Lessons In Photoshop From Ralph Lauren

A recent Ralph Lauren ad has sparked plenty of controversy in the fashion world. This excessively retouched image of one of the brand’s models, Filippa Hamilton, made its way into the media. The model had been Photoshopped to an alarmingly thin size. Her head and shoulders were airbrushed to be significantly larger than her hips, and the image was overall extremely distorted. It was clear that Hamilton, who is 5’10 and 120 pounds-a size 4- was not this freakishly frail.

Ralph Lauren denied responsibility for the retouching of the image and attempted to sue the website that published the “unapproved image.” After further investigation had ensued, Lauren released a statement saying

After further investigation, we have learned that we are responsible for the poor imaging and retouching that resulted in a very distorted image of a woman's body. We have addressed the problem and going forward will take every precaution to ensure that the caliber of our artwork represents our brand appropriately.

Then, just when the brand thought their troubles were over, Filippa Hamilton finally spoke out against the brand. She revealed that she had been fired months before the incident due to the fact that she was “overweight.” One hundred and twenty pound Hamilton, who had been working for Ralph Lauren since 2002, said she received a letter saying she was being let go because she would no longer fit into the designer’s sample sizes.

Representatives from the brand merely denied the accusation, saying that Hamilton’s firing was a “result of her inability to meet the obligations under her contract.” As if they could be any be any vaguer. And to top it all off, this new outrageously Photoshopped ad featuring model Valentina Zelyaeva turned up in a window display in Sydney, Australia. Zalyaeva, who is also 5’10 and a size 4, has not yet been dropped by the brand but I’m thinking this spells trouble for Ralph!

Since these distorted ads have surfaced, many esteemed members of the fashion industry have commented on the issue. Most feel that what the brand did was inappropriate, not only for the extreme airbrushing, but the firing of the “overweight” Filippa Hamilton. But do these people have any room to talk? The majority of high fashion brands only use skinny models, and justify this by saying that thin girls are the only ones who will fit into sample sizes. These usually range from size 2 to 4 and are the garments that designers send down the runway. As of recently, size 8 and above is considered “plus-sized.”

Though there is always talk of how plus-sizes are discriminated against in the fashion industry, they have come a long way. Huge designers like John Galliano and Mark Fast have caused a stir by plus-sized models in their London and Paris shows. But with that being said, it makes you wonder- why should using bigger sizes on the runway be the cause such controversy? According to a study done by the Los Angeles Times, the average woman is a size 14. A recent New York Times article also reported that although it varies based on race, height and other factors, a “healthy” women’s’ measurements average at around 41-34-43. On the runway you will find models with a 35-inch bust, 27-inch waist, and 37.5-inch hip.

It's ads like these controversial Ralph Lauren ones that cause women, men, and even naturally thin models to have a skewed self-image.

In a recent interview Grace Coddington, creative director at Vogue, expressed her concern about the effects of the incident and what the magazine is doing to try to help matters:

It is a big problem in the fashion industry. And you go to meetings to discuss it, and you think it's kind of futile, because it's such a big thing, and in the end, people are always asking for more and they're always asking for thinner…. [Models] have to be a little thinner than you and I because you always photograph a little fatter, but you don't have to go to the extremes they go to. And because they're kids, they take it too far and they can't regulate their lives, and next thing you know, they're anorexic, and it is tragic.

And I don't know what the answer is, except to keep on it, which we're all trying to do. Anna’s trying to do it. Personally, we're not allowed, at Vogue, to work with girls who are very thin, but you never know, because you could book them and think they're a certain size, and they turn up on the shoot and suddenly they've spun into this anorexic situation. And you're on the spot and you have to get the job done and you have one day to do it, and what do you do? But you try to be responsible, as Anna is.

Hmm..if Vogue can start to break the mold and not use pin-thin models, than anybody can! And as for Ralph Lauren, what’s next? Will this incident be the downfall of the world-renowned brand or will our society and the fashion world turn the other cheek?? And who should take the blame? I say, enough excuses Ralph, time for an apology!

Aubrey O'Day: The Epitome Of Class!

Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse than Heidi Montag....somebody reminded us that Aubrey O'day exists. After being kicked out of Danity Kane, Aubrey clearly took plenty of time to work on her style…

I couldn't bring myself to choosing just one of her fashion tragedies to marvel. We really could fill up page after page with all of her hideous ensembles. I’m beginning to wonder if these are cries for attention, or just actual bad taste. You be the judge:

I can't decide whose outfit is worse- Aubrey or the dog. I'd say she's to blame either eay, considering that she dressed them both. Aubrey wore this dress by an "unknown designer" (yeah...no wonder..) to the Sheiki Collections fashion show in LA. She may have used some of the tissue paper behind her to stuff under the bottom, but if she was going for the whole pageant-child-on-crack look, I'd say she passed with flying colors.

