Is "Weave" A Dirty Word?

Friday, September 4, 2009

<-- Jessica Simpson's Clip-In Hair Extensions

As much as I support any woman who wants to have fun with their hair and diversify their look with hair extensions, I can't help but wonder: Is the word "weave" a dirty word? And if so, why?

I know that some women with naturally long hair take offense when another person accuses them of having fake hair, when the hair is completely natural. I also know that many women who do wear extensions take offense when someone points it out and teases them about it. However, considering the popularity of hair extensions over the ages, why do people freely accuse others of having a weave and then joke about it? For example, people continuously love to point out the fact that Beyonce, Tyra Banks, and Naomi Campbell all wear extensions. Many people even joke about it, to the degree where they have published videos on YouTube providing proof that they wear extensions. I have even heard women blatantly accuse another woman with long hair of having a weave, as if it were a bad thing (the statement is usually a variation of the following quote: "That isn't her real hair - she has a weave!"). One particular YouTube video attempts to make a convincing argument that "Weaves make [black women] look bad." Several black women with naturally long hair have also published videos on YouTube about their frustration with people accusing them of having weaves, when their hair is actually their own.

The degree of scrutiny over fake hair has led me to this question: Is the word "weave" a dirty word? Specifically, is "weave" a dirty word when talking about a black women's hair? To be honest, I really don't know, but I do know that many people of all races and ethnicities wear hair extensions hoping that people would make the assumption that it is their own hair. There are also people who feel a strange obligation to point out that a woman is wearing extensions, as if to discover a beauty flaw or insinuate that the person is not as beautiful because that hair supposedly does not naturally belong to the woman's body. They have gone so far as to tug on women's hair at public gatherings (e.g. at nightclubs) or quickly tap the back of the woman's head to test whether or not the woman is wearing a wig and/or can feel weave track lines on the back of the head. A lot of black women have had to deal with this issue, particularly in light of the fact that some people have a hard time digesting the fact that black women can naturally have long hair. An unnecessary and ridiculous situation? Yes. But does it happen? All the time.

I personally think people need to leave others alone when it comes to their hairstyle choices. I also think that it is silly to automatically assume that a black woman has hair extensions if she has long hair flowing down her back. And if you happen to like wearing hair extensions, keep rocking your look. If people have an issue with it, they'll get over it. If they don't, it is their issue, and not yours.

Fall 2009 Makeup Trends

Thursday, September 3, 2009

I have never really used to pay close attention to seasonal makeup trends - I am a dark red lipstick/black eyeliner girl all the way. However, I have become increasingly interested in changing up my look, and I know that many of you may be interested in some change as well! After doing a bit of investigation of Fall 2009's makeup trends, I present the trend verdict:

According to Benjamin Twist in his article, "Best Fall 2009 Makeup Colors", "the latest fashion trends for fall 2009 makeup colors are all about high contrast - bright, deep, dramatic colors against a very light, natural background."

Eyes: "[D]ark and bold. Purple is one of the best fall makeup colors overall, and the eyes are no exception. Put on a lush coat of deep purple eye shadow for a truly trendy look this fall." Twist also suggests deep earthy tones, like forest greens, browns, in order to bring out your natural eye color for a more neutral look. "Gold and bronze, and similar metallic colors, are some other hot new makeup colors for fall 2009." I was thrilled to find out that the smoky eye look is still in style: "Smoky eyes, with dark mascara and black eye shadow, are hotter than ever, and if anything the look is moving toward even bolder and darker smoky eye makeup for the fall 2009 fashion season."

Lips: I am in love with dark red lipstick, so I'm happy that it is a fashionable 2009 fall trend. Twist states that "the hottest trends in makeup colors for fall 2009 are bright reds and ripe, juicy berry colors." I'm not a personal fan of purple (I don't think I could pull it off), but Twist notes that "purple is one of the best fall makeup colors for lips as well as eyes, so it may be worth getting a few shades of deep purple lipstick."

Interestingly enough, I may have to make some adjustments with this particular fall 2009 trend: Not using dark colors on both the eyes and the lips. Twist notes that this is a very clear trend in makeup trend this season, so he advises that you give give only one part of your face a bold look, and opt for a more neutral look on the rest of your palette.


Nails: Twist notes that "for fingernails, purple and metallic colors like gold and bronze are once again the hot makeup colors for fall 2009. Set off the colors in the rest of your look with a bold and dramatic dark nail polish." I personally will opt for pinks and bronzes - I don't really think purple and gold nails work for a lot of office environments.

