Vogue France : what a shocking shooting !

To end with squeletton models, the magazine Vogue France decided, for its October, 2009 number, to appeal in to the German model, Lara Stone, considered as more "lavish" than these colleagues (gossip radio chorus girl, hello : she's one of the chief editor's favourite, Carine Roitfeld).

Up to there, nothing really nasty… Even if we could make controversy on the term of "lavish" (because already, magazines and us, women who do not fit into a 32 or 34, do not have the same definition of "round").

No, the problem is the shooting which surprised and shocked people. For a very good reason : the white model was painted in black, according to the photographer Steven Klein's will ! Why didn't they chose a black model instead of a white one ?

Naturally, we could think of racism, as the American blog Jezebel did by crying out that " Steven Klein and Carine Roitfeld should know that to paint a woman in black to amuse the white readers is offensive ". But it is not the LICRA's opinion* which considers that these pictures are rather artistic than racist.
* An association against racism

As I'm considered a part of "ethnic minorities" (if I may say things so), I'm not the one who shouts easily in the racism, even if I am sometimes entitled to make it when I hear racial insults against me - feel reassured, it is extremely rare !

If the fact of painting in black a white top creates debate today, why during the collection " Blackhole " spring-winter 2001-2002 parade, designed by stylists, Victor and Rolf, who had then made the same thing to their tops as Steven Klein, had not made scandal in this time ?

Provocation or not, I also believe that the obvious fashion magazine's and the photographer's will was purely artistic. However, it is important to note that when we read this kind of review, it is rare to see black models, whether it is their cover, in ads or shootings.

We had been able to notice, during the American presidential election campaign, a new craze by the black models, thanks to the enthusiasm and the popularity which aroused Barack Obama. But this trend didn't last so long. Naomi Campbell continues to militate so that magazines and creators stop this discrimination and show more black, asian etc models, reflection finally of our crossed society.

Budgetary restriction: 0 / Shopaholic: 1

Here is ! I couldn’t resist ! While I had promised to Grandbobun that I would spend nothing more in shopping, that I would content myself with my winter current clothes and pairs of shoes because this end of year is not pretty at all, financially speaking :
- Exaggerated income tax,
- local taxes which underwent too the inflation (apparently, once finished municipal elections, the elected representatives hurried well to increase everything to finance the projects expressed in their speech)
- to inflate a little my savings with the apartment purchase aim (which we have not found yet but in the meantime, have I to become as thrifty as the ant or the famous squirrel).

On Saturday, taking advantage of the good weather in spite of the cold and the North wind, I was wandering in town and I said to myself: " Hey ! A little fawning-shop window cannot hurt, eh ? It is not because we are on a diet that you cannot look at the menu, eh ? ".

I went into a shop of shoes, but I bought anything… A clothes store, idem, I went out stammers and especially tired to have been pushed aside by crazy shopping nutcases who would tear you away and pull off your hand or arm when you were stretched out to touch or look closer at the clothe.

I decided to stop at " Mango ", which opened since this summer. I had gone there only once and I believed that I was going to die crushed so there was crowd.

Strangely, contrary to Zara, clothes are automatically folded and tidied up on their place. That does not make flea market. I roam so-so between beams and there, I flashe on a black, long vest with sleeves ¾ and small pockets. Even if a couple stopped me (yes, yes, " we are alone in the world and we bother nobody "), I throw myself so-so on the desired object.

I hear the chick whispering to her man: " oh ! I like very much this cardigan ! "
(Mouhahaha !! I know, I have too much taste in fashion and I inspire the whole world ! Lol)

- Wait, I go to check it…
(he almost pushes me a bit, without a « sorry » nor « sh** » - how rude is he !)

- What size ? A "S", a "M" ? Wait, I check it if there is a "S"…
(Mouhahaha!!)
(I have THE last one in my hands which I return everywhere to see if there is no defect somewhere)

- Sorry, sweetheart, there is not any more…
(I can feel the chick’s murderer glance on me)
(I’m exulting !)

Thus me here is the buyer of a great black long vest which will be so glam with a wide belt !!

Well OK, along the way I off-loaded the moderate 40-euro sum…

But it is for a good cause ! The winter will be rough (I heard on the radio the meteorologists saying the just opposite : the ocean temperatures climb of 0,3°C or 0,5°C) and I thus needed NECESSARILY this clothe !
(So much bad faith)

Thermal shock

You certainly noticed it, we cannot say that it was a summer weather since a few days ! I still remember that the last weekend, I wore a docker and a jacket, pants and ballerinas without knee socks… Even if the weather was often covered, i twas quite good to be out !

Today, in view of these wintry temperatures, I resigned to release my winter clothes : pullover, polo-neck jumper, coat, scarf but I resist to the appeal of the down jacket and of the hat !

