Althouse: "An image that says power, sex and confidence."

March 2, 2010

"An image that says power, sex and confidence."

Fashion delusion.

40 comments:

Hoosier Daddy said...: Can someone get those girls a couple of cheeseburgers and a milkshake?

I've seen healthier looking folks on UNICEF commercials.; 3/2/10, 8:00 AM
vet66 said...: Hoosier; I agree. I've seen more meat on a buffalo wing at Hooters. No "mouthful" in that picture.

WV: prodoggi; 3/2/10, 8:08 AM
Henry said...: My god, it's the Dolce & Gabbana roller derby team!

Either that or a casting call for the remake of Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine.; 3/2/10, 8:11 AM
Tari said...: And if they all grow up and have daughters someday, they can buy them this doll:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3934587

It will remind those little girls of mommy.; 3/2/10, 8:16 AM
Tari said...: And if they all grow up and have daughters someday, they can buy them this doll:

http://vickicourtney.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Picture-79.png

It will remind those little girls of mommy.; 3/2/10, 8:18 AM
Lynne said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/2/10, 8:23 AM
MadisonMan said...: How can it say Confidence if you're just following what someone else says you should wear?

I saw the line-up of all those models in shorts and thought: Wow, it's a good thing these are men. Althouse would faint!; 3/2/10, 8:23 AM
Joan said...: I guess all those Maidenform women had daughters that grew up to be fashion models.

A lot of fashions are particularly ugly on the runway this year. It will be interesting to see which particular looks and stylings get extracted and modified for the masses. For example, the chunky sweaters on the Prada models make even those toothpick-thin women look like the Michelin man, but a big sweater sounds cozy, doesn't it? I doubt we'll see them paired with waist-thickening skirts and absurd skinny belts, but we'll see them, nevertheless.; 3/2/10, 8:25 AM
HKatz said...: It looks like a version of the bad dream where you're set to give an important talk, present at a meeting, etc. only to find out that you're in your underwear.

Imagining people in their underwear seems to be one way of taking away some power from them and making them seem less intimidating.; 3/2/10, 8:30 AM
Salamandyr said...: My first thought "Look, they all forgot their pants"

Second thought "This must be Robert Palmer's new back-up band".

"Third thought...who says there are no straight men doing clothing design".; 3/2/10, 8:34 AM
Anonymous said...: Delusion?

We need much more of this in America's boardroom.; 3/2/10, 8:35 AM
Anonymous said...: Come on, ladies! Show the business world you mean business by showing up at work wearing nothing but your panties!

That'll show the patriarchy!

(WV: fistima ... um, not going there.); 3/2/10, 8:36 AM
Henry said...: Salamndyr wrote: Second thought "This must be Robert Palmer's new back-up band".

That's dead on. I knew there was a perfect pop culture reference.; 3/2/10, 8:37 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: A lot of fashions are particularly ugly on the runway this year.

Having a bodyfat of -1.5% generally doesn't scream attactive. I imagine some poor sap in Ethiopia who might chance across one of those pictures might deduce that Italy is having food shortages too.; 3/2/10, 8:38 AM
HKatz said...: We need much more of this in America's boardroom.

Are you saying this would boost productivity?

(And in the interests of promoting equality in the workplace, I suggest that men leave their pants at home too.); 3/2/10, 8:38 AM
Anonymous said...: I don't get fashion. No, I mean I really don't get it. Are they trying to sell me something? I already have a few black blazers (I'll keep what kind of undies I have to myself), why would I want to buy theirs? If not, why are they doing this? What is the purpose?

- Lyssa; 3/2/10, 8:49 AM
Chip Ahoy said...: I am woman, I am strong, and with a little red lipstick I could be in a Robert Plant video.; 3/2/10, 8:57 AM
Anonymous said...: "Are you saying this would boost productivity?"

There would be some "rising profits" if you know what I mean, and I think that you do.; 3/2/10, 8:58 AM
Steve Burri said...: With few exceptions, this is another glorification of ugly.

