Do You Want Wrinkles?

The idea of aging wrinkles is a hot topic in women’s lives. Not having quite yet found the fountain of youth, it is important that we take care of our skin and prevent wrinkles as much as possible.

Dr. Luisa Dillner wrote an article, “Dr. Luisa Dillner’s guide to…wrinkles,” in the United Kingdom’s Guardian. The heading of the article reads, “You can’t avoid them any more than you can stop yourself ageing. So what do you do about them?” This heading suggests to the reader that there are going to be some tips in the article about avoiding wrinkles. Even though it states that you cannot stop them or avoid them, the question at the end gives hope that there are ways you can make the process better. Her article points out that frequently expressing emotion, being out in the sun, and smoking helps us age faster. Dr. Dillner uses pronouns such as “you” and “our” to help specify that the subject is all of us (written in first and second person). We all age from this force called gravity and we all may age more from other sources that we expose ourselves to. Using “you” and “our” almost assures the reader that she is not alone in this struggle called aging. She is giving advice almost like a friend so "you" is the right word to use to connect with the audience.  Most beauty and fashion articles are written in this way.  Dr. Dillner’s tone in this article is almost supportive and hopeful. Her way of writing sort of punches you with the truth, but in a nice way. For example, “Smoking kills, and it gives you deep wrinkles first, so you should stop.” This sentence is forceful, but yet not hurting at the same time; it almost slaps the truth in your face. Dr. Dillner’s article is not too scientific that it is hard to understand, but does show that she is very knowledgeable about the subject and is able to write about it so that others understand as well. One way that she does this is by using parentheses to further explain certain points that she makes. She also breaks up the article into sections – of course, the introduction, then “What causes them,” “How can I avoid them,” and “How can I get rid of them?” These subheadings are handy for the reader because he or she may read all of the sections or some, depending on what they may be interested in reading. Finally, she ends the article with a rhetorical question, “But why would you want to get rid of wrinkles, when they tell the story of your life?” This question is an offset from the rest of the article because it contradicts the fact that she previously gave advice on how to avoid wrinkles. I think this question is very interesting because even though you read about one side of the spectrum (avoiding wrinkles and aging quickly), you get a spark of attention to the other side of the spectrum (that it may not be bad to have wrinkles, after all).

Dr. Luisa Dillner

The Lafourche Parish (Louisiana) Daily Comet features an article, “There are ways to look younger,” by Dr. John J. Jones Jr. It is hard to figure out what point of view Dr. Jones is writing in; he uses the word “I” a few times and “my,” as well as using the word “one” to refer to a person at the beginning of the article. I think he writes in third person to make the article sound more professional, but uses the word “I” (when saying “I have found,” “I will suggest,” “I used this solution,” and “My goal is…”) to show the reader that he is knowledgeable in this area of study. His statement, “My goal is achieving the maximum benefits with little or no downtime,” may suggest that Dr. Jones has been studying this specific area for some time and it is something he is committed to. At the end of the article there is a description of Dr. Jones. He is a specialized dermatologist in disease of the skin, allergies, and skin-cancer surgery, as well as an associate professor of dermatologic surgery at Louisiana State University Medical Center in New Orleans. His tone and way of writing this article suggests that he is familiar with this profession. He writes advanced, using terms of treatments. It is almost as if the reader is sitting in the doctor’s office as he explains possible treatments in a way that makes the reader want to ask him to put the explanation in simpler terms. This might be because the audience of this paper just may be familiar with this type of language.

Dr. John J. Jones, Jr.

I am more impressed with Dr. Dillner’s way of writing her article. I am one who likes to keep it simple, especially when explaining something that is complicated. I feel that Dr. Jones’ way of writing is considered complicated because everyone may not be able to comprehend on that level. It all depends on who the audience is, as well. If I were to be writing an article for a paper that has a more educated audience, I probably would attempt to write the article the way that Dr. Jones had done. I am not that advance with medical terms and treatment names, so I cannot see myself writing this way. I also like the way Dr. Dillner uses the first person point of view by using the word “you.” The article sounds more personal and catches my attention more. The way that Dr. Jones wrote may lose some readers because of the terms and advance way of writing.

What's "In" in 2010?

Many fashion shows have occurred this spring that allow the fashion world to see just how the trends will evolve for the season coming up. There has been much talk about 2010s fashion: has it changed, is anything new, or can we recycle what is in our closets?

