FORWARD for women who refuse to be anything but incredible
Issue 1 December / January 2013-14
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EDITOR’S LETTER
Forward is all about smart, well written content put together in a visually beautiful way. It covers social issues, politics, culture, fashion, beauty and everything in between. Our magazine came into existence from the realisation that there is still an enormous and disturbing amount of female negativity surrounding us. With so many messages that range from demeaning to judgmental to exploitative, our mission is to create a publication that speaks directly to women and with them in mind. Forward takes feminism out of the sometimes off-putting bubble of academia and makes it funny, witty, a bit cringey and ultimately, utterly real. In this issue, Art Director Rachael Sulley delivers an enlightening insight into how the idea of ‘being a lady’ has changed since the 18th century. There were varying opinions in the office when we discussed what attributes we would use to identify a true lady, but our end conclusion was that everyone’s favourite icon, the magnificent Audrey Hepburn, would fit the profile perfectly. In our article ‘Enduring Fashion’, Features Editor Fran Carruthers, conducts an investigation into the emotional attachment we form with clothes that have meaning for us, and she interviewed three fabulous women to find out the history behind their most precious wardrobe pieces. In our other features, Nony Utomi tells a moving tale of the daily struggle for many women in Nigeria suffering under the threat of domestic violence, and I contemplate the issue of sexism against women in the world of Graphic Novels. We also have two stunning shoots to offer you in this issue. ‘Inner Duality’ explores the ethereal world of magic and movement and ‘Engineered Opulence’ fuses style and structure with a range of stunning tailored pieces, bringing to mind the elegance and precision of origami. Each issue will feature a guest illustrator to bring the features to life, and we are proud to welcome our first creative mind, Fine Art graduate and Illustrator Hannah Greasley. We loved the detail and elegance she brings to her work, and the front cover illustration manages to perfectly convey the essence of the Forward Woman. We have had so much fun creating this issue and we hope you find our magazine intelligent, real and relatable.
Yulia Aleksandrov
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Editor-In-Chief
CONTRIBUTORS
Yulia Aleksandrova Editor In Chief
Rachael Sulley Art Director
Yulia daylights as the Editor-in-Chief of Forward magazine. When she’s not making sure Forward runs like a well oiled machine, you can find her sifting through vintage bling at the market, scrolling through Instagram while waiting in line at Starbucks or perusing her not-so-secret passion of graphic design, gaming, sci-fi and cute animals. She is also still trying to figure out if she’s a Carrie or a Miranda.
Rachael likes to make the magazine look pretty, as well as write features for your enjoyment, small and big. She is co-founder of Forward magazine. She likes to sing nonsense and has a secret love for all things geeky. She dances too but just for fun, which makes her floaty girly skirts just perfect. She is just a little bit obsessed with Taylor Swift and loves all things festive.
CONTRIBUTORS
Nony Utomi Fashion Director
Fran Carruthers Features Editor
Nony Utomi, the fashion director of forward Magazine, the well known African woman with confidence who loves socialising with people and clothes especially. She is cheeky and fun and she adores anything that amuses her. Fashion is definitely her kryptonite, as always.
Fran is a chain tea drinking, bad dancing, book loving space pirate. In between pillaging other galaxies, she finds time to fulfil her features editing duties of this here magazine. She is fond of a well told tale, cats that are condescending and anything with pesto on it. And rum, naturally.
Hotel
CHAVANEL 22 Rue Tronchet 75008 Paris France
CONTENTS
NEWS 12 - 15
Things that mattered to us this month.
EDITORIAL 16-29
How to be a Lady: A Guide for Girls - 16 A letter to the guy who catcalled me - 18 She Has the Right to be Heard - 20 Behind Every Successful Man There is a Woman, and Behind Her, His Wife - 24
CONTENTS
FASHION 31 - 80
Workwear fashion -30 Eveningwear fashion - 32 Engineered Opulence - 34 Inner Duality - 46 The extraordinary life of April Ashley -56 Accessories shoot - 60 Enduring fashion - 66 Cat ladies gift guide - 68
CULTURE 71-80
What we love: Exhibition Artist Film TV Music Book Website A women’s place is not in the refrigerator ... 82 Wanderlusting - 86
BEAUTY 89 - 99
Nail Art focus - Zooey Deschanel - 90 Eye make-up focus - 92 Easy Hairstyles for busy mornings - 93
NEWS
A SAFE PLACE FOR WOMEN?
Crackdown on public transport sexual harassment A new scheme in London is tackling unwanted sexual behaviour on public transport. Armed with 120 plain-clothes officers patrolling London’s various modes of transport from 7am to 11pm, Project Guardian has led to the arrests of 15 people over the last two weeks alone. The new zero tolerance approach to sexual harassment came about after a survey found that around 15 percent of women and girls have experienced unwanted sexual behaviour on London’s trains, tubes and buses, but about 90 percent of victims did not report it to police. Transport for London says that between 1 April and 31 August there was a 32 percent increase in the detection of sexual offences, and since the launch of Project Guardian in July, a 20 per cent increase in the reporting of sexual offences, compared to the same period last year.
stylist.co.uk
To report an incident of a sexual nature to British Transport Police call 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016 with details of what happened.
HARRODS TAKES KOPI LUWAK OFF SALE Harrods has announced that it has withdrawn sale of its exclusively supplied Kopi Luwak from Sari Makmur, following a BBC investigation that revealed its supply might be from severely maltreated civet cats. Kopi Luwak is known colloquially as ‘cat-poo’ coffee and is produced from coffee beans that have passed through the digestive tract of a civet. Originally, these beans were collected up from civets that had eaten the beans naturally. However, since the coffee became a popular novelty item worldwide, civet farms have sprung up and a cruel trade has emerged, where civets are force-fed an unnatural coffee bean diet to produce these very expensive beans. wspa.org.uk
NEWS
SLIDING DOORS... AND WALLS Optical illusion house in Margate
An empty four-storey house in Margate caught the eye of artist Alex Chinneck, who saw its potential not as a doer-upper, but as surreal street art. He was granted permission to transform the property for his ambitious project, “From the knees of my nose to the belly of my toes”, which will remain in place for a year. The project cost £100,000 and was the result of a collaboration between Chinneck and 10 companies who donated their materials and services, as well as Arts Council England, Margate Arts Creativity Heritage and Thanet District Council.
