Sunday Mercury - Diva Diaries

You TOO could be a cover model!

2009-11-06T16:33:58Z

In fact, pretty much anyone could. You don't need to diet, exercise, grow a few inches or even subject yourself to any form of surgery. All you need in fact, is a touch of make-up, a good blow dry and your own handy computer geek!

Why? Watch this....

Cindy Crawford: too FAT

2009-11-03T17:49:38Z

Cindy Crawford has spoken out about the current state of the fashion industry, telling German magazine Bunty:

"I would not have become a supermodel in 2009. I look too healthy."

Too healthy?

I've never heard of such as thing as being too healthy... unless you're looking at it in terms of the fashion industry it would seem.
So, we should all be aspiring to unhealthy levels of skinny in order to be successful should we? Well, that's evident - look how the body mass of the certain celebs I've blogged about recently has deteriorated significantly the more successful they have become.
In the fashion industry's terms, too healthy would be translated as 'too fat'.

So what if the industry can't find their ideal in human form? Well, they just photoshop the model to make them look 'perfect' instead, then place them in front of every body conscious woman/man possible and portray this ultra skinny, ultra unhealthy 'person' as the new beauty.

In actual fact, should most of us ever end up as skinny as some of the images we see, it is not this smooth, glowing, perfectly toned face and body we would see staring back at us, but a bony, frail, pale (depending on how much sun/fake tan you've exposed yourself to) shadow of a human being.

Need any further convincing? Take a look at this image:

This is a 5'10" American size 4 (UK 8) model, who was fired for being 'too fat' to continue modelling for Ralph Lauren - who she has been modelling for since the age of 15.
Being already tiny (see right), she was photoshopped to the point of looking not only like a lollipop head, but like an exaggerated character in a fashion illustration or cartoon for a recent Ralph Lauren ad campaign (see left), that is not humanly possible to achieve without becoming seriously ill. Luckily, the model in question has spoken out about this and refused to become thinner in order to 'fit' any designers campaigns.

Crazy! WHY on earth would you want a model to look that ridiculously emaciated? It's not doing the clothes any further favours than a more normal size 8-10 model would!

It seems that no matter how much we campaign about models being so scarily thin, designers just aren't listening. At what point of the models starving themselves to fit the industry's ideal is someone going to finally stop and say 'enough'? AND that be it?

Will Cheryl get the 'Cole' shoulder?

2009-10-27T13:05:06Z

What on earth am I talking about?

Yesterday I heard reports that Cheryl Cole is apparently set to now turn her career focus towards bringing out her own fashion range....

Oh please. Give me a break!

I'm sorry, but what part of her transition from Chav, to Girls Aloud, followed by 'stylish' pop icon/X Factor judge/ face of a haircare brand included her aquiring any fashion design skills?

For those of you who don't know, there is such a thing as a fashion undergraduate degree, as well as a postgraduate degree, as well as hours and hours of practise, which Mrs Cole's current work schedule would most certainly not allow.... and even then it's difficult to create a successful range unless you're already known.

Oh no wait, that's it. Our Cheryl is already a massive household name, so naturally that is her selling point. So if she designed a range of rubber bands and called them clothes, you'd buy them right?

Come on sweetheart. You are a good celebrity and I like you, I really do - you're great for ratings, you're beautiful, most of the nation adores you already. But despite the general opinion that you are a style icon already, that is exactly what you are not. Your personal stylist may well be, after all, she's the one who got you from Chavtastic to perfectly groomed, but you are not an icon - just a successful product of the music and media industry. You look good yes, but chances are that had you not gone onto that fateful popstars reality TV contest, you would still be in your oh so flattering jogging bottoms.

Please, don't try and imitate Victoria Beckham (for to her credit, at least she always naturally did look stylish in even her Spice days by her own doing). Leave the designing to those hard working fashion darlings who have actually and literally put their life and soul into fashion and their creations.

Fashion is all about the celebrity, and Lindsay Lohan is leading the way!

