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OMG, Becky, Look at Her Butt! It is SOOOOOO Big...
- Feb 26, 2007 at 11:38 AM
- By
- Comments (50) Total Views (1464) Everyone can see this journal post.
Originally posted at The Only Thing.
According to Reuters, Donatella Versace feels that Hillary Clinton’s campaign for the presidencycould benefit from a drastic dose of femininity:
“I can understand (trousers) are comfortable but she’s a woman and she is allowed to show that,” Versace told Germany’s weekly newspaper Die Zeit in an interview.
“She should treat femininity as an opportunity and not try to emulate masculinity in politics,” Versace said.
Skirts should reach to the knee and be worn with a short jacket or coat, she said. The best color would be black rather than the blue Clinton currently favors, she added.
“I admire her for her determination, which will hopefully take her to the White House,” Versace told the paper.
Wow. Really? Thanks so much, Donatella! Pay attention, Sen. Clinton, because that knee-length black skirt is just the edge that you need to get ahead in the polls. Ooooh… and I hear Tans-R-Us is running a great special on their super beds this month too! Best get a move on, girlie. If we plan on seeing a woman in the White House soon, we had best get you pretty, polished and perky lickety-split!
Why is it that every time a woman has the audacity - the nerve - to gain even the smallest amount of success in the male dominated field of politics or any field other than that of the domestic persuasion, she is attempting to be a man (a theory obviously proven by her fondness for trousers)? Why is it that when she actually succeeds in that chosen field, someone feels the the need to point out that she could do so much better if she stopped “pretending” to be a man and put on a skirt and heels like a proper miss? From Nancy Pelosi’s Armani suits,which were the focus of of many well-known publications like Newsweek and The Washington Post, to Clinton’s oft criticized “First Lady” wardrobe and ever-changing hairstyle, the media never passes up an opportunity to slip into that high school mentality of pretty equals popularas a means- intended or not- of undermining a woman’s power and position in her chosen livelihood. A livelihood, I must point out, that has absolutely nothing to do with her looks.
Ah… but if they didn’t take the time to highlight such things as ugly shoes at the podium or an unflattering hair color, women all over the world might finally realize that a woman’s value lies not in her socially applauded beauty or the size of her bra cup but in who she is, what she does, and how she chooses to make her mark in this life.
And we couldn’t have that now, could we?
So, my CafeMommers, I ask this:
Do you feel that a person's looks (in the sense of fashion and beauty) as compared to their capabilities and personality should play such an important role in society?
And have you, personally, ever found yourself in a situation where your looks became the main criteria for either success or failure? And did/do you feel that such emphasis on beauty is appropriate?
Comments:
Oh for sure looks, clothing and weight all matter in todays world...is it right? NO WAY!
I set out to get a job back when i was 18 and on one of my interviews..... this MAN tells me that he doesn't think I'm rite for the job.................... I ask " well why? I'm smart, I learn quick, I work hard, I'm willing to work over-time....( also at that time my Mom worked there and it was common knowledge that you got hired if you had family there....) This PRICK... tells me that he feels I'm to PRETTY for the job...............??? When I asked him what he ment by that, he said "well you have your nails done and your out-fit.... ( mind you I had on white dress pants, a red dress shirt, red heels, some make-up on, OH... and my hair was done...... I was going to a lot of places looking for a job that morning....) and I just don't think THIS job is for you....... SORRY.... Let's just say that at that point I was way more than pissed-off.......
But your rite..... why should the way you dress have any bearing on what you can do and perform as a person??? I agree.......
This Is Just My Story
Littlewolf...
Professionalism is a plus... but when did a pants suit stop being acceptable?? It's not like she's wearing men's clothing.... I'm not personally a Hillary Clinton fan, but the woman can pick her attire just fine... Besides, I would be freaked out if her emphasis was on her looks more than the issues at hand!!! And to some... I'm sure it's enough of an issue that she is a woman running... The issue isn't her blue pants, it's the war, hunger, money, crimes, etc...
WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE!?!?!
Well I wanted to comment here too....
I don't think her choice of clothing should reflect her as a person or leader.
