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Amy Adams In Marie Claire, January 2011

Posted By Sarah Conley on Dec 11, 2010 at 10:00AM

I've been a fan of Amy Adams since her first role as Leslie Miller in Drop Dead Gorgeous (if you haven't seen the film, watch it immediately), but the Hollywood star machine got behind her after her lead role in Enchanted. Aside from being a stunning (and natural) redhead, there are plenty of reasons to love Amy including outside of her charming film roles and hard working attitude.

To kick off 2011, Marie Claire chose her for their cover. The accompanying images feature Amy's vibrant red hair, a killer combination of polka dots and smokey eyes, plus a gorgeous olive nail polish (Editor's note: I NEED to know where it comes from). To see the complete images from the issue, click through the gallery below.

Image Source

6 Photos: View as Gallery | View as Slideshow

Filed in: Fashion, celebrities | Tagged with: editorial, Marie Claire, Amy Adams

2 Comments --

Dear Maura Kelly: I Love Myself, Even If You Don't

Posted By Sarah Conley on Oct 27, 2010 at 3:24PM

While out at market appointments and previews yesterday, I saw my Twitter timeline blowing up with comments, outrage and disbelief over Maura Kelly's article on MareClaire.com. After finally reading the piece on my tiny iPhone screen, I was, as to be expected, horrified. Although I didn't appreciate her comments, I also wasn't shocked by them.

Each day, not only am I a plus size woman living and loving New York City, but I am an active part of the fashion and beauty community - an industry that many would effusively claim is the root of our country's body image issues. I'm surrounded by models, celebrities and notables who look impossibly stunning, even on the most stormy nights. Sometimes it feels like I'm in a pressure cooker, combining the industry events with the men on the train who enjoy making comments and slurs (like "fat bitch") at my expense.

I've never been small (and even when I was, I never thought that I was). I was 6' tall by the time I was in the 7th grade. Now, for the purposes of transparency, I'm 6'2", a size 26/28 and by definitions, morbidly obese. I know that I don't fit into my own industry's standard of beauty, but that doesn't stop me from feeling that I am a small, yet valuable, part of changing how we all see ourselves.

Back story: several months ago, I knew that I wanted to begin posting outfit photos because I felt that I had something different to offer (with much prompting from my peers). I wasn't comfortable with how I looked on camera, but I was determined to overcome my own insecurities. I signed up for a DailyBooth account and pushed myself to take photos nearly every day until I liked what I saw. Since then (along with the help of photographers like Lesley and Kimberley), I have transformed the way that I think about how I look.

Sure, there are things about the way I look that I don't like. Can I change them? Some of these things I have control over and are changeable, but others aren't. Does this impact the way that I think about myself? Absolutely not.

It's funny to think that we're all in this together, but we're all in it alone. What I mean is - if we don't start by loving ourselves, then no one is going to love us. If we don't love who we are, what we are and what we stand for as individuals, how can we impact or influence a change in our society that goes beyond fitting into sample sizes or airbushing away a body's natural curve.

You can disagree with what Maura wrote in her article (and should), but talking in circles about how she feels or why she feels that way isn't productive. Everyone has their own opinions and their own experiences - even Marie Claire's Editor-In-Chief supports Maura's piece - and we're all entitled to our own opinions.

Respond to Maura's piece by shouting your own messages of self love and confidence, whether you're a size 2 or 32. We all know that she isn't alone in her opinions, but that doesn't mean that those opinions are right. After all, opinions are like assholes - everyone has one.

Photo by Lesley Forrester

Filed in: On The Plus Side | Tagged with: Marie Claire, confidence, plus size, self love, Maura Kelly

8 Comments --

The September Issue Face Off: 2010 vs 2009 Feature Editorials

Posted By Sarah Conley on Aug 23, 2010 at 10:07AM

Like many of my fellow fashion bloggers, I have a serious addiction to the month of September. Fashion Week (of course!), vampy nail polish & lip colors, plus September fashion all come out to play once the weather begins to whisper towards fall. The magazines are always overflowing with opulence, luxury, and pages upon pages of the best the industry has to offer. Each August, I collect the September issues of magazines like they're prized trading cards, pouring over the pages for inspiration and soaking up every bit of knowledge I can. This season is no different - I raced around the city the instant I learned that the issues were on newsstands to bring the glossy pages home.

