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Truth or Lies

By Taylor Dupre

In the eyes of whom am I true?

My own eyes can’t see my soul.

Or maybe my soul is what I see

And my eyes hide from me the beauty of it.

If all I can see is pain

Who can see the joy?

And in that, which is the truth?

That of which will set me free

I long for the day I can look at myself.

To see the soul I have, not the filth it wears.

Once I shed this layer my wings will take flight

And you will never see this girl again.

Many people are dumfounded by the hard thingy at the end of your shoelaces.

What are these things? Where did they come from? Why were they invented?

How were they found? Well, I have the answers that will satisfy your mind.

These hard things at the end of your shoestrings are called aglets. Aglets were

first used back in the Roman times. Aglets used to be used in the place of

buttons at the end of ribbons to help keep the clothes closed. Back in the days

of the Roman empire, aglets were made of glass, stone, or metal -- basically

whatever they could shape to fit the string. The richest people would even have

them created out of brass and sliver.

Of course, nowadays, using those types of material would be too expensive, so

we turned to plastic to create our aglets. The term ‘aglet’ comes from the Old

French aiguillette, meaning "needle.” Aglets turn rope or strings into a ‘needle’

so that you can easily glide them through holes or slits in clothing. They are

most commonly found on the tips of our shoelaces, and we all know that when

they fall off or break off, it is really a struggle to restring your shoes. Aglets also

help keep ropes and strings from unraveling.

Even though the aglet seems like an unremarkable item, it is a very important

and useful tool in our lives, and it also carries a pretty interesting history. As

with most things, the more you investigate the aglet, the more fascinating it

becomes.

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Green is everywhere, so much that it is in my

dreams

A mist is never missing, the humidity it’s best

friend

And I sit here again thinking

Waiting

Remembering

What was it like in a home?

Are beds even real anymore?

This harsh ground is my only reality

The asylum of trees gives me no comfort

So I sit here and wait

The sun and moon dance upon the sky and I

wait

The seasons change around me, and yet I still sit

and wait

Am I eroding with the rest of the land? By Mary Virginia Guice

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Legend is a thrilling tale about a boy named Day, the Repub-

lic’s prime criminal, who unexpectedly crosses paths with

June, a military prodigy. The Republic, once known as the

western coast of the United States, is now a nation at war with

its enemies, the Colonies. Metias, June’s brother, is unexpect-

edly murdered, and Day becomes the prime suspect. June is

on the hunt to find Day to avenge Metias’ death, and she will

do whatever she can to get Day to the Republic.

One day during a Skiz fight, Day saves June from mad gam-

blers, but neither knows who is who. The two opposites soon

fall in love. June eventually finds out who Day is and turns

him in to the Republic against her desire. Neither knew the

other until June followed Day to his family’s house and saw

Day bring medicine to Eden, his youngest brother, who had the plague. In a shocking turn of

events, both Day and June uncover the real truth of what brought them together, and what

the Republic would do to keep its secrets. Marie Lu has written a captivating and intriguing

two-point perspective novel that is sure to succeed in capturing everyone’s attention!

Kate Kaufman loves Legend. “Seriously, there is nothing that I didn’t like about this

book!” she exclaims. She loves how it was action-packed, fast-paced, and easy to follow, but

at the same time had a very good plot, and she would recommend it to everyone, even to

those who don’t like to read. Additionally, reading about both characters keeps you in sus-

pense throughout the whole book, and it’s hard to put down!

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-cover-logo-wide-560x282.jpg

By: Caroline Roth

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Marie Lu, the author of Legend,

was born in Beijing, China in 1984,

and she has a special love for dys-

topian novels. In 1989, when she

was five years old, she and her

family moved to the United States

and settled in Georgia. She

attended the University of South-

ern California. Before starting her

writing career, Marie worked as an

art designer for the video game

industry. As of now, Marie Lu has written the Legend series, which consists of three books:

Legend, Prodigy, and Champion. The series currently has a movie license which is sure to be-

come a blockbuster hit.

