From the Publisher
“’I wanted to tell the real stories-the girls’ stories-without sensationalizing them.’”Susan Anderson, Time Out New York
High Glitz: The Extravagant World of Child Beauty Pageants
by Susan Anderson
High Glitz is a close-up and intimate look at America’s child beauty pageants, and in turn our society’s obsession with youth, beauty, fame, and fortune. Susan Anderson’s vibrant portraits of pageant contestants twist notions of sexuality and identity, with a new perspective on this uniquely American subculture.
Overview
High Glitz is a close-up and intimate look at America’s child beauty pageants, and in turn our society’s obsession with youth, beauty, fame, and fortune. Susan Anderson’s vibrant portraits of pageant contestants twist notions of sexuality and identity, with a new perspective on this uniquely American subculture.
“High Glitz” is a subgenre of child beauty pageants characterized by couture “glitz” costumes and a broad array of cosmetic preparations including, among other tricks of the trade: glamour makeup, elaborate hairstyles, and “flippers” (false front teeth veneers). Anderson’s stunning visuals are complimented by a “High Glitz Style Guide,” defining and providing examples of the following categories: Beauty/Formal Wear, Western Wear, Sportswear, and Swimwear, with a special section on hairstyles such as “the Barbie” and the “Up-do.”
Each year as many as 100,000 children under the age of 12 participate in U.S. child beauty pageants, and it has recently become a billion-dollar industry. Parents invest thousands of dollars on costumes and private coaches to give their children a competitive edge. Countless hours are spent by professional hair and makeup artists on each child in preparation for the competition. The girls are spray-tanned, made-up, and groomed to a glossy perfection. Anderson captures the results of this time-consuming transformation process in exquisite detail.
In seeing how our society’s values of beauty, glamour, and celebrity are reflected in the hopes and dreams of thousands of young girls, we come to see that these pageants are a reflection of American culture itself.
Editorial Reviews
Susan Anderson, Time Out New York
Product Details
- ISBN-13:
- 9781576875148
- Publisher:
- powerHouse Books
- Publication date:
- 09/29/2009
- Pages:
- 144
- Product dimensions:
- 8.90(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.80(d)
Meet the Author
Susan Anderson is a Los Angeles based commercial, editorial, and fine art photographer, specializing in portraiture, beauty, fashion, and conceptual/narrative work. Having earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree form the prestigious Art Institute of Chicago, Anderson relocated to Los Angeles in 2001. Her work has appeared in a variety of magazines including Los Angeles, People, Glamour, The Robb Report, and Playboy. Her fine-art work is represented by TORCH Gallery in Amsterdam and Kopeikin Gallery in Los Angeles.
Simon Doonan is a writer, bon vivant, fashion commentator, and window-dresser. He writes a column for the New York Observer entitled, “Simon Says.” He has also written four books including Confessions of a Window Dresser (Studio,1998), and Ecc entric Glamour (Simon & Schuster, 2008).
Robert Greene has authored many books including, The 48 Laws of Power (Viking, 1998), The Art of Seduction (Penguin, 2001), and The 33 Strategies of War (Penguin, 2006). He is currently working on a book, The 50th Law coauthored by 50 Cent, to be released later this year by HarperStudio.
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