stylist.co.uk
SAUDI ARABIA OUTLAWS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The “Protection from Abuse” law has finally been approved In a cabinet meeting last week, officials in Saudi Arabia finally passed the “Protection from Abuse” law, aimed at protecting people from “all forms of abuse” and making domestic abuse against the law. The King Khalid Foundation recently launched a striking nationwide campaign to end domestic abuse, and the passing of the law marks a very significant and long awaited change in the country. The 17 article bill states that those guilty of committing physical or psychological abuse could face up to one year in prison, and up to approximately £8,600 in fines. Perhaps one of the most important elements of the law is that it allows those reporting abuse the right to remain anonymous and immunity from litigation if the abuse fails to be proven in court. While the United Nations urged Saudi Arabia to implement laws that protected women back in 2008, the law is a major victory for human rights activists. Activist Waleed Abu al-Khair has praised the new law and said that it gives women independence as, until now, “Women were required to bring in a male relative if they showed up at a police station to file a complaint. “ aljazeera.com
NEWS
QATAR AIRLINES REQUIRES FEMALE WORKERS TO GET PERMISSION BEFORE MARRYING The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), which represents around 4.5 million transport workers in 150 countries, released a report Tuesday alleging that Qatar Airways violates the basic labor rights of its 70,000+ employees. The organization is in Canada to lobby the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to take action on the “flagrant abuses of aviation workers’ labor rights” by carriers based in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Female Qatar Airways employees are held to particularly strict standards. ITF released these extracts of what it claims are part of the terms and conditions of a standard hiring contract for female workers: “You are required to obtain prior permission from the company, in case you wish to change your marital status and get married. The employee shall notify the employer in case of pregnancy from the date of her knowledge of its occurrence… Failure of employee to notify the employer or the concealment of the occurrence shall be considered a breach of contract. The employer shall have the right to terminate the contract of employment from the date of notification of the pregnancy.” flygosh.com
ILLUSTRATORS SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR RUSSIA’S LGBT COMMUNITY THROUGH PERSONAL ARTWORK Feeling both distraught by the stories of homophobia in Russia and inspired by the determination of the country, illustrator agent Anna Goodson wanted to show her support of the LGBT community but was unsure how. Goodson, being the President of the Anna Goodson Illustration Agency, then realized the answer was right in front of her. She sent out a memo to other illustrators asking each of them to create a piece of artwork making a statement in support of the Russian LGBT community. The resulting collection, titled “Art Speaks Louder Than Words,” is overwhelming. See the full gallery at www.agoodson.com/illustration agoodson.com
NEWS
JENNIFER LAWRENCE LOOKS FLAWLESS YET AGAIN FOR DIOR Jennifer Lawrence, appears in the fall-winter issue of Dior Magazine. The bi-annual publication is printed by Dior and as the face of the Paris fashion house’s Miss Dior line, Jennifer exudes pure elegance in a series of black and white images photographed by Mikael Jansson. The American actress shows off the season’s outerwear and tailored suiting for the striking portraits.
vogue.co.uk
VENEZUELA’S MINISTRY OF HAPPINESS “Orwellian” is the most appropriate adjective to describe Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s announcement that he has created a new “Ministry of Supreme Social Happiness,” a body that could quite easily feature in one of 1984 narrator Winston Smith’s surreptitious diary entries. Mr Maduro says the agency will co-ordinate the antipoverty programmes created by the late President Hugo Chavez, but others suspect the move is purely political, coming six weeks before municipal elections. Oil-rich Venezuela is chronically short of basic goods and medical supplies. Annual inflation is running officially at near 50 per cent and the US dollar now fetches more than seven times the official rate on the black market. The creation of the ministry sparked widespread mirth and mocking in the streets and on social media. gettyimages.co.uk
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HOW TO BE A WOMAN A guide for girls
In 1850, a man named Harvey Newcombe wrote a piece of text called “How to be a woman: a guide for girls”, alternatively known as “How to obey men and lack having any character whatsoever”. In a helpful chapter on ‘habits’ he instructs young girls how to not be noisy, be submissive to all men, not to call attention to themselves and to read not for enjoyment but only for instruction.
So here we are now with the ‘ladylike’ style coming back in full swing; pencil skirts, nipped-in waists and the new New Look. Is it something we should be wary of or embrace with open arms?
“The habit of reading merely for amusement is a dangerous habit. Reading for amusement furnishes a constant temptation for reading what is injurious.”
On first thoughts I obviously have to think about the traditional view on ladies, being shackled down by men, but then on second thoughts I think, Audrey Hepburn, and then it all seems perfectly feasible.
I trust Harvey has got his just reward and is spending eternity with the likes of Princess Diana, Amelia Earheart and Eleanor Roosevelt, living in an out-spoken woman hell. Here’s what has been learnt from Harvey on being a lady: 1. Dress like a woman in modest skirts, lace, ribbon and feminine colours. 2. Strict obedience – she must learn to follow rules of her parents and husband and should never question or argue these. 3. Play the correct games such as dollies and house cleaning. 4. Be and intelligent listener and articulate conversationalist. She should learn about things that will interest her husband and never take over the conversation. 5. Have the appropriate heroines – good feminine role models. 6. Not to be a show off or be proud of your skills. 7. Never be forward with boys. 8. Always push for your mans success as this is your success, remember girls! 9. Plan for a profession, but pray it is never needed. 10. Do feminine chores; dishes not the yard, pots not the car, bedroom not the garage.
Famous for being humble, modest, kind and charming, and for always putting others before herself, you can’t help but envy her feminine elegance – she’s every part the modern lady. She proved that you can dress like a 50’s housewife without having to behave like one. That’s why Audrey is perfect! Realistically, if we all still had Harvey’s point of view, then Audrey wouldn’t have been a lady at all; she was loud, ambitious, intelligent, successful and wasn’t exactly a shrinking violet. She was the LBD of women; elegant, graceful and timeless. So if you are to read any book on being a lady make it “What would Audrey do?” by Pamela Keogh, which gives you hundreds of tips on how to live an elegant lifestyle like Audrey. It shows you that being a lady means having class, and that has always been consistent. If you admire yourself then you are a lady in your own eyes. Words by Rachael Sulley
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A LETTER TO THE GUY WHO CATCALLED ME ON THE STREET Dear Guy Who Catcalled Me On The Street Today,
By Yulia Aleksandrova
What did you expect, for me to smile? Maybe you did. Maybe you thought it would brighten my day to know that some random stranger on the street found me attractive. Or was I supposed to immediately take off my dress and hop into bed with you because your words were so flattering? Well, I guess I should have expected it. I mean, here I am, wearing a pretty dress, walking down the street. I was obviously dressed in a way to attract your attention, so I should apologise for the scowl I gave you, right? After all, you weren’t threatening me, and who knows, maybe your day was particularly rough and appreciating young ladies on the streets gives you some enjoyment? If I don’t want that kind of attention, I should cover up more, right? Right? I should have listened when I was 13 and told that I needed to walk in quick little steps, head down, and arms close to my side. I should have learned to take a cardigan out with me to cover up if some men like you took issue with my existence and began degrading me in gendered and sexualised ways. So I guess I owe you an apology for that look? Oh, wait. I don’t. I have the right to wear whatever I want and not have vulgar things said to me by a stranger. Shocking, right? You can think you respect women all you want, and maybe you do in a lot of ways, but when you catcall me what I really feel is caught in a moment of vulnerability: one minute I’m just walking down the street, confident and in control of my own life, and the next I’m verbally ambushed by you, a stranger, who forcefully inserts themselves into my life to declare their opinion of my body as if it were definitive, and that feeling of control is gone as quickly as the you were. It’s what I imagine animals at the zoo feel like when humans poke their fat fingers against the glass or make crude animal sounds to try to get their attention and encourage them to do something interesting. What you’re really doing is reminding me that I don’t have complete ownership of my own body
– that my body is, in a way, public property. It’s mine to walk down the street with, but it’s also yours to get pleasure out of on a sunny day, with or without my consent. Why should I grab a coffee, read a book, cross a road, without being reminded that my young, fertile body is ripe for your picking and aggressive propositioning? Don’t worry. You’re not the only one who reminded me of that. Women are reminded all the time. We’re reminded by the constant focus on our weight, the way everyone seems to think it’s their business if we’re too skinny, too fat, if our breasts are too big, and who think that they have the right to judge what we eat because of that. It’s the way that females are constantly put down for their looks, even if they’re incredibly smart women whose looks are irrelevant to their careers or what they do. It’s the way that society has decided that a woman’s sexual history is a valid way to judge her character. We’re constantly reminded that we walk a fine line between dressing too “dowdy” and too “sexy,” and God help us if we go too far in either direction. Maybe you didn’t realise that life as a woman is a constant negotiation with the whole world to try and reclaim our own bodies. As a man, you’ve probably never even considered that a person might need to fight for ownership over their body, over their hands and feet, blood, organs and skin. Every woman deals with it differently, and I certainly can’t fault them for that. Some accept it, try to use it to their advantage. Why not? Let’s be practical, sometimes you have to take everything you can in this world. Some women are going to just grin and bear it, and some are going to be angry about it… like I was. . I am angry that I have to keep my legs clamped together in the boiling summer heat. I am angry that I had to worry about strange men yelling at me when I was just trying to get home in the rain. I’m angry that these men feel so obviously entitled to my body, my sexuality, and my life, when I was struggling to navigate all three. I’m angry that I take up so much less space than the leering man who sprawls on the tube beside me with his legs spread. And guess what? I don’t owe you an apology. You owe it to me. Sincerely, The woman in the striped dress you street harassed at lunchtime
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S HE H A S T HE R I G H T TO B E HE A R D by Nony Utomi
You might wonder whether or not we need feminism in Nigeria. However, considering the way in which rape, domestic violence and abuse against women goes unchecked, especially in Nigeria, I think it can be argued that we most certainly do. A widowed African Woman’s anger is likely to be increased at what females in Nigeria have to go through on a daily basis and how society fails to support and protect these women against domestic and sexual violence. A lot of cultures in Nigeria celebrate conscious and unconscious ideas that leave women exposed to discrimination and gender bias, depriving them of their choices and of the idea that they should be free in society. Domestic violence affects all social groups and can consist of physical, sexual and psychological abuse. Violence in Nigeria is often viewed as a necessary corrective tool for women, at best a part and parcel of married life. Two key factors help perpetuate domestic violence in Nigeria. The first being the inability of many women to escape violence and domination due to their disadvantaged economic status. Many women and girls depend on the financial resources of their husband, father or families. This forces them to put up with
domination for fear of the withdrawal of this financial support. Yet even for educated women, domestic violence poses a serious threat to their safety and wellbeing. The second key factor is the lack of awareness about these women and what they go through, and the need for education for women suffering at the hands of men, so they can know that they are not to blame for the physical, sexual or psychological abuse to which they are subjected. Stephane Mikala stated that “On a daily basis, Nigerian women are beaten, raped and even murdered by members of their family for supposed transgressions, which can range from not having meals ready on time to visiting family members without their husband’s permission,” Domestic violence in Nigeria is neither against the law, nor do the victims receive full legal support, as many choose to stay in abusive relationships rather than leave and face the ridicule of living outside wedlock. However, there is hope for these women in the form of charitable funding associations in Nigeria to support this area of work and raise awareness.
