What Michelle Obama Can Teach Us That Models Can't
This week, there was quite a stir about a Ralph Lauren ad that featured an unrealistically thin female. Many were shocked by this image. I was shocked that so many people were shocked.
New York Fashion Week Spring 2010 occurred recently. Normally, I avoid looking at runway pictures, but wanting to see if there was a Michelle Obama influence at the shows, I decided to look. On the sites that I visited, people were commenting on how beautiful -- or how ugly -- certain outfits were. I barely noticed the clothes because I was so distracted by the models underneath the garments. Line after line, show after show, model after model looked the same: jutting chest bones, sharp clavicles, bony knees, and so on.
As someone who has struggled with eating disorders, I was particularly disturbed by most of the models. I've been to inpatient and outpatient eating disorder facilities and more support group meetings than I can count. When I was looking at a lot of the models from Fashion Week, I thought the same thing: That model looks like girls I met in treatment. She needs to be hospitalized right now. In an inpatient facility. For months. And she needs feeding tubes.
It wasn't just their thinness that triggered these thoughts -- after all, there are plenty of healthy, naturally thin women. It was that a lot of them looked eating-disordered sick.
After seeing a dozen or more runway shows and then seeing the Ralph Lauren ad, all I thought was, Okay, another unreasonably thin model. I didn't -- and still don't -- understand why so many people were unbothered by severely underweight runway models but are disturbed by a severely underweight -- albeit edited -- magazine ad model*. They're all unhealthy and unrealistic images.
*10/14 note: The Ralph Lauren model Filippa Hamilton, who, it turns out, wasn't severely underweight, talks about her RL experience here.
I recently saw the new issue of Prevention, which featured FLOTUS on the cover in an attractive Jason Wu dress. Then I saw a picture of a model wearing the same dress during his Fall 09 runway show. I thought the dress looked much better as a form-fitting frock on Michelle than the draping piece on the model.
I don't expect fashion shows to feature more realistically sized females any more than I expect fashion ads to stop excessively trimming their models. That's how the fashion world is. The models and images aren't there to help us feel better about how we look. They're there so we can feel inadequate but tell ourselves, If I wear this outfit or if I buy that accessory, maybe I'll look and feel better. I do hope, however, that seeing images of healthy, strong, beautiful women like Michelle Obama will encourage us to feel more comfortable with ourselves and celebrate our bodies.
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Emme: Industry-Wide Intervention at Executive Level Needed
The controversy around ex-Ralph Lauren model, Filippa Hamilton's ungainly distorted advertising campaign image this week has caused quite a stir. Sad to say, It's nothing new.
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Its really unfortunate that many designers want to focus exclusively on their clothing designs and aren't as interested in the well-being of the woman beneath the clothes whom they see as nothing more than living clothes hangers that actually resemble emaciated corpses or zombies instead of healthy women. This is what they're peddling as "beauty."
We live in a patriarchal society that objectifies women.
We're disposable. Interchangeable. "If you don't do what I want, there are a hundred other girls who would kill for your job."
A beautiful, young, dependent woman being treated like a thing -- not a fully human being -- is normal in a patriarchal culture.
That's why the casting couch, the outrageous demands for self-starvation, the whole Svengali thing with young women in ballet, in modeling, in Hollywood, in the music industry persists.
Young women are quite literally putty in the hands of wealthy, powerful, demanding control freaks (mostly men) in all of the so-called arts. Zero ethics, zero morality, zero female self-respect is allowed to intrude on the power brokers while they are using up and then tossing on the proverbial garbage heap a string of "girls".
If you don't starve yourself into the correct shape, if you don't allow yourself to be f---ed by "the man" if he wants you, if you don't smile or scowl prettily on command, if you don't allow their favorite plastic surgeon to nip, tuck or enhance you upon their command, if you use your voice to speak the truth, so say 'no' to the abusive control-freak? You're OUT.
The whole fashion industry is sick -- it's a window into the patriarchy that is utterly obvious once you let yourself see it.
