Time to deactivate my account....OR NOT!

As I was trying to find my English 112 class I was scared of what to expect. First off, it was freezing and I was having a really hard time finding the class. It was my first time on Quantico Marine Base, so I didn’t know where all the classes would be taking place. I saw this lady and asked her where this English class was going to be. Alas, my savior! I had been squirming and roaming for half an hour trying to find the class. The lady led me to the way that this English 112 class was going to be.

Walking into the classroom, I thought the lady that showed me the way made a mistake. There were computers in the classroom, so I thought it was an IT class. None of my English classes before had computers, so I thought this had to be an erratum. I still sat down on one of the open seats hoping I was in the right class. I asked the lady next to me if this was an English 112 class. She answered with a yes and in return I relaxed and calmed down.  Who knew finding a class would be this distressing.

The class had a tranquilizing mood to it but I still didn’t know what to expect. I thought it would be another lifeless, interminable English class where you would just read tiresome books and write tedious papers about them. It came to my surprise that we were going to be blogging. I didn’t know what blogging was. I never even heard of it! I was hesitant and afraid of what to aspect.

I made my first blog and started my introduction entry. It seemed easy and fun.  As we progressed on to writing other blogs, I must admit it was a great experience. Blogging helped me learn a lot about fashion. I never used to look forward about writing papers but blogging was a whole other story. Blogging let me take my knowledge about fashion into account. I both researched and used my own knowledge to write these blogs. It was nice to know that I was educating people about my passion.

Commenting was another great aspect about blogging. I got to communicate with other bloggers in the class as well as blogging community. Blogging actually became like Facebook to me. I used to sign on everyday to see if I got any comments. Commenting actually made me become more interactive with students in the class. I got to know the other students by leaving comments and then by chatting with them about their blogs in class.

Reading blogs from others has also become a habit a mine. I never used to read for fun. I only read books if it was mandatory but other than that you would never catch me with any reading material. I’ve started to read blogs whenever I get the chance. It’s interesting to read about other people’s views about topics that interest me. As far as class goes, reading blogs from other classmates has taught me a lot. I never knew anything about diesel, Japan, metabolism or the economy but now I’m more educated about these topics.

Blogging has opened up a new door in my life. I have found a way to occupy myself in a satisfying and productive way. Now that this class is ending I guess there’s nothing else to do but deactivate my account.  I THINK NOT! Blogging has now become a hobby of mine. Why leave something when it’s helping you educate yourself as well as others. Blogging has expanded my knowledge in an intriguing way.  Hopefully my blog gets famous one day and I soon become a millionaire, but until then I’ll keep blogging and writing about my passion.

Thanks for opening this magnetic door Professor Peluso! You will be missed!

Fashion Timeline

Everything changes and everything evolves. Fashion comes and goes and so do our clothes. Clothes itself can explain a lot about history. Check this timeline out to see how fashion has evolved!

The Fifties were all about tailored fitted dresses. Women paid attention to always looking groomed, smart and sleek. Heels and gloves were also worn with these dresses to complete the whole outfit. One the most popular styles of dresses that were worn during this time were called the poodle skirt which was usually designed with flowers and bright summery colors. This dress was also worn with a girdle, which went under the dress to create a “poof”. Another popular type of dress that was worn during this time was called the pencil skirt. The pencil skirt used to be very provocative back in the days, so young girls did not wear them. Pencil skirts were used to make women look more feminine and shapely. Hair was usually cut short or made into a tight perfect bun to fit this sleek look.

When the sixties came around fashion took a whole new turn. The sixties incorporated many diverse new trends. The bikini and miniskirt came out during this era. The 1960s was also known as the beginning of the hippie movement. Many women stopped wearing bras and preferred to wear T-shirts with tie dye and paisley prints. During important occasions simple dresses with geometric shapes were worn with stilettos. Other everyday wear footwear included low-heeled sandals, kitten-heeled pumps and go go boots. The most popular hair style during this time was called the beehive hairdo. Other hair styles that were done during this time usually incorporated a lot volume and a lot of hairspray.

During the seventies the hippie movement came into full motion. Tie dye was still in fashion. Maxis came out into fashions which were ankle length dresses. Many women and men wore tunics with Indian prints. Bell bottoms came into fashion as well. Many people during this time preferred to go to thrift stores to buy their clothes. Platform shoes came more into fashion. Both men and women wore these types of shoes. Fashion at this time was discriminative. Men and women wore almost the same type of clothes. Young teen girls wore crop tops during this time which were tied above the midriff. Hair was mostly kept natural during this time. Many women kept it long and down without any styling.

