Hot or Not -- Trends for Prom 2004Written by Blake Kritzberg
Prom: it's loaded with expectations. For some, it's merely a dance. For others, it means that first great step into adulthood, while savoring one's position at top of grammar-school food chain. And for some, it means a night of pure Cinderella magic. Combine all this with a youth-oriented culture, and you have an event that demands a serious fashion plan. So what fashion forces are driving Prom 2004? The answers are: curves, glamour and loads of color. "Prom 2004" is actually a bit of a misnomer, as most dresses tend to follow Fall 2003 styles. This make sense: prom dresses are high-ticket items, and retailers need a chance to test out trends in shopping malls. (Hair is more adaptable, so prom hair is more attuned to present). As for fashion in general, it's still reeling from ultimate anti-fashion incident: 9/11 attack. You may recall that industry stopped in its tracks. Major fashion shows were cancelled, or scaled down to a roomful of attendees on folding chairs. "Can fashion still matter?" was question no one could ignore. But of course, fashion didn't die. As always, it reflected newly-altered world view. "World views" contain many interlocking strands, as does fashion, but strong themes emerged and are still in play. Here are some of best-articulated trends in Prom 2004: // The Solidarity Uniform Dressy, formal looks from 30s and 60s. Think Hollywood glamour, and Jacquie Kennedy. Beneath this trend is new focus on attending family events and dressing up for them. Expressing 30s are curvy, Screen Siren prom gowns: smoky mermaids in luxurious ruched satin, and Latin-style ruffles and trains. Reviving 60s are Grace Kelly/Jacquie-O A-line skirts, sometimes tea-length, with crinoline slips. These classic beauties are updated with simpler, more natural hair and makeup, not to mention some mod-style colors (bold black and white, bright red, or submarine yellow). Gloves and a small shiny pocketbook are must-haves, but for 2004, you don't have to stick to ordinary colors! Timeless prom queen gowns are fully *au courant* as well -- no amount of beading, boning, crinoline or shine is over-the-top, so enjoy license for glamour. Perhaps this is right year to indulge in a delicate tiara! You'll be surprised by number of strapless gowns on offer. Every one of these "solidarity" gowns lend themselves to classic strapless glamour. // The Eastern Bloc
| | Should I Give Up Me To Not Lose You?Written by Margaret Paul, Ph.D.
The following article is offered for free use in your ezine, print publication or on your web site, so long as author resource box at end is included, with hyperlinks. Notification of publication would be appreciated.Title: Should I Give Up Me To Not Lose You? Author: Margaret Paul, Ph.D. E-mail: mailto:margaret@innerbonding.com Copyright: © 2004 by Margaret Paul Web Address: http://www.innerbonding.com Word Count: 793 Category: Relationships SHOULD I GIVE UP ME TO NOT LOSE YOU? by Margaret Paul, Ph.D. How far can you afford to bend your values to preserve your relationship? How far can you go in giving yourself up to avoid losing your partner? How much of yourself can you afford to sacrifice to not lose someone you love? How do we find balance between maintaining our integrity and bending our values? Most relationships require us to bend to a certain extent, but how much can we bend without a sense of loss of self? There is an inherent paradox in these questions: A truly loving relationship is a relationship where each person accepts and even values differences between them. If you have to excessively bend your values to preserve relationship, what are you preserving? You are not preserving a loving relationship since love does not demand that you excessively bend your values. Rather than look at relationship in terms of bending values to accommodate another person, let’s look at it in terms of each person learning and growing as a result of their differences in values. For example, Patricia is a highly responsible person with a strong work ethic, while Sam tends to let things go a lot, which results in an imbalance regarding financial responsibility in relationship. Patricia is not happy about this. Does she just accept these differences to preserve relationship? No! That is not what a good relationship is really about. Since a good relationship is about each person learning and growing from their differences, rather than one or both people giving themselves up, Sam and Patricia need to engage in open explorations about their differences. They each have beliefs that can be explored, and in this process, new learning occurs that leads to intrinsic change rather than superficial compromise. The real problem occurs when one or both partners are not available for exploration and learning. If one partner says, “Just accept me way I am,” or gets angry or withdrawn when other partner attempts to discuss situation, no learning can take place. Then other partner either has to accommodate or leave – not a healthy situation.
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