Miley Cyrus in couture for Harper’s Bazaar: stunning or try hard?

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus is featured in two silly stories in this week’s tabloids. The first tale holds that Miley’s pot smoking is endangering her life because of lifelong tachycardia (elevated heartrate). The second story talks about how Miley has pushed her parents into marriage counseling. Both stories are lame, so let’s skip ahead to the main fare, shall we?

Miley has scored her own massive photospread in the September issue of Harper’s Bazaar (the one with Sarah Jessica Parker on the cover), and I would be willing to bet that Miley was dying to get that cover, but Bazaar just couldn’t force themselves to go that downmarket … especially for a September issue. Of course, one might think that I’m insulting Miley by calling her “downmarket,” but that’s the image she’s intentionally projecting as of this year. As such, I can imagine that Bazaar wasn’t entirely thinking “cover girl” after Miley whipped out multiple grills (from her Louis Vuitton bag, no less) during her recent video interview with their series, The Look.

The thing is, Miley so badly wants to be a fashion girl as evidenced by her pose-harding while obnoxiously surrounded by Chanel bags and declaring her allegiance to the Olsen twins. And she possibly could have pulled off this shoot, but given Miley’s level of self-promotion, she unavoidably ends up making these clothes look tacky. (Miley was photographed by Terry Richardson because, sadly, he shoots everything these days.) The first photo on the motorbike looks uncomfortable and ridiculous while this one below looks like it belongs in a bad R. Kelly video.

Miley Cyrus

Although I must admit that there are a few shots out of the whole bunch that are lovely. This one with the gate and the one on the stairs are my favorites. The rest of them? As usual, Miley is trying wayyy too hard.

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus

Photos courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

76 Responses to “Miley Cyrus in couture for Harper’s Bazaar: stunning or try hard?”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. bns says:

    Can’t be sexy with a childish face.

    • Pastyousayyouneverknew says:

      +1 that’s my problem with Selena Gomez as well.

    • Andrew says:

      Not really her fault, but it does make it hard to take her seriously. I’m 25, have a rather childish face. But my argument is that when I’m 60 I’ll still look young (hopefully :))

    • LadyMTL says:

      I actually think the pics where she’s really smiling are great, the rest are just….ergh. But then again, what do you expect from Terry Richardson? Baby face or not, he makes everyone look trashy.

      • Pastyousayyouneverknew says:

        @LadyMTL why does that guy keeps getting so many jobs? His photography is so painfully mediocre, he gives off that creepy uncle vibes as well. I don’t understand why he’s so well known.

      • BooBooLaRue says:

        For reals, he is not painfully mediocre!!!! And to all the baby faces out there, YES you will still look young when you reach middle age!

      • Emily C. says:

        Yep. Terry Richardson could probably even manage to make Helen Mirren look trashy. Miley had no chance.

      • Erica says:

        Right? He’s such an awful photographer. Composition wise, technically, just everything is so amateurish. I don’t get it

    • MonicaQ says:

      Same. I’m 30 and I went to teach in middle school and got asked where was my hall pass. Ouch.

      • Andrew says:

        Monica-I was at a middle school and was asked the same thing. You’re not alone lol

    • mabooski says:

      EWWW.

    • Veeeery Veerytas says:

      She looks like a cartoon character from Roger Rabbit.

  2. Jennifer12 says:

    I don’t get it; she was Hannah Montana and in some failed movies. Why does anyone care about her? Twitter and self promotion are her twin careers.

  3. anoninternettroll says:

    Honestly, it’s a little bit of both but very entertaining. She’s blossoming into a pretty young lady and she is an entertainer. Something understated and undramatic and less edgy wouldn’t work for her brand or image at the moment. So…go girl! I’ve seen Beyonce, Rihanna and Gaga do way more try hard stuff though…just sayin’.

  4. Pastyousayyouneverknew says:

    Some of these gowns are really beautiful and I still think she has a great body but she’s no great beauty and her poses here aren’t anything remarkable so this one makes me think “meh”.

    • TheOriginalKitten says:

      Agreed, except I do think she’s cute, just not stunning.

      Her body is amazing though.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      I agree she has a great figure, but I think these pictures look really awkward. In that first picture on the bike, she looks like she is stunned in headlights! Her eyes just aren’t engaged, they look confused in most of these shots.

      Her neck placement (especially in the bench and red dress photos) looks so stiff!

  5. Tapioca says:

    Some women can make Forever 21 look like couture, some women can make couture look like someone threw chopped liver at a mesh curtain…

  6. Karen says:

    Miley wants to be a pop star. So she’s going to be try harding until the record drops and the tour is over. She’s not a natural model, so yes her over-posing looks ridiculous and not chic.

