Only a fellow brown girl knows how hard it is to make it. And by make it, I mean, strip ourselves away from the tensions and insecurities that arise from being immigrants, and turn it one of our biggest strengths.

An emerging and supremely talented young artist, Anjulie Persaud (This isn’t official, but it sounds like a variation of “Anjali Prasad”) is slowly making her way onto the music scene. The Canadian singer’s parents who are of Indian descent were originally from Guyana, who then moved to Canada. Talking about turning her weakness into strength – our spotlight brown girl who is slowly “making it” got her first break in the music industry right after being fired from her job at a record studio. Uh.. what?!

She’s got a unique voice for sure – frank lyrics, and deep, catchy melodies that makes you pay attention. If listened to carefully, the lyrics can unravel a very introspective, smart woman. “I think I have something to say lyrically” she writes on her website (www.anjuliemusic.com) “My background is in songwriting, so I’m really invested in melodies, song structure and payoff choruses, but on this record, I tried to loosen up and just express myself how I wanted to. I really write for myself.” And her self-titled debut album suggests, she really does.

On my first look, she reminded me of Amy WInehouse, on my second, Nelly Furtado, on my third a little bit of Lauryn Hill. That makes sense because she has been influenced by an  array of different artists – from Alanis Morisette to Annie Lennox to Kanye West, and it shows in how different and eclectic her music really is. People across the world, are starting to really dig her music, and so we might just be looking at the Next Music Sensation. Her debut album reached Number 2 on Billboard’s Heatseeker Albums and number 108 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. The single ‘Boom’ reached Number one  the US Dance Charts.

Here’s a brown girl to watch out for and take inspiration from, and hopefully, one day she will be big enough for us to tell everyone that we knew about her first!

Check her music at www.myspace.com/anjulie

You’re hot and the weather is hot. We all know that. Now what to wear?

The Romper

If you are…

Petite: Spring for a strapless, shorts-style romper. The strapless top works well with a smaller bust size, and shorts will make your legs appear long and lean. Throw on a long chain necklace and high-heeled sandals to complete the look.

Curvy: Opt for a romper featuring capri-length bottoms and a short-sleeve, wrap top. Bottoms that hit above the knee show the right amount of skin, and a surplice neckline is an elegant and understated way to show your curves.

Tall: Button-down shirts attached to pants are incredibly sexy without exposing a lot of skin. The menswear-inspired rompers hang well on tall, slim frames.

Flower Power

Floral prints can either be a vintage masterpiece or an outdated disaster. It’s crucial to choose the right color, fabric, and print size in order to avoid looking like you just raided your grandma’s closet.

Hues like dusty rose, cream, and asparagus green should not be the base color for your floral piece: They will make the piece look too authentic instead of giving it a modern twist on an older style.

When it comes to the size of the print, always keep it small and subtle. As for the size of the piece itself, almost anything goes. Floral prints can work on cardigans, tank dresses, skirts, and tap shorts.

Get Cultured, Go Tribal

Vanessa Hudgens and Jessica Szohr pull off this look better than anyone else in Hollywood, and South Asian women can too-tribal prints and jewelry were made for dark skin and hair.

Billowing dresses, tops, jumpers, and skirts can all be found in tribal prints, so the sky is really the limit with this look. For a daytime look, pair your outfit with moccasin shoes or boots by Minnetonka. At night, trade your Native-American-inspired shoes in for Indian and African-influenced jeweled sandals. When hunting for accessories to complete the outfit, steer clear of anything glitzy. Keep it earthy and go for turquoise and rust-colored stones set in blackened silver or copper.

As for hair, stop wasting your time in front of the mirror and let your hair run wild. Going tribal means embracing your inner cavewoman, and the more carefree your hair is, the trendier you’ll be. And don’t stress if your hair doesn’t have a silky texture: Loose, side braids and beachy waves work best in coarse hair.

Avoid at All Costs

When hot, sticky weather takes over, everyone has the urge to throw on a stretchy tube top and run out the door. But, if your cup size is larger than a B, think twice.

If your chest is on the larger side, make sure that all of your strapless tops and dresses have strips of boning in between the layers of fabric: The boning gives structure to the bodice and a significantly better shape to your chest.

