Blog Posts by Claudine Zap

By Claudine Zap.

I know it's hard to believe, but when I wake up in the morning and pull on a pair of jeans and a top as my uniform for that day, I am making a political statement. Just think about it: Women in this country, American women, wore corsets, bustles, and girdles as their get-up. And that was only a century ago. Liberating? How can you be free when you can't freely breathe?

A show that closes on August 15 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art deserves a last look. If you never got to catch it, don't worry. You can get a close-up with the video below and check out a Flickr slide show.

The exhibit got tons of press when it opened this spring because the gala was hosted by none other than Oprah Winfrey, and boasts an audio tour narrated by style icon Sarah Jessica Parker. But the show is a testament to how fashion reflected the enduring strength, drive, and bravery of the American woman. Let's take a look...

While the show opens on the bejeweled formal look of the turn of

by Claudine Zap

Women would forgo sex over gaining 10 pounds over the summer. Half the women in the poll of 1,001 respondents said they'd give up sex for skinny. And about a fourth of the men polled said the same.

But that's not all. Women want to be thin over job promotions, and would be willing to give up TV, their cellphone, even their computer for some weight loss. Yes, being thin is that worth it. Better than texting, better than "Jersey Shore," better than being plugged in. Pretty much better than everything going on in our daily lives.Why? Probably because it's the one thing you can't get simply by logging on, tuning in, or vegging out.

What both men and women aren't willing to do? Actually lose weight. The poll -- sponsored by Nutrisystem -- showed that both men and women wouldn't give up their favorite foods for the inconvenience of dieting.

But sex? Sure, that can go. Here's the best part: The majority say that to feel sexier, they'd have to lose weight. Oh, the

By Claudine Zap.

This sounds like a problem I wouldn't mind suffering from: A study shows that some women may be ruled too hot for certain jobs.

OK, it's not as good as it sounds. Because being considered too beautiful for work is actually a very ugly practice: Judging someone hot or not for a job that has nothing to do with looks is discrimination, pure and simple. Even if it comes wrapped in a pretty package.

The study, published in the Journal of Social Psychology, asked subjects to match photos of job applicants with job titles.

While the gorgeous gals were ruled too hot for some positions like engineer and prison guard, the good looking guys were not. Double standard? You betchya.

A recent brouhaha in New York about a banker, Debrahlee Lorenzana (pictured above) touched on such an issue. The employee sued Citibank after she was fired. She claimed she was let go because the men in the office thought she was "too hot." The bank did not see it that way, but could this be a more

By Claudine Zap.

Never say never. Hillary Clinton -- Obama's biggest block to getting the democratic presidential nomination in 2008 -- is now the most popular member of his cabinet. Unlike Vice President Biden, who seems to go off the rails every time he opens his mouth, Hillary Clinton has been low drama -- and loyal.

A post from the Wall Street Journal mentions a suggestion by former Virgina governor Doug Wilder that Clinton step in on the ticket. And for an election season this fall that is looking bad for democrats, Hillary could perhaps be, well, the great white hope for Obama in 2012.

Wilder argued that replacing Joe with Hill would re-invigorate working-class voters who could possibly go with the opposing ticket this time around. Would Joe go? A reporter for New York magazine even suggested the two simply switch roles. Pundits are vigorously debating whether or not she'd accept such a post. (Really, are you kidding? If Obama asks, you know the answers is yes. The woman

By Claudine Zap.

Summer vacation seems to be a particularly risky, or should I say, risque time in terms of fashion for the first lady.

Last summer Michelle Obama wore shorts at the Grand Canyon -- paring her bare legs with sneakers. This summer, FLOTUS is showing shoulder in Spain. On a private trip with her daughter, Michelle Obama was spotted sporting a one-shoulder Gaultier top. And let the ire begin.

The vacation, a quick couple days in a lavish Spanish setting, had already set off critics. Her Euro-galavanting led to comparisons to Marie Antoinette -- and not in a good way. (Last year, at least, Michelle Obama's hiking shorts no-no was displayed locally at an American landmark.)

But the issue again seems to be the traditional box the public likes for its public women.As Kate Betts wrote in a post for The Daily Beast, "The public wants their first lady to look good, but not too good."

Would it have been better or worse had she not pulled off the showy top? Does Mrs. Obama

By Claudine Zap


Sure, a woman was a major U.S. presidential contender this last time around. And three different women have headed up the State Department. But the 16 intelligence agencies have been woman-free. Until now.

Letitia A. Long starts her first day as the head of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . Not only that, but the tech-focused department makes her kind of "head geek" of national intelligence.

This is no small thing. According to the story on Yahoo! News, women in data intelligence gathering are accustomed to getting second-class treatment from the male-dominated industry -- even though women make up 38% of the intelligence workforce, and 27% of senior positions. Now add one more -- head of an agency.

Long was recently second in command at the Defense Intelligence Agency. Defense Secretary Gates called her the right person for the job. That's one small step for Long, and a giant leap for woman-kind.

By Claudine Zap
Something strange and wonderful is growing on the rooftop garden at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Against the concrete walls of the city scape of Manhattan's Upper East Side, a spiky protuberance of bambu lashed together with climbing rope by some brave and hearty souls has sprouted.
Under its shadow, on this night, the curious come to gaze up underneath the organic dome, while the more adventurous have signed on to explore some of the bridges built inside the walls, some as high as 50 feet above the ground. Which is to say, above the rooftop. Which is to say, high.
A rock climber, Colleen, was on hand to admire her work (yes, amazingly, this is her job) -- and perhaps enjoy a moment of rest before the next work day. While the twin brother photographers Doug and Mike Starn designed it, it's a team of people like Colleen who have made this work-in-progress come to life. The bambu building is not complete, even though it already takes up the entire roof deck. It is

By Claudine Zap

Think of it as "Project Runway" for prom. There's a competition to create outfits. There are the votes to decide who is in and who is out. Just one catch: The designs must be made entirely out of duct tape.

Mission very accomplished. Ray Banna and Yancy Esquivel had the winning designs that scored the most votes, earning them $3,000 each in scholarship money and $3,000 for their high school. Not bad for a bunch of DIY designs made from tape. Tape!

The two were a dream team: While 17-year-old Esquivel handled drawing and sewing, Banna, who is 18, masterminded a Facebook campaign to gather votes. All in all, the couple clocked 300 hours and 30 rolls of tape to create the tux and gown, complete with duct tape bow tie and purse.

Competition was, um, sticky: The Duck® brand duct tape Stuck at Prom® Scholarship Contest requires competitors to make their prom wear entirely out of the multicolored, highly durable stuff. Who would guess that something used