I know, it’s not 2004, but color me a Jessica Simpson fan.
Yes, she’s still around, though these days, instead of reality show glimpses into her life, and teeny tiny bikinis and cowboy boots, Simpson is mostly seen publicly taking her lumps by way of magazine covers and gossip blogs.
Failed relationships, weight gain, pregnancy, all the easy shots.
But, I like an underdog, if we can even call her that. Fact is, while she may fly under the radar, Simpson was one of the first celebrity brands to break $1 billion in annual sales. Edible cosmetics, hair, handbags, shoes, perfume, and clothing. Her brand is affordable, widely-available and even, gasp, plus size!
So, when she drew snarky ire after being billed as a “Fashion Icon” for the upcoming reality show, Fashion Star, I had to disagree.
Most recently, you can find Miss Simpson naked and pregnant on the cover of Elle magazine.
Sure, I’m a touch tired of the naked celebrity baby covers, also, but I’m even more tired of the negative comments that came flying after it published.
Being that pregnant is hard, and I am forever grateful I didn’t have to spend my last trimester with 20 cameras tailing my very wide ass, but when does it stop?
You called her fat on television, and mocked unflattering upshots of her on stage, but now she’s almost a mom, does it stop then? Shouldn’t it stop then? Shouldn’t it just stop, period?
“At this point I think it’s safe to say Jessica Simpson is having sextuplets.” @hapinthecap
“Anyone else think Photoshop was working overtime on Jessica Simpson’s cover photo?!” @oldies957
“Here’s a pregnant Jessica Simpson posing nude for the April issue of Elle if posing nude means they de-jowled her head and slapped it on Demi Moore‘s body because it was cheaper than airbrushing out nacho cheese burns. Regardless, Jessica confirms she’s having a girl, but more importantly reveals I was right about all those times I said she’s a rib-fueled booze funnel.” TheSuperficial.com
If you asked me to name three Jessica Simpson songs, I couldn’t do it. But, she picks herself up after she falls, she’s a kick-ass entrepreneur, and sometimes, her jeans don’t fit quite right, and that’s the kind of woman I can relate to.
Amen sister.
amen!
When reading those criticisms of her cover, all I could think was… Have you ever MET a pregnant woman?!?!? Jessica looks FANTASTIC. She looks beautiful. She’s creating life. Photoshop or not, she’s brave for putting it all out there like that during a time when very few women feel sexy.
If that is a picture of a fat woman, then those twitter posters would have thrown up in their mouths to see me at 30 weeks pregnant. (At which point, by the way, I felt like I looked pretty bangin’).
High five. All of that. Exactly.
I’ve seen Jessica Simpson in the airport (whooo celebrity sightings) and the woman is tiny. Short, petite and muscular. She looks great 98% of the time which is more than I can say for myself….I wish people would quit discussing her body but you are right, she is the epitome of dusting yourself off & moving onward and upward.
I would rather see a voluptuous, pregnant Jessica than emaciated model any day!! I’m not criticizing the other (okay, maybe a little…) but if we are to accept gangly no-fat models in our magazines and catalogs why can we not accept women who are full-figured as well? All body types, right?
Congratulations to her! I’m sure he baby will be as beautiful as she is.
Seriously, this baby is gonna be gorgeous!
Frankly, my issue with it is just the nudity. Knocked up, not knocked up, I would not feel comfortable with my daughter seeing that much skin. Period. Where in the hell did the modesty go in our culture?
I love J.S…And I think she looks fantastic pregnant and it definitely takes alot of balls to put it all out there like she has. The only question I have is….how the hell does she still have an innie?! Really!!!
To be fair…whispers…I still had an innie with all 3 of mine. Maybe I was too fat for it to ever be an outie, or do I have a genetically deep belly button? Now I’m super self conscious about it!
::whispers:: I was also still an innie and I was as wide as I was tall when I was pregnant. I’m only 4’11″ and a heavier woman.
I am almost as pregnant as JS and I am miles away from an outtie still. It is the only ‘glamorous’ bit of my pregnancy so far.
When I was pregnant, I told my 3 year old cousin that when my belly button popped the baby would be coming. Kind of like a turkey. Mine never popped.
3 kids (boys,no less) and still an innie!
Amen is right! I agree that the naked pregnant celebrity thing is a bit boring, but this is far more tasteful than half of the “fully clothed” women on the cover of these magazines. Also, she is creating life as you said, the ridicule should absolutely stop there…She is about to bring a little girl into this world that is going to be facing the public eye and all the other crap that gets thrown at girls all their lives. Women need to start supporting other women instead of constantly finding reasons to beat eachother down. Ugh, change needs to happen. I think she looks beautiful and yay for her for being herself.
