455

Pearls are produced in both salt and fresh water, but the difference is astounding. Usually, the salt water variety of pearls are of a better quality and are also more expensive than pearls found in salt water; however, the choice between fresh water and salt water pearls is completely personal.

pearls,pearl earrings,jewelry

Pearls are produced in both salt and fresh water, but the difference is astounding. Usually, the salt water variety of pearls are of a better quality and are also more expensive than pearls found in salt water; however, the choice between fresh water and salt water pearls is completely personal.

For starters, pearls are made from shellfish. When an irritant, such as a piece of sand, invades the delicate lining of the creature, it secretes a smooth substance to coat the irritant, thus creating a pearl. Salt water and fresh water pearls are both made in the same fashion. This substance, known as nacre or mother of pearl, slowly builds up the irritant until a pearl is formed.

The main difference between salt water pearls and fresh water pearls is the type of create that produces this natural gemstone. Salt water pearls are produced by oysters that inhabit the seas and oceans. In days past, the only way to harvest salt water pearls was to dive to tremendous depths to recover the oysters. Today, these oysters are grown in farms, but the pearls produced are of supremely high quality.

Fresh water pearls are produced by mussels that burrow in the sandy bottoms of rivers, lakes, and streams. Like salt water pearls, the mussels that produce fresh water pearls are also farmed. In most places, “hunting?mussels to harvest their pearls is illegal due to the havoc it can cause on the ecosystem.

One can immediately tell the difference between a fresh water and salt water pearl by its appearance. Whereas salt water pearls are-or should be-completely round, fresh water pearls have a lumpy, potato-like shape. Usually, fresh water pearls are described as off-round, egg, or Baroque, and come with a more affordable price tag due to this irregular shape.

The colors of fresh water pearls encompass the entire rainbow. While salt water pearls come in a wide array of colors, fresh water pearls usually take on the hue of the mussel’s shell. Fresh water pearls can range from the traditional white, cream, and pink to more unusual shades like lavender, and copper. Although these latter colors tend to raise the price on fresh water pearls, the color of choice is purely at the whim of the buyer.

Many potential pearl buyers have the common misconception that the fresh water pearl is not “real.? This is completely untrue, as both the fresh water and the salt water pearl are equally authentic. The choice between the two depends on the tastes and the budget of the wearer. Some individuals enjoy the irregular Baroque shapes and special colors of the fresh water, where others want the classic white round offerings of the salt water pearl.

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There is something about a cameo that it truly captivating. Be it the attention to fine detail, the elegance of the portraits, there is simply nothing quite as beautiful as a cameo, and they never go out of style. Cameos can be made from variety of materials, such as abalone, wood, bone, coral, ivory, agate, glass, plastic, various shell types, and layered hard stone which comes in a variety of colors.

estate jewelry, cameo jewelry, cameos, cameo

There is something about a cameo that it truly captivating. Be it the attention to fine detail, the elegance of the portraits, there is simply nothing quite as beautiful as a cameo, and they never go out of style. Cameos can be made from variety of materials, such as abalone, wood, bone, coral, ivory, agate, glass, plastic, various shell types, and layered hard stone which comes in a variety of colors.

Molded cameos are usually made of glass. They usually consist of either one or two colors. Often the colors are swirled together. Glass cameos are usually quite shiny. Molded cameos are also molded from plastic. The wedgwood style cameos were made from plastic. Plastic makes a terrific imitation shell cameo. Older cameos were often made with celluloid using two colors. Occasionally, but not very often, natural materials are molded. One way to tell if a cameo is molded is to look for a roundness in the detail and a lack of sharp and precise lines. To identify glass cameos look for the presence of mold marks and ridges or dimples on the back.

Shell cameos are carved from a single piece of shell. Shell is soft, so it is very easy to carve. Shell cameos are usually two colors. Shell cameos have a thin concave back, with the exception of abalone and mother of pearl which are usually flat on the back and somewhat thicker. Coral Cameos are usually a single color, and also have a flat back.

Agate cameos are carved with the same technique that shell cameos are carved. Agate has one main advantage, because the carver is able to see the layers of color from the side and knows that these layers will basically be flat. Stone is much harder to carve. A good hard stone cameo is often under carved at the junction where the portrait meets the flat plaque. At a quick glance stone often looks like an applied cameo, however upon closer examination one can determine it to be stone.

