Two Fashion Model Trends We've Seen Enough Of

There are certain tried and true strategies for selling a garment in the fashion industry: a sleek thin body, a pretty model, the right accessories, photographer, and set design to compliment the clothing, and a proper layout spread with plentiful advertising. To all of these, I say, fine, good. Our culture, after all, is fed by advertising; and a clothing spread in a fashion mag is little more than an advertisement.

Where I draw the line, and find myself put off, is with the stylized model trends:

90s Heroin Chic

Yes, it's still here; in a more subtle Millennium appropriate disguise; but here nonetheless. I really thought this god awful trend had finally run its course, but there in my 11^th Anniversary Special April 2010 Issue of Nylon was the 90s staring me back in the face; albeit a slightly more cleaned up version of its founding Heroin Chic counterpart. But come on, it's 2010. Can't we move beyond the grey circles under the eyes, greasy hair, and listless stare? Looking like you haven't slept in 5 days shouldn't sell clothes, and if it does, just what is it we're buying? Are we buying a state of mind, or even perhaps a collective physical persona? These distracting and off-putting stylized looks don't accentuate the clothes the models are wearing; they take the reader's attention off of the clothing.

Please take back the women who look like they're 2 steps away from a rehab clinic or a homeless shelter and give us back our glam!

The Slouch

This trend was cute and interesting when it first appeared in Vogue, but now years later, every model under the sun it seems, is trying to bend her vertebrae into submission. It simply isn't cute when this look is way over exaggerated. Just take a look at page 108 of the April issue of Nylon Magazine; I can't focus on the clothing because I just want to jump into the picture, yank her shoulders up, and say stand up straight, close your mouth and cheer up!

I don't know about you, but a picture of a very unhappy girl in the very clothing I'm supposed to be lured into buying, doesn't make me want to spend money. Quite frankly, an ad like that makes me wonder if it's the clothes that are making her so grumpy.

Ah well, perhaps these two trends will eventually fade away entirely. Hopefully then we can get back to some real glamour.