All this talk of eating our friends has made us hungry

[tikistitch]

The Vanishing Point

CREDIT Hedi Slimane or blame him. The type of men Mr. Slimane promoted when he first came aboard at Dior Homme some years back (he has since left) were thin to the point of resembling stick figures; the clothes he designed were correspondingly lean. The effects of his designs on the men’s wear industry were radical and surprisingly persuasive. Within a couple of seasons, the sleekness of Dior Homme suits made everyone else’s designs look boxy and passé, and so designers everywhere started reducing their silhouettes.

Then a funny thing happened. The models were also downsized. Where the masculine ideal of as recently as 2000 was a buff 6-footer with six-pack abs, the man of the moment is an urchin, a wraith or an underfed runt.

Nowhere was this more clear than at the recent men’s wear shows in Milan and Paris, where even those inured to the new look were flabbergasted at the sheer quantity of guys who looked chicken-chested, hollow-cheeked and undernourished. Not altogether surprisingly, the trend has followed the fashion pack back to New York

Wasn’t it just a short time ago that the industry was up in arms about skinny models? Little over a year ago, in Spain, designers were commanded to choose models based on a healthy body mass index; physicians were installed at Italian casting calls; Diane von Furstenberg, the president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue, called a conference to ventilate the issue of unhealthy body imagery and eating disorders among models.

In case y'all didn't catch this in the Sunday NY Times.

We have to say, first, if you're a supermodel, well, you're gonna have to conform to whatever whim popped into the noodles of silly fashion designers this morning, and if they want to see knock-kneed little geeks coming down the runway, that, sir, is what they'll have, and that's what you get when you sign up for such a ridiculous career, nevermind how kewl it looks on MTV. Also, that, we actually kinda like the silhouette, especially that get-up on the right looks very Steve McQueen around the Thomas Crown Affair era.

But, it's just kind of odd (we were blabbing about this on some other poor person's LJ, sorries) that as we, the population of the United States (though it's soon going to spread - in more ways that one! - to other nations of the world sure as the Golden Arches march forth) gets ever bigger and blobbier, instead of seeing the cloddish prejudice against fat people FINALLY meeting its appropriately cruel end (good riddance!!), we dive headfirst into this little fantasyland of fashion plates who look like they're suffering from consumption, or some other such romantic Victorian malady. But doesn't all this wannabe Young Werther-ism become asymptotic at some point, where no one in meatspace can actually squeeze into the clothes they're producing? Will they start doing runway shows strictly for Second Life Avatars at that juncture, whilst we all run around wearing comfy sweatpants?

Comments

[nitasee.livejournal.com]

Those men aren't sexy....they're kinda scary looking. They look like aliens.

Me, I like my men with meat on the bones. Something to hold on to. ANd cuddle with. I couldn't cuddle with those models for fear of breaking them or being jabbed with their barely covered bones.

I have really wondered how all those designers and clothing lines can stay in business when surely the number of people emaciated enough to wear the clothes is very,very small. Honestly, I read somewhere that average dress size for modern women is 14. And you and it know that there's a hell of a lot of women bigger than that. Hmm, do they just not want our money? Cause you know, I earn enough to buy whatever clothes suit me. The problem is finding so few that do.

[tikistitch.livejournal.com]

Cause you know, I earn enough to buy whatever clothes suit me. The problem is finding so few that do.

Did you ever catch an episode of Tim Gunn's Guide to Style? Since I don't see them advertise it any more, I'm assuming no one but me ever did, and it died a quiet death. But, one thing I found fascinating, Tim kept running into women who would excuse their fashion slob-itude by rationalizing that NOTHING FASHIONABLE LOOKED GOOD ON THEIR WEIRD, WEIRD BODIES. Which, they usually weren't weird, just, ya know, normal. And Tim and his supermodel buddy on the show were always, "OMYGAWWWWD, where ever did you get that silly idea in your little silly head, ya silly???" Oh, I don't know, Tim and your six-foot model buddy who looks like she weighs 99 lbs dripping wet, I just can't say.

[nitasee.livejournal.com]

I don't think my body is weird. Overweight yeah, but not weird. If it's weird, there's thousands of other women out there just as weird. And you know, after a certain point, you have enough numbers out there that it's no longer weird....it's average.

