Wearing your Undies on the Outside is in!

OMG!!! I have recently found out how to upload pictures { I know, I’m slow } However! This opens up the floor for me to share with you whats walking down the catwalk this season! Just looking at these gets me excited!!! This is what sends my passion ablaze! There are many ways to wear undergarments thats tasteful, sophisticated and empowering! These pictures inspired me to continue my mission in regards to my Intimate Apparel company!

–> The model pictures are the designer’s pieces and the garments pictures on the side are rendition pieces that can be found at department stores. Check out handbag.com for the exact stores and prices…

*Christian Dior
{ Im diggin the black and lace! }

*Christopher Kane
{ The model looks real cute in this. I like the light colours in this collection }

*Dolce & Gabbana
{ I love the bodice dress and the earrings are HARD! Its a classic looks/ pieces! Black, denim, and silver are iconic }

{ I LOVE the sandels! }

*Jean-Paul Gaultier
{ Im diggin the studded chucks! Plus the bra & panty set is Cute! }

{ I love the sophisticated look of this! }

*Marc Jacobs
{ Im soo diggin the models threads!!! even the bag!!! and I dont do bags! }

*Richard Knoll
{ I like the halter top bra. This look reminds me of the 80s }

All pictures was provided by handbag.com

May these pictures inspire you to wear whatever makes you feel comfy! Especially, if they are your undies!!! =D

Salut tout le mode!!!

Fashion Show Orient Style

‘Tis the season for spring/summer inspired designs to hit the pavement! There are all types of floral prints, colours & themes floating around; frankly I’m about congested with it all already! This seaons looks for outwear garments are bright, airy, & in some cases prairie.
Now, outerwear isn’t my thing but I had recently attended a fashion show at MJQ Concourse here in Atlanta and was blown away! The ideas the emerged from the creative mastermind of Michael Payne, had my jaw drop on the nasty, sweaty club floor!!! I had only heard of the wild n crazy party stories he had thrown the past but hadnt had the pleasure to actually experience them until that Saturday night!

ELECTROPORT to the ORIENT was the title of the show… the dresscode was Steampunk & Oriental wear

The design of the flyer was a little sampler of what that night held. There was a Chinese dragon, lions, lingerie, sake, & even witches! All the things that would stimulate your senses and amaze you! I was truely in awe at the preformance. The show had a 1930s film appeal that tied in perfectly to the whole sha-bang! The models wear pieces that was part outerwear & lingerie! It wasnt JUST a fashion show; it was theatical performance!
Im trying to locate the photographer who took the most pictures of the show. For a taste of the show I suggest going to ohsnapkid.com they were definitiely in the building that night!

The ingenius idea M. Payne birthed had me leave the club feeling inspired, estatic & tipsy off of sake! Something like this is long long overdue! Hopefully this concept to wakes up the mundane droids of the fashion/art/music scene that’s here in Atlanta… No offense but there’s a strong need for something new and innovative!

Salut!!!

The B.O. Report: Remedies

With the insightful understanding of what Body Odor is, we are now able to figure out how to control B.O. Given everyone’s body is different, inside and out, I have found a heap load of information on remedies for B.O. I have list for the convenient conventionalists and for the open-minded naturalists.

First: Cleanliness: In order to control or maintain any odor, one must be clean. I mean thoroughly wash the “scented” area(s). Be it, clothes or body parts. Remember the pungent smell of b.o. comes from the mixture of sweat and bacteria. The type of sweat (apocrine) that bacteria feeds on has an oil substance that sticks to your body and clothes. Example Lets say you took a shower on Monday, was too tired to bathe on Tuesday, you were rushing on Wednesday and taking a shower was an after thought… Now you have a smell that went from a barely noticable scent to a “Dag! I need a shower” funk. Even if you shave your underarms and pubes you will smell, the new sweat will be laying on top of the old sweat. In addition to that, the friction between the skin and clothing can create an ideal sweaty restaurant for bacteria to dine at. “People with strong underarm odors carry two to three times as many underarm bacteria as other people. The best way to prevent body odor is to wash away sweat and bacteria.” (howstuffworks.com) Keeping those areas clean lessens the chance of a cesspool of sweat and bacteria. Wash your armpits and groin regions with water and soap.(Deodorant -scented- soaps are good!) Do this at least ONCE a day with a washcloth, loofah or something other than your hands. “[Scrubbing] the armpits with a soapy washcloth…work better to remove the bacteria than just soap in your hands” (health911.com)
Same thing applies to your clothes. Once bacteria settles in it can damage the fibers; Not to mention still have that unpleasant smell from the last time you wore it. With that said, wearing clean clothes, socks, & underwear helps control b.o. For those who sweat excessively, wear clothes that’s made of natural fiber materials like: *Cotton *Linen *Hemp *Bamboo These help promote moisture absorption & wick, as well as body temperature control.

