Quinceanera History: Wherever it's celebrated, Quinceanera takes a very important significance for the fifteen year old young man, her family, her church and those who love her. For many Hispanics and Latin Americans, it's a cultural, ethnic and religious marker. It's celebrated mostly in the Mexican culture.

Parents are known to have been saving for many years so they can offer the best ceremony to their daughters. Quinceanera is a celebration of the coming of age. For many, it means a change, a profound transformation from a girl with flats to a young woman in high heels. For sure, quinceanera is about beauty, hope, youth and continuity. More than anything, it's about fashion. It may be the equivalent of the Emmys and Oscars in the modest to rich Mexican families.

Of course, the first communions always have their own importance, but the quinceanera celebration is something else. Parents in the United States who escaped years of abject poverty in the motherland are known to go overboard for their daughter. They spend a fortune to give them everything they want. Educators, priests and some family members often complain about the waste of financial resources on such celebrations. They'd rather see that the parents save all the money spent on beverages, trio or bands, bracelets, chains, gowns, dresses, hall rental, limo etc. etc. be saved for the college education of this young man. If anything, all the money spent on Quinceanera could be a large down payment on the young woman's future house.

Nonetheless, It's hard for many Hispanics, (North, South and Central Americans to break free from this tradition passed down from the Mayans and Aztecs; a tradition that was almost destroyed by the Spanish conquistadors). It's worth saying that one of the most salient symbols of Quinceanera is the dress. The Quinceanera Dress may be the young woman's first formal adult wear. Please keep in mind that in many Hispanic cultures, after the fifteenth birthday, some levels of responsibility also mark the entrance of the young person into adulthood. Just like in the ancient days, she was to learn skills that she would use for the rest of her life. The dress shows a change in the status of the young woman. That's why most people call this cultural ritual "a coming-of-age ceremony." If the wedding gown makes a senora of the woman, the quinceanera dress makes a young adult, a senorita of the fifteen year old. It's her sweet fifteen.

The quincenera dress is obviously different from a social dress or a communion dress. By now, you will agree that the dress is very much a critical element of the celebrant's ceremony. What else can we observe? Along with the dress which is usually formal length, the celebrant will wear a headpiece called a diadema or tiara. She will also carry a matching ramo. The headpiece and ramo are prepared with lots of care by professional artists or experienced family members to keep the costs down.

Some of the items that the honoree will receive include the libro y rosario. To show her change from girl to adult, she will receive the adult size rosary which she will use to worship. She will also receive a Bible. Depending on her suspected preference, the bible may be in English or Spanish. A lot of the kids who were born in the United States prefer their English version to the Spanish language prayer book. Many family members, friends, padrinos and nina will give gifts of jewelry. They may want to rent a band or trio or the dance hall or a favorite DJ. Others may pitch in by buying some beverages of all kinds. The celebrant may be allowed to sip her first alcoholic beverages as a sign of adulthood. This may depend on the laws of the state and whether the family is liberal or conservative. Signs that show the celebrant has joined the adult world are: a ring, esclava, identity bracelet, earrings, and the religious medals, la medalla de oro, of the Virgen of Guadalupe. According to Norma Cantu who has written Chicana Traditions: Continuity and Change, some churches even ask the young woman to take classes. Keep in mind, all priests are not in favor of this celebration.

La fiesta Quincea?era, is a rite of passage for fifteen-year-old Latina girls. It is a community and family celebration full of tradition and meaning when a young girl is symbolically escorted into womanhood by her family and the event is witnessed by her community. The word itself comes from the Spanish quince, "fifteen," and a?os, "years." The origins of the Quincea?era are often attributed to the ancient customs of the Aztecs, but the ceremony and meaning behind it are similar to other ancient cultural initiation rites that occurred throughout the world. Fifteen was the age when many young women left their family home to become wives and then mothers, and almost as though passing through an invisible door, a Latina enters her Quincea?era as a child but emerges as a young woman with new responsibilities. Those who know and love her will see and treat her differently from that day forward.

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Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 5:03 PM