Sara Glassman, writer for the Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota area), used “valley-girl” language in her lead of the article “An ‘anything’ spring for fashion.” Her lead starts out with the sentence, “Fashion trends are so last year.” This sentence is used often in the fashion world to describe what style is no longer in style, for example, “Polka dots were so last year.” This way of speaking is often thought of valley-girlish, pretty much making the speaker sound clueless to anything else around her. The word “so” emphasizes that fashion mind set of a valley-girl, as well as “fad,” another word that was used in the article. I do not think this language is the official language of fashion, but when thinking of fashion, the rich, valley girl is a popular image.  The writer may show a little humor in that area, making fun of the valley girl.  Glassman also uses the word "you" a couple of times.  She uses it in a way that suggests "you" have an opinion on what you wear.  For example, she writes, "Now you can invest in pieces that you love and know that you'll wear them more than one fleeting season."  In the previous sentence, the word "you" helps the reader feel that repeating fashions is acceptable for the upcoming season because "you" like them.  It is all about "you," which helps emphasize the point at the beginning of the article that "the biggest trend for the season is actually whatever you want it to be."  Glassman comments in her article by using parentheses. She comments on a fashion trend in this sentence: “It’s a cry from even 2006, when every designer seemed to design some form of trapeze or sack dress (though those are now long gone).” This comment was made to inform the reader of something coincidental: “…said Adam Glassman, creative director at O, The Oprah Magazine (and no relation to yours truly)." She also uses parentheses to emphasize her point that all of the experts believe that there is no new trend by saying, “(Is there an echo?).” Speaking of experts, Glassman uses an abundance of quotes from people like Adam Glassman, Eugenia Kim (accessories designer), Sacha Martin (co-owner of Bluebird Boutique), Jinny Krogman (buyer for Pumpz & Co.), and Aisha Ghanchi (owner of Belle Reve Boutique). Even though these people are not the actual fashion designers, they are very active in the fashion world and pay close attention to trends. Most of the people quoted in her article are local to Minneapolis and St. Paul, so the only outlets from the area Glassman explores is by getting the opinion of Adam Glassman, Rebecca Taylor (a fashion designer), and Janell Geason (an Aveda makeup artist).  Glassman concludes her article with tips from many of the above mentioned and a few more people in the fashion industry. The areas that are commented on are romantic blouses, animal prints, nude shoes, denim leggings, bronzer, and graphic prints. All of these trends are seen to be continual for the 2010 season.

An animal print jersey T-shirt by Rebecca Taylor.

Melissa Magsaysay would beg to differ that there are trends surfacing this year in her response to a Los Angeles Times reader labeled, “Your stylist: The truth about this season’s tie-dye trend.” Magsaysay says that tie-dye is in this year, with Proenza Schouler leading the way. She uses conversational language, but more in the style of giving advice. It seems as if she is talking to the person who wrote her the question about tie-dye, almost walking her through the trends that tie-dye can be worn with and how to wear it. Magsaysay also uses the word "you" in her article, which is a response to a letter.  Even though her "yous" refer to the writer of the letter, it also can be seen as directed to anyone who is reading the article.  "You" is used to assure the audience that it is okay to wear tie-dye, and it is equivalently used to help ease your worries.  Her style of writing brings out imagery as she describes colors and shapes, almost as if the reader is walking through a clothing store with her. For example, she writes, "try this navy T-shirt with a simple white tie-dye pattern...great with slim, cropped white jeans and brown sandals or just thrown over a bikini."  Even though the shirt is pictured with the article, the jeans, sandals, and bikini are not, which gives the reader a chance to picture this outfit in their minds.  Magsaysay focuses on the reader’s concern about looking too kiddy in tie-dye by giving her alternative colors in tie-dye and combinations to wear.

Left: Photo from the Proenza Schouler Spring/Summer fashion show. Right: A bag by Rebecca Minkoff.

Even though Glassman’s way of writing allows her to incorporate her comments in the articles, I like Magsaysay’s way of writing better. I like the way she uses imagery to help the reader grasp this idea of how the style should look. I would like to take my readers on a journey, like Magsaysay did, to keep their attention and spark their interest about the subject. I do like the fact that Glassman’s choice of words went along with the topic of fashion. It is important that I pay attention to the different types of language used for certain subjects and topics to make sure that my audience can feel that connection while reading.  I understand that fashion is universal, so unlike Glassman, I would try to get the majority of my information from experts that are not from my local area, but from a number of other locations.  This way, I can get a wider perspective on the subject, instead of a local one.

Plastic Surgery Will Not Land You the Job

What does it take to convince aspiring actors that it is better to be yourself than to remake who you are? The articles that help push this thought (“A little too ready for her close-up?” by Laura M. Holson of The New York Times, and “Montag is a ‘cheap, plastic pool float’ after surgery,” by Doug Camilli of The Montreal Gazette) really support the idled look that Hollywood is trying to get away from.

