Jezebel: charla krupp

Can You Do Something Sorta Well? Write A Book & Call Yourself An Expert!

Dodai — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:30:05 EDT

Today's Wall Street Journal has a column titled "How To Walk Like A Model." Writer Vanessa O'Connell interviews Jessica Stam, "one of fashion's most-sought models." Ms. Stam is also known as the model who tripped and fell on the runway at the Chloé Fall 2006 show in Paris. Wow. How did she deal? "I fell and got back up," she says. "I kept walking." Gasp! Absolutely ground-breaking. Earth-shattering, even. She got back up. We never would have thought of that. Thank God for Jessica Stam, and for the Wall Street Journal, for reporting such life-changing information. And for being an expert. On walking. But Stam isn't the only one who wants to tell us what to do: The style advice book industry is booming, according to another column in the Journal. Charla Krupp's How Not To Look Old is the top-selling fashion and beauty book on Amazon right now. Paige Adams-Geller of Paige Premium Denim has just written a book called Your Perfect Fit. In stylist Sherrie Mathieson's book, Forever Cool, makeovers of real people show "how to achieve ageless, youthful and modern personal style." And there's more.

In fact, Amazon lists 525,000 books on "style." Brinkley notes that most of these guides are targeted at women over 35. Edward Ash-Milby, a buyer for Barnes & Noble Inc. says, "I do think as our society ages, we'll see more of these books. It's a trend that continues to grow." So even though they've been at it longer than youngsters, middle-aged people don't know how to dress? Bullshit! But more importantly: Why is everyone a damn "expert" these days? Why does everyone think they have great advice? How can a woman whose job it is to walk FALL on a runway and still be considered the go-to authority on walking? And even though all of this "advice" seems pointless, why are lots of women buying it?

How to Walk Like a Model, Does This Book Make Me Look Chic? [Wall Street Journal]

Women Of All Ages Feel Better When They Wear Things That Fit

Jessica — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:30:00 EST

I know I can't stop yammering about Time senior editor boffing, botox manifesto writing former Glamour editor Charla Krupp and her new bestseller, How Not To Look Old. There's a first-person take on Old by 40-something Mary Elizabeth Williams in Salon today, and Williams puts her finger on just why the book is so irksome to me. It's not just the parts where Krupp advocates unrealistic and "wackadoo" ideas, like Botox, $70 concealer and personal shoppers, it's that the good advice Krupp gives (and there is some in the book) could be gleaned for free by watched a couple episodes of What Not To Wear.

According to Williams, Krupp's "main mantra is a call to simple, unfussy elegance: loose hair, lighter makeup, restraint of embellishment." Williams has also taken her "frumpy, mid-calf skirts to the tailor to be shortened to knee length." This is advice that could be used by professional woman of any age, but her book has been packaged to play on women's fear of aging in a youth-obsessed culture.

An undercurrent to Krupp's schtick, and something she discussed when she was on the Today show, is that if you look old, no one will hire you. She wants to inspire fear in the hearts of baby boomers, telling them that "If you're wearing clothes that are dated, people are going to think your ideas are dated." But you know, wearing presentable, flattering clothing makes a better impression on employers no matter WHAT age you are, or, for that matter, what gender.

Staying fit, wearing flattering clothes, getting a haircut. These things make most women feel better about themselves whether they are 15 or 55. There's a way to grow old gracefully, to look your age and still look good. And anyway, like Charla's really a good role model for aging gracefully. With her bleached blond hair and Botox, it's clear she'd rather look like Heidi Montag than Anjelica Huston.

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Eileen Fisher [Salon]

Earlier: How Not To Look Old Author Doesn't Look Old, But She Does Look Stupid
Standards Of Beauty

Wow, Time magazine is really plugging the...

Jessica — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:30:00 EST

Wow, Time magazine is really plugging the hell out of Charla Krupp's hateful-but-bestselling tome How Not To Look Old — a book that advocates Botox and hair-dye for the post-menopausal set. It's been mentioned twice in the magazine in the past month and there's an entire blog post devoted to the book today. And lo, what do we have here? Krupp's husband, Richard Zoglin, is a Time senior editor. How Not To Look Old is now on the New York Times top-10 list for advice and how-to books. Krupp proves yet again that making women feel bad about themselves is an endlessly lucrative endeavor. [Portfolio, Time]

How Not To Look Old Author Doesn't Look Old, But She Does Look Stupid

Jessica — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:40:00 EST

Former Glamour and Shop, Etc. editor Charla Krupp was on the Today show this morning, shilling for her new book How Not To Look Old. In the above clip, Krupp encourages over 40-year-olds to look "young and hip" because otherwise, they'll get fired! "You have to look current to stay in your job today," Krupp says. "If you're wearing clothes that are dated, people are going to think your ideas are dated." But that's not all the knowledge Krupp's dropping. She also extols the virtues of Botox and other "injectibles" in a recent interview in Time. (Yes, Time. Her hubby works there!) In addition to getting botulism injected into your face, according to Krupp, "the other thing that [boomers] really need to do is color our hair." Man, someone should tell Meryl Streep she's looking like a real ancient fool in Devil Wears Prada with that hideous white hair! Horrors!

How Not To Look Old: Author Charla Krupp [Time]