Vogue Italia recently paid tribute to Ethel Granger, in it's Sepetember 2011 issue. "Who is Ethel Granger?" you might ask. Ethel is a woman known for having the smallest waist on record - 13 inches to be precise! This had me gasping for air, as one cannot imagine how this is even humanly possible.
Ethel lived, breathed and slept CORSETS.
Designed to synch in the waist, and fake a streamlined silhouette, Ethel became obsessed with donning this no-I-am-not-sure-if-I-can-breathe garment, at the insistence of her husband William Granger.
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| The "real" Ethel Granger |
He was once caught saying that “if she can outshine other members of her sex in some way, this is a victory worth any amount of suffering”. At this point, I hope that most of you reach for an axe/ baseball bat/ large object with the hopes of doing bad, bad things to any man who forces you to change the way you look in the name of love or beauty.
The editorial was shot by Steven Meisel, and featured covergirl Stella Tennant in corsets and garments put together by Karl Templer. The spread is governed by the notion of "the discipline of fashion" and really highlights the lengths that women go to achieve physical perfection.
Fashion is pain. Yes, I know. But, gasping for air while trying to sip some vino does not sound very tempting. a smaller waist - sure. Hell, yes please! But striving to shrink part of your physicality sounds rather crippling to me. Either way, kudos to Ethel for inspiring fashionistas with her hyper-feminine form.
Kim Kardashian. A name synonymous with glamour, decadence, curves and the aspirations of a true fashionista. There are not many who can sustain longevity in Hollywood after a sex tape, a failed marriage and a Playboy magazine nude shoot. Yet, Kim K manages to do it with style, vibrance and eyes that seem to have been born smokey!
Make the most of your curves we say! We celebrate her love handles, her large posterior and the fact that she makes us feel better when we gobble down an extra cupcake after dinner. In preparation for her wedding, Kim admitted to dieting herself crazy and attending fitness classes at "Barry's Bootcamp", working out up to 5 times a week. This might seem rather hard for someone who admits to craving sugar up to 6 times a day! Kim’s food cravings?? Deep-fried Oreos (insert gag face).
Old diet:
Breakfast: Starbucks tall white chocolate mocha with whipped cream. Lunch: Salad with cranberries and candied walnuts. Chocolate chip cookie and a diet Coke. Snack: Cupcake. Dinner: Pasta with vegetables and chicken. Cookies and ice cream for desert. Total Calories: 2,263.
New diet:
Breakfast: Oatmeal with bananas.
Lunch: Salad with grilled chicken. Pinkberry [nonfat yogurt] with fruit and granola. Snack: Carrots and low-cal ranch dressing. Dinner: Fish, vegetables and green tea before bed. Total Calories: 1,438.
I think she looked absolutely amazing at her wedding. You can never go wrong in a Vera Wang gown, and $10 million worth of Lorraine Schwartz jewels. She wore a stunning diamond encrusted headpiece, and 3 different dresses throughout the night. The headpiece was very ON trend, as Eastern inspired garments have been hitting the runway this season.
If Kim K has taught us anything (besides the fact that a video camera + the bedroom = DISASTER), it is that you should celebrate your body. Embrace that extra jiggle. Dress for YOUR type. After several failed relationships, Kim K had her very own Cinderella moment on her wedding day. Despite my efforts to get all mushy, I am going to join the dark side and say: When you least expect it, destiny intervenes. Looking for happiness is a recipe for a meltdown. Really. Let things happen, and see where the ride takes you =)
XXX
M