There are organisations willing to support and fight for women such as the Women’s Rights’ Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA). This organisation has first hand experience of the consequences of violent crime, and they have been providing legal aid and counselling services since 1999. In 2008 WRAPA starting working with Oxfam’s ‘Raising Her Voice’ Programme (RHV). The partnership added renewed momentum to the push for poor women to get involved in the movement and in the domestication of the African Union Women’s Protocol. The partnership breathed new life into WRAPA’s campaigning and advocacy around the VAPP bill. The Women and Child Watch Initiative (WOCWI) is a not for profit organisation based in Nigeria which works with vulnerable women and children who experience violence, forced marriages, trafficking, HIV and other severe social problems. The Organisation became an official partner of The Haven Wolverhampton in October 2011. The WOCWI strives to initiate and promote activities that will improve the welfare of women and children for the progress in Nigerian society. Some representatives of Nigeria visited Haven Wolverhampton to acquire more knowledge in order to strengthen counselling services for the affected victims, and inspiration was taken on how to improve the society by extending their services to incorporate a 24 hour telephone service. The other areas of development included defending their rights, supporting pressure groups on advocating the passing of a law against violence, organising training programmes for Women Lawyers in Nigeria to strengthen their support for women expecting violence and engaging the victims in awareness training. Civic education, training and retraining of the Police on the issue of domestic violence and its implications on women is also a sure way of ending domestic violence in Nigeria. There is hope, and Nigeria won’t give up on women. We shall fight till Justice has been served.
The Very First Amateur Photography Was Surprisingly Beautiful
images: Flickr: nationalmediamuseum
Although photography came into existence in the 1830s, it wasn’t until the late 1800s that the activity really became accessible. This was thanks to Kodak, who released the first commercial camera in 1888. It was a leather-covered box that didn’t even have a viewfinder. Nevertheless, the device gave people the ability to become amateur photographers and it created fascinating snapshots of everyday life. Here, a few examples of photos taken with the first Kodak.
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Behind every successful man is a woman, behind her is his wife. GROUCHO MARX
When looking back over history it has been stated that the fate of the empire was controlled from the ‘silk of the boudoir’ also known as the ‘whore house’. These powerful women did not only seduce their influential partners but also left their mark on history by serving as advisors, strategists and highest confidantes.
Now we’re not glorifying adultery or the objectifying of women as sexual objects, but pointing out how many of these women have shaped history not only through war but also with their behaviours towards men and style. Back in the days of yore, marriage between those of royal blood, money or influence were never really about love but more about a powerful and acceptable alliance. A mistress was always an inevitable part of any relationship. Here are who we believe to be some of the most influential mistresses in History: Cleopatra Famous even today for her amazing milk bath skin treatments, Cleopatra was attractive, highly intelligent and an astute politician. All of which qualities brought great prosperity and peace to Egypt – despite being down to her famous affairs.
In 48 BC Egypt and Rome were at conflict, Cleopatra had been forced to exile by her brother and Rome were about to invade. As soon as Emperor Caesar locked eyes on Cleopatras great beauty, he knew that he could use her as an alliance for the two countries by taking down her brothers empire and reinstating her as Queen of Egypt. However Cleopatra had her own plans. In order to gain power of both countries Cleopatra bore an heir to Caesar named Caesarean. This plan soon fell through though, as in 44BC Caesar was assassinated and Caesarean died, leaving her only option to flee back to Egypt. In 41BC Cleo had another chance of the empire. Mark Antony, who was in dispute over leadership in Rome, came to her with the chance to join up as a political alliance to take on Octavian Caesar. However what they didn’t know was that they would fall in love, creating one of the best love stories to date. Though just like Romeo and Juliet the two were torn apart by cruel fate, which resulted in them both taking their lives to be together.
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Anne Boleyn
Madame De Pompadour
The one that, like Camilla Parker Bowles, saw her affair through and got the man! More well known as the second wife of King Henry VIII, Anne like most of Henrys other wives started up as a mistress to the king.
Fashion icon of 18th century France, Jeanne Antoinette was the acknowledged mistress of King Louis XV of France. Jeanne was raised to become a plaything for the king; she was beautiful, intelligent and cultured – groomed to be one the most powerful women of 18th century France.
Unlike most assumptions of mistresses, Anne didn’t give in to the initial charms of the King and denied him any sexual favours. Anne was in it for the big time, Queen or nothing! The King however adored her, writing her seventeen personal love letters throughout their courtship. Soon Anne had established herself in the royal court and appointed herself as the Marquis of Pembroke and reintroduced the religious reform to Britain. Eventually Anne gave into the Kings sexual prowess and ‘accidentally’ became pregnant with the future Queen of England (Elizabeth I), which forced the King into action leading him to divorcing wife numero 1 Catherine of Aragon. Though in a turn of bad fate the court turned against her, claiming she was an adulteress and that her marriage to King Henry wasn’t official. Which ultimately lead to her being the first of king Henrys wives to be beheaded. Divorced, beheaded and died, divorced, beheaded, survived!
What made her such a threat to the country was that not only was she the kings favoured mistress, but she was also his friend, confidante and political advisor. The King had become so fond of his mistress that he appointed her Marquise de Pompadour and presented her with her own coat of arms. Though after the many years of being his favoured mistress and having had suffered from several miscarriages, the relationship between the two had to become more platonic, ultimately making the royal mistress even more powerful then she had ever been before. She gained influence on domestic and international affairs and even more worryingly foreign policies. She had the ability to wipe out anyone that didn’t agree with her and give power to those who did. This political power lead to her being held heavily responsible for the seven year world war that resulted in the embarrassing defeat for France.
