Yawn. Li-lo gets her sex/smoke on.

Lindsay Lohan has posed for an "arty" photo shoot.

Seriously, this is not arty. This is not scandalous. This is not something we haven’t seen before. Hell, haven’t we all seen the upskirters of this girl? No point getting in a flap over a nude boob and a cigarette. She’s gotta pay the bills somehow!

Body Beautiful

Did you know that, in the fashion industry, if you are bigger than a US size 6 (so an Aussie size 10) you are considered to be "plus-size"? Even being a US size 6 can see you left out of designer gear. 

Since I blogged about British Vogue's Alexandra Shulman way back in June, the UK has been awash with real-woman hype.

Glamour magazine published this picture of 20-year-old model Lizzie Miller in its September 09 issue and were flooded with encouraging responses from excited readers.

  (Image from The Age)

Since this, Glamour have committed to showing more diversity across their pages. Four plus-size models, and the magazine's editor in chief Cindy Leive spoke to Ellen a few days ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2I8dSHURSk

It's not all been roses though. Obviously many fashion alumni don't appreciate their domain being overrun by women who are built bigger than an Olsen. But as the screen grab above from Ellen shows, these models aren't exactly flying the flag for obesity with their Aussie size 12-14 frames. The fashion industry has always supported rail-thin models, and this has provided a great opportunity for the love of fashion and beauty to be shared across all healthy women.

Designer Mark Fast followed suit at London Fashion Week during September by throwing a few size 12-14 girls in his model mix, which certainly ruffled a few feathers. After watching The September Issue though, I'm pretty sure we won't see Anna the Great doing such a ghastly thing in US Vogue. The horror!

It's not about being skinny, it's not about being huge. It's about healthy bodies - not just healthy body image, but healthy, strong, fit bodies. It's about sharing the opportunity to love fashion and clothes and beauty with more than just a tiny tiny percentage of people.

 

Rule #268

Just because you've got a rockin' bod...

...doesn't mean you should wear transparent clothing. I do however dig what's going on above the shoulders: Lily, the electric-blue eyes and the hairdo are smokin'.

Buonanno's a fool, Burqini's rule

It is, perhaps, not surprising that French president Nicholas Sarkozy has slammed the head-to-toe burqa in his country: there seem to be more naked photographs of his wife on the internet than their are clothed ones. But given France is home to the biggest Muslim minority in Europe, one would think the nation's leader would be supportive of the various cultures and traditions held by those within its borders.

Sinking to a new low, a swimming pool in downtown Paris has banned the "burqini": a Muslim-approved women's swimsuit. Pictured here in Australia where they were designed, the outfits are hardly going to "disturb small children, not to mention the problems of hygiene," as was commented by Gianluca Buonanno, the mayor of Varallo Sesia; an Italian town who have followed suit with the burqini bannings.

It gets worse though, he goes on to justify himself by saying

"Imagine a Western woman bathing in a bikini in a Muslim country. The consequences could be decapitation, prison or deportation. We are merely prohibiting the use of the burqini."

How is wearing a glorified wetsuit worrying anyone? And the funny thing is, the outift looks strangely familiar...

To the Muslim women of the world, please feel free to wear your burqinis on beaches and pool decks across Australia: stuff those intolerant European politicians.

Because she's bad, she's bad...

Anyone else think that Paris might be a bad kisser? Things aren't looking too lovely for her boyfriend Doug Reinhardt from this angle!

Ew. Thumbs down to gross PDAs.

Nice... Ahhhh... Shoe?

Get on the train with this fashionable slideshow. Just don't start working shoes into your do... I'm thinking it's one of those things best kept to the catwalk.

The King is Dead

RIP Michael Jackson 1958-2009

You will be terribly missed but remembered forever.

"Ugly" thumbs Fox

With more hottest-chick gongs than there are Victorians with swine flu, (ha! sorry, had to get a flu gag in there somewhere!) it turns out Megan Fox isn't quite all that.

Even though she steams up the big screen as the mega-babe in Transformers, according to the UK's Daily Mail, she has ugly thumbs.




































The article reports that it's a genetic "condition" and that "Megan's thumbs almost look more like toes - although they haven't held her back in her career"

What the hell?

Of course it hasn't held back her career! How often will the dudes that watch her movies be looking at her thumbs???

Bloody ridiculous!