Updated: Wednesday, 25 January 2006 8:11 PM

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Get all the info you need on prom, Quincenera and Elegant evening gowns at ElegantPromdresses Shop Usher's Classic, Sophisticated Sense of Fashion, Style and Appeal Usher's Fashion Tips for the Guy accompanying the promgirl He is only known by Usher. His full name is Usher Raymond. His album, Confessions, brought him fame, name recognition and a budding mini-empire. He has lots fans and a huge fortune. He appears to be an earthy young man who knows about breakups and other sentimental issues. His album, Confessions, is now at more than 4 million in the U.S. alone. Solo artists are making a great comeback with him. So far, he has three hits "yeah!," "Burn" and "Confessions Part II." Usher is also known for his classic, soft, sophisticated sense of fashion and style. On Oprah, Today, MTV and various other events where he appears, we can see what he is wearing. Here is a list of the clothes, gear, jewellery, Usher wears and designers who are behind them: Yves Saint Laurent Coat, Armani Collezioni Trousers, Sol Rafael earrings, silk tuxedo shirt, black armani slacks and tank. Gucci belt. Gucci underwear. Paul Stuart outfits. Valentino wraparounds. Some of the best tailors want to dress him. "Armani wants to dress me. So does Cavalli," he said during an interview. Usher is an artist whose clothing must celebrate his appeal. He talks about style and sophisticated swagger all the time. Usher likes the following designers: Gucci. I love Dsquared2. Ozwald Boateng. Paul Smith. Paul Frank. J. Crew Abercombie & Fitch. He likes his boxer-briefs which hold his goods closer to the body. Usher also wears jeans. Paper Denim & Cloth, Sacred Blue, Seven. He wears Vuitton sneakers which come in various colors. He also had some Adidas Now let's talk about his jewels. He wears solid gold, 18-karat matte yellow gold, Rolex. He loves ties and suits. He thinks they empower a man. His ties come in hundreds of colors. His mother helps him collect them. Usher could be on a dance floor in any prom ceremony. Shopnowshopping Allpromdresses

Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 6:27 AM

Updated: Wednesday, 25 January 2006 8:18 PM

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Find & Browse some great prom and Quincenera Dresses

Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 5:26 PM

Updated: Wednesday, 25 January 2006 8:25 PM

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Mood:  happy

Don't Phunk with My Heart

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Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 7:23 PM

Updated: Wednesday, 25 January 2006 8:12 PM

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Get Author's discounts by ordering a copy now. Once you have completed the purchasing process through Paypal.com, e-mail the author to speed up the process.

This book is an eclectic collection of poems and short essays on California's people and landscape, wine, beach and car culture. Wordsworth summarizes Mr. Charles's poetic affinity, "Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings; it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility."

"California Blossoms and Harvest Delights" deals with this expansive, rich and fertile landscape in a way that readers will quickly recognize the important landmarks, features and attributes of the Golden state. It pinpoints areas of appreciation and highlights important cultural contributions and activities of the various ethnic and minority groups forming this new frontier, Central California. The Silicon Valley's high-tech boom is soon followd by the housing market boom up and down the state and specifically in Central Valley places such as Fresno County, Clovis, Madera county, Visalia, Modesto, Turlock, Sacramento, Tulare etc. This may be why an astute observer of the Valley once said, "Our hills and farmland are blooming with new houses and commercial buildings bordering fields of grazing cows." This is an uplifting, eye-opening and thought-provoking work.

Book Sample

Temporary Troubles, Eternal Glory

Christmas time is the time to be together with loved ones and with those who matter to us a lot. This year's Christmas season will be more meaningful for many of us in this country and around the world. It's a time when we can truly count our blessings in light of all the conflicts, acts of violence, war, diseases, the terrorist spread of anthrax in our mail system, talks of WMD and bioterrorism.

The tragedy of Sept. 11 is still fresh on our collective minds. There is no way we can't forget those who laid their lives at the great altar of service. The first celebration of Christmas after those horrible acts finds us more meditative and mindful of our position in the larger community. Many other Christmas celebrations will follow in the years ahead. We are the keepers of our brothers and sisters. We become more united than ever before despite all the things that existed out there to divide us. The enemies might have tried to divide us, but we did not get into their traps. We stood tall and united in the midst of our calamities and tribulations.

The temporary troubles of our lives are nothing in comparison with the eternal glory we are called to have in the Father of all comfort (2 Corinthians 2:3-4). In these days of tremendous pain, it is good to go back to the things that bring us comfort, the things we are familiar with. Family, friendship, religion, strong sense of community, flag, storytelling and patriotism are all the things that become important in our lives since Sept. 11. This is why our officials encouraged us to go back to our normal routine despite all the changes that suddenly became part of our world. Our world changed on 9-11. Now we can talk about pre-911 and post-911. They will be for ever known as historical markers or landmarks.

No matter how much change we have lately witnessed, we want to stick to the constant points of our life. There is no doubt that we were truly shaken by the anthrax scare. We knew that we had to be careful with something that has become part of our lives. For far too long, we have taken our snail mail for granted. When we saw that our mail men and women start becoming victims of the terrorist acts, we knew that those changes would affect us personally. This is why we need to be more appreciative and thankful for these people in our lives. How many times have we taken the time to purposefully say a few words of thanks to these brave men and women who deliver our mail to us in good and bad times? How many times have we personally thanked our dry cleaner workers? How about the men in uniform, the firefighters, rescue workers, police officers, emergency medical workers and even the rescue dogs? It makes sense that these people did not think twice to rush to the burning towers to help, guide, comfort others who were facing certain death? They rushed in to humanize and diminish the suffering of complete strangers. They REACHED out to them. They did something to alleviate their excruciating pain. As a grateful society, we respond by recognizing their heroic acts. In a matter of minutes, days and months, they have reclaimed the title that surely belongs to them.