Catherine the Great
Lola Montez
Unlike her predecessors Catherine the Great was Princess to the future Tsar of Russia, and it was her with the string of powerful lovers. Catherine’s marriage was an unhappy one that was never consummated. Instead of doting upon his wife the King would have his way with hideous hunch-backed’ prostitutes. Not one to be outdone or humiliated, Catherine also found it upon herself to take on a lover, or two, or three...
As well known sayings go, “What Lola wants, Lola gets” is pretty high up there. Lola was an accomplished and very beautiful woman, as well as being notorious for her many affairs with the likes of Franz Liszt, Alexandres Dumas and Alexandres Dujarier.
The first of which was notorious ladies man Sergie Salytkov, the father of her heir Tsar Paul. The second was Gregory Olav, who in favour helped her to obtain the throne from her notso-great spouse and become the Empress of Russia. The third was her most influential lover, Grigory Potemkin. He was every woman’s dream; tall, dark, handsome and also rumoured to be pretty well endowed (it’s said that Catherine kept a plaster cast figurine of his sizable appendage in her bed chamber). Women wanted him, men wanted to be him and Catherine took one look at him and said “Mother may I?!”. Catherine was so taken by this man that she sent him frequent love letters, or as we would more commonly refer to now as ‘sexts’ – “Beloved, I will do as you order, shall I come to your room, or will you come to mine?” Although sadly every great forbidden love story must come to an end and the two eventually parted. Catherine went on to have more lovers, however no one ever measured up to Grigory as a greater love in her life.
Her most notorious affair occurred whilst she was in Munich posing as a Spanish noblewoman. Her great looks and charm helped her catch the eye of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. Through the relationship Lola established great political power. Ministries and people would fall and rise at her wishes, she had it all. She was even appointed Countess Marie Landsfeld by her darling King in 1847, however this latest blow and the discovery of her fraudulent lies created uproar in the court and Lola was forced to flee.
So before we become too judgemental on these classic courtiers, let us be reminded of these few things; many marriages from before the 21st century were not love matches but ideal pairings. These pairings were often older men to much younger females, and so courtiers became not only lovers, but also confidants and friends to these noble men. More often than not mistresses were the first true love for these men, women who were not deemed to be good enough for marriage to a nobleman.
Words by Rachael Sulley
CATCALLER FORM Hey, Mister! Sounds like you’re interested in me! So I hope you don’t mind if I ask you a few questions, just to get to know you better! Name: _____________________________
Age: _______
Please write down exactly what you said to me to attract my attention: __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________
I catcall because (please check all that apply): __ I enjoy complimenting women I don’t know by treating them like pieces of meat. __ I figure it will cheer up a girl if I remind her that, by society’s standards, her body is not my property. __ I like re-enforcing the cultural stereotype that men are so desperate for sex that they can’t control themselves. __ I found you attractive and thought I’d punish you for being a woman in a public space in order to win your affection. The girl who handed you this form is (please check all that apply): __ a bitch __ a cunt __ a whore __ a thinking, feeling human being who deserves respect __ asking for it
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AR 0 EG £11 JA oat C nk Pi
images: prshots.co.uk
ENGINEERED
OPULENCE
Elegance and extravagance found in the architectural folds of opulent fabrics, giving you the silhouette of strength.
Photography: Chloe Ann Charnock Model: Natalie Abson MUA: Sara Ramanauskas
Alexander McQueen £2,645
Dress, Vivienne Westwood Anglomania, £495 Ankle Boots, Acne, £360
Dress, Vivienne Westwood Anglomania £525 Ankle Boots, See by Chloé, £325
Dress, Hervé Léger £1,090
Playsuit, Milly £370 Jacket, McQ by Alexander McQueen £495
Dress, Rag & Bone ÂŁ295
Playsuit, Milly £370 Jacket, Antonio Berardi £1,250 Boots, Acne, £360
Dress, Alexander McQueen ÂŁ2,645
Dress, Marni, £810 Boots, Acne, £360
inner duality “Are you sure That we are awake? It seems to me That yet we sleep, we dream” Photography: Chloe Ann Charnock Model: Leyla Cevik MUA: Sara Ramanauskas
Dress, Whistles £145 Headpiece, Rock N Rose £42
Blouse, Alice by Temperley £245 Kimono, Kiku £68 Skirt, Red Valentino £650 Bracelet, Tiffany - price by request
Top, Nordstrom £460 Dress, French Connection £110 Neckace, Made £60
Dress, BCBGeneration £108 Necklace, French Connection £45
Dress, Free People £130 Top, Raquel Allegra £230 Boots, Acne £360
joseangelgonzalez.com
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THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF APRIL ASHLEY WORDS BY NONY UTOMI
Transgender model April Ashley was on of the first individuals to undergo sex changes and is the first to undergo reassignment surgery. April was born on 29th of April 1935 as George Jamieson, and was raised in Liverpool. George underwent the sex change operation in Casablanca, Morocco, in 1960 and was transformed into April Ashley. Once the operation was successful she the later moved back to England to become a leading model and actress. Her good looks and new found confidence lead her to become very successful and she was photographed for high profile publications such as vogue. She socialised with famous musicians, actors and members of London’s high society, and she is said to have seduced a string of Hollywood actors in the sixties. In 1961, her story was leaked by her friend into the media with the headline ‘“Her” Secret is out’. Ashley had been outed as a trans woman. She became the centre of attention and because of the scandal, her film credit was instantly dropped. The press coverage of Aprils gender
transition was hostile and transphobic which portrayed her inhuman. She was humiliated and shocked by the unexpected backlash. Her modelling career soon ended. In the year 1961 April met and began an affair with Arthur Corbett, an Eton educated aristocrat. He was fully aware of April’s history and gender reassignment. Corbett left his wife and four children to be with April. In 1963 she married Corbett in Gibraltar, but the relationship soon brokedown.
Corbett asked for a divorce in 1967 using the argument that she was born a male so the “AFTER MY OUTING I marriage was illegal. The medical and legal NEVER WORKED position on transsexuality was divided, there IN THIS COUNTRY was no consensus on whether a person could legally change gender and it was left to the AGAIN.” divorce court to decide. This proved to be a test case which continues to have implications for people throughout the world today.
‘April Ashley: Portrait of a lady’ opens at the Museum of Liverpool on 21st September 2014. The exhibition will be the first major one to look at April’s story and to uncover personal accounts of the lives of other transgender people, who have been affected by the same experiences as April.
pleasurephotoroom.files.wordpress.com/
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In 1970, the case of April and Corbett became known worldwide as the divorce case regarding the status of transsexuals in the country. The Judge Lord Justice Ormrod, created a medical ‘test’ and definition to determine the legal status of April, and by extension, all transsexual people. This was a huge personal setback to April, who suffered intrusive tests and more derogatory press attention. The judge ruled in February 1971 that “she was male” and the marriage was annulled. This ruling became a legal precedent used to define the gender of transsexual people for decades. The legal status of transgender people has only been fully recognised since the introduction of the Gender Recognition Act 2004. In the early 2000s April continued her campaign to have her female gender recognised. She wrote to the Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Lord Chancellor, to resolutely commit the change in the law for transgender people. In 2005 after the passing of the gender recognition act in 2004, April was finally recognised as a female and was issued a new birth certificate. The deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, was the one who helped her with the procedure. Through her campaigning for transgender rights, she had become a figurehead for transsexuals who wrote to her for advice and help. April has had an astonishing life and throughout it all she has fought for her rights, and provided advice and support for those suffering similar discrimination. The impact her life has had on law and legal definitions of gender and identity has been enormous, and her strength and determination is admired by many, which led her to receiving an MBE in 2012 for her services to Transgender Equality.
