garance-dore-how-low

8 years ago by

My dear readers, time is running short. The season of bikinis, crop tops and too-short shorts is upon us. And along with it comes the crucial question. Can you guess what it is?

How to get killer abs in two weeks?
Nope, not that one. It’s just impossible. If you start today, you might get lucky and have half an ab by the end of August. Just forget it.

How to lose 10 pounds in one week?
Wo wo wo? That’s super dangerous! (You’re just going to have to learn to live with it, hahaha, come on, let’s start a support group cause I’m here with you.)

How to…hmmmmm…download Facetune in three minutes?
Ah, you might be onto something there. Since we’re behind schedule on the whole perfect body thing. What? You don’t know Facetune, the app the stars use everyone uses to get a dream body and baby soft skin? Oh, well now you know.

BUT NO THAT’S NOT THE REAL QUESTION!

Noooope. The crucial question is:

How much skin can you show on social media and still look chic?
Ah, that’s a good one, right?

Because I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but in the past few years, what’s acceptable to show…has changed radically. These days, it’s almost normal to go out half naked (as long as you cover your nipples, of course. Aaaaah, the charms of American hypocrisy. In France, when we want to be naked, we go naked, we’re just that sexy – along with our baguettes!)

And if you’re reading carefully, you will have noticed that this loaded question also contains three other loaded questions, which we will of course examine in detail today.

The first being, obviously, “how much skin?”

Because you can criticize the Kardashians for being half naked (sorry, uh, fully naked actually) on Instagram as much as you like, but it would be pretty mean and condescending to cast the first stone at them. We’ve all had that moment when we thought we looked super hot and wanted to share the good news with the world.

Especially when looking that good took two hours at the gym per day and five fat-freezing sessions (never tried it, can’t say I’m not tempted), minimum.

Unfortunately, for me those moments generally end in an ego-drama as soon as I pull out my phone and reality strikes: who knows why, but in photos, we’re always ten times less hot than the movie that was going on in our head.

Because hey, me too, I’m tempted to show a bit of skin myself sometimes, believe me. Especially now that I’ve gained (by the sweat of my brow) a half-ab thanks to my new religion – Pilates. And people do it so often these days (show their skin) (and Pilates too, actually), it’s almost weird not to. You show photos of yourself at the gym, at the pool, at the beach, in bed…at every occasion. And sometimes there’s no occasion at all (having a reason to show off your half naked self is so 2012).

So that’s where our second loaded question comes into play. Can you still be chic if you’re half naked?

To answer this question, let’s perform an extensive market analysis by taking a look at the “Explore Posts” feed on Instagram…

  • There are the women who pretend someone took a photo of them by surprise when they were naked, in a swimming suit or in lingerie.

And somehow by an act of Holy Spirit they ended up posting the photo. Sometimes, if these ladies have a sense of humor (I’m talking about women, but everything in this post totally applies to men, who are just as vain as we are) they might manage to make a joke justifying their nakedness.

Or, they try to make us believe their nakedness isn’t actually the point of the photo, like *full-body photo in monokini arching your back so hard you might break it, licking a dripping ice cream cone* with the comment “I have a real passion for frozen desserts!”

Darn, IF ONLY I HAD THAT MUCH IMAGINATION, I’d be spending my life half naked on my Instagram feed too!

  • There are the women who pretend they’re making a statement that being naked is a feminist thing.

Ok, ladies, sorry but LOL. No. Our mothers did not fight so we could be naked in “back arched so hard you might break it” position on social media. It’s not cool to do that to them. So let’s just admit it and move on: if the photo is airbrushed, your back is arched, and you’re doing duck face, that’s not feminism, it’s vanity. Or worse, you’re just trying to get more likes. Period.

PS: I mean, for me, since half nakedness isn’t part of my business model, I wouldn’t be surprised if my readers got a little annoyed if I posted a photo of myself in a bra (but I promise you, it’s a breathtaking thing of beauty)(well that’s what I imagine anyway, I haven’t gotten my camera out yet).

