love&tattoos, never easy to remove

The article, Erasing love Never Easy with Tattoos by Kyle Munson discusses why lovers should never plan a date that ends in the tattoo shop. Not only are these bad boys permanent but have been seen as a love curse by the many love tattoo advocates. Many of these unfortunate heartbroken lovers, find themselves sitting in the office of a plastic surgens waiting to endure the extremely painful process of tattoo removal, which is said to be the most painful process by far. I don't know what it is about lovers and tattoos but it just would never cross my mind because at any point something can go south. And once it's in ink on your body the only way to white it out is through surgery, it's just a stupid idea. A good example of this is Tamara from the Real Housewives of Orange County. Not only did she have her ex-husband initials tattooed on her ring finger but found herself in arguments with her longterm boyfriend. She elected to have the tattoo surgically removed to make her boyfriend happy and just at last get rid of the memories she didn't want to remember. 

I think that these kinds of tattoo not only are a pain in the butt to have removed, but cause many different strains on proceeding relationships. This makes if hard for people to legitimately move on. I mean come on, no one wants to date someone who has a different guy or girls name inked on them. -Kaitlin

In the article, "Erasing Love Never Easy with Tattoos," the author conveys the notion that it is emotionally and physically painful to have the name of an ex-lover permanently inked on one's body. While I agree with this, and never plan to get the name of my significant other tattooed on myself, others believe differently. An interesting point was made in the text, "Tattoos don't break lovers' hearts...Lovers break lovers' hearts" (p 119). This is from the stance of a tattoo artist, yet some people will argue that name tattoos are a "curse." Some people believe that once couples tattoo a name on one another, the relationship is over. As the tattoo artist stated, it is not the tattoo that is going to break up a relationship, it is more dependent upon the people in the relationship. The long-term consequences should be considered before a couple decides to get a permanent symbol of love tattooed on the body. For instance, the idea of getting a tattoo on one's ring finger is similar to wearing a wedding band. If a couple decides to get a tattoo underneath a wedding band, the action seems more thought-out and long-term, much like a marriage. -Mallory

      After reading "Erasing Love Never Easy with Tattoos", my first reaction was that the article had a bias undertone which was that, getting your lovers name tattooed is probably a bad idea. I do not believe the issue is so much getting a tattoo; it is about WHO is getting the tattoo and for what reasons. Because a tattoo is technically permanent, one must be confident in their decision making progress. Knowing that life can change at any moment, more specifically, people can change, creating a permanent reminder of a single person will always have cautionary elements. Tattoos can be a powerful way of expressing ones creativity, likes, passions, but as with many things, if it’s not thought-out or done with authenticity, a tattoo can be an unfortunate mistake reminder. Love is powerful, which is why a tattoo can be the perfect medium to express it. However, confidence must be incorporated with a lovers tattoo; confidence in the person who’s name is now upon your body but also confidence that change may require an alteration to the permanent art that lies upon your skin.

-Rachael

In the article "Erasing Love Never Easy with Tattoos" there are a series of both tattoo artists, and people who do tattoo removals who speak on this touchy subject of people getting their significant other at the time, tattooed onto their bodies. However, this could been seen as a curse in which shortens the relationship, occurrences always happen that change feelings. A question that is brought up is that if it is okay to do this in the case that your loved one has passed away, and you are madly in love with that individual. In this case, I see it as okay to do because that person can never hurt you and if you have a deep connection and love for them, that can never be changed or replaced. It is always hard to move on, when you regret getting a person who is not important in your life anymore, permanently tattooed on you, therefore, you should think twice before doing this.  -Amanda

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the mark.it team

What About the Greek Life?

California sorority

Southern sorority

As one sorority member said, "I think a lot of it (dress and appearance expectations) is regional. Being that my little sister just pledged to be an Alpha Phi at Chapman University, I've heard nothing but nonstop stories about the parties, girls, events etc. I think that sororities especially are one of the cliquest aspects of going to college, that is if you get involved with one. Because these interviews were conducted in 1993, I thought that most of data was false or rigged.
So I thought I would explain some friends of mine and how I agree with the statement above that dress is completely regional. An old roommate of mine who used to attend Southern Mississippi State would always tell me how different people dressed for school in California. I always thought this was a joke till I actually asked her why she thought this. She followed to tell me that in Mississippi, all the girls in college wore Nike running shorts, oversized Ralph Lauren tshirts, running shoes and baseball caps to everything. I thought this was hilarious and at first thought she was joking. She wasn't because she gave me pictures to prove it. And even the boys wore their above the knee khakis, bright colored polos, loafers and baseball caps.
Yet after seeing my sister and hearing stories from friends in sororities in California, I came to the conclusion that they couldn't be more polar opposite. Here is California sorority girls especially make sure that they look in tip-top shape for classes, meetings, parties and more. And the boys just dress to always be, "playing it cool."It's almost like these people lived on different planets. -Kaitlin

