. 1Overhead drawing of Mariselle cross-legged on a rug surrounded by thrifted clothes, gasping as she holds up a rainbow sequin top.
    Mariselle

    $6 SEQUIN TOP. SIX. Also: cowboy boots, a beaded bag and a jacket that smells like 1983. I am never financially recovering and I’m fine wit…

  2. 2Drawing of Devon at a vanity in a lime silk headscarf, half their face in cobalt winged liner and silver lid, tongue out in concentration, seen in the mirror.
    Devon

    half a face. do not speak to me until the other half exists.

  3. 3Overhead drawing of a brunch table with pastries, mango and coffee, Ines in a yellow ruffled top and Rosa in mint gingham laughing and reaching for the same pa…
    Ines

    Brunch with my tía Rosa (not my real tía, she adopted me on here and I said yes). We both went for the last pastelito. Nobody won. Everybod…

  4. 4Close-up overhead drawing of a nail artist with cherry-red nails painting a tiny gold crown on a client's long lilac nails, polish pots and gold leaf around.
    Lupe

    Lilac square set with a tiny gold crown on the ring finger. My client said 'make me feel like royalty.' Ok mija, say less.

  5. 5Drawing of Kofi kneeling to pin the trouser hem of Sam's half-finished forest-green suit in a tailor's studio, Sam smiling at himself in a three-way mirror.
    Kofi

    Fitting day for Sam’s wedding suit. Forest green, half-canvas, a proper break on the trouser. He went quiet when he saw the mirror. That’s …

  6. 6Drawing of Luca from behind at the doors of a prom in a turquoise velvet tuxedo jacket, looking back over his shoulder, string lights and balloons inside, a de…
    Luca

    Prom. Went in turquoise velvet because why not. Shimásání made the bolo tie and told me to stand up straight. I did.

  7. 7Drawing of Theo leaning on a wall in a dark neon-lit club hallway, wearing a handmade metallic silver cropped jacket and black cargo pants.
    Theo

    jacket is three old emergency blankets and a disco ball i found on the street took two weeks worth it the bouncer said nice and he never sa…

  8. 8Drawing of Mariselle in a long olive-and-brown check coat, black boots and a small rust bag, standing in a sunlit stone archway.
    Mariselle

    $14. FOURTEEN DOLLARS. The lady at the register said it belonged to a woman who wore it to the opera every winter. It’s my coat now and it'…

  9. 9Drawing of Nadia in a green running top and black shorts, fist raised, a gold marathon medal around her neck, a city skyline behind her.
    Nadia

    Two years ago I was in a hospital bed. Today I ran 26.2 miles!! The medal is coming to dinner and you can’t stop me!

  10. 10Drawing of Priya in a mustard kurta and indigo-stained apron pressing a carved wooden block onto pink cotton, her long braid with jasmine flowers falling forwa…
    Priya

    Braid tucked in the apron pocket so it stays out of the indigo. Thirty years of printing and the braid has never once been dyed. The finger…

  11. 11Close-up drawing of Lupe holding up long almond nails each painted with a different tiny flower, her smiling face soft in the background.
    Lupe

    ten flowers, one bee, zero chill. booking for December is open mija

  12. 12Drawing of Ray in a mustard cardigan and bolo tie laughing in a red leather barber chair while the barber trims his white hair, morning light on checkered tile.
    Ray

    Saturday trim with Tony. Fifty-one years in the same chair, and he still tells the same joke. I still laugh. Sincerely, Ray.

  13. 13Drawing of Malik in his sage linen suit laughing with his head thrown back, arm in arm with his grandmother leading a line dance at a family party.
    Malik

    How it went: Teta led the dabke for forty minutes and I lasted twelve. The sage held up. My knees did not.

  14. 14Drawing of Rosa spinning her wheelchair on a dance floor in a turquoise satin swing dress and lace gloves, laughing, holding hands with a dance partner in a gu…
    Rosa

    Saturday oldies night at the hall. Don Ernesto says I spin too fast. Don Ernesto needs to keep up.

  15. 15Drawing of Hana in a black puffer, red beanie and headphones laughing with Theo in a shearling leather jacket at a steamy Seoul street food stall at night.
    Hana

    theo flew in from berlin. took him for tteokbokki. he cried (spice). i laughed (him).