But honestly, the clothes that look good on a size 5,2 or Zero aren't exactly going to be flattering on a size 16 or above. Sure if you've got a concave chest and flat butt, tight clothes and short skirts might look okay on you (I'm not really say good), but a woman who weighs over 140 or more might look like she's wearing a sausage casing with a ruffle. Get real. Different body types, require different fits and styles. It's that simple.

[tikistitch.livejournal.com]

a woman who weighs over 140 or more might look like she's wearing a sausage casing with a ruffle.

You just deftly summed up my entire childhood. :-)

[mmymoon.livejournal.com]

I don't know, I think mine is a little bit weird, simply because I don't know a lot of other girls who have breasts that extend like a 1/6th Volks Dollfie. But yeah, otherwise, I've never thought it particularly odd that I'm just taller and broader than average. (I do with there was a girly equivalent to the old "Big and Tall" store... Lane Bryant is plus size, a lot of it is too short/narrow in the shoulders for me. Where does She-Hulk shop?)

Thankfully, I've always had a pretty good eye/sense of what actually works... which, for tops, means a lot of knit fabrics, and fairly simple necklines -- I can wear Vs, square necks, rounded, or even boat neck, but they need to not have any frippery in the chest area. (No, no, older relatives! There's a reason I never freaking wear button-downs! Even ones that fit perfectly look a bit odd!) I hate inset cups and those horrible... crossed drape neckline tops.

Er, as opposed to Whatever's Fashionable, that is. I'm glad I have a pretty decent sense of my own style.

By the way, I was AMAZED, because we popped in Kohl's today, and their sizing is HUGE. Just absolutely HUGE. I'd never been, because I figured it would be sad and depressing, like when I see all the cute Target-designer clothes that would hardly fit around one of my breasts.... but no, no. Their entire Vera Wang line, at Kohl's, the "Large" would've fit me. LARGE. Not even super double extra large. AMAZING. If we're all getting fatter, at least I'll start singing companies' praises if they make actually larger clothes.

[mmymoon.livejournal.com]

Bah, I'm blame him. I'm sorry, but I have never, in my geeky years, been into the "scrawny little geek boys."

I'm not knocking the tastes of the many girls who do like 'em -- there are plenty who love the lithe boys -- but it's just such a waste of man, imho. I'm pretty much the Incredible Hulk myself, so I like fairly big guys... preferably with arm muscles, and a goodly about of pudge is just fine by me. I've personally noticed a lot of girls who like BIG hulking men don't seem to mind if they're also chubby, so long as they're suitably broad. Whereas the girls who date runners prefer general leanness.

I hate hate hate the general trend towards slender male stylings: in the fashion world, in the "emo boy" thing, in skinny pants. I suppose the emaciated-looking finally have their day, but I cannot approve with my aesthetic sensibilities, or with my loins.

Fabio FOREVER.

[tikistitch.livejournal.com]

Gah, emo boys. I never clapped louder than the Heroes when Sylar sliced off Peter's stupid Emo bangs. And then of course I had to explain to Mr. Tiki what the hell's an Emo haircut, and then he clapped too.

[mmymoon.livejournal.com]

You don't even know, Tiks!

The children nowadays -- the kiddies at the high school -- they make me feel SO OLD AND CRANKY, because the style for boys is to wear ridiculously tight pants (as in, they make the 70s styles look like cargo pants; we're talking PAINTED ON) and brush their hair DIRECTLY INTO THEIR EYES.

Now, I like a lot of odd things in the fashion world, I had a mohawk and all when I was that age, but DIRECTLY INTO THEIR FACE. HOW IS THAT A STYLE? It's not the "shaggy bangs get a haircut" boy style, but basically Cousin It. Gelled down into place.

I just want to rush them with a comb and yank the hair out of their eyes. *sighs sadly* Which means I'm officially an older woman, now.

[tikistitch.livejournal.com]

the style for boys is to wear ridiculously tight pants (as in, they make the 70s styles look like cargo pants; we're talking PAINTED ON)

Oh dear, and I was just getting used to enjoying everybody's underwear.

Back in the 80s, I used to have a pair of scissors specifically to threaten pony tail guys. I may still have them around - wanna borrow?

[middle-savagery.livejournal.com]

I have to admit that it's a little strange leaving the city (gasp!) and suddenly everyone goes from average/slender to HUGE.

I just wish I could communicate how incredible it feels after a long day swinging a pickaxe or after a really good run. Not that those skinny boys could do either of those things.