Foundation and Eyebrows: Twist advises that "the best look for the fall 2009 beauty trends is to keep it neutral and minimalist. A light touch of foundation is plenty, and natural, bold eyebrows are in fashion so be careful not to over-sculpt your brows or make them too narrow." I already use really light (as opposed to a heavy) powder foundation, so I'm all set on that trend. Regarding my eyebrows - I like my eyebrows sculpted, and am trying to stop over-sculpting them. I may have to tear myself away from the tweezers a bit more, but I am definitely making a conscious effort to allow my eyebrows to grow in a bit more and get a fuller look overall.

In addition to Twist's advice, I would definitely recommend a voluminous mascara - a bit hit for fall 2009 makeup looks. Full, delicious lashes are always in, so check out your nearest beauty counter and pick up a new tube! My favorite mascara? Christian Dior's DiorShow, which can be found at your nearby Sephora store, or online at Sephora.com.

Michelle Obama's Hair - A Mainstream Media Topic?

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Michelle Obama is the First Lady, so it is understandable that people feel free to critique her fashion, her makeup, and her hair on a daily basis. However, her hair has increasingly become a focus of discussion in the mainstream media. As I was randomly surfing the web tonight, I did not take long for me to see Michelle's face on the main page of Yahoo.com, attached to an article entitled, "Why Michelle Obama's Hair Matters" (written by Jenee Desmond-Harris) - I very much encourage you to read it when you get a moment.

I wouldn't be shocked if I saw this article on Blacksnob.com (I adore that website) or Essence.com, but my mouth dropped when I saw that it was the headline story on Yahoo.com. Why? Well, black hair has never really been a mainstream topic at all. People may refer to it on occasion when talking about Oprah, Tyra Banks, or Beyonce, but for the most part, the discussion has been limited, and for the most part, myopic in scope. Black hair has primarily remained a topic within black media, dissected and deconstructed in every possible way. While I am not upset that mainstream media has not taken it upon themselves to deeply understand the cultural and historical underpinnings of the controversy surrounding different "black hairstyles," I have always secretly desired some sort of basic mass media education on black hair, simply because of the ignorant statements made about black women in the media regarding their hair, in addition to the fact that I have personally been approached by people who were very inquisitive about black hair (how it is maintained, done, etc) and didn't understand it at all.

So I guess Michelle Obama has indirectly become the catalyst for a discussion about black hair in the mainstream media. Chris Rock's new documentary coming out called "Good Hair" (seeYoutube video below) will also contribute more dialogue to the discussion. My only remaining question is - is mainstream media ready to understand black hair? My answer: We shall see!

Don't Let Anyone Limit Your Dreams

Monday, August 31, 2009

In the movie "Pursuit of Happyness" (2006), Will Smith's character (Chris Gardner) says to his son, "Don't ever let somebody tell you you can't do something - not even me." He continues, "You got a dream...You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period." The quote may sound extra cute and sugary to some of you, but within the context of the movie, it was a really powerful statement. I am a big proponent of the quote, primarily due to the fact that I have always believed it and applied it to my life. The quote also packs plenty of "punch" for those who need some inspiration to re-fuel their ambition right now. I believe every person has the right to determine his or her destiny, and that no other person should be given the right to limit another person's dreams or happiness. If you work hard and are determined to achieve a particular goal, you have every right to keep on pushing forward without letting other people interfere with your ambition. You also have the right to keep pushing on in the middle of a setback. Think about a successful person you know, and/or any successful person you see in the media (think Bill Gates, Oprah, and the list goes on). Many successful people dealt with people or situations that either tried to directly limit or abort their success, and/or tried to indirectly halt or abort their dream goals. However, when all is said and done, you have the ability and right to push on forward toward your dream, despite the existence of naysayers that may be surrounding you. Absolutely no one can take that right away from you.

Achieving success usually means overcoming some sort of obstacle along the way - so don't cancel out your dreams even though it feels like you're facing a wall. For every achievement in my life, I always made a conscious choice to push forward if and when an obstacle crossed my path. An obstacle may look and feel defeating at first, but it is so important to realize that it will only be a permanent brick wall if you allow it to be a brick wall. Even if you don't have anyone around you to encourage you on a regular basis, I really hope that you will continue on and push forward toward your dream, and push all the critics to the side as you step into your next achievement in life. :)

Back To School Style - Are You Ready?

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Kwan (my boyfriend) and I just came back from the mall and of course, ran into the "back to school" mall traffic! As we walked past different stores, I couldn't help but notice the various fashions and the amount of young men and women exploring the racks in most of the stores, looking for the perfect outfits. I would like to encourage any student who is about to go back to school (grade school, college, grad school, etc.) to not get too caught up in trying to fit into any particular fashion standard. For example, don't feel pressured into wearing skinny jeans, baggy jeans, showing more skin, wearing crazy high gladiator heels, or wearing clothing that is way too tight to breathe in! Instead, find clothes that you like, regardless of whether or not they are up to par with the standards set by Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, or Vogue Magazine. I just graduated from grad school, but this time of year always reminds me of the excitement of going to the store and picking out the newest clothes for school that I thought fit my body well, and clothes that accentuated my personality and style. (I also had a funny tendency to buy a shirt in more than one color if I really liked it :)). I personally preferred stores like Macy's, Sears, and Kohl's, and occasionally checked out JC Penny's - all of the stores had amazing back to school deals, and I always did my research and studied each catalogue ahead of time to nail down which clothes that I liked the best.