No-slip lining is another vital component of a flattering strapless piece, but it’s usually not found in lower-priced pieces. The clear, gel-like lining grips onto the top of your chest, saving you the hassle of pulling your top or dress up every few seconds.

Strapless pieces can be fun and feminine but if chosen haphazardly, they can look tacky and distasteful.

Recently, BG sat down with Iram Zaidi, the Co-Founder and Chief Business Development Officer of Profound Aesthetic. The hip young t-shirt company had recently caught our eye not only for its fashionable tees, but for do-good attitude.

According to Zaidi, Profound Aesthetic is a clothing brand designed to inspire and spark innovation as a creative outlet of expression delivered through the universal language of art on a “t-shirt”. Each piece is carefully designed by the staff to be visually appealing and also present a positive message.

“[The brand] renders a positive message, pushing the limits of intellectual creativity and at the same time fitting an eclectic taste in fashion, suitable for every citizen of humanity,” said Zaidi of Profound Aesthetic’s goals as a business and design company.

The Company began as a collaborative effort between Zaidi, her brother Faraz Zaidi, and her cousin Nabil Zaidi while driving back from a road trip from Chicago in 2007.

“With seventeen hours to kill, a lot of topics  came up and we somehow stumbled upon a general consensus: there is a serious lack of substance in the t-shirt market and we were going to make that change,” said Zaidi.

Profound Aesthetic was officially founded in August of 2008 after the team found a name they all loved.  After that, the pieces seemed to fall into place. Zaidi purchased the domain name, developed the website, and began marketing the brand through Myspace and Facebook. Their first tee, “Peace By Piece” started it all.

“When Ferdinand Porsche, founder of Porsche couldn’t find a car that fit what he was seeking in an automobile, he built his very own. That was our precise motive behind Profound Aesthetic. The three of us are a team of artists, graphic designers, musicians, philosophers, photographers,  and thinkers who are driven by the idea of every individual regardless of race or creed, status or disposition, to be able to pick up a shirt and wear it with pride and appreciate it for its message,” said Zaidi.

Profound Aesthetic is a three person team in which every person contributes their own talents. The respective roles have been distributed to ensure that every aspect of the company’s goals is covered even though. Even then, their roles overlap.

“Essentially, Faraz is the President and designer, turning our vision and concept into a reality by developing a design that is then printed onto a t-shirt. Nabil is the Marketing Director and mainly keeps us informed of any sort of events that will be beneficial to us. In addition to that, he has a “street team” of students from all over the country that help in distribution of flyers and marketing pieces. Lastly, I take care of every aspect of the business from booking events, to taking care of e-commerce orders through our online store, to customer relations, to sales and expanding Profound Aesthetic into retailers all across the globe.”

Faraz, a graduate from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and a top notch graphic designer that has worked with fortune 500 companies develops all the graphics from scratch. However, many new design concepts are a collaborative effort. Each design has its own story from where the idea come from and how it came to fruition.

“The “Create the Sound” tee was a concept developed after  watching a Spike Lee movie from the early 90′s. We discussed the transitioning of how the creation of music has evolved over the years. It was certainly an epiphany; a keyboard on Nabil’s shoulders as a visual to this magnificent concept. Nabil was the model, I did the photography and Faraz turned it into a graphic. It was magical and a true example of our collaborative efforts,” said Zaidi.

Other design concepts have even been developed by their fans. The “Universal Tee” was developed when Profound Aesthetics did a show in Washington D.C. and a fan handed the team over a piece of paper with the quote “you can bomb the world to pieces, but you can’t bring peace with bombs”.

“We loved the quote! Not to mention it used Peace and Piece like our very  first shirt. We went home, brainstormed and designed a shirt with the universal symbol of peace resting on the bottom corner of the t-shirt. The next day, our email was full of orders!” said Zaidi.

The young company has grown tremendously in the past year and sells its designs throughout the world. Even, Zaidi finds it hard to believe the Company only sold its first shirt November 2008. For the 2010 collection, Profound Aesthetic is looking into even more designs, introducing a premium denim line, winter attire such as cardigans, sweatshirts, jackets and accessories as well as an expanded women’s line.

“At times I am astonished at the progression we have made and I strongly feel that it is due to our tremendous passion and  love for what we do, along with the beauty of present day technology and a solid plan for success. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that we will achieve our aspired goals and it certainly feels amazing when I am reminded of that at every point in my day as I get notifications of purchases on my blackberry from all over the world,” said Zaidi.

