Thursday, May 13, 2010

The week that was...

Hello world, I am back!
This is very exciting for me, my break is over and I've got a few new features lined up for the robins. Nothing too fancy, but enough to inspire excitement in yours truly. I haven't got a lot of time before I have to skip out for the day, but I wanted to at least publish an 'end of hiatus' post, and what better way to do that than by recapping the week that was?

Quote
"You can be less than mediocre and be a fucking movie star. I have respect for very few actors and actresses. Some of them get a lot of acclaim but just because their movie made $200 million at the box office; they still suck. I got no respect for them and I used to let them know it. It was important for me to put that aside and go, 'You know what? This is a business. If you kiss the right ass and you get lucky on a movie or two, you could last 10 years.' So, now, I just keep my mouth shut and pet my chihuahuas."
~ Mickey Rourke, on Hollywood, to Parade.
I have to admit, as weird as it sounds, I have a bit of thing for ol' Mickey. I found him (gasp) quite sexy in Iron Man 2. He's somehow managed to transform himself from 80s heartthrob to modern-day cool guy. With an Oscar nomination to boot.



Wardrobe Envy
Michelle Williams and friend, in Tribeca, New York City.
As cute as Michelle looks in this very warm-weather-appropriate ensemble (unfamiliar territory for me - it's unseasonably cold here in Melbourne), and with an adorable new cropped 'do, it's really her stripes-clad friend that I'm envying. The stripes, the wide white shorts, the chunky dark turquoise necklace - very French riviera.



Music
Crystal Castles II, has been described as an 'improvement on [Crystal Castles'] debut in nearly every way', with Pitchfork crediting them with '(by staying true to themselves) creating a more focused, propulsive, and satisfying follow-up'. Listen to: Baptism.


News
After last year, 18 “plus-sized” girls walked the runway at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week - this year, the size 12+ girls were excluded from the fashion event...
Negotiating curves has proved too hazardous for the designers of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, as plus-sized models claim they have been shut out by the local industry.
Big Gal Models agent Darrianne Donnelly said the industry had gone backwards after showcasing 18 plus-size models at Australian Fashion Week last year. That positive initiative by RAFW owner IMG was hailed a success but has not one was invited to participate this year. “The public wants to see themselves, in all shapes and sizes, not just size 6,” Ms Donnelly said.
A group of plus-size models wearing T-Shirts with slogans such as “I love my curves” and “We love real women” staged a protest outside an Australian Fashion Week event yesterday.
Designer Alex Perry was defiant about his right to choose. “Nobody is going to tell me how to pick models,” he said.
What do you all think? Is including "plus size" models the way of the future or a fleeting gimmick?


Vintage Beauty
Grace Kelly
photographed by Howell Conant, 1955
Ah, Grace Kelly...is there a more graceful and elegant style and beauty icon in the history of cinema?


Currently...
...listening to: Cosmic Love, by Florence + the Machine.
...watching: Sex and the City for the umpteenth time, I swear to god I'm unhealthily addicted.
...reading: about to start on the Agatha Raisin series, I'm a sucker for a murder mystery.
...eating: not enough! Stress usually has me reaching for the junk food, but these days I'm wasting away!


Tell me all about your week!



Have a beautiful weekend!



Romany

[photos courtesy of imnotobsessed.com, en.wikipedia.org, skinnyvscurvy.com and gosee.us]

28 comments:

LyddieGal said...

Welcome back!

Plus sized models are tricky. They can't wear next to nothing and not look trashy; the way a skinny no boobs no butt gal can. As long as designers want to create plunging necklines and non-existent bottoms, they need boy-like women to put them on.

I need to go and see Iron Man 2 this weekend. I think I'll have to go alone though, haha.


And I am listening to Future Islands, In Evening Air

Chic on the Cheap

Dusk said...

I just wrote the longest comment in the history of blogkind and then... I lost it :( !!!!!!!!

aarrrgghhhh!

Essentially... yayyy!! you're back!
Mickey too! bu not as good as you. (hey, hey, she rhymes!)

Carre Otis, his ex wife is now a a plus sized model. it's all a gimmick. will have to come back later to rewrite my freakin' essay!

Dusk said...

also...great timing, I just passed on the awards you awarded me (I took both!) xo

Josie said...

Welcome back, love! Must say that this post is a lovely way to come back. How gorgeous does Grace Kelly look???
xxoo Josie
http://winksmilestyle.blogspot.com

Death Wears Diamond Jewellery said...

glad the end of your hiatas begins the same time as mine, i love your blog!

mickey rourke is funny. chihuahaus hehe

i dont think sending plus size models down the runway does anything. gimmicky. including one plus model in with the rest of them, without announcing it to the world, would have a better effect. i have a problem with the whole 'real women have curves' thing. so if you're naturally a size 8 with small hips you arent real? pfft.

xxx

Clare said...

yay, glad you're back, i've missed your posts!
i hope using plus sized models isn't just a gimmick, real women aren't gimmicky to me!
i ♥ mickey rourke too x

Unknown said...

Honestly, we do need real women on the runway. Love the quote.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Joellen said...

You're back! I love love the first photo of your wardrobe envy, I agree!

joellenlove.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

thats lovely outfits looks new post it live it

welcome back how are u

nice post hey thanks for commen t

Chicago Chic said...

