Here’s an advertising trend that comes up every now and then: putting glamorous apparel on models made to look sad/greasy/hostile. I’m stumped by this. Why would it help sell an outfit to show that outfit on a person who looks miserable? There must be a method to this madness, or so many designers wouldn’t be doing it. But what? What’s the thinking?
To get my head around the idea, I tried to envision how each of these ads came to be, by imagining a conversation among these characters:
Ad Exec: Mike
Photographer: Steve
Models: Zelda, Daphne, Marcia, Lisette, Brenda, Chloe and Babs
(* None of these are the real people’s names, obviously. They’re just people I’m making up in my head.)
* * *
Mike: So Zelda, what we’re going for here is warmth of coat, coldness of heart, OK?
Steve: That’s right. Zelda, give us a look that says, “I fucking hate this navy scarf and my ex-husband who gave it to me.”
Zelda: Got it. Can you guys get the lighting a little more harsh? Let’s see if we can create the effect of bags under my eyes, symbolizing the baggage we all carry through life.
Mike: Zelda, you are a genius.
* * *
Steve: Mike, I don’t feel like this is going to work. The client wants “anemic, angry, and disheveled,” but Daphne here is just too damned attractive and perky.
Mike: You’re right, Steve. Here, let’s comb some salad dressing through her hair.
Daphne: What the SHIT, you guys?
Steve: YES. Get MAD, Daphne. THAT’S the look we want!
* * *
Marcia: Um, this jacket is like four sizes too big.
Mike: Zip it, Marcia. We have a strategy here.
Marcia: Zip it? There’s no zipper.
Steve: He means “zip it” like shut up.
Marcia: You guys are mean.
Mike: Get in the pool, Marcia.
Marcia: Wha-?
Mike: GET IN THE POOL, MARCIA.
* * *
Mike: So, Steve, what the company wants here is to reach the audience of women who bite their nails, cut their own hair with yard shears, and perform home perms on themselves.
Steve: Because those are the women most likely to wear red pantsuits?
Mike: Exactly.
Steve: Lisette, can you cover up all that exquisite bone structure with your bangs, maybe put your hands up in front of your face, too?
Lisette: I think so. How’s this?
Steve: Slap my grandmother, that’s perfect.
* * *
Steve: Mike, I can’t work with Brenda. She’s too human.
Brenda: I don’t have to be human. I could be an inanimate object.
Mike: A day late and a dollar short, Brenda. Get out.
Brenda: Fuck you guys. [leaves the room]
Mike: Well, Steve – what are we going to do now?
Steve: I’m going to bring in this freaky life-size marionette instead. See?
Mike: I love it! This works out great, Steve, because as you know, this brand is really looking to target women who identify with giant-faced, creepy-eyed, disjointed wooden puppets.
* * *
Steve: Wow, Chloe and Babs, you two are beautiful.
Chloe: Yeah, we get that a lot.
Babs: Honestly, it’s kind of a curse.
Steve: Well, let’s see what we can do about that. Both of you, close your eyes, take these scissors, and cut your hair. Make sure you leave about 5 inches in the back. Great. Now, rub this Vaseline on your heads. Perfect. OK, Chloe, give me a look that says, “My dad ran over my puppy.”
Chloe: Like this?
Steve: Perfect. Now, Babs, I want you to give me your best open-mouthed, double-chinned, borderline mentally disturbed look.
Babs: Like this?
Steve: No, more.
Babs: Lahk dis?
Steve: Bingo
Mike: We’re all going to be billionaires, people. This is cash money on the table, right here.
So remember this fashion lesson, folks: You’re never fully dressed without a simmering glower.
* * *
PS: If this is your kind of thing, you might also enjoy some tips on how to live the J. Crew lifestyle, or perhaps some seasonal fashion advice picked up from magazine ads.
* * *
In other news…
I recently found out that The Random Penguins will be among the work of 30 artists (or, as the case may be, 29 artists plus me, an imposter who makes crude penguin drawings) featured in a special holiday collection at Saks Fifth Avenue in Atlanta, thanks to an organization called Spotlight on Art. This will probably mean a few new packages of stationery/notecards in the works. I’ll keep you posted. Yay!
Big thanks to Babble (and Fadra Nally) for including this site on their list of “10 Bloggers You Should Know About.”
I’m crazy-grateful for the support, friends. Thank you very much.
UPDATES:
Thank you so much to BlogHer for selecting this post in naming me a Voice of the Year for humor for the second year in a row. Wow! I really appreciate it.
And big thanks to WordPress.com for featuring this post on Freshly Pressed!
As usual, incredibly disturbing images – nothing like turning a grown woman into a puppet to make us all feel liberated as hell.
Congrats on the Saks business – that’s awesome!
Thanks!
There’s actually a neat little artistic story behind the marionette ad by Barney’s: http://thewindow.barneys.com/all-about-lou-introducing-our-fall-2013-campaign/
But still. It freaked me the hell out.