Some days I leave the house in only my jammie pants and a tee, my hair flipped up in a nappy fashion, and my tennis....Now to look at me, people would think I was homeless....Yet I have a degree, a home, a car, and plenty to spare in the bank...I also consider myself to be intelligent, understanding, and upstanding.
My clothing doesn't affect my ability to be a leader in an active society! It doesn't change the person I am or my beliefs. Yet the same people who thought I looked homeless in that clothing, would be pawning over me if I wore a knee-length black skirt with suit-jacket!
Give me a freaking break.
Whether you plan to vote for Hilary or not, I would hope you are making that decision on the information givin to you, her past leadership roles, and what you think she could do for this country. Not basing your entire look out on what she wore the other day or what she plans to wear next week!!!
Initially I was like, amen, sister, you said it! And I still mostly think you are correct... except that our society does put a lot of emphasis on looks and fashion, whether that's right or wrong. Would it make Hilary a better Senator or President if she wore trousers instead of a knee-length skirt with kitten heels? I doubt it. If so, I don't think she would have gotten as far as she has. However, remember, you are quoting someone who has made millions from fashion, and is expected to say things like that, whether she believes it or not.
I think everyone has been in a situation where their looks has been the main criteria for acceptance or not... especially if you've been to high school (lol), and whether that's appropriate or no, it still happens. Do I think it is? No, not so much. But yeah, if I'm hiring someone to do a job, then in addition to their skills, capabilities, and personality, I'm gonna see how well they're put together. No, they don't have to be in designer threads to get my attention, but I do expect a level of personal hygiene, neatness and cleanliness. I don't even care if their socks match. But that's just me.
As for Hilary preferring trousers over skirts, well, that's a whole other issue. Unfortunately, Hilary, as the first potential female president, is gonna find herself not only representing our country, but also womanhood in general just by being the first. And women, whether this is appropriate or no, are going to want to see the "softer side", and that usually means a more feminine style of dress. Do I agree with that? Not necessarily. But again, that's just me. As sad as that is, perhaps Hilary wearing a knee-length pencil skirt, V-necked button down blouse with open toed heels would give her an edge in the polls. We're used to power-suits and bad comb-overs, and seeing someone kinda buck that trend by using what is most natural, her femininity, might actually be refreshing. No, I'm not saying she should do it to be a "proper miss" or that she's emulating a man if she doesn't do it, I agree that she would still be as formidable as she is regardless, BUT I think that our country is badly in need of serious change from the top down, and PERHAPS changing her style subtly would reflect that. Does it make it right? Not so much. But it is, what it is!
Again, all this is JMO :)
i know i got better treatment at a couple of jobs and when i was the only one working to support a family of five (plus one on the way) you can bet yer ass that i worked it to my advantage. i did use my looks to get a higher-paying position, but i also worked my ass off to get it; it wasn't just handed to me. having a looker in the front office was a perk for the company and a boost in income for me. it was inappropriate, but necessary (for me).
and the discrimination doesn't just run on the woman side. my father was laid off after 35+ years at one company, b/c they shut down the operations in that state. he had such a hard time finding a job because he looked old and run-down. he is blind in one eye and deaf in one ear, very tall, very thin, and well-qualified for all of the positions he applied for. the prob? he's in his 50's and desperately needed work. he was clean-shaven and well-dressed, but it took 2.5 years to get another job.
so yeah, looks are everything and today's "eye-candy goes further" society is truly pathetic.
OF COURSE I've been in a situation where my appearance can sway my success. I'm a plus plus sized woman who worked in sales on the corporate side, and now owns my own sales business! Health Insurance, at that. Iriony exists.
And of course it's the most ridiculous, pompous thing I've ever heard of.
Thank God I was born in a time when the strong feminism movement had hit it's height, and life is easier for me. We still have work to be done (why is child rearing still the woman's job, even when the father is home?) and don't get me started on the forced female castrations practiced in third world countries. But my life is easier than my Great Great Grandmothers, and I have my Grandmother and Mother's generation to thank for that.
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- michelle72
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