A little light fashion distraction
Lots of criticism for Gloria Estefan (who’s 54—now, when did that happen, I ask you?) in attempting this dress by Stella McCartney (Paul’s daughter, by the way):
The dress is designed to emphasize the curves of hourglass figures, and the article points out that it was recently worn more successfully by the twenty-years younger Kate Winslet:
I think it’s an ugly dress, although I once owned and wore a more refined version of the same thing (less tight, less clingy material, a few buttons for decoration) at my sixteenth birthday party. But here, even Winslet looks like she’s got a wet-suit without legs on.
Estefan is at a disadvantage not just because of her age and lack of the extreme body perfection that now seems to be required of all stars or has-been stars or would-be stars of the female persuasion. She’s at an additional disadvantage because she’s photographed in more harsh natural sunlight that sheds all sorts of unfortunate shadows on her, and because, unlike Winslet, she’s in the act of walking rather than posing. Some of this is merely a matter of poor posture. So, note to self and all other women out there except the rail-thin: if you’re going to wear a skin-tight sheath dress made of white neoprene—and I would heartily suggest that you think twice before you do so—then you better remember to stand up extra-straight and suck in that gut good and tight.
[Hat tip: Ann Althouse.]
They should call it the Photoshop Dress. I thought they’d both been ‘shopped until I took another look.
I guess black really is slimming.
Poor GE, didn’t anyone tell her shouldn’t wear that dress? And did she look in the mirror and say “gee, I really look good in this”. OTOH, Winslet knocks it out of the park for looking trim and fit, but still the dress is ugly. And yes, black would have been so much better.
Estefan broke her back a few years ago in a bus accident. Perhaps that affects her ability to maintain the body of a 35 year old. For a 54 year old who doesn’t spend half her paycheck under the knife of a body surgeon, I’d say she’s doing pretty good.
“[Estefan’s] at an additional disadvantage because she’s photographed in more harsh natural sunlight that sheds all sorts of unfortunate shadows on her, and because, unlike Winslet, she’s in the act of walking rather than posing. ”
Not only that, but the dark pant leg of the man standing behind her obscures the pattern on the dress from her midriff to mid-thigh and unintentionally makes her look awkward and overweight.
This is my first season not taking pictures on runway at fashion week. 🙁
post oppression fashion is sooo…
how can i say it.. asexually sexual?
Sex as false window dressing, an accessory.
Like an attractive perfume for attention, devoid of any sex at the other end or the scent a flower.
With one bright light that outshines all other qualities, which we want to be loved for – in a race to a very un-stylish, fetished, and quite grotesque bottom
if your amazed at what you see in the papers on the red carpet or runway, you should see the stuff that doesnt get to the paper…
Good heavens… that is an ugly dress.
Jeans and a men’s t-shirt would be more flattering.
These pictures say to me, its the packaging that matters, not whats in it.
I like my women not perfect. While the dress doesn’t flatter GE, she’s still my pick.
Tight clothing never looks good with a hang-belly, whether it’s this dress on GE, or one of those supposedly physique-enhancing Under Armour shirts on my redneck (distant) cousin Jim-Bob (who never met a can of beer he wouldn’t drink).
Having said all that, I agree with Deeka. GE may not have an ideal figure any more, but she’s far from hideous, and looks a lot better than many women 10 or 15 years younger than her.
Also, who would you rather get stuck talking to at a banquet or on an airplane? Gloria Estafan not only looks good, I think she would have a lot more to say and be a lot interesting than Kate Winslet. But if its just looks . . .
That dress is hideous. Period. Must have been expensive; what a waste of money.
At some point one has to recognize you don’t wear clothes that highlight every feature you don’t want highlighted. She is an attractive woman who needs to express that attractiveness in a manner more suited by her persona.
Spanx, please!
Yeah, there was a time I could have worn that dress. Since then, I’ve had babies (and grandbabies), lived a life, and stopped sucking my gut in.
What I wear now is for comfort, not for photo ops.