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Beware of Pyramid Schemes in Disguise

I'll tell you a story, but first, the familiar questions: Do you want to be financially secure? Do you want to be your own boss? Do you ...

Friday, May 31, 2013

Bare for Dance

purederekhough.com



Dance is one of the coolest things man got right, in my opinion. It can be easy movements or difficult to impossible movements. I'm always interested in any form of dance I see because I almost always get blown away. Some dances have specific outfits because of the need for ease of movement or for enhancing movement. These days though I notice that for the ladies, the outfits are getting skimpier and skimpier regardless of the need for ease of movement. Is it necessary? I noticed that it sometimes is, because dance choreographers do more than choreograph lines or movements. They try to tell stories. Sometimes the outfits play a big role relaying the story. I saw an older friend's year book and some of her cheerleader outfits. I have to say the length has since reduced from her time. I understand the need for shorter skirts since the girls do splits and other acrobatic moves that won't work in longer outfits. But ballroom attire, can I just say sometimes they wear next to nothing? It gets distracting and this makes me wonder if the idea is to focus on the dance at all. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of some of the dance attires because they are always one of a kind and not something you would see someone wearing everyday. The added designs that help flatter the movement of the dance is one thing that designers, who make dance outfits tend to do well. They add frills that shake when the dancer shakes; sequins or other shiny element that play with the light in the ball room. I can understand the shiny element they add to the dance wear but sometimes I think it's over the top. There are some dances that the outfits are not skimpy like Flamenco and some traditional dances that make use of  added accessories to add a nice flavor to the dance. What about ballerinas? Their sultry outfits reflect the emotion and smoothness ballet conveys but sometimes I think the tights for the guys should be re-designed because they expose more than they really should. The dance bares and exposes more than their skin, making them seem vulnerable. I would like to ask the designers if that's what they are going for when they design the outfits.


(ukoemem - Author; Ola Y - Editor)

Monday, May 27, 2013

"I Created That Shoe With A 3-D Printer"

By Marieka Ratsma


Everyone knows the 'Big Bang Theory' show right? Ok, so the use of a 3-D printer caught my attention while watching one of the episodes of this show! I am not quite familiar with 3-D printers so I researched online what this printer is all about. I was taken aback by what I found!! It's been out since the 80s but in fashion, it's a new thing. I focused on the fashion side of things to see if designers made wearable clothing and accessories with 3-D printers and the answer was a big YES! I was drawn in by the creative ability the 3-D printer gives designers who are interested in using this technology to make designs on clothing and accessories. Since 3-D printers can print things made with plastic, metal, ceramic, and glass, now I'm questioning the role it plays in the production of fabrics. It was a relief to learn that materials such as nylon could be printed too. 3-D printing may seem like a lazy approach to making fashionable items, but it's not true. The designers have to create the schematics of what they specifically want, build it digitally, and  then send it to the 3-D printer. Even when the 3-D printer completes it printing functions, there are other post-print work that must be done afterwards to bring out the vavavum style in a fabric. It can be anywhere from assembling to post-designing. The 3-D printer can also print on jewelry and shoes. Footwear designer, Janina Alleyne, has been known to create unique wearable shoes using the 3-D printer. Continuum Fashion also makes clothing with the 3-D printer. This is an exciting innovation in the world of fashion and I'm looking forward to seeing how the 3-D printer would evolve in years to come!


(ukoemem - Author; Ola Y - Editor)

Thursday, May 23, 2013

I Wore a Tie

examiner.com


I'm sure some people will be like, "so what" or "whatever," but wearing a tie for the first time was an interesting experience for me. I've seen my dad wear ties with his suits and I just thought it was the natural order of wearing suits. I have seen it worn by males but nothing stands out but the styles and colors of the ties. Girls who've worn ties because they had to for school or work purposes. Well, there's nothing special about that either. It took my wearing one to understand that there is truly an art to it. Knotting the tie was more difficult than I had imagined. I had help through video conferencing and now I'm wondering why I didn't go to Youtube. I struggled with the length; it was until I had to wear it that I realized that a tie should be a certain length from belt loop. That wasn't my only struggle. I was conscious about it every minute because it was "too tight" for my neck, or so I thought. I also had to deal with not letting it into my
food. Almost had to pin it to my shirt. I concluded that just as newer things need practice to be mastered, wearing a tie is one of them. I don't have to wear it everyday, thank goodness, but I now have respect for those who wear it as uniforms everyday of the week and those who have to dress in suits for work because they have endless meetings and have to look sharp. For those who would have to live the suited lives soon or would have to wear a tie everyday for some reason, have fun and don't get choked in the process!!



