In a similar way, no, make that in an even more amplified way that fashion magazines can undo a woman’s self-esteem in the time it takes to turn the page, the annual parade of Angels, aka, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show that aired Monday night on CBS, can make you want to cry into your Twinkies carrot sticks.
OK, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but even those with the healthiest of body images can succumb to that not-so-easy feeling when viewing those with seemingly flawless figures. But guess what? Selita Ebanks, a supermodel who was scantily clad during the show herself, would you like you to know that it’s maybe more illusion than perfection and we heartily applaud her attempt to bring these Angels down to earth.
Enough with the “Oh, I just breast-fed my newborn and dropped 40 pounds” and more of the “people don’t realize that there are about 20 layers of makeup on my butt alone.”
Which, is a direct quote from Ebanks to the New York Daily News about the efforts to create this perfect illusion. Which is fine, the illusion. This is no sour grapes about the VS shows, but rather a chance to appreciate the humanity in an otherwise inhumane-seeming business.
Also, any chance you get to hear about 100 pounds of body glitter is cause for celebration, but maybe that’s just me.
Also, the NYDN piece reports that in Ebanks estimate, the models are in hair and makeup for three to five hours prior to their grand sashay down the runway, with an average of five people assigned to fix, coif, and who knows what else each of the 38 models.
Sort of makes you feel better about that 5- to 10-minute lipstick applied as you dash to the subway regimen you might have going on.
Photo courtesy of Melloveschallah@Flickr.