Dear Hollywood,
I have some feedback for you. By way of background, I recently had the honor of attending the Chanel fashion show in Paris. The crowd was just as impressive as the clothes: Anna Wintour and Katy Perry held court from the front row and many wealthy clients of the house were in attendance. But of all the stylish denizens in the venue, the one who caught my eye was a woman with enough cleavage to breastfeed the gentleman seated at her side...without even turning.
Now, please don't take this to mean that I have a problem with breasts. On the contrary, I have the greatest respect for them: I breast-fed my two children and marveled every day at how my body could do something so amazing. There is nothing more beautiful than a woman's body, especially given the fact that our bodies bring life and nourish those lives.
However, there is no need to parade them around like a pair of water balloons perched on a serving tray. Whether it was Jennifer Hudson's squished breasts at the 2011 Oscars, or Viola Davis bursting out of her green Vera Wang dress or Jennifer Lopez' debatable nip slip at this year's, it's too much. Talented actresses like Scarlett Johansson and Christina Hendricks are as known for their cleavage as their roles. All too often we see women baring too much breast these days, and I'm here to request a return to the elegance of yore.
Screen sirens like Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn cultivated the glamour-goddess image in the most tasteful way. Would couturiers like Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent cut a dress to navel-skimming proportions? Doubtful. A hint of decolletage a la Natalie Portmanat the 2012 Golden Globes is lovely, squeezing it to the point of looking like deflated water balloons is not.
There is a time and a place to show off your breasts -- like in college on spring break. After that, we have to ask, what makes a woman sexy? Is it showing gratuitous amounts of skin? And what message does it send to young girls when our most esteemed actresses dare to bare on the red carpet?
Prime examples of elegance can be found in some of our favorite actresses: Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton and Diane Kruger embrace their femininity without sacrificing modesty, or style for that matter. They are the role models that I want my daughter to look up to.
So Hollywood, next time you think of bringing the twins out, ask yourself, what would Audrey Hepburn do? Would Grace Kelly risk a nip slip? Then think again. Check out 31 celebrities who made the daring move, and tell us, what do you think? Should they have kept the girls covered up?