If by chance you are not able to splurge on clothes and new fashions this fall season, do not fret! Find different ways to combine your outfits and create a new look that you would wear to school. Have fun combining different scarves, shirts and blouses with your skirts, pants and shorts, change up which shoes you choose to wear with different outfits, and change up your color combinations for a new style. I would also suggest even changing up your makeup or hairdo style in order to give your overall appearance a fresh new look. I also recommend that you do not compare yourself to others and their choice of style - As I always say, be you, and create your own style. You never know, you may set a new trend, and people will want to copy your style!

Is Lil' Wayne the New Denzel?

Monday, August 24, 2009

Rapper Paul Wall

Have you ever noticed guys posing around you, trying to look cool in order to impress you and/or win your attention? Interestingly enough, I've noticed an increasing number of guys trying to "pose" as they drive or walk around town. I know posing is by no means a new phenomenon, but now, the posing seems to have taken on a strong "Lil Wayne" flavor, which is hilarious as well as unfortunate. In one summer, I noticed more than a few guys who have taken on the Lil' Wayne look, and trying to get attention and win ladies with variations of this particular look:

Rapper Lil Wayne

Now, I don't mean to sound superficial, but really? Lil Wayne may be popular on the music charts (which is questionable enough on its own), but I really don't think most women are attracted to that look. In fact, I don't think most women are attracted to guys who don't pull their pants up and/or dress appropriately overall. So my question is: why do guys think that it is cool and attractive to dress this way? I have asked my guy friends this question, and they just shrug their shoulders as well. I personally think these "Lil Wayne" look-alikes are just confused, they don't realize how they actually appear in society, and are completely unaware of the vast amount of women who find the look incredibly unattractive as well as unappealing. I have never heard a girl swoon over guys who dress like Lil Wayne - with a shirt way too big, pants hanging off their behind, etc. On the other hand, I've heard plenty of women swoon over Denzel Washington/Morris Chestnut/Boris Kudjoe/Tay Diggs/Blair Underwood types PLENTY of times (see pics below).

I have always been attracted to men who know how to dress well and carry themselves with class, and I don't think I am an anomaly among most women. I just hope the young men clueless enough to dress so inappropriately choose to wise up and pull their pants up if they really want to attract a good woman.

Do Men Prefer Long Hair?

Saturday, August 22, 2009

I just came across some random youtube videos of women combing really long hair, and as much as I found the hair itself lovely, I was slightly disturbed by the amount of male commenters underneath the videos stating that the hair was "so sexy," etc. I understand that these people could simply have a long hair fetish, but I then wondered if men naturally prefer women with longer hair.

I personally don't believe that men really care if hair is short or long - rather, they are attracted to hair that looks healthy overall. Interestingly enough, research indicates that men may actually prefer long hair on women. In the article "Why do men prefer long hair" on Hairfinder.com, the author states, "research has demonstrated that there is an evolutionary reason for men to prefer long hair to short hair on women." The article notes that "according to evolutionary theory, features considered attractive by the opposite sex serve as indicators of reproductive fitness." This may sound bogus, but the article travels deeper into this theory: "Experiments and observations have demonstrated that a woman's hair plays a major role in how men rate a woman's attractiveness. The quality and length of hair serves as a marker of genetic strength and overall health." Furthermore, "several studies have demonstrated that men find women with medium-length to long hair more attractive than shorter haired counterparts. Men also rate longer haired women as healthier and fitter than shorter haired women."

So, does this mean that you have to give up your short locks if you want to attract men? Of course not. All you have to do is look at the male fascination with Halle Berry, and any red-blooded male will tell you that she is a stunning woman with her short hair. The article also duly points out that "men are not ruled by evolutionary biases and many men report preferring short hair to long hair." It continues, "Shorter hair that is healthy and lustrous is better than having long hair that is damaged and unkempt." I completely agree with this author when he/she states, "Whatever the length, maintaining your hair's healthy appearance is the best way to ensure your partner or potential partner will appreciate the beauty of your hair."

So if you feel the need to get extensions in order to appear more attractive, you can let that feeling go - men will dig you, whether your hair is or looks really long, or if it is really short. Just be yourself and wear a hairstyle that you like that can be maintained in a healthy way, and the right man for you will be attracted to your unique style.