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Home > Bibliographies > AAST298J (Spring 2004)

Asian American Beauty and Fashion by Sukanya Mukherjee


Newspaper or Magazine Articles on the Internet

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Website Articles

  • "Bollywood Fashion Awards Make a Dazzling Debut in New York." May 3, 2001. Apunkachoice.com. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://www.apunkachoice.com/scoop/fashion/20010503-0.html>.
  • "Fashion Quandry for Asian American Men." Asian American Issues. April 18, 2003. GoldSea. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://goldsea.com/Air/Issues/Stylem/stylem.html>.
    This site talks about Asian American men who fall into the category of "fashion victims." By trying to be trendy, or the newly coined term, metrosexual, many Asian American men are frowned upon and their masculinity is challenged. This article also contains an open forum where young Asian American men write in and described their own fashion styles. Many of these men also offer advice to other Asian American men about finding their own fashion niche.
  • "Kristin Kreuk: Next Asian American Beauty?" Asian American Issues. 26 Mar. 2003. Goldsea. Date Accessed: 16 Aug. 2006. <http://goldsea.com/Air/Issues/Kristin/kristin.html>.
  • Lal, Priya. "Selling Beauty Queens and Fairness Creams." Bollywood From Beyond. Dec. 18, 2003. PopMatters. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://www.popmatters.com/columns/lal/031218.shtml>.
  • Mehta, Monica. "What Do You See When You Look in the Mirror?" South Asian Women's Forum: Women and Society. Dec.11, 2001. South Asian Women's Forum. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://www.sawf.org/newedit/edit12112000/women&society.asp>.
    This article is part of the South Asian Women's Forum. Monica Mehta discusses South Asian women being sucked into Western beauty ideals. She and her inner circle of friends discuss how many Indian women frown on their own skin color, height, and facial features. Some things that stand out in this article are how many South Asian women wish they had more "white features" such as thin, small noses, or more height. Mehta also speaks of Indian fashion magazines that try to make their models look more "European" by having them wear blue contact lenses or only featuring models with very light skin. This is an important article because many Asian American women are bombarded with images of ideal beauty, which generally means looking "European" or "All-American."
  • Puri, Sunita. "'Ethnic Fashion' Obscures Cultural Identity." Model Minority: A Guide to Asian American Empowerment. Feb. 2, 2001. ModelMinority.com. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://www.modelminority.com/article241.html>.
    Sunita Puri writes about how the Indian trend of wearing bindis has become part of American pop culture and mainstream fashion trends. She as well as many other South Asians are upset to see their cultural symbol paraded around by people who only see it as a short-lived trend and do not know or appreciate the cultural meaning and history behind it. She also writes about how the media and Hollywood pushed the idea of exoticism and ethnic bohemian trends without considering the negative cultural implications it may have.
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Websites

