BEAUTY: BAKED & NAKED™

This course explores fundamental questions about the origins of the art of dressing by looking at how the concept of Fashion Psychology has emerged. Examines the 19th-century illumination of Fashion Psychology and how it was unknowingly interwoven through the fabrics of the 20th century. We ask whether fashion requires the onlooker to view thru an idiosyncratic lens or a collectivistic lens. Seeks to explain why the Fashion Psychology Field is needed in today's 21st Century.

We have all uttered the common adage "I have nothing to wear" while looking at a closet full of clothing. You probably have pulled out half of your wardrobe and tried on several different looks. You look into the mirror at your reflection feeling defeated. You finally relent dressing in the last items you tossed to the side. You go about your day with an underlying feeling of dissatisfaction. This course will introduce the fashion psychological solution to the common adage "I have nothing to wear".

Imagine if your job required you to work in a minimal amount of clothing.

Now, imagine if your workplace also required you to interact with the public in that skimpy outfit. In addition, what if your company’s marketing labeled your attire as one of its main attributes? That’s what waitresses in so-called “breastaurants” such as Hooters and the Tilted Kilt face every day at their jobs. This course explicates the mental health issues that can surface while working at a body-centered establishment.

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There are so many messages out there that already tell young girls that straighter hair is "better." We see it in beauty advertisements, we see it in magazines, in films, even in dolls. These messages that are being conveyed are engraved in the psyche but really drives home when it comes from your mom because of the family bond. This course expounds upon the psychology behind the notion of "bad hair" in a cultural context on one's psyche.

Physical beauty has many forms, the standards of which are constantly changing. And it's in the eye of the beholder, of course. Still, there are traditional notions of it that cut across time and cultures. Is it coincidence that numerous style icons – including Diana Vreeland, Peggy Guggenheim, Wallis Simpson and Coco Chanel – were not considered traditionally beautiful? This course delves into the psychology behind the  synthesis of beauty and style.

Gone are the days when one would daub their everyday lipstick on and call it a day. New makeup lines are launching cyclically- which means chemists have the ability to produce an overwhelming amount of polychrome palettes.
Going down the makeup aisle or perusing through your cosmetic reservoir can be an astounding experience for today's beauty consumer. Should I base my selection on skin tone, outfit, my favorite hue or the latest trend?