PPS: It bothers me that feminism has become a means to justify slutty behavior. I’m not against slutty, there are people who do it very well, but using feminism to justify it – nah. Not chic.

  • There are the women who admit they just wanted to show off their new abs.

And they smile at the camera and own it. There you go. Confess you’re being vain, you’ll be half forgiven. Same thing when you just have an amazing photo of yourself and you want to share it. Well yeah, go ahead, make yourself happy! It’s cute.

And if it’s cute…it’s chic, I say.

Wow, I never thought that paragraph would close on such a cheesy note.

But anyway. Moving on. It’s not like we have all day. My Pilates class awaits.

Our third and final question-in-a-question is…social media.

Why social media?

I’m going to make this one short. I’m pretty tired of talking about social media, but hey, since that’s where we all spend our lives these days (even my mother who fought for women’s rights), my role, if I ever had a role to play, is to tell you that while social media may be nice and fun, it’s kind of full of nonsense about life.

It’s full of nonsense about the freedom to be yourself, nonsense about humor, total nonsense about love, and even more total nonsense about emotions, beauty, and nakedness.

Because nudity is gorgeous, fresh, natural, beautiful. Whether it’s behind the camera or not. And the freedom of being yourself, loving yourself – that’s not something you can cultivate in the eyes of others. It’s between you and yourself, in that very pure and safe place that no one else can access.

A place where there are no likes, but there’s lots of love.

So there you go. On that note, I’m going back to work on my half ab and my self-esteem. And if you catch me red-handed being half-naked at the hottest point of the summer, try to be nice.

Loving yourself is also accepting other people’s vanity ;)

Translated by Andrea Perdue

62 comments

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  • Nice post dear :)
    xoxo

    ______________________
    PERSONAL STYLE BLOG
    http://evdaily.blogspot.com

  • Our mother fought so we can choose and do as we like with our body ,if we decide that bikini is a must and that we want to loose weight ..it’s our decision…if we decide that we love big “TOUCHES.”.we can enjoy eating and do what we want with our body ..if we want to do piercing it’s our decision…if we want to look different from the crowd and not playing with fashion but invent another fashion it’s our decision…..The problem today is that there to many obscure forces that would like to change this liberty of being!!! and that’s why we need to be very careful …our liberty is fragile…we need to be careful and make sure NO ONE is going to take it from us…remember it start with small things that are forbidden ..or the mass decide that this is the best way..and one day we wake up and our liberty was stollen infront of our eyes..and we didn’t see it coming….
    From The World With Love
    Yael Guetta

    http://www.ftwwl.com

  • Yep, vanity is actually very human.
    As I am not allowed to sunbathe I will have to cover up in summer. And as for being in the sun I strongly recommend covering up for everybody. It’s tricky to look good in full cover when the sun is hot but I am on way to figuring out how to do it. :)

    https://sofaundermapletree.wordpress.com

  • Ana @champagnegirlsabouttown April, 7 2016, 10:17 / Reply

    Uh, I still cringe about that photo of me in a bikini, on holiday in Miami, I posted on Instagram (and deleted). You could hardly see me I was so far away from the camera but still. No. Unless you Tasha Oakley of course :)
    Ana
    http://www.champagnegirlsabouttown.co.uk

  • Tout à fait d’accord sur : “la liberté d’être soi, l’amour de soi, ça ne se cultive pas dans le regard des autres mais juste là, entre nous et nous-même, cet endroit très pur et très protégé où personne ne peut entrer.” Et ça peut passer par pleins de chemins. Moi, je découvre l’amour à moi, à mon corp en le bichonnant, en perdant du poids, en faisant du sport, après pas mal d’années à m’être oubliée. Et j’ai adoré lorsque mon adorable fils de 7 ans m’a dit (il nous entendu parler de mon régime avec mon mari) : “maman, même “gordita” tu es la plus belle, je t’aime tel quel”. Ça m’a fait du bien de me rendre compte que l’effort que je suis entrain de faire -malgrès le regard aimant de ma famille- c’est un effort que je fais pour moi. J’ai même découvert une facette de discipline que je ne me connaissais pas du tout !
    Je pense que ronde ou pas ronde, musclée ou pas musclée, il s’agit de se responsabiliser de son corp. En tout cas dans mon cas c’est une nouvelle perspective, je ne peux pas passer le temps à me plaindre sur les foutus pantalons qui ferment plus/pas et ne rien faire après. Ou j’assume et je m’aime tel quel ou je fais quelque chose. Et justement passer à l’action pour moi a été une vraie leçon. Après ce qu’en pensent les autres c’est un autre chapitre…

