Women

Check it Out | Superheroine Breast Cancer Awareness Ads

Luckily none of the woman in my family have been affected by breast cancer, but that still doesn’t mean it’s not a serious issue affecting women worldwide. Every time I visit my obgyn for an annual checkup, I always think about all the woman in the waiting room that could be dealing with breast cancer. A few years ago my mom was concerned that she might have it, but luckily periodic visits to the doctor proved that she was healthy and there were no immediate signs of breast cancer. Hopefully the prognosis remains that way for many years to come.Yet even though she doesn’t have breast cancer, my mom (artist Janie McGee) still supports breast cancer awareness and in the summer she created beautiful artwork to be used by Ohio State University. Check out her amazing efforts here: http://janiemcgee.wordpress.com/2011/08/21/church-lady-preach-art/

Whether it runs in your family or not, every woman should make sure to do self breast examinations. No matter if you’re 20 or in your late 40s and beyond, you should be checking. I used to think it wasn’t a big deal since I’m only 20, but after visiting my obgyn and learning about how serious breast cancer is, I realized that it could happen to anyone. I’ll admit that I’m slacking when it comes doing a BSE (Breast Self Exam) but the awareness surrounding the issue has made me more proactive in checking. It’s not like you have to sit there and feel your breasts every day (unless of course you like doing that,) but it’s important to do a BSE at least once a month. Remember, no woman is immune, especially not superheroes.

We’ve all seen the beautiful artwork and campaigns with the beautiful pink ribbon in significance of breast cancer, but we’ve yet to see something as innovative as the latest breast cancer awareness ads. The latest ads are by the Public Health initiative of Mozambique and they show beautiful super-heroines Hulk, Storm, Wonder Woman, & Catwoman holding their breasts in order to symbolize the importance of breast self exams. Of course self exams may not show the lumps that are only detectable by mammography, but it’s still important to raise awareness. Not only are they raising awareness, but they are appeal to the geeky woman inside all of us (well, at least myself) who daydream about being a superheroine and how awesome it would be to have powers. It’s a very powerful message with such amazing artwork to match.

Check out the photos below.

©Jasmine McGee.ThinkSoul25. http://thinksoul25.com

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Yeah, I Said It | Sh*t Girls Say – Episode 1

I may love videogames & daydreaming about being a Marvel superhero, but at the end of the day I’m a female. I can be all tough and competitive when I’m playing videogames, yet when it boils down to my demeanor, I’m totally a girl. I love bright colors, adorable animals, I love cliche romantic comedies (yeah, I cry on Dirty Dancing,) and I love having the luxury to say random shit that girls have the pleasure of saying.

You’ve got to admit it ladies, we say some epic shit. Whether it’s our girlfriend commentary like “Girl, you totally don’t look fat in those jeans” or “I’m just kind of in a weird mood today,” we are always saying something that is perfect for every moment in life. Hell yeah we talk a lot, but that’s what makes being a female so much fun. I mean I’ll admit that I can’t stand nagging and I’m totally irritated when females nag,(dude, sometimes you’ve just seriously got to shut up and let a man do this thing) but there is nothing wrong with being expressive and talking a lot at the right moments.

I admit that I talk a lot, but when it comes to hanging out with my male friends and playing videogames, we have this unspoken rule about not having foolish conversations when in gaming mode. We don’t discuss dating, politics, or fashion. We discuss pwnage and dishing out major ass kickings. It’s all about knowing the time and the place to talk about frivolous drama. Yeah, I have stuff that happens and pisses me off, but I go talk to females about it and not my guy friends. Girls, we have shit that we say that is just totally for when we hang out with our girls. But even when we aren’t hanging out with our girls and are just traversing through life, we always end up having some epic shit to say.

If you follow the Twitter handle @shitgirlssay, then you’re quite familiar with the female language. It’s become such a successful Twitter account that if you’re a female and you’re not following it, then seriously you’re totally not a cool chick. Haha, okay…that was dramatic. But come on ladies, you know the shit we say is priceless! It’s so epically priceless that they’ve even decided to devote a video to some of the phrases that almost every female has said at some point in their lives.