Marie Lu’s writing style is inspirational. Her method of developing interesting charac-

ters, crafting a fascinating plot, and describing a dystopian society is clever and complex. On-

ly a vivid imagination could come up with a novel like this one. Lu’s characters, especially

June, are fascinating. June is always alert and extraordinarily smart. Despite her young age,

she presents herself as a courageous and loyal member of the military. She is a good role

model for young readers because she stands up for the things in which she believes. Lu’s

http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121206010414/legendmarielu/images/3/3d/Marie-lus-legend-mysterious

Help the nun get back

to the Academy!

6

Season 13 Comes to an End By: Alice Monceaux

Project Runway is a popular Lifetime Television series in which men and

women compete to be one of America’s next top designers. Eighteen designers

are chosen to compete each season. After the first episode, only fifteen designers

are left. Each week there is a task to be completed and a time limit in which each

designer must complete the

task to present their de-

signs to the judges. The per-

son with the losing design

is eliminated, and the last

four standing designers

present their final collec-

tions at New York Fashion

Week to determine who the

winner is.

October 23, 2014, marked the end of season 13 of Project Runway. The

judges of this most recent season were supermodel Heidi Klum; Fashion Director

of Elle magazine and Marie Claire magazine, Nina Garcia; and fashion designer

Zachery Posen. There was also a special guest judge in each

episode, and some of the most well-known guest judges this

season were Shay Mitchell, Bethany Mota, and Emmy Rossum.

It was a tough season with many talented designers, and the

winner of season 13 was Sean Kelly, a 25 year old fashion de-

signer from Brooklyn, New York. His fashion week designs

were mostly black, white, and orange with inspiration and

fabric from Rome, Italy.

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Runway-Season-13-Cast-Tom-Lorenzo-Site-TLO.jpg

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Season 13 Comes to an End By: Alice Monceaux

Runners-up were Amanda Valentine,

Kiniokahokula "Kini" Zamora, and Charketa

"Char" Glover. These three designers also

presented their Rome inspired collections at

New York Fashion Week. Amanda Valentine,

from Nashville, Tennessee, was a returning

designer to the show who had formerly com-

peted in season 11 and was voted back onto

the show by fans. She won two out of the

twelve design tasks and advanced to fashion

week. Kiniokahahokula “Kini” Zarmora, from Honolulu, Hawaii, won three out of the

twelve design tasks to advance to fashion week, but Charketa “Char” Glover, from Detroit,

Michigan, was actually eliminated from the show in episode 6. In episode 7, she was

brought back by the workroom mentor, Tim Gunn. She did not win any of the twelve

tasks, but she managed to advance to Fashion Week in New York.

Not only are the designers judged

and eliminated in Project Runway, but so

are the models. Though the show is not

about the models, they still are a huge

part of the show and great contributors

to the designers. Models are judged

based on the designer’s score and their

own. The model is not eliminated be-

cause the designer is eliminated; she can

wear the losing outfit and still be featured in the next episodes.

The winning model of season 13 was Alisar Ailabouni. She is a 5’10 model from Austria. In 2010, she was also on the show Germa-ny’s Next Top Model, the German version of what we know as Ameri-ca’s Next Top Model. Alisar Ailabouni became the first non-German model to be in the top three on Germany’s Next Top Model.

There is no date yet for the next season of the popular Lifetime show, but fans are confident that another installment is forthcoming. Until then, we can expect to see more from the season 13 winner, Sean Kelly and all the judges who help make the franchise such a huge success.

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When did you know you wanted to be-

come a teacher?

I graduated college and I wasn’t

quite sure what I wanted to do when

the coach from ESA texted me to

come try out for the position as a

volleyball coach at Sacred Heart.

That’s when I wanted to become a

teacher/coach.

What do you like most about Sacred

Heart?

The kids that I teach/coach

Describe how your high school experi-

ence is different from students’ experi-

ence at the Academy?

First of all, there were boys [in my

high school], and girls wore makeup

and were catty.

What is your favorite class to teach?

Anatomy & Physiology

What sports did you play in high

school?

Volleyball, Basketball, Track & Field

Any Hobbies?

I like to refurbish furniture.

Are you a dog or cat person?

I’m a dog person who has a cat.

Generally, I like dogs, but I like my

cat better than my dog.

Any Nicknames?

