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.

The Thigh Gap: New obsession or continuing worry?

       Last week I read an article on ABC that stuck with me. It was titled Thigh Gap: New Teen Body Obsession?, and it was about a new kind of body image imperfection. But is it really a new obsession? Or is it just getting more notice now that runways are live streaming and social media sites can focus on "thinspiration" more easily.

       I've struggled with my weight all my life. When I was 12 years old I blew up to 160lbs and a size 14 at 5'3''. After being made fun of, being told I was fat by family members, and constantly being told to lose weight, I took it upon myself to get into shape. Within 6 months I was down 30lbs and feeling great, but does the worrying ever really stop?

       Once I hit high school, I struggled even more with my body image. I would eat a cookie a day and maybe a snack but other than that I wouldn't let myself eat. I dropped to a 110lbs (the smallest I'd ever been) and people were then telling me they were worried I was too skinny, my bones popped out everywhere. So not only do you have a constant battle of what's the "perfect weight" but the people around you do too.

       One of my main "problems" has always been my thigh gap or lack there of. Over the years, I've managed to tighten it up but that's the problem.... we are ALL different. Nobody's body is the same. So while I sit here and worry about my love handles, or thigh gap, others might worry about their flabby arms or whatever kind of distraction they have to keep them from feeling beautiful or part of the "in crowd."

       As far as I'm concerned, the thigh gap has been around for a long time, or at least since I was a teen. I'm 25 now, and I still worry about my body image- there's always something to pick apart and the thigh gap is one of my biggest "imperfections." (see I'm doing it right there ;}) But I've also come to realize, I'm happy. I look healthy, I feel good, I have a wonderful fiancé that loves everything about my body, and I have the confidence I didn't have when I was a teen. So as I read that article morning, and watched the interview of 4 teens, I wondered, is it really us as individuals that cause these worries or is it mainstream media like news networks and social media platforms that continue to cause us to pick apart our imperfections?

       According to an article from CNN, social media may do more harm than good. Amanda Coleman, president of her sorority, found herself counseling many of the girls. She began to notice all conversations had to do with Facebook or other social media outlets so she put a stop to it. She quit Facebook. Before social media, images of unattainable beauty were harder to come by, but as social media platforms continue to get bigger, women and girls are staring at the images for longer periods, seeing photos in their newsfeeds. "And, you know, at some level we all knew these were models and celebs, so maybe it was different somehow, more fictional and unattainable," said Coleman.

       So while teens struggle with the "new" obsession, mainstream media needs to cut back on their coverage of the body image obsession. The more people obsess over something, the more it becomes a normal, every day thing to worry about. According to the article, teen psychologist Barbara Greenberg, says statistics show that 80 percent of girls dislike their bodies by the time they are 17 years old. That is an incredibly high number for such young girls.


       We have to do something about the way "beautiful" is perceived. It shouldn't just be about the looks. If someone isn't beautiful on the inside, how can they be beautiful on the outside? Girls need to learn how to love themselves and each other as well as stop cutting each other down. It might make you feel good to begin with but it won't for long and you will have one more imperfection to worry about.

       And while the thigh gap is just one of the unrealistic standard for most out there, girls continue to focus on the size of their body not for the attention of boys, but according to the teens interviewed, "it’s strictly a girl thing, affecting popularity and status."

       What are your thoughts? Is the thigh gap a new fad? Have you struggled with it? How have you overcome your imperfections?

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LINKS À LA MODE: THE IFB WEEKLY ROUND UP

Edited by: Taylor Davies

Despite the new look and slight changes to our forums on the new IFB site, there was no shortage of selections for this week’s Links a la Mode round up! From easy summer style to bridal trends and even some chatter over the latest Olympic drama with Ralph Lauren as well as teens and photoshopping in magazines, we had a lot to cover! Check out this week’s links and if yours has been chosen, be sure to check back later today for the code so you can post the links on your blog. Happy clicking!

