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No Newsflash Here: It’s No One’s Job to Tell You What to Buy

elle-magazine-march-2010

Magazines are not Bibles.

When it’s comes to voicing my opinion against old-fashioned or status quo thinking, I kind of am never done and can hardly reign myself in. I have something else to add in response to things people (here: a magazine professional) have been saying relating to the immature/amateur/style-star fight turned entire war of the fashion classes (Bloggers vs. Editors).

This quote by Anne Slowey, Fashion News Director for Elle, from a December article on The Cut was resurfaced on Stylist yesterday,

“People in fashion are constantly looking for the next unique boundary-pushing extreme thing to get excited about, but, you know, it’s like outsider art. What am I getting out of a 13-year-old’s opinion about fashion? How does that help me distill the collections? What am I supposed to be buying? That’s what an editor’s job at a magazine is.”

Uhh.. no.

I don’t even want to put magazine staff out of their other-tasks-of-that-job but… to them, fashion fans and all consumers,  I will answer her above posed questions.

  1. Entertainment?
  2. It’s not supposed to? Who even cares? Just do it, you’re supposed to be a pro, and as for the rest of us, we can do it on our own too! It’s art, it’s personal!
  3. What you like as long as it looks good on you!
  4. No. it. is. not.

And as it pertains to retail buyers, perhaps the magazines do help but what would help more would be turning to actual or potential customers’ opinion – and aren’t those often fashion bloggers? Isn’t that one great thing that should come from the blogging phenomenon?

Magazine staffers, you give a great service, but it’s also in entertainment. I’m never going to use your pages as shopping lists for my Spring wardrobe.

Although I do read a lot more blogs and they can inspire me. Something to think about.

 

Editors vs. Bloggers: Ella Bitches Both Sides.

*Grammar update*
I’m updating this post because I’ve learned something that relates, and I’m sure this little part of the grammar world can be found in my article. (I’m too busy to read it all again.)
Apparently, what every English teacher I know informs of prepositions is incorrect. (If you don’t want to read that page, I’ll write the gist here: some prepositions can be used at the ends of sentences.)

I will now write with less difficulty and, even more happily, less awkwardness. ‘Twas such an awkward rule, wasn’t it?

tavi-bow-hat-view

The View from the Middle: We're All on Equal Ground Now

It isn’t a popular position for a blogger herself to whine about (a) successful blogger(s), but at least that is only a small part of the upcoming several-fold rant. Well I’m not going to whine about success anyway, and I will only half bitch about the editors too. Everyone in the world is sometimes wrong and we’ve been reading so much of this cat fighting that I am itching to say just a few things.

First of all, everyone’s mean! Sure it’s safe to say that corporate-hired folks “started it”. Example: AOL’s Style List Katie Hintz-Zambrano pretty much accused famous 13 year old blogger, Tavi, of being no lady—whatever that means it does sound loaded. Yet then FashionIndie publisher antagonized all professionals for having expensive student loans yet small success. (Rant 2:) While attempting to argue against pros in this piece the blogger didn’t exactly prove one doesn’t need college with an article littered with terrible writing. See a large quote below as an example.

“Katie realize that fashion is a fickle little beast that is addicted to flavors of the week. The current flavor are over the top style bloggers like Tavi, Bryan Boy and Sea of Shoes, individuals with small readerships that manage to get attention cause they look odd* (or fabulous in the case of SeaGirl) and stand out in the streams of black, gray, and weathered that is the traditional garb of old school media types; you know, those overweight, fumpa bellied** folks who work at low readership publications like Paper Magazine and Village Voice who for years have taken over the front rows.”

Yeah I’ve been holding in my opinions – for the most part – about successful so-called writers who are as literate as the average person but actually attempt to publish and, while successfully in their own rights by their own hands, do so with a lot of opinion but zero talent.

Why is paying college tuition as “out” as three-decade-old faded bell-bottoms? While I don’t agree with the degree system, some education itself is priceless when it comes to things like grammar knowledge. Microsoft doesn’t sell that in package with PCs and paying high-speed Internet bills doesn’t grant us magic literary pills. Proper English is not something to disregard and learning it can not come easy. True that the average reader doesn’t know better but professional writers and editors do and I am not surprised they’re pissed that Jr. High-essay-level penners are so popular.

To me it’s not Tavi and her front row that I think is the only upsetting thing to insiders – and I’m refreshed that at least with her I can’t expect better writing than her age (although I think she far from writes worse than most adults). I, as someone who grasps the English language and is tormented by popular readership sites with authors who – to me – can’t write to save their lives — can’t imagine that this is also not upsetting to those who earned their big desk jobs.