Me-e-e-e-egggg

C-meg

Meg

Coach Meg

Coach Megan

Meganaworks

Mom

Ms. Megan

Ms. McCown

McCowboy boots

What do you do in your free time (when

you’re not refurbishing furniture)?

I like to go to country concerts, have

a social life, hang out with friends,

dance, and listen to music.

Would you rather go camping or go to

the beach?

The beach because I really don’t like

camping. I don’t like to sleep on the

ground, and I don’t like mosquitoes.

What do you love most about being a

volleyball coach?

The intensity! I

like the feeling

of…well, I like

winning. But

more than win-

ning, I like when

I can coach a team to win.

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What is your coaching philosophy?

There are many Meganisms:

1) Calm! Cool! Collected! Aggressive! 2)

Nails in the coffin!

3) Pull the rug out from under them!

4) Let’s go to work!

5) Toe ‘up!

How does it feel to

have volleyball alum

come back to sup-

port you and your

team?

Awesome! It feels

like their experience with volleyball

meant something to them. It creates a

sense of community as the program

grows with alumnae and current athlete

participation.

What is your favorite SEC football team?

I like UL because LSU doesn’t play with

heart. I like Mark Hudspeth.

Where are you from and what attractions

are found there?

I am from Welsh, Louisiana. Well, we re-

ally only have a Dairy Queen. My favorite

snack there is the Georgia Mud Fudge

Blizzard.

Have you ever seen THE real Georgia mud?

Yes, my mom won tickets to the SEC

championship so we drove to Georgia.

Any fun facts you would like to

share?

I have two tattoos. I like to write

inspirations of the day to motivate

my team. I am a very philosophi-

cal person, and like to inspire peo-

ple through famous quotes.

Do the Math: How old is Coach Meg?

Hint: Coach Megan competed as a

senior at the same State Track

Meet as one of the Academy’s sen-

iors when she was in 5th grade.

Weird? Crazy? I know.

10

By: Kaili Simien

Christmas was just around the corner, and Mrs. Aucoin was speaking to class officers

to begin planning class Christmas parties. Sarah Frey, junior class president, had no

idea what to do. Of course, there was the generic option of putting on a classic

Christmas movie and bringing in food, but that was not an option for this Christmas.

Looking for something new to do Sarah talked to Mrs. Guillory who suggested the

option of doing a toy drive for kids who would not be receiving a toy Christmas day.

In order to make the activity something that

would be similar to a gift exchange, you would

draw the name of someone in the class and buy a

gift that represents the person they selected.

Our class gathered together at the time to have

Christmas parties, all eager to give the gift we

had bought for the person we selected earlier.

Some examples of gifts received include Anna

Paddock receiving a ballerina Barbie doll from Madi Brown, Lexi receiving a stuffed

animal that looked like her from Kathy Yu, and Claire Holland receiving a dinosaur

toy that even made noises from Emily McGraw. Overall, the experience was some-

thing that bonded our class while

helping kids in need. However, not

only were juniors putting a smile on

a kid’s face Christmas morning, but

also helping the child to develop

skills children obtain from having

toys.

It is known that all children should

have a childhood that should be

filled with toys, but has anyone ever

stopped to think why that is? Toys

are not only a pastime for children,

but an important way for children to develop several basic skills needed, such as:

physical or muscle development, sensory development, make-believe and social de-

velopment, and creating and intellectual development. It is said that children should

have a range of toys coming from the different categories. You may notice that when

you hand a baby a toy he or she may instantly throw it to the ground. This is because

babies are not born knowing that when you throw something it will fall to the floor.

They have to experience this type of activity first-hand in order to know this.

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It is important for kids to build strong bones and develop their muscles early in

life. They have to develop their coordination and balance in order to be able to

walk when they get older. Several games that help to do this include building

blocks, a walker, and a ball. While building muscles, children must also develop

their senses. These types of toys are water toys and

musical instruments. Another example could even

be pots and pans. Notice how sometimes kids like to

dig through pots and pans and bang on them. This is

because they are developing all of their senses while

doing this. While banging on pots may be some-

thing boys tend to do, girls do love to play dress up

and play with Barbie dolls. These toys develop their

social development. You may be thinking, how does

a child develop social skills while playing with inan-

imate objects, but dolls, clothes, trucks, and cars

help a kid to either imagine real life situations and

act them out or practice their verbal skills. One of

the most important skills that parents tend to push

on their kids is creative and intellectual develop-

ment. In order for these skills to develop properly

children must play with crayons, paper, books, pens, glue, scissors. There is an

old saying that if a child asks you for a piece of paper and pen you never say no,

because they are building up these skills.

