Recently I found myself engulfed in a magazine solely structured around models. Those stick thin, haute-couture dolls, and this led me to think, “is this the image of ‘perfection’ that we are conveying to our youth?” I also believe that this image is not only conveyed to youth, but also to the more “mature” adults out there. The likes of Kate Moss and Lindsay ‘loves-attention’ Lohan, are becoming increasingly idolized, and not for their positive actions (if they've even have any), but for their growing drug-addictions and ‘lettuce-leaf-diets’. These notions of drug-abuse and anorexia are somehow becoming more and more socially acceptable. I don’t know if you’ll all agree with me on this one, but that’s fucked! Where have the days of models being curvaceous and ‘voluptuous’ gone? I can hear most of you out there screaming “in the fucking 1930’s!!!” Seriously though, is it that impossible for designers to spare a little more material to make a dress that doesn’t only fit a size 0 Barbie? It’s not like they don’t have the budget, I mean I just read something about Karl Lagerfield never even being told about the Global Financial Crisis, apart from the CEO of Chanel notifying him “you never have to worry about budgets”.
Taking the topic back to Lindsay ‘Lo-whore’, brings me to the concept of ‘socialites’, with the likes of Paris Hilton, Peaches Geldof and Nicole Richie prancing around the streets of LA and London, condoning the use of drugs whilst stumbling into clubs, with their eyes in the back of their heads, and their dresses above their waists. Are these the people we should idolize? Is this really the aesthetic that we drive for, and work our arses off to achieve? I don’t think so!!
In saying this I understand that the pictures of these tragic messes we see in the magazines sell, and we all need to make a buck, but honestly, when is enough, enough?
I was also reading an article that discussed how models used to be, only seen on the cat-walks of Milan and Paris and the likes, not having a voice and seemingly not having any opinions what-so-ever and, respectively being left alone by the grueling paparazzi. This was before they were some-what put on a pedestal and congratulated for having such morbidly slim figures. This is before the paparazzi released that they could make a lot of money, by bringing this less known society of girls into the lime-light, and highlighting their weight-loss tips (smoke, drink, do drugs, and forget about eating). I also understand that models have a hectic life, and a majority of them don’t have drug addictions or eating disorders, that it is the draining lifestyle that keeps them so “beautifully” slender. So why don’t we see more articles outlining this in our mainstream media publications? I think I have seen only one article focusing on the real-lives of models. The rest are just piece of shit (figuratively speaking) articles about some pseudo-celebrities admission to rehab in Mexico.
I guess, the point I’m trying to get at here is, are these the kind of people you want society to be shaped by? In my opinion, I think the answer is no. I really think that there needs to be a higher rate of success stories in “tween” magazines, of people achieving their goals and making a life for themselves through healthy means, whether that be academically or socially. Maybe then will we see a healthy, less fucked up society. Because to be honest, I’m terribly sick of seeing 13-year old girls walking around in their 6inch heels and designer dresses, displaying their bodies, which have been solely influenced by the models that once wore the same dress.
I'd love to hear your opinions on this, but keep in mind it is my first blog!!