~*If you like it then you shoulda put a belt on it*~

~*If you like it then you shoulda put a belt on it*~

*Third part of rant: Yeah, professionals, even fashion ones sometimes, are supposed to dress “professionally”; not “crazy”, most of the time—unlike girls – or boys – playing dress-up in their bedrooms and taking that to the street. Fashion is diverse, often about couture, but to me it’s a lot about flattery and not at all about a drapery, cheap or expensive label, that “fits” like a shapeless sheet. Where is the beauty in this outfit (right) – complete with hideous tights that appear to be mismatched knee socks? Oh yeah, I want to take fashion tips from that. (Not that I need any from anyone after years of Stacy and Clinton – all I need, babies.)

To add to the ugliness, I cannot hold it in, silver hair (or blue as some call it) on her makes her look 90 years old. It’s not cute.

However that FashionIndie representative thinks it’s “unthinkable” to diss Tavi’s (still-rookie?) style (and shows the position with unintelligible wording).

“[Stylelist's Katie Hintz-Zambrano] also does the unthinkable by calling her style “warrant serious eye rolls”. Oh snap!!!”

I do like that, for some time, a fashionista blogger showing her own style can lead to a following – what better way is there? Sadly, I’ve been horribly camera shy for several years with the reason lending itself to a future article on self esteem, weight, accepting oneself, etc. (I plan to follow that by me attempting to keep up with occasional or frequent ensemble shots, even though I still cannot be cloned—I being the only photographer my perfectionist self trusts.)

**The epidemic of not only obesity but of less-endangered-weighted women feeling frightened to be seen by the world or even themselves is my rant #4. It took me a long time to realize I am not actually fat – in fact I look beautiful, sexy, curvy, have a waist etc… I’m just no thinner than average even if sometimes larger. With only that amount of extra size on me, I’ve been terrified to show myself – and even though I’ve recently gotten over that for the most part, my fear of the camera adding 20 lbs (yep 20) is always difficult to overcome.

So to those so called indie fashionistas who are still to this day so insulting of weight as to say “fumpa bellied” (whatever that is) – yes, I am outraged at you and cannot stop at just pointing out this wrong you have made.

Yet who am I to argue? Where do I come from? (How much is jealousy, as one could excuse?) I’d let my posts speak for themselves as that is clearly all I currently have to show (and many are now missing photos, html and categories after years of changes and moves). I don’t think I even necessarily deserve grandeur at this point – I’ve made many individual business mistakes that leave me no wonder as to why I’m not more successful, so I’m not factoring my small position or using any bitterness in this reply. I’m human open to animal weakness but that is the truth. I’ve just seen such horrible lashing out that I’m compelled to put my 2 cents in, as my opinionista self just needs to do. I admire the simple beauty of bloggers making it by showing their style, and I’m hopeful that I can soon make this work for myself a bit – even though I usually go out looking mostly normal (except to male opinion) and if that holds a girl back, so what(?).

I don’t even mind if there’s bad writing by some fabulous or even crazy fashionista making it bigger through beautiful or quirky photos of their style and others’. One, the other, or both – it must be at least visual or literary, I say – and with both makes best. A fashion news or opinion site with apparent lack of even spell check, let alone proofreading, that lends to questioning what the writer’s first language even is —- also not cute, just like a sad sack.

Stop bashing the pros and editors you appear to not even aspire to struggle to equal in talent.

I’ll leave you with this quote, from Tavi’s own final word on the fight she partially inspires.

“The Bloggers vs. Editors! thing is tired. If there was a real competition, editors wouldn’t be willing to give bloggers press. Blogs and magazines are good for different things; it’s like comparing apples with oranges. Collaboration, not competition. Always!”

(And only one grammatical error.) I kind of like her brain, just not always the eye that creates some of her ensembles. ;-) You should read that article … and/or more of my blog. ;-)

 

Some Foods DO Taste as Good as Skinny Feels

I can know this because I have been skinny.

Courtesy of Monfresh @ Flickr

Courtesy of Monfresh @ Flickr

Some foods do taste wonderful, but their calories or other disadvantages make them easier to avoid while dieting. Some foods are just worth it, still.

Everyone has their own preferences, like some foodies need only gourmet and those with sweet teeth can drool over any dessert/snack foods.

Starbucks’ Hot Chocolate with a shot of peppermint may taste awesome, but I’m lactose intolerant (erm, less tolerant) so that’s off my menu for now while I’m also cutting calories.

