The Wonderful World of Toddlewood

Image source Refinery29

Although the Golden Globes were a couple weeks ago, it is award show season and with that comes red carpet fashion. What better way to celebrate this year’s Golden Globe do’s and don’ts than dressing up your toddlers in identical evening wear!? Yes, I’m talking tiny tot celeb look-alikes garbed in mini Chanel dresses and teeny tuxedos. Welcome to the world of photographer Tricia Messeroux. Her series Toddlewood is adorable, pageant-y, and…slightly creepy.

Do these not scream “Toddlers and Tiaras”?! As funny and ridiculous as these images are, I’m slightly disturbed by how similar the kids look to the real A-list celebrities. I mean who taught that Halle Berry munchkin to pose like that? (Not going to lie, I admire her sass.) I’m just disappointed that my girl Jennifer Lawrence (J.Law) wasn’t among the little kiddos playing around in Toddlewood.

Messeroux not only photographs children on the red carpet, but she also uses children in other similar scenes, such as toddler versions of the Spice Girls’ group pose and an Oprah Winfrey interview. The photos are silly and a tad wacky, but they sure made me laugh. Hopefully Messeroux will have more to share for the Grammys and the Oscars later this month!

Posted by Allie

Bash-Your-Head-In Barbie

Oh, Barbie. Veterinarian, school teacher, flight attendant, Gaga…psychopathic mutilator and killer.

Enter photographer Mariel Clayton who, in a series of images entitled Door #3, explores America’s favorite faux, buxom-blonde bombshell’s darkest side.  Wonder where the inspiration comes from?  “You can’t get to be Barbie without an ocean’s worth of peroxide, 27 plastic surgeries and a complete lack of intelligence…Behind the vacuous perpetual lipsticked-smile lurks the black heart of the true sociopath, just like in real life.”   Hmm, good point.  Are you paying attention, Heidi Montag?

Clayton, whose online gallery boasts a broad collection of photography styled using Barbie and Ken dolls, is definitely provocative, even more so than in Door #3. She tackles the most controversial of topics—self-inflicted abortions, suicide, domestic violence—while remaining entertaining, albeit admittedly disturbing.  The absolute attention paid to each staged drama is so fine, down to the seemingly most miniscule details, which is where I think my appreciation for every single shot stems from.  That, and the fact that Clayton is a self-taught photographer who’s also astoundingly intelligent when it comes to pushing the envelope while maintaining a unique and artistic expression of irony.

Suddenly Barbie doesn’t seem so vapid.  Heidi Montag, on the other hand…

Posted by Haley

Food Photography From the Days of Yore

Attaching the moniker “vintage” to something usually imparts a sought-after sophistication, i.e. vintage gowns, vintage cars and so on.  Apparently, its powers do not extend to food.  Enter Gee That Food Looks Terrible!, a Flikr site cataloging photos of once-popular dishes from the 50s, 60s and 70s.  Gelled meat with remoulade sauce, anyone?  How about broiled ham and lima bean casserole?

I suppose with items like cherpumple, (an artery-clogging combo of cherry pie, apple pie and pumpkin pie baked into a three-layer cake and topped with frosting) gracing contemporary tables the site will have enough content to last through the next few decades.

Posted by Abby