" Pretty International "- Beauty Around the World: West Indies

Hey Pretty!  Welcome back to another edition of Pretty International! This is always my favorite segment because its so much fun to learn, understand and appreciate the culture of others. Today we are going to an area that is a personal favorite of mine. We arent looking at one specific country but rather a group of islands! Lets head on down to the warm, sunny, beautiful spot of the West Indies !

First let's put on our smart shades and do a little educational portion  so that you know what and who I mean when I say the West Indies. There are three major physiography divisions that makeup the West Indies. You have the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles and and the isolated islands. Each island is also categorized in one or more of each: French West Indies , Dutch West Indies, British West Indies, or Spanish West Indies.

Greater A- Cuba , Jamaica , Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic ) , and Puerto Rico

Lesser A- Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Saint Kitts and Nevis,Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Grenada, Saint Martin, Martinique, Guadeloupe.

Isolated : North American shelf : Bahamas , Turks and Caicos
                South American shelf : Trinidad and Tobago , Aruba Bonaire,and Bermuda,







Okay now lets get to what we're really here for. Let's see some beauty standards.

Skin  

Cuban Women

Two different ideals were prevalent in regards to skin color in the Caribbean. Certain countries prefer light, fair skin like Haiti and the Dominican Republic. While these countries prefer light skin other countries like Barbados prefer the opposite. Overall a nice bronze and well taken care of  skin is  more likely too be seen. 

Haiti

Barbados

Barbados: Beauty is a woman with a dark skin tone. Many women in this country face racism if they are light skinned. Rihanna, of Barbados descent, revealed through an interview that she was bullied because she was considered “white”. In fact in Barbados “Bajans with lighter skin colors are often given as a reason for failure – be it personal failure or failure of government projects.”

Jamacian and Trini children 

Clothes 

St.Lucia

The attire is as diverse as the people but this is the main thing that 

sets the Caribbean apart from the rest.  The tropical weather, and different ethnic backgrounds influence the clothing. Some of the traditional wardrobe was clothing borrowed largely from French Creole styles where women  wore brightly colored skirts, folded head wraps, and both sexes wore “madras” a plaid-like print in vibrant colors. What has continued from these olden times to present time is the usage of bright colors. Since the weather is warm light fabrics like linen or cotton are worn and if long pants are worn the fabric is made from a light, airy material . One of the main West Indian islands where we see this is Saint Lucia. We also see A similar wear with Cubans, Puerto Ricans and Domincans but with out the plaid and more so just solid colors. 

Domincan Rep.

St. Lucia 

St.Lucia: The amazing culture of Saint Lucia (my culture so yes im very bias)  has been influenced by African, East Indian, French and English heritage. One of the secondary languages is Creole French, spoken by almost all of the population. This Creole heritage plays a huge part in traditional wear like we said earlier. Below are also some attire from the Spanish West Indies. 

Puerto Rico

Body 

Jamaica

Jamaica: The ideal is that women who are of a thicker body image like a “coke bottle” are preferable by men. Some (not all) women undergo dangerous measures to achieve this ideal like taking chicken pills. These chicken pills are what farmers feed their chickens to grow at rapid rates and these women take these pills to get larger hips and bottoms and women especially young girls are still taking them. The belief is that “big bottoms” equal “power” and if you’re big it shows society that you are wealthy. Reading this even shocked me ! 

Jamaica

Other

Carnival! Carnival is a very well known and highly mimicked part of West Indian and Brazilian culture when talking about beautiful women ( Pretty International- Brazil is next week! ).  Carnival tradition which also has strong ties to African traditions, since Africans has an ancient tradition of parading and moving in circles through villages wearing masks and costumes

. It was believed to heal problems, chill out angry relatives who died and to bring good fortune. They also put natural objects together such as feathers, shells, beads, grasses and bones to create masks and costumes. Each object and combination of objects were to represent a certain idea or spiritual force. 

Feathers was often used on masks and headdresses and would symbolize humans ability to rise above illness, pains, heartbreaks and problems or to pas to other worlds for rebirth and spiritually growth. Feathers are largely used in many forms in creating Carnival costumes

.In many parts of the world where Catholic Europeans set up colonies and began trading slaves the European Carnival traditions and the ancient African traditions began to interact giving root to the Carnival as we know it today. Brazil  is perhaps most famous for its carnival, as the Mardi Gras is it in Louisiana where African-Americans mixed with French settlers and Native Americans.

So Pretties, I hope today you learned a little more about his culture today! Remember it is always good to take time to learn about and appreciate the cultures of others. Our differences make us unique and special! Until next time stay you, be true, be pretty!  

Look at these proud West Indian- Americans! 

St.Lucian

Puerto Rican

Dominican 

Trinidadian 

Panamania (by way of Barbados and Jamaica)

Bajan-Panamanian

Puerto Rican

Jamaican 

COMING UP NEXT...........

Kids Fashion Mayhem! 

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What Your Fragrance Says About You

Hey Pretty!  I dont know about you guys but I love things that smell good like perfumes and candles! A scent can completely change my mood! Fragrance can make you feel different ways like happy, relaxed, sensual, or disgusted but did you ever think that your fragrance can tell a story ;your story? When i say Fragrance I don't mean your body's natural fragrance. I talking more on the lines of Chanel No.5. So lets get to the point right ? Lets figure out what your fragrance says about you.  (NOTE:Click on the picture of the perfumes to buy it!)  CLICK AND BUY!

Floral

You enjoy the more simple parts of life. You are described as classy and gentle. You enjoy writing and are a sucker for love stories. You are a mix of introvert and extrovert. You are most likely more feminine and "girly". Very clean person. 

Citrus/ Marine

Citrus are your smells like lemon, orange, and limes or fresh like linen and cotton.

You are lively and spunky. Often more youthful and carefree.  Citrus people also can be very clean. You are considered the leader of the pack. 

Fruity/ Floral-Fruity

Often your more candy-like scents, You are very flirty and bubbly. You are friendly and easy to get along with. Most likely more immature and talkative. You are very open minded and an extrovert. 

Woodsy/ Mossy

You are more sensual, deep and lusty. More of a night owl and seductive. These type of woman are considered more 'sexy". More serious person. More introverted and dark.  

Oriental

 A need for sweet notes like vanilla and amber with a mixture of dark notes like frankincense and myrrh. You are mysterious and intense. Attracts emotionally chaged indiviuals. These are more anal people. More detailed and fashion forward. Romantic and sensitive. You're in a world of your own.   Others say "intense" or drama queen" is used to describe you. 

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So Pretties let me know which perfume is a good representation of your personality!  Mine is Oriental ! You can be just one or more mixed together ! Dont forget to click the bottle of perfume of you are interested in buying! Until next time pretties! Stay true to you and be pretty!








                                                            ~Maya Cee




COMING UP NEXT.......


  "Pretty International : A Spotlight on Beauty Around the World  - West Indies" 

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