At Bravo's 2009 A-List Awards, Aubrey went "conservative" in a dress by Chloé. Now this is just a MESS. The top is too big, and the bottom is just all wrong. I definitely wouldn't be surprised to find out she'd cut the huge hole under her chest before she left the house.

Scarier than Aubrey's style is the fact that she just came out with her own t-shirt line called Heart on My Sleeve. The shirts feature sayings such as, "my sex tape comes out next week," "I'd make good babies," and of course "I love dirty texting." But DON'T WORRY Aubrey did't forget the children. Heart on My Sleeve also sells kids clothes! Because who doesn't want to dress like Miss O'day?!


Oh, Aubrey, what a classy lady you are!

Fashion As Art

There's a saying that in fashion, "anything goes.” Season after season, designers push the envelope with each collection that comes down the runway. While to the average person it may seem pointless, fashion enthusiasts consider each piece a work of art in itself. With that being said, the largly debated question comes to mind: is fashion art?

In his recent article TIME Magazine, Jeff Chu explains that though fashion and art can co-exsist they will never coinside. He declares:

Emulation, of course, is the greatest form of admiration, and fashion loves art. Design houses these days are giving artists new canvases (or cottons or leathers) to work on and making them fashion stars. Museums are devoting exhibitions to the craft and its craftsmen, sometimes looking at fashion alone, sometimes juxtaposing it with art. It hasn't always been this way, but the dialogue between the two worlds is stronger than ever. This interaction creates debate and friction; in these creative realms, that's a good thing. But while fashion may be artsy, artistic, artful, enjoying an
art-infused moment and even (gasp!) influential in certain art circles, it's
not art.

Chu explains that there are plenty of museams that merge the two worlds but still believes they should not both be catagorized as forms of art. He justifies this position by asking the age old question "what is art?" and a new inquiry of what fashion has that art does not. His conclusion: fashion has function and art does not. Chu believes that this is the sole reason it would be wrong to consider fashion as art.

It is merely a matter of opinion to look at art as functionless, as some is interactive and can be used in daily life. Some fashion, on the other hand, is avant-garde and merely created to be pleasing to the eye or express an aesthetic. Clearly, you will not find an ordinary white t-shirt in an art gallery, but there are elements and pieces of fashion that can be considered artistic. It's all a matter of preference, and it's safe to say that art is in the eye of the beholder.

'Ready to Wear' If You Dare

As Paris Fashion Week drew to a close, it seemed like we’d seen it all. Designers’ looks stepped out of their comfort zones and onto the runway this season. Most seemed to take a trip through the decades as inspiration for their Spring/Summer Ready-to-Wear collections.


Makeup trends embraced the usual red lip in an array of different shades. Hair was towered high, or slicked back into a tight chignon but rarely seen down. The faces of Chloe were fresh and ultra-natural and, like Christian Dior, incorporated feminine trends. John Galliano took a trip to the dark side, with models dawning smokey eyes and nearly black lips. Whether the face was clean, or the makeup packed on, there is one thing that was absent from Paris this season—eyebrows. Most were bleached and gave an other-worldly, yet somewhat creepy look. Barely-there eyebrows were used in shows from Lanvin to Jonathan Saunders and Prada.

The week kicked off with the always wearable collection from Stella McCartney. Her A-List front row included Gwyneth Paltrow, Rachel Zoe, Rihanna and naturally, father Paul McCartney. The show began with flawlessly crafted silk jumpsuits and trousers paired with pale-colored jackets. Following these, Stella sent some of her brightest looks yet down the catwalk. There were bright yellow and blue floral chiffon dresses with frills cascading from the boddess to the floor. The looks were very seventies hippie-chic (two words I never thought I’d use in the same sentence.)
Overall, it was a clean, fresh-looking line. Everything from the Stella McCartney line is fashionable, functional, and could walk straight off the runway into everyday life.


Marc Jacobs joined Christian Dior in revisiting the underwear-as-outwear trend they had mastered seasons ago, but uniquely Jacobs incorporated it into an overwhelmingly distinct eighties theme. Oversized bows and neon prints graced the runway along with “Bill Cosby style sweaters” for men. The Marc by Marc Jacobs looks had a playful innocence this season with flouncy, high-wasted skirts, mini dresses, and delicate cardigans.


Chloe was abnormally forgettable this Fashion Week, packed with loose jackets, floor length skirts, and PLENTY of tan. It seemed very....mature, if you will. Although Chloe is usually undeniably fashion forward, they seemed to play it safe, and this was clearly not the season to do so.


