Model Guidelines for Models

‘Only fat mothers don’t like skinny models,’ is just the most recent in a series of controversial outbursts from fashion designer extraordinaire Karl Lagerfeld. Understandably, statements like this have industry officials and women everywhere up in arms, and only serve to fuel the vilification of the fashion industry that often goes along with the issue of body image.

On Tuesday, model Sarah Murdoch and former Cosmopolitan magazine editor Mia Freedman presented a report to the government on the issue of body image, which recommended the implementation of a set of voluntary guidelines for the fashion industry, media and advertising. The ‘Industry Code of Conduct’ calls on magazines and advertisers to use ‘healthy weight’ models of different body shapes and ethnicities, and to disclose when images have been airbrushed or digitally altered. If the voluntary guidelines are largely ignored, they will be made mandatory (which throws into question whether they are, in fact, really voluntary at all).

It’s clear that body image is an important issue for young women, with it ranked as the number one concern in Mission Australia’s National Survey of Young Australians in 2007, and third in 2008. However I think the fashion industry is often used as a scapegoat for an issue that is much more complex. It is clear to most, I believe, that the runways are a realm of fantasy. It is true that the models are usually so tall and thin and beautiful that most of us could never look like them – but they’re also wearing clothes that most of us could never afford, and photographed in places and situations completely divorced from everyday life. I’ve read Vogue on and off since the age of twelve, and in the same way that I always understood I couldn’t afford a Vivienne Westwood bridal gown, I understood I couldn’t look like the model wearing it.

More problematic, I believe, are magazines, media and advertising – including celebrity culture – which present impossibly beautiful and thin women in ‘everyday’ situations, which are intended to be comparable to the lives of ordinary women. One such magazine is Cosmopolitan, which is why I find it incredibly ironic that it is former editor Mia Freedman who has put forward this report.

A question that arises regarding these guidelines is where to draw the line. If magazines are forced to disclose when the images have been airbrushed, shouldn’t they also disclose all the other unnatural processes the model or celebrity has gone through to look as beautiful as they do? A cover girl might not have been airbrushed, but she may have had botox, teeth whitening, breast enhancement, fake tanning, liposuction... the list goes on. Airbrushing is just the tip of the iceberg.

Here’s a novel idea: if we want women to feel good about themselves, why don’t we stop talking about their bodies? After all, it is a media-driven obsession with feminine beauty and sex appeal that got us into this mess in the first place. Dictating any kind of standards relating to the way women are presented in the media, even with the best of intentions, only adds another layer of expectation and pressure for women. Presenting ‘real women’ can set up a direct and damning comparison between the beautiful and the unfortunate, the slim and the voluptuous. And I don’t mean that it’s necessarily damning to the overweight and ugly – I have naturally slender friends who are abused and criticised by strangers, called ‘ano bitch’ and told to ‘eat something’. The fact that strangers feel they have the right to judge and comment on women’s bodies says a lot more about our society than fashion magazines do.

Human nature dictates that people will always give preference to things that they find beautiful or visually appealing. Whether or not women encounter beauty (and by modern standards this tends to encompass‘thinness’) in the media, they will inevitably encounter it in their everyday lives. There is always going to be someone prettier, taller, or slimmer, possibly with a smaller nose and bigger breasts. Instead of shielding young women from this reality, we need to equip them with strategies that enable them to value themselves regardless. Self esteem is such a complex issue – why don’t we look at things like bullying, parenting, role models, education, and community involvement?

Women need to realise that while Karl Lagerfeld might be a creative genius, we probably shouldn’t take dieting tips from a man who rumouredly survives solely on baby food. And even though Madonna is fantastically fit for her age, not all of us have the time or the inclination to exercise for six hours a day like she does! As I mentioned earlier, I’ve read fashion and beauty magazines for most of my life, and I think I’ve grown up with a fairly healthy sense of self esteem. I might not be able to afford that Vivienne Westwood wedding dress right now, but if I work hard at university and put a lot of time into my career (and use my brain), one day I might be able to. But even if I do get it, I’m never going to look like Kate Moss wearing it. And that’s ok by me.

“There is a moment when you have to accept that somebody else is younger and fresher and hotter. Life is not a beauty contest.”
- Karl Lagerfeld (he can be wise sometimes!)

Movemberrrrr

I am obsessed with moustaches. Specifically the long, cultivated, handle-bar type. I don’t know why or how this happened (or what is wrong with me), but I find them undeniably sexy – particularly on a man under the age of thirty.

