When you think about all the controversy over recent years circling around the perfect size of an actress, the physical attributes that call for criticism against the skeletal body shape for example, we saw that actresses began to give Models a run for their money when it came to being too thin.
This certainly created more and more taunting from the press over bad imaging and unfair role modeling for young girls. After all, young girls were starving themselves to the point of hospitalization, girls as young as 10 years old were stealing diet pills from drug stores trying to imitate the skin over bones look that they saw in the media. This thankfully, gave the modeling world a wake up call. Models were starting to be presented as healthy, the scraggly, death warmed over starving look was fading out. They now proudly say that they provide food for the Models in the backroom! That is a major deal, it's a really bold and huge move in the Modeling world.
Now, we all are aware that when Britney Spears walked the stage of the MTV Awards on Sept 10 007, in her black bikini, the crude comments in the press calling her belly pudgy, even Paris Hilton put in her two cents with rejection to the singers physical attributes, has made the progress of a healthy image slide backwards.
Yes, Britney might have been in error in not realizing that when you make a comeback, it is usually expected that one changes their image to enhance the new you! She blew the opportunity to wow the crowd with a new look, creating a new trend, and she obviously wasn’t paying attention, realizing that the fashion world changed while she was in between her career and home life. It is wise to do your homework and keep up to speed, especially when fashion changes so rapidly, and the trends progress and have been improving!
The question is: Was it her outfit that was unappealing, or was it the fact that the image we have grown accustomed to is so distorted that a natural figure is automatically rejected?
Alyssa Milano when she was filming the TV show Charmed thought nothing of wearing belly tops, strutting around in the overly fashionable style not unlike the 90210 fantasy clothes that were worn at that time. I don’t recall anyone rejecting her outfits, or waist size, and she was proud of her healthy figure, and it was sexy. She was hot! She set a trend that you can be proud of your body, and not have to starve half to death to get there! She had curves to be proud of, and more young girls should aspire to be like Alyssa.
Marilyn Monroe was a perfect 10. She had a full healthy figure and is the most prime example of an all American Girl that will stand the test of time. Full figured, charming and the sexiest icon to ever hit the screens.
So what happened to image of size?
Some say it’s because of the World’s first Super Model Twiggy!
Twiggy hit the modeling world back in the late 60’s, and the fashion world was astounded by her boyish haircut, and paper thin look. Ever since, the young girls aspired to be as thin as Twiggy. Not to blame Twiggy, she looked fabulous, healthy even, she just caught attention and set a trend.
The fashion world changed in the 70's. They called for thin, demanded it, starved the girls, and wouldn’t’ accept any model that wasn’t far below the percentage of acceptable levels of body fat. No one really knows who was calling for the look. The designer's don't dress the girls, the agents don't write up the requests, the girl's do what they are told, and the photographer's the same. At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter whose fault it is, what is important is that after 30 years the fashion world changed. The untold stories from the models who were there may never be known, but most people would agree, that it's refreshing that the image is improved.
It is a fact that the girls can’t get any thinner! Their veins would collapse, and a whole world of new diseases would be born. It is a fact that the world has changed. Men and women create their own styles, trends aren’t as strong an issue to people, as people tend to lean more towards styles that suit them individually. It is now socially acceptable for people to admit that what looks good on one person, doesn’t necessarily mean it looks good on another.
This is the decade for actors! They are finally in league with Models. They are revered, adored and respected in the fashion sense as much as a Super Model. Super Models are still in the royal ranks of course, FTV RULES!!
Because of FTV, people are starting to see Models as real people. We have seen that Models are sweet, and they have ohhh you know, brains! They aren’t as serious as they look when they strut the catwalk. FTV has really opened up a whole new look on Models, and have introduced the public eye to the real people who make the magic happen. Models are simply put: Are cute, and lovable, they have a good business sense, have personal lives, and love their work! And with behind the scene glimpses, we get to see how the acting world has an influence on the Modeling world, as more and more actors are attending Fashion Events, and are actively involved.
Now to the point!
The acting world in this decade have the chance to invoke change in media image! If you actors and actresses are paying attention, you will see the great opportunity that lies right in front of you!
