Archive for October, 2009

I admit it, I’m totally a girl.  I LOVE my shoes.  So here are some of my favorites.  I hope you love them too!

I never thought I’d say it, but I actually have a favorite shoe designer – Roberto Vianni.  Everytime I go to my favorite store (also something I never thought I’d have!), Sterling, I automatically pick up Vianni’s.  The purple strappy ones are by far my mostest favoritest!!

These are Nine West.  Another wonderful designer.  Don’t you love the silver soles on the black ones?

On the left, a great Winner’s find that when my sister first pointed them out I didn’t care for.  Then a month later they were on clearance and now I love them!  Middle pair from a favorite local store – C’est Sera and the last are – gasp – Payless!

Don’t you just love red (or purple) shoes?  And Mary Janes to boot!  Some variation on the theme here.  The right pair were a last minute find at The Bay for Christmas last year.  The perfect match for my incredible red dress – which may appear in another favorites post.  The other 2 are from my other favorite store and I’ll say it again – Payless!  Sometimes they have the perfect shoe.

For skirts, skinny jeans and jeans that I’ve finally found that are long enough to wear heels – you’ve gotta have black boots!

And, when the weather agrees with it again, some tiny little sandals.  Small heel and tall.

What are your favorites?  Do share!

Be Beautiful, Be YOU!

www.thebadkitty.com

Just after talking about using “real” models on German magazine covers, this ridiculously photo shopped ad is released.    Is this a backlash against reality or just a really stupid choice by the marketing department?

Either way, it has me concerned.  The reaction has been unsurprisingly strong from the public.  The blog post on boing boing has, to date, received over 50 comments.  On photshop disasters, over 200.  This image is an obvious manipulation.  I don’t care how skinny someone is, when the hips are smaller than the head, there is definitely something up!  Compare that picture to this one. 

I have a sneaking suspision that it may have had some work done on it as well, but it’s not as obvious.  When the “adjustments” are inhuman, it’s easy to be outraged.  No one looks like that, yikes!  How ugly!  However, we’ve been looking at false images of models, celebrities and even regular people for years and have come to think that that’s what they actually look like.  The tabloids love to sell editions of “what they really look like” pictures.  Wow, they look like you and I do when we just get up or have no make up on.  Shocking!

So the question is, how long is it before we accept the ridiculously distorted images as reality?  We eventually become immune to things.  We get tired of analyzing and simply accept it as normal, regular, the way things are.

Be clear that reality is beautiful.  The manufactured is impossible.  Today is the day to stop striving for the impossible and accept the beautiful – reality.  Be in love with you, no matter where you are in your journey.  Only a worldwide wash of love for what is will stop the advancement of what can never be.

Be Beautiful, Be YOU, the world needs you!

Love you,

Christie

www.thebadkitty.com

This morning on Facebook a friend posted an article about a German magazine, Brigitte, banning models for “real” women.  Notices like that always seems to get women’s panties in a knot.  Yes, Yes, we think!  It’s about time!  Ban the skinny bitch.  Bring back the curves!

Up until today, I whole heartedly agreed.  As a 6′ size 12 woman, I always took exception to being called “plus” size by the fashion industry.  Ok, Ok, reality check!  At 6′, size 12 is average.  At 5′2″, it’s another story.  At 6′ size 2 is scarey.  At 5′2, it’s average.  It’s all relative.

There’s nothing wrong with being average.  There’s nothing wrong with being skinny – unless you’re hurting yourself to get there.  There’s nothing wrong with having a little extra baggage – again unless you’re hurting yourself.  If you’re eating or not eating because of feeling badly about yourself, there’s a whole other problem to be dealt with.

I’m sure many of you are still going, “hey, what do you mean up until today you whole heartedly agreed!  The fashion industry is making us all feel fat with all the super skinnies they put their clothes on, how can you not be outraged!”

Yes, I’m outraged.  I’m outraged that we are given a false sense of beauty.  That we are handed a bill of goods that 0% body fat is a good thing.  What I’ve changed my mind about is that ALL women need to be represented.  The skinnies – again, as long as it’s natural and not drug or vomit induced (there are girls out there like that, y’know!), the average and the large.

The backlash against skinny girls has created reverse discrimination.  We tend to hate the skinny girls.  How did they get so lucky?  Another reality check – we all have challenges.  We all have insecurities. We all have fears.  We all long for love.  We all have things that make us giggle.  We all have things that make us cry.  We are all freaking human!!!

And we are all freaking amazing!  We need to stop looking at the outside.  We need to see each other as beautiful individuals rather than body shapes.  Others won’t see us as beautiful until we see ourselves and each other as such.  Love the skinnies.  Embrace the biggies.  Squeeze the averages in between.  Take care of yourself and love yourself and no matter what size you are, you are worthy, lovely and deserving of your own magazine cover!

Be Beautiful, Be You!

Love ya, Christie

www.thebadkitty.com