While surfing the dial for tunes on my commute this morning I stopped as soon as I heard the Bee Gees Stayin’ Alive. I love the Bee Gees. I’ve always loved the Brothers Gibb: Big brother Barry, twins Maurice (may he rest in peace) and Robin and baby brother Andy (God rest his soul). The recent news of Robin being on his death bed sunk in as I listened to Barry’s falsetto ring through my speakers. I heard Robin’s health was on an upswing and ironically the phrase “Stayin’ Alive” seemed extremely apropos.
I was a child in the 70s, so the Bee Gees were a part of the soundtrack of my youth. I was convinced their voices were so high because their pants were too tight. Then I thought they were trying to overcompensate by wearing the open jackets or button down shirts to show off their chest hair as proof of their manhood. The mind of an adolescent will make you think such things. These trademark images made for one of my all-time favorite skits on Saturday Night Live: The Barry Gibb Talk Show. God bless Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake. If I ever need a pick me up this tune will do the trick:
Hearing baby brother Andy’s tunes make me nostalgic as well. At 30 years old, he left this world way too soon. Only a few hits under the belt of his tight fitting white pants. Why was that a fashion trend back then? I digress. Back to the music. I am not sure which song makes me smile more: I Just Want to Be Your Everything, Don’t Throw It All Away, Shadow Dancing, or Love Is (Thicker Than Water).
What I do know – the dance number from Saturday Night Fever for You Should Be Dancing is joy rising for me. Who can’t use a little bit of that every once in a while?
The Washington, D.C. area is all a buzz about drafting Robert Griffin III. I’m excited to see what he’ll bring to the team, and I am looking forward to the continued footwear fashions of this Heisman Trophy winner. Anyone who can rock the characters and colorful socks with pride is cool with me. Go ahead RG3 – Go Catch Your Dream!
I never really understood that nickname for cleavage, but if I had a nickel for every nickname I’ve heard about my girls, Wilma and Betty, I’d have a couple extra Andrew Jackson’s in my wallet. Yes, I coined them Wilma and Betty. This happened at some point in high school, and I don’t remember why but the names have stayed with me ever since. I developed at a very early age. I was always the tallest girl in my class and I feel like I never budded – I just blossomed overnight. I don’t recall ever wearing a training bra – there was no training to be had. I do recall that time in the dressing room with my mom trying on bras for the first time and I was not a happy camper. I loved playing sports and I was crushed thinking I was going to have to wear this contraption to keep me from knocking everyone’s eye out, including my own. Undergarments in the late 70s and early 80s were nowhere near as advanced as they are today. There weren’t endless options of sports bras on the market until the 90s. Therefore, gym and game time was always an adventure. Some highlights:
My bra strap breaking while running sprints at the track and having to excuse myself from gym class.
Being greeted by a male classmate after a basketball game as he came by to check my face and saying he wanted to see if I had black eyes.
Another male classmate hiding behind a door then jumping out in front of me to squeeze my breasts like they were door knobs. In turn, I perfected my knee reflex kick. He ended up in the nurse’s office.
My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer the summer I turned 24. Thankfully they caught it early and she didn’t need radiation or chemotherapy. She did however get a partial mastectomy, and chose not to have reconstructive breast surgery. It just wasn’t a popular procedure to do in the mid-90s, and at her age she didn’t feel it necessary to pursue. During this ordeal I became more reflective about my own breasts and what they meant to me, and unfortunately what they meant to other people. Knowing I had been identified as the girl with the large chest since the 5th grade I knew there had been a value put on my breast. Then here I am confronted with my mom who is now lopsided with one breast, which made me ponder what if I too one day was faced with the need to remove Wilma and/or Betty from their home. What kind of woman would I be without them? I believe that is the question all women with a breast cancer diagnosis ask themselves.