2009-10-14T19:27:32Z

Fashion is no longer about fashion. Fashion is now all about 'celebrity'.
Face it.
Whether it is good, bad, or just mediocre, the only way you'll apparently make your name now in fashion is if
a) you're friends with any celebrities
b) even better, you're friends with A-list celebrities who will wear your clothes in public
c) you're the offspring or at least niece/nephew of a celebrity
d) you ARE a celebrity.
And if you can tick any of the above boxes, then just how successful you'll be comes down to how famous said celebs (or you) are and how many of them you can surround yourself with for that oh so crucial 'papped' moment.

So if you're planning a career as a designer then you'd better get hitting those celeb hotspots now... or just forget about it.
In fact, if you want to work as a fashion journalist/editor, but you don't fall under any of the above, currently live in London or have friends/relatives who do AND have a rich mummy and daddy who'll fund you for at least a year whilst you work as a slave... sorry "intern", at a fashion magazine, then you might as well forget about that too.

Call me cynical if you want, but think about it.

Would Victoria Beckham have been taken seriously as a designer if she hadn't already made a name for herself as Posh Spice, despite what she may claim, before networking her socks off with dozens of A-listers and designers? (Not that I imagine she ever wears socks - shortens the appearance of the leg you know) Of course not.
I doubt very much she would even know how to construct a pattern.
Why? Well, the fact that she's been quoted as saying she's "very hands on" with the designing process says it all - translated, it means "I let an experienced designer do the constructing and then I draw pretty details and seams and patterns over the top, choose the colours and tell them what fabric I want. Oh and then I slap my name on it and sell each piece for about £3000".
Yes I'm being cynical again, but I bet I'm right.

Who else can I name? Kate Moss for Topshop, Lily Allen, Beth Ditto... I bet their respective high street stores never had it so good.

The biggest joke of all, however, (and if you were paying attention to Paris Fashion Week you'll know what I'm talking about) is Ungaro.

Now, Ungaro is a high fashion label that has been struggling for some time now, even after having drafted in several big name designers to try and restore the label to it's former glory. So who do they appoint as Creative Director, to collaborate with their chief designer? Lindsay Lohan.

WHAT? I hear you cry.

Yes. Lindsay Lohan. You know - trashy Hollywood actress known for her roles in Mean Girls and Parent Trap, although now moreso for her wild partying and an on/off relationship with Sam Ronson, sister of well known DJ Mark Ronson.
That's her.
I've never seen her look particularly good or stylish when not been styled by a stylist for a shoot or a public appearance, have you?
So why did they do it? Well, it's got me talking about them hasn't it! And whilst most Creative Directors would be frantically prepping before a show at Paris Fashion Week, la Lohan was allegedly 'busy' on Twitter spreading the word and inviting her celeb pals along.
It's all about the attention and the celebrity association, like I said, whether it's good or bad. Bad in this case I hasten to presume judging by the image above...

At the risk of now sounding like the bratty, screaming child sat opposite me on the train yesterday - humph!

Like Giambattista Valli said when asked his opinion of the Ungaro collection, "An actress ought to be an actress, and a fashion designer ought to be a fashion designer. These are their own professions, so everybody ought to concentrate on one thing."
I couldn't agree more.

Running in Heels? Like... whatever!

2009-09-29T12:19:28Z

So Tuesday nights are now filled with THREE (yes 3!) hours of fantastic fashion TV!
8pm - Gok - FABULOUS!
9pm - Ugly Betty - DARLING!
10pm - Running in Heels - Like... OMG those interrrns are like, sooooo bitchy!
Yes, my new fave reality TV show is all about working in a fashion magazine, following three interns as they embark upon their time at US Marie Claire in New York (which, and I say this smugly, happens to have a very British lady as the Editor - oh yes!).

And OH. MY. GOODNESSGRACIOUSME..... HOW bitchy are they?!

