Mannequin by LASA Ezine

STYLE, SCHOOL & FUN

MANNEQUIN

SUMMER TIPS! MAY 6th, 2010

VOLUME NO.1 _____________ XKIMJOANNE _____________

FASHION VOL 1

NEREIDA Z. EMERSON C. LISA T. ZOE O.

FASHION FUN SCHOOL INFO

content

6 8 10 11 12 14 16

plastic people achieving perfection trend come-backs unhealthy foods your guide to summer 12 things never to wear male fashionista

19 summer horoscopes 20 converse 22 aurora b.

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25 27 32 34 36 42

the perfect swimsuit individuality max benitez. with a capital Z. violent fashion threading beauty how to tell if heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a jerk

contributors

emerson c. she used to have braces but now she doesn’t and instead has a beautiful smile. She speaks fairly good spanish, and will one day marry a Mexican. She enjoys annoying Lisa. When she wears cargo shorts and a black tank (when we were instructed to wear white) she looks like a total gangsta. Two of her loves are Willie and Django, her dogs. She has attained her learner’s permit and her mother sometimes lets her drive home from school. For her quinceañera she got a henna tattoo on her leg. She has silver shiny converse with pink laces and is a master at taekwondo. So, boy you better watch yourself.

lisa t.

is a person of many voices, noises and faces. She constantly wants you to teach her how to dougie and likes to do, do , do the ricky bobby stop, pose for the frame. She is currently retired from her rapping career as Tremaster. She has a new favorite song like every week and she enjoys wearing the same clothes as Emerson. Lisa enjoys playing soccer and is the star athlete of her team. She drinks Monster to keep energized and she can keep going and going. Her motto is “do what ‘chu do!” Every morning during the first passing period she splashes her face with water cause she’s fresh, fresh like a million bucks.

zoe o. is an awkward student from LASA, who’s always sneezing and making others around her feel uncomfortable. While she may not be a spectacle of fashion herself, she sure does enjoy talking about it. Besides talking about fashion, she also likes reading, drawing, doing dumb stuff with her friends, and gossiping. She loves Justin Bieber, with no shame. People who hate on him just wish they could sing as well as him. Even though she loves Justin unconditionally, her true passion is the Spanish language. While she may suck at it, she aims to eventually become f luent. Above all, she is proud of her German heritage. That’s about it.

nereida z.

is a lacrosse player that is in love with fashion. She loves to munch on those takis and has the most gorgeous curly hair you’ve ever seen. Nereida often goes to lunch with the upperclassmen, but sometimes enjoys lunch with her freshman friends. She can break it down on the dance f loor. Nereida has an abnormal obsession with Taylor Lautner and she has a big smile. She really likes Drake, Boys Like Girls and mexican music. She likes to chll and watch one of her favorite movies, Spiderman. Twilight is one of her favorite movies also, but shhhhhh..... don’t tell anyone that. You can hear her laugh from miles away, and she likes putting on makeup in class.

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by EMerson C.

plastic people is very dangerous, highly expensive, causes health problems, due to the fact that kids aren’t done growing when operated on, and supports superficiality. Some might believe that if children and teens get plastic surgery and they feel they look better, that they benefit emotionally, as reported by Mary Brophy Marcus, a medical writer for USA Today. This may be true, but adolescents need to know that there is more to life than appearance. In an article by Mary Brophy Marcus, she talks about Heather Locke, a young woman from Dallas, Texas, had breast augmentation surgery when she was 17 and while looking back stated, “Now, looking back, I realize boobs aren’t that big of a deal,” says the current 23 year old, “At that point in time, I thought that is what boys found very attractive, but now I know guys could care less. I am not unhappy, but I should have waited until I

Photographed by World Steel Association

Kneecole, Melbourne, Australia,www.f lickr.com/photos/australian_reject/

courtesy of Cambridge Skin Clinic

Procedures from laser hair removal to Botox injections, to even more complex and expensive procedures such as breast augmentations, rhinoplasty and blepharoplasty (Asian eyelid surgery, a procedure done to create a “double eyelid,”) are being performed on thousands of teens per year throughout the country, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Many procedures that are done on teens and children are not medically necessary and can be harmful to young people. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) explains there were 205,119 teens and children under the age of 18 that had cosmetic surgery preformed in 2007. This number has grown rapidly since 2000, when the number was a much smaller 145,094. Although surgery for young people may cause the patients to feel more confident, and some procedures seem reasonable, plastic surgery

Top Left: Botox Injection Bottom Left: Scalpel Right: Woman with plastic surgery markings

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others may consider it something that interferes with daily activities or a healthy self-image. Cosmetic surgery is an issue throughout new generations where plastic surgery is more common and available than previous generations. American teens and children are having thousands of procedures performed on them each year, which put them at risk for health issues like infections and complications due to surgery. The youth of our country should be not go through cosmetic surgery, unless it is deemed medically necessary, because it has many bad effects, including the risk of death. Plastic surgery should be avoided so that children don’t learn to be superficial, and realize, like Heather, that waiting until you are older to get plastic surgery is a better decision.

http://www.f lickr.com/people/gregoryphotography/

was older.” She is an example of how teens should wait to have surgery until they are older and have more knowledge of what they want and what is important to them. Cosmetic surgery is a new trend throughout the United States, according to the ASAPS, and it can be hazardous to one’s health. Complications can be caused due to surgery, such as infections. It used to be that people would over come their insecurities, or grow out of them. Parents wouldn’t give plastic surgery to teens as a present for their birthday in the 20th century. There is undistinguished area in what is considered medically necessary, and this is where the controversy resides. Medically necessary may be different from person to person, because everyone has different opinions. To one person, the term may refer to a life-threatening condition, while

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By: Nereida Z.

achieving perfection

Photo from Complex.com

“How many people do you think are photoshopped? It happens all the time! Just because I am on the cover of a magazine doesn’t mean I’m perfect.” Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian before photoshop (left) and Kim Kardashian after photshop fix (right)

I want to look perfect for my big date tonight. I have already spent 3 hours getting ready for tonight. As I grab my purse ready to head out, I look at myself in the mirror, the one right by the front door; just a quick glance to make sure there is nothing in my teeth and my hair is perfect. Then that quick glance turns into 5 more minutes, enough time to become a black hole so powerful that it sucks me in until I lose myself picking out every single little f law. “My thighs are too big,” “Eww, look at my hairy arms,” “My skin looks drier than the Sahara,” “I have fat cheeks!” Next I run back to the restroom and grab all the moisturizing creams I can find along with fuller lips treatments, concealer and

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foundation. And where is my butt shaper and pushup bra that is guaranteed to increase your bra size at least one cup? Wait a second, why do I care so much about how I look? Is it maybe because last week I saw Megan Fox on the red carpet and all the fashion critics could say about her was “She looks stunning!” Or maybe because during New York’s fashion week all I saw were tall stick figures working the runway. Celebrity beauty is unrealistic and it is forced upon us. We see it everywhere in the media, magazines, T.V. Billboards and Facebook. We begin to compare ourselves with them and we realize we are perfect imperfection.

