Friday, February 12, 2010

Gertie, Girl Reporter {02.12.10}

Welcome back to Girl Reporter Fridays, where I channel my inner Lois Lane to bring you the most interesting stuff from my Google Reader.

  • In incredibly sad news, designer Alexander McQueen has passed on, an apparent suicide. It's hard not to focus on the loss to the fashion world (I remember his incredible pieces in the FIT Goth exhibit last year), but I'm trying to also remember that he was a beloved family member and friend to many. Condolences to his loved ones.

  • In much happier news, Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper are the new faces of MAC's Viva Glam line, the profits of which go to assist those living with HIV/AIDS. (I love the pic with this post.) I'm enjoying imagining Gaga and Cyndi having slumber parties and doing each other's makeup. I'm also loving the look of Cyndi's lip color, described as a "light reddish coral." Hey, it's for a good cause!

  • Thanks to reader Molly for tipping me off to this disturbing article on model Gemma Ward's weight.

  • Look! Tina Fey's Vogue cover!


  • I don't have a problem with Taylor Swift. I've always thought she was adorable and I really wanted things to work out for her and Taylor Lautner. (Yeah, I don't know why either.) I found this article, which calls Swift a "feminist's nightmare," to be completely engrossing.

  • Guys, what is WRONG with John Mayer?

  • Hey, want a free pattern for an adorable pair of mini bloomers from Colette Patterns? Of course you do! These look like they'd be great for pj shorts.

  • Lauren Rennells, author of Vintage Hairstyling, did an awesome tutorial for a Gwen Stefani hairdo.

9 comments:

  1. This is my favorite line from the article on Gemma Ward: "We can't help but think of what casting agent James Scully said this week about Karlie Kloss: "We all love her today, but when she grows breasts and she turns 18, are we all going to turn on her?"
    When she grows breasts and she turns 18...wait a minute. This signals me that what is happening here is that these girls, because they are so incredibly thin and have body fat compositions that are so low, that they are not entering puberty until they are 18? Because breast buds start to develop a couple of years before menarche starts and women naturally start to add adipose tissue to hips, rearends and breasts, so if these girls are basically being held pre-pubescent, this says something about the psyche of the designers and the industry as a whole. And in terms of a discussion of the responsibility of the designers and the industry to take some responsibility and actually DO something other than sit around with their soy lattes and moan and groan and say, "Oh, isn't it awful and aren't we great to have these meetings?" Because what is required is someone, some entity in the industry, such as Vogue magazine, to basically take a stand and tell designers, "If you send over sample clothing which is less than a size 4, then we will not shoot it and we will not show it." But will they do that? No.

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  2. Thanks for this! What a great article. I was JUST talking to my sister about how Taylor Swift, while very sweet, makes me a little uncomfortable but I couldn't quite put my finger on the reason why. This makes total sense; she makes me feel a bit UNempowered as a young woman... or maybe she embarrasses me by putting that naive image forward as representative of me.

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  3. Toby-- I don't know that they're being held pre-pubescent. Most women experience what might be called a second wave of puberty around that age. Your figure matures. I think that's what they're talking about.

    I'm... uhm... pretty sick of being so focused on magazines and body image and post-feminism. If you don't like it, then ignore it and do your own thing. Who gives a rat's a$$? I sew (and sew vintage) to remove myself from all that rubbish. It has absolutely nothing to do with me.

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  4. That article on John Mayer was so disturbing. Makes me so angry!!

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  5. Bellelass, it seems to me that Gertie is very clear that feminism and topics that intersect with feminism and fashion are important to her and have a place on this blog. If you're sick of it, you could just as easily take your advice and "ignore it and do your own thing."

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  6. Gertie, I enjoy your blog and your commentary. I share your sentiments. Regarding that profane John Mayer, I find him so disturbing and am very sorry that I ever purchased any of his music.

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  7. You know, Rachel, I think I will take my own advice. It's not really about the sewing around here, is it? Nevermind, I'll take my eye-rolling elsewhere. I can't believe I could be so impolite as to actually have an opinion. I really ought to learn to keep my pretty mouth shut. It is really very shabby of me. Please accept my heartfelt apologies.

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  8. De-lurking to say that I appreciate the body-image and feminist-y thoughts on the blog (as well as the sewing, of which there is much).

    It's too bad about Alexander McQueen, he was so young.

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  9. The news of McQueen's death really saddens me, the world lost a very talented man when he passed.

    You might be interested in the article by the CFDA called Resizing the Sample Size, http://www.cfda.com/category/news/

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Thanks for your comments; I read each and every one! xo Gertie

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