Beyonce was just honored as People Magazine’s Most Beautiful Woman. Well deserved, in my opinion. As an image consultant, I have seen women bemoan their curves and feminine figures for years, which has always saddened me. Beyonce, although far from being full–figured, is a very curvaceous woman who has never hid that fact.

Beyonce is not only a role model of beauty, elegance, and style. She is a healing force for all women who are not stick skinny, proving what I believe that, “beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, ethnicities and ages.”

When Beyonce began her stellar career, her mother designed and dressed her for stardom. Her mom’s fashion savvy and uncanny knack for dressing Beyonce’s curves in the most incredible way has made Beyonce the envy of all.

What woman wouldn’t want to have a personal image stylist? Usually only celebrities and socialites have the money to employ their own image consultant or stylist. That’s one of the reasons I wrote my book, Dress Code: Ending Fashion Anarchy. I wanted to give every person, male or female, the knowledge to dress him or herself well. What Beyonce’s mom intuits, average people need to learn. Sadly, there are very few places in this country where people can learn about what colors they look best in, what clothing shapes flatter their bodies, what fabrics are their best choices, and even what shape accessories, shoes and eyewear to wear. I want that information easy and accessible to all Americans, as it should be.

Motherhood has made Beyonce even lovelier. Again, she is showing us neither full curves or the challenges of post pregnancy can deter a woman from looking great if she chooses to. No matter what stage or station in life, beauty is always a choice. Beyonce has made that statement loud and clear. Bravo!

The death of Trayvon Martin is tragic. Although we may never know the exact events of that night, we can’t lose sight of the fact that a young man lost his life. Seems like everyone is focusing on hoodies and our right as Americans to wear them. Instead of focusing on hoodies, we need to ask ourselves why people wearing them scare us, but our slovenly image as a nation, doesn’t seem to bother us at all.

Yes, it’s true that we do judge a book by its cover. Yes, we do size people up by the way they look. When we look at what’s accessible to us, we have the honor of being the worst dressed nation in the modern world today. So why the heck aren’t we focusing on that? We look pretty ugly and our behavior isn’t beautiful either. Only a small percentage of Americans present themselves with pride and honor anymore and it didn’t used to be that way.

If more Americans dressed respectably then perhaps our national paranoia of ethnic profiling would diminish. And if more Americans remembered that in a civilized society we need manners and good grooming, we could all relax more.

We have, as in Florida, put vigilantes in neighborhoods to police our streets. Perhaps we wouldn’t need them if we learned to police our own personal standards.

Me? I hold myself accountable to a higher standard: one that comes from a higher source. I take pride in who I am. I respect my body and care for it well. I bring beauty into every place I can and I honor others with respect and kindness. Integrity and honor guide my dealings in business and in life.

Maybe in light of Trayvon’s death, we can all join together to end stupidity and step it up for our country. People who care about themselves are able to care more for others. Ugliness radiates from the inside out. The only hoodie we should care about is the one we need to put over our eyes as we hide in shame.