Most Relatable Mindy Lahiri Quotes From “The Mindy Project”
hitfix.com compiled by Yulia Aleksandrova
Mindy Lahiri loves romantic comedies, food, and Beyoncé. Basically, she’s all of us. Season 2 of The Mindy Project premieres December on E4
1. It’s so weird being my own role model. I recommend it. 2. Your secret is safe with me. Largely because I don’t care, and I’ll probably forget. 3. Sir? You’re not using enough cheese on that pizza, sir. 4. Let’s talk to the DJ and see if he’ll tell us the WiFi password to this place. 5. I fell asleep watching the movie Amélie, and when I woke up I had spilled so much red wine on myself that I thought for a second that I had been shot. 6. I don’t want to go to your stupid party. But you know what? I should have been invited. 7. I have the right to life, liberty and chicken wings. 8. My apartment is the only place I feel safe right now. I have food. I have alcohol. I have 600 channels. And none of them want to hurt me. 9. I’m like the Joan Cusack character in the romantic comedy of your life. 10. I figure, if I’m going to be a mess, I might as well be a hot mess.
BEAUX BIJOUX Calling all magpies, feast your eyes on these show stopping gems! From dramatic to elegant, which glittering jewel will catch your eye?
Necklace, People Tree ÂŁ32 Ring, Martine Wester ÂŁ15
Necklace, Boticca £223 Ring, Konplott £82 Earrings, Boticca £70
Earrings, ASOS £35 Bracelets, Boticca Triangle Cuff £216, Halo Cuff £179 Ring, Tosca £146
Necklace, Oliver Bonas ÂŁ35 Earrings, Jennifer Loiselle ÂŁ105
Gold Ring, Coldlilies £295 Blue Ring, Konplott £76.50 Bracelet, LeiVanKash £140
Ring, Konplott £97 Bracelet, Peggy Li £39 Necklace, Oliver Bonas £26
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ENDURING FASHION by Fran Carruthers
Fashion and feelings are closely linked. If you have an emotional attachment to an item of clothing, you are much more likely to wear it for many years to come, and research has actually shown that simply looking at a garment in your wardrobe that links to fond memories can improve your mood. That beautiful blue dress you were wearing on the day you got a promotion... The elegant vintage coat your Grandma passed down to you for your birthday... Those fantastic Italian leather boots you saved up 2 months pay for.... For whatever reason, sometimes a bond between the wearer and the garment forms. Only clothing that means something to us can endure. We asked three women to give us an account of their favourite garments that they have an enduring love for, that one special item in their wardrobe that they would never dream of getting rid of.
Christina – 28 I think I must have been about 16, and I remember panicking about the upcoming ‘own clothes day’ at school... It hadn’t bothered me much in previous years but when I turned 15, I became very interested in creating a ‘signature style’ for myself. In my late teens that ‘signature look’ would change almost monthly. I think I believed if I found my ‘look’ I would be closer to knowing who I was as a person. Of course, I eventually realised it was far more complicated than that, but when I came across my mother’s gorgeous scarf that summer in 2000, I did find something that would become very much part of my ‘look’ for years to come. I spotted it immediately in between the sea of navy, black and grey that made up my mum’s wardrobe. It was so bright, yet still elegant somehow. I didn’t ask permission to borrow it, just tied it with a flourish onto my school bag and stubbornly strutted out the house, expecting her to challenge or scold me for taking it. To my surprise (and perhaps disappointment) she was delighted I’d found it. She said she had forgotten all about it, and told me it was a gift from her friend to cheer her up when she lost her first job in 1988. She had adored the scarf. It was so bright, and positive. My mum insisted I keep it and still loves to see me wearing it on our visits. I can see why her friend chose it as a little pick-me-up gift, you can’t help but smile when you wear it. Which I still do, all the time! Especially on days when I need that little boost of confidence. Heather – 35 I never met my Great Aunt Lillian, but I’ve been told she was fierce. She was the head of the family, and the go-to lady for advice, gardening tips, and all general problems. She was also an amazing seamstress. My Grandmother’s home is filled with all manner of oddities designed and made by her older sister, including pillows with intricate bird and flower appliqués,
complicated patchwork masterpieces, and beautifully crocheted lace butterfly table covers. She also used to love making gorgeous dresses and skirts for her sisters, most of which have been lost along the years, but a few key pieces are still treasured by my Granny. Much to my delight, I was given one of Aunt Lillian’s skirts when I left home to start University in 1997. It was an elegant ankle length (I think it might have been floor length on my Aunt) deep green checked wool skirt with buttons that ran the whole way up the front. I loved it straight away, and used to wear it with clumpy boots and lightweight loosely knitted jumpers (more to do with my inability to knit rather than a style statement). Now I wear it with heeled ankle boots and floaty blouses, a bit more of a chic look I think! I love that the skirt has been adaptable and has worked with all my style changes in the last decade. I know it was made with love by my Aunt and this allows me to feel a connection to her despite us never knowing one another. Alyssa – 29 My mum was 24 when she bought the parka in 1983. I don’t remember exactly when I inherited it from her, but it was definitely sat in my wardrobe untouched for quite a few years. When I move to Bucharest I re-discovered it and thought it might come in handy for the blisteringly cold Romanian winters. ‘Handy’ was quite an under estimation on my part, it was endlessly useful! I wore it practically nonstop for several years, during autumn, winter and spring. I never considered it as a stylish piece, but I’ve noticed the parka style is coming back into fashion. I have a good friend who is a fair bit younger than me, and she told me daily how wonderful the coat was, she was really in love with it. So before she left to return to home this autumn, I gave it to her. She was overjoyed! I think that’s the thing about objects that bring you great happiness, you have to pass them on, keep that enduring joy. I’m so grateful that my mother passed it onto me, and I must admit it was a great feeling to be able to do the same for my friend.
Images (from left to right): amazon.co.uk, harrods.co.uk, asos.com, asos.com, charlotteolympia.co.uk, selfridges.co.uk, harrods.co.uk, net-a-porter.com
Ohh Deer The Grumpy Cat Cushion £35
Markus Lupfer Embellished Cat Jumper £285 I Could Pee on This: and other Poems by Cats £7
Blue Q Mister Cat Shopper £10
CAT LADIES ARE COOL Here at FORWARD, it’s no secret that we love our cats: the majority of our staff are selfproclaimed cat ladies, and I’m no exception. With the holidays around the corner, I’ve compiled a list of gift ideas for that special Cat Lady in your life! Now, trust me, it was hard narrowing down this list, but I think we’ve covered everything for even your basic cat aficionado.
Paul & Joe Eye & Cheek colour set £42
Marc By Marc Jacobs Rue IPad Case £65
Charlotte Olympia Kitty Flats £465
Cubic Meow ceramic mug £10.95
CULTURE
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nationalmediamuseum.org.uk
liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
Exhibitions Only in England: Photographs by Tony Ray-Jones and Martin Parr 21 September 2013 – 16 March 2014 Science Museum London
April Ashley: Portrait of a lady 27 September 2013 – 21 September 2014 Museum of Liverpool
Martin Parrs breakthrough work, ‘the non-conformists’, is shown alongside the Tony Ray-Jones that inspired it. “Tony Ray-Jones’ pictures were about England. They had that contrast, that seedy eccentricity, but they showed it in a very subtle way. They have an ambiguity, a visual anarchy, they showed me [Martin Parr] what was possible”.
Born in Liverpool 1932, April Ashley, former Vogue model and actress was one of the first people in the world to undergo reassignment surgery. As one of the most famous transgender individuals and campaigner for equality, she is now an icon and inspiration to many.
The display includes a series of rare Ray-Jones’ photographs alongside unseen work by Martin Parr. the contrast between the two creates a fascinating outlook of two different generations, by two masters of the art. What stands out most at this exhibition is that these two men had the unique ability to take something ordinary and make it interesting. Waiting for the prime opportunity to wait and get close enough to their subject to get an interesting shot whilst being natural.