N-n-n-natural face, natural face

The make is gone, as is the glittering spandex, and here we can finally see, GaGa au naturale.






































I've wondered this before but now I think we can all see why photos of the dressed-down Ms GaGa are few and far between.

You know how there's some people that look completely different without make-up? That's definitely GaGa's situation...

And alas, even in her down-time, she still doesn't wear pants.

Rein, Rein; You're here to stay

I don't understand the kerfuffle surrounding Mrs K-Rudd.

In case you missed it, Kev's wife Therese Rein, a squillionaire in her own right, was snapped by a women's mag doing squats with her trainer in the local gym.

Obviously we're getting into the ins and outs of privacy laws here but, when the once-plump first lady of a country largely populated by over-fed and under-exercised individuals loses 25kgs, it's a secret that I don't think should be kept behind closed doors.

Kev wasn't impressed with the photographs stating "I think most women in Australia would feel that they should have some privacy when they go to the gym... if Woman's Day want to take photos through the window it's a matter for them I suppose. Others will form their judgments of that."

It's a bit of a tough one for everyone concerned - as soon as a mag puts diet and exercise tips on the cover, it's bound to be a successful issue, and really, as the wife of the man with the top job, Therese should not be immune to the tabloids.

I've met Therese. We were both buying not-so-authentic handbags in a massive market in China last year. She's all business and had clammy hands but she was happy to chat to a few exciteable Aussie kids for a few minutes.

And although Kev said she's been in training to climb Mt Kilimanjaro with their son, Nicholas, I'd be in training too if I had to hang out with Mrs O and Ms Bruni!

Ruby's Opposition

I came across this set of images on high fashion website Haute Macabre when I was searching photos of Catherine McNeil's ex-love Freja Beha Erichsen. Sure, she works a leather cut-out corset better than most but, given the chance, I'm sure Ruby would too.

Maybe it's time for a walk-off - Zoolander style!

Super Scandal

One of the Australian media's latest love interests, Ruby Rose just isn't good enough for an (almost super) model.
















Known for her penchant for the ladies (and her uber cool alternative style), Ruby Rose was recently spotted getting into a good ol' pashola with front-cover favourite, Catherine McNeil.

And according to McNeil's "people", this move could be devasting for the 20-year-old model's career.

But interestingly, the predicted damage is not because of McNeil's chick-pashing ways: she used to date Danish runway doll Freja Beha Erichson.

The reason they're concerned is that our Ruby, unlike Freja, is not an international superstar and doesn't hold high fashion credentials.

Well boo to that McNeil people! She's 20! Surely if people like Matt Damon can marry a random waitress, then young up and comers can date whoever they choose (within reason obviously. Let's not forget about Britney + K.Fed here people).

I say good luck to them!

Procrastination #471

Although I wish I was important enough to hire someone else to do my laundry, I'm not. The washing machine in my building requires $1 coins, and as I didn't get to have a slap (on the pokies) this week, I have no gold coins. Why can't they be some kind of swipe card business?

So instead of going to a pub or begging on the street or pestering shop assistants, I have decided to do a round up of online good times until I feel inspired enough to tackle the aforementioned situations in the pursuit of clean clothes.


* Visible toes under stockings still kinda freaks me out. I know it's fashionably ok at the moment but...
* Cute dress that is so so so cheap!

* I wish I was this cool.

* Freaking hell! Here's something not to wear to dinner with the in-laws!

* Why so serious? - Givency's bringin' bowl cuts back...Yeah!

* I love Overheard in New York:

"Childrearing, in a Nutshell"

Four-year-old: I don't like you.
Angry mother: Well, that's fine, I don't like you very much either.
Four-year-old: That's mean.
Angry mother: That's life.

* Awkward Family Photos is seriously the funniest thing I've seen in a long time.

* Marry Me Jo?

Papal scandal and propaganda

In the latest Dan Brown/Ron Howard attempt to:

a) Get kids to study history at school; and

b) Make the Vatican cranky;

Tom Hanks (Robert Langdon) has way better hair and the possibility of a lame love story thankfully goes begging.

Angels and Demons is the prequel to the Golden Globe nominated hit the Da Vinci Code. With more gun-blazin' action and papal scandal than the original, this installment is based on the race against time to save four cardinals from symbolic and gory deaths.