Aaaahhhhhhhhhhh! The marionette is creepy! I read the story behind it and one of the comments was, “She looks so real and fresh.” No, wooden puppets on strings do not look real or fresh. That is why they are creepy.
And the one in the swimming pool is just stupid.
“Fresh”? Fresh? That’s so weird. How can a puppet look fresh?
You are the best. Laugh out loud, the best. My favorite: GET IN THE POOL MARCIA.
Marcia looks pissed, doesn’t she? I don’t blame her.
So I’m thinking this is the funniest fashion post I have ever read in my life. If you did all of the commentating in Vogue, I’d even pay a million dollars for a paper subscription.
I would totally refund your million dollars. Or just trade you, for a paper subscription to your travel magazine.
Thanks!
I second this–it took everything in me to not laugh out loud hysterically at work. Freaking fantastic!
Love, as always. fave: Perfect. Now, Babs, I want you to give me your best open-mouthed, double-chinned, borderline mentally disturbed look.
Honestly, the Marc Jacobs ad was the inspiration for the whole post. Everyone else is just supporting cast to Babs.
Lahk dis? I cannot stop laughing! But wait – don’t all people use salad dressing in their hair?
I like a nice Caesar.
So funny.
hey, thanks!
This was hilarious!
Thanks for reading!
I always save reading your posts until I get to work. I literally laugh out loud in my office! Babs and Marcia are my faves! Thanks for being the humor that jump starts my day!! Now I can crack into my email.
Glad to be part of your workday. Thanks!
I’ve heard mayo is good for your hair, so Green Goddess would by my dressing of choice.
Good point. Extra conditioning.
I guess being a super model is no longer that glamorous! Yay for looking normal.
Normal…ish.
The marionette is my favorite.
It’s so weird. I had to look at it for a minute to figure out if it was a person or what.
Oh my god THANK YOU for bringing up that weird looking Marc Jacobs ad. I cut that out of a magazine and sent that to my partner as a laugh, as it was so ridiculous – not exactly caring about selling the clothes, just freaking out readers. Strange.
It cracks me up every time I see it — and there are several different versions of it. Babs lurks in all the magazines!
Too funny! I’m sure the whole point is just to get people to stop and look, but you have to wonder why they would go with an image that once you’ve stopped and seen you don’t care for.
True. On that count, they work, obviously. Here we all are talking about Marc Jacobs… Babs wins again!
Hair cut with garden shears… perfect description.
Thank you! I once cut my son’s hair with rusty kitchen scissors, so I know that of which I speak.
Oh my god, I. Die.
Combing salad dressing through her hair is the most genius, funniest thing ever written.
The greasiest, maybe. Thanks for reading!
The salad dressing bit was freaking hysterical, but I think my favorite was this “Let’s see if we can create the effect of bags under my eyes, symbolizing the baggage we all carry through life.” SPOT ON!
Sadly, I need no special lighting to create such an effect on my face.
Thanks!
Woah! It’s like you were in the bathroom with me while I thoroughly read over Lucky Magazine! I kept wondering if it was photoshop on the models or leftover slime from Nickelodeon and if the latter was the case, did the models get to keep the ruined clothing? Because who else would wear them? Well, stalkers of the models, I suppose. And museums might want them. So, no, the models probably had to give up their gooed-up gear. Sad.
Zelda’s going to go far, though.
Babs looks more like one of my friends. Most of us make that face. Unintentionally, thinking it’s a smile.
I was *definitely* not in the bathroom with you.
I don’t think.
And that’s a good question: What happens to the coat after Marcia gets out of the pool??
Well, I can answer that.
It shrunk down to a normal size.
I never know who is and is not in the bathroom with me, but it seems odd you’d just suddenly talk about this topic right after I’d thought about it. Sooo…
I Facebooked this, by the way. That’s how much it made me laugh. Now you’ll be famous(er)
Hee. Thank you!
[…] Looking bad is the new looking good. […]
Thanks for sharing!
Howling. Thanks for the AM laugh.
You’re so welcome. Thanks for visiting. Stop by again sometime.
Reblogged this on blue_muse.
oh, my God… i can’t stop laughing. this is great. genius, even. you are amazing !
Thank you for reading — and for sharing!
So hilarious. “MARICA GET IN THE POOL”.
I have to admit that I went around yelling, “MARCIA, GET IN THE POOL” for about a week after writing this.
Thanks for reading!
marionette looks creepy but love it!!
Thanks! It is creepy, isn’t it?
Good stuff!
Thanks!
Found you in Freshly Pressed. Congrats! Love this post. Going over now to click the Follow button 🙂
Thank you so much for following — glad you came over from FP!
This was great fun to read…very creative! It’s sad to think that young women all over the world will copy these grotesque images in their own style and manner. Hopefully this new “look” will disappear quickly along with the “crotch to the knees” pants!
Don’t you go knocking my crotch-to-the-knees pants, now…
Just kidding. I like my crotch to stay right where it is. Thanks so much for reading.
haha you gave me a good laugh with your reply!