Different children of different age groups

will want and require different toys, and it

is important to recognize this. A toddler

may want building blocks while a school-

age child may want board games. It is

clear that one is more sophisticated than

the other. It is important to realize the

types of toys children play with, and to make sure they are age appropriate. Why

else would they play ages on toys for kids? It is important to follow the recom-

mendations in order to develop the right skills at the right time in life.

By donating toys, not only did the juniors have fun building community, but we

helped a child in more ways that we could imagine. Of course, we gave the child

the gift of happiness on Christmas day, receiving a gift they may have thought

they were not getting. We helped a kid to develop skills that will be necessary as

they grow up. We helped a child to experience things they may have never gotten

to experience before.

Source: http://www.creativityinstitute.com/earlychildhooddevelopment-

childrenandtoys.aspx

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Salute to Service

By: Sarah Nele America’s society is one steeped in the pride of being a free, superpower nation. Yet, do we, as citizens of

America, genuinely understand and appreciate the price that is paid for these freedoms? In looking at the civil-

ian-soldier relationship, two major areas of disconnect have become increasingly recognizable.

Beginning in 1973, with the decision to

switch to a volunteer-based military, the

percentage of the American population in-

volved in some aspect of the US armed

forces has dramatically decreased from

about 12 percent in WWII to 0.5 percent.

Alongside the waning number of troops,

there is a growing separation between the

average citizen and the newly demarcated

militant “caste.” This increasing trend

among families who are already involved

in the military continuing the service as a

family legacy has created an increasingly

isolated soldier class.

The second area of disconnect is the

rise in the use of technology to aid in militant force. Though the increase in technology has reduced federal

military spending significantly, this rise has bred an air of indifference in civilian interest of military affairs

and has reduced further civilians’ comprehension of what militant force entails. Civilians have a view of war

that is oversimplified and quite different from what the American soldier actually experiences. This disconnect

has essentially contributed to the lack of honor and appreciation for the military that is often expressed by ci-

vilians today.

In an attempt to hide the potential, real-life horrors of life in the military, many aspects of war-time projects

and discoveries have often been withheld from the public. However, there has always been the muckraking

force of the media, which has worked without end to expose these scandals. One of the more prominent issues

of the Iraq-Afghanistan War has been the debate over the existence of a program of weapons of mass destruc-

tion. This issue has raised many questions and concerns regarding the safety of our troops and the well-being

of our nation.

13

In 2008, near Taji Iraq, a group of soldiers

was ordered to safely dispose of a pile of old

Iraqi artillery found at the bottom of a mucky

lake. To their surprise, what they discovered

inside the shells came back as sulfur mustard,

which is designed to cause serious burns to its

victims. Unfortunately, this is not the worst

part. From 2004 to 2011, troops have repeated-

ly been exposed to harmful chemical weapons

leftover from Hussein’s regime. What is even

more alarming is that the panic to cover up the

large-scale finds has allowed for many troops

to go untreated and ignored. As one former ser-

geant put it, “I felt more like a guinea pig than a wounded soldier.” This insight offers a closer look at

the grim reality of the war on terror.

Possibly, one of the most frightening aspects of war is the psychological aftermath it has on sol-

diers. In many cases, the most damaging traumas sustained are the mental and emotional ones that

can’t be seen. In 2012, the Department of Veteran Affairs, VA for short, reported that approximately

22 veterans commit suicide every day. Due to the outrage surrounding the astounding rates of suicide,

the VA has worked to reduce the percentage of veteran deaths by suicide from 25% in 1999 to 20% in

2010.

