Monday 10 September 2012

Reasons to be beautiful.

Way back in February, my sister sent me the Meadham Kirchhoff for Topshop nail wraps. I didn't want to use them all at once because I thought it would be a bit of a waste, and instead of posting about the way I used each one individually I thought I would do a compilation post! I also tried to picture the nails with the outfits I was wearing when I painted them, or ones that matched the colours I chose. There are actually a lot with the same two dresses, woops! Guess that shows you how lazy my dressing actually is.
The very cute nail wrap packet.
Doll face. The one on the left is Collection 2000 in Button Moon, and the one on the right is Model's Own in Emerald City and Bluebelle. I actually did write a post specifically about the first one, which is here.
Kitten.
Left: NYC in i108A (good name!). Right: Model's Own in Pink Fizz. I wasn't really very good at applying this actually as wraps, so a lot of the time I just cut them out and used them as nail stickers.
Hearts.
Left: Collection 2000 in Button Moon - I used a lot of the same polishes a few times, mainly because I like the colours but also because I don't really have that many. Left: Rimmel in Misty Jade with (very bad!) eyes drawn on with a Model's Own nail art pen.
Teddy bears.
Left: I can't remember the name of this one, but it's by Collection 2000. Right: This is actual craft glitter, and it was the WORST. It was so annoying and scratchy and kept snagging on my tights. And it was an absolute bitch to remove.
Red horse.
Collection 2000 in Button Moon. There were two little horses, I put the other one on my right thumbnail.
Teddy.
Left: Free crappy polish from when I had my nails done when I was around 12. Right: Oil of Olay in Midnight Red. I couldn't be bothered to paint both hands for this one, so I got a few funny looks, but the check out lady in Boots said they were lovely.
Teddy face, the large cropped version of the one above and my second favourite.
Left: the same red polish. Right: Button Moon, Misty Jade, Midnight Red, the lilac one I can't remember the name of.
Vagina, also known as my favourite one! And my favourite nails by far. In my last post I said I was going to address the ~vagina question~, and I am going to now;
Basically, I keep seeing various bloggers* making (what I would call) a fuss over this particular nail wrap. Calling it disgusting; an unnecessary addition to this otherwise cutesy selection of images. Or just asking "why a vagina?!"
These are often the same people who I have seen fawn and rave over Meadham Kirchhoff's Spring/Summer '12 collection - the same one for which this image of a vagina was used as research and inspiration. Now, there's nothing wrong with fawning and raving, with just a cursory glance at my own blog you could see that I do plenty of that myself. But, I personally feel that you cannot love or be truly fanatical about the MK boys and the clothes they design without understanding their motives or reasons for making these clothes. Because it isn't just about pretty pastel clothes and exquisitely made garments. Sometimes, fashion is just pretty clothes - which is perfectly fine, and, of course, there is nothing wrong with that! But Meadham Kirchhoff always go much deeper. And in this case, deeper means clothing with a feminist edge. This collection is about all representations of classic female beauty. Sex symbols, beauty queens, dolls, The Virgin Mary, Hollywood glamour, little girls, etc etc. It is also about taking this apart and examining what beauty is, what it means to be beautiful - and who we are being beautiful for. All of that is encapsulated perfectly in this one image. A pretty, pastel vagina with a crown of natural, black hair. Feminine and also challenging societal ideals of femininity.
If you don't understand why they have chosen to use and celebrate this (frankly, quite beautiful) image of an unwaxed, unshaved vagina, then you don't understand the Riot or Diet slogans, or why they had this image by/of Arvida Bystrom on their wall while making this collection. Or the reason why they so often reference Hole and Courtney Love in their collections - and created an army of Courtneys for their catwalk show. It's that Riot Grrrl spirit; that powerful, feminist cry to be able to dress exactly how we want, without being defined by it. Meadham Kirchhoff girls can wear pink and be powerful, wear frills and be assertive, dress like a prom queen or a ballerina or a show girl and still be smart and tough and strong. It is about celebrating everything to do with being female and feminine, as well as confronting and deconstructing the impossibly high "ideal" female beauty standards in this society, and yes, sometimes that means hairy vaginas.

