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There is a lot of controversy in the fashion industry regarding the color of the models. Many people have been noticing that the skin tone of the models is getting darker, leaving those who are pale by nature out in the proverbial cold. Yes, it is true that the skin tone of the models is getting darker, but it is not for a racial or stereotypical reason. Instead, it is politics.

 

Yes, you heard me right, politics has factored into fashion and it is not the first time. Fashion has been heavily influenced by the popular trends and a beloved president and glamorous wife makes for a stunning trend. While Barack Obama may be getting the hard end of life with people questioning his birth and everything he does, Michelle is not receiving this type of a reception.

 

Instead of icy shoulders, Michelle has become akin to Jackie Kennedy, a leader in fashion and a trend setter. The reason for this is due to her self assured and confident manner. Michelle Obama spends time working out, wears conservative but stunning outfits and take pride in herself and her family. This has caught the eye of fashion and women around the world. It is not uncommon to find many different outfits named for Michelle or that based off of outfits she has worn.

 

What does all of this have to do with the color of the models on the runway? Well, actually quite a bit. Because Michelle is very dark skinned, the models that are wearing outfits and colors like those she wears are also dark. The trend that she has set is one of black Americans standing up and being confident in themselves; and this has caused more black models to take over the runway and more designers to work to dress women like Michelle.

 

Does this mean that pale models are out of the loop and will not receive the favor of the designers? No, it doesn’t. There are still many pale models out there and there are many designers who will still cater to this skin tone, creating outfits that look good on the palest of people. It simply means for this moment that the darker skin is what people are focused on. It will even out as time goes on, making confidence the single most important feature in beauty and fashion once again.

 

There is a misnomer that fashion and fashion models are re-known for their beauty. Alas, it is not the physical beauty of the individual that captures the attention of world, although physical beauty helps. Instead, it is the confidence of the model, the feeling of being beautiful that causes the individual to be a model.

 

With the fashion world always been on the edge of a revolution and culture, it is little wonder that as minorities, especially black men and women, are becoming the hot thing in the fashion world. This has everything to do with the growing confidence in the different minorities and in the black community. This causes more individuals in the community attempt modeling and enjoy the confidence needed to become a successful model.

 

There are a lot of reasons for this increased confidence level in black models. The number one reason is the moving away from the victim stance that has previous afflicted the community. This has caused more people to become responsible for their actions and create an image of success and beauty within themselves. This leads to a higher level of confidence and a more beautiful individual.

 

Don’t believe me? Think about it. Do you remember seeing a shy, scared or envious model? Do you know of a model that would rather hide than stand up and be noticed? Have you ever seen a person who did not want to be seen? If you want further convincing, watch “What Not To Wear” and look at the “normal” people that they work with. Yes, the clothing changes, but the major reason that that these people look better, black or white, is that they are more confident in themselves.

 

Sorry men, you guys are hairy. Manscaping helps to eliminate this hair. This has been a common behavior for individuals who work out and who swim regularly, but it never had a name before. Now removing the body hair has a name and is accepted on many more levels and many women expect manscaping. This became very popular in the 1990’s and 2000’s, although it has been actively practiced for centuries.

 

Methods

 

Manscaping is most often done with a razor. The hair is shaved off of the body just as it is done off the face. Ask any woman, and we can tell you that this is not as hard as it sounds. When using a razor, be sure to use a good shaving cream and a fresh razor. Especially when shaving below the belt, even if the razor has been used for a just a few weeks, be sure to get a new razor.

 

Creams and wax are also very useful means for hair removal. Creams are not appropriate for the private parts and wax can be very painful. If using cream, be sure to use to it appropriately. Do not leave it on the skin longer than necessary thinking to remove the hair faster. Wax can be burn if it is heated too long and it can be painful to rip off. Waxing is often best done with some help.

 

Shave What!?!

Manscaping means removing ALL, or at least most, of the excess hair. This means shaving your back, your neck, your chest, privates, and sometimes even arms and legs! This also means plucking your eyebrows and keeping the jaw-line clean. Sometimes this means not using the “do it yourself” method.

 

Shaving your chest, arms and legs can easily be done at home and in the shower. However! Plucking your eyebrows and shaving your back is not something that can be done alone. Plucking should NEVER be done alone. It is very easy to create an artificial shape, too narrow of a brow and at can be very easy to remove the entire eyebrow, and there is no recovery from that.

 

This does not mean that the entire body needs to be shaved. Skip shaving the armpits UNLESS you are a body builder or model. Women expect a little bit of hair in the pits and removing all of this hair can give too feminine of an appearance and can show a misunderstanding as to what manscaping really is.