Amber Cameos are rather new to the market place. Amber cameos are carved from natural amber with the reverse intaglios being hand carved.
Practice will make it easier to tell molded cameos from carved cameos: Usually natural materials are carved, while glass and plastic materials are normally molded but could be carved though not very likely. Molded cameos can be two colors by the simple device of pouring one color into the mold in a thin layer and then following with a thicker layer of another color.

If you are buying for value distinguishing the type of cameo could be very important. However, if you are buying because you simply “love” the piece, then determining the type of cameo and the value are not nearly as important. We suggest if you are purchasing a cameo because you want to add it to your jewelry wardrobe then choose what your heart falls for, just be certain you are not overpaying for what you are getting.

Cameos make a wonderful fashion statement! And they never go out of style.

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One activity that you will undoubtedly appreciate when preparing for your wedding ceremony is the wedding ring selection. Like most young girls, you have probably spent most of your life dreaming of the perfect diamond wedding ring. Hopefully, you and your fianc?have decided to shop for rings together, or you have informed him of what you like. You will wear the wedding ring for a significant amount of time and it only makes sense that it’s something that you like. If your k…

Diamond Wedding Ring Guide: Tips and Advice for Choosing Your Ring

One activity that you will undoubtedly appreciate when preparing for your wedding ceremony is the wedding ring selection. Like most young girls, you have probably spent most of your life dreaming of the perfect diamond wedding ring. Hopefully, you and your fianc?have decided to shop for rings together, or you have informed him of what you like. You will wear the wedding ring for a significant amount of time and it only makes sense that it’s something that you like. If your knowledge of diamond wedding rings is limited to size, it’s a good idea that you obtain more information before you make your wedding ring selection.

Loose or Set
When most people think of a diamond wedding ring, they often think of a stone that is already set or mounted. You can actually buy a diamond only and choose a setting later. The intelligence in doing so is cost. When you shop for loose diamonds you will notice that diamonds are available in various sizes, including oval, round, and marquise. If you don’t have a personal preference for a certain style, you might want to consider your hands. Certain styles complement certain types of hands. A good guide is to match the shape of the diamond to the hand. Do you have long, narrow fingers? An oval-shaped diamond or similar elongated style diamond for your wedding ring would probably work for you. Round diamonds are considered a good choice for most hands.

The Perfect Setting
Something else to consider when shopping for a wedding ring is the setting. Do you choose platinum or yellow or white gold? Yellow gold is the setting that most people choose for their wedding ring. It is typically less expensive than platinum or white gold. If you choose a yellow gold wedding ring, be careful that you don’t choose a higher quality just because you think it is better. As the quality of yellow gold goes up, the softer the metal becomes. A wedding ring set in 24k gold will be less resilient to scratches than a ring that is set in 14k gold. Platinum is by far the most expensive and most durable of the trio. White gold is a good choice for a wedding ring setting if versatility is important to you. White gold tends to go with everything.

White diamonds are by far the most popular. Did you know that you could buy a pink diamond? Diamonds are available in other colors, but these are typically more expensive. Second to the classic white diamond is the yellow diamond. When shopping for your wedding ring you will actually find more of these than any other color of diamond.

Considering Cost
Your budget probably carries the most weight in your wedding ring selection. A wedding ring featuring a diamond can cost as little as $100 and as much as $1,000,000. In general, the amount of money you can expect to pay for a diamond wedding ring will vary according to the type of stone and the setting. The more carats a wedding ring has the more it will cost. Diamonds set in platinum will cost you the most, while you will spend very little on a wedding ring set in 14-carat gold. You can balance the cost by buying a wedding ring with a high number of carats and set in a less expensive setting.

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The brightest part in a woman’s life, diamond, is an allotropic form (different form) of darkest of the elements in the periodic table. The most fought for of all the gems, diamonds, have a long romancing history. Welcome to the exciting world of diamonds.

diamonds,black diamond,precious stones

The brightest part in a woman’s life, diamond, is an allotropic form (different form) of darkest of the elements in the periodic table. The most fought for of all the gems, diamonds, have a long romancing history. Welcome to the exciting world of diamonds.

Origin and Diamond Market
Diamond has a bloody history right from Cleopatra to the famed Koh-I-Noor which at the earliest recorded date, 1526 AD, weighed 793 carats before being reduced to 186 carats by the lapidary Borgio.

Today De Beers monopolizes diamond production and trade which is around 130 million carats annually and in addition. A diamond is weighed in units of carats and a carat originally meant the weight of one carob seed. The present standard carat is, however, metric and equals 0.2 gm or 1/42 of an ounce.

