Saturday, July 11, 2009

Is it fair to compare Emma Watson and Miley Cyrus?

Is it fair to compare Emma Watson and Miley Cyrus?

Watson on Teen Vogue August 2009 cover

Miley Cyrus' latest controversial photos in the August issue of Elle magazine are now on newsstands. Emma Watson has a fashion spread in the August Teen Vogue and has been out in public promoting the latest Harry Potter film. This has led to much use of the word "versus" between their two names on the Internet.

Emma Watson's photo shoot in the August issue of Teen Vogue is a gorgeous display of fashion as art. Decked out in a D&G top and skirt and a tiara, Watson is a class act. The slideshow at teenVOGUE  is a romp through mouth-watering ensembles and lush sets. Dressing like this is fantasy to most teens (and the adults in their lives), but the slideshow does show readers how to put together a more economical Watson look.

Cut to Elle magazine's August issue with Miley Cyrus on the cover. Very different taste. Younger star, more mature images. In an online preview ad for the issue, Elle announces: "Wild Thing. Miley tries on the season's bondage-style boots." Sixteen and bondage boots? Cyrus is on her knees leaning into a back-bend, hips jutting out. The boots are not exactly the focal point of the photo.

It seems these two are choosing their image paths along with career paths. Emma Watson, 19, states that she's not necessarily going to continue acting. Hermione Granger was a role that "spoke" to her. Her manners are usually mentioned when she's covered in the media.

Miley Cyrus, posing in thigh-high boots, continues to pump the American marketing machine. In the Elle article, Cyrus gushes over her new clothing line for Wal-Mart, stating that it is "going to be good for, like, Middle America, and it will be great for kids that really want to be in fashion but that don't have it available."

Both Watson and Cyrus are in the throes of awkward transition from teen icon to young woman. Perhaps it's not fair to compare them. They seem to be chasing very different looks and goals.

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