God, do I wish people wouldn’t make them.  You know what I’m talking about:  when someone desperately tries to think of something nice to say about you and the best the person can come up with is “You have a nice personality.”  Those false compliments.

I’m a big supporter of just staying quiet in such situations.  Silence can be damning, but it’s still neutral.

The whole Susan Boyle thing illustrates my point.  The people who oppose her “makeover” are going to great lengths to come up with excuses why she shouldn’t have done anything to her appearance.  Check it out:

She had her hair dyed, cut, and styled and eyebrows waxed, and she bought some nicer clothes.  Oh the humanity!  One commenter claimed that Boyle’s bushy eyebrows suited her “chirpy personality.”  Um, what?  Severe eyebrows more often than not connote severity, and I say this as someone who has naturally thick eyebrows myself.  Really, anonymous commenter, if you can’t say anything nice (and genuine), just don’t say anything at all.

Anyway, I’m all for reasonable makeovers, and Susan Boyle’s makeover looks great.

This appears to be from a nightmare scene edited out of the final cut of The Muppet Movie.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!  Kermie!!!  Mel Brooks’ Nazi scientist had nothing on this fashion designer.

Image shamelessly stolen from this site.

Contrary to my love for the Barbie fashion show.

Mattel created a real-life Malibu dream house for Barbie, and it is hideous.  Come on, Barbie is Hollywood Regency all the way.  I don’t buy for a second that she’d live in such a tacky wreck of a house.

that I love this.  It’s Barbie’s 50th, and a bunch of designers (don’t know who and don’t care) created dresses, bathing suits, and more for fashion week.  I love the ’50s and ’60s designs, but the pink, frilly, and poofy designs bring back memories.

I must have the Mad Men dress (sans fur jacket).