The viral video Shit Girls Say – Episode 1 is yet another great video of 2011 that is being passed around the Web. The hilarious thing about this video is that it doesn’t even star a female; a female could have played the role, but it’s more comedic with male actor/director Graydon Sheppard. In the video, actor Graydon Sheppard (who wrote and directed the episode) portrays a typical female who goes throughout her day saying different words shit. It’s such a funny video because half of the things he says in the video I’ve found myself saying at times. Often it’s not even this long elaborate sentence, yet instead a simple “Shut Up.” No matter what race you are or cultural background, if you’re a female then you can relate to this video. A lot of the things said in this video I have said, but usually with a lot more sass or the typical Black girl response “Girl…”

Even if you want to be offended by this video, it’s kind of hard not to. It’s just lighthearted fun and even actress Juliette Lewis (she’s always in a bunch of quirky romantic comedies) makes an appearance. I’m sure the men watching this video will be nodding there heads in agreement that a lot of girls do say some priceless phrases. At the end of the day it’s what makes us as women so beautiful and fun to be around. It’s all fun in games, unless you start nagging…then you really just need to shut up and take a moment to yourself. Seriously, nagging is lame & you’re just embarrassing yourself.

If this video isn’t enough, then follow the official Twitter account @shitgirlssay and check out some of the epic shit us females say. Ah, I just love being a woman!

©Jasmine McGee.ThinkSoul25. http://thinksoul25.com

Awesomesauce & the Art of Being Geeky Chic

I’m a lover of all things artsy, but I’m also a lover of all things geeky with a hint of delicate chic. I’m not one of those females that compromises my femininity in order to enjoy videogames and geek culture. I still love sassing it up and looking glamorous, but the lingo that comes out of my mouth is often a shock to most folks. It’s not that I go around talking random “manly” topics, but my conversation is just uber down to earth, geeky, random, and imaginative.

Now I will admit that when I was in middle school and high school I tried to suppress my personality in order to fit in with the rest of the “normal” girls that all the guys wanted, but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t hide my exuberant characteristics. I still always felt like an outcast and a lot of the so called “normal” and “popular” girls always found a way to tease me. You’d think that me being like basically 6ft tall and thick would put some fear in their eyes, but they were just idiots. There were so many girls in middle school and high school I just wanted to smash their skulls in, but I just tried to ignore the robotic drones and focused on discovering the art of being geeky chic, which in my opinion is pure awesomesauce at it’s finest quality.

It’s not like I walk around wearing “weird” clothes, but my personality is just this compilation of confident art and abstract enthusiasm. I don’t live my life like an obsolete apology waiting to be accepted, yet I opt for living a life filled with the elbow room to explore the creative gears churning inside my noggin. Oh yeah, I should also mention that my declaration of being geeky chic and high on awesomesauce, is a declaration that wouldn’t be complete unless I told you that I’m extremely blunt. I’m not a sarcastic prick or a bitchy asshole, but I don’t hold back my thoughts. A lot of guys I dated used to complain that I never really opened up and seemed vulnerable, so I decided “You know what, they have a valid point. So let me start speaking my mind and not hiding my artistic-geek-chic desires.” Instead of showing off a few aspects of my personality in order not to seem “weird” or too avant-garde, I often found myself still being me but not letting the cat out of the bag.

The art of being a female geek and understanding how to cultivate an aura that is totally awesomesauce is one that I’ve finally gotten down to a science. I’m all about letting the cat out of the bag, and I don’t mean that term in the usual negative connotation of unleashing a secret. For me, the term means to just be upfront and honest with the type of woman I am. I’m glad that I’ve figured it out now at such a young age, rather than spending the next 10 to 15 years of my life still trying to find my personality. I know me. I know the pieces that put me together. I know my humor. I know my attitude. I know what works, and I also know what doesn’t work for me. Trying to be this glamorous chick who’s always on point and has this seemingly “flawless” vibe is something that doesn’t work for me.

I’m at the point now where you honestly either get me or you don’t. In the subculture of being a proclaimed geek and artist, there is no concealing of innate character; which is what makes awesomesauce so epic and awesome. A person who has become one with their true identity and isn’t ashamed to share it with the world is someone that bathes in awesomesauce. It’s like you just don’t care if people accept you or not, because at the end of the day you’re still going to have that zone of immeasurable creativity that feeds your soul. Craving the attention of someone’s else affirmation is a tasteless task that I’d rather not embark on.