This is pretty funny because “high fashion” is usually quite odd. Interesting how the author also chose the made up Ad Exec and Photographer to be both males though.
Good point.
I just made them men because all the other characters in these little imaginary scenarios were women, and it felt like I needed some balance. In real life, most of the “ad men” I’ve worked with on projects are actually ad women.
Reblogged this on Brooklyn Red Girl and commented:
fashion trend
Thanks for sharing!
Fashion counter culture. Why should one always look good? This is a reflection on how women are sick of being abused and sexualized and women here are tired of being pretty dolls and are dressing down. The industry supports this new look, if women feel safer.
Yeah, could be.
Thanks for stopping by.
You are welcome – I must agree with you somewhat its still promoting the ideal pedigree by demoting women in general – and some nastiness but its possible parody. Not sure. Thank you for posting this.
Hilarious.
Thank you!
Oh my goodness! I love this blog. The Marc Jacobs photo looks like a facebook selfie after a LONG night. I started following your blog after reading only one entry. This was hilarious and smart!
So glad you stopped by — thanks for reading! And you’re right: it does kind of look like a late-night selfie gone wrong.
This is actual chuckle-to-myself-out-loud writing. Love it!
Oh, thank you.
Ha! I was like, “That red pantsuit is kinda awesome.”– then I read your notes… I totally bite my nails, cut my own hair (might as well be with yard shears), but no home perms yet. . . This was hysterical. 😀
Hey, *someone* needs to wear the red pantsuit. Might as well be you.
Thanks!
These conversations are probably not that much ridiculous than what was really said during the shoot. Thanks for the hilarious post!!
Thanks for reading!
Hahahhaha love this post so funny 🙂
http://www.littleprettymess.com
Thanks!
this is exactly what i tell myself when i leave the house, sans makeup 🙂
You’re SO on trend.
That was freaking hilarious. You perfectly captured the absurdity of these pictures!
Hey, thanks!
Hahahah this is hilarious and spot on!
Thanks for stopping by.
Love the Prada one – she looks like she just got out of a tussle to save her fur, maybe got thrown into a pool in the process. Very insightful – why DOES the fashion industry to this?
Heh. That is totally what she looks like.
I’m really happy to notice that I’m not alone asking myself where the pretty models are? Since when greasy is the new black? Loved reading your post!!
I think all these ladies are lovely. I’m just amazed at the amount of effort that went into un-lovely-ing them. Thanks so much for stopping by!
THIS. IS. HILARIOUS.
THANK. YOU. Seriously.
It’s a good observation. The models today don’t even have beautiful faces, I think they choose the ugly ones on purpose 🙂 Not even mentioning sometimes they almost look like they have deformed bodies, in strange poses.
I actually think all these girls are quite attractive, naturally. But man oh man, such an effort went into making them look weird here, didn’t it? Thanks a lot for reading!
This was amazing!!! in the most hilarious way!!! Loved it! 😀
Thank you!
This is brilliant. The Prada one looks like she’s just run away from her parents for making her tidy her room, it’s raining and she’s just landed at the bus stop -.and just happens to be wearing the most expensive clothes she’ll ever own!
That’s a good backstory.
well said….
Thank you.
I’m with you on this one… it is weird, where is the artistic talent that photographers always profess to posses?
Perhaps the models had to pay for the items they are wearing, then realised that they don’t want to pay that much for that item – perhaps it is a real life representation of how you feel when you have just spent a fortune on very average clothes and realise that you have just been shafted!
I’d far rather look at pretty people on a beach or a mountain having fun!
That’s a good theory.
I love the Pictures!! 🙂
http://www.nannafreving.com
Thanks!
This is perfect. Ace captions for the pictures!
Thank you for reading ’em.
No problems, I’m glad I did!
Brilliant! ) The logic, though, is simple. If you look more or less ok in this garb after a near-death cocaine experience/alco overdose, etc. – you’ll be paying top dollar ’cause you can wear it to the party. I can’t see any other logic ))))
Who knows. That could be.
Used to shop for fashion magazines. I stopped, but I reconsider it given the fact your comments would accompany the images! NOW that would bring the fashion industry to a whole new level of approachable fashion.Thanks for opening the “can of worms”, I can finally say; was delicious. Loved your post, looking forward for more laughs.
Oh, thank you. Yes, I love magazines. I read far too many.
First off, you are super funny. Really liked reading this. But also, because I am so fascinated by the messages or meanings in ads, I had to consider your original question. I think making women look less beautiful, oddly, is supposed to point to a different kind of beauty, like something more real or raw, something ephemeral. It’s art really, this kind of advertising. That’s why the elite lines use it. I don’t look at the pictures and think about the clothes at all. I think of the feeling of the picture, the lifestyle it evokes. For instance, these woman are so secure, they don’t have to try, they are the epitome of complacent, which is a luxary only the truly wealthy can afford. They can wear an oversized coat in a pool if they want to, and they don’t have to smile for you, they can look grave and severe and cold because they don’t need you, they don’t need anyone, they are whole and complete, if they want to go out into the world with their hair all a mess, they fucking will and they will do it in a $5000 red suit. There are no occasions which require them to smile, smiles are something the poor don to secure their forever threatened but necessary associations. These lady’s are so over the rainbow, they are free to to look like greased rats. Afterall, only the truly liberated can be ugly.
