Essence Garden Party

By Porsche Slocum In this month's edition of Essence magazine, the editors tell you to love your body and provide black women an easy summer shape-up guide for arms and thighs, belly, and how to keep those sexy curves. Plus a special feature with gorgeous Gabrielle Union. As one of Black Hollywood's "It" girls, Gabrielle Union always puts her best stiletto forward. One glance at her flawless skin, svelte body and impeccable style and it's evident that Union only gets better with time. The picture-perfect actress shares her beauty and fitness secrets and admits that learning to love her body was a spiritual and physical process. "It's definitely about getting on the path to being the person you want to be," she said. Throughout the years, we've admired her ever-evolving style and hair transformations. Whether you prefer her short and sassy or long and luxurious, Tinseltown's girl-next-door is always a mane attraction. In the perfect fit feature, Alex Woo's jewelry including the Vida pendant beautifully fit these models with long dresses in every shape and size.