The clip is about photographers but the principle applies to many artists including writers, bloggers, stylists, and make-up artists. And now with the intern’s lawsuit against Harper’s Bazaar, unpaid work is a hot topic! The fashion industry is rife with unpaid “job” opportunities and I dare say that has more than a little bit to do with the fact that it’s an industry dominated by women. In both PR and journalism, fashion seems to have no trouble asking young women to work for free. The result is that only people who can afford to go unpaid get those opportunities to break into the industry.
Have you worked for free to gain exposure? Was it worth it? What do you think about the common practice of unpaid internships and other uncompensated labour?
My comment from Ashe’s post featured here! The Good Men Project: Nice Piece on Male Body Image Issues
Are you your own worst critic? Daily Good: The Power of Self-Compassion
Holding on is being brave, but letting go is what makes us stronger and happier. Marc and Angel Hack Life: 10 Signs it’s Time to Let Go
What are you practising? Daily Good: Life as a Conscious Practice
It’s satisfying to see what celebrities and models really look like! Shine from Yahoo: Supermodels without Photoshop
We should also take a second to admire some of our favorite style bloggers who are also parents. Independent Fashion Bloggers: 8 Insights from Chic Bloggers Who Happen To Be Moms
So, how can you tell the difference? Dress With Courage: How to Identify Counterfeit Handbags at the Thrift Store
We tend to think “sexism” is being dismissive toward women, or paying them lower salaries — we don’t think of it as frenzied “burn the witch!” hatred. Cracked: 5 Ways Modern Men Are Trained to Hate Women
Demi Lovato is speaking out against the unrealistic standards of beauty. AOL: Demi Lovato, Body Image
We can blog about girls and women and weight, but we must also be concerned about boys and men. Huffington Post: Girls, Boys, and Body Image
I would look at pictures of me from photo shoots and that was not me and not how I looked. Fox Sports: Amanda Beard’s Struggle Yields Crucial Lessons
“Stop the wardrobe wait”. I read those words in an article about lies women tell ourselves about our looks. The lie in question was “I’ll be beautiful when I’m thinner.” Have you told yourself this lie or something like it? Do you deny yourself a new outfit because you’re waiting until you lose those last few pounds and then your life will be better and you will be more deserving?
Recent research is showing that the best way to lose weight is to love and accept your body as it is NOW. Sounds counter-intuitive but apparently it works. So the best weight loss plan is to feel good about yourself. Hmm. Research also shows that talking negatively about your body lowers your self-esteem and even causes depression. How many of us have a tape running through our heads which constantly criticizes our bodies and tells us we’re not good enough? Yet more evidence reveals that women berate their own bodies an average of 14 times a day. That’s a lot of self-loathing.
The reason diets don’t work is that the whole motivation behind them tends to be based on external validation. The idea that self-esteem can be raised by a smaller dress size is ludicrous. Self-love must come from within. All the energy we put into berating our bodies and counting calories is better channeled into working on self-love. Admittedly, it’s difficult, almost impossible, to love your body because we are inundated with images and cultural messages that tell us we’re not good enough as we are.
And whether we realize it or not, all those glossy Vogues and Glamours are contributing to our poor relationships with our bodies. It works on a subconscious level so you can’t say “those images don’t affect me”. They do without you even realizing it. I’ve been putting aside my Vogue magazines in favour of blogs that promote healthy self-image like By Anika, Already Pretty, Medicinal Marzipan, and Becoming A Better Woman From the Inside Out. These ladies know that we are already beautiful as we are and that we do not need to wait until we’ve lost a few pounds before enjoying a new outfit (or a cookie). The time is now. Changing your body size will not make you happy if you weren’t happy to begin with. Basing our happiness on how others perceive us doesn’t work.
When I get down on myself about my looks (it happens to thin people, too!) I think about the way God loves me, that unconditional love which has nothing to do with the shape of my body or the depth of my smile lines. My friend gave me Karen Moore’s book of daily quotations for women and my favourite (because I love hearing the truth) goes like this:
“The world does not make you feel beautiful. So, as you go about your day today let the world keep its best and worst lists, its beauty standards, and its superficial identities. You have the real thing and it’s part of what makes you a gorgeous woman of worth.”
Do you have a favourite self-worth blog?