LINKS À LA MODE: THE IFB WEEKLY ROUND UP: JULY 19TH

• A Brit Greek: Leather – 50 Shades for Maximum Impact
• April & Black: We Love Love Love Manish Arora
• Banjo Eyes: The Long and Short of It
• Can You Come Home: What Should I Wear To Work With The Bougainvilla Flower Trend?
• Dress Code: High Fashion: Altelier Swarovski Diana Vreeland Legacy Collection
• Elle Yeah: Haute Couture Week Highlights
• Emma Louque: Richard Nicoll for Topshop Bridal Love
• Fashionopolis: Fashion Blogging 101
• Fashion is Evolution: DIY Ombre Rhinestone Necklace
• Fresh Squeezed: Ralph Lauren’s Olympic-size Controversy
• Girl Loves Color: Walking on Sunshine (Color Spotlight: Yellow)
• Les Finer Things: Crazy Yin Love
• Moments With Meera: Prints, Prints, Prints!
• Oranges & Apples: Some Thought on Clothing Challenges
• Soychild: In Defense of Outdated Trends
• Tickle Me Chic: Real Girls Making A Real Difference
• The New Lady Times: Bride, Borrow or Steal
• The Curvy Elle: Fashion Trends Adapted for Plus-Size
• The Penny Rose: Moonrise Kingdom
• Zsasa and Everything Else: The OMG Necklace

Real Girls Making a REAL Difference

The photoshop epidemic is under attack once again and it's the readers of magazines like Seventeen and Teen Vogue that are taking action.

Photoshopping has become an epedemic in magazines and other digital media. As girls read these magazines, they long to look like "the girls in the magazines." Well not anymore!

A group of teen girls have teamed up with SPARK a Movement, which is a movement "to demand an end to the sexualization of women and girls in media," to show magazines and other media outlets that readers want to see REAL girls in the pages of magazines, with real body issues, no photoshopping or digital enhancements. 

 “I want teen girls to be shown how they are in magazines so that girls in real life won’t have to feel bad about their bodies when they shouldn’t,” member Britney Franco, 13, said in an interview. 

Seventeen Magazine petition

With the crusades of SPARK and the teen members voices, Seventeen Magazine's editor-in-chief, Ann Shoket, recently agreed to stop digitally altering models in any spreads of the teen mag. With the recent victory, the organization moved on to the fashion power house, Teen Vogue. SPARK created a petition to ask Teen Vogue to publicly state they will no longer digitally alter the face or body of any models who appear in the magazine. If you want to sign the petition and have your voice heard, check out Change.org for more information. 

Yesterday, the ambitious teens staged a mock fashion show outside of Conde Nast headquarters in Times Square. They wanted to demonstrate what real girls look like, how girls are affected by photoshopping and what readers want to see in the pages of these magazines.

“We’re really trying to do the runway show to show what we want to see in these fashion magazines and it starts with us, the reader... Being a young woman of color and dealing with body issues and having naturally curly hair, I’ve always struggled finding a role model in these magazines.” -Carina Cruz, 16 years-old, SPARK member

While the movement might not have had as much of a positive influence on the teen fashion mag, with the meeting only lasting about five minutes according to the SPARK website, it's not stopping the girl-power movement. Franco writes an update of what happened at yesterday's meeting with Teen Vogue. "They gave Emma and Carina copies of Teen Vogue and told them to use it to “learn about the magazine,” as though we didn’t already know about it–I’m a Teen Vogue subscriber!.... This was obviously disappointing to us, but we will still continue on our mission to get Teen Vogue to stop altering the appearances of the girls in their magazine. Teen Vogue has an incredibly large readership that supports them immensely, and now it’s time for the magazine to do the same for their readership."

After the fashion show, outside of Conde Nast

The SPARK movement is very dedicated to what they do and the girls who represent it are speaking out on behalf of the --according to their website-- 75% of girls, who feel depressed after minutes of reading magazines. And even though Teen Vogue wasn't very receptive to the idea, SPARK is determined to make a change in the way girls and women are portrayed. "They have the choice to be the heroes in this story; help them make that decision," Franco wrote.

***Photos are from SPARK Summit's facebook.

Bullies of Online Fashion Media

The fashion industry is under constant criticism for the way women are perceived and while most now strive to create better body images, unfortunately, it's sites like Skinny Gossip that continue to create this scrutiny.

