Dressing to Succeed?

     So the self-proclaimed "hottest sports reporter in Mexico," Ines Sainz, is back in the news today with the same old news of the New York Jets making her feel uncomfortable with their crude behavior. When I first read about the story on Monday I thought, "Wow what Neanderthals these guys are. Can't a beautiful woman just be left alone and not have to endure catcalls and shameless come-ons?" Well today I read another article that made me think twice about my initial opinion. 

     The New York Post began its coverage of Ines by describing what she wore to work after complaining about Jets players and their locker room antics. "Sexy TV sports reporter Ines Sainz slinked into last night's Jet game in a black minidress with a plunging neckline and matching black stilettos." Really? This is what you wear to report on a football game? I'm all for women being able to wear whatever they want without being subjected to the perverted comments that some men just feel the need to make. But at some point you have to take responsibility for it. You just can't change some men. Some men will always be crude. I just think they refuse to learn any better. It's like something ingrained into their personalities that hopefully evolution will eventually weed out. But until then women like Ines have some responsibility. First of,  before I even get into the irrationality of wearing a sexy outfit to cover a football game just a day after complaining about the players' reactions to your looks, I have to cover the professional aspect of it. So just because Ines isn't working in an office at the moment does all professionalism have to fly out the window? She's a sports reporter (one of industries where women have to fight for respect) so she needs to maintain some professionalism for her job no matter where she is covering a story. So since when does dressing as if you're going to a cocktail party constitute as professional work wear? And even if you forget about dressing professionally, how much sense does it make to wear a mini black dress and stilettos to a football game? 

     As if that wasn't enough, after reading the Post's Andrea Peyser's column  on Ines, my opinion of  "the hottest sports reporter in Mexico" was further cemented. The woman has obviously made a career of her looks and enjoys the attention. She competed in the Miss Universe pageant and posed nude. And according to Peyser, Ines's Myspace page is covered in bikini shots. Hey it's her right to do all that and not be judged. But if she's making it obvious that she's using her looks and her statement on being Mexico's hottest reporter doesn't exactly refute that assumption, and she shows up to cover a game wearing clothes fit for a night out, she can't really turn around and complain about the negative attention she gets while doing her job and then show up the next day for work in an even sexier outfit. As heartless as this might sound, if you don't want the attention don't ask for it. She knew exactly what she was getting herself into. 

I'm sure lots of people will disagree with me but it's just my rambling. And for those women who know when to dress for different occasions, I hope they'll see at least part of my point.

Where's the Beef? America's Next Top Model cycle 15

          This is about a week late but before episode 2 of America's Next Top Model airs this Wednesday I need to rant about a few things. So Tyra decided to step things up a notch and actually try to get the winners to become big name models. Why it took her 15 cycles to come up with this, I don't know. But she's finally realized that the winner of a modeling competition should actually become a model, not a reality T.V. star who ends up in rehab like cycle one winner, Adrienne Curry. So this season's winner gets a spread in Italian Vogue and a contract with IMG, a modeling agency that reps some of the biggest names in the modeling industry. Alas, they do still get the same old contract with Covergirl Cosmetics. Which reminds me, has anyone actually ever seen a Covergirl commercial that features the winning model? You'd think that if they spend so much time drilling lines into that poor girl's head, the commercial could air at least once.
          But getting back to the point here. I find it quite ironic that in the cycle Tyra decides to take ANTM to new heights, there is not one plus size model. Forget the fact that there aren't any plus size models who made it as finalists. There was not one plus size model shown during the auditions process. Did all the plus size models just decide not to audition this cycle? I think not. Instead the majority of the models shown looked as if they'd fall over if you breathe on them. Not that I have anything against girls that are super skinny. A lot of them just can't help it and shouldn't be criticized for it. But I think it's hypocritical of Tyra to proclaim she wants women to embrace their bodies and she wants to bring modeling to the masses. Because as soon as she has the opportunity to feature the winner in a high fashion magazine, not one of the 14 finalists is even close to looking plus sized is among the contestants. So I guess she isn't ready to break the status quo in high fashion. Or maybe she's taking baby steps. Instead of having a plus size contestant she's got a contestant with a plus size chest. 30G! I didn't know they go up that high naturally. But I gotta hand to Esther, the girl with the biggest cup size in ANTM history. She can work it in a sample size dress. So maybe designers can take note of that and start hiring models who are blessed with having more up top.
           One other thing also got under my skin as I was watching the premiere episode. Wannabe model Jordan (the one with the pixie cut blond hair whom everyone thought didn't belong because she might have said she doesn't want to be there) kept going on and on and on about how she won't conform to pop culture and that's why she's auditioning for the show. Huh??? Since when does trying to be a model mean you're not conforming? Maybe if Jordan really doesn't want to conform she can put on a potato sack, gorge on anything she can get her hands on till she reaches 300lbs, stop styling her hair and  stop doing her makeup. And then try to become a model. That's the ultimate way saying fuck it to the world, I don't care about what you think is beautiful, I'm gonna do it my way. Seriously, the whole "oh I'm so different, I don't fit in because I'm so weird and I don't care what everyone things and I'm better than the mindless masses who just follow the trends," mentality is overplayed.Doesn't Lady Gaga brand herself on being different and weird? And can you get any more pop culture than Lady Gaga? Nah, I didn't think so.  Instead of following what she calls pop culture, Jordan is just following another trend set by people who try so hard to be different that they end up looking like everyone else who claims to be so different. So how unique is she really? Word of advice to Jordan; Next time you want to whine about how much you hate pop culture and how you're so different from everyone else, just take a moment to think and zip it. It's really not that cool to keep saying how different you are especially when you're auditioning for a MODELING COMPETITION!!!! The people that are unique and different don't have to say so. They just are.

So even though Tyra is trying take things to the next level this season I'm still expecting (and looking forward to) the catfights, insanity, stupidity that the wannabe models bring each season. Oh and the pictures that somehow manage to make every girl look better than she does in person.