Just a short visit to the Profound Aesthetic’s website and you can see why they have had their success. Their shirts are unique and stylish and present a design that’s beautiful and thought provoking. Their best selling shirt, the “Peace by Piece” tee, presents a fun play on words and simplicity of design. The shirt appeals to all, men and women, regardless or race, gender, and ethnicity.

” A great deal of thought is put into each and every design to ensure that it is purely unique and unlike anything. We take an enormous amount of pride in creating the most creative and penetrating designs that exceed anything else that is out in today’s market. We were simply sick and  tired of designs with absolutely no substance or meaning and a t-shirt  in recent years has become a great method of expression and art. It was our perfect opportunity to make a difference.”

To learn more about Profound Aesthetic visit them at http://profoundaesthetic.com/.  Keep up with all their events and networking initiatives through their “I AM PROFOUND” Magazine Blog, facebook, and twitter.

by Pooja Patel

Brown Girl recently had a chance to talk to aspiring musician Katie Gray, a while back. You may have heard her beautifully haunting song, “Set Free” sampled on an episode last season of the hit TV show, Bones.  Coming from a mixed South Asian and American background, this talented young woman originally moved to LA to become an actress.

Brown Girl: Good afternoon, Katie.

Katie Gray: Good afternoon. It’s such a beautiful day out here in LA the sun is shining, the birds are out.

BG: It must be beautiful in California this time of year. How did you foray between acting and music.

KG: I was always an artist. Originally, I wanted to be illustrator. I was always drawing, doing water colors. But as I got older I realized that no matter what I did I could always do art. I met someone when I was 18 who really encouraged me to move out to LA. Shortly after, I did it, I got an agent and started doing television, movies, voice over work, cartoons…but, I felt it wasn’t honoring my art. It was other people’s art, their creation. I felt that I had so much to share, so I started writing. Music intertwines all of it: the stage performance, writing, winds it all together in a magical expression.

BG: You have so many talents. Did you do the art work for latest CD?

KG: The album that came out 3 years ago I did art work for that and for the new one too. When you create music, you record it, its like bringing this dream energy, into the musical realm…it has the essence of you it. The art work helps express it.

BG: How has your South Asian background influenced you, if at all?

KG: I had a mixed upbringing, a variety – it was really good and really challenging. My father was from India, and my mother from the US. Because of the difference of customs/traditions…in our situation, it wasn’t very nice. My mother, 2 sisters and I left my father when I was 4. It was really challenging. There was a fair amount of abuse. It was a lot of women go through. To save us, my mother moved us to Michigan, raised us alone, but so sweetly. I lived there until I was 17. It was a really nice. I had the shadowy night, and the sunny day of upbringing. My music has so much depth because of it…there’s so much emotion. All of it escalated to eating disorders, and also to a burning desire to create art, to release all those feelings that were held inside.

BG: You seem like such a great role model, turning around the experiences that you’ve had and make something to beautiful and so positive. Do you feel like your heritage gives an extra edge against peers?

KG: I think so. I really do. Especially growing up in a small town in Michigan. Aside from three other kids, I was the only other dark girl. Especially in the summer, I would get so dark. My other sisters seemed to inherit my mom’s genes they were so white, and I grew up so dark. I used to be really insecure about it, I used to feel different, feel like I didn’t belong. But, its part of who I am. To this day, no matter where I go I feel like its something differrent and special. The older I got, the more I realized that I stood out and there was something special about me. I tanned, I never burned, I looked exotic, and I could look Indian, Brazilian, Italian. I feel so blessed to have this beautiful chocolate skin.

BG: What advice would you give our readers, who are going through difficult times, to preserver?

KG: If I could give any good advice to any young women, is to come to terms with the fact that no one knows the answer. There’s not right, no wrong, it’s all perspective. The only perspective that really matters is your own. No matter what path you take, what direction you go, you’ll come across disbelievers, people that will think different than you.  What you feel in your heart, your intuition, you must follow it. You have to trust and listen to yourself and now that you’re right. Know that everyone person on this earth is equal, regardless of color or class. They just think different.

BG: What advice would you give someone was starting out in the music business, was it difficult to get your music heard. Was it nerve racking writing, to play your music at first?