    • bns says:

      Where have you been? Miley doesn’t wanna be a pop star. She only listens to urban!

      • Meredith says:

        She looks pretty when she smiles. Try hard in the others.

      • Karen says:

        Yeah. Xtina and Britney said they didn’t want to be “pop” in their “rebellious” phase too. It’s a PR move. Larry Rudolph is her mgr; he is for Brit, Christina, Jessica Simpson too. He’s recycling an old strategy. Does her new single sound urban? Just pop.

      • bns says:

        @Karen

        I was joking about a quote that came from Miley herself. She said that she only listens to “urban” music to go with her new “ratchet” image.

      • Karen says:

        @ bns – my pre-coffee begin can’t process sarcasm. But I’m glad we’re on the same page

      • bns says:

        @Karen

        LOL I understand. I’ve been at work since 6:30.

  7. Tiffany27 says:

    OMG I am CRYING @ R.Kelly video!! Trapped in the Closet verse 92.

  8. Anna says:

    I like the photo of her sitting on the steps – it’s the only one that seems comfortable and natural and ‘her.’

    • TheOriginalKitten says:

      Agreed. She looks a million times better when she smiles naturally with teeth, not that weird closed-mouth tight smile that she seems so fond of.

      • Marty says:

        I hate seeing good fashion go to waste….

        I think this could have been a really pretty fashion shoot if not for the theme of “fashion meets rebel”. Miley’s got the face and body for it, but these are photos just come off as messy. Let couture be couture.

  9. blue marie says:

    she is a pop star, she needs to stick with what she knows. she’s got an awesome body but these fall flat. maybe I’m just overly annoyed with her.

    she did look cute at the premiere for Liam’s new movie though.

  10. Dingo says:

    I think they are okay – agree the stairs and gate pic are the best. I think the best about these pics is that its seems to actually being how she looks. I know that shes young and might not need photoshop – I just think the cover pic and the rest with SJP was to much photoshop and 2002-ish.

  11. Willa says:

    Grubby feet.

  12. Lucy2 says:

    I’ve been to the place where those photos were taken- Old Westbury, really pretty place.
    She just doesn’t have the elegance for a shoot like that.

    • Carolyn says:

      thanks – was wondering what that amazing property was. I want it!

      LOL – agree with all bloggers. Miley looks like she’s playing dress up. However she’s still getting PR & gigs like these. Her agent is a genius.

      I miss the supermodel days when fashion mags showed proper models and when the photos were something special, not like these days where editors just keep putting actresses on the covers and in shoots 🙁

  13. Jill says:

    Just one pic, one time: unless you’re actually smiling – put your damn lips together!

  14. blaize says:

    The only one I like is the one with the pink dress. In the rest of them I either don’t like the outfit or her facial expression ruins it.

  15. mkyarwood says:

    She looks good in the ones where she’s smiling.

  16. Elodie says:

    LOL sorry but it looks so cheap especially with the flash, and some mag like Bazaar, they should have paid me I would have done a better job!

    • Pastyousayyouneverknew says:

      I think this was taken by Terry Richardson, that’s to explain for the budget-look.

  17. Eleonor says:

    NO.
    There a lot of fashion bloggers out there who make amazing shoots, and pose 1000 times better. With less expensieve clothes.

  18. GoodNamesAllTaken says:

    I can’t be objective about her anymore. She just annoys me so much, all I see is trashy.

  19. Jane says:

    You can put her into the classiest couture gowns on the planet, it doesn’t make her classy. I also have noticed her penchant for wearing lots of Chanel lately. I wonder if Karl Langerfeld is going to have her do looks for a line of his. Get ready for her to be his new Chanel muse. I shudder to think that Cocoa Chanel is rolling in her grave.

  20. Talie says:

    Ooh, I spot the Cruel Intentions house in the background. Best thing about these photos…

  21. JudyK says:

    Physically, I think she’s perfection.

    Love the pic of her on the steps in the red skirt and black top and also the last pic…stunning.

  22. Jenna says:

    Meh…I only like two photos or so. The ones where she’s smiling seem out of place for the photoshoot; like she’s a kid playing dress-up or something.

  23. sirsnarksalot says:

    The Rolls Royce shot looks like a Grey Poupon ad from the 80’s.

  24. TheOneAndOnlyOnly says:

    I agree Jane; american fashion mags have become so down market; if this were the 80s/90s with real top models and supermodels, this talentless chipmunk wouldn’t even be in a TV guide ad, let alone Harper’s Bazaar;
    Her pr people must be making a lot of pay-offs;
    If you want to see real fashion, go on Bellazon or THe Fashion Spot, type in any top model and starting looking.

