I think it was last month when the first drips and drabs from Kate Winslet’s new St. John campaign began to come out. I didn’t pay much attention because A) Bitch got tweaked, and it upsets me that she’s messed with her face and B) Kate is obsessed with putting herself out there as “the average girl with the average body.” I mean, yeah, she’s had some high-profile weight struggles, but she’s also drop-dead gorgeous and one of the most talented actresses in the world. It feels like false humility at this point, Kate begging us to disagree with her when she utters lines like, “Obviously I am not a model, I don’t have a model’s body, I have a real shape.”
Anyway, Kate is the newest face of St. John, following in the footsteps of Angelina Jolie and Karen Elson, and Kate’s behind-the-scenes, testimonial-type “commercial” has just been released. Kate says in part:
“With St. John You can look extremely chic without trying too hard. You don’t feel as though they are clothes that only a model would be able to wear. And obviously I am not a model, I don’t have a model’s body, I have a real shape. And that just means a lot to me to be able to wear clothes that do embody that message of strength and power and femininity in a real shape….. I’m very much inspired by mothers, women who can pull it all together, do it all. Those are the women who are setting examples to a future generation of young women and that’s what I’m trying to do for my daughter.”
Here’s the commercial:
A few things – I get the point about her saying she has a “real shape,” although I disagree with the idea that one woman’s body is more REAL than another’s. She’s trying to reach out to St. John’s consumers, women who are more “real” because they aren’t a size zero, I suppose. But here’s my thought on Kate’s “real shape” in too many St. John’s clothes: they’re much too clingy for Kate to go without Spanx. Did anyone else notice that? There are lots of dresses that cling to every bump and lump on a woman’s body, and really, those dresses aren’t flattering on Kate. Which defeats the purpose of using her as a spokesmodel. But the pants, coats and blouses are pretty on her. She should just avoid the clingy dresses.
Last point: Kate’s “modelface” is very close to most women’s’ “bitchfaces”.
Ads courtesy of St. John.
I just can’t with her…*rolls eyes so hard head nearly splits from the force*
@ Kaiser – And if those dresses are clingy and unflattering on her, imagine what they’ll look like on us “real” women. UGH.
Um…if you’re paid to model you’re a model, duh!
Is it just me or would it be terribly romantic if she ended up with Leo?
She looks sensational in that dress!
But yes, total bitch face.
The ‘I have a real shape’ comment bugs me, too. EVERYBODY has a real shape, Kate. Actually, yours is a bit less real than mine, because I don’t have half my ass and hips photoshopped off like you do on the top pic.
I thought the header pic was Uma Thurman and one of the other resembled Sharon Stone. What did she do to herself???
Ouch! Love your snark, Kaiser!
@chris–Only if Leo’s mama gives her permission.
Not feeling this set of clothes on her. The top photo is way too photoshopped and does not need to be. But sometimes her attitude just bugs me and this is one of those times.
So…models don’t have real shapes?
That was a dumb statement.
Her voice is really low in this commercial. Is she a smoker? I bet.
I like her but Kate needs to shut the F up already. Tired of her constantly talking about her ‘real woman figure’ *rolls eyes*
@Kaiser – “I get the point about her saying she has a “real shape,” although I disagree with the idea that one woman’s body is more REAL than another’s.”
Totally agree with this opinion. Like when larger-size stores will use that tactic to appeal to customers… But you can inspire confidence & pride in one’s body/shape without having to insult/put down someone else’s. I’ve always been thin (at some points in my life, *extremely* skinny), & that particular thing has always driven me crazy.
The ‘model-face’ is definitely icy, sort of like “Did I give you permission to speak to me? Get lost. I need a bodyguard over here!” xD Not exactly an approachable expression.
Ack, total bitch face. Agreed!
I see this ad and I don’t think, “Wow, I’d like to buy that dress.” I think, “Why is Kate Winslet so mad at me? Is it because I never saw Titanic? Surely, she’s over that by now…”
Wow she really went beyond tweaking!
There’s never an interview where she doesn’t mention her weight issue. The last time I thought she looked ‘average’ was in Titanic, so she should stop already with the weight issue! It’s not like she really had a weight issue like Kirstie Alley
BTW maybe it is time they go back to using real models instead of actresses
I love her as an actress, but as a model she sucks!!!
