Reese Witherspoon covers the new issue of InStyle Magazine. I’m also including (below) some photos taken of Reese in the past week. Notice all the costume changes. She’s getting pap’d multiple times a day, often in completely different outfits. I stopped looking when I reached seven different photo sets/outfits in the past week (but there are totally more photos). Is this a case of the paps just knowing where to find her? Or is it something else? Cough. Anyway, in the May InStyle, Reese talks about being a spitfire, her Southern mafia and her Southern values. She’s laying it on a bit thick, right?
Surrounding herself with real friends: “I learned a few years ago that there are people who don’t want good things for you. You’ve got to get away from them. Now I surround myself with supportive friends. I have a close group of girlfriends I call my Southern Mafia. One’s from Oklahoma, one’s from Arkansas, another’s from Tennessee. I get a lot out of my relationships with them.”
How she relates to her Southern Mafia: “Parenting, getting through your marriage, getting through your day, these are hard things, and I find solace in the fact that other people struggle with the same stuff I do. We all have concerns about our kids, our marriage, our dreams.”
She’s a spitfire: “I’ve finally gotten to an age when I’m not afraid to have an opinion. I feel that my perspective matters. It took me a while to figure that out, but I’m there now. I was always pretty outspoken, actually, but now I’ve learned to say sorry when I make mistakes, too. I’ve always been a little spitfire. Sometimes it’s gotten me into trouble.”
Fighting for strong female roles: “I grew up seeing incredibly strong women like Holly Hunter, Sigourney Weaver and Debra Winger. I want to ensure that my 15-year-old daughter grows up seeing those types of strong women playing complicated parts.”
When she realized she was a feminist: “I went to Harpeth Hall, a wonderful all-girls school in Nashville that encouraged us to see ourselves as working women in the world, to speak up for ourselves to ask for equal pay and advocate for gender equality. Outside that school, I experienced the full force of a patriarchal society, but I had a core value system that said, ‘No, you really deserve to be treated equal to men.”
Her clothing/lifestyle line, Draper James: “I’ve had so much fun developing and creating Draper James… it’s is based on my Southern upbringing. It’s a reflection of the fact that I’ve travelled all over the world but where I really love to be is home. I just think the brand reflects a lot of my Southern traditions and values.”
I have such mixed feelings about Reese. Like, I think parts of her shtick is completely legitimate, and I believe she genuinely cares about seeing and developing interesting, female-driven films. I also believe she’s genuinely influenced by her Southern background. But I also believe this IS a shtick, that she’s been trying on this image as a sweet-but-spitfiery Southern gal who can get drunk and bitch out a cop AND fight for feminism, y’all. Part of it caricature, at least that’s how it seems to me. Mostly, Reese is out for relevance. She’s out to profit from this image she’s created over the past few years.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet, cover courtesy of InStyle.
I like Reese ok, but clothing representing values? How shallow. My shoes show how I try to be an honest person. And this skirt? It’s all about treating others as I would like to be treated. My jacket represents family and their importance in my life. Huh?
These shoes, standing on American soil… this jean jacket, draped casually over this AMERICAN CITIZEN…
Yes. Laura Jeanne Poon surely HAS felt the full force of the patriarchy – IN JAIL.
I actually don’t disagree with her. My muumuu says I have no f*cks to give, my tube socks show that I enjoy a bargain, and my fuzzy slippers indicate that I have no intention of getting laid tonight.
Actually, all of my current attire conveys the fact that I value comfort over hot sex with my boyfriend.
(Sorry babe. Maybe tomorrow night.)
Lol, I thought of you when I checked out the website Urban Muumuu.
Yes that website is full of the kind of crap that I wear around the house, but if I’m paying $112 for a muumuu that thing better be making me drinks.
You’re wasting your couch, kitten. You can still get laid in tube socks, y’know.
At least you’re not wearing sweatpants. I hear those end relationships!
I’m with you on that Kaiser.
I feel a little extra shtick mixed in with some truth. I could practically hear her laying on an extra thick Southern accent.
That being said I 100% agree with her experiences in all girls school. That ‘core foundation’ is everything and I also believe this for traditionally Black Colleges as well. When society is made up of a class of people not necessarily looking out for your best interests it’d behoove you to insert as much confidence into a child/young adult as possible.
Since there are many all girls schools where I live the joke is you can always tell who went to one and who didn’t (by the time you hit college) because it seemed like that little piece of extra confidence or assurance was missing. The girls who went to one would speak up and demand roles and work that other girls would demure to in an effort to look good for the boys.
She’s putting herself out there and developing films, rather than just whining that there are no good roles. I don’t know if it’s schtick, but at least she’s putting her money, time and effort where her mouth is.
