Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Some lovely photos I found
courtesy of www.weheartit.com
I don't want to grow up
maintain your child hood questioning, your inquisitiveness
and always hold on to your spirit, your youth
This is so true,
I think so often we look for the perfect person, instead we should look for our other half
the person who holds on to what we hold dear
and the person who brings out the best person in you
Motion
Be a kid
Nature
get back to it
Glamour
explore
see everything through the eyes of a tourist
even in your own city
you'll see so much more, appreciate so much more
Find the love that you want to kiss anywhere, anytime
appreciate them
don't let them walk out of your life
and if they do,
thats a sad loss
Find your happiness : )
Music Video Analysis
"Stupid Girls" - P!nk
Sex tapes, Chihuahuas, and pink sports cars… are these real life?! The music video “Stupid Girls” provides a very interesting social commentary about the pressure on young girls to conform to certain roles that are set out for them. The narrative revolves around a young girl, who has a paradigm of conflicting voices in her head symbolised by the iconic angel versus the devil. The devil represents the antagonist characters within the music video, to try to convince the young girl she should act like all of the young, Californian, Hollywood starlets. There are allusions to characters like Shakira and Paris Hilton and the images they connote (Hicks). Alternatively, the angel is symbolically dressed in white, carrying connotations of purity and goodness; she aims to convince the girl that she can be a real girl; who eats and plays sports.
The multiple sections within the narrative are viewed via a T.V, which reflects an influential tool of the media. The lyrics are reflected within the multiple sets of images. “Maybe if I act like that, that guy will call me back” is a classic line within the song, reflecting the pressure to look a certain way to get any attention (Hicks). The devil character acts as a metaphor for all the popular culture elements which carry negative impacts, such as plastic surgery, the need to be skinny, drive flash cars, have “Daddy” pay for champagne and dropping names. The images, which accompany these phrases, create an ironic, comical affect, as it is so ridiculous. P!nk gets a bright orange fake tan, walks into a glass door, and runs over multiple people in her car, whilst drinking coffee, talking on the phone, and applying lip gloss at the same time! P!nk gives the young girl alternative role-model characters and aspirations with which she could associate with, such as “what happened to the dreams of a girl president?”, yet sadly, “she’s dancing in a video next to Fiddy Cent”, showing just how little respect and expectations there are for women.
Furthermore, P!nk distinguishes herself apart from these girls, singing “They travel in packs of two or three”, whereas, she says “I’m so glad that I’ll never fit in”. Sadly, she continues that her kind of girl is an “outcast”, demonstrating that popular culture and modern day society all push the images these young, dumb, robot-like girls uphold. There is one particular image within the music video where P!nk is on a date with someone and a “stupid” girl catches his attention. A sign is used and its meaning demonstrated and P!nk wins back her man. She pulls an inflation tag to make her chest bigger, this is the signifier, and the signified is that she gets back the attention of the guy. This is a sign which can be understood by many people in society, especially girls, because within movies, music videos and day-to-day life, its commonly felt that guys will judge females via their bodies before getting to know the real them. The video clip also demonstrates the demeaning image of women within the media these days, as P!nk makes a parody porno, poking fun of the multiple sex-tapes of celebrities which wind up on the web. Overall, P!nks “Stupid Girls” carries strong messages and provides alternative role-models for young girls to follow, like the young girl in the video clip who eventually choses to pick up the rugby ball. I hope that multiple other young girls can be their individual selves as well, and turn down being cloned into another Paris Hilton.
Beth, Alecia P!nk. “Stupis Girls”. 2006. Billy Mann & MachoPhycho.
Hicks, Brad J. “The Infamous Brad”. Pink: Stupid Girls.
This writing, is for my Cultural Studies class blog we need to keep. However, I thought it was interesting, so I shared it here.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
two opposing cultures within the one culture
Here is the blog entry I had to write for my cultural studies course, I think it was very interesting that within our one culture there exists two conflicting view points between what is popular within this culture.
This week I'm blogging about two phenomenons’ within our society these days, which are related, but very polar opposite. I came across a newly released comic book by the director of the film “Supersize Me”. The comic is called, “Supersized: Strange Tales from a Fast Food Culture”. I think its very interesting that these days there seems to be two factions within society, both with counter opposing messages. On the one hand, our culture is filled with the need to be “fast”, for example, food is on the go, you can shop online, order your groceries to be delivered. There is no more living leisurely and enjoying the natural pace of life, in terms of meal preparation and then sitting down and enjoying the meal as a family. These days, on every corner there is a McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut or some other form of food on the go. From my International Global Studies course we learnt that America’s minor assets includes that its culture is a dominant culture across the world, and I would have to agree. However, what I find interesting is that in this age of fast food and “fast” culture in general, there is also the pressing culture stimulated via fashion, magazines for beauty and body perfection. It’s interesting that fashion and magazines are selling the image that perfection comes in the form of a size 0, 6ft figure because it means that its impossible for the average girl to achieve so we keep buying their products and magazines on how to achieve the perfect looks. The media is telling a different story from the fast food marketing, yet the two both live on in this culture of fast living, yet the need to be “perfect” according to the magazines. This has been my focus today within cultural studies, to see how two separate phenomenon’s’ can co-exist within the one culture and dominate over our lives so strongly. How are you meant to know what kind of lifestyle to lead, or for that matter what is a healthy lifestyle? As neither fast food nor the image supplied in the media are what is actually healthy.