I don't really care about how much people weigh--they just have to be able to keep up!

[tikistitch.livejournal.com]

I don't really care about how much people weigh--they just have to be able to keep up!

Me, I just have to keep ahead of annlarimer. :-)

[avalonjones.livejournal.com]

The guy on the left looks like he's wearing pajamas.

I'm just sayin'.

[tikistitch.livejournal.com]

I had that outfit (minus the spats) in 1982. It *was* awfully comfy! It looks really cute with a little miniskirt. I'm sad because I think the model would look cuter than me in the miniskirt.

[avalonjones.livejournal.com]

Guys in miniskirts FTW!

[blythou.livejournal.com]

Mr Blythou, who's a bit stocky, was a sad bunny in Tokyo, where all the cool, fashionable stuff was way too narrow for him. He compensated by saying he's broad shouldered, but it was frustrating.

Expensive, bradn name fashion isn't made for regular people. And it's not only a question of weight, but also of style. Most stuff you see on the pret-à-porter runways are completely unpractical to wear (and let's not start on Haute Couture), the fabrics are super fragile, the cuts aren't designed for active people, etc.

I love fashion, I love clothes & shoes... But I don't follow trends that closely. I know what looks good on me and I've pretty much worn the same style through the years : either the casual jeans look, the sexy rock chick for interviews or parties and the Audrey Hepburn-inspired look when I want to look chic.

The fashion industry might try to shove me into bizarre concoctions, but I'll resist. There's no way I'll ever wear the horrid, horrid stuff I wore as a tween in the eighties. NEVER !

[tikistitch.livejournal.com]

There's no way I'll ever wear the horrid, horrid stuff I wore as a tween in the eighties. NEVER !

Oh god.

The eighties.

We were recently watching a documentary about The Who (my household is more or less Classic Rock Orthodox). I, who had already sneaked a peek on TiVo, told Mr. Tiki, "You should see Townshend in the 80s. He looked sooooo bad!" Mr. Tiki averred, "Townshend would NEVAR look bad!" Flash forward to an 80s interview with Our Hero, complete with short curly mullet, loud printed sleeveless t-shirt and SWEAT BAND. "Noooooo!" screamed Mr. Tiki.

[avalonjones.livejournal.com]

Every time I see something from the '80s, I say, "Hey, it was the '80s. What did we know?"

[dunneh.livejournal.com]

Well to defend the other perspective (because I'm biased)-- I don't mind scrawny-geeky boys at all, because my own beau is something like 100 lbs and 5'5 or so in height. AND he wears glasses. (He's all mine girls, you can't have him. <3) ;D We're the oddest couple. Huge woman, tiny man, and like all of societies norms-- we don't conform. I just have to stand up for guys like him a little... because in being with him, I realized that for me, growing up as a fat girl pretty much sucked-- but life for him, has been just as sucky, if not more so precisely because he's in the minority. I can see it in the posts you ladies make about the kind of guys you prefer, and the way his mom says he can still 'fill out his frame' -- kinda like how women like me never make it onto guys' 'ideal woman' wishlists, and how my mom hopes I'll get to 100lbs sometime. Perhaps that's not how you intended it, but it felt a little like a double-standard.

As for the models/fashion-- like all fashion it just gets recycled. Someone has one original idea and people do it to death. I see things like that as a nod to the 50s cardigans, straight-legged pants and Buddy Holly-like geeky boys. It's not original, but I love that era because of my father, so I don't mind the looks so much. I wish people would focus more on whether the models are healthy and well-nourished rather than whether someone superficially looks skinny or fat. As for the emo-hair, didn't all that happen with the Beatles, already? Durn younguns and their durn hair!

But, yeah, you'd think that with their demographic rapidly declining (i.e. people getting bigger), the fashion world would compensate and alter their designs to suit the average woman/man. I mean, imagine how much they'd sell if the majority of us could wear their clothes. But maybe that's exactly what they don't want-- you design for everyman and everywoman and where's the exclusivity of the product? Burberry and the Chavs, anyone? I like pretty things as much as the next girl, but probably best not to give them too much importance I suppose.

Sorry If I'm being long-winded and/or preachy. I just have a different perspective on guys than I used to thanks to my boyfriend. Scrawny guys need loving too! We all can't live in Rob Liefield's Conan world. x3