I just had no idea of how uncool I really am. Or unhip. Or unhep. Or not the cat's meow or pajamas. Or the bee's knees.; 3/2/10, 9:05 AM
michaele said...: Yikes, now I understand why some of the stuff on Project Runway looks so awful. They're just being inspired by the already successful.; 3/2/10, 9:12 AM
Leland said...: Meh, not quite emperors.; 3/2/10, 9:21 AM
KCFleming said...: Pretty women walking around in their underpants?
What's not to like?; 3/2/10, 9:35 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "Yikes, now I understand why some of the stuff on Project Runway looks so awful."

LOL. Exactly what I thought.

To be fair, the jacket is nice. I think the designer just wasn't interested in pants. Doesn't everyone already have some sleek black pants? Wear those, with the jacket. Anyone can figure that out. You're not really supposed to wear the panties like that. And it got your attention. So the designer is brilliant.; 3/2/10, 9:36 AM
rhhardin said...: All it is, is not smiling.; 3/2/10, 9:40 AM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Words fail me.

December 21 2012 can't come soon enough; 3/2/10, 9:40 AM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Ha ha ha. Photo number 5 made me laugh. It reminded me of the Carol Burnett Gone With the Wind skit where she took the drapes, including curtain rod, and made a dress.

Seriously?? This is 'fashion???

I also detect a very strong retro early 1970's look in the behive hairdoos and minimal military looking coats. Fashion does mimic economic conditions so perhaps that makes sense, since we are about to relive the Carter years....cubed.; 3/2/10, 9:46 AM
Anonymous said...: "I think the designer just wasn't interested in pants."

Or perhaps he's interested in legs that go all the way up to her nice, round ass.

I for one would like to welcome our new pantied overlords.; 3/2/10, 9:47 AM
TMink said...: "I am woman, see my thighs."

Trey; 3/2/10, 10:06 AM
Big Mike said...: An image that says power, sex, and confidence.

Well, I wouldn't have the confidence to come to work without my pants on, that's for darn sure.

I guess back in the day Carly Fiorina could wear that outfit, because she had the power to fire anyone who gawked, stared, or laughed.; 3/2/10, 10:55 AM
traditionalguy said...: The image is one of the living dead. That says that power and sex is killing them no matter how much confidence they place in power and sex.; 3/2/10, 10:57 AM
traditionalguy said...: Short skirts and a braless look but happy and alive is the 1960s look that harmed no one and was a true show of sexual power. But this is a look for dead women. Death is not nearly as sexual or powerful as they are pretending that it is.; 3/2/10, 11:02 AM
Unknown said...: An image that says, "We're the June Taylor Dancers. Which way is the Jackie Gleason Show?".; 3/2/10, 11:24 AM
Ash said...: Oh, a sweet boost to my confidence knowing no matter how skinny a lady gets, knees are still just plain ugly.

A uniting thread.

wv: bonses - as in, those chicks are just skin and...; 3/2/10, 11:28 AM
TWM said...: Jesus, next time prepare me for the photo. I thought it was a bunch of well-dressed (half-way dressed anyway)starving zombies marching towards me.

This is beauty?; 3/2/10, 11:56 AM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: They look like a chorus line.; 3/2/10, 12:28 PM
veni vidi vici said...: More like, an image that says "made to be bent over the executive desk".

wv: "fooiddl" -- diddling someone who hasn't bathed in a few days.; 3/2/10, 1:03 PM
Joe said...: "An image that says power, sex and confidence."

No, it says "Kinky sex; perhaps even some S&M"; 3/2/10, 1:29 PM
TMink said...: I wonder if the disconnect between what the designers THINK the clothes and what the actually say is because of the designer's minority sexual orientation. Do the clothes say something different to someone who is not interested in taking them off than they do to someone who is of that prediliction?

Or is it just more BS to sell clothes.

Trey; 3/2/10, 2:00 PM
Synova said...: I was thinking of project runway, too.

And the episode where the judges lament that the designer took a beautiful girl and made her look fat and ugly.

Wearing potato sacks.

Egad.

At least the designers on project runway have the excuse of having to do something fabulous in only a few hours without warning of what it will be.; 3/3/10, 7:52 AM
Johan Skålberg said...: Confidence should be built from the inside. Someone can always take the outside game away from you. But if your confidence is built on your own values and beleifs it's there to stay.

JOhan Skålberg
www.getconfidence.org; 3/10/10, 5:15 AM