A MAG is a Modern African Girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things which may interest a MAG.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Doré Fasolati, this week's subjects: Jumpsuits, Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, Migraine.

Jumpsuits The first jumpsuit was designed in 1919 for parachutists jumping out of planes. The jumpsuit was also adopted by pilots and professional divers in their own fields of work. As a result, the term 'jumpsuit' was invented. It was adapted for factory workers (the famous blue overalls).

During World War II, this garment was offered to women working in arms factories. It became an efficient work garment hence the name working gear. Jumpsuit became a fashion piece when in the 1930s, fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli began designing jumpsuits for women. Her designs were the talk of the town but were worn by only a few. Then came the sporty styles by the American designer Vera Maxwell in the mid-1940s. It was popular but was a novelty item. The jumpsuit is the workhorse of fashion, it does double duty as both top and bottom, it cuts down on dressing time, and it's appropriate for almost any setting in today’s world of fashion. Over the years it has changed in style, figure, and design. Moving from top and long bottoms to top and mini bottom pantsuits Jumpsuits are generally regarded as a garment of convenience, especially for entertainers, as they are simpler, lighter, and more flexible to wear. They have become more of a put-on and remove garment than an ensemble outfit.

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Few of us are really beautiful, most of us are not, and many of us feel bad about that. But what is beautiful anyway and who decides that Lip plate Cleopatra VII's beauty is legendary, with an enduring reputation as one of history’s most famous femme fatales, renowned for her beauty and wit which attracted not one, but two of the Roman Empire’s (-665 +476 AD) most powerful men. But was Cleopatra really a beauty? Some are ascribing an irresistible physical appearance to her but others attribute her allure more to her intellect and charm. “Her beauty, so we are told, was not itself outstanding; it did not immediately strike those who saw her; yet being with her had an inescapable hold; when talking with her, she was persuasive, and the character which surrounded her whole manner in the company had a force to it,” wrote a Greek historian and philosopher. In the few surviving marble busts of Cleopatra, she is depicted wearing her hair tied at the back in a bun. Another hairstyle was “the usual Egyptian wigged headdress that had its origins in Pharaonic times”.

A 40 Drachma coin from Alexandria that dates between 51 and 30 BC. Cleopatra appears to have worn different coiffures in different circumstances, playing to her audience, so to speak, in life and in art. It would have been important for her to present herself in the Hellenistic fashion to the Greek elites who then held the most senior positions in Egypt, but also in traditional Egyptian fashions for her ruler to appear legitimate to a native Egyptian audience. Regarding the queen’s makeup choices, she would darken her eyebrows and enhance her eyeliner using black kohl, creating an elongated look. The application of deep blue eyeshadow extended gracefully up to her brows, further accentuating her eyes. Cleopatra wore a variety of Greek, Egyptian, and Roman outfits intended to accentuate her beauty. The selection of these styles would have been dependent on the contexts in which the queen appeared, as it was important for her to present herself accordingly to her friends, foes, and subjects. One of the styles she wore combined Greek and Egyptian aesthetic sensibilities and this style consisted of a sheer dress, likely of a semi-transparent material, which left the bare breasts exposed in a manner popular amongst native Egyptian women.

And as for the jewelry she wore, one wrote “her baleful beauty inordinately painted, covered with Red Sea pearls, a fortune in her hair and around her neck, weighed down with jewelry.” Conclusion? You need not be a beauty, but you must be smart.

Migraine. About 1 in 10 people suffer migraine from time to time. Triggers can be alcohol, stress, hormonal changes, noise, smells, dehydration, lack of sleep, and others. My sister stopped eating tomato paste and has had no problem since. It also appears that artificial sweeteners, such as those found in for example diet drinks can be triggers for some people. One of the names mentioned is Aspartame. Read labels! And Aspartame is set to be declared a possible carcinogen (a substance, organism, or agent capable of causing cancer) this month by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the World Health Organization's cancer research arm. Refreshing drinks indeed.

Lydia...

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