It’s not her body shape (which is photoshopped anyway). It’s more those boring poses and looks. And the plastic face. I don’t feel the need to run and buy those clothes, and that’s a major fail.
I think anyone talking about shape and body image can’t win. If it’s a super thin girl, she has to talk about how she eats soooo much and loves food but never puts on weight. And if it’s a not-so-super-thin girl, she has to talk about how real and attainable she is and how she isn’t a stick model and how she is a “real” woman.
So getting too worked up over what’s real and what isn’t seems pointless.
She doesn’t look like herself any longer.
How sad and insincere, especially as she goes on and on about being real.
I am so tired of her “real shape” comments over and over. WE GET IT KATE, you want everyone to know you are not skinny like 95% of Hollywood.
@ Kaiser:
A few things – I get the point about her saying she has a “real shape,” although I disagree with the idea that one woman’s body is more REAL than another’s.
I’m also tired of this “real women have curves” that is said right and left in the media.
Real women come in all shapes and sizes. They’re “real women” because they have female reproductive organs. It’s that simple. And even if they have some of them removed because of an illness, they’ll still remain real women.
As pretentious as she may or may not be – she looks great and is one of the best actresses of our time. Mildred Pierce was a great piece of work and she deserves the praise.
Don’t like the close up, but the other photos are OK.
Agree with the “real” shape thing. I get the campaign they’re trying, but there were better ways to say it. True she doesn’t have a typical “model” figure, but they should have said it’s good for ALL shapes, not “real” shapes.
I still don’t think her face looks all that different, at least not on film, she didn’t look tweaked in Mildred Pierce. There is a lot of photoshop here though of course, since it’s a fashion ad.
Hrm. You ladies have said it, I have basically nothing to add.
I don’t care.. I still want to make out with her Yummmmmmm…
You can totally tell her “real shape” is after a very careful diet and hours of exercising. Her weight in Titanic was her natural weight. This is as thin as she gets. I believe she’d jump at the chance to get rid of her “real shape” if she could. She’s full of BS with this whole “I’m just your average person” persona she wants to present to the world.
Is it me or is she taking the Megan Fox route? Every time I see her, her face has changed and people don’t age THAT fast.
Alarming. She was so, so beautiful.
I don’t see where she has been messing with her face. She looks the same. I love her & think she looks fabulous. Very talented actress.
If Kate’s photos are photoshopped, that has nothing to do with her and everything to do with a creative decision made by someone else. By Kate saying she has “real shape”, she means she isn’t a size two like other actresses, and this is a GOOD thing in a media filled with unrealistic figures brought on by anorexia, drugs, and extreme exercise and diet. More public figures should strive to be themselves, I fail to see how this comment is negative. BTW, Kate is HOT.
talented actress perhaps… model ?? hmmm beurkkk !!!
I like her and think she’s a towering talent, but I’ve never bought that “she’s heavy” bit. She might be (or was) “Hollywood” heavy, but not real-world heavy. I bet in person she’s always been thin, just not quite as emaciated looking as other actresses.
Kate really looks fab here. Why does she do the red carpet gigs with her hair up that makes her look so manish?
What a jerk – sucking her cheeks in – these ads are not appealing
“they’re much too clingy for Kate to go without Spanx. Did anyone else notice that? There are lots of dresses that cling to every bump and lump on a woman’s body, and really, those dresses aren’t flattering on Kate.”
I disagree with this statement. She looks good in that dress in the first pic. The problem isn’t if someone needs spanx or not it is the unrealistic standards that are set for women. When the fashion industry uses 13 year old’s to sell fashion then that is what the problem is. A lot of women want to be that thin and it just isn’t natural because we don’t stay 13 our whole lives. Enough with pushing pre-pubers on everyone. Remember the tampax issue from the ’80’s? Enough women rebelled and it hurt their stock so they totally caved to the masses. We do have the power to change things. Sorry for the rant. I’m feeling all feminist this morning.
weird face ! amazing body in the black dress
It looks to me like they used the Photoship slimming tool on these photos. Her face looks really long and narrow here, not round and angular as in her red carpet/pap photos.
As usual, designers hire a known face and then mess with it, rendering it less attractive and less recognizable. Daft.
Wow, her face looks so different.
I think she looks fine in the clingier stuff, but they should have given that stuff to her in the next larger size. With that sorta stuff, you want something that skims, not clings, and the stylists/dressers/whatever they’re called should know that.
