Preparing for Summer: Bathing Suit Style Guide

As the month of May approaches, we are getting the first few days of the nice weather that compromises Spring and Summer. It is time to break out our shorts, tank tops, and sundresses. Along with this fun and flirty wardrobe comes one of the most dreaded/loved times of the year: bathing suit season.

Although I love to lounge on the beach with a good book soaking up the sun, I hate having to find the right apparel to do it in. Those winter months of lack of sunlight and cold have left me feeling pale, fat, and downright moody. It is time to shed off those winter pounds, sweat pants and hit the gym in order to prepare myself for my three month bikini clad break from school.

I can't recall ever have met anyone who has honestly said they enjoyed shopping for bathing suits. Between the outrageous price tags and skimpy material, bathing suit shopping has become more of a chore than a spree. Cosmopolitan magazine recenlty published a list of tips for women of all shapes and sizes in order to help them find suits appropriate and flattering for their body types.

For women with a curvy butt, a bottom with a low rise cut and a few extra inches of support at the hips slims down a full figured bottom.

For busty women, thick straps and a wide band provide the bra like support that your body needs for water activities. For women with a smaller top, triangle tops with lots of detail or funky design draw the eye and are attention grabbing. Good for highlighting what you do have.

Finally, for women with a fuller middle, the classic empire waist and tankini style adds inches to your torso. Classic black will also help to make you look more slender.

Bathing suit season is one of the worst things to shop for but one of the best parts of summer so enjoy your body and have fun in the sun.

Taking Back the Night in Black T-shirts

The Feminist Collective of Towson University hosted its first ever Take Back the Night Rally Thursday April 16. The rally was used to raise awareness about sexual assault, rape, and domestic abuse. Over 50 men and women participated in the March across the Towson University campus and through the Towson Community.

Participants carried motivational signs and wore black Take Back the Night t-shirts. A candle light vigile along with inspriational chants like "Yes means Yes, No means No. Whatever we wear, Wherever we go!,"created a very powerful image and sent strong messages to anyone who witnessed the parade.

I was fortuanate enough to have had the opportunity to be part of the rally. Although not a member, I was proud to be included in the group who fought for such a cause that supported the end of violence against women.

For more information about the Feminist Collective of Towson or rape and domestic abuse and how to get help, please contact the Towson University Women's Center at (410) 704-2051.

Living History: Fashion through the Decades

Glamour magazine recently published a series of photos portraying popular, young actresses as some of history's most famous women fashion icons and fearless females.

These women, both fictional and real, ranging from Amelia Airheart to Carrie Bradshaw to Michelle Obama, have not only made a lasting and changing impression on society but have also led to a revolution in the fashion industry. These women have not only influenced and empowered the nation with their accomplishments and beliefs, but have also shaped the images of women throughout history with their sense of style.

I think it is important for women of all ages to see these photos. The actresses who have taken up the roles of these historic women are sending a powerful message. Hopefully, young girls will see these and take a special interest in what women have done in the past and can do in the future. Hopefully, older generations will recognize familiar faces and inform others about what they have lived through.

I think there are many more women who can be added to this list of fashionable, fearless historical figures. I hope that these women will serve as role models for generations to come and that the list will continue to grow through the decades.

For the rest of the images, please click on the link above.