Things About Bra Every Women Should Know

Here are some important facts about bra which you would have wanted to know but were afraid to ask.

The majority of the support is provided by the band, which should fit firmly against the body of the women at the loosest set of hooks.

The shoulder straps should not be designed to take majority of weight and if they are digging into the shoulders, the female requires a better-fitting band.

Another important thing is that they shouldn't slip off your shoulders.

The underwire should be capable of encapsulating the breast (and underarm flesh) and tack firmly against the breastbone.

The bra cup should get filled and if there is space left at the top, then you are in need of a smaller size.

The nipples are going to be level with the middle of your upper arm if the bra fits you properly.

10 Tips to buy a Bra:

Go to the right place: Select a store which has a wide range of bras and trained bra fitters on hand. Measure yourself first as a guideline so you know where to start looking once you get there.

Make a list: Go to the store ready with a list of what bras you need and plan to buy. This may vary from person to person but two nude bras, two black bras, one strapless, one sports bra and one bra without underwire for comfort is a good begening point.

Know your body type: Be aware of your body type so you know what kind of bras to look for. For instance, if you are more of a top-heavy "apple" shape, you will likely be looking for fuller coverage bras, not demi-cups. If you are not sure what type you are, a full guide by body type can be found on Internet.

Check for transparency: Wear or bring a thin T-shirt to the store so you can see how different bras look like under the sheerest of circumstances. You do not want any surprises the first time you wear it!

Be open-minded about your size: If you are surprised (or embarassed), remember that the bra size is just a number (and a letter). The proper fit of the bra is the most important thing.

Be flexible: If you are in a bind and there is a bra which you really love but they don't have your size, it's generally fine to go up a band size and down a cup size – or vice versa.

Have a sharp eye: Don't be afraid to wear the bra on and face yourself in the mirror with a critical eye. If you notice any gaps, spillage, digging in or other signs of poor fit, it is not the right bra. Turn around and observe at the back as well. The back band can be very telling too when it comes to proper fit. There should not be any gaping, riding up or bulges.

Top Tip
A new bra should fit perfectly when using the first hooks, as the bra is worn and stretches over time, you can then adjust accordingly.

Don’t forget
If you are exercising you MUST wear a sports bra that fits you and is suitable for your chosen activity.

Proper care of your bra:

• Handwash underwired bras in lukewarm water
• Wash light and dark colours separately
• Never tumble dry underwired or delicate bras
• Fold bras neatly away to prevent damage to the underwire
• Avoid folding moulded cups over each other, instead lay flat

Tips to make friends and influence people at New York Fashion Week

Atmosphere gets crazy during New York’s biggest week in fashion. The heels. The hair. The heat. The heartache. And that is only for standing in line for the after party.

An example: Tommy Saleh’s NYNY party at Le Baron was occupied to instant capacity Monday when the W magazine and Donna Karan shindigs downtown ended and everyone streamed over en masse. We counted 4 doormen – not the typical friendly 2 – manning the crowd, constantly asking everyone to move back, move aside, move out. To no benefit.

Few lucky ones who did get in (think models, New York City DJs and the kids from Public School) had a great time, as expected with any Saleh fete. But there are ways to mitigate the horror. And win friends in the process. Here are some some those.

Carry cigarettes and a lighter. Fashion people smoke. I do not see this changing. Even if you do not smoke, you will be asked for a ciggy or a lighter (or both) if you are hanging around outside any of these events. Be a good one and carry a few extras. It helps made easy conversation.

Or – and this is tried and true – step outside with your group of smoking friends when they go for a smoke. You will meet the most interesting people.

Share your car. Are you a member of Uber? Great. Be a pal and call for a car the second you feel the energy shift and can tell people will want to leave in T-minus five, four, three, two….

Put names on lists. Got the hookup at Tribeca Grand, PURPLE, Vanity Fair, The Standard, Electric Room, Acme or The Jane? Make the call (and by call we mean text) to your guy on the inside and put some names down. It is more fun to roll with a crew than with a plus-one anyway.

Carry a charger. The anxiety journalists, models, bloggers, promoters, DJs and business people feel when their battery goes dangerously low is palpable. Some carry portable chargers that prove invaluable when your phone dies halfway through the evening. Or, you could just try to enjoy the evening as a fully present individual blissfully untethered to a device. But that is an advanced move best enjoyed deliberately, not by dead-cell-phone default.

Keep you hands down. Take 2-3 photos during the runway show and then put the phone down. Otherwise your raised hand will be immortalized in the shots of everyone behind you, and they will hate you for it.

Don’t pinch seats. By which we mean do not sit in an assigned seat which doesn’t belong to you. Far better to stand in the back and then be called to a place of honor than to assume a seat up front and face public removal when its rightful owner arrives.

