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The Fashion World Surprises Us Again – Gap-Toothed Smiles Are In!
Fashion trends, as we all know, come and go and then come back again. It’s part of what keeps the fashion world front and center in our attention. It is also what adds to the reinvention of styles from the past that we have fallen in love with: Victorian lace up boots, shoulder pads in those boxy yet impeccably styled 1940’s women’s business suits, 1960’s mini dresses, bell bottoms, and more. All of these have seen a resurgence time and again. But every blue moon or so we get a surprise from the world of fashion that has not occurred in the consciousness of the mainstream media. We have just such an occasion now.
Gap-toothed smiles are in.
Georgia May Jagger
When And How Did This Happen?
This unique and quirky trait became the hot trend around the time of New York Fashion Week in 2010. According to a Wall Street Journal article on celebrities flaunting gap-toothed smiles, transforming the typical look of models is one tactic of gaining fresh attention.
The savvy W magazine presented a total of three up and coming fresh faces with this stand out feature; Georgia May Jagger (Mick’s daughter), Lara Stone and Lindsey Wixson. Each of these ladies has gone on to very successful modeling careers. Wixson was featured in a Miu Miu marketing campaign, Stone found high exposure with a Calvin Klein advertisement and Jagger appears in the new ads for Hudson jeans.
The modeling industry has received much flack for promoting impossible physical standards for the average person to attain. There have been trends from tall “glamazon” models like Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell to skinny and waifish types such as Kate Moss. Recently, the look du jour finally became more realistic, representing a fit and shapely frame. This was coincidentally around the time that Lara Stone, who is said to be a size six, became popular. Stone is also now commonly recognized for making popular the gap-toothed smile.
The Charm Of The Gap-Toothed Grin
There is also the interesting look of a gap-toothed grin; it makes you look twice at a person who has one. It allows for the subjects’ true beauty and individuality to come through. This dynamic characteristic must finally appeal to the beauty industry as it has to some people for a long time.
For instance, according to a Ghanaian journalist and Gates Fellow of African Agriculture at the University of California-Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism, Bernice Agyekwena, in three African countries, Namibia, Nigeria and Ghana a gap (or diastema, the clinical name) in female’s teeth is a sign of an attractive and fertile woman. She mentions that some women will even create a synthetic gap in their teeth to sustain the customary model for African beauty.
In the Western hemisphere as far back as the Middle Ages, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote of the gap-toothed wife of Bath in “The Canterbury Tales,” insinuating the character’s insatiable lust with that description.
The new interest in this charming trait is believed to be an adverse reaction to the impossible beauty ideals of the fashion machine. Heather Muir, beauty news editor of Allure magazine, notes the “cookie cutter” look of beauty no longer stands out and we are moving to a more “quirky” beauty.
Clinically Speaking – Intentional Gaps?
Walnut Creek dentist and assistant clinical professor at the University of California-San Francisco’s School of Dentistry Tim Patel says there is no benefit to joining the gap from a clinical point of view. He states that he clearly likes to see completely straight teeth with no diastema.
“But if patients like it, I certainly don’t try to encourage them to change it. By and large, it’s an aesthetic issue.
The Wall Street Journal also reports that after the death of his father, fashion designer David Delvin got an intentional diastema between his teeth, explaining it was a metaphor for the separation he was feeling.
The Journal of Clinical Orthodontics shows that a tongue stud can cause a gap-toothed smile. It would be interesting to know how many professional dentists and students graduating from dental assistant schools have seen this phenomenon.
Described in the journal from a case study at the University Of Buffalo School Of Dental Medicine, one young lady formed a space between her front teeth by toying with her tongue piercing. The girl produced a considerable gap between her upper teeth by lodging the narrow part of a barbell shaped stud in the middle of the teeth and twisting it around over seven years’ time.
Dr. Sawsan Tabbaa an assistant professor of orthodontics at the University of Buffalo says, “It is a basic tenet of orthodontia that force, over time, moves teeth.”
So whether by genes or intention, if you are one of the distinctive looking people that sport a gap-toothed grin, smile big because this is your day!
Steven Ellis who is a freelance writer focusing on education, health care, tech and business. Connect with Steven on Twitter @stvnlls
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Bringing the Movies into Your Home: How to Choose a Home Theater System
Time like these when everything costs a little more than they should, even expenses like eating out or going to the movies every once in a while are slashed from the household budget. Movie buffs and those craving for regular entertainment do not need to fret. Every homeowner can bring the movies into his home by setting up his own home theater system. All it takes is the right choice of equipment and setup and everyone can enjoy movies, concerts, and every kind of visual entertainment without having to leave the house.
image via http://youoffendmeyouoffendmyfamily.com
Investing in a home theater system need not be expensive. There are various retail outlets online and offline where you can get your equipment and appliances at discounted prices. You might not even have to buy the entire set up. You might already have a good television screen and perhaps a set of speakers from your stereo system. You basically have to recreate the movie theater feel with realistic graphics and surround sound. There are review websites where you can get information about the most affordable home theater equipment.
When choosing your home theater system, you have to consider your available space. If you already have your television screen set up in your den, you simply have to find the right size of speakers to complement it. Remember that having an oversized screen and really loud speakers do not necessarily translate to the best movie viewing experience. This kind of configuration on a cramped space will make movie viewing uncomfortable. Scale everything to the size of your room for more comfortable movie viewing.