One food we can all agree on; Filet Mignon.

Come on, Kate. Nothing? Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels? Really? Really!?!

You lie, miss chienne, you just must lie.

Sincerely, Ella.

P.S. Why, I think I just might have one of those Keebler sandwich cookies as a post-breakfast snack. Don’t mind if I do – don’t mind it at all. ;-)

 

Stuff it, Keiser! Lagerfeld Shoots his Mouth off against Curves

largerfeldWe just posted that Karl Lagerfeld is nutty with a serious case of verbal diarreah. But Lagerfeld is so off his rocker-bound-butt that he leaves behind his roots.

His own heavy roots;

No one wants to see curvy women. You’ve got fat mothers with their bags of chips sitting in front of the television and saying that thin models are ugly.”

To that fab bloggers from Refinery 29 retorted,

We’re just going to chalk that up to boob envy and move on.

We (the royal moi) roll our eyes at him. Karl, stuff it with a can of Pringles, you miserable old koot!

Ladies, don’t listen to that oddball. And ask any straight man how much he loves curves.

Issue = fin.

(Also Refinery29 and FatStylist.com = FAB.)

 

The Beautiful Cast of ‘More to Love’

Bigger people don’t necessarily offer “more to love” – everyone knows that’s up to personality. But the cast of the new dating show More to Love have some more curves to look at and I think they’re all beautiful and sexy. After all, they have so much natural cleavage! Can you argue? (Well grow up if you can.)

More to Love debuted last night and airs Tuesdays at 9pm EST on FOX.

*Addition: I just remembered the premiere showed some of these ladies tell their story of never having a boyfriend or even a date. And I’m shocked and saddened. I haven’t noticed this in real life whether it’s my own sized-self or anyone I know of a “size”. Perhaps it’s partially luck, but I have two tips: Confidence helps even though you don’t need it to the level of “swagger” or denial, and also – try online dating! Don’t lie, of course, but there’s such a variety of people, and men can see your face and personality first – and only what you display. I found online dating to WORK, for me, period.

Photos credits: Pop Power and Examiner.com.

Cast (Including Luke)

Melissa

Malissa

Bonnie

Natasha

Anna

Heather

Christina

 

Hierarchy on Whom to Listen to On What TO Wear…

1. Yourself Express your personality.
2. Stylist Gurus like Stacy London. Learn to choose what LOOKS BEST on YOU.

… (Yourself, yourself, yourself, yourself, yourself)

8. Your BF. Or maybe just when you two are alone, if he’s not a sexist dolt.

(No one, no one, no one, no one – who cares anyway if you don’t?)

57. Trends.
58. Magazines.
59. What every one else is doing.

10001. What people with the opposite of your body are doing. (See #2.)

=> Photo of Stacy London from her Twitter account.

 

Size Up Fail: A C Cup Alone makes a Full Figure in the Fashion World?


Lara Stone is busty (left, for Prada) but in the 2nd photo
more stick than full figured with jutting hip bones.

I’m about to depart a bit from my usual “Ella” demure professionalism today in this rant. (Warning: it bad language will show up further down the page.) Still somehow when I’m sick with upset, surprisingly, eloquence conquers more through lyrical prose. So you’ll now receive oddly & seemingly-schemed poetic flow with the partial drawback of – well, a hissy fit? At least you can not see the temper tantrum I feel inside me wanting to break out. But it is not masterminded; it is a gift (in my opinion, as I like my style). Perhaps I am blessed in my strangeness, but I digress too much.

I’m weary, bleary, hungry and rife with personal strife currently. It’ll be OK soon, don’t worry – life happens. OK I’m still a lady, yes, I didn’t cuss. But later on, I know the bitch me will surface – and Ella even refers to that as a chienne or female dog instead of the B word! (Oh my.) But it is a part of me. I won’t deny it as a woman it is in me. Hear me roar. And that’s not anti-feminist. (Men can be worse – or just plain bitches themselves. Maybe that’s un-PC. Maybe it’s human.)

On to the “story”… So model and it-girl hype … I never follow it. You might know that. I don’t care if you care not for it. But of course I do try to keep up with a lot of fashion article reading whenever I can. I’m not mad when bloggers follow business-as-usual whereas it’s my nemesis – so the source of this news does not matter. Oh it does as a link source, of course, I happily oblige – I mean just that I mean no offense. Who does not chatter – amongst the trendy writers – of trends, news, current… That’s fine, as “fine” is defined.