Go with the flow. Plans change. Traffic stops. People get tired, hot, hungry, sick or love-bit. It is completely okay. There will always be another season, another show. Think ahead...think of the future.

Why Thigh Gap is So Important to Women?

They may make skinny jeans look attractive, but how far can you go to widen the gap between your thighs?

It's the body trend which's launched numeroud blogs, Twitter IDs and memes in the west. While back in India, the thigh gap may not have acquired cult status yet, cosmetic surgeons and gym trainers say young Indian women are interested to widen the distance between their inner thighs.

Do you have one?
Stand straight opposite a mirror with your back upright, your left and right knees touching each other. If you notice space between your inner thighs, you have got yourself a thigh gap. Very few women manage to attain this naturally, driving some to unnatural diets which may result in eating disorders. Majority of Indian women won't see one because of their genes.

Fitness experts we spoke to, said Indian women are generally blessed with child-bearing hips. "Compared to western counterparts, Indian women have wider pelvic bones, making their thighs thicker. They are unlikely to have the gap naturally," says cosmetic expert Dr Abraham Zachariah, head of the cosmetology department at Marol's Seven Hills Hospital.

Fitness guru Leena Mogre agrees. "Most of the Indians have an endomorphic body type; usually short and stocky, prone to weight gain, especially around the hip and thigh area," she says.

Genesis of idea 
It is this trend which can be directly linked to the way the world of fashion and entertainment lays down rules of a perfect body. Style bibles tell them they must be fashionistas. Nothing less than a Asos dress (or at least a rip-off) will do. And to fit into the current styles, they must have the body for it. Counselors say it's up to parents to help their children maintain a good body image. The belief they must instill into their girls is to eat nutrition rich diet and be fit, rather than trying to achieve zero figure.

Fill into the gap
Mansi Astha, a physiotherapist and consultant at Santacruz's K11 Fitness Academy, says the gym regularly gets women of age group 25-50, who are concerned about fat reduction in specific areas. After the abs, the thighs are their nightmare. "They want to look attractive in skinny jeans, short skirts and shorts — outfits which focus attention on the legs. So, losing fat from their thighs becomes a priority," she says, adding that spot reduction is far from easy, if possible at all. "Each individual is prone to fat accumulation in a different parts of the body. This also happens to be the most difficult area to burn fat, so we don't encourage members to work out specific areas."

With a fight against genes, for the Indian woman, being slim would not guarantee a thigh gap. "You would have to be very determined in your workout regime to acquire it," adds Astha.

Extreme measure 
What would work then, counter- productively of course, would be extreme diets. Some women choose to go the surgical route.

Cosmetic surgeons across Mumbai admit to receiving a regular stream of customer asking for fat removal from their thighs.

Dr Zachariah, who gets 6 patients a month for fat removal from the thighs, says the demand has functional reasons too. In not-so-slim-bodies, the inner thighs rub against each other, making walking difficult. If the thighs are regularly pressed against each other, not only does the skin in the area turn dark and irritable, in our humid weather, it could result in yeast infections.

Dr Mohan Thomas, cosmetic surgeon at Breach Candy Hospital & Cosmetic Surgery Institute says that in the west, the obsession with thin thighs is as old as the beach culture. "When I was a medical student in the US, we would call it letting the light through — the idea being that when there's a silhouette with the legs joined together, light should be able to pass through the legs."

Dr Thomas receives 4 patients a week, concerned about thick thighs. He says they may not use the term 'thigh gap', but are obsessed with the area nevertheless.

Delhi-based blogger Swati Ailawadi, put up a recent post against the thigh gap, asking people if any of them were trying to achieve one. "While I didn't receive any replies on it, I had heard from a friend that a lot of female students were trying to achieve it just before they are to begin college," she says over the phone.

But who really requires one?
Fashion designer Prasad Bidappa, who has mentored generations of models, including Deepika Padukone, says only supermodels who walk the ramp need bother. "When you are on ramp, you have to be a particular body type. And most of these women have that shape naturally, which is improved by years of exercise and a strict diet," he says, adding, "We get girls as young as 14 aspiring to be models. Some of them are not tall, or are voluptuous. They may never become ramp models but they are good for print modelling and for acting in TV and films. But we never advise them to go for surgery. If you can't get it from physical workout, don't aspire for it."

And to those willing to go to dietary extremes, Dr Thomas shares some bad news, "Starving won't help losing fat from regions like the butt and thigh."

Dr Purwa Duggal, a nutritionist with Fortis Hospital, explains stubborn fat in areas such as thighs, hips, butt etc. are influenced by oestrogen. Prolonged starvation does not necessarily mean burning fat. initially it may cause muscle wasting or utilisation of glycogen stores.

