Oh you pretty things.

 

I have not worn make up for five days now, I have had an eye infection, and you know what? its been ok! But I'm really starting to miss it. Its a security blanket, a mask of confidence and prettiness and it also helps me transform my face to fit whatever look I want it too. It's been odd. Todays outfit went down a bit of a hippy thirties vibe (if that even exists)  I am actually obsessed with this robe that I made this time last week. It pretty much goes with everything. I am so excited to wear this look with a ton of dark eye make up and dark red lippy, a bit vampy. But in the mean time we all I think need to embrace how we look naturally. Everyone has something beautiful about them. Even if we cannot see it our self. 

Disappointing...

The other week, I ran out to get COMPANY magazine before spending an hour on the train to go eat cake and spend some time with family. Along with the magazine, I bought a big bar of white chocolate and a coffee to keep me company. It was all peachy, until I found myself in the presence of three young ladies. They were about Sixteen/Seventeen, and had just got on the train, all giddy and excited for having finished college for the day. Everything was fine, until they got onto the subject of food. For the purposes of this text I am calling them L1, L2 and L3, just so I don’t confuse myself in the process.

L1 asked L2, with a cereal bar in hand, “Did you want a little bit? I’ve already eaten way too much today. I had a sandwich and an apple earlier.” L2 replied, “God no, I’ve already had a packet of crisps today. I’m trying to cut down.” L3 said, “Oh same, too many calories!” L1, equally as horrified with herself said, “This has 90 calories!” as she examined the back of the cereal bar packet. They then went on to explain that this was pretty much all they had eaten all day, each replying with, “Oh same” at the very mention of watching their weight.

I know It’s very tame and may not seem like that bit of a deal, but I have never calorie counted in my life and to see these girls, no older than 17, discussing their eating habits as if they have broken the law, it just made me feel a bit sad.

During this conversation between these three ladies, I was reading an article that pretty much summed up the problem I have getting my head around, and that angered me so much, I’ve had to leave it a couple of weeks to get  a balanced opinion, but I’m still not happy.  The article was about a young woman who will do anything to remain skinny, titled “This Is Skinny Club.”

Being skinny is not the dilemma here, I have no quarms about anyone's shape, size or style. The reason why this made me so angry was the way in which it was written and the impact it can have. The girl (calling herself ANON or Anonymous) began with an anecdote on how her best friend baked her an amazing cake for her Birthday, covered in cream cheese frosting and little iced carrots, and how she lied to her friend, said that she was feeling rough and would eat it later, only to take it home and freeze so that she wouldn't eat it and to keep herself from temptation. She then explains that she spends most Saturday mornings baking cakes to give to her friends, so that she can lie and say that she has already eaten lots of them already, just so that they don’t “nag” her about not eating anything. But it gets worse. She pulls out an old quote from Kate Moss; “Nothing tastes better than being thin,” and would deny herself food she actually would like to eat, in order to stay skinny. She gives us details of her daily work outs, where she spends every moment she can, exercising to keep off the fat. (This includes boxing, Pilates, lifting weights, and running. She does squats while she brushes her teeth, crunches as she waits for the kettle to boil and as she watches TV, endless planks). She compares herself to celebrities who are renowned for their size 0 shape, and then believes this is all acceptable because she can “rock a crop top,” and in the process, glamorising her actions to convince us that this is OK.

In defence to this story, It is great to hear that a young woman can feel confident in her body and be brave enough to express her view and lifestyle. When you read the article, you are able to argue that she exercises and still eats healthy food, which is a great and positive attribute to remember. However, at one point she does admit that she may be addicted to the process of being ‘skinny’, and this is taken very lightly, expressed more as a joke than an actual realisation. It becomes clear that the confidence she flaunts is painfully false and potentially very dangerous. There is a bigger issue here; for this woman, the skinnier she is, the happier she becomes, and that is not healthy. At the end of the day, this girl is not happy with her natural shape or size to go through extremes such as this to maintain her idea of a healthy figure. Plus she is lying to her closest friends and family, believing that they are ‘nagging,’ when really, they just care about her. 