  • Anna Sui.com. 2006. Anna Sui. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://www.annasui.com/>.
  • Anokhi Magazine. 2006. Anmeco Optimedia Online Inc. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006 <http://www.anokhivibe.com>.
  • The Asian American Woman. 2006. AsiaMS.Net. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006 <http://www.asiams.net/>.
    This online magazine contains fashion, beauty, and healthcare links for Asian American women as well as a few articles for men. One of the best features of this site is the tailoring of beauty and fashion advice to Asian American features, which seldom occurs in other fashion magazines.
  • Asian and Oriental Fashion Designer Photos. 2006. FashionSyndicatePress.com. Date Accessed: 16 Aug. 2006. <http://www.fashionshowroom.com/orientaldesigners/runway.htm>.
    This site is a database of Asian and Asian American fashion designers. When the user clicks on a name another page appears containing photographs of the designer's work. This site is very easy to maneuver. By looking through the photographs of each designer's collection it is easy to see that many draw inspiration from their culture and heritage. This site is a good way to see how Eastern and global influences are seeping into mainstream American culture.
  • Bibi Magazine. 2006. Bibi Magazine. Date Accessed: 16 Aug. 2006. <http://www.bibimagazine.com>.
    Bibi Magazine is created for young South Asian American brides. This site links young women to Indian bridal designers and vendors. It also gives tips for the wedding and reception. This site is a bit difficult to navigate and does not contain as much information as the print magazine itself, but it is a good starting point for someone planning a cultural wedding where there are limited resources and vendors to create a nontraditional Western wedding.
  • Crescent Moon Designs Henna Art. Ed. Natasha Papousek. July 10, 2006. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://www.cmoondesigns.com/index.html>.
    Crescent Moon Designs highlights the work of Natasha Papousek, a practicing henna or mehencli artist in California. Even though she is not of South Asian or Middle Eastern descent, she has extensively studied the art of using henna to make beautiful designs on the hands, feet and body. Her designs have significant Indian influences, such as peacocks, which represent beauty and fidelity. Papousek uses more contemporary designs such as doves that represent peace, as well as Islamic-inspired geometric patterns in her work.
  • DesiWear. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://www.desiwear.com/usa/index.htm>.
    This website is sponsored by a distributor of clothing geared to South Asian American youth. It offers casual wear such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, pants, and jackets all with Indian or "Desi" symbols. The clothing features symbols and phrases such as "Desi Diva" in both English and Hindi. This particular line of clothing ties in with strong bonds to hip-hop culture and urban life created by second generation South Asian communities in America, Canada and the United Kingdom. Desiwear offers a new brand of clothing for South Asians who feel they are not represented in e more popular urban clothing lines such as FUBU, PHAT FARM, or Sean John.
  • Fashion and Beauty Profiles. 2004. AsianConnections.com. Date Accessed: 16 Aug. 2006. <http://www.asianconnections.com/a/...=Fashion%20and%20Beauty%20Profiles>.
  • Fashion for Asian American Woman. 2006. AsiaMs.net. Date Accessed: 16 August 2006. <http://asiams.net/Fashion/fashion.html>.
  • "Femina Generation." 2006. India Times. Date Accessed: 16 Aug. 2006. <http://www.feminaindia.com>.
  • Jade Magazine: a Fresh Perspective for Asian Women. Aug. 2006. Jade Magazine. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://www.jademagazine.com>.
    Unlike many other Asian American fashion or beauty magazines, which focus on a youthful audience, this one caters to Asian Americans of all ages. In addition to information on beauty and fashion it also contains links to arts, entertainment, and other issues pertaining to the community.
  • Mimi So. 2006. Mimi So International. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://www.mimiso.com>.
    Mimi So is a hip young jewelry designer based in New York City, who has made a name for herself with her fine jewelry collections and her high-profile clientele. So has six collections ranging from what she calls "Anzia," a very delicate design with floral motifs and small diamonds to "Cage" and "Bond," which show more modern geometric patterns. Her wide appeal comes from her trendy designs, which cater to a younger generation. Her jewelry is very versatile and simple so customers can wear it for an evening out on the town or to the office. With clients such as Beyonce, Eve, and Kimora Lee Simmons, Mimi So's designs enjoy a wide and diverse audience with her work being advertised in magazines and shown on popular television shows such as "Sex and the City."
  • Plan to Enjoy Your Wedding. 2002. Shaadi.ca. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://www.shaadi.ca/index.html>.
  • Rivaaj Magazine. 2003. Moonstone Media. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://www.geocities.com/sadaf070/>.
  • Sheetal. 2006. Sheetal India. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006 <http://www.sheetalindia.com>.
    Sheetal India offers a new and modern twist on ethnic Indian fashion. This site caters especially to South Asian youth who want to see Western and Eastern trends fused into their traditional wear. It is especially appealing because it offers formal and casual wear for parties and weddings. The outfits are versatile and very easy to move around in, unlike most traditional wear that is heavy and difficult to manage and maintain.
  • Unze by Shalimar Shoes. 2006. Shalimar Shoes Ltd. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://www.shalimarshoes.com/index.php>.
    Shalimar Shoes combine modern trends and detailed Indian designs to create evening footwear for all ages and genders. Located in London, they distribute their shoes all over the world and are one of the many companies that are following the trend of an "Indian" look. The main difference is that Shalimar Shoes is owned and operated by Indians living in the United Kingdom. Shalimar Shoes has wide appeal, especially amongst South Asian Americans because of their intricate designs fashions that work well with Western clothing and traditional Indian clothing, which is still an important part of life.
  • Vera Wang.com. 2006. Vera Wang Bridal House, Ltd. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://www.verawang.com>.
  • Vivienne Tam. 2006. East Wind Code, Ltd. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://www.viviennetam.com>.
    Vivienne Tam's website is aesthetically pleasing as well as easy to navigate. Her collections are light and girly but still maintain clean lines and vibrant colors. Her clothing is designed for a younger audience but few pieces can be incorporated for a more mature customer. Tam uses her Chinese heritage throughout her designs, incorporating cultural symbols such as dragons and using intricate Chinese designs in her clothing. There are heavy Mao influences making her clothing not just functional but also works of art. It is easy to see the fusion of Chinese tradition and American culture in her work.
  • WeddingSutra.com. 2002. Wedding Sutra (India) Pvt. Ltd. Date Accessed: 15 Aug. 2006. <http://www.weddingsutra.com>.
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Asian American Studies Program
University of Maryland Undergraduate Studies