Michalsky Stylenite Features Pregnant Model in runway show

Michalsky Stylenite in his 2012/2013 collection at the Berlin Fashion week has featured a pregnant model in his show. And it was NOT for maternity wear. 

It certainly raised a few eyebrows at the show, but I think it is a unique and different change for runway and celebrates woman-hood.

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.

Topless NY Woman: New Trend?

For the past 2 weeks, there has been a woman in the East Village of New York who has been letting it all hang out. Moira Johnston has been going topless to raise awareness that in NY, that since 1992 its has been LEGAL for a woman to go topless wherever a man can.

She has stated that the reactions have been mixed although she does get a lot of support. "People aren't used to seeing it in our culture yet."

Bold is and understatement. I don't know if I could be brave enough to rock this look although in my younger days, if I had known it was legal, it might had been a different story.

Would you walk topless if you knew it was legal? Why or why not?

One For the Ages

WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE TO BE 120 YEARS OLD—AND WHAT WOULD YOU WEAR? AMBER VALLETTA TAKES A DECADE-BY-DECADE TRIP THROUGH A CENTURY’S WORTH OF ENSEMBLES.

Read More http://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/2011/09/amber-valletta-steven-klein-decades-ss#ixzz1tWxW9D1Y

September 29, 1929: A month before the stock market’s Black Tuesday, our heroine’s opium-tinged 29th- birthday party in the Blue Room rolls on.

November 16, 1936: With Edward VIII threatening to marry Wallis Simpson and the national economy still in the tank, one needs all the help one can get.

October 2, 1947: Having a bun in the oven makes it impossible to wear those divine new look wasp silhouettes—but that’s no excuse to turn down an invitation to El Morocco.

October 10, 1958: Finally! There had to be an upside to the stifling corset trend all those boring housewives have been so excited about.

September 27, 1966: Just back from Mary Quant’s party to celebrate her O.B.E. and now living out her own swinging sixties, our heroine gets ready for her close-up.

September 22, 1979: Her beloved Studio 54 is on its last legs—and, frankly, so is she. It’s a long way from the nightclub’s balcony to the floor, but the wall-to-wall helps cushion the fall.

October 18, 1986: After a strictly enforced “Just Say No” regimen, our material girl is back in action and ready for the Neo- Geo opening at the Sonnabend Gallery.

September 6, 1998: A chance encounter with Tom Ford—an old friend from Studio 54—leads to a glam wake for the last days of disco before escaping for some much needed R&R.

September 10, 2009: Several years into her second century, it’s time for Fashion’s Night In: a moment for reflection, tenderness, and…

September 30, 2019: Girding herself for another decade—and another new generation—our heroine heads out for dinner. There’s a place just around the corner she’s been going to forever…

Aging Gracefully: 90 Year Old Model Isis Apfel face of MAC

At the beginning of 2012, MAC  put out a new line of makeup with 90 year old fashion icon Isis Apfel as the face of the January collection. Within days the line sold out. In a time where we say things like "40 is the new 30" ...maybe it is a time to realize not only is a time to grow up, but to do so with dignity.

Now in a time where society can see the lasting effects of cosmetic surgery especially with shows like The "Real" Housewives, it is clear that cosmetic surgery doesn't make you look younger, just more peculiar looking.

Marketers are beginning to see the value of widening the range of what is deemed beautiful age-wise

54 year old Ellen DeGeneres is a cover girl and 66 year old Diane Keaton is the face of L'oreal 

Also in January this year Meryl Streep was on the Cover of Vogue magazine, at 62 she is the oldest cover girl in the history of the magazine!

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 I hope this trend of anti ageism in marketing and in culture is a lasting one. 

Anna Rexia Costume

Halloween is notorious for pumping out cheap looking boarder line prostitute costumes. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays because it allows me to be creative and play dress up. A few years ago I was in a college town at a college Halloween party. I sat outside watching a parade of girls wearing close to nothing and jokingly started shouting out "HOW MUCH?" at a few girls. This resulted in one girl stopping and telling me everyone has been giving her a hard time and to stop. Although I am against the whole, "she dressed like a slut so she was asking for it" idea. Yet at the same time I feel that it does draw unwanted attention to girls who jump on the band wagon of "its Halloween lets dress like a slut and get away with it" just because "everyone else is doing it."

You can imagine I was not shocked that a costume called "Anna-Rexia"

 Many stores are pulling this costume from their stores as customers had made complaints about this crossing the line. It trivializes a serious disease. Companies have said that they have also made a plus size version of this costume...as if that makes it okay?

 It's not so much the costume itself that bothers me but rather the message it seems to convey.

What do you think? It is a joke that people are taking too seriously?

Italian Vogue: Plus size models on cover

This months issue of Italian Vogue features a cover spread of plus size models.

For years the fashion industry has said that plus size will never equal high fashion but I feel that this spread proves that idea to be outdated. Her some photos from the spread.

This to me does not look gross or like a side show...a little edgy? Sure, but its European.

This a a huge step in the right direction and I hope that this concept will travel over seas to the United States. There is always the issue at hand, of not wanting to encourage obesity in America where it is such a problem. But at the same time, making overweight people feel alienated and outcast is not a solution that has worked. Bullying is a hot button issue right now and with everyone jumping on board with anti-bullying, you would think the fashion industry which is such a huge catalyst for setting unattainable standards could take even the smallest step towards body acceptance.

Seventeen magazine is the only magazine I know of that regularly has plus size models and encourages body acceptance on a regular basis. Every year American Vogue comes out with ONE issue based on body shapes.

If you haven't heard, recently the body shop put out this ad

Matell protested this ad because of it's anti Barbie statement. Its been sweeping social networks sites asking this image to be reposted if you agree with the message it is trying to convey. Do you agree with its message?