The Pressure is On

Lately every time we talk about the fashion project there is one question that keeps coming up. "Is this just for women or is there a men's game too?" Now we were thinking that we would do one in about a year or so. First we need a menswear specialist. We know women's better sportswear but when it comes to menswear and designers, we are a bit weak. Okay we are really weak. However, given the comments and interest, we probably need to start that search sooner rather than later.

That said, I want to spend a moment talking about beauty and what it is and is not. I believe that everyone on the planet has something about them that is beautiful. Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. Example, I know people who love Kandinsky. I personally would not spend the money. I love the d'Orsay and could leave the Louvre for special exhibits only. Someone else may say I'm crazy and the Louvre is the only museum worth the visit.

The same is true of people, fashion, etc. When I was growing up in the United States the standard of beauty was blond, blue eyes, thin, legs for days and a bit of pedigree. I was short with dark cafe au lait skin, chunky with dark hair. I did not see dolls that looked like me. I did not see models that looked anything like me. I didn't see me on television. I was non-existent in terms of media presence and therefore developed a feeling of being invisible.

Then a television show entitled Julia was picked up by a major network. Now all of a sudden you saw a black woman on television who was not featured in a PBS special on Africa. There were other blacks that appeared on television and for the most part they were in sitcoms and the entire cast was black. Dramatic series were not as successful for some reason.

Then when I was 29 (I am dating myself here) Vanessa Williams was crowned Miss America. Now a little black girl in this country could really aspire to become Miss America. Yes there was the scandal but guess what. Even when Ms. Williams had to give up her crown, the woman waiting in the wings was Suzette Charles, also a black woman. So there was still a social victory for black women in the United States. They may have been the first but they were not the last.

Unfortunately, I did hear comments such as, "they should have their own pageant and leave Miss America to American girls." I am an American girl. I just don't have blond hair and blue eyes. I am saying this for one purpose only. Even though the print and broadcast media ignored me because I did not fit the standard of beauty they wanted to promote, everyone in my community saw me as having value and being beautiful. Now that I have had time to grow into me, I think so too.

It isn't about being drop-dead gorgeous or fit for the runway. It is rare that those runway girls are drop-dead gorgeous before hairdressers, makeup artists and costumers get to them. They can really be a sight walking in to get ready for a show.

Beauty comes in all sizes, colors and shapes. Here is what makes someone beautiful to me. They greet you with a smile. They will stop and say hi to a small child. They will help an elderly or disabled person with a mundane chore. They understand that it isn't only about them. They really love being alive. They approach life with purpose, a sense of adventure and a healthy dose of reality.

Beautiful clothes are wonderful. But, you can put the most beautiful outfit together, dress your self up and go out and slay dragons with harsh words and ugly death stares. If the clothes are used to encase something that vile they will lose the beauty quickly. It will be "OMG did you see the dragon lady?"

So from the fairest of skin with platinum blond hair and freckles to the darkest almost blue-black skin with dark course hair and tribal dress there is an exotic beauty in every single person. From a size 0 to a size 28 or whatever there is beauty. It is in their eyes, their smile, their demeanor or their bearing. I encourage you to look for the beauty in everyone.

Do this the next time you go out or see a friend. Really look at them. Find the beauty in the people around you. Think about being the one who spreads the word. Beauty is everywhere. It starts with you. Act beautiful and you'll be surprised how much beauty is all around you.

Okay, I will look at some Kandinsky's and find the beauty in them also. I will go to the Louvre on my next trip to Paris and hang out in the Grand Hall with the great masters. I will find the beauty in the Mona Lisa, the Madonna of the Rocks and Winged Victory. Then I will go to the d'Orsay and gawk as a couple of Dali's.

a la prochaine