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We've all had those moments. The ones where you look in the mirror and nothing feels ok. For Anita Bhagwandas, this started when she was a child and it created an enduring internal torment about her looks. We're all told that this is just part of growing up, but it stays with us, evolving as we age. The internet tells us we should love ourselves, whilst bombarding us with images of airbrushed perfection, upholding centuries-old beauty standards which we can't always see. Our beauty rituals are so often based around things we think we need to fix, grow and develop - sometimes tipping into dangerous obsession. So, what seismic shift does it take to break free from this mentality? In Ugly, Anita uncovers where these beauty standards started, unpicks why they've been perpetuated and unmasks the structures that continue to support them. From the ever-growing cosmetic surgery industry, to the hidden pitfalls of 'pretty privilege', it is time to finally break free from those limiting beauty standards, because feeling ugly should have nothing to do with how we look, and everything to do with who wants us to feel lacking.
Embrace Your Uniqueness and Rewrite Beauty and Fashion “Anita's deep dive into beauty, its history and the pressure to look ‘perfect’ is essential reading.” ―Caroline Hirons, writer and “queen of skincare” according to The Guardian Ugly is a powerful exploration of our relationship with looks, challenging centuries-old standards, and empowering us to redefine beauty beyond appearance. Break free from the constraints of “ugly” labels. Author Anita Bhagwandas takes us on a journey to dismantle entrenched notions of attractiveness. She traces the origins of beauty ideals, confronts the impact of pretty privilege, and examines the evolving feminist movement's role in redefining...
A New York Times and Washington Post Notable Book • Named one of the Best Books of the Year by TIME, NPR, Elle, and The Boston Globe “Searing… rigorously researched but never stuffy… Gilbert has compiled perhaps the first comprehensive examination of turn-of-the-millennium mainstream, cool-kid trends and ephemera, and how they were largely molded by those in power to sell a generation of girls and young women reality-warping lies.” —The New York Times “So clear-eyed that it’s startling." —The Washington Post “Entertaining and even energizing, transforming a dismal history into something like a rallying cry.” —The Boston Globe From Atlantic critic and Pulitzer Prize fi...
Hello, my name's Stacey Duguid and I'm a reformed fashion editor. Oh, wait. Wrong meeting. I once worked for British ELLE magazine and wore expensive clothes, whereas I'm now a single mother, divorcee and love addict (wearing expensive clothes I never should've bought). I spent my entire twenties, and, err, alright, thirties, in nightclubs. Dabbling occasionally with the odd recreational drug (or five), I shopped hard, loved hard and tried very hard to find a man who could save me. From the stuff we pick-up as little girls to an ingrained internalisation of gender roles we're left to unpack for a lifetime, I'd spent a lifetime pursuing a dream marriage which, in the end, left me shattered. W...
This book examines the recurring phenomenon in film and television where two strikingly similar productions are released in close succession. Examples include Armageddon (1998) and Deep Impact (1998), A Bug’s Life (1998) and Antz (1998), and more recently, the 2019 Fyre Festival documentaries and the 2024 Prince Andrew docudramas. Drawing from hundreds of cases, this book explores why these twin productions emerge, the industrial and creative forces that drive them, and how they reflect broader trends in media history. Situating this pattern within the fields of remake, adaptation, and media multiplicities studies, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of this largely understudied ye...
To date there has been a significant gap in existing knowledge about the social history of music in Britain from 1950 to the present day. The three volumes of Live Music in Britain address this gap and do so through a unique prism—that of live music. The key theme of the books is the changing nature of the live music industry in the UK, focused upon popular music but including all musical genres. Via this focus, the books offer new insights into a number of other areas including the relationship between commercial and public funding of music; changing musical fashions and tastes; the impact of changing technologies; the changing balance of power within the music industries; the role of the...
This book explores editorial and advertising discourses related to cosmetic procedures and beauty products and services in UK lifestyle magazines, offering a holistic perspective on the normalisation of cosmetic procedures and the societal context in which particular perceptions have flourished. The volume examines the societal climate that contributed to cultural perceptions of the body as object and project, and constructions of masculinities and femininities as context for developments in lifestyle magazines’ content on beauty and cosmetic procedures. Integrating approaches from Critical Discourse Analysis, Thematic Analysis, and Content Analysis, Hermans explores the varying ways in wh...
If you've ever felt oppressed, angry at the patriarchy, been ghosted or experienced a bad case of imposter syndrome, this book is just the magical elixir you've been waiting for. Join expert witch Semra Haksever as she invites you to summon your Big Witch Energy and awaken the abundance of power within. Filled with spells and rituals that are perfect for novice witches and seasoned spellcasters alike, Semra encourages you to practise radical self-acceptance, be comfortable and confident in your skin and to question society's expectations. There's a spell to help stop people-pleasing, a 'protective shield' body lotion and a foot scrub that will encourage you to walk your own path. As well as this, there are practical spells to call in money and good luck, banish negativity and much more. This collection of spells will enable you connect with the best version of yourself and truly feel your power. So, step into the magic and embrace your Big Witch Energy.
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