So is it really wrong for us to want to fix our f laws? Is it wrong for us to want to feel better about ourselves? No one looks like that naturally, but if celebrities looked like normal people, what would make them different? What would set them apart from us, their fans? Hollywood is full of pretty people. Magazines are full of pretty people. Red carpets are full of pretty people, like Jessica Alba and Beyonce, who stroll down leaving men speechless, if only it made a difference to them knowing that she has had a nose job, breast augmentation and lip injections. Females become obsessed with achieving perfection and it leads them to dangerous cosmetic surgery. When I say dangerous I mean nearly dying because they have trusted uncertified “plastic surgeons” for a cheap price. In the end, that cheap price can cost them a lot more. Mexican rock singer Alejandra Guzman underwent a buttock augmentation surgery to as she stated, to look “more beautiful” for her new boyfriend. Instead of looking “more beautiful” she found herself hospitalized due to an infection. Doctors had to perform an operation to remove the injected material. The plastic surgeon that injected the material did not even have a cosmetology degree, just a high school diploma (that’s great). Heidi Montag shocked the public when she revealed her new self, a complete plastic doll. She had ten plastic surgeries done that included breast implants, a brow lift, a nose job revision, stomach, hips, thighs and neck liposuction, butt augmentation, chin reduction and she got her ears pinned back. In my opinion, she was beautiful before. Now she looks older, unnaturally proportioned

Heidi Montag 2007

Heidi Montag 2010

Images used with permission by Heavy.com

Heidi Montag 2006

and like a manufactured plastic doll, not nearly close to as beautiful as she used to be. In an interview for People Magazine Montag’s explanation for her actions was, “I was made fun of when I was younger, and so I had insecurities, especially after I moved to L.A. People said I had a “Jay Leno chin”; they’d circle it on blogs and say nasty things. It bothered me. And when I watched myself on The Hills, my ears would be sticking out like Dumbo! I just wanted to feel more confident and look in the mirror and be like, “Whoa! That’s me!” I was an ugly duckling before.” She obviously felt the Hollywood pressure. Females begin feeling the exhaustive pressure at a young age. I mean, have you seen Toddlers and Tiaras? It is unbelievable that mothers will glam up their daughters (or should a say, little divas) with spray-on tans, fake eyelashes, fingernails and make-up (more than most teenagers wear for a night of partying). They are just babies, this is plain wrong. I remember I would ask my mother if I could use make-up, she would clearly and firmly state “No.” and I was thirteen. Thankfully, our society is becoming more accepting of natural (normal) beauty. There are organizations nowadays that want to help end this pressure upon us. As a matter of a fact, just yesterday when I went to the restroom down the hall I realized that at the bottom of the mirror a little sign said, “ This is the mirror of truth, and the truth is...You are beautiful!” I immediately smiled at the person staring right back at me and said, “You are beautiful.”

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trend come-backs! By Nereida Z.

whether you liked them or not, fashion trends from back in the day are making a comeback. check out these snazy trends and get tips on how to make them the latest style!

high-waisted jeans (or shorts) can be paired together with a cute graphic tee and a pair of high heels giving you a chic look.

Photo courtesy of jez ’s photostream.

photo by tk-link.

photo by julietbannana.

crazy hair color never went out of style. try fun, bright colored highlights for a more outgoing look.

Photo courtesy Idhren.

f loral print made a strong come-back. A f loral sun dress with cute gladiator sandals or a f loral mini (not too mini) with you favorite converse will make a perfect outfit for a summer picnic at the park!

f lannel shirts (in the 90s) were “matched” with multi colored, collar shirts. Now wear a plain tank under and pair it up with torn up jean shorts for a bad-girl look.

high-waisted jeans, then.

photo by calico courtney brooke.

r. Photo courtesy zOppO

Photo courtesy of Indiew ench.

an photo cour tesy of

at_07036

Flannel shirts today.

Floral dress then (above). Floral dress now (left).

unhealthy foods by EMerson C.

Energy Bars They may give you a boost of energy but they may have a lot of sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Also, many bars contain more than 350 calories, which may be for a lot for a snack if you are counting them.

Drinks Lots of sugar and calories can be found in all types of drinks. Many sodas often contain caffeine, which retains water. Fruit juices, although may be 100% natural, often contain artificial sweeteners. Drink water!

Peanut Butter Peanut butter sure tastes good but there can be a lot of hidden ingredients in peanut butter. Peanut butter is a good source of protein, but often times a lot of sugar can be hidden as well as very large amounts of fat.

Fat-Free Foods Fat-free foods can be free of fat, but keep in mind they are often full of sugar or they are high in calories. Sugar has the ability to turn into fat in the body, so be cautious when you eat food with a fat-free label.

Blue Foods There are two types of blue dye. The first type comes from coal tar or synthetic oil. The second type is the exact same type of dye used in making blue jeans. No life threatening illnesses have been found, but it may be linked to attention deficit disorder.

Salad Dressings Eating a salad is always a good way to get your daily vegtables. Salads, especially spinach ones, are full of many nutrients you need each day, but salad dressings may be the opposite. Some dressings can have up to 25% of your daily recommended fat.

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by EMerson C.

Summer is a great break from schoolwork and a nice chance to relax. There is so much free time in the summer sometimes it may be hard to stay busy. Here are some ways to keep busy and have fun over this summer.

your guide to

summer

hang out with friends In the summer you can keep busy by hanging out with your friends. It is a great way to keep in contact over the long break, and you will enjoy yourself. There are many option s, you can go to the mov ies or the mall. Being with people your age will keep you busy.

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fun around the house If you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get out of the house, there are a few things you can do at home. You can work on some arts and crafts, like a scrapbook or anything that interests you. Baking is a good way to keep busy, and if you bake then you will have some treats when you finish. Sometimes it is also nice to just be lazy around the house for a day and watch a few movies. There are a few ways to keep sane during the break around the house, and these are a few ideas.

go outside

read a book

Getting outside is a good thing during the summer. You can work on your tan while you walk your dog or walk to the park. Staying active and getting out of the house is one of the best ways to spend summer. You will keep healthy and happy while enjoying the sun.