KG: I think starting down any path where you’re exposing yourself and you feel vulnerable it’s natural to be nervous… I felt this way. Through my songs, I’m sharing my dairy…it can be so hard to share, but the more you do it, the easier it gets, and the more fluid your conversing gets. It takes practice. Keep sharing yourself with the world. And no matter what others say, you have to keep going ahead.

BG: How would you describe your own music?

KG: Rejuvenating lullabies for a world that’s crying.

BG: What king of music do you like listening to. Who are you listening to currently?

KG: I like all types of music. But, I really like melodic, electronic music. It’s my favorite music to sit back and listen to. Also, I like Anishka Shankar’s music list on Pandora – hip, electronic, groovy music.

BG: Top 5 songs on your iPod.

KG: Paul Simon, Cat Power, Thievery Corporation, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead.

BG: Any dates set for the US before you move to England?

KG: I’m returning in the fall after a small hiatus. My new album will be released in Winter. After that, I’ll do a tour.

BG: Any dates planned for Texas?

KG: I actually played a little in Austin, when I used to live there. I used to work for this non-profit the Global Youth Summit, where I worked with children all over the world. I will miss it this year, but I want to do a few dates in Texas when I come back. I went to South-by-Southwest this past year, but I didn’t get to go to ACL.

BG: Maybe we’ll see you there in the future. Is there any quirky or interesting that you would like to share?

KG: I think everyone should get involved with groups, gatherings, orgs, publishing that keeps you updated and inspired to open your heart a little bit each day and feel a little bit better in this world.

BG: Who are the biggest musical influences on your music, your sound? How long did it take you find your own voice? Who was it that influenced you the most?

KG: I’m most influenced by classic rock. When it was in heights, when the country was in dire need for change – the revolution in the late 60s, early 70s,  that’s when music had so much substance, purpose, and intention with its sounds – so acoustic, there was so much that was being said. That inspired me to want to get a guitar and want to make a change with music. Janis Jopplin, Bob Dylan, and once again Paul Simon would be my biggest inspirations.

BG: anything else that you would like to share.

KG: absolutely anything is possible. If you believe it will happen it will. I’ve seen it happen many times

KG: Thank you Katie, so much for your time.

BG: Thank you and have a beautiful day.

Check out her music on her MySpace page: www.myspace.com/katiegraysongs

Or for more info on her upcoming CD visit: www.cdbaby.com/katiegray

]]> http://browngirlmagazine.com/2009/09/the-soulful-katie-gray/feed/ 0 http://browngirlmagazine.com/2009/09/fall-time-accessories/ http://browngirlmagazine.com/2009/09/fall-time-accessories/#comments Sat, 12 Sep 2009 22:06:36 +0000 browngirlmag http://browngirlmagazine.com/?p=1226 by Musleha Munir

It’s time for class and you’re already late! What to do, what to do? How to look super-chic with only five minutes to get out the door? Well just grab a fabulous accessory or two or three to look like the true Brown Girl fashionista that you are!

1. Throw on a pair of classic (or not-so classic) aviator sunglasses to block out the sun while walking around campus.

Aviator Sunglasses $11.00

Plastic Aviators $12.99

2. Only got a minute to get dressed? Wear a pair of chandelier earrings and instantly look well put together!

Mia Dangling Bead Earrings $4.80

Cicely Earrings $12.90

Beaded Chandelier Earrings $7.99

3. Stay cool and rock some fierce footwear while trekking from building to building in the heat.

Fume 57 Cut Out Bootie $27.50

Magdalena Platforms $59.99

4. There’s no easier way to look chic than an armful of pretty bangles!

Athena Metal Bangles $5.80

Square Cut Out Bangles $9.99

5. Got a bad hair day? What could be more necessary than a funky straw hat to cover up that uncooperative head of hair?k

Asymmetrical Straw Cloche $34.00

Banded Fedora $11.50

6. Breathe some life into a boring outfit with a glamorous jeweled necklace.

Faceted Collar Necklace $80.00

Asymetric Coral Necklace $39.99

7. Keep your essentials organized and handy in a bright clutch.

Mazzarone Clutch $29.98

Oversized Pleated Clutch $34.95

Round Bottom Clutch $14.94

8.   Haven’t had time to get that haircut before school starting? Help your awkward bangs out by channeling Blair Waldorf and wearing a fun headband.