Exciting for Italophiles, the "Ooh I've been there!" factor is through the roof, with Langdon dragging the local cop shop from one end of Italy to the other.

The Vatican did not appreciate this film (nor the original) but, other than a few pokes at the papal propaganda machine and the rigidity of the religious structure, Angels and Demons offers insight into personal faith, the growing relationship between religion and science and a good look inside one of the most incredible basillicas ever made - St. Peters.

Scot Ewan McGregor was an interesting choice as the Pope's offsider (Camerlengo Patrick McKenna) but if you aren't a die-hard fan of the novel, he suits the role written for him in the film.

And hands down to the writers for ensuring Ayelet Zurer's Dr Vittoria Vetra was not dumbed down a single inch. It's always great to see a strong leading lady that doesn't have her boobs out at every turn.

A spoon full of sugar

Is Suri Cruise the cutest child ever?

That's a question that is easily answered with a resounding HELL YES!

Saturation Point

Like everyone else from Perth to Wellington, I have too an opinion on the Matthew Johns NZ saga.

But as much I could write an enormous post about it all, I'm not going to: I know everyone's sick to death of hearing about it.

That said, here is my position, in hyper-speed:

• If you believe Matty (and I do) the young woman seems to be as much to blame as anyone else in the room that night.
• It happened in 2002 people! This interview on ACA frustrated the hell out of me. Ms Grimshaw was looking to blame Johns for every indecent footballer incident ever, simply because he's put himself forward to admit his mistakes.
• I do not condone group sex, and I certainly don't believe sexual assault should happen to anyone but I do believe this young woman was partially responsible for the situation she now finds herself in. Whether she's just looking for cash or whether she's now very traumatised, it certainly doesn't seem like she felt so bad back in that hotel room in 2002.

Now for something hilarious:


"How you doing little fella? I know it's pretty hot out here, but we're nearly done. Yes I know that brunette in the third row is smokin' hot."

Gagalicious?

Although bloggers have been criticising Gaga's boots, I think they're the least of her worries in this shemozzle of an outfit.

Does she just go out for dinner in this stuff? What on earth does she sleep in?

You might hate tall people sitting in front of you at the movies, but imagine if that hat was blocking your view of brawny Hugh's latest effort.

And yes, black lipstick is creeping into winter beauty, but this is giving it a terrible reputation.

Wouldn't it be nice to see her in some kind of normal stuff for a change? Just once?

Boo for Kruger, Eek for Bert!

The TV personalities of today just don't measure up to those of yester-year.

While watching How To Look Younger in Ten Days (HTLYITD) last night, I decided that although I've had absolutely nothing to do with Sonia Kruger in the past, I really don't like her. I hate TV hosts that try to force people into a particular state of emotion, and last night, she was all "But how does that make you feeeeeeeeeeeel?"

Then today to hear about Bert Newton's scare, it really bought it home to me that maybe the great unwashed actually do prefer reality programs hosted by talking mannequins.

Speaking of, have you voted for the SYTYCD finale yet? Go Amy, go!

Not gaga over GaGa

Sorry to kill the current mood of pop culture but...

I really don't like Lady GaGa.

Ever since she was allegedly lip-synching on Channel 7's Sunrise (I saw it live and thought she was...) I thought she was just a little bit too much.

And quite honestly, I think I prefer it when people wear pants in public. Regardless of your hotness factor, just wearing your undies to events is just not cricket.

And no, flesh-coloured stockings don't count.

Then she comes out with quotes like this:

“My grandmother is basically blind, but she can make out the lighter parts, like my skin and hair,” the “Just Dance” star says. “She says, ‘I can see you, because you have no pants on.’ So I’ll continue to wear no pants so that my grandma can see me.”

Now that makes me think she's a bloody idiot.

Sure, she may be creative with her video clips and with her upper body costume design but seriously girl, put some pants on and stop talkin' crap.

Superstar Seedbag

It's not often that I will acknowledge loving the work of someone who I think is a complete and utter seedbag.

But in the case of Terry Richardson, his work rocks.

I mean, I'd hate to be as hot as the Gossip Girl ladies and still be told to stick my thumb in some dude's mouth, but as suss as Richardson is, he really does some cool stuff.

Sure it's often controversial, sexual and regularly features lady (and man) bits but he has had opportunities aplenty to shoot major stars and huge ad campaigns.

Just don't Google Image him when Mum's in the room.