Catecholamines, which are fight or flight hormones developed in the body in response to stress, are required to burn fat. "Blood flow to stubborn fat areas is generally very poor, as a result, the catecholamines are unable to reach the area to mobilise the fat. Even if the fat is mobilised, while it continues to be in the blood stream, it may get re-deposited in the original areas," she adds. However, both she and macrobiotic nutritionist Shonali Sabherwal agree that a controlled diet — excluding unhealthy fats, processed food and sugars — complimented with focussed exercise, under supervision, may help one in developing the desired muscle tone over time.

Anushka's pins
We experienced the trend in scenes where she wore itsy bitsy shorts in her last Shah Rukh Khan-starrer. Actor Anushka Sharma has a thigh gap, which we are sure young girls admire especially when they dream of slipping into hot pants and skinny jeans.

The legs which sparked the trend
21 year old British model Cara Delevingne's legs are the torchbearers of the thigh gap obsession which is haunting social networking sites. There is even a Twitter ID dedicated to them. Bloggers showcase pictures of themselves following their weight-loss journey to attain the desired gap. This has made parental experts and counsellors see red, resulting in anti-thigh gap movements including Tumblr sites Touching Thighs and No Thigh Gap.

Fashion Tips for This Festive Season

Dramatic statements in colours are popular but bright and soft pastel shades will add the perfect balance to your festive appearence.

Colours that are expected to stand out this season are champagne pink, fuchsia, faded red, mint green, black and baby blue and can be teamed with light breathable fabrics such as chiffon, georgette and crochet lace.

Beautiful embroideries and embellishments can be splayed across adding a playful yet feminine look.

Go for flowing anarkalis with a subtle highlight of badla work or chikan anarkalis and shadow saris that can be worn for the perfect day look.

Transparent sheer and opaque silk ornate with vintage floral patterns appliqued or embroidered make superb evening outfits.

10 Trends you'll See Next Winter

Next winter? Are you mad???, it's not even officially spring yet.

Valid point, but dozens of the finest local fashion labels literally strutted their stuff at New Zealand Fashion Week few days ago, and in this digital, seasonless world you could soon see one of the key trends finding way into a chain store near you!!!

Here are the key trends for winter 2014...

BOMBERS
Short sleeved bombers layered over knits; bombers in luxe fabrics; a wild stud-emblazoned one at Cooper by Trelise Cooper - high fashion undeniably still loves this sportswear crossover.

EVOCATIVE PRINTS
Beautiful, appealing florals from Salasai and Sheryl May; swans from Andrea Moore, herons from Cooper. Feminine, pastel and somewhat haunting prints were everywhere.

COATS
We got an indication of this trend right from Fashion Week's first show by Twenty-seven names, and coats from almost every other brand followed. Never have we seen such a wide range of styles, most of them grandeur. We hope these relatively expensive garments are indicative of an economic upturn.

FUR
For pioneering types, Lela Jacob's reversed, recycled furs were a moment of breathtaking beauty. For an easier to wear option Hailwood's furry zip front jacket, or Andrea Moore's possum fur 'harness', combined with an artfully coordinating knit dress will give one a classy style.

PINK
Not a colour one would necessarily expect to see for winter, but intense bright pink showed in various collections, primarily in statement dresses and coats as well as teamed with other rich shades.

PLAID
Fave of the week was Stolen Girlfriends Club's reworked vintage tartan, but if you like your fashion more glam then you will love COOP's plasticised, glittery plaid. This trend was also spotted at Salasai and Cooper.

PUNK INFLUENCES
Fashion Week attendees sensed the hand of punk queen Vivienne Westwood during the Cooper section of Trelise Cooper's show, and then instantaneously afterward at Stolen Girlfriends Club. Take the afore mentioned plaid, and add a generous serving of body piercings (fake is ok), studs, fabulous removable thigh-high chaps, pirate sleeves and ripped jeans and you are ready :)

HATS
From 'a hat offering which would make Sid or Stevie proud' at Stolen Girlfriends Club, to hand crafted felt bonnets at NYNE, from bowlers at Twenty-seven names to wide-brimmed numbers at Company of Strangers, hats made a booming statement throughout Fashion Week. If you are not already a 'titfer' wearer, better start figuring out what hat suits you - come next cold season, your wardrobe won't be complete without one.

INTERESTING HEMLINES
Floaty fabrics lent themselves to hemline assymmetry at Company of Strangers and NYNE. Note the hosiery and footwear becomes very important - Company of Strangers took the occasion to showcase a new footwear collab with Bay of Plenty brand Chaos & Harmony.