This is a fairly recent development, but my new found fetish has come to light just in time for what I now believe to be the best month of the year – Movember!!

Movember starts on November 1st. All participants – or ‘Mo Bros’ – begin the month clean shaven, and then have the rest of the month to grow and groom a moustache. A Mo Bro becomes a ‘walking billboard for men’s health’, and through sponsorship, raises funds for men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer and depression.

So, gentlemen, can you all do it please? That way not only will there be MORE and HEALTHIER men around, more of them will have sexay handle-bar moustaches.

Images: Steve Aoki, Brad Pitt, Freddie Mercury

Seinfeld on Fake Glasses

Big thanks and shout out to Thomas, who alerted me to the fact that Jerry Seinfeld also has opinions on fake glasses. Here's what he said in the Seinfeld ep 'The Sponge':

"I have a friend, wears eyeglasses, no prescription in the glasses because he thinks it makes him look more intelligent. Now why? Why do we think that glasses makes us look more intelligent? Is it from the endless hours of reading and studying and researching that this person supposedly blew out their eyeballs, and that's why they need the glasses? It's just a corrective device. If you see someone with a hearing aid, you don't think, 'Oh, they must have been listening real good...yeah, to a lot of important stuff...' No, they are deaf. They can't hear."

It goes without saying that i have no problems if you genuinely need glasses! Here are some frames from Ksubi and Ray Ban to get you on the right track. Please don't use this information for evil and wear them without prescription. I'm trusting you now...

The Way We Wear Fair

Yesterday I went to The Way We Wear Fair with my friend Kate. Kate has amazing 1950s style and I’m a bit more eclectic, so we parted ways, myself with strict instructions not to find her anything that was fluoro or shoulder-padded, and Kate with strict instructions to find me exactly those things. Sadly, most of what I wanted was a little above and beyond my student budget, but it was worthwhile going along just to see so many beautiful, unique clothes in one place. One of my favourite stalls housed a selection of vintage hats, sourced from places like Paris, New York and Italy – perfect for spring racing.

My ‘must have’ piece was a pair of Ray-Bans from the early 90s, trimmed with LIZARD SKIN! However, on enquiry about the price, I realised that it was a choice between those and re-registering my car. So in the end they were a ‘can’t have’ piece. Still kind of regret that. I could have got the bus.

The fair is only on until the end of the weekend, so you’d better get down to the Albert Hall quick smart! Entry is $12, but it’s well worth it. If you can’t make it this time, make a note in your diary for the next one, scheduled for 16, 17 and 18 July 2010.

Peppermint

For all you eco-friendly fashionistas (and that should be all of you!), check out this oh-so-cute independent offering. Peppermint is Australia’s first eco fashion magazine, and it’s even printed on 100% recycled paper. The next issue is due out in about two weeks, so keep your peepers peeled for that one!

Shoulder Fad

I remember the first time I wore shoulder pads out to Civic: lots of strange looks, a few ‘that’s brave’ comments (never sure if that’s a compliment or not), and a bunch guys with gelled hair and fluoro shirts, obviously on their way to Academy, who yelled out ‘shoulder pads, what the fuck?!’

Good question, my freshie friends. Anyone who has opened Vogue or walked past Cue recently would have realised that shoulder pads are back – and in a big way. They’ve cropped up in the collections of everyone from Balmain to Balenciaga, and Rihanna, Victoria Beckham, Lady Gaga and the late, great Michael Jackson have all jumped on the bandwagon. So, what the fuck is the big (shoulder) deal?

Well, the beauty of the shoulder pad is its ability to transform the body. In the wise words of my friend Ang, ‘the bigger the shoulder pads, the smaller everything else’. Few other styles can create instant curves, and even in their subtlest form, shoulder pads will make any waist look tiny. They are the new corset, minus the internal bruising, broken ribs and restricted breathing. What’s not to like?

And honey, they don’t call it the ‘power shoulder’ for nuthin’. A nod to the excesses of the 80s, the new big shoulders can be worn with a hint of irony, or with sincere, hands-clasped, tears-in-your-eyes, ground-kissing R-E-S-P-E-C-T (I’m in the latter category). Either way, they offer a welcome respite from recession induced seriousness, and there’s something about taking up a little more room in the lift that makes you feel like a million bucks.