    Mon mari dit que souvent c’est pas FACEbook mais FAKEbook… ;)

  • Great points. Bravo for saying it!

  • catherine April, 7 2016, 10:24 / Reply

    It’s as if people made a reaction to prudishness by going to the opposite extreme. But too much of the overly revealing photography today resembles porn, which is rarely about women’s pleasure and all about men’s. Women present themselves as desirable objects for men. That isn’t feminist and it will do nothing for helping women to be taken seriously.

  • Women’s body are no object, for no one. The amount of skin one desires to show is not equivalent to how serious they should be taken. A woman can be “half – naked” and *should* be taken as seriously as one covered up to the neck. With what you said, you’re just reassuring the idea that women’s body are objects and when they decide to show them it’s with the intention of attracting male attention; which is not the case, no matter the size of the clothes, women are just fighting everyday to be perceived as humans and not as objects.

  • Katarina April, 8 2016, 3:15

    Kate – Catherine is very clear here on referring to photography, so please don’t intentionally misunderstand. You are not a person on a photography, you are an object, an artifact. Garance is also very clear on that point. What you experience in real life has nothing to do with social media and photos. Please put on your bikini, take your bike and go fetch som icecream. That is you living your life no matter what other’s think. That is you, free from the need to get someone elses approval or judgement. Feminism has fought for women’s right to dress however we want to without being harassed.

    But from that to take pictures on yourself halfnaked arching yourself backwards while licking an icecream…why? To post to your grandmother so that she can see how nice your vacation is? Well, let me know when guys do the same kind of pictures or when you gladly show your boss or grandmother that picture…until then it is objectifying yourself to others (in that sense it is freedom – freedom to let yourself be judged by others on your look alone, since most people on social media don’t know you). That is really not helping gender equality, that is demeaning to yourself and shows lack of integrity. And the same goes for guys. Vanity can cost a lot. Some people’s need for confirmation from others is costing them a lot. I just hope they never regret it…the photos on social media will never disappear…

  • vanessa la belge April, 7 2016, 10:26 / Reply

    “PPS : Ça m’énerve que le féminisme soit en train de devenir un moyen de justifier n’importe quel comportement slutty. Je ne suis pas contre le slutty, il y en a qui font ça très bien, mais brandir le féminisme pour se justifier, bof. Pas chic.”

    MERCI !!! Emily + Kim et toutes les autres, s’il vous plait les filles quoi, merde…

  • amazing article ! Laughing out loud ! thank you <3

  • Absolutely agree with the smart words of Yael Guetta. And the big problem with all these ‘women issues’ industry (including the G. blog), masked in front of our eyes as women liberation and take care maximum of yourself, is that they silently build towards this lack of ‘liberty of being’.

    And one day we will awake absolutely commodified and never more free

  • Hey !
    Je trouve que les photos de nu, ça peut être magnifique. A condition d’avoir un bon photographe et de bonnes intentions. Si c’est juste vulgaire, pour montrer son merveilleux décolleté 90D et son joli petit cul bien roulé, et ça, bien sûr à moitié à poil, dans une position suggestive, ça n’apporte rien, à mon sens.
    (Bon après, ça peut être un sexto, mais ça, reste intime, en règle générale)
    Mais on peut faire une très belle photographie, sensuelle et candide à la fois, tout ça en montrant de la chair sans en montrer.
    Bon, ma formulation est assez étrange, mais je pense simplement que l’on peut montrer notre chair autant qu’on veut, au fond, c’est notre choix. Mais si l’on veut que la photo ne soit pas de mauvais goût, il vaut mieux avoir un bon photographe avec de bonnes intentions, et que tout reste très pro’. :)

