Seventeen Magazine vs. Teen Girls of America
Having grown up reading teen magazines, I’ve actually given a lot of thought to whether I’d want my hypothetical future daughter reading the selection of teen glossies out there today.
And by “selection” I mean Teen Vogue and Seventeen since, due to the demise of CosmoGirl!–a far more commendable publication, in my opinion–they completely dominate the market.
On one hand, both mags seem intent on training girls to become superficial pieces of shit, feeding them such vapid editorial content as “Flirty Text Messages!” and “Weird Boyfriend Behaviors!” (note: I didn’t add the exclamation points).
On the other hand, as much as they might prey on the all-consuming insecurities of teen girls, they definitely make an effort to ameliorate them with the health/sex Q&As and articles like “Make Peace With Your Body,” a slideshow of “Real Girls” in bikinis who have drawn peace signs on the body parts they’re most proud of (note: all the girls are attractive and skinny).
Either way, I’m all for the new online petition launched by a 14 year-old girl from Maine calling on Seventeen to print at least one unaltered photo spread each month.
“For the sake of all the struggling girls all over America, who read Seventeen and think these fake images are what they should be, I’m stepping up,” writes campaign leader, Julia Bluhm. “I know how hurtful these Photoshopped images can be. I’m a teenage girl, and I don’t like what I see.”
Bluhm is also a member of SPARK, a girl-led activist movement that works with organizations to put an end to the sexualization of women and girls in media.
So far, over 50
thousand people have signed the Change.org petition, which comes just days after the international editors of Vogue signed an agreement to portray models with healthy bodies and the pledge that Glamour made last month to no longer alter body size in photos they commission.
Unfortunately, after Bluhm and her friends staged a little protest outside of Seventeen’s headquarters last Thursday, the magazine’s editor-in-chief Ann Shoket sat down with her and proceeded to rejected the request while also refusing to comment on what exactly their Photoshopping practices are.
Seriously Seventeen? All this girl is asking for is ONE measly a month that doesn’t distort a girls appearance. As far as I’m concerned, for a publication that reaches 13 million young women each month, that’s the least you could fucking do. Perhaps it’s time someone started a petition against the entire magazine.
Anyway, in other news, I’ve officially decided that any hypothetical future daughter of mine will not be allowed to Seventeen. Guess she’ll just have to re-read The Feminine Mystique each month.
Local Salon Seeking Volunteer Models For a Makeover and Photo Shoot
That’s right, the highly-trained stylists at Signatures du Mei Beauty Boutique in Fishtown (112 W. Girard Ave.) are currently on the prowl for 2-3 ladies willing to let them work their magic then pose for some professional pics.
The photo shoot will showcase their 2012 spring/summer hair collection along with a few jungle-themed hair and makeup shots. Upping the ante, they’ll be submitting the photos to several major magazines including, Glamour and Elle.
The award-winning salon is best known for providing high-quality (yet affordable) services, including hair coloring techniques and hair conditioning treatments. They are also one of few salons to focus specifically on educating clients and staff about maintaining healthy hair and a healthy scalp.
Applicants must be in shape and willing to allow the stylists to do pretty much whatever they want with their hair and makeup (i.e a lot of short cuts and exotic colors). So if you’re attached to your long blonde hair, you can forget about it.
They’re looking to find their last few models by March 5 and the photo shoot is being scheduled for sometime late March-early April. Following the shoot, the salon is planning to hold a hair show at P.Y.T.
Anyone interested, should submit a photo along with a detailed description noting their age, weight, height, natural hair color and eye color to info@signaturesdumei.com
Remnants week of 11-7-2010
-Affluent African American lifestyle magazine Uptown Magazine is upping its Philadelphia circulation from six to eight issues a year. FishbowlNY
-GQ rounds up the 10 best independent men’s stores in the United States. GQ.com
-Want to flaunt the lace nail trend without the outrageous salon prices? Around Philly shows you how. AroundPhilly.com
-Apparently adolescent girls represent “the people” this year. Twilight is top of the list for the 2011 People’s Choice Awards. CBC
-Get your tweed on this weekend. The 3rd annual dapper bicycle ride will start at noon on Saturday at the Water Works. Philebrity
-The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show will air on November 30 and sneak peaks of the runway abound. Wild guess as to what we should expect? Maybe boobs and bras and butts? CBS
-Glamour Magazine’s 20th Annual Women of the Year Awards took place Monday night at Carnegie Hall. Among those who received honors? Constance McMillen, the 18-year-old from Mississippi who took on her school district when they told her she couldn’t bring her girlfriend to her high school prom. Canadian Press
-Yet ANOTHER Cirque de Soleil show has been addded to their already huge roster. Zarkana has been crafted around the venue in which it will take place, Radio City Music Hall. Playbill.com
Put Your Party Dress On
With SEPTA back and running this morning, we feel like putting on our party dress! Fourtunately, Lucky Magazine has found some affordable dresses so we can dance the night away in style. We especially like this one from Forever 21. At 25 bucks you can more than afford to get this asymmetrical one shouldered number.
Courtesy of Lucky Magazine
Lucky also has a gift guide broken down into categories that we really like: Artsy, Moroccan, On The Go, Victorian, At Home, Country Chic, Bejeweled and Ten Dollars and Under. We especially love this tea cup with little claw feet from the Victorian section, it reminds us of those awesome tubs with claws. We also like the Moroccan section and all of it’s gorgeous embellishments, especially this gorgeous decorated platter. There’s also a website with more finds from the North African country called JustMorocco.com While some stuff on the site is pricey, other stuff is not. Check out these lanterns for under $100.
We also came across this post on Jezebel, which claims “If you wan’t to be popular, you can’t afford to be skinny.” It’s a vintage ad. It’s just interesting to see how beauty ideals have changed.
Rihanna’s interview with Diane Sawyer seems to be the media’s latest obsession — but we’re just admiring her as an artist and style icon. Check out these outfits that she’s worn, as well as pictures from the photo shoot for Glamour magazine’s cover. Gorgeous! Just so we’re clear, we’re glad Rihanna was comfortable enough to come forward and talk about such a painful moment in her life, but we also want to focus on the positive as well.