Fashion Editorial Image Analysis

McGee Bosworth 3 October 2017 COM 348 Image Analysis Word Count: 969

(Photographer: Philip Gay; October 2017; Model: Anna de Rijk; Brands Featured: MICHAEL Michael Kors, Wunderkind, and Elizabeth and James; Glamour Magazine)

The above image is an editorial photographed by Philip Gay for the October 2017 issue of Glamour magazine. The image was featured in a photo series entitled, “Like A Boss.” In this image, there is what appears to be a woman with dark, maybe brown or black, hair against a blacked-out background. She is fair-skinned. From what the viewer can see of her face, she has a strong, defined line of black eyeliner around her eye. The woman is seen with one large, statement earring on the ear closest to the viewer. The earring is made up of three sections—one orange/brown, one pink, and one gold. She has on no other jewelry that the viewer can see. She is wearing an oversized houndstooth brown/black and tan jacket underneath a larger tan trench coat. The woman’s shoulder and part of her chest, collarbone, and sternum are exposed to the viewer. The woman has clean, unpainted nails on the one hand the viewer can see. She has a somewhat stern or serious expression. The woman’s dark hair blends into the blacked-out background.

This editorial brings more to the forefront than just a desire for high-end clothing, aesthetic appeal, and styling inspiration for the viewer. The image is featured in a recent spread in Glamour magazine entitled, “Like A Boss.” According to the Office for National Statistics for the United Kingdom, there has been an increase in the percentage of women in the workforce as compared to men over the last 40 years (2013: 2). However, an inherent problem arises for women entering these workforce positions. Traditionally, men are

McGee Bosworth 3 October 2017 COM 348 Image Analysis Word Count: 969 assumed to be in leadership positions. So, women in these leadership positions face difficulties on how to act and present themselves in the workplace (Levitt, 2010: 71).

Women walk a fine-line of balancing the “decisiveness, authority, and directness” expected of men in managerial positions while also not seeming overpowering and oppressive towards their male counterparts (Levitt, 2010: 71). As it pertains to fashion, it is frowned upon for women to enhance their femininity because then they’re supposedly using seduction to get ahead (Levitt, 2010: 71). Nowadays, women are constantly working to establish and maintain leadership in their workplace and one of the ways they juggle this paradox is through fashion.

The deeper connotation behind the “Like A Boss” editorial brings forth this idea of women presenting themselves, through their clothing, make-up, jewelry, and attitude, as both masculine and feminine. The tag-line “Like A Boss” anchors the viewer to thinking about strength, power, leadership and acting “like a boss”. The model featured in this editorial is placed against a harsh and powerful background. The lack of any sort of background image draws the viewer directly to the model. Her oversized, non-tailored clothing leans more towards the masculine. The colors are very natural and non-distracting.

It would be hard to say that she is trying to attract attention to herself through vibrant colors or tight tailoring. Her stern facial expression, along with her minimal, but clearly visible, make-up leads the viewer to take her seriously. She doesn’t seem like a person to be taken lightly. The feminine touch to her attire is her statement, but non-distracting, earring.

The touch of pink in her earring, as well as the gold, adds a delicate and feminine air to her professional expression and attire without distracting the viewer too much. The model also has very cleanly manicured nails, but they lack any nail varnish. This adds a professional touch to her overall appearance. Overall, the model has an authoritative demeanor while also maintaining an air of femininity.

The interesting focal point of this editorial is the model’s exposed shoulder, collarbone, and sternum. As Levitt mentioned in her analysis of female leadership roles, emphasis on the feminine body is frowned upon for being too seductive in the workplace and only as a method to get ahead of others (2010: 71). This exposure, though, is very seductive and alluring. The viewer’s eye is drawn directly to this exposure. The light of the photograph both shadows and highlights the contours in the model’s body. The statement earring also draws attention and points to this exposed area of her body. Jonathan Bignell, in his introduction to semiotics, discusses how, oftentimes, ads, or in this case editorials, are working to sell products, but they’re also inconspicuously working to either perpetuate or break social myths and stereotypes (15/16: 31). This editorial is commenting on the role of women as authoritative figures while also maintaining their seductive and alluring femininity.

The dominant ideology of our world today is that women are taking a more prominent stance in the workforce. But, these women juggle maintaining the balance between their femininity and authoritative masculinity in the workplace. Women often express themselves through their apparel. Thus, this editorial is commenting on the everincreasing role of women in the workforce both adhering to masculine leadership stereotypies while also maintaining and working with their inherent femininity and allure.

Questions arise, however, as to whether the representation of women in the workforce would change if the model shown was of a different ethnicity. Women of African American, or any other ethnic minority, descent face different stereotypes and issues with their

McGee Bosworth 3 October 2017 COM 348 Image Analysis Word Count: 969 increasing prominence in the workplace. While women of Caucasian descent may have more room to experiment with femininity and masculinity in the workplace, it may be hypothesized that women from ethnic minorities face more scrutiny and discipline for enhancing their femininity or behaving in a way that’s too masculine. Levitt considers African American women facing even more backlash for embracing historically masculine leadership roles (2010: 70). When analyzing, rather than just viewing, this recent editorial fashion image, the viewer can uncover the many layers of social myths and ideologies making up this image. There’s more than what meets the eye.

McGee Bosworth 3 October 2017 COM 348 Image Analysis Word Count: 969 Works Cited Bignell, J. (2015/16). Media Semiotics: An Introduction. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

Gay, Philip. (2017). Like A Boss. Glamour, (199), pp. 144-155.

Heller Levitt, Dana. (2010). “Women and Leadership: A Developmental Paradox?”

ADULTSPANJournal, [online] Volume 9(2), pp. 66-75. Available at: http://library.pcw.gov.ph/sites/default/files/women%20and%20leadership.pdf [Accessed 2 October 2017].

Jenkins, Jamie. (2013). “Women in the Labour Market: 2013”, in Office for National Statistics. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employment andemployeetypes/articles/womeninthelabourmarket/2013-09-25 [Accessed 2 October 2017].

McGee Bosworth 3 October 2017 COM 348 Image Analysis Word Count: 969