on fashion and beauty magazines

• Savage Garden once sang that beauty magazines promote low self esteem...I say it depends.
  
• In my case, I have refuse to set eyes on them because they make me feel how flawed I am looking at those zit-free, ivory skinned, tall,lean,skinny,toned, models who's always in tune with what's "in" the latest fashion trend-shoes,bags,dress, even tech-y stuff. They seem so surreal with perfectly modified genes. They must have come from another planet or anther dimension becasue they don't seem to walk the same ground as mere mortals like me step on that I wonder why I never see them in person. It took years for me to muster the courgae to flip their pages nad not cringe everytime I see them all perfect and flawless.I know them now because was only recently that I have been able to expose myself to those kinds of magazines.It takes a while to be familiar and have a wall that protects your ego=self from being trashed and to hold on to your own values and restrain (in resisting the urge to buy and follow the trend). I say it depends because lately, it helped me define my own style, improve on my own look thereby making me look good and feel good about myself.

I say it depends because there are ways in which we can handle this kind of media appropriately. I believe beauty and fashion magazines should be rated PG= Parental Guidance. Browsing through the leaves of this kind of reading especially for teeners should have some parental/adult guidance. Parents should be able to secure and affirm their kids self esteem no matter how they look like. In television, as well as this kind of media, we should be able to help kids separate reality and fantasy, being aware of the fact that not everything they see is real and good which I believe would later on builds and helps them to have informed choices in making decisions.They would also be of big help in teaching kids to save up for something that caught their fancy . It could develop patience among other values versus instant gratification, and innovativeness in an individual.

• These are just some of the things I have re-learned lately...

>Be comfortable in your own skin. A person who knows him/herself well is SECURE no matter what he/she wears or how he/she looks like.Nothing beats a beautiful soul for such never fades and will always radiate such aura of positivity and beauty that's refreshing. As the Myra 300E commercial says...Beauty that comes from within.

> What may look good on others, may not always/necessarily look good on you too. Individuality. Different body type, different skin fold, different melanin. Each is different and unique on its own. RESPECT and love your own body.

> Smart choices. Go for classy and elegant pieces. Something that could be mixed and match so your wardrobe won't be monotonous,something that will never go out of style or out of the occasion for they will help you save in the long run. Good and beautiful things doesn't always have to be expensive.

I used to have an Andy Sach's frame of mind...I thought that fashion has nothing to do with me. I go to my closet, select the first thing my eyes or my hands lay upon trying to tell the world that I take my self too seriously to care about anything I put on my back. I've met a Miranda Priestly-kind-of-person who hit me hard with the realization that what I put on, even mindless-ly, is not just something that I pick or put on by chance.It represents millions of dollars and countless jobs by people who work in the industry. Besides, dressing up and beautifying is a way of advertising our self. The goods has to come in a neat and enticing package, right?! If you have the capacity to do so, then why not? It also shows how you value yourself so as they say, dress to impress...I say, DRESS UP FOR SUCCESS!^^