RED
Nyne win the prize for the best red of the week - they layered it up richly in varied textures of the same shade.  Zambesi's mostly dark show finished with a complete red section, and red (riding hood) coats from Andrea Moore and Twenty-seven names were definite stand-outs.

Dark is Beautiful: Campaign to halt India's unfair obsession with Fair Skin

Nandita Das: 'Indians are very racist. There is so much
pressure that perpetuates this idea that fair is the ideal.'

"You look green!" said a friend. "Are you ill?" asked another. Last year, a reputed Indian daily published a photograph of me on the web version of newspaper that had been lightened so drastically by the art director' magic wand that I called the editor to complain and he apologised and replaced it with the original. The art director had thought he was doing me a favour by making me look fair.

Indians are known to be lovers of fair skin and this obsession is well documented. In 1978 consumer goods company Unilever launched Fair & Lovely cream, which has subsequently spawned a wide range of whitening face cleansers, shower gels and even vaginal washes which claim to lighten the surrounding skin. In 2010, country's whitening-cream market was worth $432m, according to a report by market researchers firm ACNielsen, and was growing annually at the rate of 18 per cent. According to a report, last year, Indians reportedly consumed 233 tonnes of skin-whitening products, thereby spending more money on them than on Coca-Cola.

Cricket stars and Bollywood actors regularly endorse these products. But now the film star Nandita Das has taken a stance against the unfair bias and given her support to the Dark is Beautiful campaign which challenges the faith that beauty and success are determined by the colour of skin. "I want people to feel easy and comfortable in their own skin and recognise that there is much more to life than skin colour," she says, adding that an Indian magazine had written "about my support for the campaign and then lightened the photo of me that went alongside it".

While the actress agrees that there is a long history behind the obsession with fair skin, owing to caste and culture, she thinks the present causes should be targeted first. "Indians are very racist. It is deeply ingrained. But there is so much pressure by peer groups, magazines, billboards and TV advertisements which perpetuate this belief that fair is the ideal," she says.

Das tells about directors and makeup artists in the film industry who try to lighten her when she plays the role of an educated, upper-class woman. "They always say to me: 'Don't worry, we will make you fair, we're really good at it,' as a reassurance. It's perpetuating a stereotype which only fair-skinned women can be educated and successful."

In 2005, the cosmetic products company Emami launched Fair & Handsome for men, with an ad starring the Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan tossing a tube of whitening cream to a hopeful young fan, which the Dark is Beautiful campaign is seeking to have withdrawn. "Shah Rukh Khan is saying that to be successful you have to be fair," says Das. "Don't these people have any kind of conscience? You can't be naive; you know what kind of impact you have and yet you send out the message which says: 'Forget about working hard, it's about skin colour.'"

Dark is beautiful is an awareness campaign that seeks to draw attention to the unfair effects of skin colour bias and also celebrates the beauty and diversity of all skin tones.

Launched in 2009 by Women of Worth, the campaign challenges the faith that the value and beauty of people (in India and worldwide), is determined by the colour of their skin. This faith, shaped by societal attitudes and reinforced by media messages, is damaging the self-worth of countless people, young and old.

Some of our surveys have revealed that women with darker complexions:

• Are generally seen as the second or last option in industries that seem to set beauty norms, such as fashion, film, hospitality and services,etc.
• Have been discriminated against in the workplace, and feel they have to work harder to be accepted by their peers
• Have been insulted and mistreated by their own relatives
• Have been rejected by potential marriage partners

Ear Piercing

Ear piercing is one of the oldest known types of body modification, with artistic and written references from cultures across the world dating back to early history. One of the earliest signs of earrings worn by men are from the walls of Persepolis in ancient Persia, the carved images of the soldiers from different parts of the Persian Empire that are displayed on some of the surviving walls of the palace showing the soldiers wearing an earring.

Ear Piercing Fashion

Another equally early proof of earring wearing took place in the Bible record of Exodus written by Moses in the wilderness; the second book of the Bible. In Exodus 32:1-4 Moses is still up in the mountain, so the complaining Israelites demand that Aaron make a god for them. So he tells them to bring their sons and daughters earrings to him so that he may comply with their demand. (Written in 1532 B.C.E.) [William Crockerham] 15:18 29, July 2009.

Pierced ears were popular in the US through the early 1920s, and then fell into disfavour among women due to the increasing popularity of clip-on earrings. Nonetheless, a small male following continued to exist, especially among sailors, for whom a pierced earlobe often meant that the wearer had sailed across the world or had crossed the equator. In addition, if a non-service member sailor was involved in and survived a sinking ship, they were usually seen wearing an earring in the left ear. There was also a long-held belief according to which puncturing the earlobe was beneficial to increasing the acuity of eyesight or of hearing. Also, it was a common belief amongst sailors that if their ship wrecked and their bodes washed up on a shoreline, the person to find them would take the earring as payment for a Christian burial. It is because of this belief that many sailors invested quite a bit amount of money on gold earrings, as they were very superstitious.