  • Thank you for this post! I like when women are honest about their photos. I have very beautiful friends and I would totally understand if they chose to post half nude pictures once in a while.
    Also, your post reminded me of the picture you posted some time ago from the hotel room and some ppl felt like it was too much. I thought it was beautiful . You are very attractive, sexy and warm person. You can be half naked and forever chic!

  • Finally someone said this! Cant agree more. If more & more (female) adults justify themselves for the act of ‘casual’ self-exposure, what about the perception in the minds of our younger generation?

    Thanks for sharing this Garance!

  • What a wonderful mind and light touch you have – perfection! And my favorite line in ages: I’m not against slutty – there are some people who do it very well… LOL!

  • As always you covered the subject well and interjected a little humor too. Thanks G!
    Lovin’ what yoga is doing for my abs and inner soul.

    Janine Claire
    http://www.noworriesparis.com

  • Ahhh j’ai une copine qui vient justement de m’envoyer des exercices de cross fit! Apparemment, cette méthode fonctionne très bien si on l’associe à une bonne alimentation!
    Pour ma part, je vais juste faire quelques exercices, sans suivre le rythme des trois fois par semaine, mais j’ai juste envie de me muscler un peu avant cet été!

    Julie, Petite and So What?

  • Moi je dis, tu te poses trop de questions! Tu te sens belle? Tu aimes la photo? Tu veux la partager? Go. Bingo!

  • sabrina April, 7 2016, 12:00 / Reply

    Les réseaux sociaux : le monde merveilleux des Mythos !

  • marielena April, 7 2016, 12:03 / Reply

    good point! coming from a person who is in the media, is impressive….i would add…that i feel like people is looking for real love…by the wrong way….teens needs approval from friends (boys and girls), young urban profesional people needs assurance in a new world…so having likes might show the way?, and then, woman without a real and true love….needs likes to continue…seems like marketing people knows very well that flesh sells…have you notice how they present advertising for whatever? car tires, watches, …is ridiculous…but seems like it works…so thanks for sharing your “inner peace” reached….. from the media backstage …
    pd: i find funny your references to religion…the first stone, the Holy Spirit…hope you are preparing yourself for your marriage!!…as christian??

  • Lisa Walker April, 7 2016, 12:20 / Reply

    Haha, and I was embarrassed to post a pic of my bare lays hanging over a dry river bed, after a two hour hike! I really wanted to remind others of the California Drought ; ) I held back, and sadly the world will never see my tanned gams, that day… XO

  • laurence April, 7 2016, 12:21 / Reply

    “l’à-poilitude” j’aime bien comme mot :)
    sinon, je pense tout pareil, sauf que je ne suis pas du tout active sur les réseaux sociaux, du coup, la question ne se pose pas – et c’est bien mieux comme ça. Je me faisais la réflexion en lisant le post de Brie hier, certaines habitudes de communication actuelles sont en train de devenir un peu bizarres, presque malsaines même, sans qu’on s’en rende vraiment compte ou que l’on puisse le contrôler… je me demande où ça va nous mener et la plupart du temps, je préfère ne pas y penser d’ailleurs, parce que les conclusions ne me plaisent pas forcément…