Returning home with the (heavy) issues, I realized I still had 2009's issues. Looking at the two side-by-side is fascinating, down to the placement of the same company's ads in front of the feature editorial or the number of pages the cover celebrity was given. In the gallery below, I've scanned the 2010 feature editorial vs the 2009 feature editorial.

Allure:

2010 cover: Kim Kardashian - 2 sex bomb images (what is she promoting again, aside from herself?)

2009 cover: Amanda Seyfried - 4 page editorial, promoting Jennifer's Body & Big Love

Marie Claire:

2010 cover: Mary-Kate Olson - currently working on 2 films for a 2011 release

2009 cover: Ashley Olson - the business brains behind the Olson empire

Glamour:

2010 cover: Jennifer Lopez - attempting to revive her...career

2009 cover: Jessica Simpson - promoting the Jessica Simpson Collection and also attempting to revive her...career

Harper's Bazaar:

2010 cover: Jennifer Aniston - she was available?

2009 cover: Leighton Meester - promoting Gossip Girl and her music career

Vogue:

2010 cover: Halle Berry - her star power is undeniable

2009 cover: Charlize Theron - ditto

Elle:

2010 cover: Julia Roberts - promoting Eat, Pray, Love

2009 cover: Jennifer Aniston - she was available?

The September Issue Face Off: 2010 vs 2009 Feature Editorials

102 Photos: View as Gallery | View as Slideshow

Filed in: Fashion, celebrities, editorial | Tagged with: Vogue, Elle, Charlize Theron, Harper's Bazaar, images, Jennifer Lopez, allure, glamour, Marie Claire, Jessica Simpson, Olson Twins, Amanda Seyfried, Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry, Leighton Meester, kim kardashian, Julia Roberts, mary-kate olson, ashley olson

2 Comments --

Running Away From Running With Heels

Posted By Sarah Conley on Feb 27, 2009 at 9:24AM

As I was watching the premier episode of Running With Heels on Eye4Style, I realized I had far too many things to say about the show, and that I'd rather not keep imming my friends with constant comments. No, dear readers, I was going to put it in a post. You can watch the show along with me (see above) and tell me if you agree with my thoughts. Clearly this post makes me look like I have too much time on my hands (it's called procrastination), but I just felt so opinionated while watching I couldn't help myself.

0:01: This Fancast player is awful.

2:20: Apparently picking up a tiny dog is so much work, you need to ask a cab driver to put your carry-on suitcase in the trunk for you. Pansy.

2:25: "the talent of fashion" ?!?

2:46: If this is your first time in NYC, how did you get your "internship" with Marie Claire? Did they have a nation-wide casting call with a stop in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

2:55: If you don't know anything about fashion and fashion magazines, why the hell are you on my computer screen right now?

3:17: If you haven't seen the apartment yet, where is that window that you're standing in front of?

3:23: Apartment search fail.

4:07: You are so excited? The look on your face says otherwise. Maybe you just realized the other 2 girls are as fake as you, dear.

4:15: Tell us how you really feel!

4:26: Maybe it's because you've already had so much Botox that half of your face is frozen. Just sayin'.

4:33: Who were your friends? Cows?

4:55: Be careful not to step in Chanel's pee in your Tory Burch flats.

5:20: Joanna Coles, fake it till you make it - enjoyable stress? Please.

6:30: Ouch - Is that why Marie Claire is doing so well?

6:40: Super cute shoes!

6:57: I actually believe her when she says she loves what she does. Maybe it's the accent.

7:35: Has this been a problem in the past?

8:00: She's a household name because of Project Runway - not because of her talent.

9:03: Expectation? Sweetie, we've watched you on tv, and you're not always so sweet.

9:11: Could she look less interested? Yes.

9:19: The way Nina is holder her hands, it looks like she is concocting an evil scheme. Yes please!

