The Perils Of Being A Non-Sample Size Cover Star

 Happy Birthday Marie Claire

This month Marie Claire magazine celebrates it's 25th birthday and to celebrate has chosen Lena Dunham writer and star of "Girls" as their cover star. I firstly had better just admit that I haven't seen Girls yet, It's on my long, long "To Watch" list but I have heard loads of good things about it. 

So I was interested to read the article and learn more about the woman behind the show, unfortunately the article left me feeling rather disappointed. The disappointment didn't lie with Dunham who comes across as incredibly likeable, intelligent and articulate. The disappointment lay with the Marie Claire writer's insistence on focusing on Dunham not meeting the fashion world's ideals of female beauty. 

  Apparently this lady isn't beautiful!

In a 2 page article Dunham's "Ordinary" looks are mentioned 6 times, the writer even goes as far as to describe her as being the "Most ordinary looking woman on television - belly, smudgy nose, bad posture, chunky little legs" and registers their shock when upon meeting Dunham for their interview she is dressed in "A flowery summer dress and edgy black boots, a fashionable young woman with  chic haircut, warm brown eyes, a welcoming smile and an adorable dog on a leash".

Now please correct me if I'm wrong but upon studying these, frankly stunning, photos from the shoot does this woman look fat or ugly? I see a healthy, well proportioned lady with stunning brown eyes and an amazing complexion.

The knife is further twisted when an anecdote from a recent shoot for an un-named American magazine is included in which the stylist had complained that it was hard to dress someone who wasn't sample size. 

 Beware! Non-sample size woman looks amazing!

We can argue about the effect of sample-sized models until the cows come home but when I read an article I want to read a piece about the subject, their work, their life maybe even their views on current affairs or an insight into some future projects (Or in the case of this article the stories behind her amazing tattoos!). Instead the entire article gives the impression that Dunham has been selected as a 'token' cover star and that we will fawn over Marie Claire and exclaim in shock at their dangerous decision to put a normal sized woman on the cover. 

 I want to know about these amazing tattoos!

I don't intend this article to be a rant against Marie Claire, I have read the magazine for years and for the most part really enjoy it. I just feel that for a magazine that (quite rightly) prides itself on hard-hitting journalism and for supporting feminist causes they have let themselves down with this article. Whilst I am in no way an expert in feminist theory, surely the first step to equality is for 'the sisterhood' to support each other and not spend an entire article pointing out alleged flaws in one of us. Diversity should be celebrated along with beauty in all it's different forms.

Love Jen

XxxxX