Who's to blame?

In a recent interview with the always bold, sometimes a little too honest, Kelly Cutrone, The Fashion Spot gathered some interesting answers from the brazen PR mogul.

photo cred: levoleague.com

Cutrone believes it's the consumers fault for the way the fashion industry is portraying thinness.... "Society has a hyper emphasis on thin and that trend comes from the consumers — it does not come from the fashion industry. The fashion industry needs to make money, that's what we do. If people said, 'we want a 300 pound purple person,' the first industry to do it would be fashion," Cutrone said. She goes on to give advice for modeling.

1. If you're 5'6", just stay home. Don't pretend you're 5'8" or 5'9". 
2. If you're over 29 — 26 even — I would suggest you work regionally and not try to work nationally.
   -Kelly Cutrone, The Fashion Spot interview

These are the things that no one ever wants to hear or even acknowledge, but her "I-don't-give-a-fuck-what-you-think" attitude {pardon my french} has increased the saucy PR exec's fame. 

But let's look at the finger pointing a little more closely. Yes, consumers want to look beautiful, be stylish, etc but, the fashion industry hasn't budged much on the idea of expanding the look for models or allowed for more diversity for sizing. 

As I always say, there are those brave souls out there that don't conform. They try to make a change for a better image but there needs to be more voices. The way magazines portray fashion is very different from the every day girl. The magazines and designers want to create a sense of high fashion, understandably so, because let's be honest, everyone wants to be high fashion , but most of society cannot afford to have a $1000+ bag or $150+ pair of jeans... So is it really the consumer that is creating this false sense of what is beautiful?

Personally, I think both are to blame. Consumers constantly try to look a certain way or have this perception, "if I'm thin, then I'm beautiful" but the fashion industry is JUST as guilty, maybe even a little more so. You don't see many size 4+ models strutting their stuff on the runways. People have got to understand looks are just a superficial thing... it goes much deeper than skin. Dustin Hoffman's interview about his character Dorothy Michaels is the perfect example of this blurred perception everyone has on beauty: 

Hoffman tears up as he realizes how many good people he might have passed up because they weren't "beautiful" enough.

"And I know that if I met myself at a party, I would never talk to that character because she doesn't fulfill physically the demands that we're brought up to think women have to have in order to ask them out.' She says, 'What are you saying?' And I said, 'There's too many interesting women I have...not had the experience to know in this life because I have been brainwashed."

While Cutrone could be right, maybe we as the consumer need to stop feeding into the "thin" trend, but the fashion industry needs to shrink the gap between thin and "plus-size" and treat all consumers more equally.

People continually strive to be something they're not. There's so many people out there that have body image issues and there's many culprits that increase the worry surrounding what you're supposed to look like... learn to be comfortable in your own skin. 

Everyone deserves to be heard, and everyone will have an opinion when it comes to the ongoing "who's to blame" issues in the fashion industry. 

What's your thoughts? Do you fall in the same category as Cutrone?

The image we should be....

I've seen multiple articles recently about controversy surrounding the right way to look. But who in fact decides what that image is? Why is it a constant struggle to live by this image that only a few people can really fit into?

A few weeks ago, it was an article about a woman who sued Prada because she was fired for being "ugly." Since when did it become all about JUST looks? Personality is a very important part of a person. It should in fact, be more important than looks... because looks fade. And to top it off, the single mom lost the lawsuit. Now Prada is countersuing her because "she" slandered the Prada name. Wait a second here, PRADA is suing her for damaging the company's reputation? Because of Prada's horrible decision to sue for $780,000, they as a company have in fact hurt the name even more.

Rina Bovrisse, the former employee of Prada.

I've also been amazed by this whole Abercrombie and Fitch controversy. What was CEO Mike Jeffries thinking? Saying he "doesn't want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people." That his customers should feel like the "cool kids..." The cool kids, really? Jeffries is obviously a bully. Was he never taught, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all?" He is an example of why so many teens think they aren't cool enough or popular. What about the fact that most people can't afford $30+ for one shirt or $50 to upwards of $100 for a pair of jeans... so not having a certain label makes you uncool? 