In the end what the ads are selling is the lifestyles and the transcendent state of the models; the clothes appear ancillary, mere threads connecting us mortals to a mythical world.
Oh, I think you’re totally right. This is “concept” art. Like the runway shows at Fashion Week or the crazy-ass space-cars at car shows. More high-concept than practical, but good to get you thinking.
I just think it’s fun to see what happens when we take the concept-stuff literally.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment!
Yeah, the literal treatment of the high concept is what makes the post so funny.
Love the pictures. I actually went in for haircut and decided to thumb through a fashion mag, thinking I’d get some ideas. Silly me. I actually saw that stupid girl (there were PAGES of them), wearing those stupid oversized coats. I started laughing out loud, to the chagrin of all the males waiting for their cuts. My husband was with me and when I looked over at him amongst my laughing, he had the most confused, disturbed and somewhat angry look on his face.
“This is fashion???” He exclaimed. “People pay money for this?”
This of course just made me laugh more.
Thanks for bringing this up in a blog. Glad I’m not the only one who thinks the world is going insane.
The world has been insane for a long time. But it’s fun to look at.
Thanks!
Funny! Perhaps they’re trying to make misery the new happy. The clothes were so expensive she’s sad now.
“Misery is the new happy.” Good one.
Thanks for posting. This was an interesting article…maybe designers and marketing are telling us that the bags look better than the consumer, but whatever the message the models really look bad. I like the blackchandelier’s repiy the clothes were so expensive she’s sad now..or I think she fell ill.
Who knows… Thanks for stopping by!
OMG. This was the absolutely hilarious. Nice job!
Thank you!
Valid point! & hilarious! Toedels, Axelle Maximilian
Thanks!
Love it – whereas I’m not sure where this leads to…nowadays almost all teenagers think they can be the next top model, let’s hope that it’s not getting worse 🙂
GET OFF MY LAWN, KIDS.
Thanks for stopping by!
Reblogged this on Confessions of a Libra and commented:
spot on.
Thanks for sharing!
WOW What a shitload of comments! I KINDA LIKE ZADIG &VOLTAIRE THOUGH until you ruined it with “cut their own hair with lawn shears”☆★♡♥
My apologies. You can still like it.
I wonder the same thing all the time. Her conversations were dead on. Awesome and so clever! Now some of those girls really aren’t that attractive to begin with, but it does seem that really ugly, awkward, strange is what the fashion world wants these days. Well, I’m certainly not motivated to try a new look now (though I can probably pull of a lot of these if I just don’t wash my hair and stay in my PJs all day. Hey, that may be an idea!
I’m all for pajama day.
Hilarious! I’ve been wondering about this trend recently. I see that from time to time in magazines where I wonder, “What was the photographer thinking?!?” I love the dialogue for the last photo! “Give me a look that says, ‘My dad ran over my puppy.'” I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks this “ugly-up-pretty-models” trend is crazy.
Thanks for reading!
No problem!
Funny. Thanks!
ಠ_ಠ
Thank you for the seal of hipster approval!
Do me a favor? Would you please put a little disclaimer before your next blog post – something along the lines of “may cause involuntary urination in people over 40, those who have never heard of Kegel exercises, or women who have birthed at least one child. So, slap on your adult diaper and enjoy!”
Thanks. I’m sending you my dry cleaning bill….
Oh, dear. Sorry about that.
I still remember a time when models used to be beautiful
I remember a time when the coolest thing in the world was Knight Rider’s talking car.
OH my gosh this post made me laugh hilariously out loud. You are completely right! Fashion has been doing this lately in Vogue, Bazaar, and even Elle mags. I love your creativity shown through the conversations under the photos. Your humor really shines through, awesome, thanks for the post. Someone had to say it…….thx yo!
Thank YOU, yo.
Hilarious! That Marc Jacobs one reminds me of that show Absolutely Fabulous when Patsy tried getting that same toothy look by saying “Thursday” before the shot was taken.
OMG. Ab Fab was such an awesome/terrible show. I miss it.
I wondered about that. Its the same in the new Vogue too. ugh
Thanks for reading.
Excellent Blog.. I like your way to write.. I bookmark your blog link. Keep update…
Page Rank Bar
Thanks for stopping by.
This is fantastic. Fuck Zelda, you’re the genius!
Take that, Zelda.
Thanks!
hi
Reblogged this on PureTruculence.com by Queer1.
豆丁
Oh, intelligent views at fashion…I am intrigued. The last on is the best: I’m waiting for drool to drip from the bottom lip. They do look like the village idiots of old… Aspirational! 🙂
Drool is always funny.