Reading a book may seem like a boring way to spend a day, but catching up on your reading during the summer can help you a lot for the future. You can raise your IQ and you can make sure you will be ready for school in the upcoming fall. There are very many books of all different types. You can read in many different areas too, from a coffee shop to the library.

volunteer Using the summer to get volunteering hours is great way to spend your free time. It will look good on college applications and you will probably enjoy yourself. You can volunteer at a local animal shelter, a summer camp or with a non-profit organization. Volunteering often also makes you happier, because you feel like you are making a difference. Volunteering is fun because you are helping others, and learning new things while you do too. Volunteering is a great way to keep your summer exciting and lively, and makes it easy to avoid a dull, sluggish break from school.

get a job Although this may seem like a lot of work, this option will pay off. Getting a job is great because you get money. Obtaining a job also will teach you many things, including responsibility and how to use your money wisely. If you get a job over the summer, you will have something to do and it will be good you are building up experience. Getting a job this summer will also introduce you to some new people that probably live in your area, and you may grow to become great friends. Obtaining a job will help you avoid boredom, and you will make money while you are doing it.

get a hobby If you are having trouble staying busy this summer, take up a new hobby. Learning to play an instrument that is new to you, or learning a new type of dance are great hobbies to take up. You can learn how to juggle, or you take up an alternative hobby. Hobbies are good for the summer, and will often keep your interest.

do a sport A great way to keep busy is by joining a sports team. You can join the swim team, which is perfect for summer, or any other sports like volleyball or soccer. Joining a sports team will help you will staying fit, and at the same time you can interact with people your own age and most likely, you will make new friends that have the same interests as you do. Sports are great ways to spend time out of the house, and the exercise will keep you healthy.

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by lisa T.

Things Not To Wear To School 1 Overalls

2 Jean jacket

3 Snuggy

4 Socks & sandals

5 Nothing over tights

6 All camof louge

Overalls are for farmers and construction workers, not students at school. They are unf lattering and a dead fashion trend, so please don’t wear them to school. They are saggy and baggy, making YOU look saggy and baggy.

Don’t show up to school wearing a snuggy. Besides being a ridiculous product, school it a place for learning. People will just think you are ridiculous for trying to get attention.

We do not live in the midevil age. Tights in an outfit may look good, but whenever you don’t have something over those tights it doesn’t. Tights are what they are called, tight. very tight. No one wants to look at every curve and lump on your body, so please, cover up.

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Sometimes jean jackets can be worn fashionably, but most people look like Marty from the Back To The Future movies. Jean jackets were a fad in the ‘80s. Currently it is 2010. Don’t try to revive the dead trend.

Wearing socks with sandals is downright ugly. The two items are not meant to be worn at the same time so don’t be indecisive when getting dressed in the morning. Cwwhoose to wear socks with tennis shoes or boots, or sandals with NO socks.

Everyone loves to support American troops, but when you aren’t in the army there is no need to wear an all camof louge outfit. It looks tacky and chances are you have no need to be camof louge at school.

7 LOW-rise jeans

9 Pajamas

10 See-through shirt

11 Crocs

12 Costumes

Some people enjoy low rise jeans, but once they become too low rise jeans, people see things they aren’t hoping too. Besides the embaressment of displaying a plumber’s crack, this look is just not attractive. Belts go a long way to make sure this doesn’t happen to you!

Unless it’s pajama day, don’t wear pajamas to school. I understand you may think you seem cool and laid back strutting around in them, but you don’t. So wear regular clothes to school and you won;t look like a fool.

There is no excuse to wear shoes as hideous as Crocs. Though if you do own a pair, keep it on the down low and don’t wear them to school. Or public if you can help it.

Short shorts

Everyone has their pair of shorts that are shorrter and tighter than the rest. Most of the time these shorts appear much shoreter and tighter to others than the person wearing them, so don’t wear them to school. They could be breaking the dress code and might be too revealing.

Be careful to never wear a see-through shirt so that you can see what’s happenning underneath! It’s trashy and unclassy, this can be averted though by easily wearing a tank underneath any sheer shirts.

Wearing a costume the day before halloween or on halloween at school is fun, but any other day is unacceptable. Wearing a costume or parts of a costume to school is ludicrous and looks dumb.

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BY ZOE.

male fashionista The day to day life of a fashionable yet trendy LASA male.

It’s 6:35 AM. Twenty minutes ago, Peter Washington’s alarm clock rang and he had started the routine he goes through every weekday morning. He’s currently at the last step in his intricate morning schedule. The step where -for a good five to seven minutes -- he stares at himself in front a full-length mirror and makes the finishing touches to his hair. Every weekday at the crack of dawn, all over the Austin Independent School District, LASA students are waking up to face the day. The morning routines always differ from one student to the next. Some wake up, throw on

whatever they find on the f loor and run out the door with a bagel in hand. Others have a more complex schedule, students like Peter. But unlike a lot of the more fashionable students here, it comes to him naturally. There’s no stress, no fuss – nothing. In fact, he enjoys the work that comes with maintaining his image. He’s what you’d call, “a male fashionista”. “It’s fun to look good, yo,” he says confidently while fixing his hair in front of one of the ref lective panels lining a LASA trophy case (not an uncommon event for the seventeen-year-old.)

Photos courtesy of Peter Washingron.

A collection representing his musical talent

At the Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA), students aren’t always praised for trendy clothing or things of that sort. But that’s mainly because stylish students aren’t exactly common here, especially the kind that excels at academics as well. Lucky for Peter, he’s known for his high grades and extra curricular activities. He’s in Calculus two years early; he’s a member of Model UN and the National Honor Society; he’s been playing violin since he was five, plays the guitar, is in several bands, reads sheet music perfectly, and takes Latin. Usually when some one is asked to picture a student like Peter, they don’t imagine a good-looking guy in a trendy outfit. Despite that prejudice, he arguably is a good-looking guy in stylish skinny jeans. One would think it’s difficult to manage a sense of fashion and spectacular grades for a junior in high school, but it’s not for him. “Yo, it’s not like it takes a long time to wear good clothes,” Peter explains. “Once you get good at knowing what looks good, finding what to wear will be a minimal part of your day.” It would seem that the few fashionable students at LASA would probably want to leave for a school that has more people of “their type”, but many choose not to. The great academic advantages and opportunities keep them here, as well as other reasons.

“It’s not acceptable in the sense that I have to lay my eyes upon all these people who are dressed repulsively,” he says. “But on the bright side, it raises my self-esteem. I mean if I went to a normal school, I wouldn’t be nearly as confident.” Of course, those benefits of LASA weren’t always available to him. In junior high school, he almost completely ignored his outward appearance. It’s tough to believe that the old photos of Peter can really be the one that walks the halls today. There were also several incidents in the past years that discouraged him from dressing to his full potential. “At one point I got this ridiculous haircut so I already looked stupid and decided to disregard fashion as well,” Remembers Peter. He’s glad to say that those days are long gone. Of course, everyone has their off days in everything. So for him, that case would be his clothing. Sometimes, a wardrobe malfunction is unavoidable and he has to deal with the unfortunate situation. “It completely ruins my day,” explains Peter. He always manages to rise from the ashes though. After all, with the extremely early time most students have to wake up, many people are strained for time in the mornings. This especially affects Peter. The schedule he has