OK, OK, so I know the fashion world is full of bitchiness and backstabbing, but like, 'hellooooo'?

Having done a work placement within the fashion department of New Woman magazine (which at the time, when it still existed, was right next door to More magazine) a few years ago, I do actually happen to have a teeny bit of insight into how a fashion/lifestyle magazine works... and I didn't witness ANYTHING like these three pouty, self obsessed, deluded little back stabbers at all!

Let me explain this a little:
So we have 'Nice Girl' (NG), 'Pouty Girl' (PG) and 'Sour Girl' (SG).
So NG and PG originally got the good jobs, and SG was 'stuck' in the fashion cupboard working with the fashion assistant sorting samples and admin etc.
SG didn't like this and became very, err, 'sour'.
PG was working on a catwalk show with one of the fashion editors, and NG was off doing some other impressive fashion assignment.
SG, whilst at home was called to say there were two free tickets to the fashion show that PG was working on and to use them how they like... so SG decided that NG didn't deserve to go to the show and took another of her own friends who has nothing to do with the internship whatsoever.
Ouch.
Tension, confrontation and mini rows errupted.

Fast forward a few episodes... SG and PG are now working on slightly better asignments than NG, are loving it, loving each other... and ignoring NG, badmouthing NG around the office and being downright bitchy and snide. Nice.

It is actually really quite entertaining to watch. Particularly because I know... each one of these silly little girls appears to be totally self indulged, spoilt and almost clueless to the fact that, had this not been a TV show, NONE of them would be given even half the chances they are without spending considerable amounts of time being 'stuck' in that fashion cupboard sorting out clothing/accessory samples for the fashion editors to prove themselves first.
If I'm wrong please tell me... but. COME ON girls! You're not Anna Wintour yet... in fact, you never will be... and if she met you right now... well. You wouldn't last two seconds. Get OVER yourselves!
You are amusing to watch though...

And on the subject of running... not in heels this time though... I am running the Birmingham Half Marathon again on Sunday 11th October.
I did it last year in a very good time (if I do say so myself) of 1 hour 51 minutes... I am planning on trying to smash that this time, but I need your help:

I am running to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Care. If you would like to show your support and sponsor me I would be very touched. Please take a look at my fundraising page on www.justgiving.com/sarah-morris

Katy Perry kissed a girl and she liked it? But not if Russell Brand has anything to do with it!

2009-09-16T13:12:31Z

Russell Brand and Katy Perry getting it on after the VMA's...

When you think about it, I don't know why I didn't predict it before - she kisses girls, he kisses girls, she also kisses boys, he's a womaniser... they're both somewhat randy characters really.... in fact, you could say they're almost opposite gender versions of each other, albeit Katy is somewhat more 'groomed' in appearance than Russell (big cobweb hair).

That's all I have to say on the matter really. Excitement over. They'll probably flaunt themselves in public for a while, she'll sing about kissing English boys, he'll broadcast more randy tales... and then it'll all be washed under the carpet.

Lady GaGa and her cocaine 'Cure'... right.

2009-09-12T19:03:52Z

So it seems Lady GaGa would credit her earlier 'creativity' to drugs.
Speaking frankly of her 'ordeal' she has been quoted as saying she did 'bags and bags of cocaine' whilst listening the The Cure - which she calls her 'cocaine soundtrack'.

Well, no surprises there really - just another celebrity jumping on the 'my cocaine hell' bandwagon. I mean, you're not cool if you've not had a drug problem in celebsville right? Whatever...

But then, did I mention she was doing all this cocaine at home, ALONE? And err "didn't think there was anything wrong with me until my friends came over and said, "Are you doing this alone?" "Um, yes. Me and my mirror"."

Forgive me if I sound like a stereotypical American airhead here but, err, hello? YAH!

Apparently she doesn't do this so much anymore and her creativity flows naturally. Well, I'm sure it does flow naturally - spending all that time at home, just her, The Cure and her bags of cocaine - it's not exactly going to suddenly clear from your head is it now?

