| Lily James’s 17 inch waist is the result of a very tight corset an NOT CGI enhanced. |
Marcy and Cynthia are in a heated discussion about Marcy’s idea for her Pet Peeve post.
Marcy: How are you not disturbed that the Cinderella in Disney’s new movie has a 17 inch waist? It’s creepy.
She looks like she’s split in two.
She looks like she can’t breathe.
She looks like she’s irreparably damaging her organs.
And where on earth are her ribs?
Cynthia: I do think it’s creepy. I just don’t want to get into a discussion about an actor’s body. That’s a minefield and I don’t want to go there.
Marcy: But it’s not about the actor’s body. That’s the point. It’s about the costume design and the fact that Disney is irresponsible.
Cynthia: How so?
Marcy: They know that little girls worship these fairy tale princesses and yet they continue to create impossible and bizarre beauty standards for them. It was one thing when these characters were cartoons, but this a real live human being we’re talking about.
It’s mean.
Cynthia: You’re right. It is mean. It also makes you wonder how the costume designer, the director, or any one at the top, didn’t say on set… “this is creepy”.
But still, I’m tired of the whole body image conversation. Barbie and Bratz dolls and skinny models. Ugh.
I’d rather we focus on say… the fact that more women than men are in medical school or the scary discrimination women face in the gaming community. It just seems more relevant than Cinderella’s waistline.
Marcy: Hmpf… you’re the one posting fashion photos of yourself. Now all of a sudden you’re Christiane Amanpour? Hypocrite.
Cynthia: You’re the one who started this seriousness with your whole Pet Peeve posts. I’d much rather focus on the gorgeous gown stepsister Sophie McShera wore to the opening of Cinderella.
Cynthia: Isn’t it so springtime-y and fresh?
Marcy: And just like that you hijack my Marcy’s Pet Peeve Post with a frivolous photo of a fashion plate.
Cynthia: Sorry. But it’s so much more fun!
Marcy (seething): I’m so peeved.
Cynthia: Okay then, here’s a photo of Cinderella actor, Lily James, in a theatre performance in which she’s wearing a corset that’s obviously not whittling away at her waist.
| Actor Lily James emoting and breathing in a corset |
Marcy: That’s so pretty. They should have used this costume instead.
Long pause as she considers this.
Marcy: Now I’m really peeved.
=^..^=
8 Comments
I don't know Marcy. These images are what sell and people want fantasy,they want to escape reality. These little girls are going to figure out sooner or later that they can't be a princess regardless of their body type. Plus being a princess is not all it's cracked up to be. I'm sure they'd rather be a scientist or a run a non-profit anyway.
you're right. it's better to be queen than a princess.
meow,marcy
Marcy, you sound a little catty…is there a rivalry between you and Lily? Is this envy cloaked as concern for the wanna-be princesses when, in fact, you covet her 17 inch waist?
I don't usually like prints but the green dress is beautiful.
i am catty – i'm a cat. my waist is 13 inches so there.
meow,marcy
I'm a Barbie fan and my daughter is a Monster High fan. From early on I informed her about the debates women have had over dolls and reminded her that they are just toys. She understood and thought it silly that someone might want to look like a toy. Also, glamour is about fun and artistry.
On the dolls in skimpy clothing topic, when I first got into Barbie, she wore Mod mini skirts, then got wholesome in prairie looks before moving on to Disco. My Barbie dressed sexy, yet I have always loved Preppy clothes.
I also wanted to mention that if Lily James is in a corset, maybe the costume designer followed the dress customs of the day. If that is the case, I think it makes it more realistic for the time period.
The movie looks dark anyway and may not be for really young kids. I would love to see it though, since we enjoyed Mirror Mirror and Maleficent.
I do love that green dress by the way!
Have a nice evening,
Stacey
Thank you, Stacey! You always have such an interesting and always awesome take on things!
My first Barbie was Olympic Barbie. From 1976 – I think.
Huffpost asked Lily James if the movie were suitable for 6 year olds and she gave a very enthusiastic "Yes"! I believe that they are following in the footsteps of the cartoon from the '50's rather than the Grimm's fairy tale version so I bet you would be safe bringing your daughter to see it.
Now – how can we get that green dress?!!
xo,cynthia
These sorts of things concern me too, but like you said, it's not my business to critique another woman's body. What troubles me is that dolls and animated Disney princesses have these unrealistic body proportions, but here we are with a real women cutting the same unrealistic figure. It's easy to tell our daughters and students that, "It's just a doll, so her body is unrealistic." When it's an actual person, who's beautiful and famous, it's harder to say that we shouldn't aspire to that and that it's unrealistic. In other words, if she's real, how can her body be unrealistic?
I think that body image should be an ongoing conversation with young women and girls, and while Cinderella's look is relevant to that conversation, it's just one facet of a much larger societal expectation of how women should look and how we define beauty. Disney's portrayal of princesses definitely leaves something to be desired, but at the same time, little girls shouldn't be learning about femininity from Disney alone. I don't think they're as popular anymore, but I really loved the American Girl dolls. They had their own stories that centered on their own dreams and adventures.
<3 Liz
http://www.withwonderandwhimsy.com
As always, you put things so eloquently into perspective!
I wish American Girl dolls were around when I was a kid. I think I would have loved them!
Thank you, Liz!!
xo,cynthia