I agree, I like that when her career faltered, she made a change and started producing work for herself. I don’t imagine she’s the nicest person to hang out with all the time, but I like her as an actress and can admire that she’s working hard to find and develop interesting roles for herself.
This. She knows she’s a commodity, she’s figuring out the best ways to cash in just like any self-respecting guy would do. And I have a feeling she would be more likely to stick by her friends than, say, Julia Roberts or Goopster.
I agree about the all-girls schools. I went to one and learned that my opinion counts. As a teacher of 9th and 12th grade public school students, I’m always saddened by the fact that in 9th grade, the girls yell at the boys to knock it off when they are being idiots. By 12th grade, they giggle at them, and let the boys run the show, even though they are often better students.
And I still despise Miss Don’t You Know Who I Am?? Entitled ass.
That top photo reminds me of Madonna somehow. It’s strange because I know Madonna didn’t look like that when she was Reese’s age.
I see it. I think the similar hair is adding to the comparison.
Blonde white females living in europe/the states have NOT experienced the full force of a patriarchal society. We are the most privileged women in the world.
THIS x1,000. Especially not in the late 20th/early 21st centuries. Please. And Patricia Arquette got hammered for not getting this in her Oscars speech. RW should be no different. She also had the privilege of an all girls school and parents with the money to pay for it. So she’s even more privileged than most of the rest. I certainly didn’t have that opportunity.
There are varying degrees of privilege as it affects consequences of a patriarchal society. I agree with you in that I take exception to the “full force” part of her statement, and as a blonde (not sure why white brunettes or redheads are excluded) US citizen, I agree I am very privileged, but I’m not sure any woman alive has not felt some consequences of living in a patriarchal society. Any woman in Hollywood must have done so, though she probably did not experience what a person of color would have, and neither of the above would have experienced what a woman living in most middle eastern countries would have.
Because realistically the blonde blue eyed white female is held up as that symbol of all things good and American.
Apple pie. American Flag. Blonde blue eyed woman saluting the troops.
I’m sure we can debate why red heads and brunettes are excluded from that image but it’s not a new one.
I don’t feel any more privileged than my wealthy, white brunette friends, but whatever.
way to take things literally. Fine. brunettes redheads bleached dyed purple green black yellow haired white females have never experienced the full force of patriarchal society.
and to say that we are oppressed is an insult to the women around the world who actually lives in a patriarchal society. but hey, let’s talk about left out hair colors instead!
Thank you, Maria! What a calm, intelligent argument you have made. Such a contribution to the conversation! And such a good way to call me stupid. And to insult my opinion and belittle me for slightly disagreeing with you. I love people like you to comment! Who needs civility when you have sarcasm and bitchiness? Why use logic when you can just bully someone for disagreeing with you? It just lifts the whole conversation up to a higher level, doesn’t it? I guess my mistake was thinking you were commenting for any reason besides “hearing” yourself talk.
If you read my comment, I agree that we are much more privileged most anyone else in the world. And I never used the word “oppressed.” But if you think we do not live in a society where there are consequences for being a woman rather than a man, you have you head squarely … In the clouds. Just because people have it worse doesn’t mean we don’t have it at all. Hollywood is a man’s world. Even if you’re blonde.
But brunette white females have?
Actually, I’m from a country from the south of Europe and if you leave the big cities and go to the country it feels you are in 1900. Just because it seems less obvious it doesn’t mean it’s not there. And there’s the internalized misogyny among women too which is pretty common even in the younger generations. Europe is not just the big cities or the postcard images.
I don’t think the argument is quite so black and white. I agree that although Reese may not have felt the ‘full force’ of patriarchy, she has still experienced it. Most women have and will at some point.
And although the blonde, blue eyed all-American girl is held up as a standard, it still comes with stereotypes. Blondes are stereotyped as dumb, uneducated, shallow, vapid, easily exploited etc. None of these things are what Reese is. I am sure people have tried to force her into the little cookie cutter role and that is far from what she seems to be.
You don’t think you can find that kind of retro shit in America? Think again. Helloooooo, Duggars!
I cannot stand Witherspoon and she annoys me to no end but since she invoked the amazing Holly Hunter, I had to add that I’m just finishing up Top of The Lake and MAN, I always forget about how awesome Hunter is.
I wish we saw more of her because she nails it EVERY. DAMN. TIME.
I will just mention “The Piano” here, because it is one of my favorites.
“The Piano” is a life changer. I honestly think that is THE best film that has ever been made in recent history. It really inspired me to look at what women had to go through, up until the last fifty or so years.
I am a Home for the Holidays girl myself. I love that damn puff coat.