Thanks for reading!
Reblogged this on Monkberry Moondelight.
This article was so funny! Great post and soo true 🙂
Thank you!
On America’s Next Top Model, Tyra is always saying “do the ugly pretty face!” and i had never realized how strange of a concept it was until i read your (very funny) article! Good one!
(follow me at http://inescoelho.com/)
Ugly-pretty — perfect term for it.
It reminds me of when I saw an image of a woman’s face for a United Colors of Benetton ad…how does her face represent the brand? Let alone it’s clothing that isn’t even showing? lol
This was really funny!
Thanks!
Hilarious!
Thanks so much for reading.
Laughing out loud. Especially the third pic. I would love to watch America’s Next Top Model with you. I love when Tyra says things like “work the hunchback/elephant nose/tire.”
I have never seen that show. But maybe I should watch it.
I think you’d appreciate it!
You just made my day! Thank you!
Thank YOU.
“Slap my grandmother, that’s perfect” is officially my new favourite expression! And that Marc Jacobs ad is really weird, I thought adverts were meant to be aspirational?
Disclaimer: Never slap your grandmother.
Thanks for reading!
I’m at work…so I’m trying not to laugh really loudly. This is fantastic. GREAT post, spot on. I mean there’s ugly-pretty and there’s just, Daaaaamn! You’ve hit the nail on the head.
Daaaaamn!
Thank you.
Reblogged this on transcenspired.
Nicely written! Highly humorous – yet on target!:)
Hey thanks!
Oh my gahd, this is perfect! Love love love.
Thanks for reading.
I can’t breath, this just made my life xD Thank you SO much for this post. I love fashion and modern fashion (sometimes) but I’ve also wondered why the models look like they got hit by a tornado and punched in the breadbasket. This was just… amazing.
I’ll be liberally borrowing the phrase “punched in the breadbasket” — thank you!
OMG I haven’t laughed that hard in awhile. Thank you! Fucking hilarious and I hate those stupid photos.
Glad you got a laugh!
Yeah thanks. Brilliant 😉
Ha!
Yes, that one, simple word sums up everything I feel about this in my heart, mind, and soul 🙂
If you only get one word, that’s a good one.
Thanks!
I am so inspired to let me voice come through in my writing after reading your blog 🙂 I am taking a creative writing class right now, and loving every second. I know that you are a super busy individual, but I would really appreciate it if you got a chance to read this post from my blog. You inspired me to let loose and be honest, and it feels great! Thank you! http://heatherkmurdock.wordpress.com/2013/11/06/i-slept-on-a-sock-confessions-of-slob/
Good for you taking a class! I bet that’s a lot of fun.
Thanks for the kind words. I’ll take a look!
Thank you so much! It is fun! I am working toward a psychology degree to become a therapist with a minor in creative writing. This is my first course toward the minor and it’s such a blast! My only hope is that someday I can combine words just a fraction as skillfully as you do 🙂 Thanks again! ~Heather
This is hilarious and so well-observed! I think they grease and ugly them up to distract us from the fact that they are all seriously malnourished…
Could be!
Thank you for this amusing and true post! Thank goodness I’m not the only one who has struggled to understand the weird fashion shoots of PMSing models with greasy hair…
thank YOU!
Brilliant post, and so true!
Oh, thanks!
This whole trashy bum look has gotten way out of hand. What happened to clean and classy?!
Ha… Thanks for reading.
Every time I look at Babs, it cracks me up…even more when I read your commentary. I’m gonna use Vaseline and salad dressing to style my hair from now on. Thanks 🙂
Babs is EVERYWHERE. Seriously, there are so many versions of that print ad.
Slap my grandmother, this fashion blog is perfect.
Cash money on the table! Thank you!
This is brilliant totally brilliant!!!
Reblogged this on Thisluxlife and commented:
This is a very funny fashion article!
Reblogged this on SummerSoft Labs.
hahahaah!! LOL nice post
well this was really really really funny. I live in the suburbs so never get to see people wearing weird clothes with dark circles around their eyes and salad dressing in their hair. I thought they were just in ‘art’ in fashion magazines. If I dressed like this the keyboard would be a mess. Guess I am a bit too provincial. Great post.
You could BRING the look to the suburbs.
Cackled all the way through. I LOVE THIS!
[…] Looking Bad Is The New Looking Good […]
This made me snort. There’s hope for my modeling career after all 😉
This was perfect! and I think your narrations might be pretty on point too. Also congratulations on being chosen for BLOGMAS Favorite 20 🙂
Zadry
You made me laugh my guts out:)))thanks..
Reblogged this on toxicmascara.
Stellar! Just Stellar! “Get in the pool Marcia” Congratulations on your VOTY win!! You also win the internet with this one!
Ah, you’re too sweet. And I think I’m in mighty good company with VOTY — congrats to you as well!
[…] I Miss You When I Blink, “Looking Bad is the New Looking Good.” […]
I’ll stick with my jeans, t-shirts, and sanitas, I think.