(ukoemem - Author; Ola Y - Editor)

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

You Wanna Bet?


You know when you look at someone who is reading a book and the person keeps smiling or laughing out loud and you get curious because you want to know the whole story, that's what happened when my roommate was reading "The Bet" by Rachel Van Dyken. In my previous post, I wrote about how I love to read, well, if you get good books that's what will happen to you. Aren't you glad it's not a bad thing to like to read? Okay, so in the past I have had the opportunity to read books that were just so good that they were page turners and couldn't be dropped for a second. I have read books that I couldn't put down because they were so good but I had to hide their covers because, well, let's just say I didn't want anyone gloating at me because they couldn't believe I was reading that book. But now, I get excited when I realize that there are still books out there that are really good. There are authors out there that still know how to write and make their readers giddy with excitement. That was exactly how I felt reading The Bet. Not only was it a page turner, the story caught my interest because it was one that could be related to. It was funny and at times I just wanted to pinch the characters for the stupid things they did. I liked it because it could have been real. It was real. Enjoy!

Just for the sake of recommending a book that I think is one of the most intelligently written books out there, check out "Tapestry of Fortunes by Elizabeth Berg"

(ukoemem - Author; Ola Y - Editor)

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Natural Beauty

Sometimes I see things that stop me in my tracks. This happens to be one of them and I had to take a photo to share. Nature expressing beauty.




Boylston, Boston MA.

I Think I Read a Lot



If you know me, you know I love books. If you don't know me, well, I do really love books. I find myself sometimes having the free time to pick up a book and read. I'm still into novels but I promise myself to try and read non-fiction. It will take coaxing my will-power, but I will get there. It's not yet Summer, when I do a lot of reading, but I have found time somehow to read more books than I imagined. I still have an uncountable amount of TV shows I still watch, I still go work, so I too wonder how I've done it. I guess I have had great picks that's why I've finished more books. It also helps that there is a Barnes & Noble nearby. I pray bookstores never get replaced by coffee shops. Instead, let both co-exist like my local Barnes & Noble. I go in, browse and then end up with a book that peaks my curiosity. I order a cup of Chai and I'm well on my way to "mind land" in a few minutes. Reading novels is freeing and relaxing. I'm reading something that is already solved for me. I just have to make the journey. Reading textbooks is a different story because I have to really focus and solve. That's not the definition of relaxed reading for me. Although, I'm sure there are people out there who just read everything at the same pace, be it a mathematical text book or a James Patterson novel. Right now, I have nothing less than a dozen books to read and I have already gone through more than double of that this year. For readers out there, pick up a book; if you're not sure of what to read, listen to suggestions. Google the kind of books you would like to read and there are people out there who give constructive criticism and suggestions on books. You can also check out recommendations from book stores. Out there, small time writers also have great books. You can find out about them online. Refresh your brain like I do to relax and you'll be a happy person.


(ukoemem - Author; Ola Y - Editor)

Monday, May 6, 2013

Transported



Sometimes I watch shows that are dated and get transported to that era in my imagination. I am fascinated by their fashion and often wonder what may have driven them to sew and wear garments of their time. Of course I think some ridiculous because of the styles and the difficulty they impose on the wearer. Then I ask myself if they fashion the clothing that way for a reason that is more than what the eyes sees. One thing I'm able to do is compare. We are well aware that styles are recycled, they come back. Maybe not exactly as they used to be but the similarities are evident. Though these similarities are capturing, I pay more attention to the differences. I ask myself why something was changed for another. Is it because in these modern times, more research has been done for what is more suitable to the times? Then sometimes I wonder if the difference in that garment is just something that was lifted from another garment? With this in mind, I tend to notice that, indeed, some things have been remade or improved. These details, though minor, may give the garment it's modern twist. It was as a result of paying attention to a TV show that made me realize that garments are not too different from what we have these days but they are getting less formal as the years go on. I found out that a majority of suit styles that men wear these days were casual clothing in the early 1900s, meanwhile what we call casual now is majorly jeans and T shirts. I wonder what would be casual clothing in decades to come. It's fascinating to learn I tell you.

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