I interviewed Ben Barry back when I started this blog because I was intrigued by his model agency which represented a truly diverse range of talent. His mission was to change “the face and body of fashion”. Ben recently completed his PhD at Cambridge University and his research is being lauded by outlets from Elle to Jezebel. What he found is that the use of an idealized image of beauty in fashion advertising not only ruins self-esteem… it is also bad for business. Check out the video to hear him speak on the topic.
For fashion eye candy, nothing beats the annual Met Ball. Fashionista: See What Everyone Wore to the 2012 Met Gala
Not everyone is thrilled with Vogue‘s Health Iniative. Shop Talk: So Vogue is Going to Promote “Healthier” Body Image. Hm.
Oprah’s still got it! Oprah.com: 16 Lessons We Learned from Oprah’s Lifeclass
Shameless self-promotion: my post in Yummy Mummy. Yummy Mummy Club: It takes a Village to Raise a Child
Calorie counting starts way too young. In The Powder Room: Skeletons in Our Closets
Age has become a disease, to be cured and eradicated. Stylist.co.uk: Why Are We Scared of Growing Old?
Let go and it will come to you. Daily Good: 15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy
Not surprise here: self-esteem comes more easily to those surrounded by supportive loved ones. Daily Mail Online: Women with supportive families are not pressurised by ‘thin and beautiful’ ideal
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I’ve received a couple of misguided emails from PR girls pitching story ideas about eyebrow transplants. The latest email asks Are you aware that, last month, models in Paris strutted Chanel’s Fall/Winter 2012 runway debuting the new bushy eyebrow trend and as a result there has been a ginormous increase in eyebrow transplant requests??? Included was the above image of model Miranda Kerr at Chanel FW12 sporting jewel-encrusted eyebrows.
I confess to having no idea what it’s like to suffer with sparse eyebrows and have always had to pluck/wax/thread mine into submission. However, I do remember when bushy eyebrows were considered unfashionable and before that when they were fashionable again. It’s just kind of shocking that we’ll alter our bodies this way to follow a trend. Changing what we wear is one thing, but undergoing surgery because of a Chanel showcase is quite another! What about an eyebrow pencil?
What do you think?
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It might be time for another trip to NYC! My last jaunt to New York was to catch the tail end of the McQueen exhibit at the Met Costume Institute. Now The Met has launched a tribute to two of fashion’s enduring female design icons: Miuccia Prada and Elsa Schiaparelli which, according to Fashionista, explores common themes in the designers’ work.
In other fashion news (and this is big!) Vogue has launched a health initiative manifesto which editors hope will benefit the well-being of both its models and readers. I swear to you I saw this in a dream and now it’s come true! Vogue has pledged in writing not to use models under the age of 16 or who appear to have an eating disorder. For models younger than 16, Vogue will “help to structure mentoring programs where more mature models are able to give advice and guidance to younger girls.” Please click through to Fashionista.com to read the manifesto in its entirety. It’s glorious, and as one of my Facebook readers commented: “Let’s hope it sticks!”
The big news in fashion this morning is that quirky designer Betsey Johnson has filed for bankruptcy. The label stopped production on its apparel line and will be closing 63 brick-and-mortar stores as well as the online shop. Her lower-priced line which is sold at Macy’s will continue which begs the question, are designers forced to go downmarket to survive in today’s economy?
I told my friend I went to see Titanic in 3D to which she replied, “Why?” I said, “because I have a 12-year-old”. My 12-year-old had been asking to see Titanic for years and I’d held back because of the intensity of the content and the nude scene. Lucky for her, just as she’s old enough to see it, the film gets released in 3D. My heart sank when she told me the movie is 3 hours and 14 minutes (she looked it up on IMDB!) When I first saw the film 15 years ago, 3 and a half hours out of my life wasn’t that big of a deal but now it’s an eternity that I’ll never get back! How could I possibly sit for that long through a movie and not get at least a little fidgety? Well, Titanic is still so spellbinding I was captivated every second of the entire film and although Kate Winslet is remembered most for her nude scene in the film, her costumes took my breath away, too:
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?
The modeling industry is largely unregulated. Fashionista: The Model Alliance’s Industry Survey Finds Nearly 30% of Models Have Been Sexually Harassed and 50% Exposed to Cocaine
This one-woman show about body image would have been worth the drive to Montana. The Missoulian: ‘The Pomegranate Seed’ performed at UM
“The proper function of man is to live not to exist.” Marc and Angel Hack Life: 15 Ways to Live, and Not Merely Exist
Israel’s Knesset approved a bill that would ban the use of underweight models in advertising. JTA: Knesset Law Bans Underweight Models
Fashion is not just about the trends we wear or the clothes we have, but what we believe in and the message we send out. The Ram: Ethically-Conscious Fashion Always in Style
Commenting that you think you are fat may be hazardous to your mental health. Newswise: Negative Talk About Body Weight Predicts Depression, Poor Body Image
When readers talk about their body image struggles, one of the most common themes is that of mothers being overly involved. Psychology Today: Body Image: What Do Girls Need From Their Moms?
Models have no way to recoup lost wages if a client is unwilling or unable to pay. Fashionista: New Bill Aims to Protect Models From Clients Who Won’t Pay Up
Oh, the Hunger Games! I actually heard someone ask today, “The Hunger Games? What’s that?” He was serious! It’s pretty cool that the three most popular movie adaptations of the past decade were all from books written by women: J.K. Rowling, Stephanie Meyer, and now Suzanne Collins. In March, Amazon announced that Collins had become the best-selling Kindle author of all time. My daughter saw the movie tonight with her dad and when she returned she told me I would have LOVED Effie Trinket’s costumes. “Who?” I wondered. So I looked it up and here they are:
Will you be seeing the Hunger Games?
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.
