cover image by Matt Blum

In this week's cover story, photographer Matt Blum explains how in the early days of his nude photography initiative, the Nu Project, something he hadn't anticipated started taking place.

As more women got involved, "Almost everybody who participated said it contributed to some part of their mentality about themselves shifting," Blum says.

Now, nearly 8,000 women from around the world have signed on to have Blum come to their home and photograph them. Both participants and viewers tend to reach for a particular word when describing why the Nu Project has moved them: empowering.

But the question of empowerment is a tricky one. When two University of Minnesota professors looked at Blum's photos, they were largely excited by the project -- but also cautious.

See Also:
- Cover: The Nu Project explores the art of female nudity
- Slideshow: Behind the scenes: The Nu Project and the art of female nudity [NSFW]
 
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From the hand-pricked tattoos of the '20s to learning tricks of the tat trade in Asia, Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins changed the way people ink themselves forever. While we've progressed from old-school pinups and swallows to more detailed work, there's still a certain charm to Sailor Jerry's iconic body art.

This Saturday, Leviticus Tattoo and Piercing will commemorate the legendary tattoo artist's 102nd birthday by offering $102 tattoos. The catch? They've got to be Sailor Jerry-style.

Related content:

Leviticus Tattoo's '$101 Sailor Jerry Tattoo Day' [PHOTOS]

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Photo courtesy of Patrick Prather.

Nitaya Panemalaythong modeling her gown.

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A fresh new tat from Leviticus

​If you've ever dreamed of getting the word "MOM" inside a heart on your shoulder or maybe a sweet '40s pinup girl on your ankle, this weekend might just be the time. 

In celebration of the 101st birthday of legendary tattooer Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins, Leviticus Tattoo is offering $101 tattoos that fall within the Sailor Jerry style of design, known for a thicker outline and unique vintage look. 

"I think it's going to be a pretty bitching little party," shop owner Kurt Melancon tells Dressing Room.

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Hot or not?

​A new survey asking "How good looking do you think you are?" finds that Minnesotans living in the Twin Cities are the fifth-most "insecure" in the country.

That's because we don't consider ourselves perfect tens across the board.

No, really -- the survey asked respondents to guess what others would rate them "on a scale from 1-10 in looks." People in Miami, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Phoenix tend to be more "vain," according to the survey, while people in Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Denver, and Minneapolis-St. Paul rate themselves humbly.

Other questions raised by the poll: Do people in your city have tattoos? Do they smell? And do you know anyone who's gotten butt implants?

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​Patrick Lomantini, owner of Lomantini the Salon in Wichita, Kansas, has been fascinated by world records ever since he was a kid. Last year, he set one himself for cutting hair at his salon for 72 hours straight. The haircuts were free, and donations collected benefited the local humane society. "It was way more than I ever imagined it to be," Lomantini says. "It opened my eyes to what shelters and the humane society do for our communities."
  
When friends asked Lomantini how he was going to outdo himself this year, someone suggested that he attempt to do 50 haircuts in 50 states in 50 days.

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​This Friday the second annual Minnesota Beard-Off comes to the Turf Club. Here, the great beardsmen of Minnesota will gather to show off their tresses and compete in the championship. Contestants can enter categories such as full beard, partial beard, moustache, and freestyle. The last category can be interpreted as anything that doesn't fit into the other others, including beards made from bacon, which one woman did last year. Ultimately, a Minnesota Beardsman Champion is chosen from the lot.

City Pages took a moment to talk with Corrie Zoll, last year's winner of the Full Beard category, and winner of the Minnesota Beardsman title. Zoll is competing again this year, and he does not intend to go down without a fight. 

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Hughes backstage at Betsey Johnson

​Sure, we can look through fashion magazines to get a glimpse of the latest beauty trends, but why not go directly to the source? Having worked backstage at New York Fashion Week for years creating the hairstyles that inspire trends on main street America months later, Jen Hughes, master stylist at Juut Salon Spa in downtown Minneapolis, is a pro at making cool hair look easy. Always 10 steps ahead of what's next, Hughes gave us the inside scoop on styles to try today that will stay fresh well into spring 2011--when the rest of America catches up. More »

​Makeup can be either your best friend or worst enemy. It helps to have an expert's eye and opinion to help you through the minefield that is the cosmetic counter. Who better to help than my personal cosmetic guru: Sal Rodriguez from Nars cosmetics. Sal talked with us about fall beauty trends, what products are best to help your skin survive cold Minnesota winters, and his absolute beauty essentials.

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Locally based, exceptionally talented hair stylist Adam Livermore just arrived back to our fair city from Couture Fashion Week in Paris. He was kind enough to chat with City Pages about Armani, haute couture, and what it is really like behind the scenes at fashion week in the city of lights.

Jane Belfry: How long have you been in the industry? How did you get your start?
 
Adam Livermore: I've been doing hair professionally for about 8 years, and unprofessionally since high school. <laughs> I guess I got started by doing my prom dates' hair, but I didn't go to school for it until about 5 years later. It's scary to try to make a real career out of what you love to do--what if you fail?  But eventually I realized how much I wanted it, and took a tour of the Aveda Institute.  That was it.

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