10/14/09

smoke and mirrors

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I was thinking today about how smoking is becoming so prevalent in fashion nowadays. In the '70s and '80s smoking was seen as glamorous and chic, then the '90s came along and it was basically shunned for being hazardous to one's health (shocker!). In recent years there has been a resurgence of the presence of cigarettes in fashion editorials. Carine Roitfeld has even commented on this, saying that smoking gives a photo a certain air, a certain je-ne-sais-quoi. If you look at a Vogue Paris spread, the model(s) almost always have a Marlboro hanging out of their mouth. Ironically enough, Carine doesn't smoke and recognizes that it isn't healthy. I don't smoke either but I do agree with Carine in terms of the feel of a photo when there is an impeccably-styled pretty young thing holding a cigarette. Ironically enough in the fashion world, smoking is often associated with a sexy insouciance, even though one is more likely to look like this after years of indulging in the habit. Models are the worst culprits too, as smoking is known to keep you thin but, (shocker again) it won't keep you healthy. Let me know what YOU think about this!


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13 comments:

Janet said...

It's funny that you bring this up because as a non-smoker I have still totally been thinking about doing a photo sesh on my blog with a cig in hand, or mouth, whatever. In pictures it can be really sexy, in real life--not so much...

-Janet at FashionAntics.blogger.com

simonesays said...

While there are some lovely photos out there with cigarettes, I would never smoke. Some photos are just beautiful, and it adds that sexiness you might need, but funnily enough, when I see someone smoking in real life, it just turns me off...

"coy" colleen said...

this is such an interesting topic of debate. while i condone smoking (even if i do it when i'm drunk, ha!) i still find it so appealing in ads. I think it's just another power the media has over us, unfortunately.

(always)alanna said...

-first of all your blog is amazing
-second of all- i totally agree with the allure
-and third of all, carine is absolutely amazing and this picture is stunning
xx

Rebecca Jane said...

It can add a bit of something to a photo? But something so unhealthy is not REALLY that stylish.

Barbro Andersen said...

I agree with you and Roitfeld. As the smoker I am, I find it very appealing in fashion editorials or pictures in general (movies too). It's very unhealthy, but sexy as hell - simple as that :)

Though, I must say - I look freakin' weird when I'm including smoke into my own pictures. Guess I need to look at some oldies from the '70 <3

Ash Fox said...

it's getting overused now. i used to smoke and thought it looked cool in photos, but now it's becoming a bit cliche. there is no need for it in these beautiful high fashion photos. i think if the stylist, photographer and model can't make it cool than is a mere cig going to it?

you bring up a great topic for discussion.

x

www.tittees.blogspot.com

Style Search said...

agree with you all girls, smoking brings kind of chic to pics, but still it is bad habit!

XX

EIGHT LONDON said...

It's shots of girls like her which make baby fashionistas take up smoking! She looks fantastic, with or without cig.

As an ex-smoker who is still partial to the odd cancer stick once a month or so, I agree with Carine...a cigarette adds an artistic edge, gives a glossy photo grit, or just occupies the hands...it's up to you to interpret that as a call to take up smoking or just to see it as a prop.

Fab blog, by the way!

Cristi Silva said...

I smoke, and I don't think that cig's really do much for photos. I saw a post of and editorial and the girl had a cigg. in her mouth, hand the entire time.looked weird.

It was cool in the old 60's photos maybee. but I don't know about now.

I have pictures of me smoking but that is because I was smoking and multi tasking taking photos in the morning super quick so i could edit and post them before I had to got to work. I try to hide the cig most of the time.

If I really think about it I do not like seeing cig's in photos.

I WISH I COULD QUIT...I WILL SOMEDAY...IT IS SCARRY HOW HARD IT IS TO NOT SMOKE AND I REALLY WISH I NEVER STARTED.... those are my thoughts on that.

Annie said...

while yes, it makes the pictures look better, I completely agree, it should be not allowed - its the reason many, many girls like my self (14) will start smoking and its not right to let that happen for a good picture.

FASHION SNAG said...

i don't like cigs in photos that much at all, but you can't change people or fashion =)

www.FashionSnag.com

Masato said...

I don't smoke but I'm photgrapher and I'm really agree with the opinion that cigarettes give an special atmosphere to the photos, I think is because the actitud you get when you have a cigarette, you body and expression change.