  25. Jane says:

    I find it amusing, and I’m not sure if that’s complementary or insulting.

  26. Lisa says:

    Cute. She looks better with lipstick. Less trout-pouty

  27. Alexa says:

    Personally, I’m SO SICK of there being only a particular “high fashion model type” being the only person considered looking “good” or “beautiful” or “rich” or “classy” or “elegant” or “high fashion.” I guess that’s one reason why I’m LOVING Miley Cyrus wearing whatever “exclusive” or “high fashion” thing she wants and being a model for whatever she wants. Why NOT ladies?! Don’t buy into the whole “only a certain LOOKING person is worthy to model these classy clothes” crap! I guess I like her because I get the feeling that SHE is doing what SHE wants . . . and she doesn’t project that scared insecure little girl wretchedness either.

  28. Happy21 says:

    The one on the motorcycle looks beautiful (more beautiful than she actually is in my opinion) and the ones where she is showing her chompers look great because she looks like she is truly SMILING, not just putting on a fake face for people.

  29. I Choose Me says:

    I like the ones where she’s smiling too. I am beyond sick of open-mouthed poses. Meh on the outfits. None of them grab me at all.

  30. Amory says:

    She’s no model, that’s for sure. She looks stiff and awkward – very surprised that this is the best Harper’s could do – makes me think that Harper’s talent has fled and that the mag is not doing well.

    • thebutlerdidit says:

      Regardless whether you love or hate her, every mag she has been in, has been the best seller of the year for the publication. You think people will buy this for horrible pics of SJP? Haha, no.

  31. UsedToBeLulu says:

    Man, I love that estate! These photos are OK. The best one is the one on the stairs, I agree.

  32. Hmm is anyone else having problems with the images on this blog loading? I’m trying to figure out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.|

    • Veeeery Veerytas says:

      Yes, something on this site has been locking up my computer screen for several minutes.

  33. Tara says:

    I always love Miley’s red carpet looks because she picks couture that works for her. But she fails to convince us that she is a fashion plate because in her everyday style choices she looks like trailer tradh in a mountain dew commercial. There is no consistency. She is a haute mess.

  34. Skeptical At Best says:

    It’s really very simple.

    She’s. Not. A. MODEL!!!!!

    Not even close. She’s not even an “entertainer” that can pass for one. That gown with the RR would have looked a million times better on someone who gets paid to be photographed while wearing designer clothing.

  35. Virgilia Coriolanus says:

    She looks like the typical golddigger/formerly po’ girl from the trailer park who wears couture to EVERYTHING, while doing ANYTHING i.e. full face of makeup, dressed to the nines to go grocery shopping. Meaning, she looks completely out of place in all of those looks (except possibly the first one).

  36. Side-Eye says:

    Every single one of these pictures is ugly and an awkward, hot ass mess.

  37. Hateonit. says:

    Her face is just ugly. I can’t concentrate on anything else. Models are supposed to be pretty……stahppppp. Please. she’s nice high fashion and never will be. She can’t just dress like trash all the time then put on a dress and thinks she’s a model. I hate that they’re dressing her in high fashion when that’s not her job. She’s supposed to be a “singer” or “artist” then she should do that and leave the modeling to models.

  38. Lexi says:

    Try hard, she is always trying to hard

  39. Cathy says:

    These photos look ridiculous. She looks like a child in her mother’s clothes playing dress up. The magazine should fire whoever thought this was a good idea.

  40. Dommy Dearest says:

    Miley, Megan, Beyonce… Who else can’t pose without their mouth slightly open? Beiber (is that the spelling? meh.)! The flesh colored dress is beautiful but Miley doesn’t wear it well. She looks much too childlike and I’m not sure if it’s just her face or those ridiculous veneers she’s had for what seems like forever. Maybe it’s the hair. I just can’t find this girl sexy at all, not one bit. I’m beginning to feel a bit bad for her since it’s obvious she’s making all the wrong choices when she opens her mouth to speak.

  41. sunnydaze says:

    I think the pics of her smiling are the best, but that’s only because it reminds me of the “professional” portrait series kids have done for senior year. The rest look very uncomfortable. She’s got a lovely body, but I see young women with lovely bodies every day in nyc, striking features, wearing clothes that few people could wear simply because of attitude and confidence. I wish there was more interest in women like that than such generic, recycled brats. Sigh.

  42. aurelia says:

    The clothes are wearing her.