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PHOTO COURTESY OF PETER WASHINGTON -- After a show at Stubb’s Bar & Grill, Peter poses with his sister, Leyla Washington

for himself in the morning has many steps, which is difficult when you add the small amount of time he has to complete all these things. “So I wake up, turn off my alarm clock, take a shower, put on my bathrobe, eat breakfast, brush my teeth…. shave if I have time, exfoliate my skin, put on deodorant, pick a cologne, brush my hair, put on my clothes in this order: boxers, socks, pants, shirt to match the pants. That last step takes around fifteen minutes. Then I look in the mirror about five to seven minutes and make finishing touches to my hair, and then I grab my backpack and leave for school… I always have to be careful not to mess up my hair, or this takes even longer.” Another person, Lily Craymer, has an equally complex morning schedule, but disagrees with Peter’s views on the unfashionable students who attend LASA. “Everyone here has different fashion sense and it’s not just like Abercrombie and high heels,” says Lily. “It’s nice that people aren’t always judged for what they wear… Like, in a normal high school, Peter wouldn’t get away with nearly as much as he does here.” Many people like Lily think that the lax fashion standards are a comfort. Instead of thinking that their schoolwork negatively affects their style, they believe that the low

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amount of judgment relieves them of pressure and helps their schoolwork. “Everyone dresses like nerds here… I come from a weird neighborhood where they only care about fashion, and then you come here and nobody really cares… [Peter] and people like him can dress in the craziest clothes and everyone still thinks it’s cool… It’s nice,” Explains Shreya Kolluri, a freshman here at LASA. While Shreya and Lily enjoy the low standards, that doesn’t mean they don’t see the competition that still exists. Some students are more noticed than others, when it comes to the clothes they wear. Luisa Venegoni, another LASA freshman, confirms those statements when asked for her opinion on Peter Washington’s style. “I think he is very... I think he is very bold to have his own unique sense of fashion that is so different from others,” says Luisa. “His personality fits well with his sense of style.” If you ever met Peter, that statement is very true. His f lamboyant attitude and strange humor match perfectly with his bright jeans. “I think his skinny jeans are insane,” Laughs Lily. His skinny jeans are insane.

summer horoscopes By: Nereida Z.

gemini Happy birthday! Its a great time to hit the pool, you’ll see several of your friends and meet your new crush. Your crush will ask you on a date. Be careful not to fall head over heels for him/her because he/she just wants a summer f ling. He/she is definitely going to be a good friend, though.

cancer

leo

virgo

Jun 21 - Jul 22

Jul 23 - Aug 22

Aug 23 - Sep 22

If you’ve been down in the dumps lately, its all about to change. A friend brings you a pocket full of sunshine. Their high energy insipires you to get involved in summer activities. Take advantage of your willing mood and get a summer job!

The cutie you met at your friend’s graduation party has been giving you their full undivided attention. Open your eyes! This is one of those once in a lifetime things that you will regret if you don’t. Give him/her a chance, he/she really likes you!

You’ve been so busy having fun that you have fallen behind on your chores. You’re room is an absolute mess and you haven’t even opened the book you started back in May! Slow things down and make time to straighten up your room again. Then relax by reading a book.

libra

scorpio

sagittarius

capricorn

Sep 23 - Oct 22 Lately your style has been changing for the better. Your friends have started to noticed and want fashion advice from you. There will be a party where you’ll get to show off your hot new style and your great fashion ideas because you’ll dress up your friends! Keep it up!

Oct 23 - Nov 21 You’ve become more health concious. You’ve started working out and being active. Keep it up! You’ve been feeling better and soon you’ll get the chance to show off you hot new summer body. Take a run with a friend, it will motivate them to follow your good example.

Nov 22 - Dec 21 Lately you’ve been pretty busy. Studying for exams and worrying about scores. It hasn’t quite hit you that it’s summer! It’s time for you to leave behind school (at least for these upcoming three months) and chill. You owe it to your self to go out and hang out with friends. But don’t get lazy!

Dec 22 - Jan 19 You have been acting like a loner lately, quiet and not saying much. Nothing is wrong, you’ve just been tired but you’re friends and family are starting to get a little worried. Spend time with them and talk to them. They will understand. Get a lot of rest it will do you good!

aquarius

pisces

aries

taurus

Jan 20 - Feb 18 You have been spending a lot of time with a new friend you’ve made. Its great to make new friends but don’t forget about the old ones! You’re BFF is feeling left out. Make time to hang out with him/her. Go to the mall to shop for cute bathing suits and then head down to the lake!

Feb 19 - Mar 20 You are naturally creative and are feeling very inspired by summer fun. It seems like there are tons of memories waiting to be captured. Make good use of your camera and take lots of pictures because this will be a summer to remember! Your scrapbook will be amazing!

Mar 21 - Apr 19 In the past few weeks you may have been feeling guilty about a pretty recent event. If this is so, try to fix it! Talk to whomever the situation involves, and get everything off your chest. You will feel better and a lot happier when you chat about it with the people you care about. Don’t be afraid to vent.

Apr 20 - May 20 You are very excited about you’re upcoming family vacation. Although you weren’t looking forward to it at first, now it seems like a great idea to get away. You’re vacation will turn out to be better than you could have ever imagined. Wear lots of sun screen, you don’t want to get a painful sunburn!

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by lisa T.

converse

How one shoe can spawn such a variety of expression.

During any passing period at LASA, take a step into the hallway and you are bound to see multiple pairs of converse being worn. Very different people, who are achieving very different looks, all with the same type of shoe being worn, are wearing these shoes. Although most shoes are almost always accompanied by a stereotype (like only preppy people wear Sperrys), converse are a diverse shoe that can be worn and go with any outfit no matter the occasion. People change the laces of their converse; get different colors of converse, and different styles of converse to make the shoes their own. Converse is a multifarious shoe that is making a footprint in LASA fashion, below and on the next page are examples of how the shoe is being worn uniquely.

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by EMerson C.

aurora bell From the hallways to the runways.

All photos courtesy of Aurora Bell

Aurora is in the picture below. She is visiting a beach in Europe.

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While visiting New York to look into different colleges, Aurora Bell was approached by a modeling agent that had been following her and her mother. “That was really creepy at first just having someone follow you, but it turned out that he was just like, an independent agent who represents girls to their agencies,” Aurora said. He then took digital photos of Aurora, and the next day she started visiting different modeling agencies, then starting doing modeling work. Aurora Bell, current student at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA), had the opportunity in November to model for a couple of weeks. With the support of her parents, she modeled in multiple fashion shows and for multiple photo shoots in New York. When Aurora went to New York, she didn’t expect her modeling to go anywhere, she was just interested in the possibility after watching television shows such as America’s Next Top Model, Make Me a Supermodel and Project Runway. Aurora explained, “It was really surprising because people have always told me that I should model, but really only because I’m tall... So it surprised me that people that were actually in the modeling industry thought that I could model and be successful... I really didn’t know what they would think.” The two weeks in the winter she spent modeling was an interesting experience for her. “It’s a very dif-

ferent world, from really any other world, but especially from the LASA world, where, for the most part people don’t care that much about their appearance. I mean, they care, but when you’re modeling, that’s what you’re getting paid for,” she recalled. “So it’s sort of a change of mind set, because for the past three years at LASA, I’ve always judged my worth not so much at all based on how I look, but based on the quality of paper I wrote for English last week.” Aurora had the option of staying in New York to model, and receiving her GED instead of finishing LASA. She decided against that option because, she said, “I was definitely the only one there who would ever be caught described as in intellectual.” In New York Aurora lived in a house with seven other girls from around the world also modeling with the same agency. She explained, “there were definitely different sort of like, cliques within the house, but it wasn’t that people didn’t like each other, it was just like, certain groups of girls had certain things in common. Like the three girls from Brazil would hang out because they all speak Portuguese.” Living with the other girls made her realize the false assumptions of models that people make. “The one thing that I really found to be untrue was that models are mean to each other,” Aurora said. “At least from what I saw, it was much more of a family-type dynamic. Everyone was re

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Above is fairly recent photo of Aurora. She is at a carnival in Austin, Texas.

