A cheeky perspective on fashion

Big-Bottomed Mannequins Boost Profile in New York:
"The recent pop culture fixation on large bottoms has been around since at least 1992, when rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot scored a hit with 'Baby Got Back.'
"But some credit the recent booty shakin' efforts of shapely stars Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce for the fresh emphasis on bigger and rounder posteriors, coupled with the fashion explosion of the Brazilian-style low-rise jeans.
"'J.Lo was the first to stress that women shouldn't be afraid to show their curves, and the popularity of rap made that shape more acceptable,' said Critchfield. 'And it is about these low-riding jeans looking good on a sexy, tight fit.'"

I think the modern origin of this might be traced to the classic rock song "Big Bottom" from the 1970 album Brainhammer and re-released on the soundtrack album This Is Spinal Tap in 1984.

Perhaps, rather than looking for reasons why the popularity of "heroin chic" is declining, we ought to ask how fashion ever got to that point in the first place. From supposed fertility figures found in all sorts of ancient archaeological digs to at least Marilyn Monroe. A woman with hips was the more often the ideal than otherwise. Look at all sorts of film stars, chorus lines in musicals, Miss America contestants and so on all through the 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s - they didn't look like skinny boys in dresses.

I have read speculation that there was a rather misogynist bent to a lot of fashion designers, especially in America in recent decades. Perhaps so. Part of the return to womanly shapes might then be the result of women taking a more leading role as designers (Donna Karan) and as the signature on various store labels (Jaclyn Smith).

Shortly after the film Titanic (which might have been a decent movie if it was at least an hour shorter), I read about some discussion in Hollywood about whether there ought to be more opportunities given to fat women in leading roles. But, they weren't talking about Camryn Mannheim or Rosie O'Donnell, they meant Kate Winslet and Drew Barrymore. Yikes! How perverse to label a woman fat just because she doesn't look like a boy from a block away.

Anything that allows women to be women is good news in my book. Now if we can get the culture to return to appreciate real men with hair on their chests instead of what I call "perfect, hairless boys" we might get this culture back on a more productive track.