During the eighties fashion took another turn. The making of MTV changed everything. Music became one the most influential factors. Everything was inspired by celebrities. This was an era where individuality was presented. Even though people copied artists, they still expressed their individuality by copying artist that represented who they were. Men were into the thriller look which was inspired by Michael Jackson, which included leather jackets, leather pants and sunglasses. Many women were inspired by Madonna’s sense of style. Madonna wore head bands, ribbons, and a lot of lace. This was an urban “sea urchin” type of look.

The nineties were a mixture of many fashions. Body piercing became very popular. People were into doing their “own thing”. Alternative and punk styles were in. People dyed their hair different colors like blue, fuchsia, and red. Bands such as Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson started the goth style which only involved the color black. Tiger Woods, the famous golfer, made khaki and cargo pants into style. During this time rap became very popular as well. Baggy pants and loose shirts came into style inspired by these rap artists.

The 2000s, which is the millennium that we are still in incorporates many styles. Many of the styles that used to be present during the last years have started to appear again. In 2007, leggings started to appear again. Leggings used to be very popular during the 1980s as well. People are expressing their individuality by what they wear. Some are into the grungy look, others the rap look, and more in the sophisticated look.

This fashion timeline shows you that clothes can tell you more than just what a person is wearing. Fashion represents history and time. Just by looking at a picture of what a person is wearing can tell you a lot about the era and time that person was living in.

Boots for you!

As we already know women come in different shapes and sizes. Every winter, designers come out with new sexy styles for boots but are they always going to flatter our legs? Not all women have the same type of legs. Some have short legs, others have wide calves and some come equipped with thin legs. All boots are different and they are not meant for all people. Having issues with boots not fitting right? Read this boot guide to get over the case of the boot blues.

Women that have short legs should consider wearing heels. This will help elongate their legs and make their body as a whole, look more proportionate.  A low to mid is recommended to create an illusion of long legs. Flats should always be avoided because it will only accentuate womanly short legs. It is also important to make sure that your jeans come over the boot from the top so that you legs can look more drawn out. The Devon Boot from the Victoria Secret fits all these categories and it will leave your body looking fabulous (Banks).

Females that are dreading their thick legs need to add definition.  Sling backs are great for these types of legs but as far as boots go, you should go for a thick heel ("How to"). Anything to small will make your legs look undefined. Thick legs need support which means that you should look for a boot that has some cushion. Wearing boots that are too thin causes these legs to look even thicker which is not the look that we are going for. Hannah Faux Suede Boots are recommended for these women trying to add definition to their legs. These boots can be found at Torrid (Banks). 

Ladies that have skinny legs need to go for boots that are form fitting. Snug pull ons are recommended since they hold on to your legs and give it a stretched look ("The Best"). Another way to help your skinny leg dilemma is by wearing boots that have an adjustable or elastic closure meaning zippers are not a good idea ("The Best"). Boots with zippers are usually made for women with thick legs, which mean they leave your legs looking even skinnier and awkward. BP Manhattan Boots are advocated for these women with skinny legs. These boots come with adjustable straps which means you can wrap them as close to your legs as you want.

Long legs have also become an issue. Long legs are beautiful and unique in their own way but when accentuated too much it may leave you looking graceless. Flats are great to compliment these long legs ("The Best"). Heels are not recommended at all to these women because it will overpower their legs making them look oafish.  The Steve Madden Bonanza Boots are highly recommended to these women. These boots have no heel what so ever yet they are as stylish as boots with heels are.

Keeping these facts in mind when going shopping for boots is a great idea. Following this book guide will help flatter your figure and leave you looking fabulous. When you look great from the outside it has an effect on the inside as well. Boost your self confidence by stunting in these boots that are exclusively for your legs!

References

Banks, Tyra. "Your biggest boot problems solved!" TyraShow.com. 09 Nov. 2008. 01 Dec. 2008 http://tyrashow.warnerbros.com/2008/11/your_biggest_boot_problems_sol.php.

"The Best Boots for Skinny Calves and Shorties - Stylehive." Style Hive. 07 Jan. 2008. 09 Dec. 2008 http://www.stylehive.com/blog/boots-for-petite-legs.

"How to Buy Plus Size Boots." EHow. 1 Dec. 2008 http://www.ehow.com/how_2086442_buy-plus-size-boots.html

Alas! A blog like mine!

As I was laying down on my bed, I started to ponder about the other blogs that I was going to use for the final paper. I started to become more anxious and panicky if I was ever going to find a great blog that would be correspondent to mine. All the other blogs that were about fashion only stuck to fashion. They didn’t go outside the box by taking in other issues that are being affected by fashion, such as anorexia and plastic surgery into account.

One blog that I found before which was called the Fashion Salad is one of the blogs that I am surely going to use for the final essay. Since this blog incorporates all the other aspects fashion deals with like the media and etc.