Alongside Aprils story, we also get an insight into the stories of other trans and gender communities in the UK from the on going project Homotopia. The exhibition is the first to draw on personal photographs and documents to investigate the wider impact of changing social and legal rights for LGBT individuals from 1935 to today.
somersethouse.org.uk
www.npg.org.uk
Exhibitions Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore! 20 November 2013 – 2 March 2014 Somerset House London
Bailey’s Stardust 6 February – 1 June 2014 National Portrait Gallery
This Autumn Somerset House are showcasing a major fashion exhibition celebrating the extraordinary life and wardrobe of late British style icon, Isabella Blow.
A landmark exhibition of portraits by one of the worlds most influential photographers, David Bailey.
The exhibition will showcase over a hundred pieces from her incredibly rich collection, now owned by Daphne Guiness. Including garments from many designer talents she discovered and launched, such as Alexander McQueen, Phillip Treacy and Julien McDonalds amongst many others.
Over 250 images, personally selected by Bailey, will illustrate the extraordinary range of subjects that he has captured; actors, writers, musicians, filmmakers, designers, models, artists and the general people he has encountered over time. Don’t miss his new portrait of Kate Moss, which will be exhibited for the first time, alongside unseen images from his recent travels to the Naga Hills in India.
Words by Rachael Sulley
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wereisobesotted.blogspot.com
Artist Screaming Lulu Lou Trigg is a textiles artist from Brighton, who focuses predominately on sequential design created using free machine sewing and blind drawing. For Lulu sewing is more than a passion, it’s a form of expression to showcase her patriarchy and feminist views. She focuses on issues that are often over looked or ignored; cancer, swearing, sex and racy celebrities. Lulu is more well known and celebrated for her collection “The invisible woman” which focuses on the invisibility of women of a certain age and how they are expected to get plastic surgery and spend hundreds on their appearance.
Words by Rachael Sulley
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shopluvb.com
Music Iggy Azalea Iggy Azalea is an Australian recording artist, songwriter and rapper born in the New South Wales.Azalea’s debut studio album ‘The New Classic’ is set to be released in 2014. While the term “classic” tends to refer to hip-hop’s golden years, she seeks to make a new body of work that will be retrospectively praised as a representation of the genre’s evolving sound. “I guess that’s what ‘The New Classic’ is like: Me wanting to experiment with those things and saying it’s a mix and what about it is the new sound,” the blonde rhymer explains. Despite her aspirations and openness, Iggy stays relatively tight-lipped on which song collaborations will be featured on the album. She revealed that ‘The New Classic will be more upbeat and bass driven than what people have heard before from her. Fans must wait until February 2014, to find out whether ‘The New Classic’ is worthy of its title.
Words by Nony Utomi
PREVIEW OF
ONNA TRATT D Y B H C IN F THE GOLD
8 | D on na Ta rt t
u vivant of that candlelit circle, a tablea : life my all it t ou ab nk thi probably t her. iness that was lost when I los pp ha e lac np mo com ily, da the still, she was. at’s almost secondary; but She was beautiful, too. Th e as Kansas, she worked part-tim m fro sh fre rk Yo w Ne to e When she cam y good in front of the camera to be ver y eas un too s wa she h ug tho a model n’t translate to film. at it; whatever she had, it did ever seeing self: a rarity. I cannot recall And yet she was wholly her fair skin d her. She had black hair, ble em res lly rea o wh son another per m; and in e eyes with a lot of light in the blu na chi r, me sum in led ck that fre mixture of the there was such an eccentric s ne bo ek che her of nt sla the ed she was Icethat sometimes people guess tribal and the Celtic Twilight nsas Cherokee, from a town in Ka lf ha sh, Iri lf ha s wa she t, landic. In fac by calling she liked to make me laugh d an r; rde bo a om lah Ok near the and stylish as a she was as glossy and nervy h ug tho n eve ie Ok an f sel her a little too stark ter unfortunately comes out racehorse. That exotic charac p, her freckles covered with makeu her — s ph gra oto ph in ing and unforgiv bleman nape of her neck like some no the at l tai ny po a in k bac lled hair pu is her warmth, at doesn’t come across at all wh d an — nji Ge of le Ta e Th in out her most. It’s ality, which is what I loved ab her merry, unpredictable qu usted pictures, how much she mistr in s ate an em she ss lne stil clear, from the self against ful, tigerish air of steeling her tch wa a off es giv she ; era the cam thrilling quicklike that. She moved with a t sn’ wa she life in t Bu . ack att ge of her chair ht, always perched on the ed ed ness, gestures sudden and lig t to startle and fly away. I lov ou ab d bir rsh ma nt ga ele g like some lon d I loved the re, rough and unexpected, an wo she e fum per d oo lw da the san me on the foreen she swooped down to kiss wh rt shi ed rch sta her of tle rus k over what you ough to make you want to kic head. And her laugh was en men street. Wherever she went, the wn do her low fol d an were doing y used to their eyes, and sometimes the of ner cor the of t ou her at looked red me a little. look at her in a way that bothe n a little too her people have always bee Her death was my fault. Ot e known, yes, only a kid, who could hav d an t; sn’ wa it t tha me ure quick to ass all perfectly have happened to anyone, it’s ld cou k, luc ten rot nt, ide acc terrible rd of it. true and I don’t believe a wo . (Even my April 10th, fourteen years ago It happened in New York, the pen to write it down, just to keep sh pu to d ha I te; da the at hand balks
moving on the pa sticks up on the ca If the day ha unmarked, swall grade year. What course the textur drenched, wet fe shops were flood us were standing while her favori down Fifty-Seve by in sheets of skyscrapers, blo below, on the st soft like spring. “Ah, he’s fu ping out of the off. He was the skinned Puert pouchy in the shift smelling kidding aroun from foot to fo telling jokes in “You in a said BURT D. b because his la “No, plen were shaky as Goldie m (backed up e looking anyw “You’re n “Oh, we tion, when much atten
Goldfinch CS6.indd 9 03/09/2013 16:43 Goldfinch CS6.indd 8
image: ycntalentagency.com, text courtesy of waterstones.com
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Book The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt If you haven’t met already, let me introduce you to Donna Tartt, the fantastically mysterious writer with a stylish Louise Brooks Bob. This chic and smart lady has just released her 3rd book in 3 decades, ‘The Goldfinch’. You should read it, its brilliant. Our hero is thirteen-year old Theo Decker, the survivor of a horrific explosion that changes his whole life. After this devastating event which takes place at the Museum of Modern Art, Theo has to find a way to come to terms with the terror and chaos. He meets a host of exceptional characters, travelling from New York to Las Vegas to the Nevada desert, all the while clutching a tiny, priceless painting of a chained bird that he took from the wrecked museum. At just under 800 pages, Goldfinch is not a quick read, but it is a gripping page turner that will have you fully engrossed in the life of its characters. The scenes and descriptions are built up in beautiful detail, and Tartt’s writing style is elegant and understated, rather like the lady herself. Words by Fran Carruthers
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thecoast.ca
Film Frances Ha (2013) Noah Baumbach takes the US indie back to monochrome for a touch of ‘70s-era Woody Allen in this comically bittersweet portrayal of a down-on-her-luck New York dancer (Greta Gerwig) who stumbles from awkward moment to awkward moment. Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig lead us on an expansive journey that takes place in the confines of several years in the life of a single character - Frances. They co-wrote the film and Gerwig is sublimely engaging as Frances, a woman who prefers to focus on the moments along life’s path rather than any sort of destination to the path itself. Baumbach takes those incredibly realistic and often uncomfortable moments, shapes them into black-and-white vignettes that are both immediate and personal, and then precisely combines those vignettes into this delicate and funny film. It’s rounded off by an unbelievably talented supporting cast who make “Frances Ha” an all-around joy to watch.
