Skinny Minnie Mouse

Last year Barneys New York paired up with Disney to create a combo fashion show.  Seems a strange partnership, I know, and it caused a controversy.  I'm a little torn on the idea, so I thought I'd put it out in Blogger land and see what others thought.

In the Christmas windows, Barneys played a three minute video about Minnie Mouse and the the fashion world.  She has fantasies of being on the runway with all of the fashion directors and models...a lot like us other girls may do.  During the video, they showcase some of our favorite Disney characters as tall and very skinny.

The artist in me says, "Hey that's a cool artistic rendering of traditional cartoon characters."  The woman in me says, "That's ridiculous and infuriating."

Minnie dreams of looking like a high fashion model in the video and walking the runway.  At the end of the video, Mickey surprises her with the dress she loves and she's wearing it at the end.

She's happy with the way she looks in the dress, with her little short legs and mousy curves.  Which is cute.  But here is what bothers me about it...

It continues to perpetuate that tall and skinny is the ultimate goal.  The fashion world doesn't get it.  We don't want it anymore.  We don't want starving girls on the runway.  And we especially don't want our favorite Disney characters dreaming of being emaciated for the sake of being beautiful.  It's saying that those fantasies are OK.  When a girl is little that's the first step.  Approval of a tall skinny ideal from a very trusted source.  If Minnie wants to be that way...then so do I.

Am I looking to deep into this?  Perhaps.  Like I said, the artist in me finds some appeal to the redesign and the creativity in it all.  But the responsible woman in me thinks it should have never been a partnership to begin with.  Disney cartoons are for children.  Let's not go and confuse the matter.  Kids are already growing up way too fast these days.  Let's not skyrocket them any faster.

Here is a news article about the controversy...although it did air on ABC news which is owned by Disney, so it's definitely broadcast in a better light:

http://youtu.be/lfJnuCFbpqU

So what do you think?  Cute and fun?  Or revolting?

History Repeats Itself...Finally

As one who has a huge affinity for fashion history, I have a clear understanding of the changing silhouettes that have reigned queen of the beautiful for various societies throughout time.  The majority of Americans know what a corset is and know that it played a significant role in ladies' undergarments at some point in history.  It did, in fact, stay in fashion in a multitude of versions for hundreds of years.  So manipulating a woman's body to achieve a desired look is nothing new.  However, take a gander at the following pieces of artwork:

The first is a sculpture entitled Aphrodite who, as many are aware, was a Greek Goddess.  You don't get much more perfect than the body of the Goddess of Love.  The second is a painting from the Renaissance when corsets when in vogue.  And yet look at this painting of women.  Notice the "back fat" on the woman on the left.  Her thighs are touching.  And the woman on the right would be considered "fat and grotesque" by our modern standards, but the artists of that time found the soft curves of the naked female body to be beautiful.

A fun historical fact about men's definition of beauty through its revolution in time...In our current society, a man's masculinity is defined by his upper body.  We see photos of men with the defined "V" chest silhouette, an 8-pack stomach, and those definition lines by the groin.

But did you know that during the 18th century in Europe (that would be the time of Marie Antoinette), a man's attractiveness was not based on his chest at all?  In fact, it was very often covered with "frou frou," which is the technical term for the lace, embroidery, etc. that their often times elaborate clothing displayed.  What women deemed attractive was a man's calves.  Yes, his lower legs.

You will notice in the photo above that the man is placing his leg outward and the painting clearly shows a defined calf muscle.  That is because it was showing attractiveness.  This would have been a very handsome man with the large, firm calves; powdered wig; and slightly effeminate gestures.  Dandies, as they were called, were the most desirable of men.  They were very flamboyant and indulgent.  

A little fun thing to do if you have the time.  Watch the movie "Dangerous Liaisons" with John Malkovich and Glenn Close.  There is a scene when John Malkovich's character is attempting to seduce Glenn Close's character as he moves up a staircase.  If you know what you're looking for, you will see that he is placing and flexing his calf muscles for her.  Just a fun historical fashion note!

So, where are you going with this, Ms. Blogger?  I'll tell you.

In the 1960s, fashion made a drastic change for the skinny and we haven't looked back...until now.  My sister sent me this article:  http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/swedish-mannequins-cause-a-controversy--192108535.html

Although we don't know which store displayed these mannequins, they created a controversy.  What I find interesting is to compare these mannequins to the Renaissance painting:

Similar, are they not?  They are so similar it's amusing.  

