Dark Side of Glamour

One can always associate individuals of different ambitions, interests and personality traits in a diverse country like India. In today's era, with a reasonable, if not substantial reduction in the gender inequality, one often comes across independent, ambitious women in different work sectors. Undoubtedly, the glamour industry is the most sought after industry. It is quite common to see modeling schools being set up in every by lane, which is a direct indication of many individuals trying to convert their inclination towards the glamour world into a full time profession. These schools promise to teach you the walk, the attitude and other ingredients necessary to announce your arrival in the glittering world, including movies. A young, confident girl is always fascinated by the attention a model gets and would have had a secret desire of being admired in various magazines and billboards across the world. The glamour industry apparently seems to have everything ranging from a glamorous lifestyle to lots of money, name and fame. However, not many are aware of the dark side of the glamour world which has left many souls in a state of eternal dejection and helplessness.

The instant acquisition of fame is the main reason which draws many young adults to the glamour of the fashion industry. However, in due course of time, they realize that it involves long hours, hectic schedules and strict diets. It doesn't take long before these ambitious individuals get lost in the big, bad world, where there is ruthless competition in every step of ascent to the top. Unpredictability of personal relationships, lack of privacy, high depression levels and ever increasing ego problems with the competitors also pop up with time. For some, the pressure is too much to bear, and, the only ways to get rid of unwanted tensions is to either end life abruptly or develop affiliation with life threatening drugs.

One always gets to hear a lot of motivational stories about eminent personalities who have made it from rags to riches. However, the saga of Geetanjali Nagpal, an Indian model of the nineties is hard to believe. After having sashayed down the ramp with the likes of Sushmita Sen and other super models, she was rescued from the pavements of Delhi by a team from the Delhi Commission for Women when found begging on the streets. News reports had stated her to be a drug addict. However, many believe that the lack of ability to keep up to the pressure of the fashion arena was the main reason which made her succumb to the pressures.

Renu Rathi hails from Gurgaon and belongs to a rich and prestigious family. However, on 18th December, 2008, she was found lying on the street outside her flat in Mumbai as she could not pay the rent on time. The strong desire of making it big in the glamour world forced her to break all ties with her family owing to lack of support. For two years she tried her luck in Bollywood as well, but to no avail. High levels of stress, frustration and depression got her close to smoje, drinks and drugs.

American model Sara Ziff co-directed the award-winning documentary 'Picture me' which presents a few cases of sexual assault in the fashion industry. She also speakr about how she was asked to strip completely even when her breasts had not developed fully. Such cases of exploitation are quite common in the glamour industry.

A 15-year-old model from Slovenia had come to Milan with high aspirations. However, she found herself caught up in the wrong circle and was later raped and wound up in a hospital. In 1998, a 19-year-old Israeli beauty queen was raped at knifepoint by a travel agent when she landed up in Italy for auditions.

There are many instances in which the models are made to look back and reevaluate their decisions. The death of Viveka Babajee almost a year ago had caught everyone's attention. After a successful stint with modeling in Mauritius and a few controversies, she migrated to India where she achieved celebrity status instantaneously through some high-profile ads, and a few Bollywood flicks from 2000 to 2004. She had carved a niche for herself in the professional front but could not cope with the pressures in the personal front. It was 25th of June 2010, when she was found dead hanging by her ceiling fan in her flat. News report she was depressed after a recent break-up with her boyfriend. This case also reminds us all of suicide of model Nafisa Joseph in 2004, and of model-turned-TV actress Kuljeet Randhawa in 2006. There are many such cases which bring the dark side of the glamour world to the fore.

Eminent personalities from the fashion fraternity believe that every individual has to cope with some kind of stress or the other in each and every field. One has to deal with the problems in his or her own way. They believe that one is responsible for one's own life. Amidst all these discussions, they do agree unanimously that there is a bit of exposure to drugs in the fashion industry. Once pending bills and creditors start breathing down a model's neck, it does not take her long to indulge herself in alcohol and drugs and later adapt to full time hooking. This is how girls like Viveka Babajee get trapped in from which there is no way 'out'.

Loneliness is one of the factors that can push an individual to commit suicide. There is a famous saying that no two professionals can be friends in the glamour industry. One should be strong enough to handle different situations and people. An aspiring model must be mentally prepared to accept a lot of back-stabbing and criticisms coming her way.

Another important feature responsible for the general perspective towards the glamour world is undoubtedly the contribution of the media. It is the media which converts a one-off incident into sensational news.

Glamour industry is indeed meant only for the toughest as it is not everyone's cup of tea. Drugs and alcohol are common feature and it is up to the individual to abstain oneself from all unfavorable acts of indulgence. It is worth pursuing as a career only if one is well aware of the pros and cons and is willing to cope with the failures. Before plunging into the glamour world, it is essential that the aspiring models have a back-up career option, as the shelf life of models is short. Finally, one cannot blame the glamour world for any kind of instability on the personal front.

