Revlon Change Agents - Say It

I was so excited when Vogue sent me Revlon's Colorstay Ultimate Suede lipstick in the color "Socialite."  The mission was to encapsulate how beauty inspires strength.  Revlon wanted me to apply the lipstick and use my lips to make my voice heard.  As a part of Revlon's Change Agents campaign, I was instructed to take a photo that could go with how I wanted to give back to my community by showing a photo that went with the phrase "Say It."  Revlon's Change Agents campaign has four parts in order to facilitate change in the community.  If we "say it"....that thing that we want to change, in the end we will take the steps necessary to bring it to fruition.

Photo Credit: Amber LaFrance

So when I thought about the concept of what Revlon was wanting us bloggers to do...I thought of the picture above.  I purposely chose people of two different races in order to encourage unity.

So in line with the campaign, I would like to continue on my quest to know more about the Muslim community in Dallas...to encourage unity, to inspire and to create one whole thriving community of diverse individuals.  This starts with one person, one voice....and from person to person a transformation in our community will transpire.

My next challenge from Revlon will be "See It."  I'm assuming I'll have to take a photo showcasing a Revlon eyeshadow but I want you guys to be thinking of a photo concept that will go with the theme...I'm supposed to be capturing an experience that I witnessed that has inspired me.  (Hint: read my Fashion for Compassion blog entry as this is what has inspired me for this campaign).

When it's time for me to submit my next photo, if you guys give me the photo concept that I actually use, I'll do an amazing giveaway!!!

Fashion for Compassion - Love Thy Neighbor

Several days ago, I attended my first Muslim fashion show.  The title was called "Fashion for Compassion" and it was geared towards fashions for the modest and conservative woman.  As I got ready for this event, I ignorantly thought that this was going to be like all Dallas fashion events so I got dressed to the nines in high-waisted shorts from Urban Outfitters, a low v-necked blouse by The Limited and studded ankle-strapped heels from Nine West.  Little did I know, one of my many life lessons was lying ahead of me.

Medina Bib Necklace - Stella & Dot, V-Necked Black Blouse - The Limited, Polka Dot Pleated High Waisted Shorts - Urban Outfitters

Studded Ankle-Strapped Heels - Nine West

Upon arrival to the event, I exited my car and entered the event only to be one of the few with excess skin exposed.  Most women were adorned in embellished tunics and floor-length dresses with their heads covered by some of the most beautiful scarves I've ever seen.  Quickly my idea of what was "dressed to the nines" or what was "beautiful" began to change.

I have NEVER committed a fashion violation, as I always adhere to the recommended attire for the event so this was the first time that I needed to be apprehended by the fashion police.  Could it be that I was too self-absorbed to have actually thought that I would have needed to be more modest for this event?  Could it have been that I was too vain to think that at a Muslim fashion event there would still be American-influenced fashion principles, where at times the less clothes you wear the more beautiful or accepted we are?  In that moment, feeling embarrassed was an understatement.  I'm a fashion writer for SEVERAL publications, so committing a fashion violation is not something that I do...but in that moment I was forced to reflect.

Fashion for Compassion, Dallas Contemporary 6/1/2013; Photo Credit: Leah Frazier

Fashion for Compassion, Dallas Contemporary 6/1/2013; Photo Credit: Leah Frazier

As I watched the fashions come down the runway, I was moved to tears.  These women were the epitome of elegance and beauty.  They were confident, vibrant and shining from the inside out.  I wanted to be that woman.  How is it that they were covered from head to toe but some of the most beautiful women that I have ever seen?  They were being seen without being seen (if that makes since.) This is entirely backwards from everything that has been ingrained in my head for all of these years.

Fashion for Compassion taught me above all, compassion and respect for other cultures; that the old saying "Less is More" is so true.  These women were stunning--only showing the outlines of their faces and leaving much to be desired; but this in itself made them goddesses and some of the most gorgeous women I have encountered.

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous... ~1 Peter 3:8

This event started out as just another fashion event that I was covering but literally within hours changed my perception of beauty and what it meant to love my fellow sisters as we all look to achieve the same goals and aspirations for ourselves.  It taught me to step outside of myself, my culture, my spirituality and my lifestyle to embrace others and their quest for self-expression.  Now more than ever, the phrase "Love they neighbor" has taken on a whole new meaning and as I progress through life in this world of fashion and dating, I can rest easy knowing that modesty and conservative approaches with style can speak louder volumes than anything I could have ever imagined.