“Your father just can’t keep his hands off his organ.”
Holly Hunter was so great in Top of the Lake. Apparently she’s going to be in the new Batman Superman movie too, ugh to that but yay to her working steadily.
Did she ever present herself as a spitfire before the American Citizen incident or did she start referencing that after the arrest?
That being said, I think she’s hyping up the “Southern” part of her image more lately (and especially in this interview), even though she’s focused a lot about it in the past.
I much prefer “American Citizen” Reese to America’s Sweetheart Reese.
I don’t think you should be able to refer to yourself as a spitfire, just like you can’t give yourself a nickname!
I love her sandal game…that’s all I got.
Her Southern Mafia–that she “gets a lot out of”–makes it sound like she’s found the perfect support system of yes-women to kiss her ass.
Ha, I thought the same thing. The more she speaks, the more she bugs me.
My gut says the same.
Please. This is still more damage control over the hit her image has taken.
She should stop trying so hard.
do we think her outfit changes are to promote some pieces she will be releasing in her fashion line?
But in a hierarchy of numpties – and let’s face it, the roll call of celebrities who AREN’T numpties would take nano seconds to read out – the one that says “I understand patriarchy and I am a feminist,” is a rung higher up than the one who says, “I like to serve my husband dinner and feminism won’t let me, so I’m not a feminist,” right?
PS: I win today’s award for unnecessarily convoluted sentences.
Something about this topic lends itself to convoluted sentences. I got completely lost in my own “eloquence” above to the point where even I am not quite sure what I meant.
But yes, her statement is better than “sweatpants cause divorce.”
‘…hierarchy of numpties…’
Yup.
Of course she’s being papped she’s got a (southern) lifestyle to sell. Does anyone know if it’s Web based or a stand alone store?
I’ll want to ask what a southern lifestyle is. I know the California girl, and the very fashionable New York, but what is southern style?
I think she’s going for ladylike with a touch of tomboy, sort of a flowered dress in a field but you’re barefoot. Lol, who the heck knows what she’s talking about.
watch an episode of “Hart of Dixie” – that’s a good representation of what most people picture when they say Southern Style.
I cracked up at that line and then your response. Did you see the Project Runway episode in season…12 I think?…where they had to design an outfit for the modern Southern woman at Belk’s? It was kind of a disaster. They seemed to believed every woman in the South spends their time at a country club or on a fainting couch.
Oh yes! Paleokifaru, I saw that. Didn’t they all use plaid? It was embarrassing!
“Getting through your marriage” is a “hard thing”? Ruh-roh. Interesting wording. I’ve been married a LONG time and I’d never THINK to categorize it as something I had to “get through”.
This stood WAY out.
Of course there are rough patches, but my husband helps me get through all the other stuff.
I bet her husband is probably trying to “get through”*cough* survive the marriage. I’m sorry but my intense dislike of American Citizen assures that I can’t even see her outfits. GRRRRR……she makes me want to go rock in a corner until the rage passes.
I know what you mean and I have no idea why I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt…but she didn’t “get through” her first marriage so maybe she’s just trying to say “maintain a strong marriage” but it didn’t come out quite right?
But I remember she talked just like this during her marriage to Ryan Philippe… “We just take it day by day, try to get through it,” etc. Of course the common denominator in both these situations is her.
Right! See GNAT’s convoluted sentences reference above. Lol…and an eye roll for RW.
That’s the part that screamed to me as well. I read it twice to make sure I wasn’t projecting! But nope, trouble in the Poon household, methinks.
I cannot with her. She annoys me no end.
Her scheduled pap appearances definatly are about promoting her fashions. There for me is something very sneaky about this woman.
She’s an irritant for sure. I’m also sure that the clothing she’s being papped in bears no resemblance to “Draper James”. What a name. Very masculine/patriarchal …
Even more irritating than Reese herself – you have to supply your email to log on to “Draper James” (which I will not do) – so you can’t even see the crap she’s shilling.
Last night I saw previews for Reese Witherspoon’s new movie- which looks terrible, btw- and it dawned on me, I think career wise, Reese would really like to kind of be like Sandy Bullock. Even Sandra Bullock’s crappy films make money, and she is always a box office draw. I write this because “Hot Pursuit” looks like a less funny, more try hard version of the Heat…
On a different note, I kind of buy her full force patriarchal quote. I live in one of the more liberal parts of the south, but it is such the minority here. I have friends whose mothers are the bread winners, but there fathers will just get up from the table after dinner, leaving their plate for the wife to wash- won’t even take it to the sink. There are a lot of homes like that around here. Oh, and churches around here can really drive home the point that women are meant to serve men.