9:45: Start the suck-up parade.

10:02: End suck-up parade.

10:03: Don't have space to work? Wasn't a lack of work Elle's problem?

10:47: How do you look like a boy in sheer ruffles and a skirt? Oh, you don't. That's just your insecurities talking.

11:05: Now you look like a boy. It's not your clothes, it's the way you are sitting.

11:26: 2 million stories high? Oh wait, that's not the number of floors, that's how fast the circulation numbers are dropping.

11:39: I love how the blonde girl is carrying a Gucci logo bag with a floral print dress. They don't even have remotely the same color scheme, but because it's designer, she carries it like armor.

11:50: Bueller? Bueller?

12:55: Just plain ouch.

13:45: This girl looks like she's going to cry - all the time. Smile honey!

14:52: And we have our first tears. But the girl from 13:45 isn't the first to cry.

15:59: We agree wholeheartedly.

17:19: Naughty nautical? Oh right, MAC did that.

17:30: Thank you Nina. Finally some sense.

18:11: Funny, I don't see any green...

19:48: If you don't want to mess it up, you might try not crying all the time.

20:24: That dress looks remarkably like a bathrobe.

21:04: Can't show anyone what you're capable of doing honey if you can't open the door. Literally.

21:11: Don't further embarrass yourself by asking "How does this work?". It's a DOOR.

21:22: The poor little intern finally makes her way through the door. What a nail biter!

21:51: Perhaps you should have visited NYC before you moved here. It's called research.

22:10: Do cabs just magically stop without waving at them?

24:05: "There's piss on my trenchcoat." Classic.

24:09: Is Michael Kors the sponsor of the show? Or has he brainwashed Nina Garcia so much she's instructed the producers to make sure Michael's name appears once every minute.

24:20: The horror! Attending Fashion Week on Saturday - who ever heard of such a thing?!

25:17: Worried you won't have a moment with them? The models sit in chairs while someone paws at them with a nail polish brush, makeup brush or hair brush. Pretty simple.

25:31: Perhaps someone should have told Chanel's mommy that dogs need to be walked, loved and cared for. Maybe she should have brought her pet rock to NYC instead.

26:44: Chanel's mommy should probably have thought about who was going to be taken care of her precious one while she was away working.

28:18: That face? That one she's making? That's going to cause her to get wrinkles prematurely if she doesn't toughen up.

31:16: The showdown begins! "I wanted to go to Rock & Republic!" "No I wanted to go!" Why don't you both go sit down, shut up and visit style.com?

32:43: And we have our second meltdown.

34:03: Samantha (yes, by now I know their names), can we talk about your hair?

34:32: Either your jealousy is palpable or your bitch-face is obvious. How about both?

35:00: Do I smell another showdown? Samantha certainly does.

35:15: Sweetie, that face looks just like your hair. Please stop.

37:25: I know Joanna, I know. These things seem to make sense...

37:46: Running! In heels!

40:15: Bitchface kind of has a point.

40:27: Perhaps it's that you're perpetuating the myth that people from Wisconsin don't wear shoes?

/end

So here's what I have to say - the show idea is great. Marie Claire busted out of the box by doing a video podcast (Lord knows if that's still in production) which I quite enjoyed, but it wasn't a complete thought. It makes perfect sense for them to bring on Nina Garcia in a "hogging the spotlight" kind of way - See Nina. See Nina Work In Fashion. See Nina Work In Fashion In Front Of Cameras. Get my drift? Maybe it's done the magazine good, but in my opinion Stylista and the Fashionista Diaries were far better produced shows with far smarter cast members. The good thing? I've seen 2 Fashionista Diaries contestants and 1 Stylista contestant physically working during Fashion Week with my own eyes. By casting a girl who has never even been to NYC before on a magazine reality show, Marie Claire makes me sincerely question the "reality" of this show. You couldn't have at least interviewed her during Spring Break?

So, if you like pointless drivel, watch Running With Heels. There's sure to be plenty of drama, tears and catfights - the winning trifecta that we enjoy in all the other fashion-centric reality shows. Just don't expect a lot of reality.