The fast food culture
vs.
Strive to be perfect young, which negatively affects so many young girls
Friday, March 18, 2011
Become your inner ballerina
Dance movies are my absolute favourite, from centre stage, dirty dancing, step ups, and now Black Swan.
Black Swan is a strange, twisted story
although a beautiful one
of a girls absolute passion and dedication to ballet she eventually gives herself away to it and looses herself within the role.
Natalie Portman plays the role absolutely amazingly!
However, in terms of fashion
It's quite obvious that films influence fashion, and theres no reason why a ballet movie shouldn't
for example
ballet flats
wearing denim shorts with leggings underneath - very ballerina/model
and skirts with extra layering and volume
Even if you're not a dancer, you can appreciate the absolute grace with which ballerina's and ballerina style carry with it.
Realease your inner dancer, and don that tutu : )
some pictures I found on another blog about ballet which i just love for their grace
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Take me Home!
Home
let me go home
home is where ever I'm with you!
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Home (2009)
Couture with a conscious
Newspaper dress
made from 30 copies of the 'Financial Times'.
Gary Harvey
Couture with a conscious
Gary Harvey’s first collection showcased nine of his stunning dresses at the Estethica exhibition at the London Fashion Week (Feb 07). The collection creates a dramatic display designed to change people’s perception of second-hand clothing and create fashion with a conscience. Gary uses material he finds in places like secondhand clothing stores to avoid waste, he says of good quality second hand clothing, people "wear it one or two times then discard it because it's suddenly deemed aesthetically unimportant and out of date when there's years of life left in the garment." His collection "was a comment about thinking about the real cost of the garment that you buy, about that cost being natural resources, exploitation of labour, the biodegradable nature of garments."
Laundry Bag Dress
made from 21 checked laundry bags, attatched to a basket weave bodice made from the straps of the laundry bags.
Mac Dress
Made from 18 trench coats in various shades attached to a Burberry check corset
Military Dress
Made from 28 olive coloured army coats made into a fishtail cocktail dress
Wedding Dress
Made from 10 wedding dresses stitched together to create a 6m diameter dress
Gary Harvey included the wedding dress in his couture collection because he believes it to be one of the most wasteful dresses ever, worn once and put away or discarded.
The workers who make wedding dresses are often in poor conditions and paid very little in comparison to the reality of the dress' price.
The Man behind the Models
Gary Harvey
Couture with a conscious
Have a green day :)
recycle some old outfit to make something new! :)
it'll be unique and one of a kind!
Monday, March 14, 2011
A prayer for the Japanese
I'm sitting here miles away from the disaster which has just occurred in Japan, in particular the north. I am so saddened to hear about what's happened. The stories rolling in are just terrible, another natural disaster in a matter of weeks since Christchurch earthquake, and the Australian floods. It's definitely a time where people have to pull together, help out, remove themselves from their safe little bubble and step up to help out.
The photos that are out there are so terribly sad, but through the carnage and destruction, you can see people beginning to band together, look after one another, and pull each other up when another just can't go on.
My thoughts are with you all, I'm lighting a candle for you, and hoping that there is something out there to save you all and bring you peace and take to heaven those who didn't make it.
Japanese nuclear power plant explosion
radiation is being leaked out at approximately 1000 times normal/safe levels
A wall thats collapsed
A found photograph
when you see a photo like this of two kids, you can't help but wonder are they okay?
where are they now? Are they still together?
Picking somebody back up to their feet
A rescue worker rescues a little baby girl
you can see the compassion on his face
I really hope her family is safe
A car flipped up
Two boats brought inland through the huge tsunami
one has landed on top of a house which remained standing
Flood waters
beginning to recede now apparently
An Amazing Survival Story, but with a sad ending
2:30am A tale of survival, with a 60-year-old man plucked to safety 14km out to sea.
Hiromitsu Shinkawa, from the city of Minamisoma - a town virtually wiped from the map - was swept out along with his house after the massive tsunami tore into Japan's northeast.
"I ran away after learning that the tsunami was coming,'' Mr Shinkawa told rescuers, according to Jiji Press.
"But I turned back to pick up something at home, when I was washed away. I was rescued while I was hanging to the roof from my house.''
Sadly, Mr Shinkawa's wife was swept away by the tsunami.
For all of Japan
<3
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