I don't know whether to thank her for nearly screwing herself up totally or call her stupid for doing it - either way - if she hadn't, I'd bet we certainly wouldn't be so entertained by her choice of 'outfit' and hair style. She'd be far too sensible to be entertaining.

But kids - don't go trying this at home yourselves to get your creativity flowing - trust me - you can be creative without... and without turning yourself into a nutter. It's still seemingly having an effect judging by this photo. Oh. unless it's normal to leave the house without your skirt of course...

X-Factor: chauvinistic TV!

2009-08-28T17:09:21Z

Take a look at the picture below:

Now. Tell me what's wrong with it.

Not sure?

OK, well what about this:

Simon Cowell: Jeans and scruffy T-Shirt. Bad hairstyle. (But very good white teeth)
Cheryl Cole: Gorgeous little evening dress. Perfectly coiffed hair. Immaculate make-up.
Danni Minogue: Gorgeous little evening dress. Perfectly coiffed hair. Immaculate make-up.
Louis Walsh: Crumpled jeans, crumpled grey shirt. Bad hairstyle. A little pale.

Not got it yet?

Let me spell it out for you by asking one question:

Why is it that the men in the picture can get away with being on national TV, raking in the cash, and becoming some of the biggest household names of the moment, whilst wearing the nearest casual clobber they could find and making nothing but minimal effort on their appearance... and BARELY receive any pressure to conform to any 'ideal' or come under any scrutiny from either the media or the general public?

Meanwhile, the two ladies have not only been preened, poked and prodded to within an inch of their lives in order to appear totally flawless and 'perfect', and ultimately 'suitable' to be on our TV screens... yet they STILL receive criticism on their weight, their appearance, their clothes etc etc etc and on multiple occasions?

Why is it one rule for men and another rule for women STILL?

Now I'm no feminist, I'm no equal rights campaigner and I always shave my armpits (!), but this needs to change. Either we put the same pressure on these men to make more of an effort before they're allowed on our TV screens (albeit this particular instance may be a little difficult... Simon Cowell being in charge and all), or we let up on the female population.

And I'm not just talking the X-Factor here, I'm talking the whole Entertainment industry.
Another example:
James Cordon is fat: we all think he's a great laugh
Beth Ditto is fat: shock horror! How COULD she let herself get that way!

See my point?

WAKE UP people! This is unfair!

Victoria: PLEASE sort yourself out!

2009-08-28T12:15:16Z

It's the same old situation: Victoria Beckham feels she needs a bit more publicity aka adoration and attention from, like, EVERYONE, so she starts a new venture (X Factor US) and loses half a stone in a week...

Quite frankly I'm surprised!

Not by the situation - it's typical VB. But surprised that there's even half a stone left to lose without shaving it off her bones and removing those implants.

The fact that she is far too thin and constantly hits the headlines looking more skeletal than the last shot is old news. But COME ON!

I'll keep this short and sweet (or not sweet...)

She allegedly runs 8 miles a day (God only knows how with the lack of muscle on her bones)

Her assistant has been quoted as saying she 'doesn't have a proper sit down meal. She has fish and picks at it'.

She won't eat AT ALL on an 11 hour flight.

Her own clothing range appears to leave a lot of room to grow into, and no doubt she is wearing the smallest size.

With her hair scraped back giving it its smallest silhouette, it still looks like the size of a moon on a stick.

CLEARLY there's something wrong here!

I'm sorry, but there is no way you can convince me that this kind of behaviour/lifestyle/habit is good for anyone.

Running 8 miles per day is fine IF you're going to eat enough to sustain yourself.

Picking at a little bit of fish is far from sufficient. It wouldn't even give your muscles enough protein to repair themselves, never mind grow!

(NB - running wouldn't bulk you up anyway)

Burning more calories than you eat is perfect if you need to lose weight, but when you're size 0 and apparently not even eating anything that could ever be classed as a meal?