  • Allie Slomko April, 7 2016, 1:37 / Reply

    I actually strongly disagree with your point on feminism (the first time I’ve EVER disagreed with you!). I think that feminism, which means eradicating sexism and the oppression of women, means women can and should be able to do whatever the hell they want. Why is a woman showing off her naked body not feminism? If she wants to do that, she can! Now, I can’t stand when people post half-naked pictures and pretend like the post is about something else — I think that’s phony. If you want to post a half-naked picture of yourself, at least don’t hide behind some other pretense. Just post the picture. HOWEVER, I think our mothers fought for women to have the right to live life as they please, without facing judgement for their choices simply because they are women. Why can’t a person post a vain picture of oneself and not be considered a feminist? I actually think that’s an anti-feminist attitude to have! You know that quote, “Women should be two things: classy and fabulous?” I HATE IT. The rebuttal quote is “Women should be whatever the hell they want,” and I 100% agree. If a woman wants to be modest and fully dressed…great! If she wants to be half-naked…great! Men who are sexy and half-naked are still taken seriously. A sexy man with a sexy body is looked at as virile and in his prime, and is congratulated for his embodying the complete essence of masculinity. Women who are half-naked are considered stupid, vain, and slutty. Women are not allowed to be half-naked and still be taken seriously. Feminism, nudity, and self-expression can all go together. “Women do not have to be modest to be respected.” That is a t-shirt, and I think it’s a good message. Women being synonymous with purity and chasteness is a patriarchal ideal formed by a patriarchal society. Feminism means taking women OUT of the box, not keeping them inside by dictating what is feminist and what is not. Forcing women to live by certain standards and moral codes — that is anti-feminist.

  • I think women who post half-naked pictures of themselves stupid, vain, and slutty. I am one of the “mothers” you mention. I did not fight for the right of women to be sluttily naked. It never entered my head. I would prefer that young women have a dignified and meaningful life. I would prefer women got an education, learned languages, or at least spoke their own language properly, and made the lives of those around them, particularly children, better. I wish our streets were graced with young women like this.

    I offer Ayan Hirsi Ali as one example. She risks her life fighting evil, and is beautiful all at the same time. But too many women instead have opted for the half life of half-naked selfies, and the me, me, me, me point of view.

  • Nini Piccola April, 7 2016, 1:49 / Reply

    I’m glad the REAL GARANCE is back. Agree 100% with all your comments.

  • It is weird that I nearly cried reading the end? I’m a loyal reader for several years now, for all the content on your site, but content like this is what draws me in completely. So poignant- you truly have the power of language.

  • “Si vous me prenez en flagrant delit d’a-poilitude, restez tendres !” J’adore ! Je dois vivre sur une autre planete car je ne suis pas sur les reseaux sociaux, je suis trop “private” pour cela. :-)

  • Good point of view. As a new blogger, I enjoyed reading it and found it very useful. Thanks :)

  • Entièrement d’accord avec toi, le féminisme sert beaucoup trop souvent à justifier des comportements limite, et chez les people en premier lieu (chanteuses de R’n’B, suivez mon regard…) Quant à “s’aimer soi, c’est savoir accepter la vanité des autres”… Tu ne pouvais pas trouver plus belle chute (de reins;-). Allez je sors. Super post, tu as l’art de te moquer de manière gentille et bienveillante :-)

  • A la question ” Peut-on rester chic à moitié à poil ?”, voilà ce que j’en passe.
    On s’en fiche que Guenièvre trouve des excuses pour montrer son corps ou encore qu’elle est l’air vulgaire, sensuelle, glamour ou chic.
    C’est son corps, son problème.
    Quand je lis certains commentaires je ne peux pas m’empêcher d’être…je ne sais même pas ce que ça me fait vraiment lol… mais ça ne me laisse pas indifférente!
    Au sujet du féminisme,j’en ai marre qu’on cherche à légitimer une manière de l’exprimer par rapport à une autre.
    Si Kim Kardashian veut se montrer à poils et que c’est sa manière de dire qu’elle est féministe, c’est son problème.
    Ca ne me met pas en colère et je n’ai pas l’impression qu’elle bousille quoique ce soit de “l’image” de la femme.
    Ca ne fait pas d’elle une femme objet parce qu’un objet ne décide pas, un objet ne choisit pas.
    Elle choisit, elle assume! Et ça c’est beau, qu’elle soit chic ou pas.
    J’ai moi aussi pensé, à ma plus grande honte, qu’il y avait la mère et la putain. Et ça me saoule de constater que ce n’est pas seulement encré dans la mentalité masculine!
    Etre à poils c’est terrifiant et je ne le verrais jamais parce que je n’ai pas le courage d’assumer ça devant la face du monde; je serais trop occupée à ce que pourrait penser mon boucher ou ma grand-mère, même si c’est artistique, même si c’est Johnny Depp qui se porte volontaire pour être photographe.