Did you hear the one about the woman who was saved from a speeding taxi by Ryan Gosling? All she had to do was tweet about the incident and it became instant international news. Hilarious posts about Ryan Gosling approaching perfect-man status appeared on Jezebel and The Fashion Spot, with the latter updating us on the rescued woman’s response to all the fuss. She thinks we should stop discussing her run-in with the actor because there is a war in the middle east. But that’s another story.
The visiting London journalist tweeted that Gosling did not say “Hey Girl” and instead yelled “Hey watch out!” Why would he say “Hey, Girl” in the first place, I wondered, and sought to find out. Here is what I uncovered: entire blogs devoted to captioned images of Ryan Gosling which range from a Tumblr for stage managers to a feminist forum (click on the photos). Plus I discovered the definition of a meme: a virally-transmitted cultural symbol or social idea. Gosling (or Godling as Nerve is calling him since the superhero act) appears to be more popular on social media sites than in mainstream journalism – remember Bradley Cooper beating him out for People’s Sexiest Man Alive? Of course, a social media backlash ensued.
On an unrelated note, have you noticed Ryan slide a small Canadian reference into his films? Drive opened with a Raptors game on the television and in Blue Valentine a character was called Bobby “Ontario” (Ryan’s home province). I’m not sure how long he’s been doing it but it’s fun to watch.
Making negative statements about your body may be deleterious to your body image and mental health. Today Health: Calling Yourself Fat Increases Depression Risk
As a little girl, I thought I was gorgeous, because I was me. Huffington Post: What I Know About Beauty Now That I’m in My 20s
It is important to support our own economy and help those in this country struggling to find a job. Style Eyes Ethical Fashion Blog: Made in Britain
As a teen my negative body image was intertwined with my low self-esteem and shaky sense of self. Weightless: What I’d Tell My Younger Self About Body Image & Life
Viewing the body as a sex object has, embarrassingly, appalled countries, cultures, and religions worldwide. The Universe: Letter on Body Image
When I was 13 I was different than I am now. Medicinal Marzipan: Unfortunate, Ugly, and Inspiring Adventures From My Life As a Teenager
Today’s Fashion Beauty Friend Friday post comes courtesy of Katy at Modly Chic who asks us to consider the “one-time use phenomenon” in fashion. That is, buying an item and using it only once. Or, returning that item after wearing it with the tags attached and hidden. Ugh. To me that is stealing. I remember my mother helping me choose accessories for my prom outfit back when I was 17. When I balked at the price she whispered that we’d return them tomorrow. I knew it was wrong then and, well, my mother and I have different value systems and I accept that.
Sometimes we use something once because we made a poor judgment or an impulse buy and the item sits in our closet waiting for one day that never comes. I’m guilty of bad shopping decisions and I’m sure many of you are, too! Rare lapses of judgment aside, I believe in recycling in the form of timeless clothes and thrift shopping, seasonless dressing, and having a few key items that can be mixed and matched. Such habits help preserve the environment and prevent one from becoming a) a slave to fashion, b) a fashion victim, or c) a fashion whore.
On to the questions:
1. Are you a one-time wearer?
No. See above.
2. Do you feel the need to purchase something new for an evening out or a special event?
I used to be guilty of grabbing a cheap and shiny fast fashion top to go with my jeans for an unexpected Friday night at the club. Now I do my very best to use what I have in my closet in the interests of consuming less. A “special event” is usually somebody else’s big day so I keep it low key anyway and train the spotlight on them.
3. Re-mixing is something a lot of bloggers are proud of being able to accomplish – are you a re-mixing pro or do you shy away from posting items frequently? Why?
I’m not that type of blogger but as a fashion lover and follower I enjoy the challenge of using what I already have in my closet to create something new and interesting.
4. Do you have a clothing budget or are you an impulse buyer?
I used to have a very high clothing budget as I thought expensive clothes and brands were a necessity as a fashion writer. Now I understand that it takes a lot more creativity to put together outfits on a shoestring…and it’s a lot more fun and eco-friendly (thrift shopping, NOT fast fashion a la Zara and H&M).
5. Do you find yourself bored when reading a blog in which clothing items are often remixed and appear frequently?
NO! The most inspiring aspect of fashion blogs is that they teach ordinary women how to dress well on a working girl’s budget while also encouraging sustainable style. It is a revolutionary concept which has democratized fashion in a staggering and uplifting way.
How do you feel about those outfit posts?