I understand being well endowed and built like Barbie has its advantages. People pay big bucks for enhancements. We are a culture obsessed with size:
Supersizing meals
Marketing campaigns convincing you that bigger is better
The number on clothing tags being contradictory to the bigger is better mentality
Plastic surgeons becoming wealthy based on breast and butt enhancement procedures
The stereotype that big hands, big feet dictates penis size
I know I should embrace what has been given to me, but having to brace myself in order to move comfortably through my day can be exhausting. It’s funny how you cannot spell ‘embrace’ or ‘brace’ without b-r-a. It’s the bra that takes it to a whole new level. I learned at a recent fitting at the specialty store Intimacy more about bra structure especially for women of a heftier size. I told the bra specialist that I preferred a smooth silhouette and was not a fan of the lacey details showing through your clothing. I didn’t like the seam that goes across the nipple/areola that also shows through. She informed me that there is a purpose behind bra designs with seams. Basically she was telling me: get used to your new silhouette kid! These bras are cut and sewn, which provides a special structure for extra support. The seams of the bra allow for precise shaping of the bra and restrict the amount of the stretching the bra can do. While seamless bras may look better under certain clothing, bras with seams often last longer and sometimes offer better long-term support than seamless ones.
Almost 85% of women are wearing the wrong sized bra. If you are a female reading this post, chances are you are one of those women. If you are a male who read through this entire post, you are more than likely checking out a multitude of women wearing the wrong sized bra. Needless-to-say check out this guidance from bra specialist and Intimacy founder Susan Nethero. Apparently, we all can use the support.
It’s been said that your hair is your crowning glory. Through the ages there have been some major dos and don’ts when it comes to popular coifs. In a previous post I shared my love for braids. I have now combed through the images of celebrities who have made certain styles iconic. I grew up loving Charlie’s Angels, so it was only natural that I wanted feathered Farrah Fawcett hair. Then, in 1991 I chopped off my mane after seeing Halle Berry in Strictly Business. Which styles did you try?
Chemically straightening natural kinky hair with a relaxer was called "conking." It was popular in the 1920-1960s. Nat King Cole was a fan of the process.
Shirley Temple ringlets from the 1930s
In 1935 Carl ‘Alfalfa’ Switzer made his cowlick famous
Marilyn Monroe's beautiful golden locks
The pompadour style was named after Madame de Pompadour, mistress of King Louis XV of France, who first wore the style in the 18th century. Elvis, Marlon Brando, James Dean, James Brown and Little Richard all sported high pompadours in the 50s. Boys wearing the style were called "greasers" because of all the hair products they used.
Jackie Kennedy was known for wearing pillbox hats but her hairstyle was iconic as well in the 1960s.
The Beatles lead the “British Invasion” in 1964. Almost 4 decades later Justin Bieber is making the girls scream with the help of this iconic hairstyle.
Twiggy known as “The Face of 1966” popularized the pixie cut across the pond.
Marlo Thomas was "That Girl" with the hair flip in 1966.
In 1968, after Mia Farrow had her haircut for the film “Rosemary's Baby,” American gals wanted to look just like her.
Angela Davis's Afro Power from the 1960s.
The Brady Bunch showed off many hairstyles in the early 70s: Carol had one of the first mullets, Marcia brushed her long hair 100 times on each side, Cindy rocked the curls and eventually all the Brady men put in curly perms.
In the 70s no one could do feathered hair better than Farrah Fawcett.
I still have no idea how Crystal Gayle didn't trip on her hair.
Dorothy Hamill was a 1976 figure skating Olympian and introduced the world to the "wedge" haircut.
In the 70s Cher had stunning Bob Mackie costumes and luxurious Pocahantas hair.
1977's "Star Wars" took us to a galaxy far, far away and Princess Leia showed us that hair buns could replace earmuffs.
Twenty-year-old Diana Spencer became The Princess of Wales on 29 July 1981. Who needs a crown when you have this head of hair?
Mr. T. was the brotha in 1983 with a mowhawk who always "pitied a fool" on The A-Team.
In 1984 Tina Turner was a Private Dancer with some serious bed-head hair.
The Jheri Curl was introduced in the 80s. Michael Jackson and Prince were famous for theirs. This is actor Eriq La Salle (of ER fame) from 1988's "Coming to America" with his "Soul Glo" afro.
Anna Wintour became the editor of Vogue in the late 80s and she's been rockin' this bob ever since.
Christopher ‘Kid’ Reid 1990s high top fade
The look that made me cut off my hair in 1991: Miss Halle Berry in "Strictly Business"
Don't tell my heart, my achy breaky heart that Billy Ray Cyrus is making the mullet popular. Oh the 90s!
