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| "Though she's not conventionally pretty, she still IS beautiful," the critics say about Adele. In 2012, what counts as conventionally pretty? Or is that just a euphemism for "thin?" |
I love the March issue of Vogue and then I hate the March issue of Vogue. Let's start with the love: kudos to Vogue's staff for FINALLY putting Adele front and center. It's about time this unbelievably ballsy and talented broad graced the cover. And FINALLY it's not a waify, rail-thin model or actress or musician. Or model-actress-musician.
OK, now for the hate (I'm sorry): why all the Photoshop? I mean, we all know covers (especially at fashion mags) call for copious amounts of airbrushing. But this time, really? (It's an infraction in the same league as that infamous W cover featuring a very Photoshopped "What happened to her thigh?" Demi Moore.)
Adele is gorgeous. She didn't need all that shading, contouring, brightening and sculpting. This cover makes her look too digital, too fake, too perfect.
But what annoyed me more is the inside spread. All the photos (well, all but one) were close-up shots of Adele's face. How come no full-body shots? (The only full shot was the one below, and it really only reveals Adele's face and arms.)
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| Is Vogue afraid of curves? |
Why does every other cover subject (from Angelina Jolie to Natalie Portman to Penelope Cruz) get to parade around half-naked and show off their bodies? Yet Adele-- who doesn't have the stereotypical "perfect body" (read: skinny)-- has only face shots? To me, Vogue is sending a message that the songbird isn't thin enough to showcase her body.
And why did Adele get only four photos in her spread? When Natalie got six (Jan 2001), Lady Gaga got eight (March 2011), and Kate Moss got 11 (Sept 2011)?
It makes you wonder.
This is what I want to see: more women of all shapes and sizes, less Photoshop and more flesh. For God's sake, we women already have serious body image issues, can't we forgive ourselves a bit and celebrate our luscious hips, generous thighs and even a little bit of back fat every once in a while?
Dear Vogue Editors: Next time, let's see Adele in a skin-tight Narcisco Rodriguez dress and some killer Jimmy Choo stilettos. Let's see a normal woman wearing haute couture. A little more real world in the fashion world, please.