We're not doing anything different or new with these "fuller figured" mannequins.  We are, actually, reverting back to a definition of beauty that was prevalent for centuries prior to the 1960s.  

Is change finally on the horizon?

A Week of Pictures in One Blog

I won't write a lot on this particular blog.  Instead, I want to place a series of photos that I have seen on Pinterest this week.  I did not search for these photos.  I saw each of them in my every day normal life.  Most were for workout links, while others were fashion photos.  None were intended to be negative in any sense of the word.  After a week of the barrage, I decided it would be a quick realization to my readers to see what we digest as the one and only "beautiful" on a regular basis.  This is our psychological diet that is fed to us everyday.  Enjoy.

**

The last photo I will give credit that she has a very toned stomach.  What bothers me personally about this picture is again with the gap between the legs.  NOT A HEALTHY WEIGHT GOAL.  If you notice, she has her back arched.  Without a doubt, her thighs touch when her back is not arched.  Do not let posing, lighting, and photography fool you.

We rarely see all of these photographs in one take. How does it make you feel to see all of it at once?  It's like seeing just how much food a super obese person can eat in one day, isn't it?  Like when you separate the sum into several meals it seems to make some sort of sense, but as soon as you see it all together you immediately realize something isn't right.  So...I'll ask you again...how do these pictures make you feel?  

Probably not good.

**A side note in regards to the first photo.  It was a fashion photo actually meant to focus on the dress, but all you can see are frail arms with protruding elbows and, of course, every bump in her spine.  This photo had created quite the argument on Pinterest.  Dozens of people were arguing.  Many were saying that it is unhealthy.  But then you had women defending her size.  Saying it could be natural for her.  I don't know about you, but I personally know many naturally thin women and their backbones don't protrude out of their backs when they are curved in that fashion.  Notice the girl is not bending over...it's the opposite...she's sticking her stomach out in front of her to curve her back.  Women.  Stop thinking that is normal or that you should be automatically accepting.  You have to be able to acknowledge when someone is unhealthy before you can grasp what is realistic.  If you can't clearly understand a body with an eating disorder, you will never understand that it is not a standard to be met.

Facing Your Childhood Beauty Fears

I had to go to the eye doctor today.  For those that do not know, I am legally blind, but with how great contact lenses are these day they are able to correct my vision.  This morning was not the best of news for me.

From the long term wearing of my contact lenses, my corneas are swollen and my blood vessels are starting to grow in areas of my eyes where they should not be.  This is because my eyes are searching for oxygen around my contacts.  Clearly this cannot continue.  Over many decades I could really lose my vision.  So I had to purchase glasses today.  Not that I have to wear only glasses, but I can't wear my contact longer than 10 hours a day.

Most "normal" people wouldn't think twice about it.  What's the big deal?

Let's move back in my childhood days.  Doesn't it seem like everything that permanently impacts us happens when we're young?  And then we spend our entire lives overcoming whatever challenges were presented to us at a young age.

I was definitely a nerd when I was little.  I have often been described as an old soul.  I never understood kids my age and didn't understand the point of silly games that kids liked to play.  I read books all the time (still do), and was always the smartest in my class.  Eventually I was moved into the "Gifted and Talented" class that was designed to challenge advanced students.  I never technically passed the tests to be permitted in the class, but my teacher was so insistent that I needed to be there that the school allowed it.  Actually, the school wanted to skip me a grade level, but my parents told them no.  I was so socially awkward that they didn't want that added stress on me as a child.  I couldn't thank my parents enough for that.  So I was put in the advanced class, but I was the slowest kid the class.  Everything was logic, math, and science.  I'm an artist.  Throw advanced literature at me, and I could have ran circles around those other kids but that's not what elementary school is about.

So either way, I didn't fit in.  I physically didn't fit in.  I was always made fun of.  I befriended the other teased child in the class year after year.  One part of me that was always part of the teasing was the glasses I wore.

The teasing had a large an impact on me.  When I was fourteen I was already wearing contact lenses, but one of them tore while on vacation.  My parents told me I would need to just wear my glasses.

"Just wear your glasses."