Ihhhhhhhh….
Being so beautiful that you can get away with looking like a sewer rat’s anal region and still be hit upon is called “handicapping.” Because that much raw awesomeness needs to be handicapped in order to be approachable by the rest of us uggos.
It’s the same principle behind wealthy young people dressing as if someone dropped them naked in a Salvation Army donation bin and then said, “And…go!” Hell, celebrities will dish hundreds of dollars for a T-shirt that’s ripped and stained just right. (Hint: it’s who does the ripping.)
The rest of us actually button our crotch region, shave things, and wash our hair…it’s like we have something to prove. Oh, right: self- respect.
funny. reminds me of shouts and murmurs in the New Yorker
I relay my thought to you,
Though I speak not in word direct.
Art is from the soul,
Desire and pain and the longing to connect
Cached in a language most intimate.
These images speak volumes,
Do not condemn
What to you
Is unclear.
I love this, love Chloe & Babs….thanks for making me laugh. Yes, no explanation for the look or the audience, or selling point.
This just gets funnier every time I read it.
So funny! I wondered how they got these looks. And I’m still wondering why anyone would think they’re attractive.
good
Reblogged this on emmadol's Blog.
LMAO
Lol! Models always look so clueless to me, this is just too funny!
Reblogged this on Through The Mind's Eye and commented:
See, I always thought models had a clueless look on their faces!
Reblogged this on pumpylee9.
that’s kinda funny
Hmm! It’s like the theory of looking ‘accidently perfect’. Like you’re naturally perfect, but are not too uptight to let your blouse become untucked or your hair a little sloppy.
By the way I really like the title of your blog. Makes me feel happy 🙂
hahaahahaa
Reblogged this on Spince Nation.
Yikes! Not sure why those ads are out there. A few of the photos made me a little nauseous.
🙂
You had me actually laughing out loud… So good! And yes, these photos are so bad!
Hahaha nice one !
So Hilarious to read, Wonderfully written…i am happy to be here
Women should be soft and easy to look at. Not cold and distant. Trying to be too different sometimes is more of a turnoff. Do people really look at store dummies with pleasure.
I just didn’t realise how ‘on trend’ I was….
My face in repose figures a natural frown/scowl = scrowl.
Sadly I’m old enough to remember the ‘girl next door’ look, Christie Brinkley et al… those were the days…
cool
Reblogged this on couplesconsult.
Reblogged this on WORD KRUSH.
Reblogged this on zikkyamah.
You got me at, “…let’s comb some salad dressing through her hair.” Bahahahahahahaaaaaa!!!!!!
Loved reading this ! Too funny 🙂
Reblogged this on jerrygabrielle and commented:
Oh, Mad Men
That was so funny! The modeling industry is insane!
This just made my day.
Made me smile on a rainy morning. Keep up the good work.
Reblogged this on rosalynfarrar's Blog.
Congratulations on being one of the “Voices of the year”. I hope you don’t mind if I follow your blog, I love to read in the morning. A cup of coffee and a good story goes hand in hand 🙂
Reblogged this on The davina oriakhi and commented:
Oh wow
distubingly funny….i think its a rare art to get to such shots! excellent observations. oh btw, loved the dialogues. congratulations on being freshly pressed.
Oh, YEAH! I wrote on this topic, sort of, this morning, myself. Enjoyed your take on the same general subject. 🙂 Congrats.
Could not stop laughing!!! I wonder the same thing…what were they thinking when they decided to take these pictures??! Really!?
Ha ha!!! You just made me laugh so hard! You really are very funny. Thank you!
Omg, fabulous. My husband, of all people, even noticed this trend when we passed a billboard on a highway two weeks ago. He never notices this stuff but he immediately asked, “How is being miserable going to sell your brand?” LOL.
Reblogged this on Unstuffy Quotidian and commented:
This is so laugh out loud funny! Love the dialogue, so true to the image. Enjoy everyone!
Oh my gosh! Absolutely hilarious!
Well, the salad dressing was vague, so I went in the kitchen and put Ranch on one side and Italian on the other… OMG! You are soooo dang funny! Thank you!!!
This is hilariously awesome. You nailed the conversation.
Also– perfectly suited faux model names.
Reblogged this on The Wandering Poet and commented:
roflmao!!! XD
Absolutely loved this! I know I’m just adding to your numerous comments of adoration, but you can never have too many. I hope I can do something similar too…sometimes fashion just needs to have a laugh!
Reblogged this on usiegraphy and commented:
I always being told ” you looked sleepy or puffy” the moment I stepped into office. But I guess it’s my trend of fashion now since impossible is nothing now 😉 – A
This made my day 😂
Goddamn hilarious!
“Zip it, Marcia.”
Absolutely hilarious. Even more so as there is an element of truth in it! Who wants the girl-next-door preppy look all the time right? Although there is no comfort in the fact that these girls are made up…to look bad. I’ve got it down as an art without trying!