Though this rate has fortunately decreased, the veterans and soldiers waiting for help are not see-

ing much increase in benefits and aid. According to The Economist, “In war, it is said, there are no

unwounded soldiers. Bombs that shatter bones also batter brains.” As hard of a statement as it is to

accept, those “battered” soldiers and their loved ones are the ones left to live the reality. Sadly, for

many of these soldiers and veterans, help is often untimely and limited. According to The Economist’s

investigation, it takes the VA around nine months to process veterans’ medical claims, and, in some

cases, it can take up to 600 days. The VA is aiming to reduce processing time to 125 days by 2015;

however, that is still a long time for those suffering from traumatic injuries.

Aid and assistance are not the only obstacles facing reintegrating soldiers and veterans; VA budget

cuts and an alarming unemployment rate also haunt these service men and women. This prompted

First Lady, Michelle Obama, to encourage big-name companies such a Walmart and GE to create pro-

grams that would provide jobs to more veterans. However, these veterans must first obtain the qualifi-

cations needed to hold a civilian job. With each source of improvement put forth, there are still obsta-

cles that must be navigated around. In all, it is evident that much planning and compromising must be

made by the federal government to seek improvements for the aid of America’s soldiers and veterans.

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Homelessness is a widespread epidemic that affects approximately 3.5 million people per year. Of

these 3.5 million people suffering from homelessness, veterans make up 23% of this number. Home-

lessness is not something easily identifiable, nor is it easily contained; however, thanks to cities like

New Orleans, the rate of homeless veterans has begun to see a decline. In 2011, the New Orleans

mayor, Mitch Landrieu, created the New Orleans Council on Homelessness (NOCH) to implement

his “Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness.” This plan was not only created to allow the homeless of

New Orleans to be placed in suitable homes, but it was also designed to provide services to help phys-

ical, mental, and substance abuse issues that are common among homeless people. This, in turn, will

encourage the reintegration of veterans into the workforce.

According to Mayor Landrieu, “Our veterans have served our great nation courageously and it's

our turn to do our part and support these brave men and women.” Through the NOCH’s 100-Day

Rapid Results Boot Camp, 120 veterans were housed within 100 days. In just three years, New Orle-

ans has successfully reduced homelessness in the area by 62%. Alongside this major accomplishment,

the Landrieu administration has reached out to several local military and veterans groups in an effort

to connect with and better understand the plight of homeless veterans. These efforts have been noticed

not only by the homeless veterans themselves, but also by the National Alliance to End Homelessness

(NAEH). The Chief Executive Officer of the NAEH, Nan Roman, best commended these efforts

when she said, “[New Orleans] is showing what we can accomplish when we have the resources and

the determination to change lives for the better.” America’s veterans have selflessly and loyally

served America, and New Orleans has adopted the right outlook and attitude towards helping these

true American heroes.

The American veteran’s identity is shaped by certain values of the American hero that are perpetu-

al. The bravery, courage, and altruism displayed by the American veteran are celebrated in our annual

Veteran’s Day. The history of Veteran’s Day underwent a series of modifications to become what it

is today. Veteran’s Day was initially called Armistice Day and was first celebrated on November 11,

1919, at the approval of President Woodrow Wilson. Armistice Day started as a day to commemorate

the end of WWI. In 1945, a WWII veteran, Raymond Weeks, sought to expand Armistice Day into a

celebration of all American veterans. By 1947, with the help of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, it

was celebrated nationally as Veteran’s day. Soon after, in 1954, Congressman Ed Rees pushed the bill

that changed Armistice Day officially into Veteran’s Day. We continue this tradition today with na-

tion-wide celebrations, such as free meals for veterans at designated restaurants, memorial services,

and Christian masses. Though it is an annual celebration, the American citizen does not get much ex-

posure to the veteran outside of this day. This begs the question, how well do we really know our vet-

erans?

15

We are fortunate at the Academy to study and work alongside our own veterans. Mrs. Susan

Bush, the mother of Matthew, Emma, and Meghan Bush, was a long-time worker in the Department of

Reintegration for the military. Mrs. Bush was eager to share her stories and experiences from her time

in basic training to the emotional rollercoaster of life for a military family. Though she was never de-

ployed in her 19 years of service, Mrs. Bush’s work for the Department of Reintegration played an im-

perative role for the military. Soldiers who are coming back from a deployment go through a process

that is referred to as reintegration. As a reintegration worker, Mrs. Bush was responsible for helping

military clients reenter civilian life, which is not a simple job. She told me that due to the different sit-

uation of each client, she would often stay on call throughout the night in case she would be needed for

any possible emergencies. Civilians mostly know of the struggles of reintegration for soldiers through

movies, books, and documentaries, but Mrs. Bush dealt with these struggles first hand.