Kate Upton got a lot of praise after her Sports Illustrated cover, but she also got some bashing. As the "Rookie of the Year" in 2011, the 19-year-old blond, all-American bombshell, landed the February cover, showing off her curves in a string bikini. The model's figure created quite a stir in the fashion world, but Upton doesn't seem to let it bother her. "I love my curves. You know, I'm healthy and I think that's what Sports Illustrated represents: healthy, confident women who love their bodies," Upton said in an interview.  

Photo from Huffington Post

After reading a tweet from Independent Fashion Bloggers last night, "Bloggers gone bad - Anyone who calls @KateUpton thick, vulgur and pornographic is clearly insane: http://bit.ly/LKoMM0,"  I was beyond curious to see what it was all about. I clicked the link and read the Elle write up. The woman in me was disgusted that anyone could write such hateful, horrible things, but the journalist in me said it's time to start writing.

I've always tried to write about hard-hitting stories in the fashion industry since I went to school for journalism and focused many of my pieces on fashion. It's the industry I love working for but, people need to know the good, the bad and the ugly in any industry. I knew this write up was a perfect example of why girls and women all around the world have such insecurities about their looks let alone themselves as individuals. I've always kept up with the body image issue vs fashion industry because every girl I know, including myself has had self-esteem issues.  

So, I went straight to the source: Skinny Gossip, Kate Upton Is Well-Marbled. The post started off comparing humans to cows and then insinuating that Kate Upton is one... Did you know that humans are 80% genetically identical to cows? Well, allow me to prove it to you…  The blogger goes on to joke about Upton "lumbering up a runway like there’s a buffet at the end of it," and that's just the first couple sentences.....  

Photo from Skinny Gossip

Not only does SG bash Upton's weight, the blogger bully tears Kate down about her style and class saying, "She looks like she would work in the back of a motorcycle shop in Nashville and give (bad) blow jobs for $25."

Photo from Huffington Post

Everyone has the right to their own opinion, but it's people like the blogger of Skinny Gossip and Maura Kelly, who create this constant bullying for others when they know they have at least a national audience. What good does it do to ramble on about how others looks, weight, ect, and bash them? It only shows that YOU, the bully, have deep issues that you need to battle yourself. 

Anytime someone bullies another it's because that person doesn't want to face reality and deal with their inner problems/demons. The writer of Skinny Gossip needs to take a look into what's really causing the attack on Kate Upton. Writing things like, "This girl belongs deep in the gutter of American commercialism – so don’t get any crazy ideas about her being a fashion model, OK?" only shows the world that you have deeper problems than you lead on. 


Two years ago, I wrote a piece about the Maura Kelly rant, a Marie Claire blogger wrote about the show Mike & Molly, attacking the show and people a like. Kelly compared overweight people to alcoholics and heroin addicts but as you read on, she apologizes and opens up about her struggle with anorexia. While it wasn't a valid excuse at all for the down right horrible things she said, it did show she had her own struggles that maybe caused her to not be fully happy with herself. 

There are some people out there that are taking the same steps as the Skinny Gossip blogger, sending SG hate mail and death threats, but what does that do? While yes, SG did something horribly wrong, and should not have shared the hateful rant with the world, I sit here writing this not to bash back but to make people aware of what's going on in the world around them.

So with that said, take a moment and think about what you write, text, post or say. You never know what someone is dealing with, everyone has their own battles to fight. And while celebrities are supposed to have "tough skin" and deal with haters all the time, remember....

Mocking model wins popular vote but doesn't win over American Apparel

Nancy Upton was one of about a thousand women who entered American Apparel's newest contest, but she was probably the ONLY one who entered hoping not to win. 

AA is no stranger to controversy but this time they've opened up a whole new can of worms. The company created a photo contest trying to find "The Next BIG Thing"(which it was conveniently titled) to show off their new "extended sizes." It was geared toward finding a plus-size model, size 12-14, based on votes from visitors. 

Here is part of the description from the contest:

"If you think you’ve got what it takes to be the next XLent model, send us photos of you and your junk to back it up."