This brings me to question, what is the image we need to be to fit in? You don't see many plus size mannequins, or companies that sell larger clothing... and that's just not fair. I've done multiple posts on this issue because it's mind boggling to sit here and think bigger sizes should be treated differently. I know I've struggled with weight just like every other woman out there and it's just not fair to make women feel worse because they can't find clothes to fit their body. It's crazy when I read these posts or articles about the constant, repetitive cycle of body image and what is right or wrong

And yet it's not just woman who are affected. This whole image issue is just a small glimpse into the world of bullying. Mean Girls is a perfect example. They had this idea that skinny is beautiful and if you were anything else other than skinny, with perfect hair, skin, features, you were in the burn book. So what guidelines are people following? and how do we break them down so people can be themselves and not have to worry about what criticism they will get for not looking a certain way or wearing a label? Creating that movie even unintentionally fueled the "image" fire because as much as they made fun of the "Mean Girls" they were also glamorized.

There are millions of women out there who strive to change the way we view beauty, and good for them! The more voices heard the better. Plus-sized blogger Gabi Gregg , who introduced a fabulous new two piece for plus size women and Jes, aka The Militant Baker, who did a photoshoot and wrote a great response to Mr. Jeffries, are just two examples of women stepping out to make a difference. I even read about a stepmother who required her daughter to wear secondhand clothing to teach the 4th grader empathy after she bullied a girl for her clothing.

Photo cred: Liora K Photography and Jes, the Militant Baker

These are all great examples of women who are trying to open our eyes and create a new idea of what we should look like. 

Remember: 

 Everyone has something that makes them beautiful, it just depends on if that person is going to let their beauty shine.

Tickle Me Chic is ENGAGED!

I have some amazing news that has made 2013 the best year of my life! (and it's only been a 4 days!)  My wonderful boyfriend proposed to me at the stroke of midnight when the pineapple dropped with some of our closest friends around to share in our happiness! It was the absolute perfect way to "ring" in the new year! 

After 6 wonderful years together, I can say goodbye boyfriend, helloooooo fiancé! I'm officially engaged to my best friend, other half & love of my life!

The week of Christmas, we started looking at rings. A lot of friends were thinking it would happen on Christmas day but I knew it wouldn't. He always said he wanted to look at rings together before he purchased anything.... Good thing, because I found the perfect ring but it was nothing like what I thought I wanted. 

After having that ring on my finger, it began to get more real. 6 years together is a long time but we always said we wanted to get all of "ducks in a row" before getting married. It's been wonderful growing up together!

The friday before new years, he was telling some of our closest friends about his plan and one misunderstood who was proposing. Hearing the wrong name, she ran over to me (as we LOVE to gossip and share in each other's happiness) and told me that some of our friends were getting engaged on new years eve with all of us there. I was so incredibly excited! Since we were all spending new years together, it would be such a beautiful way to celebrate 2013.

love these girls

my beautiful friends

Tom, Kels, Allie & Kev

New Years Eve came and I was so excited to be sharing in this special day with our friends. We had a wonderful dinner and then went downtown to celebrate the new year. As the 10 second count down began, I watched the pineapple, looking back and forth at my friend whom I thought was about to propose. As the pineapple dropped, I felt a tap and then heard a scream. I turned around to see the love of my life on one knee, holding the ring, asking, "Will you make me the happiest man in the world?" It was the most incredible, exciting, emotional moment of my life. 

omggggggggg, so surprised

these photos were taken by one of my best friends, Allie. 

I squealed, cried and said SHUT UP! But more importantly, I of course said YES! 

The most incredible feeling

It was the most perfect way to propose as I always said I wanted my closest friends around. I am beyond blessed to have had all of them there to share in our happiness. Two of our friends, whose wedding I'm in this year, even made us a video to remember our beautiful night. It is the most heartfelt video and I can't thank them enough.

I SAID YES!

some of my closest friends, & obviously future bridesmaids. 

the love of my life

I am beyond ecstatic! Baby did real good and I couldn't be happier to start the year off right with my new fiancé. We've had so many wonderful supporters and well wishes,  I can't thank everyone enough.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!