The "New" Plastic Surgery: In Which Fat Becomes The New Black
All Americans are rich. Even the poorest among us live high on the hog compared to many other countries and 90% of human history. But some of us are certainly richer than others and if you are megatastically wealthy and powerful, how do you showcase it? If you are a man, you buy a beautiful woman. If you are a woman, well, beauty is power.
Previously, women used possessions like luxury cars, clothing and the ubiquitous "it bag" to show that not only could they sport expensively maintained manicures because of a life short on manual labor and long on spare time, but that they had loads of money to spend on seasonally expendable items. But this was not a perfect solution. You have to leave the car parked somewhere and even the cleverest vanity plate can't fix that. Despite tattooing brand logos and names over every conceivable surface, clothing is easily imitated and quickly discarded. Even the gorgeous Birkin bag making the rounds this season gets set on the floor in restrooms.
So what is the solution? Plastic surgery, naturally. Your face, darlings, is your calling card but even the most Sophia Loren among us can't escape aging. New York Magazine's cover story, "The New New Face" by Johnathan van Meter, is all about maintaining your best status symbol. The word on the street now is not "tight" a la Joan Rivers, but "plumped" like a... baby. Because babies are powerful.
As "The New New Face" explains, the face lift has transformed over the past decade. It used to be about pulling and tightening but now is all about - are you ready for this? - fat. In describing the adolescent ideal pursued by today's plastic surgery client, the mag says, "As thin as [teen's] bodies are, they still haven't entirely shed the baby fat in their faces. This, it seems, is what women in their forties and fifties are now after: baby fat." Babies certainly do look young! And they have oodles of fat.
Does this new love of fat seem counterintuitive? When Van Meter interviews Pat Wexler, the "Wizard of Injectables, Queen of Volume, Mother of the New New Face," he points out, "... that making the face bigger or "fatter" seems counterintuitive." To which she answers, "I know, that's why no one was doing it twenty years ago."
"How did you figure it out?" Van Meter asks.
"Because I was doing lipo and I don't like to throw anything away."
Waste not, want not! How very American!
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The DIY version (old-school wisdom) goes like this-- stay underweight through your prime, then, as you get older, gain a few pounds and your face will plump out naturally.
so true!
skinny is great on a woman under 35 or 40.
After that, it's best to give up the size 2 jeans
Cos1? I think Charlotte's being a bit sarcastic; sticking it to the people out there (and there are many) who truly believe that beauty (or labels, or cars, etc) is power.
And you make an excellent point; some of these women already are human guinea pigs. Freaky.
Personally, I think there are a lot of plastic surgeons who are laughing all the way to their private accounts in the caymans.
Coming to a cosmetic care clinic near you...you can "bank" the fat that the doctor takes out of your thighs in your 20's & 30's and then have it injected into your face in your 40's & 50's. I see $$$ for this new business opportunity.
Inject yourselves all you want, ladies; aging is inescapable. You can still be fabulous - just not in quite the same way that you used to be fabulous. And contrary to popular thought, 50 is most definitely not the new 40. 50 is, well - 50.
Which brings me to a topic I've long wanted to expose: Men seem to think they are immune to aging - but once they hit 50 - look out - its all downhill. Take a cruise through the internet dating websites, check out the pictures and see for yourself. A veritable potpourri of the unkempt masses.
"Beauty is Power" mmm. You just pushed women back a few centuries and defined us by saying looks are the only way to obtain power. How about intelligence, confidence, hard work and perseverance. Having plastic surgery does not make you beautiful. You are conforming to a sterotype or giving in to an insecurity unless you have been disfigured through some horrible mishap and truely need it. Even with plastic surgery, they still will age and as we all know, women and aging is a bad mix in hollywood. They should save their money and focus on being self confident enough to put their own projects out that celebrate natural woman of all shapes and sizes. Enough is enough. People aren't going to the movies the way they use to or watching TV as much. These woman need to get a clue before they become science projects.
""Beauty is Power" mmm. You just pushed women back a few centuries and defined us by saying looks are the only way to obtain power."
Not quite. If I say "chicken is food," I'm not implying that vegetables are not edible. I'm only talking about chicken. I think you're reading into these remarks too much. Beauty is power. No one said it's the only kind (except you.)
Oh...My...God.
I've been SO waiting for this.
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