Seventeen Magazine: No More Airbrushing!

14 year old Julia Bluhm, of Waterville Maine, began organized a petition which received 84,168  signatures. The petition pleaded to Seventeen magazine to portray the young girls as they really are without digitally altering their bodies or face.

Seventeen took the petition to heart and made an official statement for the August issue.

Editor Ann Shocket and the entire staff of Seventeen signed a pact that agreed to show models as they are without retouching.

Women hate themselves too much as it is and it begins with society screaming "you suck! buy this!" at such a young age. By showing girls in a realistic light and encouraging self appreciation while they are young, hopefully they will be less likely to have such devastating self esteem issues. 

Seventeen is a very forward thinking for a popular fashion magazine and has featured models of all size shapes and color. This is a HUGE step in the right direction and proves that one person (even a kid) make a remarkable impact! Passion goes a long way.

You Look like the 4th of July! It makes me want a hot dog real bad!

(this is a photo of me from my high school year book)

Lana Del Rey's National Anthem Channels Jackie Onassis and Marilyn Monroe

Today the Lana Del Rey music video for "National Anthem" was released.

 Rey portrays a sort of Marilyn Monroe Jackie Onassis hybrid, and the video features A$AP Rocky as a Jack Kennedy/Barack Obama hybrid.

The video has already sparked a lot of controversy for recreating the 1963 Kennedy assassination, and the interracial relationship has raised a few eyebrows.  Director Anthony Mandler says that was the point.

"We used the Kennedy framework to kind of implement this new Camelot, this maybe socially diverse Camelot...bringing it into the modern era, but still keeping that classic framework. There's a kind of micro commentary on this new royalty. I think with an African American president, it's still controversial to see him playing JFK, its still taboo, even though it shouldn't be."

He goes on to say "We didn't want to make it be a mockery. How many artists and rappers and singers have you seen running around in badly fitted suits acting like the president?"

Mandler says he wanted the video's theme to be about a loss of innocence and sort of a Romeo and Juliet story. He felt the Marilyn. Jackie O and Jack Kennedy love triangle "became this kind of ideal of what seemed perfect from the outside but was maybe rotting on the inside."

The video is amazing and it channels a modernized early 60's feel. It is hard not to have some emotional response to it. Rey is simply stunning in it. Is it controversial, perhaps? But it is also bold and I think the director created his vision successfully.

90's Revival: Shirley Manson

After a 7 year hiatus the band Garbage has put out a new album Not Your Kind of People
I have been dying to do a blog covering Shirley Manson's style!

The front woman Shirley Manson with her heavily lined eyes, fire engine red lips and ginger locks has an iconic look along with a powerful knack for singer and song writing.

(Not mention a unique fashionista)

All Bestey Johnson Boutiques Closing

Betsey Johnson has filled for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection. 

Steve Madden's company paid the debt from 2010 taking Betsey Johnson's intellectual property as collateral and started the process of restructuring the company and pumping out more goods. Unfortunately this restructuring didn't take and as a result of the bankruptcy, all Betsey Johnson Boutiques are closing their doors. As of now all locations are selling everything on sale including the fixtures and equipment. 

Not all is lost, the fashion legend will still have her designs available at department stores and her lower priced line Betseyville available. The once Andy Warhol costume designer I trust will get out of bankruptcy, she has even said that she will remain the creative directer and will be having a fashion runway show in September! 


*I had the pleasure of meeting Betsey recently and she is one of the kindest and most unpretentiousness women I've ever met. I'm sending out positive vibes her way and know she will come out on the other side even more girly, fun, youthful and sweet as ever!