That's downright dangerous and could play a major part in triggering numerous health implications, including osteoporosis.

Another thing. Just look at the recent picture above.

This is a woman who the fashion industry has increasingly been embracing as its little darling.

Despite all the size zero backlash and issues, with the industry being slammed for portraying skeletal images as beauty, they take the most famous woman of all to have sparked outcry and fears over all of this type of speculation.

And she STILL looks thinner.

Tell me. Is this REALLY what we should all be aspiring to look like?

Is this what we want our young girls growing up trying to achieve?

Now, I do like Victoria. She appears to have a great character about her.

But at the moment she just looks emaciated, frail and if she's not careful, it's going to age her very quickly.

What happened to the slim, but sexy Victoria we knew from the latter days in the Spice Girls?

Please VB. Sort yourself out. Eat a proper meal and bring back those tiny curves!

Katie & Peter don't like the truth, Kerry Katona Kerry Kershmona and Lily Allen's bearing her breasts

2009-08-21T20:37:19Z

So my suggestion to Katie and Peter to go on Jeremy Kyle fell on deaf ears... or maybe they just don't like the chav comparison. Oh well. They could have at least considered it though? It's only fair that we, the general public, get to have our say on this whole relationship/publicity stunt/marriage/seperation/public-showdown-via-lucrative-magazine-interviews don't you think?

Hell, I even posted them a link via twitter direct to my last post, detailing my reasons... oooooh. Maybe they did actually read it and didn't like what they read. Shame.
Well, let's move on. I for one am pretty darn sick of hearing about them. Oh, which brings me to one last point... 'What Katie did next'? Another 'look at me' reality TV show from Katie aka Jordan. Could that woman BE any more self obsessed? Vile.
(And believe it or not, I actually used to like her)

Now for my next victi..err, subject: Kerry Katona.
What a scandal. Right? Whatever.
Come on. SHOCK HORROR: KERRY KATONA IN COCAINE SNORTING HELL
Give me a break please. She's hardly Kate Moss. So she lost the deal with Iceland. Quite frankly she should have lost it a long time ago. Not that I'm being judgemental (ahem), but who on this earth, for the past few years at least (oddly since she split from Brian from Westlife) has ever considered her any kind of role model or *good* motherly figure?
Sorry, I can't quite hear anyone....
Precisely. No one. Nobody. Nada. Zilch.
So there's nothing to worry about there - mothers, your daughters aren't going to be emulating her anytime soon. Besides, if it's an attention seeking ploy for that bloke of hers... need I say anymore?

And finally. Lily Allen.

Now I do like our Lily. She's cool. I never used to like her songs, but she soon grew on me. And then shrunk on us all. In weight that is, and after announcing she would never conform to the skinny pop stereotype ideal... well, no worries about that sweetie, we never believed you anyway. But darling, just because you've lost weight and are, I must admit, looking fabulous right now, it doesn't mean you have to go braless in see-through tops in very public places all the time, ie the Ashes, the high street, on stage...
Babe, you look great. We've seen you topless on the beach, let's leave that there. There's no need to flaunt your lady bumps in the middle of the road now is there.

Phew. Right. I'm off for a Friday glass of vino. Ciao!

(PS - If you're on twitter, follow me - I'm at www.twitter.com/_sarahmorris_

Katie and Peter for Jeremy Kyle!

2009-08-14T18:00:45Z

It's the perfect relationship isn't it? Katie and Peter?
Not in the way they've crudely and publicly split up... no. That's not so perfect.
But perfect for Jeremy Kyle!

Think about it;
One grossly overpaid, untalented, fame and publicity hungry, tangoed and half naked chav, meets fledgling, pumped up, tangoed, one-time pop 'star', on a reality TV show designed to push failing 'celebrities' back into the spotlight and help them earn a bit of cash and adoration from the general public (because let's face it, what else can they do?).
They instantly lust after each other, spark up a relationship and consummate it with a fairytale wedding that looks fit for plastic toy icons Barbie and Ken.
They have a few kids, release a naff duet cover version as a single and film their 'life behind closed doors' for TV and the whole world to see, publicly humiliating and exploiting, each other, AND their poor kids in the process.
They then, after raking in more cash than most of us could ever dream of, decide that the relationship is no longer working, throw caution to the wind and carry on airing their now even dirtier laundry to the general public worldwide. Literally. If one of them is wearing any at all.

