As you know I do like the Kardashians and I looked at their photo shoot for their new clothing line with interest, especially as the photos were taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz. However, I was startled to see this pose of all three sisters all looking the exact same height.
This photo has totally been airbrushed. Khloe is 5 foot 9 where as Kim is 5 foot 2 and Kourtney just 5 foot. I think it’s sad that someone felt it needed to be photoshopped to make them all an identical height. I like the fact Khloe is different, she stands out and should be proud to be tall.
Air brushing just sends out a completely wrong message about body image. We all see these photos in magazines and even pretty celebs or models are air brushed into an unattainable person – smooth skin, a tiny waist and absolutely no flaws. We should celebrate how different people are not trying to make everyone look the same.
It makes me laugh when I see adverts for mascara on TV. Every advert has small print below it – lash inserts used and lashes enhanced in post production. I want to see what the mascara will actually make my lashes look like not see a fake advert as it make me less likely to buy the product!
I wish there wasn’t a fixation with airbrushing or Photoshop and we could see people how they really are and accept them for that. We should be proud of how we look!
What do you think about airbrushing?
Vix
leashieloo
/ September 8, 2011Airbrushing annoys the hell out of me. At this point, we KNOW that everything is ridiculously fake. Why bother pretending otherwise??
LittleMissVix
/ September 8, 2011Exactly, we want to see all the warts!
Maggie
/ September 8, 2011I think it’s ridiculous. It’s dangerous for little girls who look at those ads and strive for that kind of perfection that doesn’t exist. We should teach acceptance of all different body types. Healthy people come in all shapes and sizes.
LittleMissVix
/ September 8, 2011Well said Maggie!
SuziCate
/ September 8, 2011Airbrushing is fake and misleading…I don’t think companies selling products should be able to do it even if there is a disclaimer attached.
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011I agree they should be stopped!
Julia (AKA Jules)
/ September 8, 2011urgh, I hate photos being airbrushed. Everyone gets cellulite – even moi – and if we left piccys alone (like in the old days) then girls these days would be more accepting of their shape!
it makes me think, the pussycat dolls in this pic can’t be THAT skinny!!! – http://www.flickr.com/photos/25574262@N06/2647794540/
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011Well said! God that photo is sooo fake!
countingducks
/ September 8, 2011Good post. Airbrushers should all be dragged outside and sprayed with mud Ok that might be a bit extreme but I don’t like it
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011Haha I like your style
lovelylici1986
/ September 8, 2011I understand a little blemish removal here and there, but I’m not down for the complete switch from a photograph to a painting. One of the worst things, to me, is when freckles are covered. I think freckles are the cutest, and shouldn’t be airbrushed.
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011Yeah I admit I’d prob like blemishs to go but they literally change a whole appearance!
Surrey gal
/ September 8, 2011Airbrushing is everywhere. I don’t even know how magazines survived without it. It’s ridiculous, we all know it, we all know this is happening, yet, we still try to look like this and we get frustrated if we don’t. It’s even worse – and damaging – for young girls.
I think they should introduce a year without photoshop and see where it goes. If people like it, if models like it, how things change after that….
I personally would rather see how mascara REALLY works before I buy it instead of seeing some fake lashes….
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011It’s really damaging especially becuase it’s not attainable for anyone! No-one’s perfect after all. I’d like to see that to but it won’t happen!
Mindy@FindingSilverLinings
/ September 8, 2011I hate when makeup or hair companies airbrush. They are advertising a product and aren’t even using it! Grrr
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011I know, how to we know what to buy!
We're Jumpin'
/ September 8, 2011I agree with everyone really. I think everything should be “natural” yeah have some blemish covers every once in awhile, but let the persons beauty shine through for who they are. Not who Photoshop helps make them.
Thanks for posting Vix.
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011Good summary!
Melissa's Meanderings
/ September 8, 2011It’s so misleading…one can’t buy anything without knowing that half the advertizing is fake and that it will be nothing like promised at home! So why bother! And don’t get me started in on pressure to look like all of those airbrushed models and celebs…
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011I’m glad I’m not the only one ready to rant about this!
Nina
/ September 8, 2011I actually think it’s sad how much the Kardashians use make-up and photoshopping in a lot of their things. They’re all really pretty naturally, yet it’s clear that they get insecure whenever I watch the show. It seems Kim doesn’t even sleep without a full face of make-up.
I’m okay with slight airbrushing just to make a photo clearer to to remove something glaringly obvious maybe but I hate when pictures render the person posing in them unrecognizable. It actually just takes away from the real beauty many of these celebrities already have and makes them look like mannequins.
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011I have to say I also wear make-up but not to bed and I agree they should play more to their natural strenghs.