They say when Calista Flockhart starred in the hit TV show Alley McBeal on Primetime TV, some say she started the skeletal scraggly image, which is not a fact, but what the media has painted. This is not mentioned as a digg at Calista, she was doing her thing, excited to have her own tv show, it just happens that the press found her interesting, and focussed on her body. And Calista is a beautiful actress, and is still doing well co-starring with Sally Fields in Brother's and Sisters.
Since the press began to focus on the waistline of an actress, it was a huge turn around for the imagery of an actor. The race was on and the media kept a tally of who was the thinnest, and reporting on the struggles an actress would face, such as the adventures of Mary Kate and Ashley! Who were unable to escape attention to their bodies by the press.
Liposuction has become popular with men and women, and is still a huge business for plastic surgeons in the race for the perfect size 00, as mentioned during an episode of Desperate Housewives by Eva Longoria, playing Gabrielle Solis. (Mind you, we all know Eva was saying a line, and that in no way reflects on the opinion of the actress). Even though the media turns their eye on Teri Hatcher (Susan) criticizing her for losing too much weight since she starred in the hit series (Lois and Clark) Superman, and Marcia Cross (Bree) being dubbed by the press for the lead competitor with Terri for the skinniest of all the Desperate Housewives girls, they must have missed the slip of the tongue, with a size 00! The criticism the girls recieved about their weight of course was unfair, but the size 00, well.. that needs to be thought out a little.
Wouldn't that send a message to the youth watching, that they aren’t beautiful until that is their dress size? Perhaps the show was demonstrating that the character is too obessesed with being the skinniest, it's just the fact that the Modeling World is changing for the healthier. Maybe next season they will have the character's promote healthy Models, and women alike. Time will tell. In a nutshell, we all know the media likes watching waist lines, and the girls of Desperate Housewives aren't in a competetion over who is the smallest, it's just what the press at this day and age focuses on.
But now, let’s face it, it’s worn out. It’s time for a change! Why not come up with a new look that will wow them again! Like I said before, girls can’t get any thinner, or they’d be dead. Tattoos and body piercing is so highly over rated! The school girl looks been done. Take a look at all the trends that have come and gone. Then take a good look at your headshots, get some body shots of yourself done as well, and try designing yourself a new image. If you come up with nothing, then go to an image consultant, talk to your hair stylist. Start with your favorite icon image and add your own taste. At the end of the day, it might just be the most valuable thing you’ve ever done for your career!
I wonder if the media took the focal point off the waist line, and filled the airways of chatter about something besides weight and dress size, if this issue would simply fade, and people would stop noticing it soo much?
This article can’t go into conclusion until we’ve explored two of the most beautiful and exotic women in the public eye today, Jennifer Lopez, and Drew Barrymore!
Jen Lopez has made great effort in her recent films to project a healthy woman’s image, and she is to be commended for being comfortable enough with her own beauty to make unflattering references to her own body. In her film Monster-in-law, there was a scene where a Vintage Dress was given to her, purposely the in the wrong dress size. Poor Jen struggled on film to slip into the dress until the dress was torn, and she was unsuccessful. She has made reference to having a large buttocks in other films, too. What is so impressive, is that she is sending a clear message to the girls, that it’s ok not to fit into the smallest dress ever made, that being Latino means you are curvy, and have meat on your bones, and damn girls this is sexy! And she is right! What man wouldn’t melt down to his toes from the mere sight of Jen Lopez? She is a fabulous dancer, a successful singer, and a wonderful actress! She is also creating a trend that no other Celebrity can touch! And if they wanted to, they’d have to work pretty damned hard to catch up to her image.
Drew Barrymore is a natural beauty! She doesn't seem to care about competing with other actresses over the latest trend! She is herself in no matter what film she does, she takes good care of her body, she always looks fabulous, and when she wants to, she can out sexy any woman!
And as for Britney! Hunny, I’m not going to comment on what I thought of your body shape in a black bikini, that’s trivial. You are young and beautiful baby! Youth leaves us all soon enough, flaunt it while you got it! But it wouldn’t hurt to reinvent your image, and wow them again with a new comeback, and you’ll see, that bad press will be long forgotten.
That’s a wrap!
Sacreeta
