Let me take you back to a couple of weeks ago when I was reading the introduction to the fashion category of the Love All Blogs weekly showcase, which is written by my very dear online friend, Liz of Margot and Barbara fame.
As I don't buy any newspapers, watch the news and rarely buy any of the so-called gossip magazines, I'd completely missed that awards season had already started this year with the Golden Globes.
Okay, it's not headline news but the reason why it caught my attention is because none other than my favourite vampire slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar, was on the red carpet. Thank you Liz for bringing this to my attention!
Now I adore SMG. I used to snip pictures of her out of magazines and blu-tack them around my mirror. I even had full length posters - of SMG herself and of her alter ego Buffy - stuck to my bedroom wall. I won't tell you how old I was at the time!
Back then, and even now, I thought that SMG is one of the most beautiful women out there. She has a simple, classy style and to me, she is an incredibly positive role model; strong, driven, hard-working, independent, modest and secure in herself. Over the years I've regularly engaged in the "all the ways I'm similar to my hero" game. We're the same age. We both gave birth to our first child in 2009. And well, yeah, that's pretty much it!
Anyway, if you haven't seen, here's the outfit that Sarah Michelle Gellar wore to the 2012 Golden Globes:
As I don't buy any newspapers, watch the news and rarely buy any of the so-called gossip magazines, I'd completely missed that awards season had already started this year with the Golden Globes.
Okay, it's not headline news but the reason why it caught my attention is because none other than my favourite vampire slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar, was on the red carpet. Thank you Liz for bringing this to my attention!
Now I adore SMG. I used to snip pictures of her out of magazines and blu-tack them around my mirror. I even had full length posters - of SMG herself and of her alter ego Buffy - stuck to my bedroom wall. I won't tell you how old I was at the time!
Back then, and even now, I thought that SMG is one of the most beautiful women out there. She has a simple, classy style and to me, she is an incredibly positive role model; strong, driven, hard-working, independent, modest and secure in herself. Over the years I've regularly engaged in the "all the ways I'm similar to my hero" game. We're the same age. We both gave birth to our first child in 2009. And well, yeah, that's pretty much it!
Anyway, if you haven't seen, here's the outfit that Sarah Michelle Gellar wore to the 2012 Golden Globes:
I don't know about you but I like it! I think the blue is a very complimentary colour choice. It's dramatic and individual and SMG looks healthy, glowing and elegant.
This dress has certainly managed to divide opinion though; attracting, on one side, positive coments and on the other, relegation to the media's worst-dressed list. Which camp do you fall into?
So, what actually prompted me to write this post? Well, it was this news article courtesy of the Daily Mail Online. It really managed to wind me up with its patronising tone and its message that it's only okay for a woman to be "badly dressed" if their outfit was chosen by a two-year old.
Am I the only one that's heartily sick of "fashion" and the seemingly neverending list of what we should all be wearing and in which particular combinations? I mean, who is it that determines what is fashionable and what isn't? What actually qualifies them to do that? And why on earth do they assume we all want to look like couture clones of each other?
What frustrates me even more is the way in which the media, and others, are so quick to label and mock anyone who doesn't conform to "the fashion rules". How did we become so intolerant and judgmental?
I don't deny that I'm interested in celebrities but it just feels quite saddening that a lot of what we're told about them focuses on what they wear, the things they own, how much they weigh and who they're dating. What sort of message is this sending to the world?
Do we really want our young, impressionable children growing up believing that you're only worth something if you're attractive, thin and rich? And if you see someone that doesn't fit that criterion then it's fine, and expected, to criticise them? That's not the attitude I want my children to have.
What I'd like to see is a more responsible attitude being taken to "celebrity gossip" rather than what appears to be such glee in sniping and bitching at what are essentially very superficial qualities. Maybe I'm getting old but I'd much rather read a gossipy but ultimately positive and inspiring piece rather than something that's running someone down.
What do you think? Do you love or loathe celebrity gossip? Do you think people are influenced by what they read about celebrities? And how can we combat any negative messages our children may pick up about image and weight? I'm interested in your thoughts.
Phew, rant over!
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6 comments:
Hello! Great post. I think firstly you need to step back from the Daily Mail! I know you probably came across in in the name of research but you'll find nothing good there! Like you, I thought SMG looked brilliant, and the reason I'd picked her out was for her bold choice in dress. I think it's great. Unlike many people, I think do that the fashion industry is important. I think that clothes are important (in fact, I'm about to write a blog post all about it, so I'm going to leave the details to that, but it's probably not the reasons you think) but I do know that certain elements of the press seem to delight in pitting women against each other which I loathe, and the obsession with weight gain, weight loss and dissecting the lives of 'celebrities' to minute detail is horrible. We deserve better and our children deserve better. Unfortunately it seems to be a symbiotic relationship - the more they publish this stuff, the more some people will read it and be influenced by it. We need better role models for our young girls and more responsible journalism. No doubt about it. Thankfully, there are many people who feel the same way. Perhaps the best thing that might ever come out of the Leveson enquiry is a better quality of journalism - until then, we need to be selective about what we read and what we allow our children to read. I too, want my daughter to have a different attitude and will do what I can to create an environment in which she can develop a mind of her own and a healthy amount of respect for everyone, no matter what they are wearing...
Well said missis, I love fashion, comes from loving sewing, I love the artistic expression and individuality of clothes. Love the thought and skill that goes into designing and making them. But yes I hate the 'fashionista' element thats overtaken the industy, that a certain look is the only stylish look, and God forbid you should stray from that! The 'Daily Mail' experts are among the worst culprits, I don't follow what they say at all, much more interested in bloggers and pinterest fashion. xx
I like the dress a lot. It suits her. I don't particularly like the top right pic of her face, though - she looks a bit washed out where she's really quite beautiful in other shots. I wouldn't worry about what the DM and Joan Rivers say - they're never nice to any celeb and I don't hold out any hope that they'll change as it pulls in big readerships x
She's stunning! I always liked her from Buffy.
I think celebrity gossip is stupid especially when they make SUCH a big deal of little things like who lost weight or gained weight..I mean, who cares!? I only read it if it's within hand's reach but would never buy it by my own. I hope girls aren't influenced by what they read from fashion magazines and such.
A rant is very cathartic! I think SMG would look awesome even dressed in a hessian sack, mainly because her positive spirit always shines through. I don't read the negative gossip now... it brings me down and I don't see the point of doing that! Great post.
Thanks for all your comments everyone x Yes, I think it is the press that I'm more frustrated with, rather than the fashion world itself. We shouldn't have to avoid reading things because we know they contain negative messages. Why oh why does it always have to be about running people down rather than lifting them up?
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