The Skinheads - Lifestyle, Fashion and Music

The birth of the skinheads was influenced by typical mod culture and they interpreted the general mod style whilst sporting more working-class attire. Another inspiration was the Jamaicans and this new group of youths dominantly listened to the specific Jamaican music such as soul, ska and early reggae. Although the initial skinhead culture was simply their lifestyle, music and lifestyle music it has developed into a racial and political debate where white power and neo-Nazism has come about. Despite this, although all of these people may share the same music, fashion and lifestyle tastes this does not mean that they all share the same racial and political views.
Due to their close-cropped or shaven heads and working-class attire they differentiated from the mods which meant they gained their own label of 'skinhead'. These initially began due to the post-war generation who generally had more disposable money than in the past two decades thus giving them the opportunity to splurge on more stylish clothing. This craze began to fade by the early 1970s and other groups evolved from this but the whole skinhead subculture was revived and is still present to this day.
There was a general style of clothing that this entire group of people seemed to participate in. In the past it was easy to identify who belonged to this specific group; this also remains today. Both male and female skinheads dressed similarly and the women sported a similar shaven look sometimes shaving their entire head and leaving a fringe at the front.
There are basic fundamentals which a skinhead's daily attire would include:
Torso - a tailored checked or tartan shirt was extremely popular or alternatively a polo t-shirt manufactured by popular brands such as Fred Perry and Ben Sherman. As jackets a denim style, bomber jacket or a Harrington was widely fashionable. Some of the denim jackets were personalised with bleach in order to create an 'acid wash' look.
Bottoms - typically, the most popular form of trousers were turn-up jeans which allowed them to show off polished, heavy boots or their socks when wearing loafers. Combat trousers were also becoming more apparent throughout the skinhead era and jeans were splattered with bleach to achieve a more camouflaged look. Their jeans were usually manufactured by popular denim brands such as Lee and Levi's.
Footwear - the most prominent form of footwear were the Dr. Martens boots. These were available in a variety of colours and usually patent leather and extremely heavy in order to achieve a working-class and 'hard' look. They also occasionally wore brogues or loafers and paired them with socks which were shown off by their cut-off jeans.
Accessories - braces were a must when it came to accessorising and these could come in a variety of colours which best suited their choice of clothing on the day. Hats were also popular and many of these youths were seen with bowler hats and trilby hats.
Sometimes, for a special occasion, skinheads would also wear a suit to go dancing at clubs to their favourite genre of music. There are many people who have adapted the skinhead look today and it is still seen as a stylish way of dressing, therefore these items are available in a wide variety of shops.

Fashion As a Lifestyle

From the clothes we wear to the type of music we listen to, personal style serves as a reflection of oneself. It is an undeniable form of expression that can be conveyed and articulated both naturally and effortlessly. Each and every person has his or her own personal sense of style that gives those around him or her an idea of who or what he or she is and represents. Style allows a person to take something he or she finds beautiful and turn it into something unique.
One way in which a person can illustrate his/her style is through fashion. In its most basic definition, fashion refers to a prevailing style that is worn during a particular time or period in ones life. Fashion designers work to create wearable art through the combination of different patterns, fabric and colors. The history of fashion has played a huge role not only in the world of art but in global culture and history as well.
Fashion tends to change simultaneously with the different eras in culture. One of the earliest eras that were dedicated to the art of fashion is known as the Renaissance Era, which took place from about 1450-600 all over Europe. The Renaissance Era focused on the importance of living a meaningful and rich life. In this time period, clothing served as a status symbol. The more elaborate and intricate garments were, the wealthier a person appeared to be to society. This notion continues in today's culture but in somewhat of a different way. Social status today, can be determined through the name brand in which you are wearing and if one is keeping up with the latest trends.
For others, fashion can be extremely personal, shadowing his/her religious cultures and beliefs. For many certain garments and colors represent a much higher meaning than what appears to the eye. In Indian culture, the females most commonly dress in a sari garment, which is usually created out of a silk fabric. The sari is a timeless piece that can be wrapped around any female regardless of her figure or height. As part of the Hindu culture, saris allow the females to stay cool and comfortable during the hot months.
On a psychological level, fashion can affect the way one feels about him or herself. Fashion can boost one's confidence at times and even change one's opinion about the world around them. World famous designer Coco Chanel once said, "Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."
In conclusion, fashion is not only about looking a certain way; rather it is a lifestyle for many. For some, fashion can hold a much deeper meaning but almost always serves as a form of expression, whether you realize it or not. It can be used without words but with a visual image. Fashion will continue to surround our lives on a daily basis, being used as one of the most basis art forms for many years to come.