New York University, which is obviously in New York. So if I ended up going to either of those schools, I would probably be able to model while I was in college, which would be nice.” She also applied to two other schools. “If I get into Yale or Columbia, then I may go the academic route, because it would be harder to model at one of those schools,” she mentioned. Her future plans aren’t clear, but Aurora knows her options.

Photos courtesy of Aurora Bell.

ally nice to me, and to each other, and nice all around.” The few weeks Aurora was in New York, she also discovered the reality behind the eating and exercising habits of models. After modeling for the benefit show for the Ukrainian Cancer Detection Society, the models, makeup artists, hairstylists and designers were offered dinner, where the majority of the food offered was salad. She recalled, “the make-up artists ate a lot of salad. The designers ate salad. But none of the models touched the lettuce.” Aurora later added, “I eat kind of whatever I feel like eating... I just have a really fast metabolism.” Aurora also explained that a few of the girls would often exercise to keep fit. “There were a couple of girls, who go to the gym, like everyday,” she recalled. “I felt kind of weird not exercising at all, but I was okay with that,” she laughed. The environment in the house was something that Aurora now misses. “Girls would go together to castings a lot, and so they are competing for that job, but whenever someone would get a job, when they booked something, everyone else would be really, really happy for them and congratulate them and stuff. So, it was a healthy environment that way,” she recalled, “I really grew to like it so, I miss not doing photo shoots and not doing runway things.” This year Aurora is a senior at LASA and she applied to four colleges in the fall, which is far less than the average LASA student. She said, “I have gotten into Fordham University, which is in New York, and then,

Above is a picture of Aurora while she was visiting Europe.

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the perfect swimsuit

for your body by zoe

pear shaped

boy shape

petite

large bust

small bust

plus size

short legs

long body

big butt

Pear shaped women generally tend to have a smaller chest and shoulders compared to their hips. If that describes your body shape, then the best bathing suit for you could be one that draws attention towards the chest and away from the hips and thighs. The best bathing suit types can be tankinis and halter-topped suits.

Being large chested is a curse as well as a blessing. One of the curses if that you should really avoid those string bikinis that won’t provide you with the right amount of support. Instead, go for maybe a halter with thick straps. It’ll give you the right support and make your chest appear smaller. Underwires are always an option!

Not all of us are graced with perfect, long, slender legs. For those of us, there are plenty of simple tricks to give that illusion. For instance, wear a solid bottom and a f lashy top to draw attention upwards, Also avoid boy shorts and skirted suits. Those bottoms make your legs seem shorter. Low cut tops are also a soluton.

Don’t have as much curves as you’d like? Well you shouldn’t be afraid to show off your body at the beach anymore. You can make your body more curvy just by making your swimsuit of choice have a low cut top and with a cut that exposes as much of your legs as you’d like. Avoid dark colored tops!

Some of us aren’t blessed with a large chest, but that’s okay; so long as you can find a top with connecting cups, you can do just fine. It’s even more f lattering if the cups are triangular shaped. Alternative options are underwire support, swimsuit padding, and a swimsuit that connects in the front (it pushes your ladies together).

You’re slender, tall, and have long legs. A wonderful body for bathing suits, but you have to make sure you don’t look like a bean pole at the beach. Just make sure not to wear solid colors. Those f lashy colors that everbody loves will look more f lattering on your body. If you insist on a one-piece, make sure it’s a cut-out.

The major problem petite girls seem to have with bathing suits is finding one that doens’t make your torse look too short. The solution it to wear a halter top, which will draw attention to your chest and shoulders. Pair that with a top that sits low on the waist, and your torse will look longer and you’ll feel more confident!

If you’ve got a little extra weight the best thing you can go for is a tankini, with a bright top, and a subdued bottom with a low cut leg. Make sure it’s in spandex if you want to smooth out any possible bulges. The low cut leg will accentuate the natural curves of your hips, and it all works together to show off your curves.

It’s often considered a blessing to have a little junk in the trunk, but that doesn’t mean you should be parading it all over the pool. Try to draw attention away from your bottom instead. Avoid f lashy bottoms, with things like jewels, tassles, ties, and so on. Wearing jazzy tops are a great way to deemphasize your butt.

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A big case against the uniforms beginning to take over AISD schools all over Austin

Picture provided by Photobucket user sandyanton

BY ZOE O.

individuality should not be generic

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Uniforms are plaguing the AISD schools more and more every year. Some adults claim them to promote kids to accept each other. But are uniforms really what adults claim them to be? Or are the grown ups just a little too far past their high school years to be making that judgement? Starting around the year of 2006, AISD schools have been continuing to enforce a stricer dress cose. The thought thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beginning to worry some middle school and high school students is the possibility that their school could soon be the victim of an adultâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream.

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At a high school, students sit row by row, listening to their teacher.

laid, polos, khakis, belts, lanyards and tucked in shirts are just a few of the items and requirements students like me have nightmares about. Every year we all assure ourselves that those terrible pleated skirts only happen to kids that go to private Catholic school, and we continue wearing our favorite pair of jeans. Unfortunately, as the school years progress this assurance doesn’t seem all that solid anymore. AISD has continued to add slacks to the agenda, and not many students are very happy about it. Schools like Paredes, Webb, Pierce, the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, Dobie, East Austin College Prep Academy and many private schools in the Austin area have taken on the uniform trend, and it’s beginning to worry students all over Austin Of course, there’s the rare student that thinks, “Oh, maybe they’ll be cute and convenient!” And to be truthful, I was one of those students. Well, at least before I went to the Ann Richards School (ARS). After going to that school and having to tuck in my shirt day after day with an uncomfortable plaid skirt, I managed to lose my taste for the whole thing.

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I know it may be disappointing for some people to hear that school uniforms aren’t normally the little mini skirts with matching ties that you see in cartoons. Often times, they’re practically hideous in today’s standards. After two years of going to that school, my wardrobe had dwindled down to two or three T-shirts and a pair of jeans. The rest were polos, knee high socks, plaid skirts, and other fashion disasters. As stated by Joann Noba, a mother, “… all students will feel comfortable and equal.” That quote represents the common assumption often made by adults. Honestly though, in ARS there was always competition with the way we dressed and looked, regardless of uniforms. There was always the pressure to have the coolest hair or the shortest skirt. The staff tried to stop it, but we were persistent. In my opinion, it’s virtually impossible to eliminate something as big as that in a school setting. I’m not trying to say that the competition was cruel or mean to any of the students. In fact, we all looked forward to the days we were permitted once or twice every school year that allowed us to dress any way we pleased (so long as it was appropriate according to the AISD dress code).

