Thin Models - Revenge of the Gay Guys?

I was dismayed to read in the Herald the other day that former supermodel Cindy Crawford thinks she could not make it in the fashion business today with her curvy figure.
"I would not have become a supermodel in 2009. I look too healthy,” she told an interviewer. “A body like mine with big breasts, normal thighs and toned upper arms is no longer what the industry is looking for.”
Fashion models today are alarmingly thin, stick-like people in serious need of a cheeseburger and large fries. A visitor from outer space, flipping through the pages of typical fashion magazine, might feel compelled to send in the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Humanoids to rescue these poor gals from starvation.
Compare these pictures – Cindy on the left and the model on the right. We all know who we would rather look like and who is the healthier role model for today’s women. Even if her top is where her belt should be.

So how did it come to this? Why is a size 0 mandatory on the catwalk, when most women are a size 12? Why are curves airbrushed out of fashion images today?

My husband has often said, “It’s the revenge of the gay guys.” Gay men dominate the fashion industry, and by putting their designs on ultra-thin women, they have redefined beauty to fit their own ideal of the fantasy sexual partner – a boy.
It sounded plausible, so I Googled “gay men in the fashion industry” and got 827,000 hits.
Several links cite the article, “In Fashion, Who Really Gets Ahead?” published in 2005 in the New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/08/fashion/thursdaystyles/08FASHION.html
Gay men do indeed top the lists. Since 1986, most awards for young talent bestowed by the Council of Fashion Designers of America have gone to men – 29 versus 8 for women, and 20 of those men were openly gay.
Designer Tara Subkoff made waves in the U.S. industry by commenting at a public forum that fashion is a gay man’s profession. She accused Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue of supporting only young gay men.
“Gay men stick together like a band of brothers,” she complained, forming a glass ceiling against the ranks of women designers.
Another fashion blogger was blunter and a tad hostile:
“Why is it that so much of what you wear is influenced by a man? Men don’t know jack about women and gay men especially are tuned out to your needs since nothing about your figure or body satisfies them physically. They’re looking for twigs and berries and all you offer is well, you know what you have to offer.” http://fashionindie.com/stuff-fashion-people-like-21-gay-fashion-designers/
Recently, Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld threw some fuel on the fire, telling a German news magazine, "no one wants to see curvy women."

He said the backlash against skinny models was being fuelled by overweight women who resent being reminded of their weight issues.
"These are fat moms sitting with their bags of chips in front of the TV and saying that thin models are ugly," Lagerfeld said.
Yeah, well, that completely avoids the issue. “Thin” models are not the problem; it’s that “thin” has been taken by the industry to an extreme degree, promoting a pre-pubescent body style and a state of near starvation as the ideal for female beauty.

But let us ignore that for the moment, figuring everyone is entitled to their own opinions, even funny looking old guys who wear high collars, weight lifting gloves and sunglasses indoors. (Didn’t he hear that floppy bows went out with women’s “Power Suits” and padded shoulders when disco died? It is a good bet than when asked the proverbial question, “Who’s hotter: Ginger or Maryann?” Karl responded with “Gilligan.”)
Fortunately, some key industry leaders are pushing for change. A few fashion shows have banned underweight models.
In June, British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman called on major fashion houses and designers – including old Karl - to end the "size-zero" culture.
The TimesOnline says she wrote to scores of designers in Europe and America, complaining they force magazines to hire models with “jutting bones and no breasts or hips” by supplying them with miniscule, ever-shrinking garments for their photo shoots.
“We have now reached the point where many of the sample sizes don’t comfortably fit even the established star models,” Shulman writes.
Supermodel Erin O’Connor described the editor’s stand as “a huge breakthrough”.
"The fact that Alexandra Shulman with her enormous influence has opened this conversation means that it will have a huge impact,” she said. “It has . . . made it compulsorily relevant that we address this now.”
Locally, we are seeing some small steps as well, with the Air New Zealand Fashion Week 2009 featuring plus size models, and Trinny and Susannah showing us how to choose clothing that flatter a range of figure styles.
Change is coming, and perhaps our daughters and granddaughters will have a better chance at redefining style to suit more types of women – not just the male ideal, gay or straight.
So for all of you out there with daughters or granddaughters interested in fashion design, tell them,

“Go get ‘em, girls: help us find our waist. Make things with darts. Get beyond boho. And for pity’s sake, save us from tent dresses!”