I’m not angry at this girl, I'm angry at the way in which this was published. The magazine asks the reader whether they found it offensive or refreshingly honest, in hope to submit our opinions on the website. While it was an article that touched upon issues I had not read before in a commercial women’s magazine, I did not find it refreshing and I did not find it honest. Offensive is too strong a word, but disappointed is definitely one that comes to mind. COMPANY has been a magazine that has gone from strength to strength in the last 2 years. It’s been up to date and current. Showing more and more individual style and street style, it’s represented a healthy balance of fashion, health and beauty awareness, while reminding their readers to be creative and think bigger than what is on their pages, supporting new talent from music, the blogging world, art, crafts and fashion culture. But when I read this article, It just felt like one giant step back. This magazine has a huge influence on myself, and I know from close friends and people I admire from afar, that they feel the same. An article such as this one can be damaging, It is very difficult to explain the why this article can be so influential, but all you have to do is follow this link; http://www.company.co.uk/magazine-hq/theskinnymyth, and you can see the hundreds of other women and men who believe that this wasn't the best move.

Its the glamorising of an idea that this process of becoming skinny no matter what the means is OK, and can be achieved if you too 'put in the effort'. At no point is their an alternative view. This girl has persuaded herself this is the only way to be happy, and has no other opinions on the matter. For all we know, this girl may have a psychological illness or an eating disorder, and giving her this platform without at least someone asking if this is OK, could make it ten times worse. Lets just hope next month they bring out a more calculated and well balanced view.

If you want to read the article its in the June issue of COMPANY.

Post Punk.

Dip dyed seem to be rapidly descending into being the 21st version of tie dye, but without the amazing psychedelic soundtrack. Anyway on this theme did anyone see Vivienne Westwood's models dip dyed nails....... uber fucking cute, I'm totally going to find away of re creating this at home!!

On the subject of good old Viv Westwood the lucky employees at Virgin are getting a uniform overhaul with these very 50's inspired air hostess uniforms designed by the Dame herself. Although I love this silhouette and any re design has got to be better than any of it's 90's incarnations, I am a little disappointed that its so fucking predictable, I mean come on Viv you were part of the Punk movement and now you are part of a re-design that makes women in this role look just how you would fucking expect them to. BORING.

No Gap.

On a day off I dabble in a bit of morning tv, I partially like Lorraine, she isn't your average cardboard cut out of a morning tv presenter, she is human, funny, and curvy. However this morning I was so disgusted and upset by a feature on her programme, discussing the trend for a 'thigh gap'. The gap that slender females have between their thighs. It discussed woman having surgery to achieve this look, it showed comments on social networking streams that read something like this " throwing up after meals helped my widen my thigh gap" "starving myself made my thigh gap bigger". 

When has it become ok to promote a serious mental illness on mainstream tv, a mental illness that is more and more common, a mental illness that can actually kill you? Because that's what this basically is, this is the mass conditioning of our nations females. Even if you have never experienced the complete despair of suffering from Bulimia or Anorexia you will have experienced feeling fat, looking at more slender woman than you and wanting that body, you may have skipped meals, crash dieted to try and fit into a size 10 opposed to your size 12. Why is it only considered attractive and successful if you are a size 8 or under, and if we are any bigger we will never going to possess, a thigh gap, or a flat chest or whatever and that is an issue that will beat ourselves up about.

The point is that whatever your size and shape, your concern should be health and well being. If your naturally slender then embrace your angular frame, if you curvaceous then dress those curves, if your somewhere in between then fucking celebrate it because that's the way you are and unless you take drastic measures, this is the beauty that you have been blessed with. 

So join me, do not accept this mass conditioning as the only way, there is nothing wrong with eating and enjoying food, with being bigger than the only images that the media subjects us to day in and day out, opt out of this thinking, we are all individuals and lets take a step forward together to saying that this is NOT acceptable.

Above Parr

Following on from my photography theme this week, I wanted to share one of my favourite collections. Anyone who has ever studied Photography should recognise the name Martin Parr, even if you have never picked up a camera, you should know this name. Martin Parr is a photographer, film-maker, ex-train spotter and collector. He has some of the most obscure personal collections, ranging from dinner trays, stamps, post cards, plates and Spice Girls memorabilia.