Michael Jordan had the fellas in the 90s shaving their heads.
Although Jennifer Aniston hated the cut, "The Rachel" was one of the most popular 90s hairstyles.
Kate Gosselin came on the scene in 2007 with a reverse mullet.
It’s been a long time since I have been genuinely excited to watch the Grammy awards. This Sunday I will sit in anticipation with thousands, if not millions, of Adele fans to hear her first live appearance since she underwent vocal cord surgery four months ago. I am sure Karl Lagerfeld will be the first one to stand up to give her a standing ovation!
Another standing ‘o’ will be in order when the Supreme one, Diana Ross, is honored with the well deserved Lifetime Achievement Award. This Lady Sings the Blues and she’s a fashion icon.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Diana’s daughter, actress Tracee Ellis Ross, is a go-to for fashion inspiration – solidifying that Ross is Boss.
Whether you called it getting your hair plaited or braided, as a young child I called it torture. Having thick, wild hair and being tender headed did not make grooming time fun time. Hmmm…random side note: isn’t it bizarre that according to Random House Webster’s Dictionary the word groom has multiple meanings?
bridegroom: a newly married man or one about to be married
a man or boy in charge of horses or a stable
to make neat or tidy
to clean and brush (a horse, dog, etc.)
to prepare or train for a position
Some may say with the amount of hair I have the description of number 4 is accurate since my tresses could be mistaken as a horse’s tail or a lion’s mane. I guess being born under the zodiac sign of Leo was only fitting for me. For years my mom outfitted me with various ponytails of braids or Cindy Brady curls:
Swiss Miss wannabe on Kindergarden picture day
Cindy Brady curls under my cap
One of my caregiving responsibilities for my mom is braiding her hair when I visit her at the assisted living facility. We’ve come full circle – what goes around really does come back around.
My handy work
Braids have been popular for over a century. YouTube is flooded with video after video on how to create all kinds of roped creations. Here are a bunch of braids that have made an impression on me through the years.
Pocahontas classic braid
I always thought Pippi Longstocking had magical ponytails
Melissa Gilbert paid homage to Holly Hobby as Laura Ingalls, AKA Half Pint
Every woman who came back from an island vacation wanted to look like Bo Derek in the movie '10'
No one rocks the beads and braids like Stevie
Janet Jackson in 'Poetic Justice'
Brandy as Moesha was known for her micro-braids
Maybe Dave Thomas's daughter Wendy was a Pippi fan
Alicia Keys burst on the scene with her iconic cornrows
Reality star Lauren Conrad made the braid trendy again for the MTV generation in the new millennium
I like Rachel McAdams as an actress, and I like her braids!
Every award season we see the Hollywood starlets dolled up in the finest couture. At last night’s Golden Globes, I felt the room gasp when Jane Fonda walked on stage. She literally took everyone’s breath away. I know she took mine. George Clooney even said in his press conference: “Jane Fonda in that dress. My God. She looked great. Wow!”
Jane Fonda blew the crowd away in black lace George Hobeika
Jane Fonda stands out for me because she and my mother were both born in 1937; so this is the year they both turn 75. Her years of producing those exercise videos paid off and are a testament to her commitment to health and fitness. She truly is an inspiration to me. Seeing her made me feel like I needed to get off my couch and bust out thirty minutes of cardio ASAP. I am at a place in my life where I feel like I am not Red Carpet Ready. I need to change that. Jane will be my muse, along with a few of these other ladies who are over the age of 40.
Diane Lane dazzles in a gold sequin Reem Acra gown
Viola Davis looks stunning in Emilo Pucci
Helen Mirren is so regal in a blue Badgley Mischka dress
I was a child in the 70s, so the Bee Gees were a part of the soundtrack of my youth. I was convinced their voices were so high because their pants were too tight. Then I thought they were trying to overcompensate by wearing the open jackets or button down shirts to show off their chest hair as proof of their manhood. The mind of an adolescent will make you think such things. These trademark images made for one of my all-time favorite skits on Saturday Night Live: The Barry Gibb Talk Show. God bless Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake. If I ever need a pick me up this tune will do the trick: 