I still haven’t plucked up the courage to wear my largest pair to Mooseheads, but since they’re en vogue, I’m sure some of you will. I can just imagine the pick-up lines. My, what big shoulders you have. All the better to... And where the rest of that conversation goes is entirely up to you.

“Remember that always dressing in understated good taste is the same as playing dead.”
- Susan Catherine

Through the Looking Glass(es)

To wear fake nerdy glasses or not to wear fake nerdy glasses? I’m so torn about this issue that I may start spouting soliloquies. Yigal Azrouël’s runway models donned them all the way back in 2007, and since then they’ve been spotted on the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Jay Z, Lady Gaga and style blogger Keiko Lynn. Now they’ve hit Sportsgirl and Jay Jays, and it’s clear the trend is in full swing.

However, there is something about fake glasses – the oversized, thick-rimmed, Buddy Holly-style ones – that I just cannot come to terms with. A friend pointed out, quite rightly, that they are no different to any other functionless fashion accessory. I wear headbands, don’t I? Earrings? High heels? When I rang another friend for an opinion, her stance on the issue was summed up by the response ‘I’m actually wearing a pair right now’. But to me, it is the same as wearing sunglasses inside, the eyewear equivalent of a naked dress – eye-catching, obvious, and just a little bit OTT.

I think it’s something to do with pretending to be something you’re not. If you’re a geek, you’re a geek, and I respect that. Wear your thick lenses with pride. But if you’re a fashionista pretending to be a geek, that’s a different story altogether – it’s not ironic or tongue-in-cheek, it’s kind of condescending.

But am I taking it all too seriously? Is fashion, like beauty, only skin deep? I wanna know what you think, about fake geek glasses or anything else. Email me at kingsandquinns@gmail.com.

Victims of Circumstance

Last week, I nearly became a fashion victim. Cue gasps of horror. Did you wear tights as pants? Blue with green? Polar fleece? No, none of the above (and for the record, they’re all looks I don’t mind – except polar fleece). I was driving along with my BFF, and we got so distracted outfit-perving on an innocent pedestrian that I failed to give way and nearly ran into another car. Oops. We almost became literal fashion victims.

Perhaps the most surprising thing about this anecdote, however, is the setting: I was outfit perving... in Canberra. Yes, I am from Canberra. Yes, we do have a reputation for public servants with a black-is-the-new-black mentality and kinda being stuck in the 90s. But there are a lot of great, stylish, exciting things going on in Australia’s nat cap that nobody ever talks about. There are well-dressed people everywhere – not just in Sydney and Melbourne.

Even worse than being a fashion victim (is there anything worse? I hear some of you ask) is being a victim of circumstance. Canberra is certainly not (yet) the fashion capital of Australia - a lot of foreigners don’t even know that it’s the actual capital of Australia! But that is no excuse not to be stylish. There is never an excuse not to be stylish.

My friend James once said to me that everyone has the capacity to possess great style, but some people “don’t try”. I believe there is truth in this. Style isn’t about how expensive your clothes are, what city you live in, what brand names you wear, or whether you’re clad in up-to-the-minute trends. Personally I can’t afford to always wear the latest trends – I’m a uni student and most weeks I can barely afford to pay rent, let alone the latest shoulder-padded blazer from Cue (although I do have one on lay-by). Sometimes style is wearing your mum’s old stonewash jeans, or false eyelashes, or customising an ugly jacket into a fabulous one. Style is something that is much more complicated, and much more personal, than fashion.

Writer Quentin Crisp said “fashion is what you adopt when you don’t know who you are”. Style is the exact opposite. Everyone says it, but your clothes are the ultimate expression of your personality. Anyone can nip down to Forever New and buy a faux Marni knit dress , but not everyone can successfully clash patterns, pull off a boater or a bowler, or wear vintage without looking like they’ve fallen out of a Vinnie’s bin. When you meet someone, you have approximately three seconds to make an impression – why not make it a good one, and tell them something about yourself at the same time?

So, Kings and Quinns is not about fashion, it is about style – a literary outfit-perve, if you will. Fun photos, reports and updates, guest posts, and anything else you might need to live an ever-so-stylish existence, whether it be in Canberra or anywhere else in the world. If this blog means you have the courage to hit the town showing a punch of boob, or buy a red dress when you always wear black, or wear a pink shirt even if your mates rib you about it, my job is done. Dress without apology.

“Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.”
- Gore Vidal