The Case of the Emaciated Mannequin

UP Beauty Online

         
“You are imperfect, permanently and inevitably

                       flawed. And you are beautiful.”
                                                                  Amy Bloom

What would life be like if we only believed the truth in this quote? What if we only could remember the wisdom inherent here? How different would our day-to-day operations be if we weren’t constantly assaulted with the made up, made over, touched up, cosmetically enhanced, sickly thin and unrealistic marketing images based around our fashion and jet set icons, especially in the female world, relentlessly broadcast our way in the thousands every single day?  

The Case of the Emaciated Mannequin

The latest target of criticism for this unhealthy message is a clothing store for women, Glassons, in New Zealand that is using mannequins that have prominent, protruding ribs. The message here seems to scream, “Purging is in this year”. Not cool at all.

                                              

Figure 1:  Mannequin in New Zealand with protruding ribs

This is not the first time, nor will it most likely be the last. Not long ago in the States, a lingerie store called La Perla had the good sense to take down their super skinny dummies after a tweet ripped their judgment on the matter. American retailer JC Penney is even taking the offensive by making a line of more robust, realistic mannequins more in line with our national proportions. I get this, but I happen to be more on board in setting a healthy example with this approach:

       “A fit, healthy body—that is the best fashion statement”
                                                                  Jess C. Scott

Glasson’s, ironically, has not only defended its use of the mannequin, but also refuses to take them down, suggesting that the rib cage only sticks out because of the angle of the pose. In addition, Glasson’s CEO has been quoted as saying that the mannequin’s BMI (body mass index) puts it within a healthy weight range. This is preposterous, as a BMI is based on a height/weight ratio, something a mannequin cannot provide! Oy!

It is especially perplexing because Glassons is a store aimed at young women and teenagers, with the average size woman in New Zealand being between a size 12 and 14. Talk about alienating your target market. But in accordance with the laws of karma, ignorance of this proportion deserves the economic retributions it should ignite!

Look Better, Feel Better, Live Better

As you wander through life, be sure to stop occasionally to make sense out of the madness that ensues. While being blasted with innumerable false images and marketing lies, make sure you don’t allow your logic and intuition to be saturated and overruled. If you are foolish enough to compare yourself to the unattainable, you will set yourself up for a life of chasing the Holy Grail and the Fountain of Youth, with both as fictional as the very images that sent you there in the first place.

           “This is a call to arms, a call to be gentle, to be forgiving, to be generous with yourself. The next time you look into the mirror, try to let go of the story line that says you are too fat or too sallow, too ashy or too old, your eyes are too small or your nose too big; just look into the mirror and see your face. When the criticism drops away, what you will see then is just you, without judgment, and that is the first step toward transforming your experience of the world.”

                                        Oprah Winfrey