Ear piercing became commonly available in the offices of physicians. Some of the earliest commercial, non-medical locations for getting an ear piercing appeared in the 1970s at Manhattan jewellery stores, although the overall commercial market was still in the infancy stage. By the 1980s, ear piercing became common among many women, thus fuelling a broader market for the procedure. Department stores across the country would hold ear piercing events, sponsored by manufacturers of earrings. At such events, a nurse or other trained person would perform the procedure, either pushing a sharpened and sterilized starter earring through the earlobe by hand, or using an ear-piercing instrument.

In the late 1960s, ear piercing started gaining popularity among men through the hippie and gay communities. In the late 1970s, amateur piercings, sometimes with safety pins and/or multiple piercings became popular in the punk rock community. By the 1980s, the trend for male popular music performers to have pierced ears helped creating a fashion trend for men. This was later adopted by many professional sportspersons. British men started piercing both ears in the 1980s; George Michael of Wham! was a prominent example. The heavily jeweled Mr. T was an early example of an American celebrity sporting earrings in both ears, although this trend did not become popular with mainstream American men until the 1990s.

In several Western cultures, piercing the left vs. the right ear alone has sometimes been considered to be associated with a particular sexual orientation. In the late 60's it was said that "left is 'right' and right is 'wrong'"; the left ear being safe for piercing by straight men and a pierced right ear meaning one was gay.

Multiple piercings in one or both ears was first seen in mainstream America in the 1970s. In starting days, the trend was for women to wear a second set of earrings in the earlobes, or for men to double-pierce a single earlobe. Asymmetric styles with more and more piercings gained popularity, eventually leading to the cartilage piercing trend.

A type of specialized cartilage piercings has since become popular. These include the tragus piercing, antitragus piercing, rook piercing, industrial piercing, helix piercing, orbital piercing, daith piercing, and conch piercing. In addition, earlobe stretching, while common in primitive cultures for thousands of years, began appearing in the Western society in the 1990s, and is now a fairly common sight. However, these types of ear piercing are still infrequent compared to standard ear piercing.

Today, earrings have become one of the most popular jewelry good among people of all age groups all across the world. A variety of earrings are available in the market that can be used to create a gorgeous look. A great choice of fashionable earrings can be used to suit any outfit, whether you’re looking to make a statement or like a more understated look. People can enjoy classic style beautiful silver hoop earrings, stand out with buffalo horn ear drops or choose natural style with an amazing choice of wooden ear drops.

Types of Ear Piercing

The different types of ear piercing techniques that are in practice in recent times are -

• Ear - Anti-Tragus
• Ear - Auricle
• Ear - Conch
• Ear - Daith
• Ear - Industrial
• Ear - Orbital
• Ear - Lobe
• Ear - Pinna
• Ear - Forward Pinna
• Ear - Rook
• Ear - Scaffold
• Ear - Snug
• Ear - Tragus

Fashion conscious men making bold statements with their socks

Plain black hose has given way to pinks, purples and oranges, and patterns like argyle, stripes and camouflage.

Incredible feet- Krzysztof Kluska (l) and Peter Lindman show their true colors in Bryant Park.

Gotham guys have a new spring in their legs.

They are putting their best foot forward by stopping use of safe black socks to the curb in favor of bright colors and dashing prints.

“Socks are a way that I can stand out at work,” says Roland Gonzales, 33, who works in finance.

Rob Kardashian, with sisters Kim (l.) and  Kourtney, reveals his Arthur George line of high-fashion men's socks at Neiman Marcus.

The Brooklynite was spotted in Bryant Park flaunting a pair of pink and purple striped Paul Smiths which he wore at his wedding. “Everyone wears the same sort of conservative dress,” he says. “This is a way to personalize my work wardrobe.”

Rob Kardashian rolled out his Arthur George range of attention catching socks at Neiman Marcus last fall, and sales tripled in just the last 6 months.

“We started putting things on the bottom of our socks, like ‘kiss me’ and ‘YOLO’ along with our camo prints. Everyone is wearing colorful socks. They’re definitely going to keep blowing up.” says Kim Kardashian

Rob Kardashian with a pair of his attention-getting men's socks

Even the most conservative dressers are following the line. When all 5 living American Presidents gathered in Dallas to dedicate the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum last month, George H.W. Bush caught all attention with his pink power socks.

Those paled in comparison with the star-spangled ankles he flashed with the Houston Texans cheerleaders the week before.