Upton, was annoyed by the campaign's tone, feeling as though she was being talked down to for her size. "The puns, the insulting, giggly tones, and the over-used euphemisms for fat that were scattered throughout the campaign’s solicitation began to crystalize an opinion in my mind," Upton said. So she did something about it. Upton recruited a photographer friend, Shannon Skloss to take photos protesting the new contest. The size 12, 24-year-old, uploaded her photos, never expecting to win, just hoping to create awareness. 

She took the pictures to mock the contest and she shares how she would never model for American Apparel on her blog Extra Wiggle Room, dedicated to her journey with AA and aftermath: 

'I most certainly would not model for American Apparel, because (pretty obviously) I don’t agree with their business practices. I also would not expect to be asked to do so, even if I receive a majority of the votes (something I never planned on).'

She goes on to write how she disagrees with the message AA is sending but she respects others opinions.  

Here is Upton's description of the blog:

"MY NAME IS NANCY UPTON. I'M A SIZE 12 AND WANTED TO SHOW AMERICAN APPAREL MY FRESH FACE (AND FULL FIGURE). MY GOOD FRIEND SHANNON SKLOSS CAME OVER TO TAKE SOME "BOOTY-FUL" PHOTOS OF ME...BUT I JUST COULDN'T STOP EATING. 

I CAME IN FIRST PLACE IN THE AA 'NEXT BIG THING' CONTEST, BUT WON'T BE MODELING FOR THE COMPANY ANY TIME SOON."

As the company learned of Upton's antics and her angle on the contest, AA's Iris Alonzo fired back. (Here is a a few pieces of the 7 paragraph letter to show the response)

"It’s a shame that your project attempts to discredit the positive intentions of our challenge based on your personal distaste for our use of light-hearted language, and that “bootylicous” was too much for you to handle. While we may be a bit TOO inspired by Beyoncé, and do have a tendency to occasionally go pun-crazy, we try not to take ourselves too seriously around here. I wonder if you had taken just a moment to imagine that this campaign could actually be well intentioned, and that my team and I are not out to offend and insult women, would you have still behaved in the same way, mocking the confident and excited participants who put themselves out there? " 

"Oh - and regarding winning the contest, while you were clearly the popular choice, we have decided to award the prizes to other contestants that we feel truly exemplify the idea of beauty inside and out, and whom we will be proud to have representing our company."

Trying to take a stand against the contest, Upton's dream became a reality. She has now caused an international discussion, bringing the problem of plus-sized women and the media to a forefront.

Upton has been featured in many publications and news stations including: 

Fashionista
The Frisky
Yahoo News UK and Ireland
AOL UK
The Independent

CNN

ABC

and the list goes on....

While many people are siding with her, there are those who just don't agree and that is why this controversy has become such a heated debate. 

"I feel like I accomplished what I set out to do on a greater scale than I realized I was doing,” Upton said. “I've provoked discussion and promoted awareness about the depiction of plus-size women in the media."

Photos from: http://extrawiggleroom.tumblr.com/

With all the media buzz and controversy that has stirred up, Upton and AA have reached an agreement to fly her and photographer friend Skloss to American Apparel in L.A. They will be able to see what the company is like and she is allowed to write about whatever she sees.

Check her blog for future updates.

The "Plastic surgeons of digital media"

By Jody Marich 

Photo manipulation has become an epidemic in the photography world, even camera companies are jumping onto the bandwagon. Everyone from Time Magazine to Allure, have been accused of manipulating photos to please the consumers. Fashion magazines are continually getting flack for it. Some have even been under fire with the celebrity or model who was retouched like Crystal Renn. The gorgeous model was outraged when her photos came out for Fashion For Passion's tee shirt shoot. In an interview with Glamour, Renn told the mag she was upset."Well, I was shocked. When I saw the pictures, I think I was silent for a good five minutes, staring with my mouth open. I don’t know what was done to those photos or who did it, but they look retouched to me. And listen, everybody retouches, but don’t make me into something I’m not," Renn Said.

Photo cred: stylefrizz.com

Photo manipulation can be as little as changing the image’s color to big things like hiding bruises or taking away cellulite. An article from the Art Institute’s AiInsite.com website, Picture Imperfect- Digital Image Manipulation Ethics, says, “The range of changes that photo editors can make varies from correcting background lighting to transforming a human model's body type. The technology and software available today allows amateur and professional photographers alike to alter their shots.” It goes on to say that some photo manipulation is necessary. Becky Olstad, a Photography Instructor at The Art Institutes International Minnesota, believes the use of Photoshop and other image manipulation software have become a routine part of the photography process. “It allows us to control exposure, contrast, color balance - things that are also routinely controlled in a traditional darkroom."