The art of being who I am is entirely an abstract aura of ingenuity, liberation, geeky chic, and a tantalizing body wash called AwesomeSauce. The basic ingredients are: no explanations, no apologizing, a dosage of fearlessness, vibrant color spectrum, a list of “what if”s in case zombies ever attacked, three favorite superpowers, a worldly musical ear, and a stable addiction to videogames. You can take or add from these ingredients, but at the end of the day it’s still going to be a creative fusion of awesomesauce.

©Jasmine McGee.ThinkSoul25. http://thinksoul25.com

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The Timeless Fashion of the 1940s

Barbara Goalen in Fashion Shot by John French

As I often watch classic films from the 1940s and early 50s, I always wonder what it would be like to wear evening gowns and siren suits everyday. I know there are a lot of women out there who wear dresses, heels, and glamorous clothes on a daily basis, but the fashion of the 40s was all about tailored class versus trendy sex appeal. In many ways the fashion of that decade can be noted as the emergence of office attire, i.e. work suits for women.

The women didn’t just wear suits and tailored dresses just to impress, but it was also a reflection of the rations that had been implemented during WWII. The war didn’t just have a great social impact on humanity, but it also changed the livelihood and fashion of the average woman. While the men were off fighting to serve and protect our country, the women were left at home taking on new job opportunities and exploring a new sense of fashion to fit their work needs. While rations on items such as sugar, beef, coffee, butter, and canned goods were put in place, rations were also placed on fabrics. The amount of material allotted to an outfit was limited, so women began wearing tailored suits, pencil skirts, and tailored dresses during the daytime. However, when the evening came it was their time to shine and adorn themselves with jewelry and beautiful evening gowns that would leave an eligible bachelor speechless.

Fashion trends of the 40s and early 50s, even the early 60s, are still alive today. There may not be rations and a ration point system on the amount of fabric purchased, but designers still present timeless looks that are a staple of class for the everyday woman.The tailoring doesn’t just have to be a plain jane look; some suits are very asymmetrical when it comes to the cut and form. I think the true beauty of a woman is when she is able to pull off a variety of styles, even wild and avant-garde looks, but she also knows how to look flawless and pristine in a tailored suit or dress.

Some women don’t wear tailored clothes on a daily basis, but I’m the type of woman that can’t wait to have a lavish wardrobe filled with tailored pieces. There is something so subtle yet ravishing about a pencil skirt hugging my curves and a tailored jacket that leaves a hint of peek-a-boo cleavage. I don’t have the money yet to afford all the clothes I want (last year of college, waiting to graduate and get job writing,) but watching classic films and viewing the photography of John French has inspired me to keep my eye on the prize; a year from now I’ll be working that full time job in a office and wearing tailored suits and pencil skirts that make me proud to be a tall curvacious woman.

A lot of fashion trends come, then go, then come back for a celebrity trending season, then go out of season again, and then attempt a comeback but quickly get replaced a day later. I totally understand the whole concept of trends and originality, but I also love the timeless look of a good old fashioned tailored look. The women during the 1940s and 50s knew how to transition from an tailored suit into a stunning evening gown that could ensue “Who is that woman” whispers in a crowded room. You know the type of whispers I’m talking about! Usually in the movies the sexy damsel will strut into a room with a “come hither” sultry look that catches the eye of the leading man. Watching play out in a classic film is priceless! Even today that “come hither” moment still takes place.

We’ve all been somewhere and have seen a stunning woman walk with such such confidence and class that we immediately wonder who could that woman be. Women, we usually admire her outfit, or some women tend to just hate (I don’t like hating on other females.) In contrast, a man will see this sexy woman and might be captivated by her looks; he might even take that daring step and be the one to approach her.

The transition from day to night, infused with such passionate stories of love and triumph, are truly what make watching classic films from the 40s an amazing experience. Those films may be in Black and White (which I love!) but the fashion and elegance that those women exude are timeless looks that every woman should consider. A alluring, sexy, and confident woman knows how to wear any style or trend, but she has an irresistible vibe of class that makes the statement come to life.

©Jasmine McGee.ThinkSoul25. http://thinksoul25.com