I am normally a very even tempered human being, but I couldn't handle that phrase.  Those glasses were the portal to the hatred that had been poured upon me for my entire childhood by those outside of my family.  I took my (very expensive) glasses and threw them as hard as I could at the wall.  I have no idea how they didn't break.  My parents stood shocked at my behavior.  I think I shriveled up into a ball of screaming and tears, refusing to wear my glasses.

Clearly many years have passed since then, but I have yet to go into public wearing glasses.  My scars were too deep.  So today, when the doctor told me I would have to wear glasses from time to time my adult had to talk my inner child down off the ledge.

I'm nervous about how people will perceive me.  The adult in me knows it's going to be fine, and some people may even like me in glasses.  My inner child is still kicking and screaming.

Do you have something about your physical appearance that has haunted you for your entire life?  Have you ever had a moment when you had no choice but to face it head on?  What childhood beauty fears are locked within you that need to be released so that you can move forward with loving every part of you?

I pick up my glasses tomorrow.  I will hate it, and I really won't want to wear them but I will.  Just a little self-loving beauty step forward.

Beautiful Women Fight Back

You know what I find refreshing?  A model who appears to look "normal."  Granted, she's still far above par when it comes to the beauty department, but if her body's BMI is in the healthy range it makes all the difference in the world.  I don't know about you, but I sit back and say to myself, "Oh, I don't look bad after all."

If you have a moment I would love for you to take a quick glance at one woman's fight for healthy models.  The camera really does add 10 lbs, and we're so conditioned to see unhealthy as normal that we're blinded to it.  We don't even know what's real anymore.  This model is fighting a good fight:

http://www.katiegreenofficial.com/

Katie Green has created a campaign entitled "Say No to Size Zero."  I would like to make the ever inevitable disclaimer that I understand that some women are naturally a size zero.  That's not the concept here.  She is fighting for women to have healthy body mass indexes.

I have resisted shopping at Express, because I'm so disappointed with their choices of models.  They are young girls who are ridiculously skinny.  I really love shopping in my small online boutiques like http://www.pinupgirlclothing.com who embrace all sizes of women.  One day, I was so put off by the comparison of models I created my own little visual:

For me, there's really no comparison.  How 'bout you?

Food Allergies: A Good Excuse for an Eating Disorder

I manage a dinner theater, so I not only manage the flow of the evening but I often deal with dinner complications.  I have purposefully never worked as a server in a restaurant, because I can confess that I'm an extremely clumsy person who should never be responsible for carrying an entire tray of food.

Now that I've been working in the theater for almost a year and half, I have noticed a strange phenomenon that I never would have noticed before.  An exorbitant number of people are claiming "food allergies."  I confess that I don't know a lot about food allergies.  I'm a very lucky person that I don't have to deal with that.  My boyfriend has a tree nut allergy, which is a very common allergy and it's not too difficult to avoid.  I'm conscious of nuts in desserts as I carefully choose each season's dessert options.  I am sure that I always have at least one, if not two, of the three desserts without nuts.

More often lately, I have heard the gluten allergy.  If I may be so bold, it feels to me as though it's almost a fad type of allergy...if there is such a thing.  I'm sure there are those that are legitimately allergic to gluten, but I'm also sure it could not be as many as claim to be.  We seat about 95 guests in our theater every Friday and Saturday night.  I would estimate that I have at least one person in every crowd, on average, claim to be gluten free.  That's about 1 in every 100 people.  That's an ENORMOUS number of people.  Was it not only 10 years no one even knew what gluten was?

There was one woman in particular who really got me thinking about it more.  When I was speaking with her on the phone in regards to her meal, she listed a countless number of foods that she was allergic to.  Finally, I offered her only a grilled chicken breast and flat grilled vegetables.  No olive oil or spices.  It seemed to satisfy.  As a manager, you must be careful with people with food allergies, because everyone in the world is attorney happy and the last thing you want is a law suit on your hands because someone went into anaphylactic shock.

When she arrived at the theater that weekend, all of the pieces of the puzzle fell together.

She was anorexic.

That's what triggered my analyzation of the situation.  If a person is struggling with an eating disorder, others won't let you just not eat.  They will force you.  However, if you claim that you cannot eat something without becoming so ill that it could kill you, then no one will make you eat anything.  Ever.  It's a free ticket to not eat anything without anyone questioning you.  Any dieter will tell you that the hardest thing about dieting is when you're around others, and they are pressuring you to enjoy just one piece of cake.  No one will bother you if you say, "I will get very sick."  It's such an easy excuse.

