(I am sure that the following applies to men as well as women; but that is not where my attention naturally focuses, so I will keep this post about the women.)

Where ever I have been, there are striking, spectacular women. And in every case I can think of, the women knew it. It is not that these women are more beautiful – they aren't – but they are more attractive. In some strange way, they are more attractive because they are willing to be more attractive. Willing to be seen. Willing to strut.
In some places, like Rome, all the women seem to fall into that category, in other places, like China, most don't.

It is not what they wear, it is how they wear it. I remember watching a beautiful Norteamericana, in Guatemala, try on a huipil that was worn by a striking, young Guatemalan woman. The Norteamericana looked ridiculous but I know why she wanted to try on the huipil – it looked so great on the Guatemalan.

 
But knowing all of this did not prepare me for the photo essay by Hans Silvester of the Surma and Mursi people in Ethiopia. Using mud, leaves, seed pods, and other natural adornments, the women look like they should be on a catwalk.

The slide show, below, shows both men and women (or, boys and girls) and it is hard to always tell which is which. The show starts slow but by image 14, or so, I was hooked.  As Joe Bob used to say "Check it out."Tribus de L'OMO / Hans Silvester