- Lolane

L A Blog

When I smile my eyes disappear into the quick sand of a sagging brow and over-enthusiastic cheeks. I wasn’t aware of this phenomenon (because when I smile my eyes disappear into the ….. and obviously I can’t see!) until I saw a recent photo. I avoid photos at all cost. Those who attempt to capture me digitally are usually frustrated by me leaping (unusually nimbly) from the frame – a blur of colour and chins.

Photos are confirmation that you have been misleading yourself about how you look. In fact, photos confirm that you are a compulsive liar. When I am forced into a group photo, I always attempt to hide at the back with my body blocked by the unsuspecting. I have taken to not smiling in an attempt to keep my facial features recognisable and in the place that God intended them to be. I have also begun raising my head in a haughty fashion, stretching out my chins so they don’t present on my neck like a travel pillow. Every now and then an astute photographer catches on to what I am doing. “Hey! You at the back! Give us a smile!” And have my eyes disappear and my travel pillow inflate? I don’t think so.

A couple of Christmases ago, I received a Trinny and Susannah book. In it they dedicated a whole segment to photo posing in a way that would combat disappearing eyes, travel pillow chins and unflattering limbs. Achieving these poses was akin to playing ‘Twister’. My sister and I practised each pose enthusiastically. However, the knowledge that these lessons brought has been hard to retain and apply to every day life (without someone asking you if you require medical assistance). Same sister was, only a few weeks ago, in a computer store checking out hardware. Moving to view a new computer, she was surprised to see on screen a woman with eyes quickly disappearing into facial quick sand and neck cosseted in travel pillows. The realisation that the image was her own retrieved her disappearing eyes immediately – in fact they opened quite wide!

I suppose at this time I am meant to end with a moral to the story – something about we are who we are; we judge ourselves more harshly than others; that a smile (eyes or no eyes) is a beautiful thing. My personal take on this is (a) always keep your eyes open for photographers (to do this you will have to refrain from smiling) and avoid them at every opportunity, (b) if caught in a group photo, shuffle to the back, open your eyes wide, suck in your cheeks and stretch your neck (do not, under any circumstances, smile!), and (c) once any photo is taken, wrestle the camera off the photographer and destroy any truth-telling images!

a voice at wisanow - Loren Allpress

Vitamin D - The Super Hormone?? Yes, you won't believe this. Vitamin D deficiency is reaching epidemic levels in the U.S.

They used to say that just 15 -20 minutes being in the sun per day would satisfy your daily requirement for Vitamin D but it is not now true.... read on...

'You may be surprised to know that Vitamin D deficiency is reaching epidemic proportions in the United States. Currently 90% of our patients are Vit D deficient. The thought that a little Vitamin D in milk and 10 minutes of sunshine a day would be enough has not held true. A blood 25-OH Vitamin D level will determine your status. "Normal" blood levels range from 32-100. Research has shown than the higher your vitamin D level (within the normal range), the better the health benefit.'

This article was found here http://signaturewellness.org

The reason I have become so interested is that a year or so ago I started lacking energy as you do around 60. I was prescribed 4 prescription strength tablets over winter at the beginning of each month and whammo. Not only did I feel better but my nails finally started growing again.

It all started I guess being told to keep out of the sun due to our killer rays but the consequence is obviously being felt everywhere. Just thought all you midlife women might like to appreciate the benefits of this vitamin/hormone, so when you next see your GP ask for a course. It really does work wonders.
Raewyn