The other blog that I found before was called The Budget Fashionista. I thought this was a good blog that I would be able to incorporate into my essay but it was only about what clothes and shoes to get for a low price.  This blog was not that bad, but it only focused on one issue. I knew that I would have a find a better blog for my essay to focus on.

Still laying on my bed pondering about the blogs to use for my essay, I grabbed the TV remote and turned to WE channel and started watching the Tyra Banks Show.  She was talking about how young teenagers were giving in into the media by thinking that being skinny is sexy. They were talking to young girls who were experiencing anorexia and bulimia.  Suddenly, a yellow bulb turned on. The Tyra Banks Show is all about fashion as well as important issues. I was hoping that I could talk to Professor Peluso and ask her if it would be ok to use a show for the essay. I decided to do some online research and I found Tyras blog. Alas, a good blog for my paper!!

This blog will definitely be included in my essay. It’s great, and it goes well with my blog as well. Tyra not only talks about fashion and what to wear but she also focuses on issues in today’s world. 

Finally, an excellent blog for my essay!

Television and Plastic Surgery

There are many shows out there that show plastic surgery as a normal and everyday thing. They show normal people getting plastic surgery and having fantastic results. These results are not always good as they seem on TV. Television glamorizes plastic surgery and even suggests it.

Extreme Makeover, The Swan and MTV’s I Want a Famous face are some examples of some popular plastic surgery TV shows. These shows are gaining a lot of publicity but many psychologists are worried because of the psychological impact that it might have on people.

On Fox’s reality show The Swan, Delisa Stiles who is a therapist and also the captain of the Army Reserve criticized her body about being “too manly”. The show transformed her into a princess by giving her surgical procedures one by one. She got a breast lift, brow lift, lower eye lift, tummy tuck, mid-face lift, liposuction of thighs, dental procedures and fat transfer to lips. After she was done with all of her procedures all the contestants would be compared to one another, and one be chosen as The Swan and last year the winner was Delisa Stiles (Dittmann).

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the total of cosmetic surgeries increased by 44 percent from 2003-2004 (Dittman). People are getting the notion that if something is wrong with their body it can easily be fixed by having Plastic Surgery. Plastic surgeons estimated a record of 11.9 million procedures last year (Dittmann).

Many teenagers are also being influenced by the TV shows. In 2004, 249,642 cosmetic procedures were done on people 18 years and younger (Dittmann). The most popular procedure that was performed in this age range was breast augmentation, breast lifts, liposuction, tummy tucks and nose reconstruction. There have not been many studies done on the long term risks that these teenagers may experience due to plastic surgery. This is an age where they are not fully physically or mentally developed which puts them in greater risk.

Having plastic surgery is not easily done. Results are not always perfect and it may even make the condition worse than before. Complications may also occur which can have a negative effect on your health. Basing our choices about plastic surgery based on what we see on television is a dangerous thing. We must look at our bodies and health before we make any choices that can affect our well being. Make responsible choices, not dumb ones.

References

Dittmann, Melissa. "Plastic surgery: Beauty or beast?" Apa Online. 8 Sept. 2005. 22 Nov. 2008 http://www.apa.org/monitor/sep05/surgery.html.

Plastic Surgery Pros and Cons

Plastic surgery has become very popular nowadays. Every single year millions of men and women try the latest in plastic surgery in order to keep their youthful appearance. Not everyone is born with glowing skin, a small nose, and perfect breast. Many can cope with these ordeals but there are others that can’t bear living with these “imperfections”.

Plastic surgery can help these people boost their self confidence levels as well as their view on self image. Many men and women say that their flaws limit their social interaction with people as well ("Pros and cons"). Their physical flaws are the reasons that they are not comfortable in public situations. This issue can also have an effect on their well being and personal success. Having such a poor view on your body may even escalade into depression.

A satisfied result of plastic surgery can lead a person to feel great about themselves . Their confidence level multiplies, you get along with others more so than you did before because you feel more alluring ("Pros and cons"). Even though there are many advantages to plastic surgery, one must look at the disadvantages before jumping onto the surgeons operating table.

If you are thinking about having a surgical procedure done the first thing you should do is review your goals, expectations and needs. You should also consider and keep in mind that celebrities can cause wrong impressions of the results of plastic surgery. Every patient has a different reaction to plastic surgery (Dittmann). Even though the surgery and the surgeon are the same it is still not guaranteed that your results will be exact. It is not for sure that you will get the results that you really desire for. Many have been disappointed by the final result.

As an example, after liposuction there is a chance that the body will try to fight back to remake its fat deposits. The body will do this by placing the fat where there was no fat before. Another example is a chemical peel. A chemical peel can cause skin to burn easily and become very sensitive when in the sun.

