Audacious

FASHION!!!

Just hearing that word kind of makes me want to barf a little.
Okay where do I begin…

Every year, Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar puts on an annual fashion show, displaying their students designs.
Every year I attend.
Every year I have to laugh at how ridiculous the whole thing is.

The clothes are utterly ludicrous, bedazzled with sequins of every color imaginable. Fake fur, feathers, and spandex litter the dressing rooms. There was even a line of clothes made entirely from umbrellas! As I mentioned before: ridiculous.

Amidst all the tacky glitz and glamour, I have to confess: I kinda sorta love it.

This year, instead of quietly snickering in the audience, I volunteered to work backstage at the fashion show, dressing child models and keeping them in line while they wait for their five seconds of fame. It was honestly a babysitting job but hey, I got paid! All the kids were adorable, with their little purses and glittery eye shadow. Most were fairly polite; either polite, or scared, I couldn’t differentiate. I made a few friends, as much as my meager Arabic could, and hope they weren’t traumatized.

Okay, story time.

So there was this little girl and she was extremely shy. Like so shy that she never talked to anyone and when people would question her name, she’d just like run away or something. That was on the first night. The next day, she was sitting alone watching Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I plopped down by her and began watching the 1971 movie. Soon, the room was spinning. No! I didn’t pass out or anything, but the painfully shy girl was spinning my chair. I was like “Whoa!” and then I tickled her. After that, we were friends, I held her hand before she was about to go on, and gave her smiles, and helped her find her mommy at the end of the show. I was sad to see her depart, and even sadder when she gave me a final hug. I probably won’t ever see that little girl again, but I think the stress of backstage madness was worth it.

So here are some of my favorite pieces from the fashion show. I hope you don’t get the wrong impression; I love clothes and all that girly crap, just the word “Fashion Show” brings back appalling memories and a gag reflex. It’s sort of a love-hate relationship….with clothes…fashion…whatever.

Credits:
I have received my pictures from either
Here
or
Here

“I hate my hair.”

“Ew, my pores are huge!”

“Do these pants make me look fat?”

All phrases spoken daily in our school’s locker room. I don’t think one of us looks in the mirror thinking, “Oh I look just fabulously attractive today.” And don’t misinterpret, I’m not too squeaky clean either.

The truth: All of us dislike ourselves in one way or another.

Who’s to blame? Hmm...could it be THE MEDIA!?!

Well!

I personally am glad that I live in a country where we don’t have deceitful television commercials. I seriously prefer ones about little cheese triangles and magic potatoes that give you the strength to clean your room. Don’t get me wrong though, we still get our fair share of physical appearance brainwash. You can’t go ten meters of the mall without being coerced to buy perfume that will drive boys crazy or enchanted cream that will give you perfect skin.

Recently I read a teen magazine. I know right? I never do that. But I did.

Oh my goodness.

It was all about how this eyeliner will make you prettier, these shoes will make you taller, this hairspray will give you “to die for” curls. There was even an article about how “everyone needs perfect abs by June.” I just had to stop reading because the only thing it did to me was make me feel depressed, and believe me, that is a pretty hard thing to do.

Now back to the Onslaught video. Wow! At least some people have the right idea! Girls Scouts of America teamed up with Dove to establish a Campaign for Real Beauty. A few years ago American Girl founded on a similar idea when they began to make beauty products for Bath and Body Works. I think it’s great to get the message out and spread the news that our media is affecting little girls. I remember my friends asking me how much I weighed and comparing waist sizes in first grade.

But wait! There’s more:

Now Dove mostly sponsored the ad, and it’s their name on the commercial but Dove soap is manufactured by the Unilever Company. Axe, Sunsilk, Lux, and Slim-fast are all other brands owned by the Unilever Company. All these products use the media in devious ways to persuade you to buy their products.

Examples:

Slim-Fast

Lux Soap

Axe

Sunsilk

All these pictures make you feel like you are not good enough as you are now, and should buy their products to become as perfect as the people in the pictures. All these photos are clearly edited. For one, that picture of Delta Goodrem is very false. Here is a true picture of her.

Now I do admit that Delta Goodrem is an attractive person and a freaking musical genius, but how do you think she feels? How would you like people editing your pictures because you aren't pretty enough for their advertisement?

I could seriously write for hours on this topic but what I'm really trying to say is that all of us girls, and guys, need to stop obsessing over our physical appearance. Everyone is beautiful in their own way.

Credits:

The Dove Onslaught ad was developed at Ogilvy & Mather, Toronto, by creative directors Janet Kestin and Nancy Vonk, associate creative directors/copywriters/art directors Tim Piper and Mike Kirkland, art directors Stuart Campbell and Sharon Lee Pan, executive agency producer Brenda Surminski, agency producer Jeff McDougal.

Filming was shot by director Tim Piper with director of photography Marc Laliberte-Else and Ray Dumas via Steam, Canada and Worldwide Productions, Miami. Photography was taken by Mark Belvedere, Tim Piper and Mike Kirkland.

Post production was done at Soho, Toronto and Rogue by online editor Kevin Gibson, editor Tim Piper and producer Stefani Kouverianos, assistant editor Mark Sheehan. Sound was designed at Vapor Music and Sound Design.

The spot features the track, La Breeze, recorded by English electronic rock group Simian.