For the equipment that you need to purchase, make sure that you are buying from reliable brands. You might have to spend a little bit more, but there are some brands that can give you more mileage for your money. Have the patience to shop around and compare prices and deals. A home theater system is hardly an emergency expense that you have to rush for. Take the time to think things through and plan your entire set up so that your purchase and installation will go on seamlessly. Although you might be spending some money to set up your home theater system, you will be saving on your expenses once you start staying home for your entertainment requirements. There should be no other place more comfortable and conducive for relaxing than your very own den fitted with the right home theater system.
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Why Buy In-Wall Speakers for Your Home Theater?
Technological advancement is changing every aspect of life, that’s a fact. New inventions are coming into the market each and every day, giving us new and creative ways to entertain ourselves. It is also affecting the fashionable and practicality aspects of everything as well. One of the important innovations that are added in home theaters would be in-wall speakers. Initially, speaker designs were available in limited designs and one can only place them on the floor or had to mount them on the shelves. Now there is an opportunity to use the facility of in-wall speakers. This does not mean that other speakers are out of fashion now and are not available. There are still large number of people who prefer to have these out wall standing speakers with their home theater system.
So, the question that arises here is “why is there a need for in wall speakers when elegant and stylish speakers are available in the market?” The main reason behind this is that in-wall speakers cover less space compared to standing speakers or shelf-mounted ones. As they are installed in the wall, space becomes available in the room for other pieces of decoration. The other factor would be; in-wall speakers can be mold in a way to match the overall look of the room, thus increasing the aesthetic value of the room.
no eye sore
Are In-Wall Speakers the only choice of Home Owners?
The luxury of having in-wall speakers is somewhat limited to home owners. They have the freedom to make structural changes in their house to fit these speakers. To fit them, cost is associated in terms of making necessary space and this requires internal wiring which is expensive. There is a need for professional wiring. However there is a possibility for home renters where they get the permission for doing structural changes .
Advantages of In-Wall Speakers
There are certain advantages that are associated with these in wall speakers. Some of these are;
- In wall speakers enhances the aesthetic beauty of your room and makes it more stylish when attached to your home theater system.
- Good audio quality is possible.
- Powerful volume is generated.
- They can be installed in any room, even in the bathrooms. But for this, they have to be moisture resistant.
Viewing all this, this is clear that there are many benefits associated with the in-wall speakers attached to a home theater system. But it is still the buyer’s preference whether he likes these speakers or other floor speakers. In wall speakers are available in a healthy range of prices so one should do some research while buying these speakers. Certainly there are several other ways that can be brought to use while buying built in wall speakers, however the ones that are mandatory are all listed here.
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James Vasanth writes a blog on eInteractiveHomes, about Home Theater, Sonos Speakers and connecting the dots between online and offline. Visit this site for more information: http://www.einteractivehomes.com.
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Profile of Tierney Gearon
Born in Georgia in 1963, Tierney Gearon began a modelling career when she was spotted by a European-based model agency. At the time, she was studying ballet in the state of Utah; however, soon afterwards, she was modelling and travelling around the globe. Not so surprisingly, it was through her modelling career that she first became interested in the world of photography. In fact, she took photos of her fellow models with a Polaroid camera. After viewing a scrapbook full of these photos, an agent in Paris encouraged her to continue on this career path.
Plate 5 by Gearon
Early Photography Career
Gearon became a fashion photographer and created photographs for magazines and even the Times Square billboards. During her time as a fashion photographer, she also met and married her husband and had two children.
Unfortunately, this marriage did not last and proved to be an emotionally trying time for Gearon – as it is for most other people who have ever been through a divorce.
“I am Camera” Exhibition
Gearon began a personal photography project that also coincidently launched her career as an artist. This highly personal project showcased her own personal life journey at this point in time. Some of these Technicolor images showcased various members of her family – including her children – doing everyday activities that included watching television, going skiing, spending time at the beach, etc. However, despite these seemingly ordinary activities, there was also edginess to the photos as well. The photos amazingly appear to be both distant and personal at the same time.
Reaction to “I am Camera”
In the spring of 2001, Tierney Gearon showed her “I Am a Camera” exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London, England. Here, her work opened to favorable reviews; however, some of her photos also did prove to be controversial and the police did visit the Saatchi Gallery on two different occasions. However, Gearon adamantly and publicly defended her work.
“The Mother Project” Exhibit
In 2006, she released her second major exhibit called “The Mother Project”. A documentary and book about this exhibit called “Daddy, where are you?” was also published later that same year. This documentary was featured at a variety of film festivals including “The Tribeca Film Festival”.
“Explosure” Exhibit
In 2009, she released her next body of work entitled “Explosure”. This exhibit continued her investigation of both family and the home. However, Gearon used double-exposure to portray her message via engaging and surreal images. More specifically, these photos depicted different elements that were taken in different places at different times.
Gearon has also exhibited at a wide variety of prestigious art galleries and throughout the world including the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Phillips de Pury & Company, The Parrish Art Museum, and much more.
Of her work, Gearon has stated: “it’s about hope and bringing two contrasting things together; “My work is like a diary. I do it for my soul.”
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*Larisa Redins is the author of this article.
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