I have always thought she was so pretty! When I saw this picture yesterday I thought “hot damn girl good for you.” I swear why can’t we all just respectfully get along.
Exactly. Perfectly stated.
You are so exactly right! Women, beautiful and smart and funny ones, come in ALL shapes and sizes.
I have always loved Jessica! Always! And she always looks great. Hair, clothes, whatever. Her body is awesome, too, and she takes everything with a smile and a who-cares attitude.
I think she looks great and real. Women gain weight when they’re pregnant, and Jessica is a petite woman so the weight is just going to show more than on a 5’10″ model who doesn’t eat enough.
I totally wanted to highfive her when I saw the cover. I’ve always admired her for not really giving a shit what people say about her. I still can’t believe that people call her fat. Her legs are BANGIN. If that’s fat, I want to be fat like her.
Calling any woman fat is awful. Calling a pregnant woman fat is beyond words.
I gained over 60lbs during pregnancy, and I didn’t feel fat. I felt pregnant. It’s not the time of your life where you should or need to be concentrating on weight gain, and it definitely is not the time for anyone to make negative comments on her appearance in any way. If anyone did that to me I would’ve stabbed that person with a fork.
However old and lame the naked baby belly cover shot idea is, Jessica was very courageous to do this. I’m sure she knew exactly how some of the feedback was going to be and she did it anyway, and we are very proud of her!
I wish I could feel like you did while pregnant! I’m 34 weeks and up 41 lbs and I definitely don’t feel good about it. Good for you for feeling pregnant and okay with yourself!
She looks great! People are crazy. And don’t worry Brittany, I never got an outie either and I was very thin with my first. *shrug*
I love Jessica Simpson and I think that her cover looks beautiful.
I think she looks amazing. I also still think that all bullies, whether physical or verbal, are suffering from crippling issues with self esteem and that they bully to make themselves feel better. In other words, those haters are nothing more than shivering five year olds trapped in adult bodies hiding in the bathtub hate-eating brownies and cheetos and secretly wishing they were her.
So there.
Truth!!
I think she looks beautiful. She has ALWAYS gotten so much criticism about her body, and she pretty much just throws both middle fingers up to the world. I’m sure everyone has heard about how she got kicked out of her youth choir because her boobs were too big right? Then people made fun of her for being too skinny during the Dukes of Hazzard days. Then she was too fat to go in public…Now shes too fat while pregnant. But shes never stopped smiling and giving haters a big “Eff you” while still making the money and retaining her status symbol. Jessica Simpson may not be the smartest girl that’s ever walked this Earth, but she has more confidence than I ever could.
I am also a Jessica Simpson fan. Not so much her music. But definitely her shoes. And, mostly because as you stated: she picks herself up after she falls & she’s a kick-ass entrepreneur.
You know, I’m not so much of a Jessica Simpson fan. I don’t care for her style of music, and I absolutely hated Newlyweds. But she has never struck me as a waste of space, the way I feel about some other celebrities (the Kardashians, for example). Jessica works hard and deserves her success. Plus, she just seems like a nice person, which goes a long way for me. And while I’m saddened that she’s being castigated for (OMG!) gaining weight during pregnancy, I’m not surprised. The celebrity cult worships these super thin women who appear with a basketball under their shirts for about a month, then have flat tummies again a couple weeks or so after birth. I’ve wondered how Selma Hayek managed to avoid this body criticism, because she is another actress who gained pregnancy weight like a normal person.
Here here!!!
She looks beautiful!!! What are these idiots seeing that I’m not? So she couldn’t pull off high-waisted jeans. Who can? Now she’s big pregnant and people are still dissing her body?
I think a lot of it is due to her overt girlishness. That makes her seem “weak” in our culture, and therefore a target for the hecklers.
Nobody goes after Queen Latifah about her body. Just saying.
So I didn’t read most of the other comments, but I imaginge they all say something similar to my comment. All I can think is are JS’s critics looking at the same cover as I am? She looks amazing! I am so not a JS fan, but I am a woman who just gave birth three weeks ago. I was comfortable with my pregnant body – but hell, her pregnant body is pretty hot!
I’m not a Jessica fan, but I think she looks amazing on the Elle cover.
I have so, so, so much I could say about the awful words people have been hurling her way for so long, but it’s late and I forgot to comment yesterday, so this will have to do:
Screw the haters, Jess! You look AMAZING!
Obviously, Brittany, I 100% agree with this. All of it.
It’s pretty sad when people can insult a beautiful pregnant body. These people seriously have no souls.
i’m still sad about the jess and nick break up. *sigh*
but her shoe line? awesome.
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