On TV’s “Mad Men,” senior partner Bert Cooper walks the office shoe-less to show off those pastel argyle print stockings which have become his signature.

Former President George H.W. Bush wore pink to the dedication of his son's presidential library.

Trends prove that men from all walks of life are stepping up their sock game. David DeParolesa, 30, started upgrading his underwear drawer a year ago. “I was getting bored with my outfits,” says the Hells Kitchen Web developer, wearing red Gap argyle socks.

“I wanted to have a nice accent,” he says. “I was missing color, and this was an easy way to add something new.”

Men’s wear boutiques are beginning to put more stock in socks. “A man’s socks can easily make a statement,” says Gabrielle Greco, the senior buyer of accessories at Jack Threads, a members-only men’s wear website.

'Socks are like lingerie for men,' according to Josh Bearman, sporting brown and white checks.

Their socks collection rose 6 times the rest of the company’s growth rate in 2012 to meet the increased demand from dapper dressers.

“Socks have evolved into an accessory versus a basic staple,” Greco says, “and men want to show them off because they are very well-designed.”

Pop colors of red, blue, purple and orange have been especially in high demand, as well as bold stripes and Aztec prints. “Our customer is the 18-to-34-year-old man who color-coordinates his dresses,” Greco says, “and now their socks are matching as much as their ties, pocket squares and the patterns on their blazers.”

The suit's not pinstriped, but the socks are.

Chic socks are available as cheap as 3 pairs for $10 at Gap or Century 21, or run $55 a pair at high-end retailers like Paul Smith, or even $185 at Barneys.

Ricky Choi, 26, started the affordable Nice Laundry sock service after his friend and co-founder spent hundreds of dollars replacing his ho-hum footwear. The D.C. startup which Mashable.com dubbed “the Warby Parker of men’s socks” is taking orders on Kickstarter.com for packs of 6 for $39 with free shipping.

“We make it very easy for you to refresh your entire sock drawer,” says Choi, who admits to owning more than 150 pairs of socks.

Pink and purple is no problem for Roland Gonzales.

“Some people say socks are the new necktie, but I believe they are a little more subtle than that,” he says, encouraging timid dressers to dip their toe into the new fashion.

“You get a flash here and there when someone crosses his legs, so it is a non-pretentious, not-shocking way to tell people you care about your appearance,” Choi adds.

That teasing glimpse of a blue, gray and orange camouflage print under a pair of classic black trousers gives a leg up to a man’s workday sex appeal.

“Socks are like lingerie for men. Only you know it is there under your pants but then when you walk, you give a little peek of what you have got on underneath.” Josh Bearman, 40, a writer visiting from Los Angeles

Bearman was complimented on his checkered pair twice while riding the subway recently. “I hesitated a second before buying these, honestly, because I was afraid they were too loud.

“But once I put them on, it was like, no, these are great,” he says.

Gonzales, a self-described sock fanatic whose favorite pair feature red margarita glasses, thinks the bold new socks trend is here to stay.

“I’m definitely noticing a lot of other guys coming on board with the bright socks now, especially with the summer coming. As the weather gets warmer, you’re going to see a lot of guys coming out with some pretty exciting socks.” says Gonzales.

Men & Earrings

Well, as many people think, wearing earrings is not just confined to females. If sparkling studs adorned in a variety of hues can turn a plain Jane into a glamour queen then simple yet stylish hoops or studs can, quietly transform, enhance a man's physique.

In ancient times, men's earrings were considered a form of art. This is quite evident in the 19th century engraved images of men with earrings, especially of Persian descent, exhibited on palace walls. In other parts of the world as well including India and Egypt religious leaders, kings and pharaohs respectively were seen wearing men's earrings. Earrings for men were also popular in Assyria and Babylonia for they reflect the wearer’s status in the society.

At one time, metal earrings for men were considered to protect the person from evil spirits. Such ancient customs show as to why gold and silver hoops are among the most popular men's earring style. Ear-lobes were perhaps man's first shot at body piercing. In 1991, the oldest mummified body on earth was found in a Glacier in Austria. According to the tests the body was more than 5000 years old; it had pierced ears with holes, which were enlarged to 7 to 11 mm diameter.

In the western world, the fascination of earrings for women can perhaps be dated to the 1920's in Western Europe. As for as men are considered, ear piercing began to get popular towards the middle of 20th century. In earlier days, ear piercing was done with the help of a safety pin for making holes in the ear. However, in recent times better piercing techniques such as ear guns are being used to set in earrings in one's ears. Moreover, during the flamboyant 1980's, men's earrings gained even more popularity with the famous musicians, entertainers, performers and athletes often flaunting them. Usually, two kinds of men's earrings are available- studs and hoops.