These ordinary men and women did not become our heroes because of their excellent beauty (even though most of them are beautiful), they became our heroes for their unselfish, altruistic acts on behalf of thousands. Even on earth, their recognition and rewards are greater than most others.

From the smoldering rubbles rose goodness. It's true that the hearts of many people in this country and all over the world ache, they have become witnesses of history. It has been history in the making ever since these tragic, horrific days befell our country. Goodness surely germinated and rose from the ruins of such major losses of lives and property. Grief took over our mind. The level of atrocity is unimaginable. Men have become their own fiercest enemies. They are bent on destroying themselves for each time a man dies, a part of another man also dies. If anything, the heinous acts of Sept. 11 make us realize the value of being connected to our community and the value of interdependence.

All over the world, prayer vigils were held. Churches saw an upsurge in attendance. Neighbors who never said hi to each other finally realized that they had so much to share. They are talking. Even major cities' crime rates decline for the few days after the tragedy. Once for all, people matter. Relationships matter. It's ok to grieve. It's ok to look for public comfort and inspirational or spiritual matters. The stock market becomes less relevant. Our materialistic ambitions are set aside for a while. Our selfish ways become the antithesis to this kind of 1-for-all sense of community.

Compassion becomes more than a simple word. Seize the day. Live today and forget the past and even the future. How many of us wouldn't like to sustain this kind of spirit of America at its best? Even on busy streets, complete strangers take time to say hi. They don't seem to be peering down your throats without even nodding your way or recognizing you are around. Our hearts become open to the needs of our neighbors. That's how it should have been all along! We may have finally realized that we are all on the same boat of life. Life is too short for us to waste it. Let's use it to contribute to our world and matter to others. Our life is like a flower. Job 14:2. No matter what may have come our way, we know that victory, glory awaits in the near future. 2 Corinthians 4:1, 7-8, 17-18;

Please meditate over this passage: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.." Psalm 46: 1-2. Let's sustain the spirit of America at its best! We are a nation of strong faith, conviction and determination

Mr. Charles's first book "The Long Lost Garden of Eden" was well-received.
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Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 11:01 PM

Updated: Wednesday, 25 January 2006 8:23 PM

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The domination of the iPod music player may not be for long. Is that so? RealNetworks has announced that it has come up with a technology, named Harmony, that can let users of RealNetworks' RealPlayer Music Store to transfer songs to the iPod. Now that's huge!. Consider how the Cupertino, California's company's iPod has been so dominant on the market, you'll realize the fight that was on to obtain a piece of this rich market. While Steve Jobs was dealing with some personal issues (surgery to remove a tumor according to the news), the engineers of RealNetworks were rejoicing. While the iPod technology is highly guarded secret, a closed system, these guys managed to create access to it. In other words, they are accused of using a hacker's technique to break into the iPod. For now, the party goes on for RealNetworks. How about a giant B-B-Q to celebrate the achievement?

All the Apple enthusiasts and iPod fans must be furious over this news. Maybe not all of them. After all, they are consumers who want to be able to make decisions based on comparision shopping tools. The computer maker may have its own move down the line. If its own engineers can verify or spot the access source, it is likely to be plugged to prevent Harmony from working.

The iPod Craze got fueled by Newsweek article, July 26 and the online media
How has the fight become so ugly?

In the technology world, this new development has been major news feed. Consumers acquire a new choice. Whether it's better than the iPod or not, no one can tell. What's a given is that the songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store can be played on a new music player. Money is at the foundation of RealNetworks'development. More songs from their RealPlayer's Music Store can be purchased by consumers who can transfer them to their iPod.

What's clear is that copyright lawyers will have a field day. They'll be able to refer to precedents such as PCs of the former Compaq corporation that were found to be compatible with IBM There is no doubt that Apple has the lion share of the download music market. Whether RealNetworks will be a viable competitor rests to be seen. It may come down to a question of taste for the consumers. They'll be able to pick whatever flavor they want.

This fight between these two companies is only at the beginning stage. Apple will try to settle the score and even beat RealNetworks in the end. No one can predict the final scores at this time. Once Steve Jobs is recovered, he'll be right back in the middle of the actions.

Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 11:01 PM

Updated: Saturday, 5 November 2005 6:10 AM

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Mood:  celebratory

Listen to You Sexy Thing

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Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 11:01 PM

Updated: Thursday, 2 February 2006 3:12 AM

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Mood:  lucky

There is no doubt that Sony has come to symbolize versatility, high-end consumer products, reliability and a touch of luxury in the fields of digital cameras, camcorders, photogray and moviemaking. What's clear about Sony is that its products stand for high quality and technological advances. It appears that Sony ingenieurs, designers and marketers have not been sleeping on the wheels. Through their R&D, they try to find out and anticipate what the regular consumer will want. Based on the following products, one can reasonably say that this company is on the right tracks with its large variety of products.

Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 4:33 PM

Updated: Thursday, 17 November 2005 5:02 AM

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