  • En théorie et des fois sur les plages hippie #freethenipple…
    En vrai ou sur instagram, le nombril mais pas le décolleté ou le décolleté mais pas le nombril. Par contre pour les jambes no limit sauf celle de l’élastique de la culotte !

    (“congélation de graisse” ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! WHAT ?!?!?!?!?!?! IS ?!?!?!?!?!?! THAT ?!?!?!)

    xxx

    Irène
    http://www.cookinginjune.com/

  • Laurena April, 7 2016, 4:15 / Reply

    Moi j’ai compris la définition de “Belle toute nue” xD
    C’est effrayant de se montrer à poils car on est vulnérable et à la merci de la moindre critique des autres.
    Les personnes qui osent doivent avoir une ego en béton pour le faire et c’est vrai que ça marque parfois de finesse pour certains! xD
    Mais chacun à sa manière d’exprimer sa confiance en soi et de toute manière en cas d’ego surdimensionné, la vie est super sympa, elle se chargera toujours de nous faire redescendre les pieds sur terre ;)

  • You are spot on! Loved this.

  • Nothing will ever be more chic than a certain confidence in one’s own skin. I look forward to the day when a woman may wear whatever she pleases – be it bikini or furry poncho or nothing at all, on the literal street or on those invisible avenues of communication which have become our greater existence – without fear of small-minded criticism from her fellows. While we’re busy quibbling over Kim’s @$$, some aspiring Uhura is out there learning ten languages with nary a f*ck given to whether (or not) she does so in a miniskirt and go-go boots. Let’s move on to higher pursuits rather than chastising each other for showing off a bit of leg, shall we?

  • This is one of the most beautiful and poignant posts – thank you Garance – you are beautiful inside and out and in the chic cloth that maketh you the goddess that you are!

  • Allie Slomko April, 8 2016, 12:06 / Reply

    Hey guys — I’m really disappointed that your team didn’t post my comment. I disagreed with Garance’s opinion in a respectful manner. I think this blog is thought-provoking and insightful and I never would have imagined my comment would be censored for merely disagreeing with Garance. I think different points of view are what make the world a richer place…that’s how we learn from one another.

  • Viktoria April, 8 2016, 5:30 / Reply

    This is very well put, I think. Being 50 this year, I remember the casual and natural way we related to nudity in the 70´s and 80´s and I feel alienated by both the new prudence and it´s opposite of letting it all hang out in a very sexual kind of way, on social media. I know people who are unrecognizable on social media and it makes me sad.

    Also want to say I really enjoyed your book. I would have loved it in my 20´s, enjoyed it much now. Yours is one of the few voices in fashion I can still listen to.

  • Garance Doré, la meilleure pour prendre un sujet d’un extrême superficialité (“question du jour : comment être chic et choc à poil sur insta ?”), et y apporter profondeur et étude de la société, ouverture et fermeté objectives (car non, se mettre en scène en photo uniquement en pur objet de convoitise masculine, ce n’est pas du féminisme, c’est le contraire de ça). Le tout en faisant ça avec amour, pour l’amour de soi et des autres. Et avec énormément d’intelligence. Donc, bien qu’étrange vu le sujet, je pense que ça doit être un de mes posts préférés !