I would love to know what size Mrs. Obama wears. I'm guessing that - given her height - it's a 10 or even a 12. The average American woman wears a 14. Double digit sizes are not easy to find in stores. There seem to be more plus sizes available, and a plus 14 (the smallest plus size) is not the same size as a regular 14; it's actually using the same measurements as a regular 18.
I hope designers will impose rules like those in effect in Spain, where models whose BMI is less than 18 cannot appear in fashion shows or magazines. And that designers will make more clothing available to average sized women who are not fat, just not emaciated.
I notice the cover of Prevention screaming FLAT BELLY FOODS. The idea is to promulgate the notion that the one must be very thin to be considered beautiful, to feed into normal women's insecuities and make them feel inferior. If I buy that diet program, I'll be happy. It's all manipulation, and it's all wrong. Women have been served a bill of goods for almost a century. You are being manipulated by corporate interests to feel inferior so you will buy more.
Prior to the 20th century the ideal of feminine beauty was anything but gaunt. Check out the great paintings of Renoir and Reubens and Titian and a host of other, all celebrating fleshy female nudes. In 1890 Lillian Russel was considered the most beautiful woman of her times; she weighed near 200 pounds. Modern times have bought a lot of changes, not all of them have been for the better.
Nowadays the normal women of our culture have been deemed plus sized, and this is insanity. Perhaps some day we will rise out of this stupor, and reclaim our right to be happy with what we have been given. Perhaps before long fashion shows will be peopled with models of all shapes and sizes, all of them natural and all of them healthy. 'Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished!
sounds like an excuse for being chubby.
If you consider "chubby" to be anything over a size 1, sure.
this is a great post!!
There really IS a difference in who wears the dress.
If I'd seen that dress on the model first, I'd never have considered it attractive. But on Mrs. Obama, a woman with healthy curves, the dress really looks lovely.
I saw the pic of our FLOTUS on the cover of Prevention also, and thought she looked fabulous. Shapely, fit and NOT anorexic!! How a woman SHOULD look!
I was not crazy about MO's dress on election night. But when I saw it on a model, I realized how much better it looked on the first Lady...
http://wonkette.com/404190/michelle-obamas-hell-colored-election-night-dress
The idea is that the model don´t look more interesting than the dress...
but when you put a dress you want to be nice with it...
It is not a question of beauty or weight! It is marketing!
Ppl r'nt concerned about skeleton models b/c they r'nt considered human. Sad 2 say, but they r paid 2 B mannequins.
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In answer to both your thoughts and Muzikal203 and ItHasToBeSaid,
A friend of mine who's designed outfits for a few fashion shows said that a designer told her that the models are essentially supposed to be hangers - the items on which the clothes are hanging. That way, people will focus on the clothes and not the models.
That makes me even more excited to see someone like Michelle Obama wearing an outfit that complements her (or perhaps, rather, SHE complements the outfit) than something that something that tries to render a model invisible.
"a designer told her that the models are essentially supposed to be hangers " That is what they think and say...but they are wrong. How much better it would be for women to see clothes on models that they could actually imagine wearing themselves. How refreshing it would be to try on an outfit that you have seen on the runway and not be disappointed at the difference. How wonderful to wear something and not wonder if people are comparing how it looks on you vs the model?
Besides the fact, these poor girls need to be allowed to be healthy.
For Simonesmom:
Your reply to my comment shows in the notification area, but not here on the thread.
I was responding to theredqueen's remark that she cannot bring herself to call Michelle Obama "FLOTUS". I agree completely and don't use "FLOTUS" or "POTUS" myself. In fact, I don't recall seeing any blogger using the acronym in a column about fashion. as has Adia Colar.
Sure, I use other acronyms such as the ones you mention, but those are not shorthand for people's names. "FLOTUS" and "POTUS" are more like ROBOT names, plus they just sound kinda gross and are completely unnecessary to use for anyone but the FBI and SS.
