Welcome to the inaugural post of Magazine Monday, a new series I’m launching that I hope will become a permanent feature on Those Graces. Every Monday, I’ll be talking magazines and the crazy s!#t I find in them from cover stories to what’s buried between fashion spreads. I wanted to start this series because every month I find myself shaking my head at some of the things I read in magazines, and I’m sure some of you do, too. Let’s jump in!
The Every Girl
Ah, the charming and slightly quirky hoodie-wearing female celebrity we would all would love to lunch with at our favorite restaurant. We picture her answering her own door when we swing buy to pick her up for an impromptu run to the mall. Like us, she hates wearing makeup everyday and has trouble dating. She is The Every Girl.
Magazines and, presumably their readers, this down-to-earth side of famous women and feature it often, insisting she’s just like you. A survey of 2012 cover stories in both Lucky Magazine and Glamour revealed this theme appeared about 50 percent of the time within the first two paragraphs. Stories highlighted Amanda Seyfried displaying poor posture by slouching in a booth along with shopping alongside Rachel McAdams. More often than not, starlets donned ill-fitting or boxy sweatshirts that would land them on the Worst Dressed List.
Why are we in love with the idea that celebrities can, should or might be normal women? Even if they are normal, and I’m sure many of them are, why should we care? Even better–why does it matter? Is there some comfort we get as readers by knowing our favorite celebrity wears Gap jeans just like us or doesn’t try her hair before she leaves the house?
Every time I read an introduction to a story that includes The Every Girl Trope, I can’t help but to roll my eyes and almost say out loud, “Come on now, you know that black hoodie is at least $500!” These details are glossed over to the point where she can be anyone.
Most famous women are worked their entire lives to get where they are now. They have teams of publicists working on their “brand,” and yet there’s just something in us as a culture that makes us want to believe that maybe, just maybe Salma Hayek pumps her own gas. Yes, start laughing.
What’s Your Take?
Many of us read magazines every month–does this theme stand out to you? Are celebrities just like you and me? What gives? Share your thoughts!
i don’t like it….i much prefer back in the day when celebs were otherwordly creatures like Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, etc: in other words, they didn’t seem at all like us and they were unreachable, not like these random reality star/celebs who all are a dime a dozen and word vomit their every thought on twitter and whatnot. I liked when there was intrigue and separation, made them actually interesting. Now it’s like whatever
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you know,i used to read so many stories about the ‘real ‘ lives of celebrities…come on they just can’t live like all of us..they just want to be like by us ,the every day girls..
i m sorry but i cant believe it it is not normal and it is OK i d prefer to read their real stories ,how they train so hard to keep fit and skinny how much money they spend etc etc..
kisses very nice post !!
Maybe it’s because I work with performers, but I don’t believe it’s a bad thing to remind us they’re Every Girl.
Some areas of their lives are unattainable for the average woman (Mila Kunis + her $7000 facial come to mind), but I think it helps the average woman to see real examples of how these are just men and women paid astronomical amounts to do a job. If the magazine is presenting someone with a proven record of being a diva as Every Girl, then I feel like it’s bad publicity and journalism on their part. But if Amanda Seyfried does have bad posture in real life, or Gwen Stefani has a kaboodle full of lipstick’s that’s lost their caps….. where’s the harm in reminding us that they’re flawed and human?
If anything– I think reminding readers that they’re Every Girl and continuing to share more of what it takes to do the job (Gwynth Paltrow & her frankness about what it takes to keep her body in shape) will help further break down body image barriers, make celebrity culture less invasive (for them) and less awe-inspiring for the regular girl in the long run.
A very thought-provoking post & series of questions for a Monday, Miss Courtney! (OY. I think I need more dumb tv now
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Hah! Yeah, how’s this for a month post, huh? Next time I will warn you guys on twitter that you may need to have some coffee to wake up first
It’s interesting you bring up Mila’s $7000 pre-Oscar facial, because that reminds me of that link I think you shared once of how much it costs to just BE Jennifer Anniston, and it was well over $200,000 with all the treatments and surgeries (sorry Jen!). So while they may certainly have bad posture and make poor clothing choices, they’re a huge factors that make them celebrities.
I think you raise a good point–like if Mariah Carrey is driving herself around NYC or stopping at a McDonalds, then yeah, that’s just bad on their part to share that, but maybe these not huge-not small actors are actually real women.
Ugh GWYNTH. I have such a grudge against her, though I am glad she is open with how much effort it takes to look like her–how much money, how much time.
All such interesting things to think about! I can’t wait to dig in more.
OMG I have such a grudge against Gwynnie, too!!
It’s weird, because while I want to point out the cost of being Jen or Mila’s facial, I also try to remind myself not to judge them on it: it’s part of their job. It’s part of their job that seems unrealistic to us (and crazy when I think they can probably deduct it all from their taxes), but still part of their jobs. Many of us have to buy uniforms or follow dress codes; when my mother sold jewelry, she had to get acrylic nails and manicures, because it was part of the job. Highlights, trainers, special diets are also all part of their jobs– they have to keep their bodies in supreme shape because it’s the #1 tool of their job (which the regular person may forget or truly not understand). It does take time and money to do it. I’ve been thinking about this recently, because the Saints just gave Drew Brees a $40 million dollar contract–something ridiculous like that. But then I question what the real cost of being an athlete is– what his insurance premiums must be like, how high his life insurance may be, the necessity of weekly doctor’s visits, masseuses, etc., because again– his body is his livelihood.
If anything, I hope that more articles try to bring up and point out this discussion– because regardless of what it is they need to do their jobs, and need may be such a different term from what we need in our regular lives– they’re still people. Some may be humble and normal, some may be crazy (Tom Cruise, anyone?), and the necessities of their job are what seem to separate them so much from us. Maybe if we get more of that in articles, we’ll begin to understand other industries better?
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I’m so glad you said you dislike her because I just cannot help it–I do not like Gwyneth Paltrow!
Your take on the industry is always so fascinating to me because I think you see it a lot differently than most other people I know. I can see your point that it’s part of their job, but I just have trouble believing that the famous women (like uber famous like Aniston or Paltrow) are normal like me. The thing I am most drawn in by is–why does it matter? Why are readers and editors so insistent that they are just like us? I’m excited to explore this question more, and I know our conversation here is just scratching the surface.
Also, on Brees–he’s also a huge money maker for the Saints. They lose him, they lose his fans and the marketing dollars he brings in and the crowd her draws. There’s tradeoffs everywhere. Also football salaries are usually insane!
In the past few years, it seems like the cloak of secrecy about how they look THAT good is coming off. It’s very very rare you see an actress claiming she is naturally skinny. Honey, come on. We all know you’re in the gym four hours a day. And if it’s not that, then it’s probably a coke addiction.
LOL! So very true! I guess it’s the mags attempt at showing that celebrities are so relatable we really can be just like them. I have to admit though, I’ve met a few celebrities and for the most part they weren’t these untouchable people on the highest of pedestals. They were really cool to talk to. But when it comes to what they’re wearing (like the $500 hoodie) we all know that if we had the amount of money we would be rocking one too, but since we don’t, don’t say they are the Every Girl.
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It’s not that I don’t believe that celebrities can be and may be normal women, but it’s just interesting how certain magazines more times than not lead with “SHE’S TOTALLY NORMAL REALLY!” And, it’s even more intriguing to think about why and if readers love this or relate to this. Mostly I’m thinking–why does this matter? I know it’s, for the most part, not true. Or maybe just glossed over.
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