How to Buy Diamonds
Diamonds mined out (mainly in South Africa and Botswana) can’t be sold directly as these are raw.

The 4Cs which stand for carat, clarity, color and cut of diamonds, determine the quality and price of these gems.

Carat: A carat equals 0.2 gm in weight and further divided into 100 points. This means a quarter carat equals 25 points and is written as 0.25 ct. It is hard that one can avail a diamond weighing a carat or above these days. It is almost always in fractions of carats now.

Clarity: Clearer the diamonds higher are the costs. Tiny inclusions (impurities due to presence of other minerals) mask the brilliance. While costing, the numbers of inclusions, their colors, positions are considered. Fewer the inclusions, greater is the reflection and higher is the value. Clarity is graded from I3 to VVS1, starting from Very Noticeable Inclusions to Very, Very Slightly Included, in decreasing order.

Color: The best color for diamond is having no color. White light passed through it will come out in rainbow colors. Although most diamonds look colorless they are slightly yellow or brown with subtle shades. Proximity to being colorless raises the value.

Cut: Cut is the dictator of a diamond’s value. A best cut diamond reflects all the light without allowing it to pass through giving it the brightest of shines. The best cut diamond has 57 facets (cut and polished faces) with 33 of them being on the top half, crown, and the rest on the pavilion, bottom half. Mathematically this gives the total reflection. The best cut diamond will have a round shape with the pavilion having an included angle 600 albeit there is a complex guidance chart for cutting diamonds.

548

Many people have their tricks for winning at a slot machine but do any of these tricks work?

Many people have their tricks for winning at a slot machine but do any of these tricks work?

When it comes to slot machines everyone is an expert. They will tell you all sorts of tricks about how to pick a winning slot machine, but check to see what kind of car this “expert” is driving.

If it is so easy to pick a winning slot machine then why are they driving a 15 year old car covered with rust? The real truth of the matter is that slot machines are designed to take your money. Yes, if you play a machine long enough you will eventually win that big jackpot, but chances are you will be broke by then. Here is a look at some of the Myths about picking a slot machine.

1. You can tell how loose a slot machine is by its location on the casino floor. This just is not true every slot machine will go thru a loose period and a tight period. No one knows when a loose run will start on a machine or how long it will last, and I promise you unless the casino suspects that the machine is malfunctioning they do not shuffle the slot machines around the casino depending on how they are paying out. Now machines do have a pay out percentage this is how much on average a winning spin will pay out and they will locate the better paying machines in areas to attempt to draw you in, but you have no better chances of winning on these machines then on any other.

2. Slot Machines pay out better during off hours to draw players in when it’s slow in the casino. If this were true then the casinos would have to be rigging the machines and adjusting the odds and that would be illegal. Slot machines have their odds and computer software checked by independent monitoring groups to ensure that nothing has been tampered with and that at any time of the day, week, month and year you have the same chance of winning.

3. Using a casino club card will lower your chances of winning. There are lots of folks who actually believe this is true and miss out on hundreds of dollars in free comps from the casinos because they think the club cards reduce your chances of winning and by making any wins smaller then they would have been without the card. the casinos give you comps when you win in order to get you to play longer so you will lose the money you just won and hopefully some extra as well, so them cheating you from winning will actually cost them money in the long run, besides again being illegal.

Slot machines are designed to make money for the house, but they are fair. Today’s modern slot machines use a Random Number Generator to constantly be generating possible outcomes on the machine. The computer inside the slot machine will go thru hundreds of outcomes every second and the exact moment you press the spin button the outcome is selected by whatever is currently in the RNG. So every spin has the chance to win you a fortune and if you play long enough you will eventually get that exact right moment.

Many people have their tricks for winning at a slot machine but do any of these tricks work?

When it comes to slot machines everyone is an expert. They will tell you all sorts of tricks about how to pick a winning slot machine, but check to see what kind of car this “expert” is driving.

If it is so easy to pick a winning slot machine then why are they driving a 15 year old car covered with rust? The real truth of the matter is that slot machines are designed to take your money. Yes, if you play a machine long enough you will eventually win that big jackpot, but chances are you will be broke by then. Here is a look at some of the Myths about picking a slot machine.

