JAMAICAN WOMEN: STYLE AND FASHION

Source: http://www.jayblessed.com/tag/skin-bleaching/

If you ever visit Jamaica, you might be amazed and admire or be disgusted and intolerant of some Jamaican women. Certainly, if you are from a culture like mines, you will be culture shocked. You might be wondering what can be so intriguing or possibly disgusting about said Jamaican women...

The first time I travelled to downtown Kingston, I could not believe my eyes. I know it is not good to stare but could I help myself? From the technicolor wig and weave, to the long glued on eye lashes and constantly fading complexion to the long, bending fingernails and at times toe nails. This was topped of with short pants or leggings and fashionable  tops. They lined a particular street doing nails or hair, right there on the street. Was I amazed and mortified at the same time! What would possess a person to bleach themselves to redness so that their skin, especially on their cheeks is bruised? And what mothers would wear something so short so that their cellulite legs bounce from side to side and their 'bang belly' hang over their pants or shorts?  Yes, my initial reaction was filled with disgust.

Well I have spent over 5 years here and this is what I now see. A unique people with a unique culture. I might not agree with it or even like it, but I must respect it. Looking good is the order of the day. When you hear, 'gel yo sell off',' you know that person have done justice in the eyes of her beholder. They walk the streets and stores looking for their look good pants and look good tops. The music and lifestyle of the island supports the 'sell off' mentality. What may disgust me or you, is a unique culture of the ghetto people. Sure some might have gone too far and are cause for concern for health officials, especially with skin cancer, however, I see strong, brave independent women who have established their own identities by living outside the box of what may be deemed 'normal'. Whether they are fat or slim, black or brown or red, old or young,  these women have created an identity for themselves and remain with it in spite of all that is said. Unless we understand who they are and where they are from, we would only be judging from the standards of the norm our society has set for us and if we intend to help, we would get no where. 

Regardless of who a Jamaica is or where she is from, they take pride in their physical beauty. The only difference is while some have remained within the societal norms of what looks good, others have break free and have created their own. If you want to help those who have gone too far, try and understand them first, where are they from and why have they taken on this form of identity.

The way you carry yourself: Look Pop-up instead of Pop-down

Have you ever looked at someone and said, you know she is younger than me, dismayed by how they are looking? Or sometimes you may make statements like "since she got pregnant, she look pop down." There are other times, when people after being married for a little, carry themselves in such a way that is saying...the world is upon my shoulders, I am too old now,  looking nice is for young people.

In Jamaica, there is something that always amazed me. Even though I may not agree with the way of dressing all the time, the people here focus on their hair, their nails and their clothes. It does not matter what social class or status; the market vendor, the person selling phone cards, the unemployed, the old, the young, the rich, the poor all focus on their looks. Even when their fashion may be out of this world or they might not have gotten it right, their objective is to look good.

Is their a point in your life where you should stop look great? Should marriage, kids, bills or abuse prevent you from looking great? Sometimes it seem to me that persons only want to look good when they are slim and trim with the flat tummy, but as soon as they have a child or two and add some weight that is hard to lose, they give up. Is looking great only for the slim and trim? Why you should look older than the person who taught you in school? And yes this happens. So my suggestions:

• Have a ME day: A day for yourself where you pamper yourself in spite of the pressures of life. Even if you have to put away a special savings for your Me day. 
• Walk with your head held high, Literally! Too often I see people walking, head down. The world might be on your shoulders, but everyone doesn't have to know it.
• Look straight in that mirror and speak positively into your life especially before you leave the house. I do this from time to time and I have found that it has helped to build my self confidence and self esteem. Look, smile and talk into that mirror, but say only positive things whether or not you believe them.
• Purchase clothes that compliment your body type and wear them well. You still have it.
• Go out and have fun whether by yourself, with your girls or with your spouse. This will surely keep you alive and happy. Don't let the kids take over your life so much so that there is no YOU. Remember you are also a role model and children watch and learn from their parents.

I am sure there are many more tips that can be suggested, but remember life does not end with kids or marriage. In fact, it has really just begun....

Dress to sick stomach?

In coming out of the office of my phsyiotherapist, there was a mature, stoutish lady outside talking to a gentleman. In passing by, I got to hear a part of her statement to the gentleman..."me wear way me want, yo na see the young gal dem ah wear shorter than this" To translate for those who do not understand the dialect of the Caribbean, she was stating that she would wear any sort of clothes she wanted and she was asking the gentleman if he did not recognise that the young girls wear much shorter clothes than what she had on. I take a look at her and I see much that is wrong with the way people think.

Here was a mature lady, in her 40s, with so much weight that her thighs were shaking and 'pack up' with cellulite yet she had on a short pants that fell right below her bottom and she believe that she was justified in wearing what she wanted because the younger generation was wearing shorter. I thought madame, you are not in the young people category and you dont have to body to accommodate that type of clothes. Now it is not the first time I hear people say to others, wear what you want, you are not old or they spoke as if wearing whatever you please demonstrate a level of self confidence.

I dont believe that slim people should dress better than fat people or young people better than older ones, but I do believe in these things. Firstly, dress your age. There are certain clothes out there with young people written all over them and secondly, dress to complement you shape and body type. There are some clothes that do not belong to you. Do not depend on people to rate you. There are some persons who are quick to like your photo, tell you how sexy/hot you look, but behind your back they crucify you and laugh at you. Thirdly, looking good has nothing to do with  exposing your body. You know you belly is big, what are you doing in a belly breaker? I often look at clothes and I would admire them, but not every clothes that looks good in my eyes I are for me. I might say things like that will fit 'Mary' well or I wish that can fit me, but I know even if it looks great on the mannequin, it wouldn't look as nice on me because my body structure is different. I heard this statement made by a male once concerning a person dressing in a clothes that do not suit them, " This sick my stomach...Make me want to suck a mint." Do not let it be said about you. You can be in a very long skirt that sweep the ground and still look great.

Do we dress to impress

Do you see the way some people dress these days? In some cases, almost clothes less and even when the clothes are there, the transparency is so clear, you are in view of everything. Now if you should ask those people why do they wear those clothes or if they are trying to impress somebody, in most cases they might say they just feel like, they are just being themselves and no...they really don't care what people think. I begged to differ.

Hot and sexy is just two of the terms that have replaced words like beautiful and lovely in today's modern society. We all like to look good but I am of a strong opinion that whether consciously or sub consciously, ladies do not just put on certain clothes items because its how they are...no..I think they want to hear, they are looking hot and sexy, but how far would we go to hear those words is the question. 

Looking good is one thing. You can wear shorts, spaghetti straps, pants, dress, tights and look good. The clothes can be cheap or expensive and you can still pull off a good look. Accomplishing a good look can yield as many favourable comments as you would like without you losing yourself and favour in it. How can we loose ourselves by our dress? Well here are a few pointers to consider:

• People tend to judge you by the way you dress even those who commented and say you are sexy, in their minds are saying otherwise. Don't say you dont care because you do
• It is sad when you certain words such as 'bitch', 'slut', 'bad', etc are used against your name when you know that you are nothing like that. Well the way you dress say those things to some people.
• Future relationships...marriages. Do you ever notice that generally men who marry, hardly ever chooses the persons they took to the parties in their skimpy clothing, but rather when they choose their wives they can call them sexy when they are clotheless because only their eyes seeing, but other than that the words beautiful, attractive, wonderful, lovely are how they and other people describe their wives.
• Cant we pull off a look than is hot enough to gain favourable comments without loosing our essence?

Ill like to hear from anyone on this topic: Do we dress to impress?