Holson decides to use a more conversational style in her writing, but stays away from using the word “I” in many opinion statements that are given. An example of a conversation would be the way she asks a question, but answers it herself: “Professional courtesy? Not exactly.” At the beginning of the article, Holson uses a lead that attracts the audience to continue reading: “It took years for Hollywood to create the perfect woman. Now it wants the old one back.” These two sentences point out that under Hollywood pressures many actresses have worked hard to become that ideal woman. The second sentence is almost stated as a surprise or a shock, revealing that the perfect woman is not what Hollywood wants after all. Some of the mentioned actresses are Heidi Montag (a star on MTV’s The Hills), who has recently had ten surgeries, and Jennifer Grey (famous for her role in Dirty Dancing), who in the past has had plastic surgery on her nose. The article further brings evidence to the table by quoting casting directors, who specifically look for women who have not gotten surgery. The casting directors point out that it is easy to see if someone has had plastic surgery, which hints at the title of the article: “A little too ready for her close-up?” Holson uses Mindy Marin’s (the casting director for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) experiences of meeting with actresses who look nothing like their “close-ups” because of the cosmetic surgery performed between the submission of their pictures and their actual face-to-face interview. Holson records Marin as saying, “I don’t mind if they do a tiny bit, but it can’t be obvious.” Holson uses this imagery and wordplay very well in the title and throughout the article. The example of actual close-ups being used to determine an actresses over preparedness for a close-up with a movie camera shows how Hollywood is almost disgusted with the image of being too beautiful, the image that does not last long. At the end of the article, Holson almost makes the reader believe that an actress that has had plastic surgery may get a job after all, with Montag claiming that her surgery has made her more successful. The last line, referring to Montag’s two latest jobs states, “Both parts poke fun at women who’ve had too much plastic surgery.” This last sentence gives the reader the indication that cosmetic surgery is considered a big joke to Hollywood and there is no respect for the people who have participated in such a procedure. It also sparks curiosity to know what types of jobs she will receive in the future due to her new look.

Heidi Montag before her 10 procedures and after.

Jennifer Grey before nose surgery and after.

Camilli decides to use the comical approach. She uses a quote from Paulina Porizkova, a supermodel who has recently joined the reality TV world. Porizkova comments on Montag’s recent surgeries by calling her a “cheap, plastic pool float,” a pretty funny metaphor that sticks to the idea of cosmetic surgeries making people “plastic.” Also, using Porizkova’s words “cheap, plastic pool float” in the title is hilarious and may spark imagery by prompting the audience into wondering if Montag could actually float in the pool after having ten surgeries. Camilli uses this celebrity’s thoughts on the topic as evidence that plastic surgery is not the way to keep your fame, especially if you hear it from a supermodel. Porizkova further points out that actress Kate Hudson did not enhance herself, but diminished her uniqueness by transforming herself into a normal Californian blond. By using the comical statements of other celebrities, Camilli makes this article more interesting to read.

Kate Hudson before surgery and after.

These articles specifically point out the different ways that one may go about writing an article. If I find a topic comical, like Camilli does, I would use comical language and find quotes to keep the audience reading my article. I like the way Holson uses the conversational style, and I, myself, think I write more conversationally. It seems to make the article more personal to the reader because they feel like they are being included in the discussion. Also used in these two articles are imagery, wordplay, metaphors, quotes, and experiences from the involved parties. These elements are important to add in an article to make it more interesting and eye catching.

Vera Wang Collaborates With David's Bridal

Vera Wang started her business in 1990 and now she is known as a famous bridal designer. She uses rich fabrics, craftsmanship, extravagant detail, and beading to accentuate her dresses and the brides that wear them. Having in the past designed dresses for Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Sharon Stone, Uma Thurman, Mariah Carey, Holly Hunter, and Karenna Gore, Wang has made it to the top of the luxury wedding market. Her talents further branch out into fragrance, beauty, home, accessories, and publishing.

On Tuesday, April 13 in New York, Wang revealed her new Spring 2011 collection of wedding dresses. However, this collection will not be the only buzz of 2011. During the same season, David’s Bridal will begin carrying a collection of Wang dresses. Where Vera Wang gowns normally cost as much as $12,000, the gowns carried at David’s Bridal will have a price tag between $600 and $1,500. “At David’s I think I will be able to bring a taste level…trying to push the vocabulary of bridal ahead every single year, what is the point if I can’t share all this work…if I can’t bring it to another audience?” Wang explains (Jordan, Second City Style Fashion Blog). The President and CEO of David’s Bridal, Bob Huth, also believes that the opportunity to incorporate a Vera Wang collection will allow the company to serve more women with the dream of wearing a Vera Wang gown. The collection at David’s Bridal will be followed by bridesmaid dresses and possibly children’s wedding dresses.

One of the eleven gowns  shown at the bridal show in New York on April 13th.

I think this idea of Vera Wang making some of her creations affordable is wonderful. Many women dream of wearing a Vera Wang gown on their wedding day, but may not be able to do so because of finances. Wang has already brought some of her designs to Kohl’s, a department store, and seems to want to reach out to the middle class by bringing more of her products to area stores. Especially in today’s economy, with David’s Bridal soon to carry a Vera Wang collection, it makes more women’s dreams come true and at a more affordable price. 

In the articles that I read (Vera Wang Bridal: Artful Inquiries, Vera Wang and David’s Bridal Announce Partnership to Launch Bridal Collection) I was able to get a feel of who Vera Wang is and what types of dresses her collections include. One writer used a few similes to describe Wang’s work, while the other stayed with stating the facts and included no opinions about the new collection. Even though one article did not mention the collection that is planned to be sold in David’s Bridal, it provided me with the information and background needed to write about this transition. From these articles, I learned that there is more than one way to stay factual; for example, I could use metaphors and similes to help the audience relate to what is being described. I also found it more interesting to include quotes in articles for evidence or to keep the reader’s attention and focus.

Other Sources: Vera Wang To Role Out Affordable Yet Chic Bridal Gowns and Bridal Market: Vera Wang