Words by Yulia Aleksandrova
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screenrobot.com
TV Masters Of Sex Stylish, smart and provocative 12-part drama set in the 1950s, chronicling the relationship of Dr William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the couple who gave birth to the sexual revolution. “Masters of Sex” is based on Thomas Maier’s lively 2009 book of the same title, which tells the story of the rise of William Masters, a renegade who aimed to study sex in the lab, using human subjects. For all the show’s appeal, none of this would work without Lizzy Caplan, the swizzle stick in the show’s erotic cocktail. She’s chilled out and self-possessed, the type of woman who turns everything she says into an intelligent come-on, even when that’s not her intent. Tuesday 9pm, Channel 4
Words by Yulia Aleksandrova
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cometostay.com
Website Come to Stay What are the first things you think of when someone says British B&B? Outdated ‘granny’ florals covering every viewable surface? Quilted Teapot covers and lumpy beds? A grumpy proprietor serving you soggy toast and instant coffee for breakfast? Come To Stay offers you an entirely different experience. It is an online directory of luxury and boutique B&Bs throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This site showcases the best in luxury holiday retreats, ensuring you will enjoy beautiful decor, perfectly cooked breakfasts and a deep sleep after a difficult day feeling completely relaxed. We are particularly enamoured with this gorgeous roll top bath in the Luxury Suite at Number Thirty Eight in Bristol
Words by Fran Carruthers
Anti-suffragette propaganda – bloody funny I was whiling away the hours on Pinterest the other day (researching, if anyone asks) and I came across these interesting propaganda posters against the Suffragette movement.
filipspagnoli.wordpress.com
Now, I am aware of what my first reaction to this kind of anti-suffrage propaganda against women should be. Disgust, of course. However, the sheer ridiculousness and stupidity of the images made me laugh out loud.
The cliché gender roles have been swapped and it’s the man who is hard at work looking after the children/home. Does this mean that the men who designed the image believed that women worked harder in the home while the role of the husband was to sit around drinking and complaining? I don’t think they really thought that one through.
A WOMAN’S PLACE IS NOT IN THE REFRIGERATOR
Let us have a moment of silence for all the fictional females in comic books who have died in order to advance a plot or induce heroic angst. (Spoiler warning for several comic books and/or their movie adaptations.) Words by Yulia Aleksandrova
superherostuff.com
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It’s a dangerous business falling in love with a hero. The role of the love interest is an important one, as a romantic plotline sure can add extra depth to an action-packed story and help develop the characters. It also provides another level of drama to our superhero’s story, be it keeping his secret identity a secret, trying to protect his girl from the evil powers, or simply showing that even the strongest, powered-up characters have a weakness: mushy, warm fuzzy feelings where the opposite sex is concerned (or the same sex, of course, but that has only happened a few times).
The Green Lantern’s girlfriend meets a fate so terrible it warrants its own trope term (a trope is a common pattern in a story or a recognisable attribute in a character that conveys information to the audience), stuffed strategically into a fridge after being violently murdered by the bad guys in order to terrify the hero and the readers. She’s certainly not the first and not the last, either—Gail Simone was sick of seeing “superheroines who have been either depowered, raped, or cut up and stuck in the refrigerator.” In 1999 she created a shockingly long list of over 90 comics that featured female characters who suffered a loss of super powers, brutal violation or an untimely, gruesome death most often as a plot point for the male hero to seek vengeance or advance his heroic journey. And, like many such tropes, the problem isn’t that it ever happens; the problem is that it’s a pattern. One which routinely treats women as the objects of violence and as plot devices manipulated in the interest of a man’s progress. If we’re going to talk about the dead girlfriends of superheroes, possibly the most famous example in comic book history is Gwen Stacy. She was Spiderman’s girlfriend, played by Emma Stone in the most recent movie adaptation, who, unfortunately for everyone who’s a fan of Emma Stone’s neck, met a rather sticky end in the comic universe. In “The Night Gwen Stacy Died”, the Green Goblin throws her off a bridge and Spidey, being the hero, goes to catch her spectacularly with his cool web trick, but… makes a serious error and snaps her neck.
comicsvortex.com
The female characters that fill these roles do, however, have a nasty habit of being only that: role fillers. Many of them are not granted great amounts of dimension to their own characters, and only exist as the squishy female foil to our hardened hero, beautiful cut-outs stuck in the story universe to advance the plot or create a romantic storyline. That is an issue in its own right, but what is most startling and troubling of all is their frighteningly high mortality rate.
This was a great shock and a major development—Spiderman suffered enormous guilt that lasted long afterward and still rings home in more recent comics. The event was a hugely painful turning point for our hero—but what about Gwen? Was that the end she deserved, to be horribly killed off just to induce character development? An example of a strong female superhero who met an untimely and trivial death was Big Barda. She was the leader of the Female Furies, and also a member of Birds of Prey and the Justice League. She was married to Mister Miracle, and interestingly was actually physically stronger than her superhero husband. Although Big Barda had all these superpowers she was killed in her kitchen with no signs of a real battle. And of course her death conveniently created a narrative for her husband. He struggled with whether or not to use the Anti-Life Equation which would allow him to control the will power of all sentient beings. We get a high-definition example in the case of The Dark Knight, when the lovely Rachel, a childhood friend and a love interest of Bruce Wayne’s, meets a horrible end at the cruel hands of the Joker. To boot, she’s even part of a sadistic ‘you can only save one of them’ scheme involving lying, villainous transformations, and lots of explosives. It’s not fun. Another classic Batman example when characters are depowered is when Barbara Gordon as Batgirl was shot in the spine by the Joker as a way to drive her father, Commissioner Gordon, insane. She was permanently paralysed and had to create an entirely new identity for herself. But in The Dark Knight Rises, when Batman’s back was broken over supervillian Bane’s knee, he fully recovered within a few months. But, of course, not every comic and action adventure treats its women this way. There have been many female characters that kick ass in their own right, with some even surviving until the end of the franchise and getting a happily ever after. There is evident progress that does not involve women being a mere emotional hook with no depth attached - in the most recent Superman movie Man of Steel, for example, Lois Lane actually had her intelligence acknowledged and she figures out Superman’s identity almost right away, instead of insulting her by having Clark Kent’s silly glasses be an effective disguise. However, the issue of their high and violent mortality rate still remains. The death of a love interest can be a brilliant dramatic tool, but the shock factor wears off when it’s been done so many times, and raises all sorts of subtextual issues when the lives of women, even fictional ones, are treated as disposable.
Disney Princesses Reimagined As Pop Culture Heroines Artist Isaiah Stephens depicts the ladies of Disney in kickass contemporary costumes. See them all at isaiahstephens.deviantart.com
MULAN AS XENA
AURORA AS DAENERYS TARGARYEN
compiled by Yulia Aleksandrova images courtesy of deviantart.com
WANDERLUSTING Words by Fran Carruthers
Fine, I’ll admit it, I’m hooked. My love of travel knows no limits.
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I’m not just a traveller though, I am a woman who has decided to travel alone. I’m naturally an independent person anyway, and once I caught the travel bug, I decided that for me personally, I would get more out of the experience if I went on my big adventure alone. As a solo woman in the travelling world, I’m told regularly that I must be afraid. I must avoid a whole list of situations that might just possibly lead me into some sort of danger. Doom is lurking around every corner for the lone female traveller! Except it didn’t. I stayed in hostels, with friends, in B&Bs if I was feeling flush. And I have even used ‘CouchSurfing’ on more than one occasion. Couchsurfing.com is a user generated website for travellers to provide and share accommodation, meet for a drink, or sightsee together. It is a platform to enable us to connect culturally and share our love of travel. I built an in-depth profile and tried to provide as much information about myself as possible (easier said than done) and others do the same, so you are able to vet someone to a certain degree before you meet up with them. A few of my fellow women travel buddies have told me they wouldn’t consider using this site when they travel alone. Too risky apparently. And this is the view taken by quite a few travellers out there. Women are at a disadvantage and shouldn’t put themselves in this vulnerable position when exploring a new country. Men might take advantage of them. Things could get ugly.