Neon Splatter Feather Headband $17.99

Flower Bow Headband $4.80

Majical Anjali (a.k.a Anjali Bhatia)

by Pooja Patel

Hi BG Readers! Summer is here and it is beautiful outside! It’s time to update your music playlist and jam out on all your summer excursions.

Looking for a great find? We at BG had the opportunity to chat with none other than UK’s Magical Anjali. You may have heard some of her tunes on the Mean Girls soundtrack or the track Stinging Sitars on a few Samsung Blackjack commercials. We’re sure you’re gonna love her psychedelic melodies and stellar sitar tracks!

BrownGirl: I’ve been a fan of yours for years now. I’m so excited to finally have the opportunity to talk to you! I love your sense of style, both in the music you produce and they way you project yourself. What do you consider your top influences? What inspires you as an artist?

Anjali: Thanks for your compliments! My influences come in all shapes and forms, I love tinkering with vintage keyboards and creating new sounds I also listen to a vast amount of music from all kinds of genres, I love collecting vinyl and sourcing obscure sitar tracks that I can throw into my dj set. I’m influenced by all things esoteric from the pantheon of Hindu Goddesses to weird and wonderful film soundtracks like Kosmos and 2001 Space Odyssey to retro Bollywood. Everytime I travel to a new destination I seem to collect an introspective experience that inspires my music in some way…especially with travels to India.

BG: How would you describe your music? Where did you get your start?

Anjali: Describing ones own music is always a trying task! But I guess it’s quite a varied amalgamation of sounds and flavours with exotic beats and retro flourishes!

I was always in bands and writing songs, I was in an all girl band called Voodoo Queens and we played our first ever gig with only three songs supporting the band Cornershop in London. The legendary late great BBC Radio One DJ John Peel was at the gig and loved our raucous three song set and offered us a Peel session on his radio show on the spot! We had to write a fourth song pretty quick because we were invited into the BBC studios to record four songs for broadcast on his influencial radio show. We were offered a record deal soon after that and I guess that I have been doing music semi-professionally ever since! So I’m always really thankful to John Peel.

BG: Did you always know you wanted to be a musician? As a woman of South Asian descent, how did your parents react when they found out that you didn’t want to pursue a career considered mainly ‘typical’ ? How did you overcome the obstacles you faced with your parents?

Anjali: My father bought me a guitar when I was eleven so I always blame him for getting me into music! However I think he was hoping that I would play cute little classical songs but I got into punk and alternative music! Luckily for me my parents have always been really open minded and encouraged me to follow my creative instincts even though they had to put up with a lot of rebellion in the process.

BG: Have you noticed any adversities in your career because of your background? Or do your Indian roots give you the extra edge that sets you apart from your peers?

Anjali: Luckily I havn’t experienced adversities because of my background if anything it can be an advantage. Having such a rich culture and heritage to dip into is a positive thing and it is great being able to fuse influences from both eastern and western cultures into a sonic tapestry. Having access to my parents Bollywood film soundtracks and indeed being taken to watch the Indian film classics while growing up has been a fabulous influence!

BG: What type of music do you like to listen to? Who are some of your favorite artists?

Anjali: I hate music snobbery and I listen to most things with an open mind and independent ears! Some of my favourite artists are Siouxie and the Banshees, Kate Bush, Bollywood film composer R.D Burman, Alice Coltrane, Kraftwerk and Sonic Youth amongst a multitude of others…

BG: What’s currently playing on your iPod?

Anjali: I havn’t got an iPod, I tend to work with headphones mostly when I’m writing my music and I try and limit my headphone usage for the sake of my bleeding ears! However I’m currently listening to an album by UK artist Nikesh Shukla (aka Yamboy) called “Kidologies And Amazing Fantasies” and I’m also listening to the Grizzly Bear album.

BG: Anything quirky or interesting you’d like to share with our readers?