Jess Witkins
/ September 8, 2011I actually did a whole project on this in college with a friend. We made a presentation that depicted the ads of cosmetics over the time period between the world wars to present day. See, when women entered the workplace, beauty lines didn’t want to lose funds, so the catchphrase “a red-blooded, red-lipped” woman became the pride of America. To this day, when economic times are bad, cosmetic sales don’t suffer much, cause women want to have that put together look. I even wrote a spoken word about this topic and later performed it again with my school’s diversity education group. Oddly enough, in my job, I manage a cosmetics department now. No no, I haven’t lost my feminist self. Not at all! I think a woman should be allowed to choose what she likes/doesn’t like including in her makeup. But you’re right about the advertising being an impossible ideal to live up to. I’m not a fan of airbrushing.
For the negative hype over cosmetics, I’ve seen it and experienced it make women more confident in their own skin when they suffer from acne, or hair loss, or dark spots, or uneven skintone. Sometimes, cosmetics can be the thing that makes them feel good about themselves. When they think they have to have the latest mascara or must use a million serums, I can see why it gets out of hand.
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011I agree, it’s about choice and I wear make up most days but I think air brushing takes that to a whole other level, it’s so unnatural and they don’t just remove blemishs, they change body shapes and that’s dangerous!
nrhatch
/ September 9, 2011Airbrushing is wrong:
http://nrhatch.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/137-steps-to-flawless-perfection/
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011Amen!
Tien
/ September 9, 2011I agree with you Vix. I saw a write up on Yahoo condemning the Kardashian new pics too. Like you, I feel airbrushing brainwashed the public, especially ladies that you have to look a certain way to be considered beautiful. Which is totally untrue! Each individual is different and can be beautiful in tjeir own special way.
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011You’re right, everyone is unique but we don’t see that in these photos!
I'M MAKING "FETCH", HAPPEN
/ September 9, 2011You hit the nail on the head. Great spotting on that photo! The airbrushing in particular is getting out of hand. I think we’r aware of it, but teenagers feel pressure to look like covers. My sisters are 15 and went to the gym whilst I was in England for the Summer to “work out”. That stopped when I got home. Ridiculous.
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011Thanks! 15 and in the gym – hmmm, exercise is good but for fun at that age and to be healthy not to be thin.
lbdiamond
/ September 9, 2011Yeah, this is so frustrating. The sad part is people believe the photos are accurate representations of impossible ideals.
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011It is sad and dangerous!
xjustanotherteenblogger
/ September 9, 2011I really don’t like airbrushing, it creates fake expectations. I once worked on a magazine at a school and people were putting “touch ups” on photos that were just going to be seen by people at school. All the photoshop and airbrushing is creating an image that no one can live up to, not even the people that are in the photo. The younger girls that see the photos are impressionable and strive to achieve the image that in reality doesn’t exist. Instead of showing airbrushed people there should be more magazines that have unedited photos that show natural beauty and teach people to be confident with themselves.
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011That’s scary that it was happening at your school!
xjustanotherteenblogger
/ September 9, 2011I know! They were just getting rid of a couple of pimples and not doing anything else, but still. It’s not that far away from completely changing everything I guess. I don’t know why teenagers use it. If you’re not ‘happy’ with how you look then why take photos? It’s kind of like those girls that take photos of themselves on facebook and then say “Eww I’m so ugly.” Of course people notice that and then say “No you’re not, you’re gorgeous” and all that amazing stuff. Photoshop and all that editing jazz could be reassurance for some people that they are pretty and it’s the same for people that post attention-seeking comments. Sometimes people just need reassurance and maybe [in a really messed up way] editing photos through photoshop is their way of reassuring themselves but personally, that would just make me downright depressed. I don’t know, I just got back from a party [relatively early I have to add] but I’m still tired. So sorry for the long rambling comment and everything, my brain turns to mush at this time of night haha
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011I know what you mean, I hate most of my pics on Facebook but at least they’re natural!
Rach @ This Italian Family
/ September 9, 2011Yeah, I’m not a fan of air brushing. Just imagine what the girl who has been air brushed must feel when she looks at a photo of herself and realizes that she isn’t looking at an authentic photo of herself. Someone looked at her and said she wasn’t good enough as she was. That she needed to be better in some way. Thinner with flawless skin. That scar she earned as a 7 year old is suddenly missing. The freckles she inherited from her dad are glossed over. And on and on…
LittleMissVix
/ September 9, 2011You’re right. Actually there was an Ugly Betty episode about that, I must revisit
Tipsy Lucy
/ September 11, 2011That’s pretty crazy. I, too, like to see Khloe standing tall above her diminutive sisters. I also don’t like whittled waists and thighs. Show the real deal.
LittleMissVix
/ September 11, 2011Definitely, it’s silly because we all know she’s taller they can’t hide that !