I think it is what it is with Reese, she doesn’t seem phony at all to me. Really like her. I don’t think she has ever pretended to be anything she’s not.
I like Reese. I actually like her more with a flaw or two showing–you know, those things we ALL have?
She unabashedly does her. She doesn’t apologize for things she shouldn’t have to apologize for –being southern, going to a private girls school, etc. And when she stumbles — she owns it and she apologizes.
I laugh at the shade of others. Haters gonna hate.
“Haters gonna hate”? Seriously?
The rallying cry of the, “La la la la la! I can’t hear you!” crowd.
That’s an absolutely terrible cover shot of her.
Give Reese a break. She mouthed off to a cop. She shouldn’t have done it but doesn’t mean she’s a horrible person. She didn’t take a swing at him or threaten to get him fired.
“… or threaten to get him fired” – she did, though. I don’t remember her exact words, but she did say something like “do you know my name?”, meaning: I can make your life difficult. she was totally power-tripping. I thought she came off as a massive, entitled a–hole and bully. (It was hilarious, though, how unimpressed the cop was.)
And someone close to her (i.e. Team Reese) was refuting the rumors about her acting like a drunk fool and power tripping over the cop, which is why the police released the dash cam footage.
And then she wore that Atlanta PD hat on the way back from Georgia, right after. I mean sure, she doesn’t need to be nailed at the cross, she’s not a horrible, terrible person–but she sure showed her asshole colors then and there. Which was a big deal, because most people were under the impression that she was nice and inoffensive. Cough.
Does anyone else kinda see a younger Madonna in that cover picture? Nope, just me? Ok I’ll show myself out.
I wonder if InStyle subversively reveals who they don’t like in their images. Several years ago, there was a Halle Berry spread, and for all the photoshopping, they left in her angry brow line. This was around the time of the Gabriel Aubry/Olivier Martinez dustup/Nahla custody battle.
Then there was an absolutely atrocious spread on Julianne Moore. Not a single flattering image (although I don’t know why they wouldn’t like her). Now this Reese cover, which is possibly the most unflattering image I’ve ever seen of her, aside from the one above in skinny jeans.
Are there multiple covers for this issue of Instyle? I could swear that mine is different, although equally, if not more, unflattering.
she showed her true colors when we saw how she treated an officer. Reese Witherspoon does not believe in equality, maybe for her white rich female friends.
also the full force comment is so offensive. its like you are hungry for two days and compare it to people actually starving.
she gets millions for saying lines, seriously, no one in the world has it as good as she has, most problems disappear with so much money. Yet she still managed to blow her America Sweetheart gig by showing her true colors.
She was this very steretypical Sweetheart and when they blew up she changed her image. i at least aknowledge she knows how to spin stories and create a fake persona.
I like what she said about surrounding yourself with good people, people who want good things for you – it took me a while to learn that lesson too. However, I am not a fan of this “I’m so southern” thing. I just don’t like that ideology, but I guess it helps her sell herself.
I’m Canadian, and the whole southern belle thing creeps me out. It’s just so naive and ignorant.
Really, the *full* force, as a white, blonde haired, blue eyed, educated woman in the south? I’d be more supportive of her voicing her opinion if she wasn’t part of the “Do you know who I am?” club. People like that want everyone to have their opinion, not their own.
Anyone remember that horrid tattoo on her stomach?
I really like Reese. I can’t fault her. I do think that beneath that sweet blood exterior that she utilized early in her career has always been a rock solid, smart and opinionated woman. I am glad to see more of it.
Also agree about girls only schools. SO important!
I’ll respond to that “full force of a patriarchal society” comment in a way a spitfiery southern mafiosa will understand: Oh honey, bless your heart.
Psst Reese, your effort is showing. She’s trying too hard to be relevant instead of just being who she is and going about her business. Phony.
What, exactly are Southern Values? I was raised in the North, but I’ve lived in the FL panhandle for the past 3+ years. When I’ve asked that question of people around here, I typically hear things about “family”. Well, people up north have families and value them as well.
From what I gather, it seems to be oppressive conservatism and Christianity. Please let me know if I’m wrong.
Reese is one of my favorites. She’s always been a feminist, and made her opinion know to this who pay attention. Back when Jessica Simpson was popular she lamented the dumb blonde act. She’s always been classy, smart, and seemed fun and firey to me. The only out of character move ive seen her make was the ONE mistake she had with the police. I think its sad after being such a wonderful role model for women for most of her life, shes judged on one unflattering mistake. Maybe thats why feminism never catches on. As a society we would rather make fun of her and find reasons to discredit her, then look at her history, understand shes human, and beleive she would like to make a difference..