  • Chaouinette April, 8 2016, 6:57 / Reply

    Il me semblait que nos mères se sont battus pour que nous puissions faire çe que nous voulons pour et par nous mêmes, nous mettre à poils, cuisiner ou meme se voiler. Il me semblait que nos mères nous ont surtout appris à ne pas faire subir à d’autres femmes le patriarcat qui est deja bien culpabilisant avec les adeptes de la nudité. Mais j’ai dû me tromper.
    Nos mères ont dû se battre pour qu’on en vienne à etre condescendant et donneuse de leçons vis à vis d’autres femmes. Bravo, c’est réussi.
    (Et non n’abandonnez pas le sport parce qu’il est trop tard pour avoir le corps que la societe veut que vous ayez en aout. faites du sport si c’est çe que vous voulez pour vous, si vous préférez une grosse glace avec du beurre de cacahuètes et de la chantilly faites vous plaisir.)

  • MISS AGATHE April, 8 2016, 7:20 / Reply

    Super article Garance!!!
    xoxo

  • Cecilija April, 8 2016, 7:51 / Reply

    Hm, but slutty (and I don’t mind slutty at all, to each its own) does not equal nudity. Nor nudity has to be motivated by likes-hunting, at least not more then posts of our fantastic vegan brunches, cute kitten or whatever it is that we post daily.

    You can be slutty and covered (yes, you can, c’mon, we all know it) and you can be completely naked and not slutty at all. Nudity without arched backs and duck faces is what we should be talking about more, I think, as it is the area where the conversation about freedom really starts.

    Naked body can be EROTIC, which is a completely different matter, and I think the real problem is the society denying our eroticism by requesting that we keep it hidden, private and locked. Equaling erotic with slutty is a very effective way of control. I think fully embracing and being proud of our own eroticism, that has nothing to do with abs or imitating pin-up models, eroticism that is honest, authentic and such a crucial part of us being human, is incredibly empowering. I am convinced that there is no true liberation of women (or men) until we are free to express ourselves fully, our intellect, our creativity, our eroticism all included.

    I would love to live in a society where we would be free to post pictures of our naked bodies if we want to without anyone making any fuss about it. Because, that’s what we are, underneath the clothes, what’s a big deal, why are we so afraid of nudity? Is it hurting anyone? Or is it just hurting this societal norms that say – if you are to be taken seriously, you should hide your eroticism, keep it private, and if you show your body, you are put in the “slutty” box and your competence and knowledge become questionable. As women, we are not “either-or”, we are both. We have these great minds, powerful imaginations, our wonderful bodies, great humor – we are complete, beautiful beings and we should not be forced to hide anything in order to not be denied being taken serious.

    I remember an American yogi blogger who posted a picture of herself, made in a nude community where her family was living at the time: she was naked, in a headstand, and her baby crawled to her booby – a beautiful picture that clearly had nothing to do with “male gaze”- yet, it was heavily criticized and her Instagram account was deleted for it. That is not what our mother have fought for at all.

  • Andrea April, 8 2016, 7:55 / Reply

    Personnellement, je pense qu’il y a un autre problème plus important que celui là, c’est la mondialisation de la mode islamique. Alors si les gens laissent faire les choses, Garance il ne sera un jour, assez proche, plus nécessaire de se poser la question de savoir combien de peau on peut montrer. On nous mettra toutes sous le voile ou bien on n’osera tout simplement plus sortir en mini jupe.
    Signez la pétition:
    http://www.mesopinions.com/petition/droits-homme/mode-islamique-appel-boycott-marques-uniqlo/18992

  • Chaouinette April, 10 2016, 7:00

    La mondialisation de la “mode islamique”… Fascinant cette peur de l’autre parce qu’il me semble qu’on est loin de la mondialisation de quoique ce soit. La jupe longue est un must have de Coachella, YSL créait des foulards à porter sur la tête il y a plus de 30 ans, Grâce de Monaco etait une salafiste tout comme Audrey Hepburn j’imagine. Un petit tout sur le premier eshop venu et vous verrez des tas de mini jupes et de crop tops alors peut être pourriez vous ranger la mauvaise foi et le mensonge?
    Voilà ce que ça donne quand on commence à juger une femme sur sa tenue, trop ou pas assez que faut il faire pour plaire à la “police du feminisme”?
    (J’oublie à quel point le milieu de la mode et des blogs est oppressif et puis je lis les commentaires et je m’en rappelle bien…)

  • Prendre le temps de répondre à quelques commentaires, comme avant?

