Ruffables

This is the latest and greatest for your pets - dogs, cats, pigs, whatever other pets you may have. In the pic to the right is Elena, creater of Ruffables. Next to her is Samba modeling a Ruffable.

These are great! They are available in a variety of patterns, colors, and sizes. There are even Ruffables with holiday themes! Those are the most fun!

You can browse through the site and order any Ruffable online. They are great gifts too.

Under-Weight

Lately there is a lot of talk about weight. Not weight of fabrics or clothes, but the models weight. For a very long time models have been underweight. Many people, especially young girls look to fashion models as the example of a perfect body. They are bombarded with ads featuring this look from the time they are old enough to read the fashion magazines.

Many of the models over age 15 have eating disorders that are kept secret. If they gain a pound, it may keep them from working.

Unfortunately, for preteen and teenage girls, the pages of a fashion magazine show the looks they want for the season, including size and weight. To accomplish the underweight look, many develop eating disorders. Others develop self-esteem and self-image problems. There is certainly enough pressure for young girls without the added pressure of weight.

Many adults don't realize a great number of models are 14 years old. Yes, 14. They are dressed and made to look like they are 20 years old. The clothes they model will be sold to women older than 20. As one grows up, bodies change. It's biology, and cannot be changed. No matter how one diets, a 40 year old will never have the body of a 14 year old. Neither will an 18 year old. This has been going on for many many years.

Fashion Week has showings in a few major cities. This year, in Madrid, underweight models were banned totally. It is a step to be applauded. Those models that strive to keep underweight may not work here, or be happy, but the showings will not have models that look like they are recent arrivals from a starving country.

Joining the ranks of Madrid, Israeli retail companies came to an agreement to not use underwight models. For the companies that disagree in Israel, legislation may decide the issue.

In London, the fashion industry is continuing to use underweight models. There is a very public disagreement going on now about underweight models, with many in the London fashion industry dismissing any responsibility for any negative actions by girls trying to emulate underweight models.

The fashion industry along with the advertising industry, movie and television actresses create an irresistable combination creating an intense desire to emulate those in the spotlight. The fashion industry may say clothes look better on people that are tall and thin (think very underweight). That may be true. Why don't they design clothes that look good on non-underweight people?