Anjali: I almost lost my whole album in a computer crash and I hadn’t backed up!! Which is shameful. Data Recovery phoned me to tell me that they had managed to retrieve nothing from my hard drive…I was so distraught and in shock and couldn’t believe it. I had planned a trip to India and was due to leave the next day, I was going on a pilgrimage to the holy mountain Vaishno Devi In Jammu and Kashmir, there is a saying that those who do the tough climb up to the top of the mountain have a wish fulfilled… I got back to London four weeks later and got a call from my friend who had tried to help me retrieve my album, data recovery had called him the day before I arrived home and they had somehow managed to find my album data in the depths of my damaged hard drive!

BG: As a publication geared towards inspiring strong, independent, young woman, do you have anything that you can share with us that would help connect with our readers? How have you risen against the problems you’ve encountered?  Any advice you’d like to offer?

Anjali: I think that if you have a desire to do something that is not necessarily seen as an expected career route it’s important to take a chance and follow your heart. Taking risks is important and being obsessed with just making money is not the be all and end all in life. I think that following a creative path is not easy and you have to be made of stern stuff to follow it through…and be able to live very frugally at times. But there is no point of just dipping a toe in the water, it’s best to just dive right in and with a strong belief and dedication anything is possible! I invest everything in my music. Everything goes straight back into music related subjects from buying vinyl to studio time to purchasing equipment! Ok, I throw in the odd handbag or three but they are most useful for carrying hard drives around too!

BG: I read on your blog that your latest CD is ready. Can you give us an exclusive as to what we can expect in your latest work? How has this latest project differed from your work in the past?

Anjali: It really is a mixed bag of goodies, from midnight down tempo moods to psychedelic guitars and sitars swerving through exotic percussion and electronic beats. There are all kinds of interesting sounds flying around and sweet melodies too! The way this album differs from my past albums is that all the songs were mixed in the same analogue studio whereas in the past tracks were mixed and recorded in a few different places, so I feel as though the album has a more unified sound. I also used a lot more live musicians from live brass, sitars and tablas to lowry organs. I co-produced tracks with Count Dubulah who is a renown World music producer and songwriter. I enjoyed the collaborations and working with talented musicians such as John Eacott who has also played trumpet and flugelhorn on Damon Albarns Monkey Opera and organist Rory More who has just recently worked on a Kanye West production.

Abercrombie & Fitch winter soundtrack photo session

BG: Can you describe what the past few years have been like, with getting exposure on the Mean Girls soundtrack, being featured in the Samsung blackjack commercial awhile back, etc?

Anjali: They have been great opportunities for me and my music, especially coming from an independent background where I never had a huge major record label trying to actively sell my music for me, so for my tracks to have picked up like that is a testament to the fact that I always tried to stay true to what sounds I love creating rather than following trends. It goes to show that opportunities are there for even the most unknown, leftfield artists! In fact being in the niche “market” can sometimes be advantageous because there are not necessarily thousands of other acts that sound like you and you may have more of a chance of your music standing out.

BG: Any plans on performing in the States anytime soon?

Anjali: I’m organizing a set of dj gigs at the moment mostly in Europe but I hope to come over towards the end of the year, Will keep you posted!

BG: What else can we look forward from you in the future?

Anjali: My new album for starters and them some! I’m also working on a few projects at the moment, including composing some instrumental pieces for a short film. So there will be lots of new music to tuck into in the near future!

Check out Anjali’s website to catch glimpse of her fun, exoctic sense of style at: http://www.anjali.org.uk/

You can also sample a few of her amazing tracks on her myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/magicalanjali

]]> http://browngirlmagazine.com/2009/06/sonic-summer-sounds/feed/ 3 http://browngirlmagazine.com/2009/05/a-how-to-for-smokin-eyes/ http://browngirlmagazine.com/2009/05/a-how-to-for-smokin-eyes/#comments Wed, 27 May 2009 02:38:04 +0000 browngirlmag http://browngirlmagazine.com/?p=1008 by Musleha Munir

“Oh my God, what happened to her eye? Did someone punch her? Oh my God, someone punched both of her eyes! Wait, what…oh. It’s her makeup. Was she trying to do a smokey eye?”

The perfect smokey look is a classic and sultry look, perfect for any night out. But many girls are afraid to try it because they don’t want to look like they rubbed ash on their eyes. However, there is no need to worry any longer, if you follow my steps, you will be well on your way to conquering the smokey eye!