The Smell Goods: Deodorants are perfumes for the armpits. They contain ingredients that can kill bacteria which in turn eliminate that foul aroma under your arms. Often times you can find deodorants paired with anti-perspirants to prevent sweat & body odor. This is a quick and conventional way to stop b.o. There are some people who find the cosmetic deodorants unhealthy, “The use of deodorants worsens the condition as it contains various toxic chemicals and products of heavy metals like aluminium.” (natural-homeremdies.com) {I will brake down the differences of aluminium in my next post}
What’s good with, Anti-Perspirants?
They are designed to reduce perspiration, or stop the release of the eccrine sweat gland, to keep you drier and the bacteria at bay. How does it do it? This product has an active agent that can lower the production of thre eccrine gland. “Antiperspirants are classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as over-the-counter drugs because they are intended to alter a natural body function.” (howstuffworks.com) Even though, it’s the apocrine sweat glands that has that oil substance bacteria feeds off of. Studies show that the apocrine glands cannot be stopped; however there an antibacterial agent in anti-perspirants that stops the odor.

B.O. vs The Natural Approach
Sometimes picking up any kind of deodorant/anti-perspirant may not always be beneficial. Thre can be uncomfortable side-effects like skin irritation, due to the ingredients in certain deodorant/anti-perspirant products. If this has happened to you, try washing with an antibacterial soap and apply antibiotic ointment on the irritated area.
If you have perfume sensitive skin and finding a subsititute for deodorant and antperspirant is tricky and over-whelming. There is a long scroll of natural ways to deodorize the underarms and finding a remedy that works for you can a mission. Here is a few alternatives to deodorant:
*Alcochol/Witch hazel: wipe armpits with this
*Alum: it’s a mineral salt potassium crystal rock also *Bauxite crystal will help will odor
*Apple Cider Vinegar: reduces pH level which will stop the odor (Bacteria don’t do low pH underarms) also *White Vinegar is good. –> pH is “a measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution.” (wikipedia.com) in regards to the human body balancing the amount of acidic & alkaline in the body is part of maintain a healthy body. {I will talk about this more in another post}
*Baby Powder: or Talc is good everywhere ther’s lots of sweat (underarms, feet, chest even the butt!) Oh! If you want a little scent to it, add a little bit of lemon juice!

B.O. vs Lifestyle
As I stated in the first post on body odor, the way we interact-eat-bathe-drink all contribute to b.o. Being mindful of what you eat & drink –> meat dominate dishes, alcohol, onions, hot peppers, caffeine, tobacco, & garlic can all be cause to b.o. Even medications can make you sweat, which can cause b.o. Mind you, sweating is natural. Just the aroma that can arise from sweat and bacteria mixing together is what may need to be controlled. Menopausal women tend to sweat excessively, and many of them carry baby wipes to control the sweat and odor. So, don’t fret you will sweat but if you do three basic steps to maintain the smell you should be alright this coming hot seasons! 1. Keep fresh and clean >if only you wash the important areas -face, armpits & groin- with soap & water. 2. Wear clean clothes, socks & undies! >jeans maybe an exception, I think. 3. Deodorize >whether it’s a store bought product or a natural remedy.

Works Cited:
Wikipedia.com
Natural-homeremdies.com
Howstuffworks.com
Health911.com

Au Revoir tout le monde!

The B.O. Report

Ahh! Spring is just around the corner and the preperations are underway! The sun is out longer, birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and soon the air will be filled with the aroma of fragrant scented toilet water to mask the inevitable body odor. What is Body Odor a.k.a B.O.? Where does it come from? Why does it smell? Can one rid themselves of B.O.?

First things First!

