Monday, August 2, 2010

Anorexia and Bulimia Claim Lives

First, before i launch into the heart of this post, let me share my deep and heartfelt concern for fellow fashion blogger Laura Budd of A Daisy Chain Dream  who wrote "The Briefest of Posts" on the 26th of May, 2010.. It has been over Nine weeks now since she was admitted to the hospital and i can only hope and pray that she makes a full recovery. She did manage one quick post titled "6 Weeks" back on July 8th, 2010. Please get well soon and don't feel you need to respond to everybody. Please take care of yourself. You are very much worth it. We miss you but your own health should come first.  
                                                                                                                
The pressure on young women to be unnaturally thin in order to get jobs in fashion, modeling and acting needs to be brought to a screeching halt. In my opinion anyone who is less than a size 2 and is taller than 5' 0" tall is way, way too skinny. Many (addled) designers have mindlessly promoted and glorified the anorexic look, following each other, first like sheep and continuing on like mindless drunk lemmings, devoid of true independent thought, awareness and cognizance for the decades since "Twiggy" first made a splash in the fashion world.
                                                                                                              
It's time for it to end! There are people literally dying of anorexia and bulimia because they tried so hard to achieve this very warped image of beauty. I think that fad has lingered long enough. It's time we pulled designers away from their expensive wine bottles long enough to have them notice their surroundings.  

Despite the relatively recent media spotlight on Ralph Lauren's proclivity to present dangerously thin models, it was evident to me that he was still doing it from watching the Ralph Lauren Collection Runway Show on his website. Three and years after Anorexia claimed the lives of Uruguayan model Luisel Remos and Brazilian model Anna Reston very little had changed. There was an article written by E. J. Mundell for the Washington Post's February 2nd, 2001 HealthDay News titled "Furor Over Anorexic Models Hits U.S.Fashion Week" about the practice of using dangerously thin models back then. Although the Council of Fashion Designers of America, a trade organization of over 300 fashion and accessory designers headed by Dianne Von Furstenburg made some recommendations which seemed to have been more of a "C.Y.O.A." public relations move than anything else and more recently seem to have disappeared from prominent public view. The second to last paragraph of the "CFDA_Health_Initiative" stated in part "The CFD Health Initiative is about awareness and education, not policing. Therefore the committee does not recommend that models get a doctor's examination to assess their health or body mass index to be permitted to work."At the same time the bizarre notion of anorexia being beautiful is still being aggressively promoted by CFDA members. Personally. Victoria's secret often uses models who's legs are too skinny to fill  the leg holes of their panties and they seem to have hardly have any buttocks at all.
                                                                                                        
     I think it would have been a good thing if the lawsuit filed by Filippa Palmistierna-Hamilton had caused the media to take a much harder look not only at how they portray beauty, but at how hard they are pushing for an unhealthy image. For every model with anorexia who dies how many tens of thousands of ordinary women die trying to emulate them? Anorexia and Bulimia are deadly serious - literallyOn May 26th, 2010 MediaPost News's Sarah Mahoney reported that Lane Bryant Rattles Skeletons In Victoria's Closet. i found out about this through an article in Stylelist by Erin Donnelly entitled Lane Bryant Mocks Victoria's Secret, Louis Vuitton Ads Banned.
                                                                                                              
 
                                                                                                              
How many more young women hoping to become models or actresses will have to die from Anorexia and Bulimia before the C.F.D.A. ceases and desists from promoting that anorexic look? Thousands? Tens of thousands? Kudos to Lane Bryant and shame on ABC and FOX. This
is the Cacique lingerie ad that ABC and Fox did not want their viewers to see:
                                                                                                            


                                                                                                              
It will be nice if the C.F.D.A. catches on to the fact that full figured women can be very attractive. At least Lane Bryant is paying attention and had their first annual Lane Bryant Blogger Conference.  I know there are fashion magazines that have pledged to use more realistic models and they are to be commended.
                                                                                                            
The Consequences of Anorexia/Bulimia are no joke. According to this Bulimia Awareness Video by Brita Chen and Jennifer Guenther there are an estimated 8 million people suffering from Bulimia - one out of 181 people in the United States.
                                                                                                              
Hopefully (fingers crossed) we are seeing the beginning of the end of the emaciated look and the return to more classical ideas of how the body should look. It's a wonderful start to the decade. If the designers all catch on to the new trend (away from the unhealthy worn out former "Twiggy" look) we'll be seeing the lingerie modeled back view by fuller figured and more diverse models far more often.

30 comments:

  1. i just couldn't gather the will power to refrain from shamelessly plugging my own YouTube channel (misterpantybuns) as an example of out-of the mainstream "modeling" (if i can get away with calling it that).

    Also, i meant to say "Congratulations" again to lingerie designer Rebecca Szymczak of The Femme Next Door and Anne Necezypor of Pretty Witty And... on their engagement (very romantic) and to mention their YouTube channel (whocrs123's channel)

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  2. Oops! Misspelled Anne's last name. It's Neczypor. Sorry.

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  3. LOVE THIS! Seriously. First of all, I follow Daisy Chain Dream too and I have been periodically checking to see if she's back yet. I really hope she is responding to treatment well, I was so glad she went, beautiful girl. And the rest of this post is brilliant and so dead on. it is so sad how much weight has manifested in our society. Sad that average weight is considered fat. The whole this is awful and just a cycle, thank you for all of this!!!

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  4. Such an amazing post! I have to agree with everything you said about the pressure to be unnaturally thin. I hope Laura gets better real soon.

