The ManicaPost
Ann Ruthenburg —
May I start firstly by saying thank you all so much for faithfully reading Manica Post every week. The paper is about your for you, so we need you.
Also thank you to those of you who constantly send messages, encouraging us in our efforts to bring you interesting and hopefully thought provoking articles. It is so encouraging and your feedback keeps us inspired to keep providing you with articles each week.
This week I am starting the year off by trying to put your mind straight on you as a person before we get further into 2017. The whole of 2016, we interspersed topics in Fashion, Beauty and Health. Even though our article section is Fashion and Beauty, make no mistake that the three are intertwined. You cannot be fashionable and beautiful; without being healthy. An unhealthy person will eventually show on the outside. Beauty starts from within, then transfers itself on the outside.
So this week I want you to start to look at yourself as a person inside and out and see whether you are in order. 2016 was a difficult year for many, but even those that felt like it was a good year, there was a price to pay either in long working hours, or too much partying, or stress etc. We may have looked good on the outside, or even smelled nice, but the inside may have taken a toll.
You need to take time now to assess where you are health-wise, fashion-wise and beauty-wise (Male or female).
You need to have all three more or less balanced. You if your skin is suffering, you know the issue is something going into your body or not being put into your body. A good example is lack of certain vitamins or lack of drinking adequate water. On the other hand it could be something you are putting into your system or on your body, such as smoking, drinking, eating or drinking things you are allergic to. Your health will in some way or the other affect how you feel about yourself, which will then translate in how you then choose to look after yourself. Being overweight, is two things majorly – medical issues like an over active thyroid or elephantiasis etc, or it is your lack of self control (yes I said it). Figure out the issue people, stop making excuses and get it together. Nothing is easy, nothing comes without some form of price to be paid, and the longer you wait to sort your health and body out the harder it will be as the months go by.
Then there is our fashion choices. I have always said that “if you have not warn it that year, chances are you are not going to.” So often we purchase things that we like, but they do not suit us. We also tend to keep things that no longer fit our body size, but we convince ourselves that we will eventually fit them – stop now! Trust I too am guilty of this, I have pieces of clothing in my wardrobe that I still cannot fit after two years, and now I cannot comfortably wear them anyway because the fashion season is gone.
All I am saying is before the year goes further, you need to clean out your wardrobes. Make room for more stuff by giving away or getting rid of the stuff you have already. Even if you do not have enough money right now to replace some outfits, you will be surprised where replacements will come from.
In the next few weeks I will be discussing what you need in your basic wardrobe whether male or female. Another thing I always say is ‘your dress reflects your mindset at the time.’ So why not start 2017 on top of the world. Start to feel good about yourself and show it in your dressing. Money must never dictate the way you look or feel people.
Money is a form of exchange we humans use to be able to survive. But it does not dictate and should not dictate your self esteem. You dictate the way you feel, you determine whether you want to be a success or not, then money will meet you at your place of exchange depending on what you believe you are worth. If you don’t believe me, just ask all those business persons out there who are dressed to kill, smelling like a million dollars and have a positive attitude to go.
And the beauty side whether you are a male or female, your beauty is important. Beauty is not about make-up, it is about looking after your skin, you body, your body odour, your hair, your nails, your breath etc. It does not mean just because your job puts you in a place where you spend more time greased up or in dirt that you cannot after that look and feel good. Your job also does not dictate your success or your attitude. It may affect it in some way, but again I say, you are the one who determines that. So my point is this, just because you spend your day lifting bricks, does not mean you do not have to take time before or after work to look clean, stylish and well put together.
Just because you spend your time underneath vehicles with grease under your fingernails, does not mean that you cannot have manicured hands and clean nails. As human beings one of the most looked at part of our bodies when we are in conversation is our hands. Does it not make sense then to make an effort to look after them…… men! As ladies we don’t even want to talk here, you have no excuse whatsoever. And for those of you who are using things like whitening cream on your face to look beautiful, over use of these products will result in what we are seeing with many of you on your faces…large pimples and black spots, which are extremely difficult to get rid of.
Be wise with your bodies people, stop all the self abuse this year. 2017 you cannot allow yourself to abuse yourself like you did in 2016. Wearing weaves/wigs too long, over processing your natural hair, buying cheap facial products, using expired products etc, needs to stop today.
If there is anything you hear from me in this article is in 2017, is be a better you, not just on the outside, but also on the inside.
Fashion Diva can be messaged (not called) on 0772 933 845.
