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11 Comments

  1. That’s the point. Love yourself in what you wear, even if it is just browns. I’m dark skinned. And Noone can convince me to wear neon colors. They’re just not appealing colors, even as phone covers 🙂

    1. @fullmoononearth: True, dat. If you love/don’t love a colour because you do rather than because it’s what beauty magazines tell you to, then you’re owning your choices. I love neon colours but that’s me.

  2. I have a darkie friend whose body like Ramya’s is toned & glowing. She wears feminine pastels, bieges & oranges and paisley & geometrics. She for many years has not thought of her colour at all….but hey Ramya you must admit that apart from attitude, to feel & look good one has to benchmark these things.

    Your dialoguing the ‘look’ is interesting because every one of us has stereotypes that we consciously or otherwise fight. The one I choose to fight is that of dressing like an international, deracinated person. I for one can dress in designer jeans and have the look of the modern urban upperclass Indian woman, complete with wedge heals & huge handbag if I choose & can join the club.
    I prefer to play it down instead, choosing to wear salwars kammeez or churidaars not in the style of the day but rather in the colours and styles I am comfortable in. I deliberately eschew style and yes Ramya I face the not so subtle discrimination of those styled to death…they wonder how I have the confidence to be who I am without conforming to the ‘look’.

    Battles everyday & everywhere…more strength to you sexy lady, Ramya.

    Give it to them!

    1. @bindutandon: I only disagree with you on the benchmarking bit. Comparing ourselves to other people is what makes us weak and fearful. Who is a benchmark when every one of is has our own individuality?

      I rather like the word ‘deracinated’. Also, I don’t believe you eschew style, I think you have a distinctive one of your own! 🙂 You’re a marvel.

  3. Thank you SO MUCH for this post. I am of West Indian descent and while I don’t fit into the categories of “white” of “black” I have always had trouble finding colors that “work” with my skin (especially lipstick, God that’s the worst). I am in love with your positive body image. Thank you for spreading this message to all the BROWNIES!!! Side note: I have no idea why people didn’t call you beautiful growing up – you are GORGEOUS!

    1. @Dandelion Creativity: And thank you! I think we tend to send signals to the world about how to see us, based on how we see ourselves. I like the way colours look on my skin now, so it feels like other people do, too.

      And you’re West Indian who refuses the rigid definitions of black and white. I’d imagine your skin colour would be pretty close to mine. And if that’s the case, close your eyes and pick any colour out of the palette. Brown skins make most colours look good. Maybe it’s because they have several different shades of undertones so they support warmer colours as well as cooler colours. But yes, pick one that you like and wear it with pride! And then post a picture and share a link!

        1. @The Shameful Narcissist: I guess you mean ‘pop’ in a good way. I’ve seen some colours stand out on people’s faces as if they have lives of their own and are thinking “I really shouldn’t be here”. That’s not how I think these colours look on dark skins. And yes, I’m with you on the pastels. But gimme a sunny yellow any day! 😀