Picture provided by Photobucket user StephiePhotography

promoting uniforms was that it prevented gang activity. But in my opinion, that’s a ridiculous rebuttal to the case against having free dress, because according to Marian Wilde from the GreatSchools staff, adding school uniforms is like “putting a Band Aid on school violence.” The school systems need to focus on the problem itself instead of trying to cover up the problem with a simple fix. In fact, according to Pauline Wallin, PhD, a licensed psychologist who specializes in many fields including the psychological evaluation of schools, those school uniforms some people are raving over don’t actually have as much of an impact as some

Pictures by user michelle_mccullar

Every time, I was amazed at how different everyone seemed without their uniforms on. That made me realize that, if uniforms serve any task at all, it’s to hide our personalities behind overpriced attire. Now I know that’s not the actual purpose of them, but it felt like it almost every day that I attended that school. One would be surprised how much more someone can know about a person just from the way they dress. What I think is that the people who make the assumption that uniforms are the best option may have forgotten what it’s like to be a kid in middle school and high school. Something that was also brought up when

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Add another fifty dollars to the price for hemming and all your money for actual clothes has been blown away. It was even sillier when you that the majority of the students who attended the school with me were from low-income families. It’s actually stated on the Ann Richards official webpage, “School size and focus are shown to have the greatest impact on low-income students.” One of the main goals of the school was to provide a higher education to students who don’t have much money, so why would they require expensive uniforms? To me, uniforms promote rebellion. In ARS, we all became so spiteful about the strict enforcement of the uniforms, and many of my old friends turned recreational drugs as well as alcohol. I’m not saying the uniforms did this, but they certainly didn’t help with that situation. Having such a harsh dress code can make the students bitter towards the staff, the teachers, and rules in general. That became obvious near the end of my eighth grade year at the school. The staff would say that if we didn’t wear our uniforms, we weren’t “Ann Richards Girls”, so we mocked them for that. Students who didn’t wear the uniform exactly as it should be worn were immediately punished with lunch detention. If they didn’t attend the lunch detention or had continuous uniform violations, they were assigned Mandatory Silent Study Hall (MSSH). It was held after school for over an hour, and it’s exactly as the title says. It

Colac High School in the 1920s

people would like to think they do. Doctor Wallin wrote an article that mentioned that in the studies conducted, the aspects of the school that they wanted to change mainly stayed the same or got worse. Comparing the times before and after the enforcement of a stricter dress code, the amount of fights, tardiness, low grades, etc. did not improve. Either that, or they even got worse. In the few schools where those points actually seemed to improve after the enforcement of uniforms, other things could explain the positive advances. Normally when such a large thing as the dress code is changed, other rules are changed or enforced. Things become stricter, and it makes it appear as if the uniforms were actually what made the grades go up and so on, when it was really the change in rules. Another problem that school uniforms bring up is their expense. Parents already have to pay taxes for the children to go to school, so why add an even greater cost to that? I remember from my ARS days that those plaid skirts were around forty-five dollars. I could’ve gotten a pretty fancy pair of jeans for that price. I’m a thrifty shopper, and seeing that money go to such an unsightly article of clothing literally hurt me. Another problem with the skirts was that they were unbelievably ugly, especially at the length they were at. So, unfortunately, the trendy thing always was to get them hemmed up to the knee, to make it look more acceptable.

Uniforms were very popular back i nthe 1900s, but maybe it’s time to move on.

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Photographs provided by Photobucket users Goth_K1D, laurenloveee3, shexxidork926, Kegero, poloshirtsandrupert, sharpshanks, A series of photos appropriately titled “School”, which are used to represent what is believed to be the high school experience

seemed excessive and it came to a point where, to me, it felt like the staff was more worried about our appearance than they were with the actual academics. Students want their freedom of expression, and they always will. It’s best to let them dress how they please (with a few restrictions of course), and let children have the full experience of growing up.

Uniforms only change what we wear; they don’t change what we act like. Jocks will still be jock, cheerleaders, will still be cheerleaders, and so on. The school system can try and stamp out the problem from the outside, but we’ll still be the same on the inside. Whether we’re mean or nice, uniforms won’t transform that.

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by lisa T.

Max Benitez. With a capital Z. A young aspiring fashion designer with incredible determination,

Top: Max Benitez posing for the camera around the local Austin UT campus. Bottom: A few of Max’s sketches.

To a passerby, a young teenager with black shabby hair almost covering his eyes, dark cut-off jean shorts, and a black t-shirt featuring an image of a monster promoting a band may seem like an average, lazy, rebellious teenager who, “no one understands,” when in fact, Max Benitez is just the opposite. At the age of 14, Max has sketched hundreds of designs, has created 8 outfits that have gone down the runway in the Benefit Urbane Fashion Show 2010, attends the McCallum School of Fine Arts (majoring in art), and all the while is able to dedicate time to study at the Austin School of Fashion.

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A freshman in high school, Max has an edge on other aspiring designers. He has acquired experience through the passion and work ethic that has driven him to start his designing career at such a young age. “He knows what he wants to do at any early age so that gives him more time to work with what he wants to do later in life. And because he’s really, he’s a really motivated fashion designer, and he’s really driven to get what he wants,” says Madeleine Knight, a friend of Max for the past three years. His extreme determination to becom-

ing a fashion designer is from the fact that when being a fashion designer, “It’s not other peoples clothing, it’s yours, it’s what you make, it’s your style, it’s what you bring to the table,” Max says. Max also says that he is a unique designer because of, “who I am and how I express my feelings towards my drawings,” and that “I know how to accentuate a woman’s body, make them hotter, make them sexier.” Max’s talent enabled him to participate in the Benefit Urbane Fashion Show 2010 sponsored by McCallum High School where he designed four outfits that were displayed. “Max was the only guy designer in the fashion show and got a lot of crap from people but even though he had those pressures he did a fantastic job,” said Leigh Kim, Max’s partner in the fashion show. “People mostly think that designers should have to be girls. Because girls like to dress, they like fashion, they like stuff like that. And they just think it’s gay. Really! That’s what they think, like designers should always be women because they have better tastes but no, it’s not true,” Max says. Though Max faces disadvantage in the fashion industry for being a male, one of his greatest advantages lie in his personality. Max says, “I’m not like the other fashion designers, I’m nicer, and those other designers are all snappy. I’m the nice one. Unless you get on my nerves. But, who cares? I’m going to be this nice designer who’s going to love people and is going to design to make the world happy.” Leigh Kim, who spent hours a week with him preparing for the Benefit Urbane Fashion Show says, “Max is probably one of the best friends you can have. He knows how to make people laugh in any situation and brightens your day with a smile. He’s a great friend to have.” Leigh and Max worked together to produce 8 outfits to go on the runway; they had hectic schedules for a month before the date of the show. “It’s a lot of work and it’s a lot of pleating and a lot of stitching,” says Max about the difficulties he faced to produce great outfits for the fashion show. Max also says that there are difficulties of being a fashion designer that people do not know about. “They just think that it’s really easy to whip up a really long dress. They think it’s really easy to cut out, like just random shapes when you actually have to do math,” says Max. Even though being a fashion designer requires a lot of hard work and dedication to get outfits designed, Max still aspires to be a successful one in the future. “I want to be that person who little girls look up