Both Mike and Steve equate just shy of being a pimp and chump. What a sleazy discredit to all male professionals of the craft. In a single old school word to sum it all….. “priceless.”
Haven’t laughed so hard since Nirvana perfected “Grunge” into a lifestyle. Thank you Blink for this model piece commentary. WTG on this killer VOTY.
LOooove this
So very true. I never understood that tho. Love the pics (funny) 🙂
Lmaoo! This is hilarious!
I agrre with When I Blink! So creepy and stupid. It was hilarious though thanks for posting this. It made my day!
Reblogged this on angelogorek.
Ha ha! Funny! I hate the trend of bushy beards on men too. Looks ridiculous!
I love this! I wish I wrote it! That Marc Jacobs chick always baffled me. Is this crap supposed to be sexy?
rightright.
had a good laugh reading this… Steve cracks me up!
Reblogged this on Kimberly SweetiePie.
This is hilariously insightful, well done!
Reblogged this on H.A.M.H.
Reblogged this on ♥••••Clearhaven••••♥ and commented:
A post that makes us question the intention of advertisements that feature miserable, angry or lifeless looking models wearing expensive apparel.
I think this should be a new TREND! im sooo for it! It is edgy and different and the truth is people arent always happy and cheery all the time, they have sass and attitude!
This is F*cking Brilliant!
Reblogged this on Breaking The Barriers and commented:
🙂 something to laugh at
This is great…thanks for being a role model at being hilarious.
very nice post…
Reblogged this on ethoslogopath and commented:
Yes.
ha ha ha ha!!! My ribs are aching….
I’ve always wondered what goes on prior to these kinds of photo shoots! Thanks for the laughs.
That picture of Marc Jacobs or whoever he is, it scaring me. Like, I am very sorry for his parents to get to see him like that. Poor kid, its like he is suffering from leukemia or something
I had a high fashion magazine (whose name I can’t remember) some years back that had a large spread for a luxury label in which the models – men and women – were all done up to look like dead heroin addicts. Literally. Track marks and all. It gave another meaning to the term “heroin chic”. As a note, I can’t for the life of me remember what the brand was so maybe it worked better as an art installment than an advertising campaign.
[…] Looking bad is the new looking good – a WordPress blog that made me laugh. ‘GET IN THE POOL, MARCIA’ […]
Reblogged this on knzchm16.
Hahaha….! Love it!
Ahaha this is hilarious!! I don’t understand fashion sometimes… (read: all the time)
Oh my god “GET IN THE POOL MARCIA!” I’m dying!
Every year people say this. Not everyone’s going to like the look of up coming fashions otherwise they would be the fashion.
Reblogged this on ragsandramblings and commented:
This is pretty much what goes on on set. When I started modelling and I had no idea what to do in front of the camera, I was told by a photographer there were a few standard poses I could always try. The first is “Headache”, and involves looked pained whilst holding your head. The second is “Stomach Ache”, and involves looking pained whilst clutching your waist (this also makes your waist look smaller, bonus!) And the last is “Back Ache”, which of course is looking pained whilst arching and holding your lower back.
I haven’t had a photographer to ask me to look mentally disturbed. Yet.
Reblogged this on Sagging Specs.
Am I the only one who thinks “open mouth” twin looks like prince? This whole commentary cracked me up. Great job!
I must say… it grabs my attention !
Haha this is amazing. Actually adore the Prada ads, but I literally dropped my Elle when I saw that Marc Jacobs ad in print–so so so bad.
I loved this post way too much! Amazeballs!
You are funny! You made my Tuesday morning
Reblogged this on vivoinbetweensynapses and commented:
when genius and fashion gets fusion…
This is just brilliant!
OMG I havent paid attention to this trend. I will now…
love this post – genius. Sad thing is, you’re probably quite near the mark. Still, it did make me laugh – GET IN THE POOL MARCIA and the last one, something about double-chinned manaic lol
Hey – Just want to say THANK YOU for all the funny and great comments here. Normally, I like to go in and respond to every comment… but this sort of sneaked up on me, and I totally didn’t see 300+ comments coming. Oops. Please know I read every one, and I love ’em. Thanks so much for reading!
Reblogged this on In My Head and commented:
Spoken truth
Reblogged this on Welcome to My World.
Love this post. Thanks for giving me a good laugh. Heroine chic of the nineties is now borderline mental chic 🙂
Reblogged this on mintvalf.
It’s true! Everyone is pretty in their own way.
Reblogged this on FUCKING (PROBLEMS).
hahaha, love it!! thnx
Haha I’m currently blogging about fashion and I also subscribe and read dozens of magazine and online blogs so I can totally relate to all of this odd advertising. What in the hell are they thinking LOL . Oh wait, it made me look and inquire so that must the ultimate purpose haha, love your content!
I feel ridiculous lying here like a freak laughing by myself at the “now Babs…” until it strikes me that anyone that can get a reaction out of my nocturnal ass at 3:20am is an effen comical genius
[…] will let the article here detail how advertising can go wrong […]
This one made me laugh so hard. Love your posts!