1. You can tell how loose a slot machine is by its location on the casino floor. This just is not true every slot machine will go thru a loose period and a tight period. No one knows when a loose run will start on a machine or how long it will last, and I promise you unless the casino suspects that the machine is malfunctioning they do not shuffle the slot machines around the casino depending on how they are paying out. Now machines do have a pay out percentage this is how much on average a winning spin will pay out and they will locate the better paying machines in areas to attempt to draw you in, but you have no better chances of winning on these machines then on any other.

2. Slot Machines pay out better during off hours to draw players in when it’s slow in the casino. If this were true then the casinos would have to be rigging the machines and adjusting the odds and that would be illegal. Slot machines have their odds and computer software checked by independent monitoring groups to ensure that nothing has been tampered with and that at any time of the day, week, month and year you have the same chance of winning.

3. Using a casino club card will lower your chances of winning. There are lots of folks who actually believe this is true and miss out on hundreds of dollars in free comps from the casinos because they think the club cards reduce your chances of winning and by making any wins smaller then they would have been without the card. the casinos give you comps when you win in order to get you to play longer so you will lose the money you just won and hopefully some extra as well, so them cheating you from winning will actually cost them money in the long run, besides again being illegal.

Slot machines are designed to make money for the house, but they are fair. Today’s modern slot machines use a Random Number Generator to constantly be generating possible outcomes on the machine. The computer inside the slot machine will go thru hundreds of outcomes every second and the exact moment you press the spin button the outcome is selected by whatever is currently in the RNG. So every spin has the chance to win you a fortune and if you play long enough you will eventually get that exact right moment.

589

The oldest earrings ever found by archaeologists were discovered in royal graves in Iraq and date back to around 2500 BC. Gold, silver and bronze hoop earrings have also been found dating back to 2000 BC in Crete.

earrings

It is thought that earrings date back to 3000 BC where they originated in Asia and appeared in 2 formats, one being the simple hoop earring and the other the more elaborate pendant earring.

The oldest earrings ever found by archaeologists were discovered in royal graves in Iraq and date back to around 2500 BC. Gold, silver and bronze hoop earrings have also been found dating back to 2000 BC in Crete. In those days it was customary to bury jewellery with the dead.

In 16th century in the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt a type of earring called an earplug became fashionable and these fitted snugly into a wide stretched hole in the earlobe. This type of piercing is seen on the sculpture of Tutankhamen.
Poverty in the Dark ages meant that work with precious metals dwindled although some goldsmiths preserved designs that were to later emerge in 7th century Greece. The most popular earrings then there were the pendant type and they often featured a bird or likenesses of the gods Eros and Nike.

In the 2nd century during the Roman Empire, earrings became a popular way for rich women to show off their wealth and the use of precious gemstones in the jewellery also became more popular.

During the Middle Ages, earrings became less popular and practical due to the popularity of elaborate hairstyles and headdresses. In fact for a time it was considered immoral for respectable married woman not to have their heads covered in public.

In 16th century Italy, hairstyles changed with hair being swept away from the face leaving ears exposed although for another 100 years things stayed the same in England, Spain and France with the wearing of high collars keeping earrings out of fashion.

By the 17th century, earrings became very fashionable accessory for the well dressed lady across the whole of Europe. One of the most popular designs of those times were the very large heavy pendant type earrings called girandoles which were great favourites of Queen Victoria. These earrings required a substantial amount of precious metals and gemstones and so were very heavy, which meant that most people that wore them suffered from elongated earlobes.

Although earrings were popular with wealthy people throughout the ages, they were also popular with poorer people who adopted their own styles which were less elaborate and made from less expensive materials.

It wasn’t until the 20th century that earrings were completely revolutionised. Different fittings appeared such as screw and clip on as well as those for pierced ears and it also became the norm for women to wear earrings in the day and not just for special occasions. The 1960′s marked a massive change for the wearing of earrings when designs became completely unrestrained and it became common to see men also wearing earrings although most only usually wear one earring. Women began to collect earrings and with so many designs available the choices were endless.

Today the choice is even greater and the popularity of earrings increases with many people now having more than one set of piercings in which to display their jewellery. Modern materials such as titanium and different types of plastics have also become popular in the making of earrings because of their lightness, design possibilities and in the case of titanium because of its hypoallergenic qualities.

There is now a never ending choice of different types of earrings from modern trendy cheap and cheerful everyday earrings to the more expensive gold, silver or platinum earrings inlaid with diamonds and other precious gemstones.