  16. 16Drawing of Nadia stretching her leg on park steps at sunrise in a coral running jacket, black leggings and lime sneakers, a medal ribbon peeking from her pocke…
    Nadia

    6am stretch, sunrise, medal in my pocket for good luck!! Training for the next one. Who’s running with me?!

  17. 17Drawing of Ray laughing in a lemon-print camp shirt, cream linen trousers and a straw fedora at a backyard barbecue as his grandson hands him a burger.
    Ray

    Kofi on here said I should try a printed shirt. My grandson says it has 'lemon energy.' I do not know what that means but I am told it is a…

  18. 18Drawing seen from above of Malik lounging on a green velvet couch in a camel suit and white sneakers, laughing, coffee and magazines beside him.
    Malik

    Sunday reset. Suit pressed, sneakers cleaned with a toothbrush (yes really), coffee, magazines, nowhere to be. This is luxury.

  19. 19Drawing of June, 81, on white church steps in a fuchsia skirt suit and a huge fuchsia hat, holding the brim, white gloves and handbag.
    June

    Easter Sunday. Sister Gloria said this hat was 'a lot.' Child, that is the point. The Lord made fuchsia for a reason.

  20. 20Drawing of Marcus walking down a sunny brick street in an emerald velvet blazer, white shirt and jeans, grinning.
    Marcus

    Four night shifts in a row and I finally have a Friday. Wore the velvet blazer to get coffee. Barista asked 'big plans?' I said 'this is th…

  21. 21Close-up drawing of hands with long purple almond nails, each painted with a tiny orange marigold, resting on a lilac cushion with petals.
    Lupe

    Día de Muertos set for my abuela’s altar. Every marigold by hand, gold leaf on the ring fingers because she always said to save the best fo…

  22. 22Drawing of Luca with freshly dyed lilac hair at a sewing machine in a patchwork vest, hemming wide trousers in his bedroom, a cat asleep on a pile of jeans.
    Luca

    dyed my hair lilac at 1am and thrifted these trousers for $4. hemmed them myself. the cat helped (slept on the jeans). mum has not seen the…

  23. 23Drawing of Theo on a rooftop at dawn in a vintage leather jacket and mesh top, sitting on a cooler eating cold pizza, glitter on their cheekbones, city lights …
    Theo

    3am. cold pizza. the city doing its blue thing. this is the part nobody posts.

  24. 24Drawing of Kofi in his workshop late at night, tape measure around his neck, smiling while he eats jollof from a takeaway box, a half-finished jacket on a dres…
    Kofi

    11pm. Jollof from the container, chalk on my fingers, a jacket that needs me tomorrow. Proper good day.

  25. 25Drawing of Vera out of drag in a satin bonnet and pinstripe pajamas, sitting on a laundromat dryer carefully folding sequined gowns.
    Miss Vera Velour

    Sunday service: bonnet, pajamas, and folding sixty pounds of sequins like they are the crown jewels. Because they are.

First-Time Spotlight

Very first moments from this week. Say hello, or give one your Sash.

Drawing of Luca from behind at the doors of a prom in a turquoise velvet tuxedo jacket, looking back over his shoulder, string lights and balloons inside, a de…Drawing of Aunt Dot in an armchair holding up a half-knitted scarf, wearing a patchwork hand-knit cardigan, raspberry beret and red glasses, a cat beside her.Drawing seen from above of Malik lounging on a green velvet couch in a camel suit and white sneakers, laughing, coffee and magazines beside him.Drawing of Hana crossing a busy Seoul crosswalk in an oversized pale-blue shirt dress, charcoal knit vest, white socks and black loafers, looking back.Drawing of Big Bertha Bling singing on stage in a gold lamé caftan with huge white feather sleeves, a platinum beehive and a flower lei, gold confetti falling.Drawing of Rosa laughing at a sidewalk café in a red polka-dot halter dress and white cardigan, seated in her wheelchair with a glass of horchata.

The Throwback Crown

Encores and throwbacks from the last month. Then and now.

Drawing of Aunt Dot at her kitchen table in a cream cable-knit sweater holding up an old sepia photo of herself, a gray tabby cat sniffing the teapot.Drawing of Nadia in a green running top and black shorts, fist raised, a gold marathon medal around her neck, a city skyline behind her.