(Edit: Yeah, so it turns out all of those links I put in go to the same page, the Rookie editorial of their studio/show taken by Eleanor Hardwick. I can't link to the ones I meant individually, but the numbers are; 4, 3, 6, 4, 34, 29. It's quite easy to scroll along to the right ones, and there are nice explanations from Edward Meadham himself under most of them)


*This is in no way directed at anyone in particular, I'm just voicing my own personal opinions and frustrations. I am also not referring to all bloggers who talk about Meadham Kirchhoff.
Vaginas again! Button Moon & squiggles (wink wink) with the Model's Own pen. I find these hilarious.
*
I am starting to pack and sort things out for uni, which is getting a bit manic! I have lots of kitchen things to wash, pre-registration & financey things to sort out before I go, and I have never seen all of my clothes together at the same time which is quite a daunting prospect. I have two, potentially three, ideas for posts which I will write and queue over the next few weeks or so, I think I'll be a bit too busy/lacking in inspiration to do any for the first month while I'm down there. After that, I'm not really sure what my posting frequency will be, so apologies if it's a little sparse over here for a few weeks!

12 comments:

  1. These are pretty cool, and I'm having the biggest crisis clothes-wise; who knew it was so hard to work out what items go well with others?! x

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  2. *yes* a million times to this post! These were my exact thoughts after coming across SO MANY bloggers complaining about that specific nail wrap. I don't understand how so many people could be offended by their own anatomy! -__- It's ridiculous. The vagina ones were my favorite and are actually the only ones I've worn so far (I'm saving the rest for later, they're too pretty to wear all at once! *o*) I also love all the extra details you added to your mani's! The eyes and squiggles were a nice touch. And that gold glitter looks so cool! <3

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  3. this is just lovely. i so wish i'd gotten those nail wraps now! also, i feel your pain on the craft glitter- been there, done that. the only thing i can suggest is mixing it with a suspension base.

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  4. I totally agree, vaginas rule. That nail sticker rules.

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  5. I love these nail wraps, they're just so cool. Good luck with the uni packing, I need to do it soon!

    Julia x

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  6. I love these, almost brought them in topshop the other day but my nails are short so dont think they'll look any good on me. anyways I have something for you! please read my post http://antoinettevintage.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/versatile-blog-award.html

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  7. I love these nail wraps, they're so cute! I have some from asos with little smiling cupcakes on but haven't used them yet because once I do they'll be gone. I may do what you have done now though and just put them on one nail to make them last. Thanks for the idea :) xx

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  8. Hey Charlotte, I thought i'd spend some time swooning over your blog today, i bought the nail wraps too but have yet to use them, my nails are so chewed that i don't think i could ever wear them, its such a shame they are so beautiful! i love the way you used them well. i think im going to have to keep mine :)

    lots of love

    charlotte

    http://www.charlotteclothier.com

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  9. I love all the different looks you've made from just one set, cute post.

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  10. first time at your blog and it is so darling! i love all of these nail looks.

    lindsey louise

    hellomrrabbit.blogspot.com

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  11. LOVE THIS BLOG SO MUCH. And I totally agree with everything you said about vaginas/feminism/you're a genius just stop it.
    Anyway, alllssooo. I nominated you for this award thingy for people with less than 200 follwers beacuse I actually just love this blog so much and I don't understand why you don't have a gazillion follwers. grr.
    Anyway, here's a post telling you what to do from my blog: http://afidelityforfashion.blogspot.com/2012/09/oh-em-gee.html
    xx
    Maya

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  12. Wow I adore this post what an amazing array of nail designs all of them are so fabulous...vagina included!
    dimplesdiaries
    x

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the wrote and the writ.