Here's an acronym for you, just to prove that I do indeed use them; JMO.
nosillyname/ gpookie - are you serious? apparently you like to comment w/out doing any research. here's some help.
atlantic: history of flotus: http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/97oct/wordimp.htm
whitehouse website (yes): http://www.whitehouse.gov/search/?keywords=flotus
flotus is a term frequently used in press pool reports. heaven help us from having a secret service and fbi so imbecilic that they describe the first lady by such a well-known term that's been used for over least 23 years.
Sigh, I took someone else's word for something I didn't think was important enough to research. My original point is that I do not like the acronyms for the Executive Branch and spouses. I spend most of my waking hours doing research topics of more importance. So crucify me. It's hard to believe that you bothered to chime in on this insignificant item when you have so few total posts. Why bother popping in now to so rudely correct me?
Form-fitting frock? Are we wearing "frocks" now?
I've heard the term used alot lately. I think it's used more in the UK
it's a very common term in the UK. it's actually quite fitting for the UK as the 'frocks' here are vastly more 'frumpy'.
Children, a frock is a dress.
It's a nice word that your grandmother used when referring to something fun and pretty -- something appropriate for an afternoon wedding, an early-evening community dance, a fancy night out with your grandfather at a nice restaurant.
Frock. It's a pretty old English word.
Aside from models, Hollywood provides many examples of female forms that would almost never come about naturally. Like the size 2 starlets with 38 d breasts..This has translated to the younger teens as something to be emulated. Recently in Florida a teenager died as a result of breast implant surgery.. She was, I believe, a high school cheerleader. Where were the grown ups ? Go to any beach and see the teeny little hungry girls with the d cups, it is frightening.
What does Michele Obama teach us that models can't?
CLASS.
Indeed! Michelle Obama makes such an amazing role model and a leader in her own right that Oprah should offer her a weekly talk show on her new OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) and use it to promote awareness of her causes. I know I would tune in or download her programming on the OWN website.
You're right, that dress looks MUCH better on Michelle, the model looks like a little girl playing dress-up in her mother's clothes.
Lol . . . very good description. It just looks awful on the model. The poor fit of the dress stands out more than the dress itself. That same dress on the First Lady looks gorgeous. It tastefully and gracefully flatters her shape.
I stopped reading and viewing fashion-oriented magazines many years ago. Why? Because they are about making women feel bad about themselves and then offering a multitude of solutions for our problems! I am working everyday to be a contributing world citizen. I don't need a magazine to "tell" me what is wrong with me. Ridiculous.
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Good point. For years after I got out of treatment, I avoided most magazines. Then, when I slowly expanded my selection, I'd often tear out all the fashion ads (which would leave me with a very strange-looking magazine). Now, I just focus on reading - or looking - at magazines that I find encouraging.
Good for you for deciding which magazines don't benefit you and avoiding them.
i agree. i try to avoid fashion magazines period. there's nothing healthy with them. it takes away energy from what i'm trying to do in my life.
michelle obama got a healthy self-esteem that many people lack including other head of state wives.you see it in the way she dresses.she got that independence streak in her that is highly attractive.when she is in a crowd , you notice her cuz she exudes strength and self-respect.i also love the fact that she wears her emotions on her sleeves.she is the only current first lady i know who does that.the rest carry the same expression as though they're are afraid of their reflection.she draws people to her cuz she loves herself and does not buy in the cliche(how first lady are supposed to dress). she is strong and very independant and don't care about people silliness.any woman who acts like that is worthy of emulation in my book.
greetings from germany.
All the self-confidence and self-esteem in the world cannot overcome a style that is too tight, too young, inappropriate for the occasion, or unflattering to the figure type of the woman wearing it.
. . . but it CAN overcome jealousy and resentment so that you don't feel the need to begrudge, bemoan, and b*tch about a woman who quite obviously looks gorgeous in that dress . . .
I pity the f00l who judge people solely by the clothes they wear...
I thought she was trying too hard once again to look like a runway model.
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