We cannot say that I would have worn for a long time my trench coat special « middle-season » and my brown imitation leather jacket. I can even estimate, at a rough guess, that I took on them during hardly two weeks and still, without counting the weekends, because these days are my special days to " Friday wear " or rather, " no suit up day ".

For two days, when I come home, I put the heating because I freeze in my apartment nevertheless well isolated. According to my man, my evening battle dress " winter mode " is sexy and glamorous as one pleases (wide pants on formless thick pullover = include rather : pajamas = Petitbobun looks like nothing = Petitbobun lost of her sex appeal).

(Fortunately, he does not take offence at it any more !)

The temperatures are cool certainly, but I do not manage to be used to it while under normal circumstances, I shall qualify in full winter that they are OK. They fell in a too rough way and my body is not used to it. It still stayed in mode "Indian summer" with its afternoons between 23°C and 28°C…

At home, I'm the weather mistress (individual heating rocks !), but in my office, it's another story ! The heating wasn't started yet. I'm thus frozed, even wrapped up in my scarf / shawl, my fingers become blue and are about to fall down.

And what about you ?

The one who's talking to much

(That reminds me Friends titles)
(Sigh)

(Nostalgia)

I had written, few days ago, a post on the new awareness in the fashion environment : showing " girls next door ", the true women of the true life !

Good news for us, women who do not wear size 34 (I suspect even these models of guzzling jeans size 32, so I have the impression that they have only skin on bones !). Youpi ! Hurrah ! Exit the lean ones !

But there's one who doesn't agree with that, the Fat Nazi, Karl Lagarfeld, or more known as the fashion guru, who comes down during an interview of the German magazine "Focus" in which he declares that the fashion exactly has to make dream and maintain " the illusion " (of what ? Of losing a bone ?) and that this debate of knowledge if the big women have their place in fashion environment does not take place. And to add that " nobody wants to see fat women there " and what they are " big good women sat with their chips package in front of television which say that the thin models are hideous ". He's totally kidding me or what ! Few years ago, this being had been a part of the fat guy category and he had had to make a draconian diet to have this weight to be credible in this environment where the thinness is the order.

First, I did not like him much because he was rather unpleasant me. His awful declarations on Audrey Tautou (it was shameless that this actress embodies Coco Chanel) and Heidi Klum (this " Secret's Victoria " top model is " too big " to be a real model) were only consolidating me in my feelings. And there, I find that he is even more pitiful than before, fashion kaiser or not.

Beyond these despicable comments, it is regrettable to notice that the models of Paris Fashion Week confirm the trend of the threadlike models. But good news ! During the Fashion Week in London, the stylist Mark Fast surprised everyone by making scroll on the podium, big models to present his summer collection, delivering a strong message : fashion is not only made for " thin and tall women but to all women ".

Uniqlo becomes established in France

Uniqlo, a Japanese clothing company, is already present everywhere in the world, Tokyo, Seoul, London, Singapore or New York and now, this firm wants to conquer the French market. Then to become established in one of the fashion city like Paris can be the success key !

On October 1st took place the store Uniqlo Paris Opéra * opening, which enticed the crowds, thanks to an important press campaign and a very targeted location, the retail selling in the same way as giants of the fashion cheap, like the Spanish Zara, the Swedish H&M and the American Gap, the international leader in this market.

Why such a success ? With jeans saled for10 euros and cashmere pullovers from 39,90 euros, these very attractive prices push necessarily the potential buyer to the consumption !

Furthermore, on contrary to its competitors, Uniqlo does not bet on the " total look " trend, but on "perennially fashionable" basics, declined in ranges of colors and varied forms. In the end, everybody has to find "normally" something to buy ! Moreover, if we go visit their French site, we discover a tonfof collections and very important colors !

Good to know : the Japanese giant opened his on-line store for lines HEATTECH for men and women (comfortable and pleasant materials to wear who holds well the heat - perfect for winter, isn't it ?).

In any case, the group has one year to make profitable its Parisian selling point, in the stemming from which, if the results are satisfactory, other stores will be appeared in the French capital.

And when will stores establish in the rest of France ?

The thin girls out, the real women in !

We already notice it for a while, the nude pictures is fashion and the feminine press tries to show that the thinness dictat is over.

After the " American Glamour " which had published the pictures of a model with curvatures, Lizzie Miller (20 years), "it's now to Gala (number from 7 till 13 October), thanks to the impulse of its new chief editor, to post on the cover one, the representative glamour of the true big women, Marianne James, in Eve's dress, with a not ambiguous message : " Long live to big people ! ".

We discover a Marianne James beautiful, so glam and assuming perfectly his curvatures. She shows to everyone that we can be fat but beautiful and feel good in one's body. She denounces by these pictures the sufferings which women as them can undergo. The other people's opinion makes so many psychological damages as a gun can also make . She specifies that she tempted all her life to lose tons of weight but in vain ! Today, at the age of 47, she assumes her 107kg for 1,80m and shows them without complex thanks to this shooting.