Christ! Is she talking about this again? We get it Kate. You’re one of us. You don’t subscribe to the 0 size ideal that Hollywood & the fashion world constantly push. Now STFU about it already!
She is a beautiful woman and an amazing actress, but she’s right. She’s definitely NOT a model
She’s no model – I’m of the old school, actors/actresses should act, singers should sing and models should model. Many of these actresses make good money as it is why are they taking gigs away from models – don’t tell me there was a groundswell of public opinion urging this chick to front for St. John’s more like her team was looking for some extra moola. Give me Coca Rocha, Arlenis Sosa, Natasha Poly over Kate doesn’t she get enough attention acting?
I realise that to someone like Kate Winslet, St. John is the equivalent of Target in terms of pricing, but a pencil skirt from St. John is $495. A simple above-the-knee black sheath is over $1,000. Absolutely not affordable for a whole lot of women.
Hey, did you know that some kids picked on her 30 years ago? But that was when in school, I don’t understand it. All this navel-gazing is beyond insufferable, you’d think she had planned, written an executed every moment of (unique, totally!) humiliation in her little Trapper Keeper as a tot so she could spin a web of pity so thick, it could block out the sun. And in our sun madness, we would be convinced that an Oscar-winner (praise be that that’s out of the way) who would fling off her kit for a Bazooka Joe comic has chronic, crippling issues about her body that can only be cured by throngs of misguided ladies chanting at her for fifteen years strong, ‘No, Kate! They’re wrong, Hollywood’s wrong! You’re beautiful, Kate! You’re Beautiful, Kate. Tell me I’m pretty, do you like my sensible sweater set that I purchased at Zeller’s? (No hate, I buy almost all my clothes there, and I look decent), Do you go out for mojitos and guilt-free Bailey’s cheesecake while chatting about the beefcake, and…relationships and Sex in the Minivan and secretaries and stuff? You haven’t touched your reduced-oxygen watercress-nut confit. Hey, you left your Oscar de la Rental ‘Confuse The Plebes’-line triple cashmere fantasti-cardigan behind! You’re my ride home! I’m going to miss ‘Sinking Housewives’ and ‘Glom’! Might as well make it worth it. Garcon! Three of your TGIFoie Gras Floats. Yes, I’m Alone! No, I wasn’t fully dumped! Yes, I’m interested in your bartender’s ‘No More Tears’ mascara line.’
If everyone in Hollywood thinks she’s such a gorgon, why does seemingly have a new film out with fifteen new love scenes showing off her unsightly and deformed body? Hm, maybe she’s not as gross as the little people.
she looks kinda like Madonna.
Real shape? What a load of old bollocks!
Whis is this woman? She bears little resemblance to the Kate Winslet I used to love. She’s losing the charm and individuality that she used to carry so effortlessly. It’s hard to put a finger on it, but she’s morphing into someone less likeable.
I also thought she looked a little like a younger, less muscular (tranny) version of Madonna.
That top photo of her- she looks stunning.
WHY, OH WHY KATE ARE YOU NOW BLEACH BLONDE? Why not being proud of your natural hair color? She is not looking like Kate Winslet anymore…there are tons of ditzy airheah blondes out there…why look like one more? WHere are the fiery redheadss and the sophisticated brunettes? ugh! sick of tweeties!
she is usually quite stunning, but her facial expressions in these ads, she looks pissed off!
She looks like agent Scully, somehow…
She has a point!
Every woman begins with a “real” body. Some add to it and others take away from it.
But all women are not shaped the same. Some are naturally thin, some heavier; we all come in many shapes and sizes. We don’t say assume that all women have to be the same height. But when it comes to shape women are expected to be a certain one.
Kate talks this way all the time. And for some reason she has made herself the spokeswoman for Real Shapes (sick of that term). I’m considered tall.. 5’9. when I was younger I hated being taller than everyone. Thought it was better to be shorter like my friends. As I got older I grew to understand that this was a part of me. And I accepted and appreciated it. So when my friends talk about my longer legs and want them, well there you go. We all have something we want that others have.
my issue with Kate is her smug way of presenting it. She always comes across as someone that thinks she is above the fray and yet her actions say differently.