As ear piercing for men started gaining popularity, most of fashion enthusiast men were seen sporting a single stud in only one ear. During those days, it was considered a taboo for males to sport studs or hoops in both their ears, or in just right ear. However, in present days, you can find a number of men with more holes in their ears than even some women! Some people think that men's earrings denote homosexuality. In fact many heterosexual males simply like to sport earrings as a fashion statement. In fact, ear piercing is a more or less universal practice for both women and men; it's only in the west where some considered it effeminate.

In the past, men adorned themselves in elaborate earrings even in the western countries. For instance, during the Elizabethan period many well-known men including Sir Walter Raliegh, Francis Drake and Shakespeare wore gold earrings. It is argued, while the Roman Republic turned more effeminate with luxury and wealth, earrings became more popular among males than the females!

Today, it’s not just well-groomed urbanites that are seen sporting jewellery, indeed, in the streets, men's earrings are believed to symbolise toughness. Some think men's earrings play up sexuality while retaining masculinity, often making a man look cool and a lot snazzier. Be it diamond, platinum, gold or silver, or even semi-precious stones, men's earrings have become an essential part of men's jewellery.

Fashion Expert Nina Garcia Answers 30 Questions

Why 'Project Runway' judge feels at home in Philippines
MANILA, Philippines -- "Project Runway" judge Nina Garcia feels completely at home in the Philippines, saying the tropical country reminds her of her starting days in Colombia.

The 48-year-old fashion journalist, who is presently the creative director of fashion magazine "Marie Claire", on Friday attended the Jag Origins show at the Philippine Fashion Week as a special guest.

"Thank you to the Philippines for giving me such a phenomenally warm welcome, and for making me feel so at home, so welcome, so embraced." - Nina Garcia in an interview

Born and brought-up in Colombia, Garcia cited the similarities of her native country with the Philippines, "starting with both being Catholic nations, and the family I think is part of priority for both cultures."

"Also, the weather is very similar, the fruits, the warmth and attitude of the people, the climate, it's very much similar to Colombia," she said.

In an interview with Abunda, Garcia also retraced her struggling days in the fashion industry. The author of 4 fashion-themed books also shared her philosophy about style, and speak about what it takes to make it big in this "cut-throat" industry.

Here are 30 questions that Nina Garcia answered for our readers:

Let's start light. If style had a name, what is it?
Personal.

You are having dinner with Pope Francis. What are you wearing?
Black.

If fashion had a color, what is it?
I would say red.

If you meet the devil, what do you think he would be wearing?
He's not wearing anything.

If you go to heaven, which designer would you bring along with you?
Alexander McQueen. Because in my opinion what he did is so beautifully feminine. It was heavenly. When he went feminine, when he went soft, it was just ethereal.

Who is the sexiest man in the world?
My two children.

Lights on or lights off?
Lights on.

It's your last night on earth. Where are you and what are you wearing?
Haute couture, for sure. In Paris!

Dress you would never, ever wear?
Tight, shiny and short. Not happening.

Name one woman who can wear anything and look great.
Kate Moss.

New York or Colombia?
Both.

Black or white?
Black.

Are diamonds really a woman's best friend?
No doubt about that.

Describe Nina Garcia's personal style in one word.
Streamlined.

How do you approach being a judge on 'Project Runway'?
It's difficult, because you do not want to hurt anybody's feelings, but at the same time you want to help them, and you want to be truthful and you want to be frank. But my biggest nightmare in being too frank is that I would ever disappoint anybody, or break anybody's spirit.

[I think about] how I can say it in a way which is not mean or offensive... While I do not want to break anybody's spirit, I do not want to waste anybody's time.

When I am sitting there with those designers, I am judging them with their peers, I am judging them with what I see in the market, with what I see as an editor.

In a country not as wealthy as the United States, how can you make fashion relevant?
I believe that fashion has no economic or geographic boundaries. Fashion is an expression of the culture, but it is also creativity. And now more than ever, with the power of social media, when you have something which is unique and is fabulous, it can become viral, it can become fashion statement.

What is the difference between fashion and style?
Fashion is an expression of a time, of a place, of history. It is putting things into context. Style is really very personal, it is kind of timeless. Style is really about how you put yourself together, it is something very personal. Fashion is just an interpretation of the culture around us.

If style is indeed personal, why are even talking about style?
Because it communicates. It does communicate, the way you put yourself together. It's almost like a language without words. It is the first thing you see, so it can communicate something. Style is a journal.

If you look back in history of the women who are most memorable and most stylish, they were never the fashion followers, they were the ones who were unique in their style, breakers of the rules. They were authentic, genuine, original. They were not following the trends.