OK... not quite ready for Jeremy Kyle just yet. But stay with me...

So after deciding this isn't enough, one of them goes off the rails, nakedly and drunkenly cavorting and romping with numerous other men, all the while ensuring the paparazzi is capturing every moment, to 'prove' to hubby (and the world) that she's over him, has still 'got it' and is enjoying herself... oh, and err, appearing in pap shots in national and international newspapers and magazines just to make sure her kids know what a fantastic mother and role model she is for them.
This is then followed by spiteful finger-pointing, accusations and comments, via tabloids and magazine 'exclusives', directed towards hubby, who so far only shows himself being a dad and taking care of the kids while mummy goes out to play.
Hubby takes it for so long, being respectable, keeping schtum... then decides if she can sell her story, so can he, and speaks out. Not to the extent of wifey though.
Then, he thinks, "oooh, this is so popular with the worlds media, why not use it to relaunch my singing career" again. And so the single is launched...
And so the feud continues....

.... Right onto Jeremy Kyle!!!

Well, so far not, but come on - Katie/Jordan/whatever you are right now, and Peter, and Mr Kyle - PLEASE you've played it all out if front of us so far - let us now have our say! Hey - it could do wonders for the ratings!

Maybe I should get the ball rolling and compose a letter to Ms Price...

Lady gone GAGA!

2009-08-05T16:36:45Z

Do I really need to explain this? REALLY? Just look at the state of her. 'Nuff said.

Actually... that's not 'nuff said'. I DO have something to say:

Lady Gaga - you are a murderer, a suicide bid for fashion, and an absolute nutjob.

Why is she a murderer? Well look what she's done to Kermit the Frog.
Why is it a suicide bid for fashion? Good point, it's not fashion at all really is it. In fact, let's separate Lady Gaga and fashion PERMANENTLY.
Why is she an absolute nutjob? Well... I think the evidence is clear.

Somehow though, I still love her for it!

A Lovebox full of Gary Numan and Jack Tweed and a Global Gathering of...naked chavs!

2009-07-31T14:16:22Z

What a week!

First of all I think it's fair to say I most definitely wasn't at work last week (hooray!). Instead I embarked on two festivals, a trip to my mum's in Nantwich and a skidding fall from grace off my rollerblades of glory, resulting in a very uncomfortable twisted knee that now resembles a sack of potatoes, and an inability to do any running at all. Walking is pretty uncomfortable at the moment actually so I've decided to start a new trend - short skirts accessorized with a bright blue knee support. I'm still waiting for it to catch on...

So, festival number one: Lovebox! And it really was just a box simply brimming full of love... love for music that is. Or Gary Numan and pear cider in my case! I vaguely remember, through my Gaymers haze, agreeing with my friend that I was loving the Numan that much (as opposed to originally thinking it would just be quite 'cool' to have seen him live, whether he was good or not) that I would actually 'do' him - he's alright for an older man... hmmm. If you don't know what I mean by that now, I'm not going to explain. Such a classy thing to say. And to be quite honest, I'm quite glad there was no such chance of it happening - thinking it may have featured on a 'regret and forget' list by now! But seriously, as a performer, the man's still got it.

It's a bit of a 'cool' festival, plenty of fashionistas and wannabe Siennas running around... oh and did I mention also the 'real' Jack Tweed? You know - the "grieving" widower of Jade Goody? Ah yes.... Very upset I can see. Although I suppose you can't expect him to not get on living his own life. I must admit he is very good looking. It's a shame he's a bit of a dirtbag really isn't it....