I didn’t want to comment on the New York Times review of the Hunger Games which criticized Jennifer Lawrence’s body for being “too big” for the part of Katniss in the The Hunger Games. I found the idea so depressing I wanted to put it out of my mind. And part of me thought that if the character is supposed to be starving then the critic might have a point….then it occurred to me how many actresses who look like they are starving play the parts of women who in real life would be a size 12 (that’s the average). The critics never say anything about THAT.
Allow me to illustrate: I watched The Descendants on DVD the other night and was alarmed at the size of the actress who played George Clooney’s 17-year-old daughter. She was noticeably underweight and if she were my daughter I would be fraught with worry that she might have an eating disorder. Of course, nothing was mentioned about her weight and the audience was expected to accept this girl as a representation of a well-fed adolescent. Indeed, we see her eating ice cream in the final scene of the movie. Where was the New York Times critic then? Why was she not speaking up about this girl being too THIN to represent a teenage girl who is not starving? You could apply this question to the majority of mainstream movies today.
Media: please stop the war on girls’ bodies. The images are bad enough. Now there are words, too? SHAME.
Finally, with all the talk (and rightfully so!) about the proliferation of photoshopped images in magazines, here’s a cover with Cate Blanchett in all her un-photoshopped glory.
Why is it important to feature untouched images in magazines? The more realistic images we see of women in media, the less women will feel they don’t measure up. And the less men will think women are supposed to look like that. It’s not a crime to have laugh lines at age 42. It’s life.
What do you think?
According to In The Powder Room, housework is at the top of most women’s lists of most stressful things in their lives. The author of the post opined that housework is not important enough to warrant such stress. Me, I don’t just lack stress about housework, I actually enjoy it. I should clarify here by saying that for years I employed the services of a cleaning professional. While it’s a privilege and an indulgence to afford the services of a cleaning woman, I believe I felt more stressed by the presence of someone in my house for 5 or 6 hours doing a job I felt sub-consciously I could be doing myself.
Simply because I was able to afford the services of a cleaner, I used one…now that I do my own cleaning, I see I was robbing myself of a wonderful opportunity to nurture my home and family. Now, my children are joyfully involved in the cleaning with me and they never complain. It’s a terrific bonding time as we work together toward a common goal. I am not picky about the way the cleaning is done so while my detail-oriented Virgo is in the bathroom on her hands and knees with a toothbrush (practically), my big picture Aries feels that ‘tidying’ is an unnecessary and tedious aspect of the cleaning process. I embrace both these approaches.
We reward ourselves when we are through by enjoying a treat or a card game or whatever makes us feel good at the time. The sense of accomplishment I feel when faced with a sparkling home that I worked to achieve is incomparable. That doesn’t mean I’ll never use the services of a professional cleaner again, only that I feel as though taking care of your home is one of the most overlooked pleasures in life. On a fashionable note, I love to pull a June Cleaver and do the cleaning in a dress and heels. I once greeted my friend at the door this way complete with rubber gloves as accessories and she thought it was hysterical.
The relationship between Harper’s Bazaar and Dior goes back to the designer’s first couture show in Paris on February 12, 1947. Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief, Carmel Snow, altered the course of fashion history when she uttered these famous words:
“It’s quite a revelation, dear Christian, your dresses have such a new look.”
The new silhouette moved away from traditional pencil skirts and the sober uniform of wartime to introduce a more sultry, feminine silhouette: smaller waistlines, fuller hips, soft, sloping shoulders, wider skirts, and miles of fabric.
“I wanted my dresses to be constructed, molded upon the curves of the feminine body, whose sweep they would stylize,” Dior exclaimed at the time.
The New Look, which ushered in the signature 1950s style, served as a turning point in post-war fashion, thumbing its nose at previous wartime fabric rationing by using yards and yards of material for one dress. The Dior show is still among the most highly-anticipated at Paris Fashion Week, from the gowns to the hair to the make-up. Indeed, beauty is an integral part of any Dior runway show.
Paris Fashion Week: Dior SS12
Sixty-five years after Carmel Snow’s game-changing quip, Harper’s Bazaar and Dior have joined forces once again for a limited engagement at participating Macy’s. Just in time for Spring, from March 21 to March 31, you are invited to discover your own “new look” by treating yourself to a complimentary beauty consultation with a Dior make-up expert. Click here to book your free appointment and enjoy a taste of the luxury and tradition of Dior.
*Disclosure: I have been compensated for writing this post. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
