Fashion

What do Guys Really Think About Girls' Fashion?

I've always sort of wondered what guys really thought about what girls are wearing. Do they really like our big "movie star" sunglasses or the ever-comfortable cropped pants? Do they care if we wear flared or skinny leg jeans? It's true most girls dress to please guys, but what if they actually don't like what we wear? It kind of defeats the point, doesn't it?

So, I've decided to ask three guys what they think about certain fashion items. Since they wished to remain anonymous, they will be known by the fictitious names Scout, Ray, and Curly.

I wasn't overly surprised to find out that the big sunglasses weren't a hit. All three guys quickly chimed in that they didn't like them.

"They just look ridiculous when they're big enough to cover up your whole forehead." Curly said. When I asked Ray what he thought of them he said he doesn't like them because it looks like girls are trying to be celebrities when they're not.

When I asked about Capri pants and cargo shorts however, all the guys seemed fine with them. Scout simply said he didn't care about Capri's because he doesn't look down there, and when I mentioned what he thought of longer shorts he replied that he liked those better than the short ones. In fact, he said he hates the super short ones.

As far as shirts go, all but Curly had a strong opinion. "I really hate those shirts that kind of go down too far. I like it if they go up to the neck." Scout said forwardly. Ray agreed, "None too low cut," he said, "It's a bit too much."

"What about those jackets that have full length sleeves but only reach the waist?" I asked, expecting the strong reaction I got. "I think they're wearing something like a monkey would wear. I hate them." Ray said laughing. "It looks dumb because it looks like they don't have enough money to pay for the other half of it. It looks too small." Curly stated flatly.

As for jeans, all three of the guys unanimously agreed that they didn't mind skinny or flared leg jeans, which is nice to know now that the season for jeans is back.

As far as labels go, it seems guys couldn't care less. When I asked if he cared where girls got their clothes, Scout simply said no because labels are usually on the butt and that he doesn't really look down there.

The last thing I asked the guys was if they had any tips they'd like to give girls on fashion. I found all three of their answers both fascinating and surprising.

"Express yourself, don't just follow fashion trends. Just because someone's wearing something doesn't mean you should." said Scout.

"Don't wear short shorts that are so short that you can see the pockets hanging out of the bottom. That's just sick actually" Ray stated.

"Don't care what we guys think." Curly said simply.

Well, I hope this gives you some idea of what guys think (which doesn't seem to be a whole lo) about what girls are wearing. It seems like there are only a few items that really bug them. But, like Curly said, "Don't care what we guys think", so wear what expresses your personality and original style. If you're confident about what you're wearing, guys will naturally respect and like you for it.

Submitted by Haley Welch

Black Nail Polish

Is it Gothic, Punk, or is Just Simply Chic?

Black nail polish was once considered to be something only Goths wear, but today it is considered very chic. It is everywhere you go. Movie stars, singers, and strangers on the street are wearing it. Some people, including me, were skeptical at first and some still are but just because you wear black nail polish doesn't make you Goth or a punk rocker (not that there is anything wrong with that!). Anyone can wear black nail polish.

There are few things you have to be careful of when wearing black nail polish. When you put it on and you get it all over your fingers, it stands out like a neon green dress with neon yellow, pink, and blue paisleys! You have to be ridiculously careful when applying black nail polish. If you are not good at applying nail polish, I suggest you have someone else do it. Black nail polish stays nice for awhile but then quickly chips away. For some people it is hard to keep up with putting nail polish on, in this case they should not wear black nail polish. Once it starts to chip it gets worse every day. You need to remove the nail polish on your fingers FIRST and then apply new or else you can see the first coat on your nails.

Don't be afraid to express yourself by wearing black nail polish. It is good thing to be different from the crowd. Black doesn't necessarily mean that you are sad, mourning, or feel like your dying, it is just a simple color that looks really good with most skin tones.

I used to be totally against black nail polish but now it is the only color I will wear. It makes my nails look longer and healthier. It doesn't matter to me what other people think of me or my black nail polish as long as I know I am being who I am and not pretending to be someone else.

Submitted by Ashley Heyen

The UGLY side of modeling

At one time or another every girl has dreamed of being a model. And who can blame them? Models' lives are just so fabulous. They get to travel around the world, wear designer clothing, and strut on catwalks in lovely cities like Paris. They have the ideal life or so it seems. Many people never see past the glamorous side of the fashion industry. They believe in the magical veneer that surrounds it, when in fact there is a darker side.

Watching the Prada fall/winter fashion show for 2007/2008 should give you a hint of this darker side. As the women strut down the runway you might find yourself noticing similarities between them: they all look unhealthy. Each looks underweight, severe, and slightly spaced out as they walk the runway in their ridiculously high heels.

Why? Why does the fashion industry find girls that look like starved drug addicts to be the new "it" look? What is so attractive about this? Though there is no one true answer, there are a few common factors. One is that the fashion industry is ever changing, and thus the demands for certain "looks" from models also change. Unfortunately, the "in" look now is a near impossible one to achieve {while remaining healthy that is}. Another is that the people of America are so unforgiving when famous women gain weight.

Take former fashion model, and TV show host Tyra Banks as an example. If you ever watch her show you'll notice she has gained weight since her hardcore modeling years when she was younger. Yes, she's heavier, but most normal people will admit she still looks amazing. She looks like a normal healthy woman, but nevertheless, certain tabloids criticized her weight gain {even though it has taken place over many years}. The surprising thing is Tyra actually fought back against the horrible criticism. She even started the "So What!" campaign to help women to have healthy body images. However, most women aren't as brave or as confident as Tyra, and probably would have crumbled under the criticism. This is just one example of how critical the fashion and news industry can be to women who are even slightly different from the "desired" body image.

So, with all this pressure, it is somewhat apparent why models conform and morph into the stick thin models we see. Some models are lucky and are naturally skinny. But for those that aren't, this presents a problem. They are given two choices, hope that whatever designer they work for will like their body type, or lose the weight {no matter what the cost}.

Luckily though, there has been some recent outcry against such unhealthy models. Runways in Spain have even banned models that have a BMI {body mass index} lower than 18. However, London's fashion week refused to follow suit, even after the death of supermodel Luisel Ramos. Luisel had been told that if she dropped a few more pounds her career would really take off. After three months of eating nothing but salads and greens and drinking Diet Coke, Luisel reached her goal of a size zero. It was short lived however, for moments after stepping off of a catwalk Luisel complained she didn't feel well, and dropped dead of heart failure. Luisel's sister Eliana {who was also a supermodel} died of malnutrition.

For something that's supposed to be glamorous and chic, fashion seems to be taking a turn towards the dangerous side. Hopefully though, like all fads before, these unrealistic expectations of models will end.

Submitted by Haley Welch

References:

Prada fashion show: go to www.youtube.com and search for Prada Fashion Show fall/winter 07/08

Anorexic Models: Super skinny Models banned

Article by Lori Henry