Sorority Members: Physically Comfortable

Sorority Members: Mentally Comfortable

Part of the article, "It's All Greek to Me: Sorority Members and Identity Talk," explains that sorority girls do care a great deal about comfort. While in one instance, the comfort refers to physical comfort in dress, other reports discuss psychological comfort. One girl states, "...I can't understand why somebody would get up at seven in the morning every day to make themselves look like that. I guess that is more of a lifestyle choice. I prefer sleeping" (86). This sorority member has been termed "granola" because she would rather be physically comfortable than take extra time to wear clothing, accessories, or make-up that she deems uncomfortable. On the other hand, the text describes situations in which girls would rather feel more mentally comfortable. For example, one girl claims, "I feel, in classes, the nicer I look, the better I feel" (86). I would have to agree with this statement. I always feel great when I look great, because then I am more comfortable with speaking and having attention on myself. When it is the opposite and I think I don't look my best, I often feel uncomfortable or apprehensive; moreover, this is all psychological comfort, and the way it plays a part in dress. There is a movie, The House Bunny, that somewhat describes the difference in physical and mental comfort by portraying a transformation in appearance for a group of sorority girls. They are physically comfortable, but missing any sort of psychological ease until their appearances get made over. This depicts a few differences in comfort.  -Mallory

While sorority members can have individual tastes when it come to expressing themselves within their organization, the article "It's All Greek to Me" shows one commonality is that of proper hygiene. When evaluating hygiene, it wasn’t an issue of having high expectations; simply it was an understanding that there should be basic standards. Such standards were clean hair and nails, fresh breath and non-offensive body odor. The article briefly examines cultural difference in hygiene expectations. One sorority member was quoted "I know people will say that other people from foreign countries smell bad, but this is just part of our culture. More than 95% of the people are opposed to body odor and that has become a symbol of uncleanliness" (pg 85). It's as though the interviewee is stating that American culture expects non-offensive body odor and one should adapt to that fact. Interestingly, when discussing clothing expectations, sorority members explained that it was o.k. to dress down or be more casual as long as the basic hygiene standards were met. -Rachael

In the article, "It's All Greek to Me", they also point out the "legitimacy" of the "ideal" way to dress which is considered "presentable". The question is, "Who's to say what is presentable?". According to different people and social groups, the "ideal" way to dress can be different. For example, one of the interviewees points out that it depends on your personality. It will be different for someone who likes to dress preppy compared to someone who likes to wear all black. Another factor that plays into this, is culture. The ideal here in American, is different compared to Europeans. Therefore, we can come to the conclusion that there is no universal "ideal" we can all compare ourselves to, we need to take into considerations the factors of personality and culture.  -Amanda

xoxo

the mark.it team

No Days Off Are Allowed

With 2/3 of America's population, dieting, losing weight or watching what they eat, it is safe to say that the world we live in is anything but free. Examples like Ms. Baton who are constantly thinking about how much to eat, what to eat or when to eat make us reflect to ourselves and think, "are we this way too?" Weight in America has been a huge concern lately, and more and more people are struggling to stay in that healthy weight range. The article states that many American's are only able to control their weight by doing what Ms. Baton does which is making it a constant decision every minute of the day. While thinking about this and comparing it to my life, I couldn't agree more. Even I do this to stay as slim as possible. In today's society, I feel that nobody is happy in their own body and we are all trying to make ourselves better and slimmer every day. I think chronic dieting could be viewed the wrong way by many, but I think that as much as we would all love to have that abnormally fast metabolism, we have to deal with what we've got. This habit will always be important and if children are talk to always watch what they eat, the obesity rate will most likely drop.
The image above just goes to show how are always constantly worrying about what we eat, when we eat, how much we weigh, etc. We basically live each day with a ball and chain attached to our ancles screaming, "Should you really eat that, it's going to go straight to your hip."-Kaitlin