Even Karl Lagerfeld was thinking out of the black-and-white-Chanel-tweed box when designing the new collection. The show had a barnyard backdrop, complete with hay. Pale pinks and tans were incorporated into the traditionally chic Chanel looks. There were plenty of structured blazers and a-line dresses all topped off with a dash of sparkle. The models walked the hay-filled catwalk in chunky-heeled clogs.

Lace was all over for the spring/summer 2010 collections in every form—the most flawless use of which came from John Galliano.


Galliano put on more than just a show in Paris. Models walked a runway alive with bubbles as he brought us into his dark, twisted dreams. Take blazers, bubble skirts, gowns, and everything in between; add flawlessly placed lace from head to toe, and you’ve got Galliano’s spring/summer 2010 RTW line. His romantic, old-Hollywood looks, complete with feathered hairpieces and lace gloves turned out as the highlight of the week to many. Katy Perry thought it was “by far the best,” and twittered, “It was a dark sexy dream of beautiful mental sparkling women.” I’m not completely sure what that means, but I’ll definitely second it.


As for the most questionable collection, I'll definitely say- hands down, Alexander McQueen. The show was interesting (to say the least) and left most wondering if what they just saw was pure brilliance, or just plain crazy. Reptile prints were the main theme and the pattern was incorporated into just about every look. McQueen showed a plethora of mini dresses with voluminous shoulders, and structured hips. His color scheme was yellow, grey, brown and most importantly, GOLD. The collection was very Russian snow princess-meets extraterrestrial. Each piece that came down was more extravagant than the next, but there was nothing quite as avant-garde as the SHOES. The models conquered the Alexander McQueen runway in ten inch heels. These towering snakeskin and metallic platforms absolutely stole the show.

They’re obviously not even remotely sensible for everyday life, but I think they’re brilliant and well-made. Almost all of the collections’ shoes were on another level this season. For the first time in a while, footwear dominated fashion week. The boots were taller, the heels were higher, and the structural design was out of this world.


Vogue.com reported Tina Sloan of Guiding Light commenting in reference to the heels this season:

“In brute defiance of reality, we wear heels we can barely walk in and much like
sitting in the sun bathed in oil to get a darker tan or smoking so as not to eat
and get fat, we suffer the consequences. But somehow the consequences are too
far out to care about. It is just such fun to look glamorous in high, high
heels.”

Thoughts??

Holly Madison Gives Clothes A Chance...And Fails

Holly Madison took a detour through the swamp on her way to the premier of The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard. Hugh Hefner’s former “number one girlfriend” was seen in this ensemble for the event in Vegas. (Yes, in public.) The designer of this train wreck is Greg Barnes. Mind you, Barnes is most widely known for his work with costumes. He’s won countless awards for his work styling and designing for Broadway shows.

Costume or not, I’m finding it hard to get past the fact that there are twigs protruding from the boddess.

The saddest part of all is Holly's decision to wear this horrendous gown to the premier of a low-rated comedy. And the fact that everyone around her is in casual evening wear, even jeans! I mean, come on! I don't think Heidi Montag would be caught dead in it, even for attention. And that's stretching it!

Poor Holly! Maybe we should cut her some slack. I’m thinking after all those years of living in the Playboy Mansion, she forgot what it’s like to wear clothes. The result was this fashion tragedy.

The Look For Less

When it comes to the fashion world, there’s a common misconception that it’s all about the labels. It’s undeniable that high fashion and couture designers are a huge part of the industry, but what most don’t realize is that they are simply the forecasters of fads. There is an unnecessary importance put on brands. And while many designer pieces are worthwhile indulgences, you can easily get a designer look at a bargain price and nobody has to know. Just because the prices are low doesn’t mean the quality has to be.

When it comes to getting a look for less, there are some fundamentals every fashionista must know—

1. Don’t try to look for exact items. Copying an outfit 100% is always going to be a hit or miss situation. Instead, try using the ensemble or trend for inspiration to put together your own looks. Fashion is all about having your own opinions anyway, right?
   
2. If/when buying a luxury designer item, do NOT focus on trends! Just because wild lime green sequined Manolo Blahniks are “in” this season doesn’t mean they will be a year from now. Invest in a timeless piece that you’ll get plenty of use out of.
   
3. Never buy “replica” handbags (or anything else for that matter)! Replica is just a nice word for FAKE. Not only is it a federal offense to sell them, wearing them is just tacky. Even if you think “it looks so real” somebody WILL notice. Getting the look you want for less doesn’t mean wearing knockoffs. The whole point is to not put so much emphasis on labels.

Get Blake Lively's classy head to toe Burberry look without having to splurge! Here's how:

While Blake's Burberry ensemble totals over $1,000 our look for less will cost you less than $100!

There are infinite possibilities when you add your own twist on a favorite style. Just remember, it’s not all about the labels! You don’t have to be head to toe in a designer’s name to look chic!