Thursday, September 12, 2013

To the Capitol

Any Hunger Games fans out there? Yes, Jazzy, DUH. Right. So you've seen that Cover Girl is launching a line inspired by the series and timed to the upcoming Catching Fire? The announcement came in May and some preview images made their way around the Internet last month to promote the line's official October 1 launch (does anyone else find this annoying, the preview of the preview of the sneak peek of the trailer?). Check them out here.

If you're not familiar with the books, Amazon's got good synopses here. The Hunger Games movie caused quite a stir, but it seemed like the discomfort wasn't over just the violence. Because, you know, Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto and Quentin Tarantino. Maybe that discomfort was because we see a little bit of ourselves in the people of Panem? Because the world Suzanne Collins created isn't such a stretch from the one we live in here and now? 

Back to the Cover Girl campaign. There's a look for everyone here, inspired by each of Panem's 12 oppressed districts, plus the uber indulgent Capitol. And here's what I mean, that the United States of Panem isn't all that fictional: not the outlandish looks per se, but the willingness to alter our natural appearances to almost the point of deformation all in the name of seeking some unattainable ideal.

Whoa, Jazzy, step off with the sanctimonious lecture. People have been decorating themselves (sometimes bordering on mutilation) since caveman times. And, well, Lady Gaga. What, do you expect us to go all Abnegation here?

(do you like what I did there, the sneaky Divergent reference? The third book, Allegiant,  comes out next month, can't wait)

Don't get me wrong, I love a good mascara as much as the next gal, and I definitely have a slight lip gloss problem, but when did this all become so necessary? Remember that cover shot of Hillary Clinton makeup-free, and all the catty backlash that ensued? Aren't we beyond that yet? Where's the balance between self-value and expressive freedom?

I know, I suck right now. This wasn't an entertaining post with an informative tie-in to pop culture. But we're all better off for it.

-- Jazzy

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Here at SMACK! we value decorum nearly as much as chemical-free living. Thanks in advance for keeping your comments clean and civilized!