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When it is time to make that all-important step of proposing to that special woman in your life, you will need to invest in an engagement ring. Before you begin shopping for that perfect ring, you should know exactly what to expect, what to look for, and the various types of rings that are available. The first part of any engagement ring is the band; there are many different kinds of bands of different sizes, colors, and metals. The gems are just as ranged as the bands, they …

Engagement Rings, Engagement Ring, diamond Engagement Rings

When it is time to make that all-important step of proposing to that special woman in your life, you will need to invest in an engagement ring. Before you begin shopping for that perfect ring, you should know exactly what to expect, what to look for, and the various types of rings that are available. The first part of any engagement ring is the band; there are many different kinds of bands of different sizes, colors, and metals. The gems are just as ranged as the bands, they come in a variety of sizes, weights, cuts, and colors.

The first thought that comes to mind in an engagement ring, is a diamond. Of course, this is the traditional engagement ring; however, it could be any gem the couple chooses, it is all the matter of preference.

Selecting a Band

When selecting a band there are a few different types of metals you have to choose from, these include:

?Gold
?Silver
?Platinum

Each person has their own preference, some people prefer the traditional gold ring, others prefer the shine that silver or platinum can provide. Gold is perhaps the most popular of all metals when it comes to engagement rings. The gold within a ring is measured in karats. The most popular karat weight of gold is 14 Karats, though you can find gold rings that are 18 Karats and 24 Karats as well. Gold also comes in two colors, yellow or white gold. The drawbacks of gold are that it can bend very easily when worn and tends to lose its shine after a period of time.

Silver or platinum are extremely hard and does not bend as easily. Neither of these are as popular as gold is and typically costs more than gold as well. Platinum is popular because it generally never loses any of its shine nor does it tarnish in any way and is perfect for those that are allergic or sensitive to other metals.

Selecting the Perfect Ring

Here are a few tips you should consider when you are ready to purchase a ring for that special loved one.

1. If you have already proposed and are ready to purchase the ring, take your loved one with you when selecting a ring. This will allow her to have a choice in the matter and this way you will always have the perfect size and fit.

2. If you are purchasing a ring prior to the proposal, consider retrieving (also known as sneaking) one of the rings she already owns and taking it with you. This will help in making sure the ring will fit on that big day.

3. Furthermore, for surprise rings make sure that you take notice of everything about the love of your life. Take note of the type of rings she wears, small stones, large stones, or none at all. This will help your jeweler make suggestions on the ring you should consider.

Overall, it can seem like a daunting task in picking out that perfect engagement ring. Have fun with it and know that the end results could very well be spending the rest of your life with the one you love.

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When you want to buy jewelry, you have to choose the one that can compliment a formal outfit or for daily wear. It is not cheap to buy one, so think carefully before you decide. If you make the right decision, that chosen jewelry styles can draw attention to your best features or possibly camouflage less desirable areas. Your choice of jewelry style will subtly affect others perceptions, so what guidelines are there to help you select the most flattering jewelry?

Earrings…

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When you want to buy jewelry, you have to choose the one that can compliment a formal outfit or for daily wear. It is not cheap to buy one, so think carefully before you decide. If you make the right decision, that chosen jewelry styles can draw attention to your best features or possibly camouflage less desirable areas. Your choice of jewelry style will subtly affect others perceptions, so what guidelines are there to help you select the most flattering jewelry?

Earrings:

The main factor when choosing earring is your face shape. Face shape is important when selecting earrings. Face shapes are generally grouped as: oval, rectangle, round, heart and square.

Individuals with an oval face shape can wear any style while other people should look for styles that contrast their face shape. Selecting a hoop or button style for a round face would only emphasize the round shape. Square or long shapes will de-emphasize a round face.

The same is true with other face shapes; a long, rectangular face should stay away from long, dangling earrings and choose smaller studs instead. Square faces need the softness of round or hoop earrings and heart shaped faces are complimented with triangular shapes with a wide base that contrasts a narrow chin.

Necklace:

Your choice of necklace can minimize or emphasize your size. If you want to create or emphasize a taller appearance choose longer necklaces and V shapes. A necklace that falls past the bustline but above the waist will elongate while a choker style or shorter U shaped necklace resting on the breast bone will shorten your appearance.

The size of your necklace should also be considered. Fuller figures can compliment their proportions with larger, chunkier pieces that would overwhelm an individual with a smaller frame.

Bracelets and Rings:

Similar guidelines should be followed with bracelets and rings as with necklace choice. Women of average build and height will find a wide bracelet most complimentary. Petite women should look for more delicate pieces and tall or full figured women should layer several small or wide bracelets, avoiding very delicate pieces that can look lost.