What is Body Odor?
Nickname: “B.O.” Full name: Bromhidrosis aka Osmidrosis
Body odor is the mixture of sweat and the bacteria that’s on the skin. When these two mix and mingle a smell erupts that makes the nose hairs tingle. According to Dictionary.com Bromidrosis -Osmidrosis- is “the secretion of foul-smelling sweat”.

What causes B.O.?
Firstly, we must understand that sweat itself doesn’t smell, though it can be a pain, sometimes embarrassing, its practically odorless. However, the body gives off distinctive scents for a number of reasons. The toxins inside your body can be the reason for an odor be it good or bad. What I mean by toxins, I mean the accumulation of everyday habits we do or are surrounded by -example, cleaning products, processed foods & meats, personal & public transportation, even the polluted air we breathe are factors to why we have toxins in our bodies.
Our body naturally removes waste by perspiration, urination, and defecation. When we regularly remove the toxins from our bodies we have the less chance of giving off bad body odor; however if we don’t -example constipation, then our chances of smelling unpleasantly is great. Even certain foods & drinks can contribute to body odor: *Onions *Garlic *Curry *Coffee *Alcohol
Some researchers find these to be prime causes as well as Fried & Baked foods “may contain rancid fats and oils that lead to body odor” (health911.com) I have read many articles and documents that claims our diet are reasons to our bodily smells; For instance, there is a difference in scents between people who eat large amounts of meat & vegetarians. {I know this for a fact. I was once solely a vegetarian who had a boyfriend who ate meat. Trust me, his sweat had a stench to it whereas mine did not. Even now that I eat chicken & turkey, I can smell the difference from when I didn’t eat meat before} Or lets say, a person who loves eggs, fish or beans (legumes) but their body has a hard time breaking down the choline (A natural amine, often classed in the vitamin B complex. [Dictionary.com]) they might have a “fishy” smell to them. There are so many variables to what causes body odor.

The B.O. Break Down
The consistent and present facts to body odor is Perspiration & Bacteria. We know that perspiration is the body’s natural cooling mechanism and in junction with the bacteria that’s on the skin, an odor arises. Just like there are many kinds of bacteria, there are more than one type of sweat glands.
The two sweat glands are broken down to 1. Eccrine glands and 2. Apocrine glands both are basically comprised of water. *Eccrine glands are located all over the body, they are the type of sweat that cools the body. *Apocrine glands are located in the armpits, around the nipples & the groin region, they are the type of sweat that gives off the pungent aroma. Why? Apocrine glands “contains a substantial amount of oil, which provides food for bacteria”. (howstuffworks.com) This is also the reason for the discolouration in our clothes -i.e the yellow stain in the underarm area on our white marina “wife-beater”, the oil from the apocrine sweat stains. There is also word that this is the infamous pheromone gland that’s supposed to attract one to another, How true is this? I’m still searching for that answer. I always thought of pheromones being a pleasant scent not a rancid stench.

Can You Sweat Too Much?
Sweating happens, when we exercise, we are bond to sweat especially if we are doing a strenuous workout – i.e. Boot Camp or that Cycling class at LA Fitness! Depending where you are, the hot weather will make you sweat as if you are in a sauna. If you are nervous, anxious, or stressed out sweating can happen. “Perspiration that’s triggered by emotion is most likely to occur on your face, armpits, palms and on the soles of your feet. But how much you sweat and even the way your sweat smells can be influenced by your mood, your diet, some drugs & medical conditions, and even your hormone levels.” (mayoclinic.com) Once more, sweating excessively can be an inherited. People who sweat a lot may have Hyperhidrosis and those who have little to no sweat may have Anhidrosis. Either way, both should be of concern and one should seek medical attention to see what’s the root of the situation. Unfortunately we can’t “get rid” of body odor because it’s a natural and purposeful function we all go through, at some point in time in our lives. However! We can control it and learn how to maintain a fresh, pleasant scent!
{Remedies and tips to maintain body odor is the next post!}

Hope this piece enlightened and encouraged you to pay attention to the scent your body is giving off. Spring is near and we all want to attract the right attention with the right aroma.

A Bientot!

Works Cited:
Mayoclinic.com
Howstuffworks.com
Dictionary.com
Wikipedia.com
Health911.com

Works