The new Code of Ethics adopted by the National Press Photographers Association Board in 2004, was updated and “modernized” as they termed it. The code has normal points, but one stood out that doesn’t seem to be followed a lot, especially with magazines involving fashion and fame. “Editing should maintain the integrity of the photographic images' content and context. Do not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects.” The fashion industry is a big user of photo manipulation. Photos have been manipulated to hide cellulite, love handles, veins, bags under eyes and so on.

This photo below of Jennifer Aniston recently caused a lot of commotion when Allure used it for the February cover. It was on my facebook feed so I clicked the photo and was shocked, along with a lot of others.  Outraged readers fired back, commenting on one of the photos from the feature saying things like, "This is so bad, Allure you are really starting to suck,"; "Allure, I normally love what you do, but once I saw this picture (and the others from the shoot) I was shocked. It doesn't even look like her." Some wrote about the photos being creepy or fake, others complained about how photoshopped the shoot was. For more photos from the shoot, click the link.

Photo cred: skinnyvscurvy.com

An article by Cate Young, from the Boston University, BU Quad, Digital Manipulation in the Fashion Industry, says, “The fashion industry is notorious for it’s heavy-handed use of digital manipulation software, and has fallen under criticism for introducing ‘false images’ into the mainstream and passing them off as real.” Young goes on to say the industry is continually blamed for representing “unhealthy body images” by hiding imperfections. The article, Manipulated photo flap raises ethical issues, written by Nathalie Atkinson states, “The NPAA prohibits even the removal of undesirable objects or elements in photographs -- warts, zits and all.” 

The fashion industry is under fire just about every week for something/ someone being photoshopped. 

Photo cred: thefrisky.com

Photo cred: 11points.com

Photo cred: skinnyvscurvy.com

Photo cred: britneyfans.org

The "Plastic surgeons of digital media"

In the article, Picture Imperfect- Digital Image Manipulation Ethics, Fabio Apelbaum, a graduate from The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, now a Director of Graphic Arts, believes Photoshop is used in almost all post-production projects and that it’s a good thing. “We happen to be the plastic surgeons of digital media. We will improve their defects but make sure to not exceed our rights as artists.” Apelbaum goes on to say, “When you look at a magazine, 98% of what you see in the fashion industry is unreal. We have taken the human beauty to an extreme that beauty itself cannot compete with."

Photo cred: tvleak.com

Olstad believes the standard of beauty and other issues that have risen are not the responsibility of photo editors. “I don't think you can pin our society's unrealistic expectations of beauty on any one person or industry," she adds. "Isn't the designer who sends over only size 0's of the latest line just as responsible as the editor who prints the photo?"

If you are hiding things or disguising imperfections, it gives the viewer a skewed perception of what they are looking at and how they should be. It has created body and health issues, making people think they should “look” a certain way and caused confusion to consumers.

A new problem( or solution?) arises

With all the talk of photo manipulation one must realize that what you see is usually not what you get.

A new camera has come out by Panasonic that has beauty retouching modes. An article by Tobey Grumet, from stylist.com says, "Using built-in Beauty Retouch modes, this camera boasts the ability to tone down wrinkles, whiten your teeth and amp up rosy cheeks with just the touch of a button." The stylist crew did some experiments to find out that the camera produces a "younger, fresher and smoother" you.

Photo cred: stylist.com

David Briganti, senior product manager for imaging at Panasonic, says they wanted to create a camera with features that allow users to have fun with their photos. "Many photography settings need to be set prior to the photo being taken in order to see the changes, but with Beauty Retouch, these changes can be made after the photo was taken," said Briganti.

With the camera running about $230, it's an easy way to escape the expenses of more professional software BUT, is it a step in the wrong direction? It's nice to be able to correct small imperfections but with the way technology is going, are we doing more damage than good to our self esteem?  

What do you think about the photo manipulation epidemic?