To the detractors, you've to know that nobody used photoshop, except those classics on the luminosity, the make-up, the unification of the skin and the shadow set mask the intimate parts. The rest, it is the natural 100 %, the bourrelets also !

Other women magazines are not in rest, like the German biweekly "Brigitte" which does not appeal any more to the threadlike professional models for photos. The chief editor explained in an interview, as even these models so thin are systematically the object of retouch, as to mask the too visible bones for instance. He wishes to give another view angle, and shows the true life women, the girl to women of certain age, with personalities and forms so different but still beautiful. Moreover, those who will be pictured will be paid like professional model. But he specifies that the magazine will not be intended for all to fat women.

A huge bravo to Marianne James to have dared to show herself naked of a large-circulation weekly and to the magazines to show FINALLY the women of the life !

(So glad to live with neighbours around)

As you know, I dashed into cohabitation with my Man since last May (6 months already ?!!). Everything takes place, in spite of some false notes bound to my syndrôme "Monica Geller" (in Friends). I am a maniac cleaner (and since the beginning, I'm testing my the disorder and dirt limits - I don't have to exaggerate either, it is not for all that a garbage dump ! There're worse out there !) and Grandbobun is more or less shambolic, having a dish cleaning phobia (one of the characteristics of the male, isn't it ?). Set it apart, I'm flying in a clear sky without a cloud...

... Although if it is not our neighbours of the angle of the street (a bar and its customers, the crazy scooter running fellows in streets) and our "tremendous" upstairs neighbours.

First of all, the bar with its salsa atmosphere... With the smoke bannish law in public closed areas and badly aerated places (which between us is a good matter for the no-smokers), the customers smoke on the pavement and make so much loud, even more when they drink to much during evening. According to the bar opening hours laws, they have to close at 1 am - what is respected. On the other hand, the customers like hanging around and playing up or scolding (as long as to make) during some time still until they (finally!) decide to go back to home.I do not speak either about the scooter furious madmen gang which drive me so crazy that I just want to shot them if I could... These last ones feeling quite powerful (and invincible) aboard their machine, do not hesitate to make roar out their engine as soon as possible ! A noise which do I say ? An unbearable noise pollution for my small sensitive ears ! (Few days ago, I was almost overturned by crossing the street by one of these two-wheeled crazy dude driving in no-entry sign... I just had enough time to jump on the pavement before being touched by the machine... What idiot !)

Nevertheless we are lucky, even if we don't have double-glazed windows, we don't hear so much our neighbours. Except those above our apartment, who are very noisy. I really think they live at night... Although I often hear early in the morning the gril with its high heel shoes running through her flat before slamming the door to go to her office, to school, what can I know ?Why do I dare assert that they live at night ? Simply because from 10:30 pm or 11:00 pm, we intend them to bustle. Almost every evening. When I tell "bustle", it is that they are vacuuming (Are you Monica Geller ?), to move furniture to the right or to the left, to bring down something on the floor or to have sex and to share it with the neighborhood (that it is nice, huh ?)... And yesterday evening, they decided to make some noise and to hit something on the floor with a hammer from 9:30 pm till at least 11:30 pm (why so much hatred ?).We are lying towards midnight (oh the old men we are on Saturday evening ! !! Yes... Arf... I have never said that we were "night lads" !) and I enjoyed to intend them to bring something down on the floor 5 times in a row, in interval of 30 seconds... I almost believed that they made it on purpose (unless being ill from polio ?).I was ready to deceive it " sponge of the ceiling with a broom " and Grandbobun, to go downright to kick their butt...

Between us, I have never known this kind of inconvenience because :1/when I lived at my parent's, it was in a house, 2/when I took my independence, I was lucky to acquire an appart in the last floor (thus it is rather me who could annoy my little old man who's living just downstair... But I pay great attention : I exchange my shoes for tslippers - even barefoot, and I walk of a light step. According to my neighbour, he still hears me but knows that I make of my possible to be discreet !).

And me here is thus to discover the enjoyments of this life in community !

We do not regrettably choose our neighbours, we live with them... I understand that when we are at home, we love to do whatever we want in our appart, even if it means saying " f ** k " to everyone and to remind them that we are free of any movement - and making noise, at home.
Yeah. OK. But just to remind it : the word "freedom" means " the absence of constraint and the independence. The law guarantees the principle according to which the personal freedom stops where begins the others' one. " And others, it is us, it is them... I believe that we can make what we want at home, as works or the household, at decent hours. Besides the fact of relieving me a bit my nerves, I do not write this note to say to the others what they have to do or not, but just to be civilized and to think a little of the others while we are taken by a "vital" need to annoy our downstairs neighbours and of close.

Here is it was my fit of sunday bad temper !... Good weekend to you !