When selecting rings make sure that the setting doesn’t cover your knuckle which not only will cause fingers to look short but can interfere with movement and comfort.

Shorter fingers benefit from oval settings while longer fingers look best with wide bands or simple, round settings.

What you like and want to own:

While these guidelines may influence the type of jewelry you select you can be sure that there are many, many choices for all tastes and occasions regardless of your shape or size.

The above are guidelines. The most important of all is choosing what you love. It is you who wear them. Even though those chosen ones are perfect for your face shape and size, you do not like them.

There is no point to buy. Use your feeling to decide which one is best for you.

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Lingerie today – Paris, London, New York, Berlin, Warsaw. For every woman and every man.

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Women who wear lingerie ‘feel?more feminine and sexy. If you are one of those people that think “Why wear lingerie. Now that you can wear lingerie that feels wonderful
on your body, it is much more pleasurable than before.
Many women wear lingerie (in polish: bielizna) that is so close to the color of their own skin that one cannot tell where the lingerie ends and you begin. Men’s Lingerie Buying Guides have been used to great effect by many male purchasers from all over the world. Remember, this is just like buying lingerie it isn”t about what you like it is about what she likes. Top marks to him for being brave enough to try buying lingerie face to face with the assistant, but how much easier to do it on line where he could browse and choose in privacy. Aperfect ten body is not needed to get a way with wearing sexy lingerie. Sexy Lingerie (in polish: bielizna damska) says, I love you, I think you are Beautiful, I think you are sexy, and I want you to be mine. Leather plus size sexy lingerie would definitely awaken the sleeping animal in him. However, there is much more to sexy lingerie than this very small representation. The selection of silky satin lingerie and nightwear available today is in fact huge. Of course, there are also the many lace and satin lingerie for you to choose from when buying your women’s lingerie. Everything from silk satin lingerie to elegant nightwear can now be
purchased easily on the Internet.

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Some people think that funny tee shirts fall into the category of “rude clothes,” while others consider them a form of free speech.

Rude shirts, funny tee shirts, funny t shirts, rude clothes, joke shirts, party shirts,

It was Mark Twain who said, “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.” That saying still rings true, as our society has developed into one that uses apparel as a way to convey one’s social status. Simply flip through the pages of a woman’s fashion magazine to read breathless coverage of the fashion statements being made on the couture runways of Paris, Milan, and New York. Listen to a gaggle of high school girls decrying the must-have fashion accessory of last season as “so last year.” Even men aren’t immune to the whims of the fashionistas – particularly those fashion moguls who were once (or still are) hip hop moguls.

If both men and women use apparel to convey social status, they also use it as a means of self-expression. The fictitious fashion editor in “The Devil Wears Prada” always accessorized with a white Hermes scarf. Donald Trump is known for his colorful neckties. And Woody Harrelson is known for wearing hemp.

Beginning in the 1960s, T-shirts became a means of self-expression. Back then, plain white T-shirts transformed into tie-dye works of art proclaiming the rise of “flower power” and urging, “Make love, not war.” Soon, messages began appearing on T-shirts using silk screening or screen printing. Bands began selling branded T-shirts to their fans at concerts, and young people began wearing band T-shirts as a symbol of their personal identities.

For the past few decades, graphic tees have also been used as promotional and branding tools. Whether the word “Gap” is emblazoned across the front of a T-shirt or a depiction of a favorite Disney character adorns the wearer, the T-shirt has become a means of marketing a product or brand.

This branding may have begun at the corporate level, but soon became personal. From the humble beginnings of tie dye and peace symbols, T-shirts have evolved into a lasting trend of people wearing their beliefs, philosophies, and senses of humor on what are termed “graphic tees.” Graphic tees can range from funny T shirts and joke shirts to party shirts and even rude shirts. Indeed, graphic tees are standard issue for college kids, those who want to speak their minds, and those who consider themselves outcasts. During times of political controversy, funny tee shirts take the place of (or are an adjunct to) bumper stickers. The boldness and bravado of the wearer is evident for all to see.

Some people think that graphic tees fall into the category of “rude clothes,” while others consider them a form of free speech. Indeed, instead of wearing your heart on your sleeve, you can wear your political beliefs, spiritual beliefs, sense of humor, or sense of outrage emblazoned upon your chest.

There’s no doubt that funny tee shirts, joke shirts, party shirts, and even rude shirts are the ultimate form of self-expression. It seems like, once again, Mark Twain got it right!