Every surgical procedure is different. Cosmetic procedures are the most painful and invasive. Recovery can take a day to six months (Dittmann). Time to recover and heal will take a lot of time and you will not be able to perform all of your normal activities. Side effects such as infection, pain and scarring may occur as well. Plastic surgery may also lead to complications which can lead to further health problems.

Plastic surgery is an expensive procedure. Most health insurances do not offer coverage on plastic surgery which makes it even more difficult to procure the procedure. Plastic surgery should always be done by a qualified health professional which means it will cost more. Having plastic surgery done by a non qualified surgeon may lead to many more complications and it may even cause death.

In my point of view, I think that plastic surgery can be very positive towards one’s self esteem. You gain confidence and feel more self worth. Plastic surgery can make you feel great mentally but is it really worth the pain and dangers of surgery? Plastic surgery comes with many outcomes and many are not good. Plastic surgery can cause many adverse side effects which may be worse than your low self esteem. It is not worth putting your body in danger for cosmetic purposes. You should love your body and accept the way that you are.

Plastic surgery is always a medical procedure that can affect your health and physical well being, no matter how minor the procedure is. Physical beauty is a matter that many men and women aim for but surgery isn’t always the answer. Before hitting the knife, you should inform yourself as much as you can about the procedure. You should also seek help from a qualified surgeon to answer any questions and to certify that you will obtain the most out of your procedure.

Another thing to keep in mind before having plastic surgery is that beauty is only skin deep. Who you are as a person is more important than how you look on the outside.

References

Dittmann, Melissa. "Plastic surgery: Beauty or beast?" Apa Online. 8 Sept. 2005. 22 Nov. 2008 http://www.apa.org/monitor/sep05/surgery.html.

"Pros and Cons of Plastic Surgery." PlastiSurgeons.com. 2008. Experthub Inc. 24 Nov. 2008 http://www.plasticsurgeons.com/resources/plastic-surgery-guide/pros-and-cons-plastic-surgery.htm.

Clothes For Your Body Type!

Everyone comes in different shapes and sizes. One of the many problems women face is that they do not know how to dress appropriately for their body type. There is always that one part that we do not like such as our butt, stomach, hips and etc. These areas are known as our troubled spots. Understanding and knowing your body shape helps you identify what clothes will flatter your body the best. Wearing clothes that are for your body type can make you look great. There are actually six body types which include round, inverted triangle, hour glass, pear, diamond, and straight. According to Erin, this is what we should be wearing for our body types...

A woman with a round shaped body normally has big breast, a big rib cage, a big stomach and slim hips and legs. It is suggested that you should wear skirts that show off your hips as well as your legs. When choosing blouses you should go for v-necks because this will make your neck look more elongated. Tight shirts should be avoided because this will make your stomach look larger. Collars should be kept narrow because it will not draw as much attention to the breast.

Women that have an inverted triangle body have wide shoulders, a normal bust, average waist, slim hips and long legs. It is advised that these women should wear hip hugger jeans because this will accentuate their slim hips. Pants with a flare at the bottom are also suggested because it will even out your broad shoulders. Wearing a belt over your blouse will also help your hips look more flattering.

Having a bust, small bone structure, defined waist, big hips and shapely legs characterize a woman with an hourglass figure. Wearing pants with belts and rap up tops are suggested. Another way you can accentuate your assets is by wearing semi fitted tops. You should not be wearing overly baggy clothes because this will overwhelm you bone structure. Having an hourglass figure is wanted by many women and if you posses this body type, you should flaunt it!

You can tell when a woman is pear shaped when she has a long neck, narrow shoulders, small breast, thin waist, big hips and generous thighs. Women with these types of bodies should wear pants that hide the wide hips. Skirts should go straight down instead of being pencil like. Square neck lines are also advised because it will make your shoulders look broader.

Diamond shaped body types have slender shoulders, small breast, wide hips and big thighs. This shape is similar to pear shaped women but less proportional. Their upper body is much smaller and thinner than their lower body. Diamond shaped females are very curvy. These women should stick to slightly tapered pants just below the hemline. Tops should be flare shaped so they can over your hips or bottom.

Women with a straight body type have the upper torso and lower torso that are the same in width. They also have an average bust, big rib cage, flat butt and skinny legs. Women with this figure should buy jackets that are longer so that it will make the torso look longer as well. Necklines should also be below the collarbone because it will make your neck look longer. Belts should be avoided because it will accentuate your bigger waist.

These things should be kept in mind when dressing. It could really help with your look and your self confidence as well. If you're dressed great, you will feel great!

References

Erin. "What Body Type Are You?" Happygrrls Archives. 2006. 1 Nov. 2008 http://www.happygrrls.com/fashion/howtodressforbodytype.html.