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  5. Thank you for this post, darling!
    My hope is the same as yours...

    xoxox,
    CC

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  6. your comments crack me up! So heartfelt and goofy all at once :) I do love Chicago because the architecture was amazing, amazing, the people are so nice, it gets so cold in the winter and it's so large. I just adore it. And I want to live there! Any places you covet?

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  7. omg i really love to read ur post and videos darling..
    i dont know why people do so hard while it is hurting..

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  8. omg, its a really serious issue...
    i cant understand why people has to be so thin... great post


    xoxo

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  9. Laura managed another post. She's really having a rough go of it. i can only pray that she hangs in there and gets well. We love you, Laura.

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  10. @ Miss Caitlin S.,
    i haven't traveled enough to know what i places i would covet. It's pretty here but i'm so reclusive that i don't fully enjoy it. i wish i had air conditioning. Chicago sounds like it would be nice in the summer if i had a mommy to hold my hand (i'm such a wimp).

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  11. Laura is so special, I miss her... thank you for the post , I feel the same way, its terrible whats happening : (

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  12. Beautiful blog!
    I loved : )

    /Fashion Bowie

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  13. yea, those disorders are serious and shouldn't be encouraged!
    And thank you for your kind words and YES on this 100 degree texas day, the fitting rooms had air conditioning! thank god.

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  15. I agree with your thoughts... I wish the fashion industry will take note of this problem and would finally feature regular sized models. xoxo

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  16. Oh sweetie♥
    Firstly, thank you so much for your sweet delightful comments always! I am so sorry my late reply, i'hv had been so busy with so much of things recently. And i was hoping someone there to help me to clean my house. I was in Malaysia for 3 months long and got back in couple of weeks ago:) You're such a sweetheart to me! Do you mind to tell me what's your email add? No biggies you're a amazing friend i have come across in blogland!
    About your post i loves it so much and i do have some girlfriends which going on diet so badly! I'm worried my friend by looking day by day going slimmer it's very unhealty looking:(

    Exercise is the best way! What i concern is i eat healthly and swim once a week. You really did a good post♥

    Lots of love sending to you my dear friend!
    x♥x♥
    Zoe

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  17. I think we just have to accept that the runway are never going to put larger girls in their clothes. It's horrible, but true. I've suffered anorexia before and it's a complicated and deep illness which goes beyond your weight alone. I hope Laura makes a good recovery. xox

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  18. This is just such an inspirational post, I always think of Laura and am hoping she recovers as fast as possible. Can't wait for her to be back with us again:)

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  19. that good thing is that shes getting help and thats really good!
    its all this god damn pressure to be thin and all.
    such a good post!
    and i do have to thank you for the post below because i went from sad to laugh.
    your the best
    xo!

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  20. Laura managed another brief post and hopes to be home from the hospital in a month or so.

    Thank you all for your wonderful comments and your patience. i'm so lazy and still need to do a post on my wonderful commenters and followers.

    Correction: i misspelled the name of Anne and Rebecca's YouTube channel. It's whocrz123's channel

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  21. thank you very much, you know i always appreciate your awesome comments!
    xo!

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  22. Hello Sweetie♥
    How are you lately? Just a quick stopping by to say HI! Have a fabulous weeks ahead and your comments always brighten my day*heehee* You're such a kind friend! Thank you!!!
    x♥x♥
    Zoe

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  23. this is definitely an issue people are facing everyday. i think your post speaks so much truth and i too hope that it stops. people should realize that they are beautiful just the way they are

    xx lue

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  24. ha, i love your comments. I don't think 26 is old but it is the first bday where I feel like my age is older just because i'm closer to 30 than 20 and that's just a bit hard toswallow as i bet you remember when you were my age:) i hope life is well !

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  25. Great post - I agree with you wholeheartedly. Good to see that Laura was able to get home for a bit over the weekend. xx
    http://weshopthereforeweare.co.uk/

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  26. There has been another hopeful development. Liz Thomas wrote an article published in Mail Online (the British newspaper Daily Mail) titled: "Magazine bans models and celebrities in favour of REAL women on its cover". According to that article in which Liz Thomas interviews the editor of the UK magazine Essentials : "The October issue will feature 10 normal women on the front ranging from size 8 to 16 and aged between 34 and 70. The editor is quoted as saying that the change was desired by the readership. "Girl Guides" earlier this month "called for warning symbols to be stamped on airbrushed pictures of models and actresses to curb a rise in eating disorders" called Photos from the magazine and quotes are featured in the Mail Online article. Essentials magazine UK will also have a "naked body confidence photo shoot in the health section".

    There was also an article in The Guardian titled: "Essentials magazine drops cover models for 'real women'".

    Now if only the Council Of Fashion Designers of America would wake up to the new trend, recognize that people want to see models having a more realistic look, and that their persistence in pushing an overly thin look is both killing people literally and is also not what people want to see.

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  27. Please contact the Council of Fashion Designers of America. We need to convince them to stop the promotion of the overly thin look. It kills people, that's not what people want to see, and it doesn't help us visualize how clothes really look on normal people. Please, CDFA, stop! Promote diversity in modeling instead of promoting bulimia.

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  28. The fashion industry has claimed yet another life. Isabelle Caro has succumbed and died at the age of 28. As a young girl she had wanted to be a fashion model but was told she wasn't thin enough. Is there any hope that the members of the C.F.D.A. acquire a conscience, get together and sanction or oust members who require an extremely skinny appearance for models?

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