Reblogged this on Abigail 's Blog and commented:
My current favorite. So funnayyy
[…] post made me wish I was clever and funny. Hilarious. Then I explored the archives and found this, which was even […]
The whole “I’ve been binging on coke and vodka for three days straight” look is so 1993. But I still like it.
this is the best thing I have read in a lonnnng time- thank you;)
Maybe the photographers are going to shock value? I’ll probably stop, stare, and contemplate “WHY?” if I saw these images in a magazine. Does it make me want to buy the clothes? No. Then again…there is a lot of modern art I don’t understand.
Well-articulated, and funny. I, too, have wondered why beautiful models are sometimes photographed looking all-too-ordinary. But not for long. Now I know.
This was absolutely so perfect and accurate. Secretly hoping you entered “models looking bad” in google image search
This post is genius, I love it! It’s funny, it’s unique, it’s everything. Way to go!!! (:
Love it! I’ve been wondering the same thing about model poses recently, it is honestly like they are told to look miserable these days. Personally I’d rather by the clothes a happy looking person is wearing.
great post !
https://vanitystyleblog.wordpress.com
Great post, although I do love the pool pic, not for the clothes, but the photo is great!
http://www.fashionforlunch.net
Instagram : @labelsforlunch (I just hit 30,000 followers!!)
Very interesting post. I look forward to reading more from you!
[…] Source: Looking Bad is the New Looking Good […]
okay?:)
Hilarious!! I absolutely love your post!!!
You crack me up! You stated a good point though
[…] Source: Looking Bad Is The New Looking Good […]
[…] Source: Looking Bad is the New Looking Good […]
Great article
[…] Source: Looking Bad is the New Looking Good. […]
Thanks for the good laugh! Awesome post, glad I discovered your blog via this one and happy to follow for more great stuff ! HAppy NY and keep it up !
Totally agree! My favourite shop is Zara but to shop on line is pure torture because I can’t like any of the clothes hanging off women who look like they have a body buried in their back garden!
Because Bad is the new Good
Also check out my blog post
https://dramblerblog.wordpress.com/2015/12/31/25-epic-soft-rock-songs/
Omg I love this article! Would you be able to check out our blog? xx Cheese and Crackers https://cheeseandcrackerssite.wordpress.com/?p=2
So that’s what’s behind it all! really crazy when you think what all these upscale clothes probably cost. Plus the photos can actually make you overlook that some of the stuff is really cool: wouldn’t mind the gorgeous navy scarf and the red pantsuit 🙂 Looking forward to 2016 here…
If we walked out of our houses looking like this – people would think we were homeless or need help…. However if you are dressed like that for a photo shoot then it’s chic. Lol
This is so hilarious! “Now close your eyes and cut your hair”
This is hilarious. Especially the last one. Great work!
Wuoooo hahaha nice one!
Great picture and writing, awesome
So good
Oh my gosh, this is so true!
Maybe they are trying to say that everybody can wear all types of clothes, even the natural greasy looking people. hehehe It’s 2016 All standards could change. :p
This was hilarious. Thanks for posting!
Hilarious! I definitely agree.
[…] Source: Looking Bad is the New Looking Good […]
Still super hilarious and so relevant in 2016. Get’s me every time.
Great post!
I have never thought of this but u have made a good point
Gud 1
Love this
Babs and Chloe are my favorite… OMG!! This is hilarious….. Couldn’t stop laughing… And to be honest, its been a long time since I had a good laugh….thanks to u.
love this post!
Hey! I would be grateful for anyone who checks out my blog posts, and let me know what you think
Excellent!
funny no way!….. ok thats messed
thats what they think in real life looks good!
but good job,they need to know that
just a little bit enyway
k bye
Haha this so great and mirrors my thoughts exactly!
same by a lot! ❤ come to earth 🙂
o-m-g o-m-g i look sooooo good with salad dressing in my hair!!!!!! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh so good
Reblogged this on Estelea's Blog and commented:
Last time I went to the hairdresser, I was mesmerized by pictures of models in the so called “fashion magazines”. Did all those years living out of the First World totally disconnected me with the Real meaning of Style? So glad I came across this post, it made me laugh so hard that I had to share. Enjoy 😉
looks pretty scary…..well from today no stress in the bathroom every morning, keep calm.
this was a riot. great piece.
I’ve always wondered what’s with the strung-out, greasy look. Great read!
Love this! I look that should be effortless and minimal – is what girls spend hours to create – you can’t force style it should be effortless and simple. X
[…] Source: Looking Bad Is The New Looking Good […]
great post, can i repost it?
Of course!
I kind of like the juxtaposition & it makes me feel ok about my own greasy unwashed hair
killingly hilarious feminist penwomanship, bravo for the mayhem. long may you blog. “Daphne: What the SHIT, you guys?”
i am on the train to montreal and i am reading yr blog and laughing out loud and people are side eying me and i don’t care one jar of vaseline. très drôle.
Oh, thank you!