Oh Jimmy Choo- why do you do what you do?

This just pisses me off. I could break it down but if you have read the rest of my blogs, you will know that in a nutshell these are my thoughts.
1) Heels + the female form = sex
2) We only see the models foot and the bottom half of the middle part of her body. This means that she is not considered to be a whole person AND because of how they have positioned her- she is only a sexual being to be gazed at.
3) As the gazer, you have to be stupid to ignore the fact that she is thin, tall, and perfectly and literally manicured. There is no hair on her legs, her nails are red (red means sex and femininity), and the defining factor of her appearance is her shoes. So I guess this means that if you love shoes you have nothing else to offer... unless you can pull of the swimsuit.

Grrrr. I get it that sex and women sell products. Heck, I want these shoes. BUT I don't want to wear these shoes knowing that this how Jimmy Choo thinks of women; dismembered.

And I am done.

My Thesis- 2 years later and other such random rants

I was flipping through an old magazine today and I saw my senior thesis images. And all over again my blood boiled. All over again I was tempted to stand up and start talking to those around me about the exploitation of women in the fashion world. Well really- the world in general... but one thing at a time.



The fact that Tom Ford (one of my favorite designers) has the most ridiculous and stupid advertising schemes of all times make me sad. He is a brilliant mind. Yes, he is a brilliant mind. But why does he use sex? Why does he use the scheme of pornvertising in general? Because it sells. Sex sells ladies and gentlemen. And it sells well.

Why? Why does sex sell? What makes it more appealing? Is it the intimacy? Is it the excitement of seeing men and women objectified. Is it the fact that we get to make up our own storylines behind the ad? Two years later, and I still don't know. Nudity doesn't bother me. What bothers me is that we only see one kind of nudity- like the above an obviously thin, white woman with huge breasts. Is this sexy? Is this what men really want of me?

I think the below picture is sexy. It shows a beautiful woman- a REAL woman. A woman who eats. A woman who is totally okay with sitting there nude and not being considered "normal." What is normal? That's a whole other topic of conversation.



Out of the two pics- which do you think is sexier?

Tom Ford... Again!

Let's get it out of the way. Isn't it fun when guys stick perfume sticks up our asses, girls? Yeahhhh no. No no.

Let me break this down. This is Tom Ford advertising his brand name scents. It is almost as if Tom Ford is showing us how dominant his brand is simply because unlike other fashion brands, he sticks paper perfume sticks up a female's butt. Boy is that power or what? By using a thin, white, and nude model he is showing his followers and gazers that he (the man with the power, or perfume sticks) is the dominant force in not only using women BUT in fashion.

Ford is literally invading a woman and is trying to make that invasion beautiful. What makes this not beautiful is that it makes the observer feel invaded. It strips any sense of power that we as women felt we had and puts us back in the secondary sphere. While he may be trying to empower the female form (I don't know the ideology behind this, I am only discussing the possible cultural effect), he pushes us back down the ladder of social standing. Once again we are not seen as active and diverse beings but instead as still and impassive tools to be used for a mans creation and will.

I dislike feeling powerless. What I would like to do is to gather a group of people in the Seattle area to sit down with me and dissect these images. I want to see past what I think and see what other people think. I believe that this is where social media forms come in. Let's discuss this stuff. Let's figure out what we can do about this stuff, IF anything. But by God let's have a voice. I am so sick of people seeing images like this and thinking that it's okay because "that's the way things are." Well things are only the way that they are because no one bothers to care. Let's care people.

Thoughts On My Mind: Jane Austen, Media Education Foundation, Rant

I love Jane Austen novels. As a woman, that may sound cliche. I think most women love Jane Austen novels or movies in some way shape or form. What do I love about her stories? The truth behind how silly love can be. How silly its boundaries are and how silly people in love can act. What I think I adore most about her writing is that there is a sexiness behind it without actually having sex... or much physical touch for that matter. Even in the movies, there is usually a kiss that signals the climax of the story. I also like the fact that so many people who don't read very much or even like to read, read Jane Austen. This in and of itself is a tribute to her story telling abilities and classical aura.

Let me take a moment to say that I love the Media Education Foundation. With that being said, I also am really disappointed in them. They make some of the most amazing movies on the planet. They are educational, interesting, and essential to helping dissect some growing social issues. Why are their DVD's so expensive? I mean I get that they have to make money and cover the cost of filming. Sadly educating the people costs people. I wish there was a way to make the information in their movies accesible to the public. What if they had a MEF app? How cool would that be? How about having viewings of their movies better advertised through bigger websites like Huffington Post and Feministing.com?

Look at the following image.
What do you think?



I see the following things. A man with very large arms and a nice butt. Wooptie doo. Why are we exploiting a mans body to sell jeans? Yes, he is a very nice looking man and is using his looks to make money but why does someone have to use their body to make money? Why is that the sign of success? A nice body makes money. I mean I know why. I studied this. But I still don't see why it matters. Why aren't we evolving? Is this man's nice body supposed to be make me want to buy Evan a pair of jeans? It doesn't. Advertisement fail. Just my opinion.

Conquistadora

I am currently reading the novel Conquistadora by Esmeralda Santiago. Beautifully written book that depicts women as a complete force of nature. Her character Ana travels to a new world, engages in lesbian sex, loves two brothers, has influence, and a determination to be free in all that she does. This character is not only intriguing but inspiring. Ana shows me that being a woman has no limits. As you read the story you will dislike some of her decisions but be cheering her on in some of her paths. It's refreshing to read a book where the woman character has a spirit that's accepted. A lot if novels showcase the pain or feeling of being different. This book embraces the differences of women. Check it out.

West Seattle

I love West Seattle. It has the feel of Bellingham but the Seattle urban element that spices it up a bit. West Seattle has some cool restaurants, coffee shops, and boutiques.
Evan and I were walking around the other night and we really felt like we could live over here one day.

Places to check out:
Husky Deli
The Matador
Thriftway
Amy's Nails

All I really wanted to say was... I love West Seattle!

RANT: Can-Am Roadster

** Thank you Rob for sending me this link.
Okay I will admit that this advertisement isn't super in your face crazy. The craziness, as I see it, is rather subtle. Notice how in the beginning of the commercial the man is putting on his helmet and the commentator is saying, "Of all the things you've ever ridden..." and then the image cuts to a young attractive brunette. To me that implies that among many things, this guy apparently "rides" this woman.
After this the advertisement goes on to sell the product. BUT really. Let's talk about this. "Of all the things you've ever ridden..." . Am I supposed to be impressed with this guy? Oh wow. Good job. You can "ride"! You can ride a Can-Am Roadster OR a woman. Talent.
When women are in commercials that involve cars, motorcycles, or some kind of moving vehicle, they can be extremely oversexed. I will give the director of this commercial credit- he/she doesn't sexualize the woman with her clothing or make her the center of the advertisement. Instead they make her an attractive accessory. This guy rides a hott woman, so therefore he is capable of riding the Spider Can-Am Roadster. And since he is the one driving the roadster, he is the dominant figure. Think about it. Thoughts?