to. Well I just want girls to wear my dresses. That’s all I want. I want to make my own line when I grow up. The school that I really, really, really, really, really want to go to is Parsons School of Fashion Design in New York, because I believe I can go there and I think I have the talent,” he says. Max is a one-of-a-kind designer that makes lasting impressions no matter who he meets. Although Max faces biases in the fashion industry for being such a young, male fashion designer, his off beat personality stays the same no matter who is around. His degree of how much he cares about his friends, enthusiasm and and funky humor is translated into his outfit sketch-

es, which is his biggest advantage that makes his clothing original, creative, and admirable. Max says, “my clothing expresses who I am. I’m Max, the diva. I mean, just kidding! I’m Max Benitez. With a capital Z.

Top Left: Model Whitney Price wears Max Benitezs dress, this photo was taken before the Benefit Urbane Fashion Show. Top Right: Model Jantzen O’Connor on the runway at the Benefit Urbane Fashion Show wearing a dress designed and made by Max Benitez. Bottom: Max Benitez at a local Austin store goofing around.

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by lisa T.

violent fashion

Fur clothing is coming at the cost of 45 million animals’ lives a year.

Gassing, electrocution, neck snapping, strangling, beating or being stomped to death are some of the ways that sought after, luxurious fur coats are transformed from a meek, innocent, unknowing animal. Fur clothing has been portrayed as high fashion since the f lapper era when popular Wrapover Coats of the 1920s had shawl fur collars. Fur is considered glamorous from being worn by trend setting celebrities, but little is known about the atrocious truth behind their making. Wearing fur, although it may seem natural for humans to use animals to their advantage, is unnecessary in most communities, causes the harmful abuse of animals, and is an expensive waste. Certainly people are accustomed to exploiting animals for their own expense and luxury, but this yearning of fur is superf luous. Most people do not live in harsh conditions such as the Inuits of Alaska and citizens of Greenland where fur would be essential to survive in the extreme weather conditions. It is understandable for people that live in extremely arctic weather to wear fur, they do this not because it is fashionable, but essential to keep warm and stay alive. In areas where winter weather is not as extreme, people can easily wear other alternatives. These alternatives would be about as effective as fur like velvet, cotton, linen and f leece. To produce fur, animals are exploited in obscene ways. Before malicious deaths of animals raised for fur occur, the animals’ life is also torture. The activists of In Defense of Animals (IDA), a national non-profit organization of 25 years, states that minks of fur farms are contained in cages averaging 10 inches wide and 24 inches long. This causes neurotic behavior patterns because minks are aquatic animals and are an active species that roam wide spaces. The global Action Networkstates that minks, “because of the stressful envi-

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ronment in which they are forced to live, factory farmed furbearers routinely exhibit neurotic behaviors such as pacing, weaving, self-mutilation and cannibalism.” The inhumane confinement of animals is horrific, the IDA says some fur farmers lose 20% of their foxes prematurely due to the confinement of foxes in such small quarters causing cannibalism because of the stress they are put through. The Animal Defenders International (ADI) reported from an investigation of 30 Finnish Fur Farms that, “Some foxes had lost their tails. Where this loss was recent, the animal had a red, raw protruding stump.” The same report from the IDA also stated that on the farms there were, “Obvious signs of untreated infection or disease in animals’ eyes, noses and ears, foxes with visible gum masses, sometimes entirely engulfing the teeth, open wounds, loss of tails, malformed limbs, dilapidated cages with sharp wire and mesh protruding into animals’ living space, likely to cause injury, empty, unclean and broken water bowls.” Some other disturbing reported observations of the animals were, “ Injured, infected, missing eyes, overgrown claws, dead animals covered in maggots.” With the demand of fur, fur farmers brutally abuse their animals in cruel and pitiless ways so the animal dies, but the fur is left undamaged. In a letter from PETA to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) it was reported that on a chinchilla fur farm, “the animals are electrocuted from head to tail instead of through the brain, as is required in order to be humane. The method used by Ouderkirk is unacceptable, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), because it causes painful seizures of the animals’ hearts. Furthermore, cervical dislocation, which causes suffocation, may not be anappropriate killing method because of the size of the chinchillas.”

PETA protests fur in Philadelhpia.

There are numerous clothing alternatives to fur as mentioned earlier such as velvet, cotton, linen, and f leece. Furthermore, the killing of animals for fur should be regulated through a federal law because of the inhumane process that happens for the production. Canada has created the Fur Farm Act that regulates the control of disease and health of animals to make the fur farms humane. The act states in Divi-

A few examlples of treacherous fur traps displayed at the Fur Trade Musuem in Chadron, Nebraska.

sion 4- Control of Disease that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every licensee shall keep his animals clean and free of parasites.â&#x20AC;? The United States should follow with a Fur Farm Act that regulates how the farm is run and how animals are treated. Fur is unnecessary, usually used as a luxury, expensive, and supports the cruel treatment of animals.

Lady gaga, notorious for her outrageous fashion statements, wears nothing but kermit the frog dolls promoting her idea that people wearing fur look ridiculous.

A seal being entangled in a net to be killed for his fur.

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All photos courtesy of Nereida Z. except where noted otherwise.

By: Nereida Z.

threading beauty

Browz & Henna salon at Lakeline mall.

Most girls have unwanted facial hair. Whether it is peach fuzz or bushy eyebrows, they want it gone. Some pluck, others wax, some shave. Plucking is tedious, waxing can be painful and it peels off a layer of your skin and shaving causes thick hair growth within a couple of days. With the fast paced

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lifestyles of today, it can be tough to keep up with shaving, plucking and waxing. Ladies want to be hair free longer. They will just have to turn to expensive and somewhat risky laser hair removal treatment... or one can recruit to a threading and henna salon. Here there is a fast, less painful (to not painful at

Neha threading one of her regular customer’s eyebrows.

all) hair removal method that lasts longer than most temporary hair removal methods and for a low cost. “Its a regular thread. That we turn around like scissors and then you pull out the hairs from the root.” Browz & Henna manager, Neha says. This ancient hair removal method is very popular in the Middle East and is most recently gaining popularity in the United States. There are now threading and henna salons at many local malls. “Business is still pick-

ing up.” Neha says. She has been in the business for 15 years, but only recently did she establish a salon and booths in Highland and Lakeline Malls. Ladies (and gentlemen...?) there is no pressure to undergo the whole procedure. “We tell customers ‘this thing is better, better than waxing’. We call customers that would like to come and try like a little bit of threading. If you like it then you do it, if you don’t like it [then] you don’t [try

Photos courtesy of eyebrowstodiefor.com Before

After

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Neha makes sure to leave a crisp, well defined eyebrow.