But back on topic, this happens to mean, yes-I’ve heard buzz of Lara Stone and her status in the modeling world. Whatever.

But her very popularity (or is it sheer f…abbing presence on top catwalks?) is marked as exceptional to the modeling biz. Why? Because she’s a size 4. Yes, 4, or 6 on bloated days. But models are “supposed to be” a 0 or 2. So she’s heralded as “curvier” or worse “fuller figured”.

View our Gallery from W Magazine’s August issue declaring Stone Fashion’s IT Girl. Our Ttitle: Beauty or the Beast?

The real thing, true visual difference, between Lara and her runway colleagues (not all models, mostly just runway) is that her breasts are 2 1/2 sizes more grown than her nearly A peers. Her bust is reportedly a C cup.

Quel shock! Alert the press! She’s got
Read the rest of this entry »

 

Documentary Teaches Never Let Our Daughters Model

I just read about Picture Me, a new documentary exposing the secret darknesses of the modeling and photography world. A lowlight of the film’s revelations,

‘We had to go in one by one. The photographer said he wanted to see me without my shirt on. Then he told me that it was still hard to imagine me for the story so could I take my trousers off. I was standing there in a pair of Mickey Mouse knickers and a sports bra. I didn’t even have breasts yet. ‘We might need to see you without your bra,’ he told me. It was like he was a shark circling me, walking around and around, looking me up and down without saying anything. I did what he told me to. I was just eager to be liked and get the job. I didn’t know any better.’

I knew I had to help spread the news of reported abuse, but I’m saddened by the lack of what was said in The Gaurdian article (you must read) – the fact that I must say it because of this lack, and it’s something so obvious to me, to mothers, to you – most likely. And most heinous.

Possibly never have I uttered or written these words in earnest:

Think of the children!

Even in this article about the exposé, and in words by the filmmaker and model, herself – there is a harsh sickening detail left out. It’s not the worst part that it is omitted in these sources trying to help a *new* or to-be cause, but it is perhaps the sickest part of these facts: these are not women, not just girls, not just teenagers. They are children. Looked at sexually, molested, by pedophiles – who could argue? But those words are not mentioned. Not just nothing about pedophilia – which no one can deny any criminality when a 14 year old child does not even have breasts yet, there is no blurry woman-like view there - model body or no. Not even that this is not mentioned, but neither is the word, “child”. Not once. Not. a. once. If you have the Google Toolbar, with the article open in your browser/tab and type “child” into the search bar, but then click on it in the “find” feature – you do hear that *not found* alert.

This may sound odd, but it was chilling for me, in that moment, to hear that bumpy Windows noise.

I may only be a dreamer now but if I am ever a big designer, I wouldn’t ever let an ad (or any) photoshoot go on without my presence, now that I know of this. I feel like many would jadedly think one would flake on any idealic promise when facing business reality, but I know you readers are normal and good like I am. And wouldn’t you do the same? Care the same? I know it. Like the star who is still down-to-earth, we have to believe we remain human even if absorbed into the successes and pull-pressures of an industry so firm in its tradition, even the bad (especially?). Trends change, but capitolism remains, sleeze is our animal. Many, though never enough on the inside, vow to change dress size norms or less-average-size chic-levels or prevalence, but when faced with true crimes, against children or not, we’ve gotta believe we would do our part to fight.

For most of us, all we can do is vow not to let our daughters, or any child of anyone we know, start or even dream of modeling – or at least teach and try to prevent with those familes we cannot control. Not only is this the best fight most of us have, but we should all do at least this.

Photo: Teenaged model from YenMag.net

 

“Legalize Gay Pot” – Hilarious T-Shirt!

“If you support gay marraige, AND the legalization of pot…”

You can really tick people off with this tee, but don’t worry – only the wrong people.

Otherwise, what a conversation starter. I love this concept because it helps push the envelope.

Lighten up people – don’t support gay marriage? Maybe you need some weed to relax and get over yourself!

Word.

Legalize Gay Pot tee from LegalizeGayPot.com – from $20 to $23 (one set of sizes for men and women).

 

Quote: Average Height Is Now “Petite” to Designers?

“My “petite” jeans I bought yesterday came with a tag that reads, “This collection offers perfect proportions for the petite. Rather than simply cropping the length, this garment has been rescaled and tailored to accomodate [sic] the woman who is 5’4” and under.” Which is interesting, seeing as how the average height for the female American woman is 5’4”.”

Natalie Hormilla of www.fashionista.com