1.       Apply primer or concealer to entire eye area.

2.       Apply a pearl colored highlighter in the area above your crease and below your eyebrow.

3.       Generously apply a dark gray eyeshadow to entire lid.

…

4.       Apply black eyeshadow in the crease and in the outer corner of your eye.

…

5.       Blend! Blend with a big fluffy eyeshadow brush.

6.       Line your lower inner lashline with a black eye pencil.

7.       Line your eyelid with black liquid eyeliner.

8.       Line your lower lashline with black eyeshadow.

9.       Curl your eyelashes.

10.   Apply mascara to upper and lower lashes. Apply 2-3 coats to get big lashes!

11.   Apply the same pearl eyeshadow from step 2 underneath your brow.

12.   Ta-da! You have achieved smokey-eye greatness!

Age: 22

Height: 5′ 10″

Hometown: Bolton, England

Occupation: Olympic Boxer

No, ladies we’re not talking about Lagaan star Aamir Khan. We’re talking about Amir Khan, and English-boy with a fighter’s attitude. This real-life ‘Rocky’ catapulted himself into the international arena in 2004′s Athens Summer Olympic games, winning the silver medal. He rose to fame again, during last summer’s Olympics, fighting for the gold-medal. Though he may not have won the gold, he’ll sure win your heart.

Not only is he a talented athlete, he’s also heavily involved in charitable organizations. He’s spent much time in the English communities coaching students and raising money for the 2005 Kashmir Earthquake.

What else can we expect from this brawny beauty? Keep your eyes open!

by Survam Patel

1.       Guys want honesty, not silence! Contrary to popular female belief, it should NOT be expected that a guy can read your mind. So, be straightforward and tell him what’s on your mind. If you want him to do something, don’t throw out some subtle hints. Grow a pair and tell him to his face…nicely!

2.       Guys want a woman that chooses them, and does not need them. They prefer an independent woman with her own set of goals, friends, and interests because having an insecure girl that is dependent and takes up all his free time gets to be a drag real quick.

3.       Guys want fidelity. Well so do girls – I mean who wouldn’t want some trust. All things that are worth having don’t come easy so when the going gets rough, don’t catch a case of the ‘roaming eye’ but work on the relationship!

4.       Guys want acknowledgment. It seems to be happening more often than not these days, but the failure to acknowledge him for his accomplishments, or seemingly trivial acts of kindness, are going more and more unnoticed, leaving the guy feeling inadequate. Women say chivalry is dead, but guess who killed it?

5.       Guys want open communication. Being a great listener, as well as a chatterbox, is just as important to a strong relationship. You can’t expect him to listen to you explain about how naïve your parents are, or how you can’t believe one of your friends did something ‘like omg wtf’ and then chastise him for wasting your time because you had to listen to him sound off about his favorite video game or sport team. It’s a two way street woman!

6.       Guys just want to have a little fun (no pun intended). All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!  Who would want to be in a relationship that involves awkward silences, arguing, and eventually making up just to do it all over again? Try and partake in his interests so you guys can do something fun together, even if it means picking up that awkwardly contorted Xbox 360 controller and figuring out how the hell to play Halo, or even by learning the player’s names and positions on his favorite team and spewing them out during the next game. He will definitely be surprised, notice it and BAM – you just got yourself a new shopping partner!

7.       Guys want a girl who can work the family. I am a little biased on this since this is more of what I want, but I am pretty sure most guys would agree that it wouldn’t hurt if the girl could work everyone in the immediate family. Just think about it – no more having to explain why you guys are spending so much time (and money) on each other because they will like the girl and accept her more easily! So do your homework and especially figure out what his parents want to see in a girl, and even if just for a day, just mold yourself to fit that description. It will definitely get you a free IOU card from him.

8.       Guys want a girl with financial responsibility. With our economy in shambles, having two sources of income is becoming the norm to sustain the desired quality of life. Yes, I know this article is about relationships and not marriage, but I am just saying that guys want a girl who will have a stable future and isn’t dependent on him for a source of income. This touches on rule number 2 of guys wanting an independent girl. There is no shame in wanting to marry someone financially well off (I would shack up with a female doctor in a heartbeat), but make sure you have something to bring to the table as well.