So I followed through with a little research.  The Huffington Post just recently published an article citing that food allergies are the next eating disorder.  

The anxiety about food could have originated from an honest place, but quickly led the person down the wrong path.  For instance, if your parents teach you that if you eat peanuts you could die.  Even just a trace could kill you.  That may or may not be true.  Often times, people simply have an intolerance.  Intolerance means that it causes irritants, but it will not kill you.  But if you're convinced that you could die from a trace, your fear of food gets a running start on your psyche.  What if you're allergic to other things?  And if you're a high anxiety personality, it could be a recipe for disaster.  

A 2009 study reported in the LA Times states, "Only about 25% of people who think they have a food allergy will actually have one."

In much the same way that vegetarianism was abused by those with eating disorders, so are allergies.  There are those who used vegetarianism as a great moral excuse to not eat entire food groups.  Then it was taken a step further and vegans came along.  I'm not saying that you shouldn't be a vegetarian; I'm saying it's a terrific moral cover-up for an individual with emotional and mental anxiety in regards to food and diet.  Just in the same way, that we all know that food allergies are legitimate and real.

The woman who claimed all of those allergies was secretly dying under the guise of a medical excuse.  She was so frail, and even the grilled chicken and vegetables didn't work for her.  She left a comment for us that the food had no flavor.  You see, we couldn't win.  Her family couldn't win.  Even when acceptable food was placed in front of her, she then turned the table and said it was tasteless.  Of course it was.  She said she was allergic to everything with flavor.  And so she gets to pass through another meal without being forced to eat.  

I write this to make others aware of this new phenomenon.  Our country is making millions of dollars pushing "low fat," "gluten free," "low calorie," blah, blah, blah.  It's nothing but marketing for the most part, but there's a hidden illness lurking in our health obsessed, and yet obese, society.

The secret killer is not always an allergy.  It could be anorexia.

Life isn't a Diet

I've been gone from my blog for awhile now.  Sorry for the absence.  I went through a phase where I had nothing to say.  There was no encouragement from me, because I've been struggling with my own physical acceptance.

It doesn't feel right to write encouraging words and give advice on self love when you're not sure how you're currently feeling about yourself.  I gained all of five pounds, which on a small frame like mine translates to a whole other size.  So several years back I was a size 4 with measurements of 35/26/37.  Yea, I know....sickening.  But I was exercising and forced to stick to a strict hypoglycemic diet, which translates to no sugar, no fried food, no processed meats or cheeses, and no caffeine.  I went from a full time actress to having to commit to a full time job again, so not soon after I went back to a size 6.  Then the best and the worst thing happened:

I am no longer hypoglycemic.

Just as the doctor predicted, I "outgrew" it.  Which means......I CAN EAT SUGAR AGAIN!!!!

Uh, oh.  I can eat sugar again.

That means...

And...

And what about this??

Ok, so I exaggerate a little bit.  But I'm telling you, it's like my brain is addicted!  Worst offender for me?  A chocolate Oreo Sonic blast.  Did you know you could add chocolate to the Oreo blast?  You do now.  

You're welcome.

So, needless to say, I've gained 5lbs and now I'm an 8.  Feels like it happened fast.  I probably could've just smeared chocolate Oreo blast straight onto my love handles and been done with it.

I've had to adjust.  When you change sizes for the larger, it hurts.  So then you get depressed.  Know what helps with depression?  A chocolate Oreo blast.  

But I digress.

I still struggle with keeping my blood sugar steady when I workout, so I went to a trainer for a test run. He pumped all kinds of crap into my body until two hours after the workout I was sick and throwing up.  Then tonight I went back to the gym, and after about 5 months it happened.

I realized I still like my body.

It took some time getting over the increase in number on my pants.  But when I look in the mirror at the gym, I like what I see.  And guess what?  I'm still the same size, but I want to workout because I like the way I look.  It's strange, and I didn't predict it.  It seems as though the better I feel about my body, regardless of my size, the more I enjoy working out.  

My focus is no longer going to be on losing weight.  I don't want to go through life constantly thinking about calories and weight and numbers on my pants.  I simply want to be healthy.  I will try to get to the gym at least 3 times a week.  I NEVER WEIGH myself.  I will look to be active, but not obsessed or depressed.  

I won't give up my enjoyable chocolate Oreo blast.

There's no getting in the way of true love.