Now, the problem with these promises from fabulous sounding dieting programs is the misconception it leaves on those who try them. They give us this promising hope that, all we need to do is diet for a certain amount of time,

In today's society, it is almost mandatory to be thin, or at least not overweight or obese. Most Americans' goal is to get as thin as humanly possible, but according to obesity researchers, that is not always attainable for every person. It has been researched and proven that we cannot fully control our own weight. A gene with predetermined weight ranges is inherited, which varies about 10 percent from a certain median that our bodies can keep at a constant (Kolata 36). According to the text, people sometimes either reach their highest or lowest predetermined weight, which causes their body to compensate and make their appetite disappear, or they become hungrier. Unlike the people at the bottom of their weight range, most of America is at the top, deeming them as fat, overweight, or obese (Kolata 36). On another note, research has shown that the behavior of overweight people has not fully explained why some people stay at such a high weight, and they need to be more realistic with their weight goals (Kolata 37). I can agree with the fact that we cannot go beyond or below the predetermined weight for our body. There are many real-life examples that I've seen and heard that lead me to believe this. We all remember the weight-loss journeys of celebrities, like Kelly Osbourne, Lindsay Lohan, and Nicole Richie, who all seemed to be at each opposite end of their weight range at certain points. I also agree that some people should be more realistic in terms of their weight goals, but it might just take time and maybe several trials to lose the pounds or inches. All in all, I believe that weight-loss shouldn't only be about size, but about health as well. -Mallory

For an individual to lose weight, it is imperative to truly plan and evaluate the appropriate means necessary for themselves. Cutting fat, skipping sugar, a quick walk, alone these steps will most likely not be succesful. A person must plan out and become informed on what is truly needed. For example, just because a food claims to be low in fat, does not mean it is low in calories. Evaluating caloric intake plays a necessary role in planning a successful diet program. Also, not only exercising, but exercising enough is key. As stated in the textbook The Meaning of Dress, 150 minutes of exercise per week is the minimum recommendation for losing weight. This is a fact many people never educate themselves on. Luck should not be the deciding factor in a healthy lifestyle. Planning an individualized regiment is the way to go. 

Although meant to be humorous, the above image contains truth to it. Certain individuals want quick fixes or they participate in unhealthy behavior to lose weight. Eating a balanced diet and having an effective excersie plan are the true necessary factors for staying fit and feeling good. 

xoxo

the mark.it team

Fashion's Night Out '12

Not only was attending a particular event during Fashion's Night Out a fun experience, but the way particular companies prepared for the festivities by means of social media or e-vites was exciting. Here are two invitations that were sent out via Facebook and email to inform fashionistas of what they could participate in during FNO. For a one-night only event such as FNO to be successful, making the public aware is key. If Westfield Topanga, the location I visited for the night, had utilized resources such as previously mentioned, it would have helped draw in a larger group of people and make for a more successful event. -Rachael

There was a huge buzz throughout the web for the La Brea Block Party. The flier sent out mentioned about 9 major stores participating, DJ's, many Food Trucks and free giveaways. It was anticipated to be the hit of town, the biggest party on the street! However, for some reason, it turned out to be the complete opposite, a disappointment to many. The stores closed early, only about 3 participated, only 2 food trucks, and not many people went at all. It turned out to be a low-key, silent event. All that was said from those who attended, was "Maybe next year". -Amanda

The FNO experience wouldn't be complete without snacks, drinks, good music and fun. This aspect of  Fashion's Night Out is extremely important because not only does it entice consumers buts it creates a buzz. Two stores in South Coast Plaza that made their guests feel totally comfortable were Madewell and Tory Burch. Madewell had energetic music, a goofy bartender and a braid bar which is totally smart because it made customers stay in the store longer! All of Madewell's treats stayed true to the young, preppy colorful brand that they are. Also the always classy Tory Burch had monogrammed cookies and bubbly champagne which screamed their brand to the "T." -Kaitlin

Fashion's Night Out has become one of my favorite fashion events, by far! Although I didn't get to attend one of the more popularly-known events this year, I did attend the local, chic mall in my area, Westfield Topanga. I had hoped to see many more promotions, sales, and shopping incentives, but the highlight of this location was the Audi Giveaway. Being that this mall has grown to become very luxurious with stores such as Michael Kors, Henri Bendel, Jimmy Choo, and Salvatore Ferragamo, it was only fitting that the grand prize be a brand new Audi A4. Congrats to the winner! -Mallory

xoxo

the mark.it team