Hello Love, what a great post! I love that quote by Mickey Rourke and I share your envy of Michelle's friend's outfit....I like it better than Michelle's! I'm not sure if plus models will ever be here to stay, but it is quite sad that real women are rarely considered a symbol of beauty. I wish society could be different, but not sure if it will ever chance. Grace Kelly is one of my favourite actresses of all time and she looks gorgeous in that photo!

Welcome back and have a lovely weekend!

Rachel

Couture Carrie said...

Fab post, darling!
Love that photo of Grace Kelly!

xoxox,
CC

Denisa L said...

yeey, you're back!!
love michelle's outfit!

mel said...

your back dearie! post sounds like a good idea and i love that quote - it realy make syou contemplate and think...i do think plus sized model represnt a great value though, but i guess it depend on what the industry is liking...?
have a fab sunday
xx

Unknown said...

Great to have you back! Great quote and I love the wide shorts. I hope plus size models are the way of the future, they can be so gorgeous!

Dusk said...

It annoys me that the emphasis is always on the plus sized instead of the model. A model is a model. I loathe these magazines that think they're doing the world a favour by featuring 'normal' sized women.

Despite what we say we want to see, the reality is, we don't want to see "us". Women seem to need the fantasy. Why else do models exist if not to cater to that premise? Why do we need a model or a famous woman to sell us a fragrance? considering that fragrance smells different on everyone according to chemistry... why do we think we're going to smell like xx or xxx just because they are the face of the fragrance?

One thing, for designers, it is cheaper and easier to use very thin models. Less material used and also...clothes sit better on extremely thin models.

woah. hazardous to my health statement!

Let me explain this. Despite the fact that these clothes are made to be worn by women, which means they are meant to sit on breasts and hips and all the lusciousness that makes a woman a woman... on a catwalk, putting these clothes on the very types of women that these clothes will be sold to, will highlight the faults in the garment. Very often designers are working to a deadline and cannot afford to perfect the garments. Breasts and hips and curves need proper tailoring. The curvier the woman the better the designer has to be at the cut and contouring of her/his garment. (This is hard to do but not impossible. It's why that Roland Mouret 'galaxy' dress was so popular.)

This is why I say clothes sit better on a size wisp model. There are no curves to hug and contour and accentuate and embellish. The clothes simply hang. Things glide best over flat surfaces yes?

AND... a curvy woman takes the emphasis away from the clothes. Especially now because of the plus-sized shock factor.

Think about it. A curvy woman on a catwalk... cannot be ignored for whatever reason.

This is why the supermodel reign ended. It became about them. Sure Linda Evangelista [who was a US size 4-6] could sell a burlap sack but that's the problem! The coathanger was more important than the coat!

These are all lame excuses of course. Models are supposed to be coat hangers but not in a literal sense of weight and size! Models have always had to be tall and thin because tall was synonomous with robust fertile health but thin is always relative to the era. Thin hasn't always meant skinny, most times it has meant in proportion, ratio wise (waist to hips) hence why Marilyn Monroe was a model.

I cannot understand the appeal of someone like that model Freja(?) who is a walking stick with a vagina. How is she considered the epitome of female beauty?

I'm not skinny bashing. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and women who are extremely thin have a lithe grace and elegance.

Bottom line... the fashion industry likes a blank canvas. Plus sized women are not blank canvases, they already have a painting outline.

The fashion industry bases its success on fantasy and control. Skinny is seen as being the ultimate control.
Apparently it's okay to smoke and snort and drink and cut, mark, ink, pierce yourself but woe forbid you eat. That's weakness.

The fashion industry is not about women. It's about

As for Alex Perry... I think he's just being his usual arrogant self because he does design for women with curves! He likes buxom women to wear his clothes.

Attitudes are only going to change when women change their attitudes to their own bodies.

Oh cripes. I could go on and on and on... and I have!! eek. Sorry honey. I do have a major opinion about this. Just in case you didn't notice. :)

..and I probaly have not made much sense and have left many typos, etc because it is now 2am and I am sleeptyping!!

Zoe said...

darling, you have to watch 'a single man'. it's even better than you're imagingin it :) I did a post on it with amazing stills from the movie. x

Cafe Fashionista said...

Grace Kelly and Michelle Williams. I so adore both of them.

I'm currently obsessed with "New In Town" by Little Boots. I have had that song on repeat all day!! :)

Vintage Obsession said...

what confidence right ?:) i was pleasantly surprised when in one of the seasons america's top model was a plus size model :) so nice :)

Audrey Allure said...

Welcome back! Grace Kelly is absolutely beautiful. Can't wait to see your new features :)

eleanor said...

thankyou so much for the comment, it would be great if you could become a follower!
your blog is lovely
X

iliketweet said...

Welcome back!

I love that photo of Grace Kelly, beautiful...

That's ridiculous about the plus sized models too, how rude!

tweet tweet tweet

x

Margaux said...

gorgeous photo of Grace Kelly!

Stella Winata said...

first of all, thank you so much for your warm comment and i really appreciate your perspective on what i wrote on the blog. thank you, once again!
i'm so inspired by your blog and your thoughts as well! nice to know you!

michelle_ said...

grace kelly is just graceful !
she's soooo pretty !

thanks much for dropping by at my blog.. <3
glistersandblisters.blogspot.com

shoeless simone said...

I love that picture of Grace Kelly, and your header is also amazing <3

-Shoeless Simone

Anonymous said...

lovely post these pictures are awesome

Mademoiselle Ruta said...

Grace Kelly is gorgeous. So elegant and beautiful.

Love the striped shirt in your outfit envy.

Mariel Torres said...

she was indeed very beautiful.