On Tuesday Beyonce dropped, "I Am...Sasha Fierce" a double CD that represents both sides of the Texas native's personality. To get in full Sasha mode, she's taken a dramatic departure style-wise from her trademark look of glittery gowns and up-to-there minis by American and Italian designers (Giorgio Armani, Elie Saab) opting instead for more futuristic, robotic shape dresses and accessories from the British and the French (Alexander McQueen, Gareth Push and Thierry Mugler). The custom robo-skeletal glove by Lorraine Schwartz alone has caused major buzz for its omnipresence. But the question is are we really feeling Sasha Fierce's Fembot fashion?

Sasha Fierce wearing Gareth Pugh at the MTV EVA's
While it's refreshing to see a wardrobe switch up (if I saw one more gold or nude shiny dress....) in the blog world fans have been blasting Sasha's Space Odyssey-like looks. Clearly Robocop has served as inspiration: peep the odd-shaped red carpet and performance dresses worn at the MTV European Video Awards from avant garde British designer Gareth Pugh; and the unforgettable and now annoying robo-glove worn in her "Single Ladies" video, album photos, and the World Music Awards. According to USA TODAY the majority is not feeling this new direction. The national newspaper revealed results from their "Metallic Glove: Love It or Hate It?" poll asking fans if they were digging the fashion-forward get-ups. A whopping 96 percent said "no" and 4 percent said it was "a fun new trend". Ouch.
The College Survival Guide
A Fridge
Regardless of whether you have a wonderful sized meal plan, your fridge may come in handy with leftovers or when you feel like stocking it with bottled drinks.
Computer
The convenience of a computer is essential when sending your kids off to college. Forget the hike to the computer lab across campus students need a computer in the comfort of their room. A printer comes in handy as well. Depending on whether your child plans to carry his laptop around campus, you might opt for a desk top since they're lighter on the pockets.
Snacks
You will surely survive with off of a meal plan but it doesn't hurt to stock up on snacks when you don't feel like leaving your dorm room. Bottled water, pop corn, cereal and Ramen noodles are all low budget snacks to stock up on. Just be weary of the freshman 15.
Things from home
Some college students suffer from homesickness the first year. It's best to surround yourself with things like photos of the family, pillows or even stuffed animals. Anything that reminds your child of home.
MP3 Player
With all the stress that comes from school and exams, sometimes it's nice to block out the chaos in your life and even your roommate with music. It's nearly impossible to find students walking to class who aren't jamming to tunes.
Budget
Students who enter college often come in at the ripening age of 18. A great time for credit cards. Parents beware, your child may end up ruining their credit at a young age
Alarm Clock
When you're in college you don't have the luxury of getting awaken by your parents. It's now your responsibility to get to class on time so alarm clocks are a must. But keep your roommate in mind. You shouldn't wake him up ever morning with a blow horn alarm.
Cleaning supplies
Now you don't necessarily need to bring in the rubber gloves, mop and gas mask but it doesn't hurt to bring along Clorox all purpose wipes for spills or dust. Vacuums and brooms come in handy too depending if you have a carpeted dorm.
Bedding
What most parents aren't aware of is that most college beds are twin sized but extra long and require special sheets. When shopping keep your eye open for sheets that clearly state 'extra long' or else your child may come up short.
Shower shoes
You really don't know what some people do in the shower these days. College showers are known to be creeping with germs so spare yourself the fungus and purchase flip flops for the shower. You'll thank us later!

The custom Lorraine Schwartz robo-glove in another turn
But they didn't address the very hot motorcycle corset worn in her publicity shots. It's actually a throwback, a blast from the fashion past. The hot Harley-inspired top by Thierry Mugler originally debuted in his fashion show in 1992 and was featured in George Michael's "Too Funky" video the French designer directed in 1995. It was also on display at this year's "Superheroes: Fashion & Fantasy" exhibit the Met in New York City. And the trend may further escalate: Sean "Diddy" Combs' artist Janelle Monae was cleverly illustrated as a fembot on her EP album cover "Metropolis" released in September. The first time I saw it, I immediately thought of the robot-taking-over-the-world movie starring Will Smith "I, Robot".

Sasha Fierce in Thierry Mugler motorcycle corset

Thierry Mugler corset at MET's "Superheroes" exhibit

Thierry Mugler Fall 1995 Ad Campaign

Janelle Monae's "Metropolis" EP cover

Inspiration: "I, Robot" the movie poster
So is Sasha's fembot fashion more farce than fierce or is she ahead of the game for a mainstream artist? Sound off.