'The Last Resort' by Martin Parr was taken during 1983 through to 1985 in New Brighton, Liverpool. Parr was very interested in Thatcher Britain and the results that became of the conservative party at the time. His photographs marked a turning point in photography from monochrome black and white, to bright, vibrant photographs, saturated with colour. The contrast between the vivid colours and the bleak subjects with-in his photo's only highlighted the ugly truth that Thatcher was so eager to ignore, with Parr himself calling them 'anti-postcard pictures.'

Is it actually the end of the world?

Is actually the end of the world? With the ghastly cold weather continuing all over the county I’m pretty much wearing everything I own all at once in some desperate attempt to keep warm. Normally we wouldn’t go on using heating this long, so everyone is skint, The grey days put some kind of “let’s all baton down the hatches” mood over everyone, therefore I think a bit of 1940’s wartime styling is required. So when I’m treating myself but not wearing a woolly beret I’m rocking Victory Rolls. Seen on female propaganda of the era they are an easy and quick way of giving any look a more vintage vibe….. Hooray! Type them into youtube and there are a ton of tutorials and they seem to be randomly on trend with a number of current ‘celebrities’ styling out the trend. So let’s all roll with the times…. (Get it?)

Fantasy Dress Up

Last night my boyfriend and I drank mojito’s and watched an old bbc documentary about David Bowie. I’ve seen it like ten times, it’s started my obsession with the incredible artist that is. Anyway hence todays outfit, all in black,(most unlike me) with the disgustingly over worn wet look leggings, I’m thinking about putting an official ban on them but they do seem to be a bit of a staple. Studded office boots, oversized 80@s embroided shirt, and a hat that I found in a bin. Pure Class. Anyway it’s an obvious escape, and there is nothing wrong with your outfit resembling costume, or being part of your own personal fantasy! They say visualise to materialise but maybe lets dress for the person we want to become. Every version of them. Now go get inspired the great musical chameleon himself.

Actual clothes porn.

It’s strange I think, for my influences and style to be so changeable, un-surprising when you realise my acting background. But there you go. Anyway todays delight is a 90’s grungy jeans and t shirt combo really all from charity shops, as are most my things, brothel creepers from urban outfitters with a 1960’s beehive. I know?! Anyway if you’re wondering where the hairstyle came from the check out this link to the bbc’s Britain on film. They are a series of cute documentaries made in the 60’s, now with modern commentary to demonstrate how things have changed. This one in particular looks at the changing fashion industry in the 1960’s, its actual clothes porn.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01p2pd4/Britain_on_Film_Dedicated_Followers_of_Fashion/

floating on the breeze of life!

Ok, I am officially homeless, well not the living on the streets more like the sofa surfing, in between places kind. And have been for a month, which yes does make you feel rather worthless like you’re un-deserving or something but he ho this explains my lack of posts in the whole blogging department, hence no internet! Anyways from now on I am not calling it homeless I am going to call it – “floating about on the breeze of life” sounds much better doesn’t it? Also what we are not going to focus on is me not getting yet another audition ( yes the life of the jobbing actress is beautiful) luckily I still have my day job and what is one more audition anyway?

However what we are going to focus on is Louise Grays new make up collection for topshop……….. it is a fucking make up revelation forget what you thought was a do and don’t in make up, this is rule breaking and it’s putting to fingers up to generic make up by splashing colour all over your face. She is part of the Bleach London revolution (all the pastel hair colours that are now considered cool) so get yourself down to Topshop and get inspired by the insanely cool colour combinations. A personal favourite is her use of two different eye colours and a drawn on, bright blue beauty spot. Boom!  

(the irony of me writing a make up feature when I don’t have a regular mirror of use apart from a compact one)

http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogNavigationSearchResultCmd?pageSize=21&catalogId=33057&viewAllFlag=false&langId=-1&categoryId=672542&storeId=12556&parent_categoryId=208495&sort_field=Newness