 

Meeting in the Middle

Now, I spend A LOT of time in the gym. I have a man I love and he spends that same amount of time in the gym with me. That being said, I encourage manscaping… to a point. I prefer men who have some hair on their chest, just not enough to wrap around my fingers. He trims it with a buzz clipper to keep it soft and short without the chest stubble. He does the same for the rest of his body, allowing me to use a razor to clean up his back.

 

Most of the women I know feel the same about their men. The clean shaven look looks nice right after it is done. It even feels good for the first day. However, hair grows back and it can be tedious to shave daily, resulting in chest stubble. This is a turn off so short, soft hair is nice and fun to touch. Think Teddy Bear when you begin manscaping, and be sure to talk with your partner as their opinion will matter.

 

Ever wonder what shoes to wear? As a woman, (a stereotype, I know) I know only too well the amount of time that is put into picking out the right shoes for an outfit. It is not only shoes to wear out and about, but rather shoes to wear to work. Depending upon where you work and what you do for a living, it can be quite difficult to determine what shoes to wear. Here is a little bit of a guide line as to what type of shoes to wear.

 

Labor Workers

• Timberland shoes and work boots are some of the best shoes for both men and women. These boots and shoes come with 6 months of guaranteed comfort. The durable construction and non-slip soles make them ideal for standing all day and walking in potentially dangerous areas. The thick soles protect from small debris and tacks far better than sneakers ever can. (Trust me on this one, I learned from experience.)

 

Entry Level Office Workers

• Men- Nice, plain sneakers are often good enough for the office. This is especially true if the office is attached to a laboring floor. These sneakers should be single colored, usually black although white is also acceptable.
• Women- Flats and closed toed shoes are considered best for this. The heel should not be too high and the shoes should not be overly flashy. Unless you are working seated the entire time, make sure the heels have a rubber sole and will not cause you to slide.

 

Upper Office Workers

• Men- This is not the time to go for comfort only. Be sure to wear to wear dress shoes to work. These shoes should have a very low heal and should be made from leather. The shoes can be slip on shoes or they can have laces, but they do not have thick rubber soles that sneakers and work shoes have.
• Women- Think closed toed shoes. The shoes can be a bit flasher and the heels can be higher. Be sure that the shoes fit appropriately. Women in the upper offices ten to be a new trend; do not be afraid to be bold.

 

Owners

• If you own your facility, wear whatever shoes you want to. You run the place, you pay the checks and you make the rules. Do remember that people will judge you based upon how you are dressed through, so coming in with stained jeans and falling apart shoes will not impress those that work for you. When making business connections, dressing poorly will hinder the process, so dressing with the upper office or management dress shoe styles.

 

The biggest thing to remember when buying shoes for work is the follow the dress code. Just because the shoes fit in with this guide line does not mean that the shoes will fit the guidelines of the work place. It is also very important to remember what the position includes since high heels and walking are not always compatible. This applies for men and women in the work force.

 

Earrings for men used to be a symbol of specific social classes or sexuality. The specific meanings of these different earrings varied throughout the years, but they are still important symbols of class and sociality. While earrings at one point symbolized homosexual tendencies, now they denote a man with style and class.

 

There are a lot of earrings that a man can wear. Most of them are very similar to women’s earrings. There are even those earrings that are billed at women’s earrings that can also be worn by men. Most of these earrings are simple studs but there are some that very complex in design. There are even hoops that have a solidly masculine appearance. These earrings draw attention to the man’s strength and class, providing him with a more finished image.

Then there are the earrings that are clearly women’s earrings that do not translate into men’s earrings. These are the large hoops, the feminine designs and the pearl earring. These earrings only look good on women, no matter what other designs, colors or styles are used on the earrings. These should NOT be worn by men.

 

The large hoops and feminine designs are obvious in their reasons for not being appropriate for men. However, the pearl earring is a little less obvious in the reason’s for not being male appropriate. These reasons range from the pearl itself, the symbolic meanings of the pearl and the designs that pearl can be made into.

 

Pearl is a NOT a stone. A pearl is actually a series of layers of protective skins that encase a small pebble or grain in the mouth of a clam. The pearl is very soft and can easily be damaged, making it very difficult for most people to keep in good condition. Because the pearl is not a stone, it cannot be polished to a bright shine, but rather often has soft glow to it. Because the pearl is completely biological, it cannot be exposed to water or it will dissolve.

 

The pearl is symbolic with womanhood. This is due to the soft nature, the glow of the pearl and the shape of the pearl. Pearls are generally round in shape. There are those pearls that are long and thin, but a high quality pearl is perfectly round. Since the pearl is various layers of protective coatings, the stone cannot be shaped into other designs.  These details together make for a precious “stone” that is distinctly feminine. Men, go head and wear women’s studs, just not the pearl ones.