The other day, my mom made a comment about Melissa McCarthy's appearance in the trailer for her new movie, "The Heat". She said, "Why did they have to make her look like THAT? They make her look so nice on "Mike and Molly."
That is a good question. She was also decently dressed on "Gilmore Girls" as Suki, but in "Bridesmaids" she played a not so great character with questionable fashion sense compared to her role on television. I can only fathom that this is because she is the lead role on the show and not supposed to be the supportive best friend or to make the other actresses "look good by comparison".
For years,the larger woman has been dressed to downplay her size, in many cases badly (i.e. Delta Burke on "Designing Women" until somebody FINALLY got a clue!) or is not dressed well, and is put is some clumsily put together outfit that sort of fits. Frequently, large women are put in muumuus, tent dresses,are seen without makeup and are not seen in a flattering light. Large men seem to fare a little better, usually getting a "hot wife" or something like that, but are typically shown in sports jerseys and Hawaiian shirts,as these have a tendency to run larger.
Why does it have to be this way? Because Hollywood says so. Because Madison Ave. says so. Because society says so. Because we allow it to be so. We allow stores and catalogs that are supposed to cater to us, to deny us what is rightfully ours. Nice clothes at affordable prices that fit and look decent. We allow catalogs that cater to larger sizes to use models that are NOT truly our size. We allow these companies to tell us that our sizes don't sell, but they can't keep them in stock when they do carry them.
We allow this because we buy our clothes from them. We read into the images we are spoon fed every day. We buy into the idea that young and thin is the only way to look. It's not. I am not, nor will I ever say that there are not down sides to being larger, health and otherwise, although I will argue LOUDLY that just because you are large automatically makes you unhealthy. I will grant you that joints can and will hurt. Going up and down stairs is hard. Sitting in public can be hard at restaurants and libraries. Yes, walking is hard at times, but being a large size is NOT the absolute bug-a-boo they make it out to be. It does NOT make us worthless, stupid, pitiable creatures.
We allow that to happen when we buy into the images, the lack of clothes, the looks in public (real and imagined), the lack of courtesy, the bullying we have gone through to still control us every day. WE allow that and WE need to stop.
I will see the movie when in comes out on DVD (I'll get it for free from the library)and perhaps there is a truly good reason for McCarthy to be dressed as badly as she is, perhaps.
That is a good question. She was also decently dressed on "Gilmore Girls" as Suki, but in "Bridesmaids" she played a not so great character with questionable fashion sense compared to her role on television. I can only fathom that this is because she is the lead role on the show and not supposed to be the supportive best friend or to make the other actresses "look good by comparison".
For years,the larger woman has been dressed to downplay her size, in many cases badly (i.e. Delta Burke on "Designing Women" until somebody FINALLY got a clue!) or is not dressed well, and is put is some clumsily put together outfit that sort of fits. Frequently, large women are put in muumuus, tent dresses,are seen without makeup and are not seen in a flattering light. Large men seem to fare a little better, usually getting a "hot wife" or something like that, but are typically shown in sports jerseys and Hawaiian shirts,as these have a tendency to run larger.
Why does it have to be this way? Because Hollywood says so. Because Madison Ave. says so. Because society says so. Because we allow it to be so. We allow stores and catalogs that are supposed to cater to us, to deny us what is rightfully ours. Nice clothes at affordable prices that fit and look decent. We allow catalogs that cater to larger sizes to use models that are NOT truly our size. We allow these companies to tell us that our sizes don't sell, but they can't keep them in stock when they do carry them.
We allow this because we buy our clothes from them. We read into the images we are spoon fed every day. We buy into the idea that young and thin is the only way to look. It's not. I am not, nor will I ever say that there are not down sides to being larger, health and otherwise, although I will argue LOUDLY that just because you are large automatically makes you unhealthy. I will grant you that joints can and will hurt. Going up and down stairs is hard. Sitting in public can be hard at restaurants and libraries. Yes, walking is hard at times, but being a large size is NOT the absolute bug-a-boo they make it out to be. It does NOT make us worthless, stupid, pitiable creatures.
We allow that to happen when we buy into the images, the lack of clothes, the looks in public (real and imagined), the lack of courtesy, the bullying we have gone through to still control us every day. WE allow that and WE need to stop.
I will see the movie when in comes out on DVD (I'll get it for free from the library)and perhaps there is a truly good reason for McCarthy to be dressed as badly as she is, perhaps.
Still, it is a good question.
Why?