9.       Guys want a friend. First and foremost a girl should always be a friend, because it is when guys can be the most laid back and open, which is what girls want in the first place. Try and find time to spend regular time together, whether it may be on catching up on some similar shows you watch, movies, dinner, walks, sports, or just plain old chatting it up. My personal favorite is going to a local mellow bar and relaxing with a few drinks. That’s right. You don’t need 7+ people with you every time you go out drinking. So, always think twice and try to place your criticism and condescending remarks on the backburner (whether it is well deserved or not) and try and be that friend you were when you first met the fella!

10.   Guys want a good looking girl. You thought I would leave it out didn’t you?! If I did, and some of you girls took this article seriously, then you all would be in those gauchos that make your legs look like elephant trunks and threading would be a phrase from the past. BUT I have polled a sample population (grand total of 3 guys) in steady relationships (over 2 years) and they have said that if most of 1- 9 is there, then the girl is mind numbingly beautiful to them already. So out of all 10, this is the one you would have to worry about the least!

Now girls, do you agree with Survam? It’s your turn to sound off. What do women want in their guy?

****************************************************

Survam Patel – Survam Patel half-assed his undergrad at the University of Texas at Austin and is currently one of the laziest 2^nd year pharmacy students that the University of Houston has seen in over a decade. When he isn’t tied down with school he enjoys cooking Indian food (as long as it has meat), watching Texas/Texans football, grilling, music hunting, floating the river, receiving noise complaints, pissing excellence, and watching an array of TV shows he keeps up with (none that have to do with gossip of any kind). He is OCD of sorts in that he ALWAYS has to use his turn signal (even for the most menial of turns), keep his room and bathroom absurdly organized, spell correctly at all times, and check his Gmail at least 5 times a day. He is also the only Survam you will ever meet.

Meet Kal Parekh. Currently residing in Los Angles, Kal is a working actor with a passion for dancing and art. In his current gig, Kal works as a stand-in and double for Sendhil Ramamurthy (the Indian geneticist Mohinder Suresh) on the hit NBC show Heroes.

BG: What are you career aspirations?

Kal: Well, I guess for any actor, there is a desire to win an academy award one day. That would be amazing, but I will settle with just being a working actor on a hit TV show or do a couple of movies every year. What ever it is I just want to do good work. I would also love to work with some of the great actors and directors of our time. There are way too many to list here. I have some wonderful story ideas that I would love to see come to fruition.

BG: When did you decide you wanted to go into acting?

Kal: It wasn’t that long ago and it was quite an abrupt decision. I was looking into taking film making classes one summer and changed to acting a week before I started and never looked back. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made. We all have those life changing moments, and for me that was it.

BG: What were some of your favorite gigs?

Kal: I haven’t been doing this for that long. In the four years that I’ve been acting I’ve done a lot of short films and one feature called Khel Shuru (the game is on). It was a huge learning experience for me as an actor on and off the set from rehearsals, to learning Hindi, to doing TV and radio interviews. “Ek ladki do chappu” (translation), a short I did when I moved to L.A., was a different kind of experience for me. It was entirely improved. There was no real script, just an idea. It came out great. I was really able to explore my comedic side. The entire film is available online to watch. My current gig is working on NBC’s “Heroes” as a double and stand-in. It is amazing to be on a set of a popular T.V. show every week and just absorb everything. I love watching the actors work and everything that goes on behind the scenes. It’s a huge learning experience.

BG: What do you like to do on your free time?

Kal: I love movies, naturally! I watch a lot of movies. I like to write as well, poems, short stories, that kind of thing. I love reading, but not for entertainment (I have movies for that). Books I can learn from and be inspired. I draw and dance as well. I used to perform on the east coast all the time, but after moving to L.A. I had to cut back and concentrate on acting.

BG: Any future gigs we can keep a lookout for?

Kal: Any updates and gigs will be listed on my website kalparekh.com. You can check that from time to time.

Kal Stats:

Age: 26

Height: 5’9″

Turn Ons: honest, free spirited , positive, passionate, blonde!

Turn Offs: dishonest, ego-centric, flaky, stand offish, negative.

Best Joke: I really don’t have a best joke. I’m quite terrible at telling them, but here is some humorous advice for you. Never play leapfrog with a unicorn, ouch! If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is not for you. There are two theories to arguing with women, neither one works! (You know this last one is so true!)

If you know a Brown Boy perfect for our next issue, please contact us at brownboy@browngirlmagazine.com!