So is CouchSurfing a harmful to the solo woman traveller or a benefit? In 2009, a 29 year old Hong Kong woman was repeatidly raped by an ex-couchsurfing member, Abdelali Nachet, a resident of Leeds at the time. This horrific example is used as an argument against women travelling alone, which is understandable. Is it safe for females to stay over night in a strangers home? For them to put themselves in strange situations half way round the world? Vulnerability can be a dangerous thing. Cultural misunderstandings, inappropriate behaviour from the host or the guest, murky boundries... there are a lot of dangers to consider before trying out CouchSurfing. But with the right level of research and planning, it can still be an enjoyable experience, as proved by many women who have been using the site for years and who swear by it. Travel is about risks, sometimes with astounding, life altering results. Its about meeting amazing people and discovering new cultures. Its more than just a bed for the night, its and exchange. Of conversation, of food, of culture, information, and social contact. I know I am able to trust my own instincts and my own ability to protect myself from potentially harmful situations, I do not need to be constantly told I must feel daunted or intimidated or afraid. For me personally, I didn’t come into any trouble staying with others. I was in fact touched by the constant kindness of strangers as I travelled. I loved being part of a like-minded network of people with whom to share my joy of the road. I trust my instinct though, and would not hesitate to leave a situation I wasn’t 100% comfortable in. I’m now happy to provide someone else with hospitality. I’m excited to be part of their trip, and hear all about the big adventure that is their life and their journey.
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The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It's the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows & the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years. AUDREY HEPBURN
BEAUTY
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ZOOEY DESCHANEL
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I don’t like plain nails. I get sad.
It has recently become apparent that Zooey Deschanel may be more obsessed with nail art then anyone on the entire planet!
Her retro-inspired, cutesy nails never fail to excite us and make us grab for our own nail polishes to have a go ourselves. With nails by manicurist to the famous and fabulous, Tom Bachik, it’s not hard to spot why Zooey is the envy of every polish lover out there.
Perfect for the occasion Golden globes movie camera and film roll nail art by Tom Bachik
Beatles ‘Help!’ nail art featuring pictures of mini John, Paul, George and Ringo!
For all you sailor fans, Nautical nail art by ChInailbar
Cosy Fair isle print nail art to prepare you for Christmas!
Modern geometric art Emmys 60’s nail art by Tom Bachik.
The famous Golden globes Tuxedo nail art by Tom Bachik
vogue.co.uk
Words by Yulia Aleksandrova
THE CHLOÉ BARELY-THERE EYE
For some time now we’ve been searching for the right technique and tools to pull of the oh-so-chic look that’s like having no makeup on, but somehow your eyes are just popping. And of course, who else to show us just how, than the always elegant and understated brand Chloé. Backstage at Chloé during Paris Fashion Week Spring 2014, makeup artist Diane Kendal accented the models’ dewy, extra-moisturized skin with a nearly invisible chocolate liner. How exactly you might ask? She traced along the top and lower lashes with Mac Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Duck and then went over said lines with a Q-tip coated in what we’ll call a ‘whisper’ of Embryolisse. The mix of pencil and cream, Kendal explains, “left behind a ‘residue’ that made the lids look dewy with a hint of colour”—precisely the natural, no-makeup makeup we are all after. (If we hadn’t seen the girls pre- Kendal’s subtle work, we would have thought they weren’t wearing anything at all.) But the change was certainly evident—their eyes were a little bit prettier...in the way that Stephane Marais must have wanted Linda Evangelista to look when he supposedly asked her to sleep in her makeup the night before a shoot.
Easy Hairstyles for Busy Mornings
Forget complicated braids, fishtails, and 25-step chignons. These hairstyles are the ones you actually have time for. Photography: Chloe Ann Charnock Model: Eleanor Hare
The detailing in this hairstyle makes it seem more complicated than it actually is! Pull back all your hair into a low ponytail, leaving our two small sections from either side of your head. Plait the pony tail wrap around into a bun, securing in place with hair grips. Plait the small sections of hair and pull round to tuck into place in the bun with grips. Tease apart the plaited bun to give it a messy chic look.
Channel your inner mermaid with this simple to do plait. Pull all your hair to one side and section into three parts. Plait each of these sections in the traditional way and secure at the bottom. Bring the 3 plaits together and use these to create another, bigger plait. Use your fingers to even out and tease.
Pressed for time? Try this simple yet elegant bun! Fasten your hair in a low pony tail at the nape of your neck. Twist the whole pony tail several times until it begins to curl in on itself. Wrap the pony tail round into a bun and secure with a few hair grips. An easy take on a classic.
For this effortless style, simply brush through your hair, securing it in a low ponytail at the back of your head. Then, pull your hair bobble down slightly to loosen the space above it, allowing you to split this space into 2 sections with a gap in the middle. Thread the bottom of your ponytail over and through the gap and pull down. A sleek and speedy look.
We love this style for a quick hair fix that is sure to attract compliments throughout the day! Just above the front of your ear, take a 1.5 inch section of hair from both sides. Pull sections over and tie into a bow at the back of your head. Secure with hair grips, and voila! Simple yet sweet.
In the next issue of Forward... A glance at the next issue If you can’t wait 2 months, here is a sneak peak into what’s to come in Forward Magazine... We will be delighted to welcome Emma Leonard as our guest illustrator She is a Melbourne based illustrator who joins traditional drawing techniques with digital media to create delicately feminine and ethereal images. Her artwork often has a melancholy feel to it, though occasionally her girls may give you a hint of a smile. We hope the beautiful illustrations will leave you smiling anyway. And features on women in comedy Amy Poehler, fashion psychology, sophisticated customisation, powerful women of history and an exclusive interview with Caitlin Moran
STOCKISTS Vivienne Westwood Anglomania - viviennewestwood.co.uk MILLY - millyny.com Antonio Berardi - net-a-porter.com MCQ Alexander McQueen - net-a-porter.com Rag&Bone - rag-bone.com Hérve Légér - herveleger.com Alexander McQueen - alexandermcqueen.com Marni - marni.com Monsoon - monsoon.co.uk Jaeger - jaeger.co.uk White Stuff - whitestuff.com Carvella - debenhams.co.uk Oliver Bonas - oliverbonas.co.uk Mint Velvet – mintvelvet.co.uk Mary Portas - houseoffraser.co.uk Karl Largerfeld - houseoffraser.co.uk Cos – cosstores.com Hobbs – hobbs.co.uk Matthew Williamson – houseoffraser.co.uk Ben De Lisi – debenhams.co.uk Biba – houseoffraser.co.uk Office – office.co.uk Debenhams – debenhams.co.uk John Richard – debenhams.co.uk Whistles – whistles.co.uk Nordstrom – shop.nordstrom.com French Connection – frenchconnection.com Free People – FreePeople.co.uk Raquel Allegra – raquelallegra.com BCBGeneration – BCBGeneratio.com Acne – acnestudios.com Alice by Temperley – temperleylondon.com Red Valentino – farfetch.com Kiku – asos.com Tiffany – tiffany.co.uk See by Chloe – shopstyle.co.uk Whistles – whistles.co.uk Rock ‘n’ Rose – rocknrose.co.uk Konplott –artyfax.com Coldlilies – coldlilies.com Martine Wester – martinewester.com People Tree – peopletree.co.uk Oliver Bonas – shopstyle.co.uk Boticca – boticca.com Asos – asos.com
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Issue 1 December / January 2013-14
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