Three minutes (or a week) of real beauty

I love that this week is Fat Talk Free Week, an international campaign to bring activism and awareness to the damage the skinny ideal has on all of us, and particularly on women. I think it's more than good, it is critical, to set aside the fat-assery and self-deprication and be a part of a bigger cause to help girls and women live freer, richer, more authentic lives.

The interwoven issues of body image, eating disorders and the media representation of women have been at the center of academic, professional and personal lives for as long as I can remember. Still, I do not dare calculate the minutes, hours, painstaking time periods I've spent worrying about my size, stretch marks, and tiny details of my body. Nearly every woman I have ever roomed with had an active eating disorder. Almost every woman I have ever known has struggled with negative body image. Most of the parents I know worry about how they will raise their daughters and sons to be impervious -- or victorious -- in the ongoing challenges of being healthy and feeling good without anxiety, abuse, addiction, misperception, depression, and self-hatred. It's hard. What could we do if we harnessed all the energy that goes into pursuing unattainable and ridiculous ideals? I suppose that, with luck and commitment, this week we shall see.

I'm going to be a part of this campaign. And I am going to start by posting this video (via Guy Kawasaki -- thank you) of 500 years of portraits of women in less than three minutes. It is haunting and beautiful. It made me want to cry. And paint. And tell my grrrlfriends how beautiful they are. What I see here is mostly in the eyes, and I loved that. I loved focusing in right there.

In the interest of fueling creativity, passion, empowerment, a few minutes of some true beauty, please watch.

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It's always good to know where you stand

Oh, Google searches. They're like that one grrrl in middle school you hung around with all the time even though she would call and bait you into talking shit about some other grrrl in your class while they were silently listening in on the line.

The one your mother didn't approve of, and you understood why but fought back anyway. The one who swore she wouldn't really kiss that boy with the feathered hair you liked so much during Seven Maybe Two Minutes In Heaven but then bragged to the whole class that she did anyway.

The one who taught you important things -- like which pages in Forever to flip to first and how to crimp your hair -- but then didn't invite you to her totally major end-of-year boy-grrrl pool party at the JCC.

Google is the new her. You love it, you feel you need it, you make it 16 friendship pins to put on it's Tretorn laces, and then it does incessant little things that make you think maybe, just maybe, you are being totally suckered.

Google doesn't steal the feathered-hair boy away from your clutches or announce to the 7th grade you got your period. Google just sends wackadoodle people to the front door of your blog by way of crazy searches. 

Searches that make you wonder where the hell you stand in the universe, or at the very least, the interwebs: "the dirt in corvallis"  (A far cry from my favorite and more popular searches for "britney's vajayjay" and "large black lady" -- I'm not kidding -- but somehow, this is a strangely compelling way to find me.)

Searches that make you feel like you are doing clock algebra when really it is just some PSAT prep question about trains that requires a simple formula but is dressed in a fucked up essay format: "dream" "mean"  (Huh? And how did something about a warrior's whiskey prayers arrive at the station before me?)

Searches that might make you hate your out of control body now but relish it years later: "just boobs" (75th? Really? Have you seen this rack? I mean...What's it take for a lady to move up in the ranks? And also to get away from the results above and below?)

Searches that make you wonder if you have actually died and gone to hell or if you are just eternally in grammar school: "lightning mcqueen underwear small for my age 14 years old" (I can't even bring myself to think too much about this one, let alone the fact that my blog comes up FOURTH for this search.)

Searches that, during the rare moment when the spotlight reflects perfectly off your braces and light up your upward-facing eyes, remind you that you are doing exactly what you set out to: "feminist thing" (Made better by the fact this one was by way of a Google Image Search -- because we all want to know what those "feminist things" really look like. Oh, who am I kidding? This search had me at "feminist".)

Oh, Google searches. I love you. I hate you. I want my bright yellow v-neck Shaker knit sweater back.

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Friday shoegasm: It's raining boots

Last week's shoegasm was all about frivolous ankle boots that you don't need but look so good. This week's is all about practicality. Sort of. If you have to slosh around in crap weather, you might as well have shoes with a splash of color, a little heel, or some detail that brings sunshine to your outfit.

Can I get a hell yeah? First, a note about the boots that disappointed, followed by five of my favorite styley galoshes.

Boo, hiss: I really, really wish that I could recommend all of the tempting rocker rain boots made by Chooka. Sadly, my own killer koi tattoo boots cracked irreparably after only one year. If you're willing to buy boots you may only wear for one season, then check out Chooka. If you're looking for investment rain gear, steer clear. Dammit.

Woo-hoo:

Now wedges, which have all they height and girly-glee of a heel with added stability and comfort of not balancing the ball of your foot, just got a little smarter with these rain boots. Won't you look sassy splashing around in these by Sperry Top-Sider? The graphic cuff fabric and steel eyelet adds a little pizazz to the black boot, which also has cozy microfleece lining. $75 on Piperlime.

Check it! Similar styles and colors are wayyy on sale for $49.99 on Amazon.

Aren't these just a little slice of...well, slouchy sweetness? And they're Vans! So it's kind of like the tennies you decorated in 1989, but for wet weather. And trips to Costco. Maybe a crazy, impromptu playdate. $77 on Shoes.com.

Hunter makes the classic, well-constructed rain boot. And while alternagrrrls and farm grrrls alike can rock them in standard hunter green and preppy yellow. But now that Hunter's offering them in cute colors, like this high-gloss violet and lava and (EEE!) silver, why wouldn't you take your classic boot up a notch? $115 on Piperlime and on Zappos.

If you're need your gear to take you from nasty subway station to happy hour, and if you are still digging the wedge-heeled rain boot, check out these babies by Betseyville. Who knew splishy-splashy could also be sessy? Although Betsey Johnson designs are sometimes a wee bit flashy, even for me, I think these boots are hot. Also good? On sale, kittens. $83.99 on Shoes.com.

OK, so I am a little obsessed with my new leather motorcycle boots but there is just no way I am going to wear them out into the slush and puddles. That's why I also now obsessed with glossy, strappy motorcycle rain boots. Who else would have come up with something something so cheeky than the man with the Cheetoh tan, Michael Kors? $129 on Zappos.

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