Today: Relevance of Red Carpet Season

There are two main reasons that audiences LOVE to focus on celebrity fashions at the award shows:

1. Why Does Anyone Care?

Celebrity media attention is huge business, and celebs who can pull in audiences to their work, are valuable commodities to a movie, play or concert. This is not unlike politics where politicians who can gather an audience have a better chance of delivering a message. If an actor does great work and has no audience, the work will have a shorter shelf life.

But the reason that people continue to tune in to celebrity television shows and purchase tabloids is more interesting:

We are looking for leaders. Most people are looking for role models and leaders, and our politicians have not served this role for the general public. The public looks to movie stars to guide their social, political, sexual, and lifestyle dynamics and behaviors.

Families have broken down and father and mother figures are hard to find. Custody has split children at least down the middle, and sometimes in more pieces than two. They have more than one home now with a head of household in each home. Often blended families give children a step-parent. And divorced moms and dads date men and women who become figures in their childrens’ lives. These kids, for the most part, grow up looking for guidance.

Movie stars and celebrities fit the bill.

2. Fashion and appearance telegraph messages about who a person is much more quickly than any sound bite, quote or interview can. When Britney shows up with no underpants, we immediately learn lots about her. She’s a Brazilian wax girl. She takes care of her body, in terms of waxing — not clothing, in a way that women who see themselves as sexual, do. She had a C-section. She’s feeling confident. She’s feeling dangerous and sexual. She’s wanting attention. She’s not caring about social norms that include underwear.

We can tell loads about Angelina Jolie on the red carpet — when she dressed like Vampira the Vampire Queen, she was wanting attention and wanting to look outside the norm in order to separate her from the more traditional beauties on the carpet. Lately, she’s been dressing conservatively, sending the world the message that her actions in her relationships and work are more important to her than her appearance.

Jennifer Aniston always has on makeup and has her hair done. She’s very concerned about her image, her looks and her public persona.

Jennifer Garner has let her weight have it’s own life, and has embraced motherhood without allowing the camera of the paparazzi rule her life.

Here’s an excerpt from my book for women, Think & Date Like A Man, which can be directly applied to the psychology behind celebrities and the red carpet in the same way I apply it to women and their dates. In fact, the relationship between celebrities and the red carpet is not unlike the relationship between women and men and their first date with someone they want more of.

Physical appearance does not say everything about us, but it does say something about us, and it is the only part of us most people will experience in a brief encounter. Our exteriors are our instant messengers (IM’s) to everyone around us. People will be automatically able to deduce some information about us. Why not try to put out your best information?

Studies show that the tallest, best-looking and most likeable people always beat out other candidates for the job. If you’re going to think and date like a man, you’d better think of
each first date like a first job interview.

Consider the reality show, “The Bachelor.” There are fifty women that make an initial impression on the first episode of each season. Note the most put together, attractive women in that first segment and then notice which of those women are still competing at the end of the show. I believe you’ll find that those women who made the best first impression are the same women who go to the final ceremony.

Even if you prefer jeans and t-shirts in your leisure time, you wouldn’t wear that outfit to a date with a successful man. You’d dress like you belong with him. It’s that simple. Remember that old adage, “Dress for who you want to be, not who you are.” It holds true in every aspect of your life – especially in love.

I celebrate myself, and sing myself, and what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.
-Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

In fact, why not take it one step further. Think about what you want your date’s first impression of you to be. Instead of passable — why not knock his socks off? And continue to do so on each subsequent date (and every day you’re with him, whether or not it’s for the rest of your life). Imagine looking so stunning that he has a visceral and physical reaction? What if you are so beautifully dressed and groomed (No man is going to want to date a woman with Bert and Ernie-eyebrows. There is a multi billion-dollar beauty industry at your disposal to help people who are constantly striving to look good.), that he doesn’t notice the details– only that the entire picture you’ve presented is eliciting a sexual and romantic reaction that is making him want you? What if your smile is so engaging and enchanting that you can see the attraction he feels for you in his eyes – and even if your smile was something you forced yourself to put on, because when you were sad as a child, your mother told you to force yourself to smile because it would make you feel better – it ignites your warmth and genuine allure?

The answer to these questions is simple. You’ll have made an incredible first impression – and he’ll want to know more.