Festival number two (after my visit to my mum's and falling off a curb on my rollerblades and injuring myself... quite badly now it seems): Global Gathering. VIP.
I don't quite know what to say about this. For starters, I didn't realize VIP at this festival translated into 'vagrants, imbeciles and perverts'... a bit harsh? Well. All I'll say is go and see for yourself next year.
I've never seen a VIP area that lets anyone and everyone in just because they spend a few more pounds, is so packed out that you have no space to camp and miss the absolute headline act for the weekend whilst STILL searching for a spot to pitch up, includes idiots who speak to you like a piece of meat that they have never tried before, and has attendants who couldn't direct their foot to their own shoe...

OK, now that's out of my system, the music and dj's on offer was good. It was the people that made it less savoury; I've never been surrounded by so many goddam awful chavs in my entire life, and although far from being a prude, I have certainly never seen so much blatant nakedness before in my life either. I'm talking boobs, butts, bellies... you name it; if it was an un-toned bit of flesh, it was on show. Mostly through neon flashes of fabric or body paint. YAK!

So that was my week. I was planning to go and save the Rainbow tomorrow, but given that my twisted knee has got progressively worse over the week, I think I will be house-bound this weekend. Sulk.

The Rainbow, by the way, is a very cool nightspot and pub in Digbeth. If you're into *good* music, like something a bit cooler, quirkier, and not mainstream then get yourself down there - before the council stupidly tries to shut it down. Again.

Sweets that make you younger? GENIUS!

2009-07-15T09:48:33Z

I couldn't quite believe it either! But apparently it's true; Harvey Nichols, Birmingham is now selling 50g packets of 'Eat Yourself Beautiful Collagen Marshmallows' which, as the packet suggests, contain 3,000mg of collagen - an anti-ageing protein.

So could this mean the days of the bee-stung, trout-pout a la Lesley Ash (for example) via expensive collagen injection could soon be a thing of the past, and all we'll have to do is chomp on a bag of pink grapefruit flavoured sweets to keep our youthful complexions?

At only £3.95 and available just down the road and off the shelf in Harvey Nichols Foodhall, it certainly gets my vote!

Click on the pic if you want to know more.... (and check out the other products from 'Eat Yourself Beautiful' while you're there!)

Beth Ditto: big beauty.... or glam obese?

2009-07-08T20:53:47Z

It's the question that's been asked over and over again. Is Beth Ditto the breath of fresh air we've all been waiting for, screaming "I'm big and I don't care" to anyone who'll listen, whilst baring and flaunting her 'curves' on stage for all to see?
Or is she just another prominent sign of our society's rapid expansion (of waistlines) into obesity... apparently?

With her range for plus-size high street chain Evans launching tomorrow (July 9. Click HERE to view) one thing is for sure; she's going to bring a world of clothes to the larger lady that previously only thinner, more 'normal' sized women have been able to wear, purely through lack of availability, or willingness from designers to cater for them.

On the one hand this is fantastic news, finally a fashion muse/icon/whatever you want to call her, here to lead the way for fat ladies (her words not mine - see her interview here if you don't believe me) and push them all to stand up and say

"Yes I AM big! I DON'T care! And I AM BEAUTIFUL!"

On the other hand is it really just glamorising, or at the very least making excuses for those of us who are adding to the rising 'trend' of obesity in our country? In which case maybe we shouldn't be celebrating...

But in that case, what about those at the opposite end of the scale? The scary size zero's like Victoria Beckham and more recently Cheryl Cole, who the world of celebrity holds up as role models and who subsequently are undoubtedly the inspiration for many young girls beginning to starve themselves and develop eating disorders in order to emulate their icons?
This is particularly poignant right now when it seems that you just can't be too thin; where the thinner you actually are, the more successful you become. At least in female terms.
Surely starving yourself is more harmful than having a bit of extra meat on your bones?

Think about it.

Maybe it's time we had something, or someone less extreme as a role model...