How has show business affected style and vice-versa?
Back in the '30s and '40s, the studio controlled the image of the actresses. There were no stylists then, but the studio controlled these women, the way they put themselves together, the way they spoke, the way they presented themselves. Now that has changed. Now it is the stylist who is controlling their image. They stylists are controlling what they wear. Do I agree with it? No. I wish I could see more of their personal style.

Do you agree that stylists have tempered the flamboyance in show business?
Yes. Nobody wants to be in the list of worst-dressed. It's interesting because when the stylist get to flamboyant, or a star is too creative in their outfit, people get turned off, sometimes. Then there are artists like Lady Gaga. She owns that.

Now it is show business and commerce. What you see on the red carpet is going to translate all across the world. It is business, so it has been watered down, because at the end of the day, there is that "show business sells clothes."

Is there anything original in fashion today?
There is original interpretation (laughs). There is a few that are original, but there are original interpretations. It's very hard to have an original creation. And I would venture to say that in the past may be 30 years in design, there has not been so much originality. It is just an interpretation.

It will happen (originality). I don't feel so pessimistic about it. I think it's just the times that we have been living. It's been very comfortable, and there is so much money, but so much at stake, that if you take a chance, if you have something that doesn't make it, you have a lot to lose.

A quote in your book says, 'We are survivalists, we are nurturers, we are women.' Talk about it.

We are women, and I think that now more than ever, in the 21st century, we have the possibility to do so many things. We can have families, we can have jobs, and we're very good at it. We can juggle so many things. We are survivalists because we keep the family, and that's where it all starts.

Trends: how should we view them as consumers?
Cautiously. I am not a proponent of being a fashion victim, and I think when we get too caught up in the trends, we fall into that category. I think we should use them sparingly. I think we should use them when they work for us. But I don't think we should use them just for the sake of using them.

How can we tell a good designer from a bad one?
A bad designer, in my opinion, does not have a point of view. When you see a designer, you should be able to tell, "That's so and so." A bad designer does not have a distinct point of view. I should be able to look at their collection and be like, "That is so and so." It should be authentic to them, it shouldn't be, "One day, I'm going to do this, and the next day, I'm doing to do that." It should be authentic, genuine, real, and should be able to communicate.

What is your single most important message on style to aspiring designers?
We go back to being personal, being original, being authentic. I often speak to many designers in Colombia and South America who are trying to break into the business, and they ask, "What is it that we have to do? What is it that will bring us that international attention?"

It is being genuine, being proud of your heritage, being proud of what you do, owning what you're good at, as opposed to trying to be somebody else, or trying to be something else. That's my most important message.

In every part, not only in design. When I get asked questions from students, like, "What were my challenges in the American market [as someone from Colombia]?" I really felt very proud to be Colombian. That, for me, was a source of strength. I didn't find it as a disadvantage. That gave me an advantage. It was my equity, and it was my point of distinction. I saw things from a different perspective than the Americans.

What did you learn from "Project Runway" that you didn't learn from magazines?
You know, the show is really a microcosm of what happens in the real world. It is that tough, it is that cut-throat. It's either you make it or you don't make it. It just gave me more empathy for the designers, for the designers who are the creators. It was more upfront. It's more condensed. It's more there. I see it.

Obviously, in my every-day work, I run across many designers, they are living in real life. But here I see it repeatedly, and I see it so closely. I have more empathy for them.

How do you survive being in a fiercely competitive field?
Focus. Determination. Passion for what I do. I am passionate about what I do, I have always been. I knew it from very early on. I think that what is most important is that I feel very grounded. My family keeps me very grounded. This is an industry which can seem very glamorous, that can be very alluring, can make you fly. My family is what keeps me grounded.

How do you handle praise and criticism? How do you handle people who dislike and people who like Nina Garcia?
I try not to listen to who does not like Nina Garcia, but actually, I like criticism. Criticism makes you grow. Criticism makes you think. It can't be all praise. I doubt praise. I question praise, I do question praise. I don't like to be praised all the time.

And may be that's why I'm such a frank judge, because I do like to hear -- play ping-pong -- to hear what is the criticism. It helps me. It helps me grow. If it all were praise, we would live in a bubble. And for a designer, it's very important to hear from their customer, they need to hear it.

Here is a woman styled by Nina Garcia. Describe how she looks.
High, comfortable heels. Probably wearing a jacket. Pants. White crisp shirt. A beautiful accessory. That's it. Very simple, streamlined. To the point. Strong.

Are you comfortable with fame?
I don't think of myself as being famous. I just do my job. I like to do my job. I am passionate with what I do. I stepped into the TV thing by accident. It's been wonderful. It's a wonderful program. But I still love what I do. I love the magazine world, I love the business.