Standard American Woman

Over 23 million Americans watched the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on Tuesday night. The show was
filmed a week earlier in Shanghai. International headlines were made when Angel Ming Xi fell on the
beginning of her walk down the runway. It was no surprise because she was wearing 6-inch heels, with a
giant headpiece, a long shawl and rock music was blaring. In addition, Shanghai is her hometown, and
taking into account this is runway show is her 5th for Victoria’s Secret, even an experienced Angel can
get a little nervous. Her cape creeped under her high heeled sandal, she tripped, got back up, did her best
Supermodel bit and won the hearts of the world. This was an anomaly.

Most years the biggest story coming out of Victoria’s Secret show is how insanely ridiculous the
models look compared to the actual women watching the presentation. The show was filmed a week
before it was actually aired, so the bigwigs at Victoria’s Secret could have edited out the trip and through
the miracle of CGI probably had Ming Xi walk in front of a CGI screen and most people wouldn’t have
known the difference. All of this begs an important question: In a glossy show that is heavily edited, why
keep Xi’s misstep in the telecast? I believe it is a sign we are starting to bridge the gap between the
Standard American Woman and the Victoria’s Secret Angel.

This lead me to start thinking about Marilyn Monroe and how she is still such an icon over 50 years from
her death. I was just at the Hotel Del Coronado, outside San Diego where “Some Like It Hot” was filmed
and the posters of her are just as sexy as they were back in 1960. She doesn’t resemble Angel Ming Xi
at all. Not just because of their ancestry, but in terms of height and body fat distribution. When the
Victoria’s Angels are looked at as a group, they are all at least 5’10, with a BMI in the low teens. The
industry term is sample or standard sized. Reports show Marilyn was 5’5 and her BMI fluctuated between
19-23 in her adult life. This is considered to be healthy and by most people’s standards then and now,
attractive. Marilyn Monroe was allowed to be goofy and famously said: “Imperfection is beauty, madness
is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” Marilyn would have wanted
her trip and fall to be included in a pre-recorded show, even if it could have been removed.

What if we were to throw out the idea of sexy and replace it with healthy? What if the Standard American
American woman aspired to be the healthiest version of herself? Not necessarily the thinnest or sexiest
but the healthiest? What if by aspiring towards health she found peace with her body, and acceptance of
self and stopped trying to rush to be anyone but who she already was?

“So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life’s a beautiful
thing and there’s so much to smile about.”
― Marilyn Monroe

Xo,

Erin

Tomorrow’s Topic: Your Brain on Sugar

If you have any questions, comments or concerns about Marilyn Monroe, Victoria’s Secret or how to get
Healthy this Holiday Seasons, feel free to contact me. If you still haven’t gotten your copy of “Why Can’t
I Stick To My Diet” send me an email and I will send you one for free as a thank you. I can be reached at