http://www.nytimes.com/1993/04/11/weekinreview/fashion-s-waif-look-makes-strong-women-weep.html?pagewanted=1 I am not necesarily a feminist, but I figured this would be the best area to recieve feed back on the above article. What do u guys think? What other historical strides have women made that have been followed by a period of regression brought on by some known or unknown source? Why do you think that is? And why/ how do you think the "waif look", often blamed on the likes of models like Twiggy and Kate Moss, was brought about?
Nothing much has changed - it's all still terribly unrealistic and I don't expect it to change any time soon. Gives us something to strive for, right? The pendulum just keeps swinging back and forth, as far as what's "in". Twiggy's look is fashionable again? Hell, the Amazonian look will be fashionable again in a few short years. Was it ever really UNfashionable to have a tiny waist and big boobs? What kills me is that we are supposedly so advanced and aware in the 21st century: poverty, ecology and women's health... so while I see magazines preaching about eating right (and ENOUGH) and boasting their feature of 'plus-sizes' I see none of this demonstrated in their choice of models. There's a nice, big healthy medium between obese and what they consider to be beautiful. They ought to walk their talk. In conclusion, I don't have an answer to your question and I doubt anyone could. People are incredibly fickle and shockingly gullible. People with a small frame undoubtedly exist and should be celebrated but what we consider attractive should not be down to the mini-era in which we are asked.
I have no idea, but I have to admit that I selfishly do not mind that the waif look is in, since that is my body type. Personally, I think that although they say the waif look is in and that's what everyone wants, in my experience people end up being attracted to MANY different body types despite what the media tells us we should like. And like the above poster said, things will swing back the other way eventually. Fashion seems to be all about changing it's mind and going back and forth between things. Having all models be tall and busty is just as harmful to women's body image as skinny waifs in my opinion. Bottom line, saying one body type is better than another is WRONG no matter what the fashion. I do find it annoying that people feel free to accuse every skinny girl of being anorexic. I've been told I'm anorexic and that I need to put on weight every day of my life, but I am healthy and happy. But people seem to always feel that they have to right to tell me that I look wrong and unhealthy.
Also, I dislike the article insinuating that because someone looks like a waif it means that they are not a strong woman. Very insulting.
That was written in 1993 when all this crap was starting. I was 12 then and I didn't pay much attention to it. Although it did have an affect on me as it does everyone. It's just our society's obsession with being child-like and youthful. Male models rarely have any body hair or facial hair. They're not men, they're little boys. And women are always small - because they can't take up space - and have the dimensions of an adolescent girl. It's sick. Real men and women don't look that way at all. I always thought Kate Moss looked like sick junkie anyway. I guess the fashion industry just decided that being a sick-looking junkie was cool? But the problem won't go away until women stop attacking other women because of how they look. Calling another woman "fat" or "ugly" is almost as bad as calling her a "****". In my life it's always been other girls and women that have criticized my appearance or another woman's. Until that stops, this cycle of perfectionism will never end.
You do realize that you are attacking women based on their looks, right? You'd probably call me sick-looking too. And guess what? Some "real" women are really thin with child-like bodies and it's completely natural. I don't think everyone should try to look like that, but some people really naturally look like that. So you shouldn't just assume they are sick junkies. There are many different natural body types.
The only person I was talking about was Kate Moss - not you or anyone else. You're right, though. It is pointless and hypocritical of me to make comments on her appearence. Regardless of her body type being "waifish" or "glamazon," she isn't really the problem. It's the industry that glorifies one body type, when there are many, in order to define beauty. Why can't all body types be given the same attention? I saw your previous post about how you've been accused of being anorexic, and I can see how my post would have offended you so I apologize.
The image and attitude can ruin a girl if not checked. My younger sister and I both started as underweight twigs before puberty. At the same time that Mom was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes because of her very real weight, diet, and exercise problems, I gained 50 pounds of hips, breasts, and muscles due to puberty activating my German Tank genetics. While the doctor was trying to calm her panic about my "imminent obesity and diabetes complications," Little Sister's own shiny new estrogen gave her A-cups, one new trouser size, and maybe five pounds of bone mass when she finally broke 4'6". Yes, I was bitter over that, but only because it "proved" to Mom that the issue wasn't natural genetics because we were so alike before I balooned. Sibling rivaly got dark fast, because in our shallow community she was suddenly very well loved by everyone and never had to be more that beautiful. However, in said community poor Little Sister found out that while her body was "perfect" in local eyes, her developing mind was a gross deformity. She's essentially dropped out of college to do the happy housewifey thing. I, being the ugly "mammoth" sister (It has it's advantages.), got the consolation prize of college and good friends in the proverbial Bad Crowd who like women well filled out in both brain and body. Our mother hates my husband because he looked like a member of a biker gang when I met him. She'll never see other than that. He's a business major now with skills ranging from mechanics and chemistry to writing and cooking and I'm on track towards grad school, while Sister's husband is just now getting his first job at age 22: game store clerk. I think my so-called obesity saved me, and her perfection doomed her.
No problem... I was feeling kinda sick yesterday so I was pretty crabby, so I'm sorry I came off so strong, I totally get what you are saying Basically our whole system is messed up and just needs a complete overhaul so that we can have a society where people feel comfortable being themselves.
