Recently, I was working on a part of my PhD thesis wherein I had to describe why my research about body image is important for the broader public. Piece of cake. But my supervisor wasn’t pleased with the final product: “You need to make it crystal clear that body image is a hot topic in… Continue Reading →
Mad about modeling
A new documentary called Girl Model, which follows the path of 13-year-old Nadya, a self-proclaimed Siberian “gray mouse” and “ordinary girl” who gets plucked from a sea of other lithe hopefuls by an American mercenary model scout and sent to Japan to try to make it big, is making the rounds and winning accolades at… Continue Reading →
Hair today, gone tomorrow: the politics of reality TV makeovers
A woman’s hair is said to be her crowning glory, her beauty. For young women, hair is not only about beauty but individuality, style, and personality. But what happens when a woman is forced to drastically change her hair style with extreme color, hair extensions, or the ultimate “big chop”? Despite the real video… Continue Reading →
“America’s Next Top Model” winner wants you to love your body
“America’s Next Top Model” and “healthy body image”? Trying to find a correlation between those two things normally gives me a headache. But “ANTM”‘s first plus-size winner, Whitney Thompson, is trying to bring body acceptance to the masses as the face—and, duh, body—of the 5th Annual Hollywood National Organization for Women (NOW) Love Your Body Day…. Continue Reading →
Proenza Schouler and “Top Model” get waist-ed
Flat abs, lean legs, perky breasts: these fashion industry staples have been mandated so long, you can pretty much expect to find them on any straight-size model. But what’s the newest must-have on the runways? A teeny-tiny, impossibly thin waist. Obviously, this trend isn’t a new one (ever heard of a corset?), but recent media… Continue Reading →