The customer strechtes eyebrow area to get a more precise hairline.

to] convince [the customer].” Neha says. Browz & Henna say that threading is better than waxing because it pulls the hair from the root. This causes hair re-growth to be finer and take a longer amount of time to grow back but unlike waxing, it does not peel off a layer of the skin. On the contrary, it “removes even the finest hairs and feels smooth like baby’s skin,” says their advertisement.

“It doesn’t hurt. It’s like pinches. If you use tweezers, it’s the same like that but it’s better than waxing,” says Neha. Trapping hair and yanking it from the root sounds painful but is a lot less painful than waxing. Unlike waxing, threading does not usually cause redness or swelling. According to the Browz and Henna advertisement, 90% of their clients experience no redness or swell-

ing and if they do, it is gone within 30 minutes. First time threading customer Elizabeth says it hurt a little but she was really happy and pleased by the way her eyebrows turned out especially because it took about two weeks before there was visible hair regrowth. “I also noticed that the hair didn’t grow as thick. It did irritate my skin a little, though. My eyebrow area was kind of red, but it was the same as I get with waxing, [the redness] just didn’t last as long.” She considers herself to have sensitive skin, though. Neha says that her customers return on average every month to Browz & Henna Booth at Lakeline Mall

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undergo the procedure again. With more regular treatments, says ‘Indu Salon’ in Florida, the hair will take longer to re-grow and will grow more sparsely. Threading only takes about 5 minutes or less. (Yes, 5 minutes!) That means you can walk-in during your lunch break and eliminate a uni-brow, raise the arch of the eyebrows, or add shape and definition to the brow and go right back to work looking crisp, fresh and fabulous. A good eyebrow really defines your facial features and accentuates the beauty of the face. And for those of you with very thin eyebrows there is also a solution,

get your eyebrows henna tattooed. Henna is an all-natural orange, burnt red non-permanent dye made from a dry f lower powder. It lasts anywhere from a week to two weeks and is not painful at all. Something so great must have a high price, right? Wrong. The price for woman’s eyebrow threading ranges from $7 to $10. Other facial hair removal from just $5. While henna costs just (about) $10. Next time you are sitting in front of the mirror plucking out all those little stubborn hairs or biting you’re lip not to scream when your waxing consider the (almost) pain-free alternative, threading.

Neha finishing threading and shaping a customer’s eyebrows.

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how to know if he’s a jerk

by zoe o.

Jealousy is always f lattering, and it makes you feel important, but a man who is over jealous is a reason for suspicion. Often times, if a man is so overly untrusting of you, then he may be cheating with some one. It sounds far fetched, but if a guy cheats, then he personally knows how tempting it may be to cheat. Do a little snooping if this problem arises.

Watch out if you can tell he absolutely LOVES being the center of attention. Sure, in small doses it’s reasonable. But those types of guys that always want to be the life of the party will sometimes do things that you would never approve of. Also, they may have trouble loving you more than they love themselves. You could be going for a guy that won’t treat you right.

When he likes himself a bit too much, watch out. So many girls fall into the trap of a egotistical man because, let’s face it, confidence is sexy. But you have to make sure the confidence won’t get in the way of how he views you. Many times, an egotistical guy will think he’s too good for you, and in turn, take advantage of you. Stay away from those jerks.

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Gifts. Always look closely at the gifts he gives you. It can be a huge representation of how he feels about you. Now I’m not saying that he needs to get you expensive jewelry to prove he loves you (although it always helps), but if he buys you a deck of strip poker cards for Christmas, then he’s a jerk. Even a heart felt note is better than a gift that eminates sex.

If he seems embarrassed of you, that’s always a bad sign. When he doesn’t bring you around his friends, go up to you when he’s with them, or call you over, then something may be wrong. There could be a deeper meaning, or it could just be that he’s ashamed of you in one way or another. Always remember that you should be with a boy who’s proud to be with you.

The number one thing that should make you run from a guy is if he can’t commit. Maybe he’ll say, “Oh I just can’t deal with a relationship right now, but I really want to be with you.” That right there is code for, “I want to get in your pants, but I’m too lazy to deal with the relationship part of it.” Too many girls fall for this trick. Don’t be one of them.

Another thing to look for, is a guy who thinks doing drugs and alcohol is cool. I know some girls may be into doing those things themself, but if you know your man of interest literally thinks the usage of things of that kind is “unique” or “cool”, then you should take a second look at him. Chances are, he’ll be too into himself to pay much attention to you.

If a guy calls you “sexy” or “hot” the majority of the time. This seems like another obvious one, but you’d be surprised how much it says about the man’s character. If he doesn’t feel comfortable telling you that you’re beautiful, then don’t look back. Chances are, you’re more an object to him than anything else. A guy who really likes you, will try to say more modest things.

Little lies may seem like a reasonable thing. Everyone lies sometimes, right? Well, that doesn’t mean it’s not a cause for suspicion. If a little lie is being told, it’s possibly to cover up a bigger lie. Either way, a relationship should always be honest. I mean, sure he can tell you your butt really doesn’t look big in that dress, but he shouldn’t be lying about where he was last night

Don’t ever be a with a boy who insults you. Ever. Of course, you need to be with a guy who you can tease with, but remember to distinguish between real bullying and just playing around. If he says something that actually insults you, tell him. If that doesn’t stop him, then he’s a jerk. Even if he’s angry at you, you can’t let him push you around with mean names.

Don’t ever go after a boy who doesn’t feel he can only be with one girl. I know it sounds obvious, but I’ve had many of my friends fall prey to the good looking guy who thinks being with more than one woman is perfectly exusable. Some girls might wonder how he pulls it off. Well, he simply lies and tells every girl he’s with that she’s the “main girl”. Trust me, you aren’t.

Look at his past girlfriends. It really says a lot about the man. You’ll know how high his level of jerkiness is based off of the level of class he’s dated in the past. No honorable man will date a promiscuous girl. Also, if she doesn’t have much going on in the head, but is quite attractive, he’s probably looking at your body, not your personality. So look out for guys and their exes.

Always go for a guy that you know can make time for you. You should want to be his top priority. It may sounds selfish, but getting pushed aside over and over again can be very frustrating for a girl -- especially if it’s for unimportant things. Schoolwork is more understandable, but you should still expect him to take a break every so often to spend time with you.

Sometimes it’s difficult to tell what the intentions are of the boy you’re dating or want to be dating when you get their interest sparked. But let me say, that one of the biggest warning signs that he’s in it for sex, is if he asks you for or gives you nude photos. Some girls might do it because they think that it’ll get him to like them more. But remember, having pictures like that in some one else’s hands is very dangerous.

MANNEQUIN