Mrs. Bush said of her service, “I am honored to be a Veteran with so many brave men and

women, from so many different backgrounds and generations. All of us are proud to wear the uniform

with the understanding of the sacrifices that may have to be made and have been made in the name of

this wonderful country, for our children, and the stability of our future. To be able to be part of some-

thing so noble at the core of its mission has meant

so much to me. I am thankful to all who have

served and who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the

name of service and our country.”

For women and men like Mrs. Bush who have

volunteered to serve the country and to give them-

selves even in the ultimate sacrifice of death, im-

provements in how we honor that sacrifice as a

country are imperative. The VA has committed to

improving its services for veterans with physical

and psychological wounds, and cities like New Or-

leans are leading the charge to improve life for vet-

erans who find reintegration into civilian life a diffi-

cult personal battle. As civilians, we should offer

our gratitude to veterans, but also take time to un-

derstand military life and sacrifice more deeply to

bridge the growing gap that now exists between

those who serve and those who benefit from the ser-

POETRY CORNER The First Frost

Taylor Dupre

This sheet of ice covering the land is foreign to me

It silences the sounds I long to hear

What is the difference between left and right?

All corners of this white land are the same

Snap

There goes another solider twig

The rampage of cold too much for the fallen one

I shiver and walk away from the sight

I will come back when a the war is over

16

Why Don’t Guys Wear

High Heels? By: Kaili SImien

“Ow! My feet hurt! I knew I should have packed a pair of

flats!” We have all been there at one point or another. Even at

Winter Formal, some of us girls may have looked like we

were totally comfortable while our feet were slowly going

numb. Why do women wear high heels? Who started all this

torture?

Originally, high heels were worn in the East as riding foot-

wear. The heel allows for a Persian (modern day Iran) soldier to stand up on his stirrup se-

curely. At the end of the 16th century, Persia’s Shah Abbas I had the largest group of sol-

diers in the world. Shah Abbas I was known for forging links with rulers in Western Eu-

rope to help him defeat his greatest enemy, the Ottoman Empire. Eventually, Abbas sent

Persians to Europe. It was not too long after this that all things Persian were in high de-

mand all over Europe.

The idea of wearing heels was something that found its way

into the lower classes of society; however, poor people cannot

have something the rich people don’t, and wealthier classes

began to wear high heels, too. Of course, the footwear of the

wealthy were taller than those of the poorer classes. Although

the Persian fad was started for utilitarian purposes, Europeans

did not wear high heels for any practical reason.

One of the most notable people from this time period and also

a popular figure in high heel history was King Louis XIV of

France. Although he was a person with a lot of power, King

Louis was very short -- only 5’4”-- but he was able to enhance

his height by wearing heels. As mentioned earlier, the height

of the heel marked one’s level in society, and King Louis

XIV’s 4-inch heels marked him as part of the highest social

class.

http://blog.samuel-windsor.co.uk/wp-content/

uploads/2013/09/Persian-heels.jpg

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One familiar style of heels

we are all aware of is the red

sole shoes. Today, they are

made by fashion designer

Christian Louboutin; how-

ever, the red soles were fa-

mous well before his time.

The heels and soles of those

in the upper classes were al-

ways dyed red from expen-

sive martial overtone. It was in the 1670s that Louis XIV issued an edict that only members of

his court were allowed to wear red heels. It took only a simple glance down at someone’s

shows to tell if he was in favor with the king; however, just as knock-off brands circulate to-

day, there were unauthorized red sole shoes in circulation throughout Louis’ kingdom. In fash-

ion, some things never change.