  • Et Garance peux tu enfin répondre à cette question existentielle : “les americaines font elle l’amour en soutif ????” Non parce que dans tous les films américains, toutes les series americaines (sex and the city inclus), pubs, etc. elles en portent un au lit et dorment elles en soutifs !! Voila merci !

  • This is a question that I struggle with daily, and am right there with you on!
    I love surfing and yoga, and have a lifestyle photography blog. I won’t really post any full body pics of myself unless I have a wetsuit on because I don’t want all that on the Internet. But where do you draw the line with that? I effectively can’t post any summer surfing pics.

    Also, I’m finishing up my yoga teacher training. Wr have been encouraged to be more active on social with yoga pics, to help build a network. Even fully clothed I’m not too keen on posting yoga pics, but as a marketer by trade I understand how it could be the right thing to do if, for example, they were training based.

  • Sabine April, 8 2016, 3:24 / Reply

    Wouldn’t true feminism not be when we can stop talking about female nudity?
    When male nudity on line or in advertising or anywhere else would be the norm, instead of focusing on the female form all the time?
    Personally, I don’t believe the female form should be hidden/displayed/discussed.
    It should just BE.
    We (as women) judge each other and ourselves so much, instead of focusing on giving ourselves and each other freedom. Women still bow to men’s attention too much – without expecting to be treated as equals. It’s a ridiculous how in this day and age women and girls look for male attention. I say, bring on the male nudity conversation and then we will finally have some equality worth talking about.

  • There’s a massive debate about feminism currently happening in Ireland called ‘Waking the Feminists.’ I’m not sure if the news has made it to France but Meryl Streep and Christine Baranski have supported it and it’s been quite the global phenomenon.Well, most recently, there has been furore over women who work as female theatre technicians being treated badly by their male counterparts. Strong bodies are great and I’ve no problem with anyone showing off their fitness in a bikini pose etc. but you are dead right to highlight the lack of liberation about a completely naked selfie a la Kardash! It’s not chic! Women are beautiful but airbrushed, facetuned, avatar-esque pictures on social media do not represent the true beauty of women! Vulnerability is beautiful – not the arched back, duck face pose. But that’s just my opinion! I laughed so hard at some of your descriptions. Love your blog!
    https://thefashionhorn.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/the-slip-dress-what-would-courtney-wear/

  • Gowri Sharma April, 9 2016, 10:23 / Reply

    I have been following your post since…. well lets say the early days. You insight and voice is as strong as ever Garance! I think you are really onto something. Your statement “Vanity is not feminism” is brilliant. I will have to quote that and give you props for summarizing a growing trend where the lines are blurred between narcissism and empowerment.

  • This!

  • Congratulations on gaining half an ab, Garance ;-) But more seriously, this was a really thought-provoking article. I’d never post a nude photo of myself on my blog or social media and I hate coming across numerous Snapchat users on Instagram who have posted full frontal images of themselves – way too much information!

  • Do you have a recommendation for a good at-home pilates streaming/DVD/download? Sometimes I just can’t make it to the studio!

  • Si quereis ayuda para tener una alimentacion mas saludable y equilibrada no te pierdas mis consejos diarios para adelgazar, los puedes ver en http://www.adiosalabascula.blogspot.com
    Si te parece que necesitas un seguimiento personalizado haz click en el enlace http://Www.adiosalabascula.com

  • Je pensais être la seule à penser ça , à force de voir défiler les filles (à moitié) a poil sur mon feed-back Instagram; je commençais a me dire : ” Est-ce moi qui ne suis pas normal ? ” , ” Est-ce la nouvelle société “?
    Donc Merci pour ce post !

  • Barbara April, 15 2016, 7:40 / Reply

    I think That a lot of this woman needs simply somebody attention… They can have a lot of people near them but in the depth of your heart they feel lonely.

  • Magnifique, c’est juste tout ce que je pense

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