Comments: (30)
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By: isaiah on 11/24/2008 10:53AM
If you're gonna blast Beyonce's music you may as well blast all of R&B Music as a whole because we have lost our musical edge. Yeah that's right I said it..Black music has lost its edge! It's sense of exploration (And I mean having music that has actual chord changes instead of just exploring the first two notes of the phrygian mode!)And the beats have gotten rediculously simple. Hip-Hop and R&B used to be about how many polyrhythms you could sample or play inside the given pulse. Now all you have to do is press boom-clack on a midi processing keyboard and have a hit. The only african-american musical forms that have grown at all are Jazz and Gospel and even Gosepl is starting to become over-saturated with the boom-clack principle. The generation behind me doesn't even wanna hear real music and I'm only 24 (will be 25 in a minute). So don't hate on Beyonce just because she's following the status quo musically that we've allowed to take place by giving over our musical sense of depth and expression for the sake of having a hit record that everyone can dance to.
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By: QueenDiva! on 11/24/2008 6:14PM
I love Beyonce and all that she does. Im not really feeling some of the outfits she has been wearing but thats my opinion and it is what it is. ALL OF YALL NEED TO STOP HATING CUZ SHE IS FABULOUS AND FIERCE. I bet half of yall online talkin crap don't even have fashion sense so stop being so judgemental and just be glad to see a Black positive woman in the spotlight and not in a negative light.
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By: denise on 11/24/2008 9:23PM
Do your thing Beyonce The people that are hating on
u probably are over weight and out of shape . Do your
thing girllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll.
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By: Quinn on 11/24/2008 11:47PM
SMH @ these folks who act like nobody is suppose to say anything negative about their "Queen Bey". If I think she sucks, then so be it, it doesn't make me a hater, and if you people want to idolize and worship the ground she walks on........so be it.
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By: KEE, KEE, 4U on 11/25/2008 8:31AM
Denise #23, ain't nobody on here is talkin about her PHYSICAL APPEARANCE! We all have our opinion wether it be about Beyonce's style, music, or whatever? RELEVANT. Just because we have our own opinion and don't approve, doesn't mean that some of us are overweight and out of shape. IRRELAVENT. Please stop? Next time, carefully read all blogs before posting your comments of other people on here?
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By: KEE, KEE, 4U on 11/25/2008 8:46AM
Queen Diva #22, this one's for you,
You call us on here "HATERS""? NOT! We all have "FASHION SENSE" and IZ TIRED of "FASHION MESS". You don't have any SENSE of what your talkin about? How about that. So, if some of us want to make a comment and not APPROVE, we have the RIGHT TOO! This is not called HATE, but is called an OPINION!
"HAVE A HAPPY GOBBLE DAY"!
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By: Ty on 11/25/2008 11:11AM
i think that it's funny we are addressing her glove and not the fact that she can fold herself like that. i think that is even more cool than whether she has good fashion sense. the contorsionist act is a hell of a lot cooler.
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By: nate on 11/26/2008 3:34PM
beyonce need 2 go some where with all that yelling and screamin she be doing that yall be feening for and the bad thing is that yall callin people haters and she dont give a damn bout yall,that yellow trick need to be pushed aside for other talented young females to shine and she kno she got competition thats why her retarded ass wanna come out wid some alter ego like what the hell now you know dis bitch is psychotic....smh i dont take no interest in her lame music and wack dancing skills what female cant shake her ass ima regga dancehall lover trust me me and my west indian chicks cuh put this broad to shame witha what we do
~NATE~
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By: nvixenluv on 11/30/2008 5:55AM
#22 FYI, Beyonce said she wasnt black, she is creole because of her mother. And no I am not hating these are the words from her own mouth. I dont care how much money one has, it does not make you smart in some things.
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By: 1bigchief on 12/01/2008 10:43AM
beyonce is so overrated.and just about every thing she does or sings about is just about been done before.the (beyonce so called dance) really belongs to the great tina turner but who gets the credit.her and j are copycats they clone everything in there own way if you dont believe me check for yourself.some of the people here knows what im talking about from bonnie & clyde to single ladies.her cd is wack if you ask me a little male bashing.and her video with that horrible transgender guy. she is in no way a role model.. /#?ck beyonce
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