Europeans were first attracted to heels because they wanted all things Persian, and a similar

trickle-down effect caused heels to become women’s wear instead of men’s wear. In late 17th

century women’s European fashion, it became a craze to adopt items from men’s fashion, and

one of those things was high heeled shoes. As women’s fashion adopted male heels, men be-

gan to wear a squarer, stouter heel while women’s heels steadily grew in height and became

more slender. The toes of the women’s shoes were also often pointed and narrow to make

women’s feet seem delicate and smaller beneath a full skirt.

Fast forward a few years into the Enlightenment, which brought with it an emphasis on educa-

tion. Men’s fashion shifted towards a more practical style of clothing, which did not include

heels. This period in fashion is called the Great Male Renunciation in which men abandoned

jewelry and bright colors for a more homoge-

neous look. Men’s clothing no longer operat-

ed as a sign of social status; instead, clothing

in general signified the wearer’s gender. By

1740, high heels were seen as foolish, and

men had stopped wearing them altogether.

Fifty years later, women had stopped wearing

heels also, and it wasn’t until the 19th century

that they came back into style.

The military heel in Persia became a male status symbol in Europe, and, ironically, that male

status symbol became the ultimate marker of twentieth century femininity.

18

Many young girls are raised on the image of the “Disney Princess” and most girls can answer in mere

seconds who their favorite princess is. These young girls see the Princess as the ideal image, and this percep-

tion can be potentially harmful to their self-esteem. Like Barbie dolls, Disney princesses are not atomically

proportionate; therefore, they create an impossible physical ideal that young girls dream of achieving in their

real bodies.

The idea that Disney princesses are the ideal

image that a young girl wants to achieve for herself

is simply setting her up for failure. The Disney prin-

cesses have body parts that would not properly

function or be safe if placed on a real human body.

According to Meredith Viguet, an artist who drew

the Disney princesses with a more atomically accu-

rate waistline, the original Disney Princesses that

we have all grown up loving possess a “soft but

very defined” waistline. She also explained that throughout the years of creating new Disney animated films,

the Disney artists have not seemed to advance in the idea that they should begin to make their princesses look

more like real people instead of a hunger-stricken female. While it seemed a little more accurate that the prin-

cesses in the earlier decades may be depicted with a smaller waist due to women of the time period attempting

to diminish their waists with corsets, even the 2013 princess,

Elsa, from Frozen, is depicted as having the same small waist-

line that Aurora possessed in Sleeping Beauty when it came out

in 1959.

Meredith Viguet began drawing the same Disney princesses

that girls have grown to love; however, she depicted them hav-

ing a closer to accurate waistline and produced amazing results.

Although the ideal Disney princess waistline was increased,

Viguet’s princesses still look beautiful and could potentially

make young girls feel more comfortable in their own bodies.

Instead of starving themselves to try to achieve an impossibly small waistline, girls who idolize more realistic

cartoon princesses may gain more self-confidence.

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It is not only waistlines that make these idealistic princess silhouettes unobtainable; on the contrary,

many features that the Disney Princesses possess are simply nonrealistic compared to the average silhouette of

a real, human woman. Some of these differences include the princess’ head being larger and her neck being

slimmer, the princess’ lack of hips and muscle, the princess’ B/C cup perky breasts, and the princess’ super

tiny feet. The young girl watching Disney Princess movies may not notice it, but these princesses are almost

exactly the same with slightly different details such as their lip shape, hair color, skin color, and eye color. The

silhouette and body type of almost every Disney Princess is nearly exactly the same.

There are many complaints about the unrealistic similari-

ties that are possessed by these Disney Princesses; therefore,

there have been many attempts to convince Disney to change

their traditional ways and create Princesses that look more accu-

rate to the real human body. Jewel Moore, a Virginia high school

student, began a petition that received over 22,000 signatures

asking Disney artists to create a plus-sized princess. She ex-

plained that “Every body is beautiful” and she does not want any

more young boys to see these Disney Princesses and believe that

“women they date have to look perfect.” Although there have

been some noticeable changes to the Disney Princesses in their

attitude and their independence of not relying on a prince to save

the day, such as in Frozen, Disney has still not created a Princess

who does not possess unrealistic body features. Until they do,

many young girls throughout the world will continue to struggle

to be “princess perfect.”

By Caroline Nugier