Love her acting talent.. but I’m not a fan of the “real Kate”
@ Zoe, that may have been what she meant but it came off the wrong way. I love Kate, don’t get me wrong. But just because I happen to be naturally thin and a size 2, it doesn’t mean I don’t have a ‘real shape.’ I have plenty of curves and I know plenty of women who are a size 2 with curves. It’s not a mutually exclusive thing, where you’re either one or the other. All women have a ‘real shape,’ they’re just not built the same. I don’t see the need to put down someone else’s body type just to prove that she’s not stick thin like 95% of Hollywood. She comes off as quite pretentious and smug with her statement IMO.
@katnip, well said. I’m considerably shorter than you, but I also have long legs and get the same comments as well. I used to be really self-conscious about my body when I was younger, but now I’ve learned to be happy with myself just the way I am.
I like her. Sick of hearing about the size issues. Need some help seeing how she has tweeked her face – she looks normal to me
@Eve – “It’s that simple. And even if they have some of them removed because of an illness, they’ll still remain real women.”
A beautifully true statement. =) I’m sure the people who make the ‘real women have curves’ comments don’t think about that sort of thing when they say things like that.
@Zoe – “By Kate saying she has “real shape”, she means she isn’t a size two like other actresses, and this is a GOOD thing in a media filled with unrealistic figures brought on by anorexia, drugs, and extreme exercise and diet. I fail to see how this comment is negative.”
I totally agree with Jamie. The comment makes it sound like there’s something *wrong* with being a size 2, or that it’s automatically an ‘unrealistic figure’. Then sounding like you’re implying that the only way to *be* that size is eating disorders/drugs/OCD exercise, which I find insulting as someone who *is* a size 2 (& 5’1), & don’t suffer from any of those conditions. (& again, like Jamie, I have my share of ‘curves’ to be proud of too.)
I realize not every woman is meant to be the same size & shape, & shouldn’t be pressured to be. But it’s very easy for comments like hers to come across offensive.
@Dhavy – “BTW maybe it is time they go back to using real models instead of actresses.”
I totally agree. I find it distracting from the product being promoted when they put a celebrity in as a ‘model’. A model is like a ‘blank canvas’, that can pull off *any* look/style…But celebs normally put major control on what a stylist can change/alter, as their career/appearance is their first priority.
So there are artistic limitations in the entire process, not to mention how much MORE they pay a celebrity. Then there’s all the pain in the ass rules about specific lighting, poses, getting them on their ‘good side’, or at some weird angle… Not to mention all the demands they make on how to photoshop everything.
geesh smile hon
Wow, what did she do to her face? She was drop dead gorgeous, body and face, and I didn’t even recognize her in the video. Literaly, I couldn’t even listen to her I just kept staring at her face waiting to see Kate Winslet and I didn’t. I mean if I saw this woman walking down the street I’d not have recognized her. Beyond plastic surgery …
… also I agree about the dresses. They look amazing on her body but I can’t imagine anyone who doesn’t have a very fit body being able to put those clinging dresses on. Speaking from personal experience I have a little bit of a tummy and those dresses are NOT forgiving at all
sad how so many women on here are saying “she would love to get rid of her real shape if she could” sorry ladies, not all women with god given butts and boobs want to be skinny, believe it or not..I personally am 5 feet 5 and a 36DD-26-37 and I wouldn’t EVER want to NOT have big boobs, a small waist and round butt…we all have a preference and not everyone wants to look or be rail thin..I personally wouldn’t even feel womanly if I was an A cup or weighed 103 pounds..but then again someone of that size probably can’t imagine being a size 9 or 10..and when society says “real woman” body type, it means women are supposed to be curvy, soft and exude feminity…you can be curvy and soft even @ 5 foot 1 and 98 pounds, look at Eva Longoria, she is small BUT curvy..woman are supposed to have a FIGURE, large or small…Eva and Kelly Rippa probably weigh the same and are the same size…but one is curvy and sexy and one is boyish and boyish is fine, it suits her, but please don’t assume all womaen with a curvy shape want to look like Cameron Diaz or Kelly Ripa, to me, they aren’t feminine or sexy looking and that’s MY preference…I would take Sofia Vergara’s figure over Giselle’s ANY day of the week.
Hey Kate,
Why are you trying soooo hard to look “perfect” ?? There is no other actress who is so much occupied with her weight and looks as you are. Just accept the fact that you are not a zero size Model and you’ll never be. We love you the way as you are.
I think the clingy dress looks fabulous on Kate.